He's an arrogant, supercilious, incompetent jerk.
B <http://www.nypost.com/> New York PostUpdated: Sun., Jul. 18, 2010, 5:16 AM Let me be clear: Obama's condescending phrase By MAUREEN CALLAHAN Last Updated: 5:16 AM, July 18, 2010 Posted: 12:17 PM, July 17, 2010 Among his favorite phrases -- "make no mistake," "whole host," "change isn't easy" -- one is President Obama's obvious favorite: "Let me be clear." He uses it -- deliberately and extemporaneously -- when making what he obviously feels is his main point. So too, annoyingly, does much of his administration. Senior adviser David Axelrod employs it -- or the variation "let's be clear" -- constantly. So does Vice President Joe Biden, press secretary Robert Gibbs, chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. During an interview on NPR last Wednesday, HUD secretary Shaun Donovan used the phrase at least eight times in 20 minutes. The aggregate effect? Nothing so much as condescension: The subtext of this phrase, used over and over and over, is, "You, the masses, are quite likely misunderstanding everything I've heretofore been plainly discussing in our native tongue. Allow me to further simplify it for you." It's equal parts amusing and frustrating to watch seasoned journalists on the Sunday shows or in the press room be on the receiving end of this insulting verbal tic and not once snap back. Making things clear, after all, is the essence of journalism. All presidents have their verbal tics -- Bill Clinton had a version of "make no mistake," which was similarly interpreted as intellectual hauteur. What's unusual about Obama's tic is its viral spread throughout the White House, and its unchallenged use by the very people meant to be challenged. So, let us be clear: We're over it. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [email protected]. -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [email protected] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
