September 08, 2009
Tomorrow Belongs to ZZZzzz...
Like most parents, I was fine with my daughter listening to President Obama's speech today. Several of my fellow bloggers got reactions from their children as well, and they are worth reading as well.
When I asked my fifth-grader how it was, she told me simply, "It was good."
"It was good," is typically her tween shorthand for "I don't know because I wasn't really paying attention/was listening.doing/daydreaming about something else," and so having my suspicions about how much she actually got out of it, I asked her about various parts of the speech.
Beyond the introduction and some of the more interesting non-Obama anecdotes, she had mostly tuned it out. It was far too long, and I'm sure before he was halfway through his self-referential bloviating that her eyes were more glazed than a Krispy Kreme doughnut.
If today's ramble was written to inspire a generation of schoolchildren, it failed miserably. But then, I suspect that this wasn't a speech targeted to inspire children.
The speech was pabulum, a mundane, forgettable effort targeted at parents. It aspired to merely generate some small measure of goodwill to get the President's plummeting approval ratings out of a flat spin before he pitches Obamacare for the 28th time tomorrow night.
Our children could not be indoctrinated by Obama's effort today, but some may have ended up catatonic. But at least nobody died... which is more that can be said for the effects of the health disaster he'll attempt to resurrect (again) tomorrow night.
Excellent post! Two thumbs up! 28th time--lol, gosh his teleprompter is taking a beating.
Posted by: Al at September 8, 2009 08:28 PMIt was just a test of his teleprompter for the big one tomorrow to the sheeples.
Posted by: Leonard at September 8, 2009 08:33 PMMy middle school daughter didn't see the speech because she "...was busy doing school stuff." My 4th grade boy did see it, but all he said was that it was boring.
Posted by: Larry Anderson at September 8, 2009 09:08 PMThis speech was for his number one fans, the NEA. The turned out and raises money, made calls, and knocked on doors for him. He knows that to get re-elected he needs to cosset this group. All they demand or require is a little attention ( and a ton of stimulus $), and they swoon and will turn out for him again. The more teachers he brings to his cause , the more votes he creates.
Posted by: Paddy at September 8, 2009 09:12 PMThat is supposed to be, " They turn out and raised money..."
darn "smart phone".
I'm sorry, but the speech he gave today just doesn't match the lesson plan that was presented earlier. Did they botch the lesson plan, or did they redo the speech? Of course, it's possible that both happened, but that seems less likely.
Posted by: OneDay at September 8, 2009 10:25 PMpablum = pabulum (yeah, it's kind of a silent 'u')
Posted by: kcom at September 8, 2009 10:46 PMHe's giving another speech tomorrow? I'll be too busy watching young Melanie Oudin play in the quarter finals of the US Open.
Posted by: jules at September 8, 2009 11:29 PMLittle known paragraph in Obama's speech:
"If you plan to turn in your parents to the government machine for thinking outside the socialist box, when they ask you about this speech, say 'it was good'."
Just a head's up, CY
Posted by: Kevin at September 9, 2009 12:18 AMPablum = Pabulum
Pabulum:
comestible: any substance that can be used as food.
Pablum:
Pablum is a processed cereal for infants originally marketed by the Mead Johnson Company in 1931. The trademarked name is a contracted form of the Latin word , meaning "foodstuff". ...
Yup, I remember Pablum. Utterly tasteless.
Posted by: Roy Lofquist at September 9, 2009 12:40 AMI'm sorry, but the speech he gave today just doesn't match the lesson plan that was presented earlier.
By that, do you mean there will be no democrat congressional hearings into it, as happened when Bush v1.0 gave a similar speech during his term?
If so, I suspect you're correct. I don't think Pelosi will be holding hearings over this speech.
Posted by: Purple Avenger at September 9, 2009 12:42 AMThe origin of the speech is obvious. With Barry in a flat spin the resident geniuses think, "Okay, the trogs are out there thinking and saying that we are bad. Hmmm. What is good? Come on people, I want some ideas here!" And thus the least offensive and most saddleable meme is recruited. Just tell 'em it is for the kids. Someday perhaps we shall see the original text. Whatever socialist footsoldier that wrote it is no doubt mightily steamed that it never got to the ears of the moppets where certainly it would have ushered in a New Age... heck, with a new shameless vanguard of Obamist snitches in every kitchen the re-education could have begun in weeks. Dang. But the pushback forced a major readjustment and here perhaps the Lefties who now chime "This did nothing good for you guys... " have a point. The shock of the reaction kept Barry from letting his Ayers approved freak flag fly. It would have been better to have a little more sunlight in here but it matters little. One thing you can be sure of with this crowd, they ALWAYS double down. Always.
Posted by: megapotamus at September 9, 2009 01:15 AMIt was boring because all the good bits were removed.
Posted by: davod at September 9, 2009 06:45 AMMy daughter said it was "interesting" since it was the first time she had heard the president speak. But clarified the experience as "not exciting".
She was basically underwhelmed...
Posted by: GaMOngrel at September 9, 2009 08:26 AMMy 6th grader said she tuned out after he started talking about how hard it was for him to go to school and all his problems.
I think she got the drift, it essentially was all about Obama.
My middle schooler hears it today so I encouraged her to ask the teacher if she knows what grades Obama got at Yale. Also, did Obama say "No" to drugs?
Posted by: MarkoNW at September 9, 2009 12:41 PMMaybe the kids weren't impressed, but I understand Chris Matthews spent the speech dreamily writing "Chris Obama" on his PeeChee folder, surrounding it with little hearts. After the speech when he and David Brooks and Keith Olbermann compared folders there was a terrific catfight and all three had to be sent to the girls' vice principal.
Posted by: Steve Skubinna at September 9, 2009 01:48 PM
