Please Mr. President, More "Jackass" Outbursts

[babylonsister]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/trey-ellis/please-mr-president-more_b_286665.html

Trey Ellis
Novelist, Screenwriter, and Assistant Professor at Columbia University
Posted: September 14, 2009 11:01 PM

Please Mr. President, More "Jackass" Outbursts


When I heard that the president of the United States called someone a "jackass," I cheered. This is exactly the kind of human, non-Spock-like outburst Obama needs to do much more of to better connect with the vast majority of the American people.

Sure, everyone in the world, even Kanye himself, would call him a jackass for this (video at link).

But what the president's natural outburst shows is that sometimes you don't have to split the difference and find common ground with lunatics, the underinformed, or crooks.

Sometimes, maybe even often, you have to call them a jackass.

Sure, it's un-presidential but that's why you have surrogates. Have Rahm or Axelrod do it for you but make it clear that that's what you said behind closed doors. Congressman Joe Wilson calls you a liar on national TV and, sure, you play it down a bit on 60 Minutes, but you leak that privately you called him worse than a jackass and now the clearly racist, disrespectful sonofabitch is dead to you. What would LBJ or Truman have done? As Quentin Tarantino might say, "They would've gotten black on his ass."

Conciliation only gets you so far.

On health care for example, conciliation got some concessions from Big Pharma and the Insurance lobby yet at the same time they keep pumping millions into crippling those same reforms. If there is no consequence to that treachery then every other industry from Wall Street on down will know how to cheat to win.

The money changers are in the temple. It's time for even the most peaceful and conciliatory leader to throw them out on their ears.

The first step is to call them a bunch of jackasses.

[liberal N proud]

1. It would be so nice to be able to call people out again

This tip-toe through the feelings shit is getting old.

It doesn't seem to effect those who we have to tip-toe around all the time, they keep acting like jackasses and shoveling the shit.

[Clio the Leo]

5. lol, so much for wanting to make "civility interesting."

I'm afraid he's fighting a losing battle on that one. Or "trying to calmly debate" a losing battle. lol

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8651211

[Captain Hilts]

2. I love this. Thanks. nt

[Clio the Leo]

3. Calling someone whom everyone agrees is a jackass is one thing....

... calling your political opponents or the critics in your constituency, vile as they may be, the same is a WHOLE 'nother ball game. Not one that will help his cause/s in any way.

[babylonsister]

4. Well, we agree Wilson is a big-g-g jackass. I don't have a problem

w/Axelrod dropping something that came from the Prez.

Goose, gander?

:shrug:

[Clio the Leo]

6. lol *WE* agree but *WE* are not the entirety of the American people....

.. we're not even the entirety of the Democratic party.

I would submit, that if the American people wanted an abrasive bad ass in the White House, they would have elected the war hero and that Palin woman.

Again I cite one of your OP's....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=8651211

[babylonsister]

7. I know, civility rules. Sometimes I wish it didn't, but only

in extreme cases. Wilson is extreme imo.

[TomCADem]

8. Look at the New Book On Bush - Bush Was Ripping On A Bunch Of Colleagues

Behind their back. With President Obama, he was just stating the obvious in somewhat crude terms. BTW I think it would be more accurate to call Kanye a prima donna.

[Clio the Leo]

13. I think it would be more accurate to call Kanye .....

... "someone who was involved in a publicity stunt to help Jay's first's show get big ratings." ;)

[Bonobo]

9. Maybe the "outburst" should be in quotes? Just sayin'...

There are some savvy people out there you know...

[demwing]

10. I think you mean "medieval on his ass" not black

if you'r quoting Pulp Fiction, and you are, right?

[Fading Captain]

11. I think Obama should refrain from commenting to reporters on these issues

It's below his paygrade.

I'd prefer it if the Presdient actually knew nothing about the event.

[Phx_Dem]

12. Here's the audio . . . Love it!

http://www.tmz.com/2009/09/15/obama-caught-on-tape-calling-kanye-jackass-taylor-swift/

[Kaylee]

15. Wait! If this was off the record, who the hell gave the tape to TMZ?

[Phx_Dem]

18. The jackasses at ABC who have no journalistic integrity. n/t

[Cha]

14. Well, it was off the record so there would have to

be more instances of another reporter going back on their word.

It's not as if the jackasses aren't hoisting their collective ass on their own petard and taking full advantage of the rope being supplied.

[WCGreen]

16. Here Here!!!!

[Gman2]

17. You think he HASN"T read The Prince, and The Five Rings?