Obama Looks Weak, Incompetent At G20 Press Conference
June 20, 2012 11 Comments
Did any of you catch President Obama’s prime time press conference yesterday at the G20 meeting in Mexico? Yours truly had the misfortune of watching it. It was one of the worst press conferences I’ve ever witnessed. It makes one wonder if this President is really as smart as his sycophants in the media claim. It makes one wonder what his team was thinking when they decided to hold a prime time press conference. One thing is certain though, when Obama doesn’t have his teleprompter and when he doesn’t anticipate the questions he really doesn’t speak very clearly. He isn’t the amazing orator he’s been billed as.
Three of his answers stood out to me. The first concerned the economic situation in Europe. Obama droned on for 4 minutes about Europe and it honestly sounded like he was giving a class presentation in his freshman economics class. It is apparent that Obama doesn’t really understand how the economy works. His cursory understanding was on full display last night as he explained in detail that if there isn’t any money in Paris or Berlin they can’t buy products made in Pittsburgh or Cleveland. All hail Obama’s genius! The scary thing is that he made that comment in such a way that makes one believe he thought it was a terrific point. Instead, he looks like an economic moron. That’s if viewers were even paying attention by the time he made it.
Putin apparently lectured Obama at the G20 meeting, which of course prompted a question about Russia’s involvement in Syria. Obama once again droned on for 4-5 minutes and was all over the place in his answer. His thesis seemed to be that eventually Russia will see the wisdom of Obama’s position and follow it. Because of course Obama is a genius and eventually everyone will recognize it. His answer was ridiculous. Putin isn’t going to accept the Obama position because Obama refuses to throw the weight of the American Presidency around. Obama would have been better off saying diplomacy is taking place and not commenting further. Instead he was all over the place, he looked weak and pathetic. The world was watching, including the Kremlin.
Obama was asked about a Romney advisor who questioned Obama’s economic policy in a German publication. Obama once again pointed out that he’s the President, a sign of weakness if there ever was one. He also suggested that American disagreements end at our shores. That’s interesting considering Obama’s campaign speech in Berlin in 2008. Once again though Obama droned on for several minutes not answering the question and making thinly veiled attacks on Bush and Romney. It was a weak answer that didn’t make any sense. Anytime the President feels the need to throw his weight around by declaring he’s the President, he’s already lost the issue at hand.
What is perhaps most interesting about all of this is that the Obama team thought it would be a good idea to put this press conference on during primetime hours when more people will be watching. The Obama presser was the lead in to the most watched hour of news on the news channels, so more people watched than had it been on at 2 in the afternoon. They clearly thought they could accomplish something politically with the timing and they did. They boosted Romney’s chances. Obama has never given such a poor performance and it couldn’t come at a worse time for him.
Obama looked incompetent and weak last night. He sounds like he has no idea what he’s doing, he sounds like he’s over his head. He doesn’t understand the economy, he doesn’t understand foreign diplomacy. Worst of all, he doesn’t understand the power of the American Presidency and he doesn’t understand how to use it. We have a very weak man in the White House and we have very serious situations facing us at home and abroad. Nothing could be worse for Obama than showcasing his weakness during primetime like he did yesterday. What was his team thinking when they scheduled this press conference?
About Steven
He’s not smart. I can’t watch him for more than 5 seconds.
I force myself, last night was particularly painful.
I haven’t seen the news conference,but I have often said Barack Obama is no great speaker. Yes, he can read a good speech, if it is written for him and he has his trusty teleprompter at his side. Other than that, he looks and sounds like a bumbling fool. I would really like to see him in a debate with someone who knows how to debate. Even though I disagree with Newt Gingrich on so many issues, it would have been fun to watch him wipe the floor with Obama.
In the last two years every single time Obama has gone off prompter he either creates a problem for himself or he rambles on and looks incompetent. He’s actually gotten worse at this during his Presidency. He wasn’t dreadful against McCain in the debates, though his off the cuff remarks during the campaign got him in trouble a couple times. Nothing like what we see now though.
One thing I’ve noticed about Obama lately is that he appears exhausted. He looks and sounds like someone who no longer enjoys his job. There’s no doubt he wants to be re-elected but you have to wonder if he’s really 100% in.
Acts 23 (New American Standard Bible)
Paul, looking intently at the [a]Council, said, “ Brethren, I have [b]lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” 2 The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” 4 But the bystanders said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” 5 And Paul said, “I was not aware, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘ You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
Titus 3:1 & 2 Remind your people to recognise the power of those who rule and bear authority. They must obey the laws of the state and be prepared to render whatever good service they can. They are not to speak evil of any man, they must not be argumentative but gentle, showing themselves agreeable to everybody. 3-8a For we ourselves have known what it is to be ignorant, disobedient and deceived… but by the cleansing power of a new birth and the moral renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he gave us so generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour…The result is that we are acquitted by his grace, and can look forward to inheriting life for evermore. This is solid truth. 8b-11 Subjects like this are always good and useful but mind you steer clear of stupid arguments, genealogies, controversies and quarrels over the Law. They settle nothing and lead nowhere.
What’s your point?
Our nation’s laws allow us publicly expression of our opinions, and I cannot think of one thing that I agree with the President on. However as Christians, we are commanded not to speak evil of rulers, but to pray for them, and to show honor. We are not honoring the individual, but the God ordained position that they hold. The constant harping and complaining, i.e. “pathetic” “weak”; “economic moron”, etc. is not Christian in nature.
Pilate told Jesus that he had the power of life and death over Him, and Jesus told him the only power he had was from God. Romans 13 tells us that there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are from God, and are to be honored. This runs counter to our present contentious political culture, however we are also commanded not to be conformed to our surroundings but to be transformed by the Word of God and to shine as lights. We can disagree and express that disagreement, but to personally insult and demean authorities puts us at odds with God himself.
I’d encourage you to read further in Acts 23 and see what Paul said which outraged just about everyone. Our family and church prays for the civil magistrates. But nowhere in scripture does it tell us to remain silent and never criticize what the magistrates do. If they are behaving in an evil manner, it is our duty to say something. I want our country to remain strong and we cannot do so with the weak, pathetic leadership Obama has provided. You’re focused on those words but underlying them is a desire for Obama to snap out of it and govern properly. I want success for Obama, not failure. His policies will result in failure but it is my hope and prayer that he would reject his current outlook. Read between the lines, don’t overly focus on seemingly harsh or negative words. Look at what the words mean (in context) and the intent behind them.
Reading further in Acts 23 merely underscores my point. All Paul did was to state his identity, which was a Pharisee, and state his belief in the resurrection of the dead. He did not enter into any personal attack on the Sadducees. He acted as a catalyst to promote discourse; the civility of that discourse was the responsibility of the other participants.
Collosians 4:5 Behave yourselves wisely [living prudently and with discretion] in your relations with those of the outside world (the non-Christians), making the very most of the time and seizing (buying up) the opportunity. 6 Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you].
Mt 10:16 (KJV) Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
The key here is that Paul spoke the truth, which is what I’m doing. You’re lost in semantics, you’ve missed what my point is. I am in no wise being unkind or uncharitable to Obama, in fact on any number of occasions I’ve openly given him the benefit of the doubt. Col 4:5-6 in no way prohibits believers from speaking the truth and sometimes the truth is harsh. We consistently see Christ rebuking unbelievers and pharisees. He warns them of hellfire, which isn’t exactly “gracious” as you see it. Yet it is gracious because Christ is speaking the truth and warning of the dire consequences associated with what the pharisees are up to. No doubt the pharisees were caught up with the threats of hell and focused excuslively on that. In doing that, they miss Christ’s entire point. You’re doing the same with me right now. You’re focused on a handful of words but you’ve missed the entire point of the words and why they were used.
OK