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bigtree

(94,391 posts)

151. I think it's mostly irrelevant to what we should expect from this president

Mon May 20, 2013, 02:54 PM

May 2013

. . . that his relaxed persona is a put on or eternally genuine. It does matter how he conducts himself; both politically and substantively. It does make a difference in the nature and result of his presidency, whether he's able to convey confidence and the like.

I'm still wondering what there could be, that's so relevant, which would contradict this impression? For all intents and purposes of this presidency, this looks to be his operating mode. What more could we want in a presidential persona? It is 'politics,' after all. He's still challenged to build coalitions of support within and without the democratic system. Cynicism's fine and necessary, but it's a curious thing to reject the overall character of this presidency which has been on display and has served to characterize the actual politics surrounding the office, and substitute something less evident and speculative, instead.

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That's just wrong to look so effortlessly relaxed, happy & handsome [View all] bigtree May 2013 OP

I think it's called a "poker face". Never let 'em see you sweat Mr. President. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #1

I don't think he sweats. He has a built-in circuit breaker. randome May 2013 #3

It's amazing, and even more amazing is how it pisses people off. I often get.... Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #7

I agree about the Hawaiian upbringing loyalsister May 2013 #30

I hadn't heard about his grandparents. Thanks for that. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #33

"A Singular Woman" loyalsister May 2013 #38

I'll definitely have to check that out. Thanks again. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #48

Republicans hate the "cool kids" PatSeg May 2013 #66

Hey, it's not Obama's fault that they're all old, crazy, and out of touch. As the kids used to say Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #127

A lifetime of festering envy PatSeg May 2013 #174

I absolutely agree. Therapy for all! Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #178

He hasn't been so far thats for sure madokie May 2013 #31

No. It's called selfless love for others. JDPriestly May 2013 #34

It's because he know our secret muslin gun confiscation FEMA camp bagger roundup is going so well! NYC_SKP May 2013 #2

SSHHHHHHHHHHH Half-Century Man May 2013 #26

But I didn't tell them WHEN we start! NYC_SKP May 2013 #29

About that ... Arugula Latte May 2013 #113

Arf! IrishAyes May 2013 #162

That's one damn good looking, happy President. It's hard Auntie Bush May 2013 #4

I hope his enemies SCVDem May 2013 #44

Yes indeed, his constant detractors are a sad lot indeed. freshwest May 2013 #70

Hope they gave him an honorary degree. . . ucrdem May 2013 #5

Yeah he's one charismatic neoconservative. No doubt about that. nt Demo_Chris May 2013 #6

80-20 20 over and out. graham4anything May 2013 #9

you'd have a hard time selling that nonsense to that crowd of Morehouse youth bigtree May 2013 #10

You say this as if it requires courage to speak the truth there. I doubt it. Demo_Chris May 2013 #14

How in fuck's name do you KNOW what anyone else has or has not considered. PATERNALISM pure and patrice May 2013 #17

There is probably a better thread for this... Demo_Chris May 2013 #18

O. M. G. !!! You're JEALOUS. oh, wow, . . . uh . . . really, I'm sorry. nt patrice May 2013 #28

~~~ sheshe2 May 2013 #43

LOL!!! Number23 May 2013 #79

A lot of messed up people are jealous of President Obama. The rest of us love him. IrishAyes May 2013 #164

+1 Phlem May 2013 #65

Rush of haterade from this post alone.... uponit7771 May 2013 #84

and poster bigtree May 2013 #116

If he's a "neo-conservative", then wouldn't that mean the country is moving in that..... Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #19

Agreed. They appear to be reacting to authority, top-down, iterations of an obsolete paradigm. patrice May 2013 #25

I think the last election... Demo_Chris May 2013 #27

"I think". Doesn't make it true. And which "more wars" are you referring to? Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #37

*ding* Bobbie Jo May 2013 #68

I reserve the right to support some of Obama's policies and criticize others without JDPriestly May 2013 #39

Perhaps the country has moved past you? In polling, people may agree with more.... Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #46

In my city, we face local elections very soon. JDPriestly May 2013 #76

Chris, you appear to be a reactionary who mistakes himself for an anarchist & your avatar is a patrice May 2013 #20

Oh give me a fucking break Phlem May 2013 #35

A bunch of "fan-natics" who kicked yall's asses in the last election. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #40

Who in the hell is "yall's" Phlem May 2013 #51

"Yea, let's not wait for the "R's" we can divide and Conquer ourselves!" Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #52

Wow Phlem May 2013 #53

And I have no tolerance for namecalling. Remember "fan-natics"? You went there. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #55

Right. you forgot to paste this part "I can hear it already, "If your not with us, your against us". Phlem May 2013 #57

Wow, I guess you do have "patience" afterall. You're full of contradictions, aren't you? Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #58

I always have patience Phlem May 2013 #59

You're as funny as you are intellectually dishonest. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #62

Oooo Phlem May 2013 #63

C Ya, Phlem!!!! Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #64

Yes we can, Yes we did, and YES WE WILL AGAIN! IrishAyes May 2013 #165

You deleted the word "appear". Not an uncommon bit of, PERHAPS, deceit, that; today alone I have patrice May 2013 #173

heh bigtree May 2013 #21

Let me guess, Chris Hedges? ucrdem May 2013 #41

If he Jamaal510 May 2013 #152

People believe the darndest things. ucrdem May 2013 #160

That's very much like a Rovian attack. He's more of a neoliberal. nt CJCRANE May 2013 #49

And you generally sound like a paid Koch-ass-kissing troll. IrishAyes May 2013 #163

An authentically revolutionary absolutist would be capable of recognizning that their own words patrice May 2013 #16

Post removed Post removed May 2013 #22

The responses to your post show how deadly serious even the "fluffy" propaganda woo me with science May 2013 #61

I just have a Phlem May 2013 #75

It's a trance like state. Phlem May 2013 #77

One might ask the purpose of this thread. If the purpose was to get like minded posters rhett o rick May 2013 #86

Oh, don't worry-- they'll rediscover their 'principles' as soon as they can be Marr May 2013 #91

if they are going to go into complete meltdown if people aren't sufficiently worshipful boilerbabe May 2013 #95

Asinine. Bobbie Jo May 2013 #100

That's both a very clever and self-congratulatory way to minimize and trivialize the opinions... LanternWaste May 2013 #97

+1000 forestpath May 2013 #186

How ridiculous to give him an extreme label like that. Isoldeblue May 2013 #74

"Demo-Chris, you should get your mouth washed out with soap". Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #87

You can't have a rational Bobbie Jo May 2013 #93

We have Universal Health Care? HughBeaumont May 2013 #101

Believe it or not, Jamaal510 May 2013 #154

And when you hear them spew such offal IrishAyes May 2013 #166

The tweet was wrong Renew Deal May 2013 #103

He is one helluva sexy man! Intelligent, confident and all-around decent guy. dorkzilla May 2013 #8

:) makes me happy to see them too. Whisp May 2013 #24

I agree 100000000%! dorkzilla May 2013 #32

Hmm...I didn't know Jamaal510 May 2013 #156

Wanting a bouncy, teen-age cheerleader Isoldeblue May 2013 #158

Teen-age cheerleader? sheshe2 May 2013 #172

I said the NEO-CONS wanted a teen-age cheerleader - meaning Isoldeblue May 2013 #180

PS SheShe - Isoldeblue May 2013 #181

Thanks Isoldeblue~ sheshe2 May 2013 #182

No problem, sheshe Isoldeblue May 2013 #185

Sweet~ sheshe2 May 2013 #47

That's the stuff that makes me so deliriously happy to see dorkzilla May 2013 #56

That's OK, dorkzilla. sheshe2 May 2013 #60

I love you womeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!! LOL n/t dorkzilla May 2013 #82

Is anyone here on DU sweating the so called scandals? Life Long Dem May 2013 #11

Most of us aren't, but there's a minority who keep pushing them, but that's not new here. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #15

He's looking just a little emotional when the honors' sash is being put on him. I wish his patrice May 2013 #12

Don't you just know it madokie May 2013 #36

Don't know how he does it Ishoutandscream2 May 2013 #13

so awesome sad-cafe May 2013 #23

This is what life is like when you ignore the 24/7 bloviating on Cable News. Spitfire of ATJ May 2013 #42

RWNJ would say "Look how ARROGANT he is acting". Translation-UPPITY. ErikJ May 2013 #45

That last picture, bigtree? sheshe2 May 2013 #50

That's almost my favorite picture IrishAyes May 2013 #167

he is a cutie pie Skittles May 2013 #54

Yeah, I think it was Jon Karl who was Cha May 2013 #67

I'm not comfortable with that much worship ... kentuck May 2013 #69

Then you were free to bypass this thread, but you didn't. Few people who've.... Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #88

Silence is consent... kentuck May 2013 #99

Like I said, no one cares! Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #108

How in the hell do you know that "no one cares"?? kentuck May 2013 #136

"You got tea leaves??" Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #139

Post removed Post removed May 2013 #140

Lifelong, 4th generation Dem. I will always support the Dem President despite the machinations.... Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #142

You're soooo above us, maybe we should idolize you instead? IrishAyes May 2013 #170

Too bad for those soulless RWNJs who try to take him down. EPIC FAIL for the haters, always. freshwest May 2013 #71

Are you sure you want to be calling him handsome? Uzair May 2013 #72

having a pleasing and usually impressive or dignified appearance bigtree May 2013 #80

Enjoying the moment involves leaving it at the office. Bucky May 2013 #73

Snort GeorgeGist May 2013 #92

K&R for my grandfather. A Morehouse grad who was a Morehouse Man until the day he passed Number23 May 2013 #78

+1 Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #89

My girl! Number23 May 2013 #90

Exactly. olivelove May 2013 #81

His speech was great today! And he was funny as all hell! FrenchieCat May 2013 #83

This is why they hate Him!! K&R!! hue May 2013 #85

The sad thing is that he has a;ready been "taken down" SoCalDem May 2013 #94

I look like that everyday Puzzledtraveller May 2013 #96

It pisses off all the Right people, so he must be doing it right! Rex May 2013 #98

oooh, he's dreeeamy!!! Zorra May 2013 #102

New material. Bobbie Jo May 2013 #104

I could say the same for Phlem May 2013 #105

Press 1 for English. Bobbie Jo May 2013 #107

Really? Phlem May 2013 #111

btw.... Bobbie Jo May 2013 #115

Why am I not surprised you'd understand that. Phlem May 2013 #117

What? Understand your posts? Bobbie Jo May 2013 #122

riiiiight Phlem May 2013 #132

btw... Bobbie Jo May 2013 #134

Arrogant blowhard you are, convinced of your own superiority to everybody - ugh! IrishAyes May 2013 #168

Oh, but truth is eternal! Good grief, the leader worship here is really embarrassing. Zorra May 2013 #133

Exaggerate much? Bobbie Jo May 2013 #137

lol...I don't know; that's relative and a matter of opinion, I suppose. Zorra May 2013 #155

lol Bobbie Jo May 2013 #157

That's all it takes to be a politician don't cha know. Phlem May 2013 #106

125 of us did "get with the program". Hey Phlem! Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #109

Post removed Post removed May 2013 #110

Go on admit it. It pisses you off that people on this board actually like our Democratic Prez..... Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #124

Wow, just wow. Phlem May 2013 #128

Do you damn with faint praise everyone you allegedly 'like'? Or just PBO? IrishAyes May 2013 #169

You are exceptionally well named. Number23 May 2013 #176

Don't you love the people who hate this thread so much they just HAVE to post in it?? Number23 May 2013 #175

+1. ODS is a real affliction, and you appear to have found a prescription for it. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #179

It's amazing how completely obtuse you are to the import of the actual event bigtree May 2013 #114

This. Bobbie Jo May 2013 #118

I guess that response works both ways huh. Phlem May 2013 #120

No Bobbie Jo May 2013 #125

ooo, OK Phlem May 2013 #129

Oh my! Did I get Bigtree's attention ? Phlem May 2013 #119

This message was self-deleted by its author bigtree May 2013 #123

+1. That folks, is what's commonly known as a smackdown of EPIC proportions. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #126

and yet here I am. Phlem May 2013 #131

But not before we all got a chance to savor it. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #135

+1 n/t lumberjack_jeff May 2013 #184

Good pols, rather experienced pols, smile nadinbrzezinski May 2013 #112

oh, don't try to sell that here bigtree May 2013 #121

Exactly! Phlem May 2013 #130

Lemme see... I photograph pols regularly nadinbrzezinski May 2013 #141

but, we're not relying on photos alone to make that judgment bigtree May 2013 #144

I am talking of the photos nadinbrzezinski May 2013 #146

but dear, this event is represented by more than just photos bigtree May 2013 #148

What I am saying is that a good pol nadinbrzezinski May 2013 #149

I think it's mostly irrelevant to what we should expect from this president bigtree May 2013 #151

I just don't put any stock on photos of smiling pols nadinbrzezinski May 2013 #153

The cult of personality.. kentuck May 2013 #138

The repeated use of the tired, misapplied phrase Bobbie Jo May 2013 #150

AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service geek tragedy May 2013 #143

that's weird, the comment was directed at the rw bigtree May 2013 #145

Throw a rock into a pack of dogs, and the one that yelps geek tragedy May 2013 #147

Ding! Ding! Ding! If you read upthread, there's a comment that's worded pretty much like the alert. Tarheel_Dem May 2013 #159

I hope whoever sent that gets shown the damn door. Sick of the haters thinking they own the joint Number23 May 2013 #177

I agree! IrishAyes May 2013 #161

Hey, Everybody! IrishAyes May 2013 #171

I'm jealous... Blue_Tires May 2013 #183