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The Teleprompter

edited March 2009 in Politics
Obama has a teleprompter system that he uses at every event he holds before the press. Some see this as a crutch while others do not.

How do the forum members feel about Obama's use of the teleprompter? Is there anything he should not be using it for? Would it bother you if he were using it to have questions answered by staff members in a back room so as to make him appear more knowledgeable than he actually is on a given subject? Are there situations where he should not be using it?

Some related links:
Obama's safety net: the TelePrompter - Politico
EDITORIAL: Obama's reliance on teleprompters - Washington Times
Fox News Runs With Fake Obama Teleprompter Story - AOL News
The (very) scripted president - International Herald Tribune
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Comments

  • edited March 2009
    I thought teleprompters were standard for any important address.
    Post edited by Omnutia on
  • edited March 2009
    As long as such systems have existed, politicians have been using them. So why suddenly is Obama criticised for using it when others have not?

    It's a complement to Obama's public speaking skills. People think he is a better public speaker than past presidents, and think he can get along fine without it. In other words, the fact that criticism exists for him, where it did not exist for others, is in itself a compliment.

    Also, I think it's just fine to use such a system. Nobody would criticize him for bringing in a pad of paper with notes on it, so why criticize for a prompter? It just shows that Obama is smarter than other politicians, and uses technology properly. If technology can make life easier, and you have access to it, you would be stupid not to use it.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • edited March 2009
    This all just seems that people are just trying to nitpick at anything Obama does and does not do. However, this has been done with pretty much the majority of all the recent past presidents as well so it just seems like more crap for people to pay attention to.

    Did Bush use a teleprompter is a majority of his press events? I'm honestly curious.
    Post edited by Rochelle on
  • Obama has a teleprompter system that he uses at every event he holds before the press.
    Name all of the Presidents in recent U.S. history that you can prove did NOT use a teleprompter, Steve.

  • Name all of the Presidents in recent U.S. history that you can prove did NOT use a teleprompter, Steve.
    Abraham Lincoln.
  • edited March 2009

    Name all of the Presidents in recent U.S. history that you can prove did NOT use a teleprompter, Steve.
    Abraham Lincoln.
    Just how are you defining "recent"?
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • Abraham Lincoln.
    Now you fucked up.
  • Just how are you defining "recent"?
    Well, I wanted to be sure I picked one that definitely did not use a prompter. Remember, before modern teleprompters there were mechanical ones. I tried to do a quick search on Google to find out who was the first president to actually use one, but Obama stories filled up the whole thing.
  • edited March 2009
    Just how are you defining "recent"?
    Well, I wanted to be sure I picked one that definitely did not use a prompter. Remember, before modern teleprompters there were mechanical ones. I tried to do a quick search on Google to find out who was the first president to actually use one, but Obama stories filled up the whole thing.
    I'm pretty sure Ike was the first one to actually use a proper teleprompter. I think they were first avalable to Truman, but he was too ornery to use them.
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • Now you fucked up.
    He's breakin' my butt! Don't break my butt!
  • Now you fucked up.
    He's breakin' my butt! Don't break my butt!
    Wha'?
  • Abraham Lincoln.
    Now you fucked up.
    He still used written copy. It just wasn't electronic.
  • He still used written copy. It just wasn't electronic.
    unless he had a device to scroll the paper, it doesn't count.
  • He still used written copy. It just wasn't electronic.
    unless he had a device to scroll the paper, it doesn't count.
    Okay, way to make an arbitrary rule....
    FAIL
  • He still used written copy. It just wasn't electronic.
    unless he had a device to scroll the paper, it doesn't count.
    Okay, way to make an arbitrary rule....
    FAIL
    well, it wouldn't be a TELEPROMPTER!
  • Personally I have no problem with Obama using the teleprompter to give his speeches. I have no problem at all with him using technology to make things better.

    However, I do find it ridiculous to use a teleprompter for anything shorter than two paragraphs or for introductions. I would also consider it bad form to use teleprompter devices to pass information on to a speaker during a press conference in such a way as to make the speaker appear more knowledgeable than they really are.
  • However, I do find it ridiculous to use a teleprompter for anything shorter than two paragraphs or for introductions. I would also consider it bad form to use teleprompter devices to pass information on to a speaker during a press conference in such a way as to make the speaker appear more knowledgeable than they really are.
    We live in a televisual world. A teleprompter is part of that world. There is no difference between having information piped onto a screen as opposed to earpieces or notes being handed up to the podium. As someone who often hosts shows on stages, I know how good it is to have notes right in front of me, and often use a clipboard. If I could use some kind of teleprompter I would, as the added communication from back stage would be much slicker. Presidents should use all the technology they can. Nobody is fooled into thinking they are smart, the screens are right there in the tv frame.
  • I have no problem with Obama using the teleprompter! I think any and all technology should be utilized when it is pertinent. I do wish that he would speak less, every time he gets on TV the stock market falls down 300 points.
  • Personally I have no problem with Obama using the teleprompter to give his speeches. I have no problem at all with him using technology to make things better.

    However, I do find it ridiculous to use a teleprompter for anything shorter than two paragraphs or for introductions. I would also consider it bad form to use teleprompter devices to pass information on to a speaker during a press conference in such a way as to make the speaker appear more knowledgeable than they really are.
    Y'know something else that makes him look knowledgeable? He graduated from Columbia and Harvard Law School, and then went on to win the presidency in a landslide. That, and the fact that he is actually very knowledgeable on many issues, lends him a distinct aura of knowledgability.
  • Y'know something else that makes him look knowledgeable? He graduated from Columbia and Harvard Law School, and then went on to win the presidency in a landslide. That, and the fact that he is actually very knowledgeable on many issues, lends him a distinct aura of knowledgability.
    Then why does the market drop every time he or his Treasury Secretary talks about the economy?

    There is a huge difference between knowledge and wisdom. Clearly Obama is very well educated and knows a lot of facts. What we do not yet know is how wise he is. Having his chief of staff organize a campaign to attack a private citizen who just happens to have a national talk radio show is not very wise. Nominating a tax cheat to run the treasury department is not very wise.

    A lot of things work on paper and then fail when they are implemented in the real world.

    Winning an election is not necessarily an indication of "knowledgeability". George Bush was elected twice, does that make him knowledgeable?
  • Y'know something else that makes himlookknowledgeable? He graduated from Columbia and Harvard Law School, and then went on to win the presidency in a landslide. That, and the fact that he is actually very knowledgeable on many issues, lends him a distinct aura of knowledgability.
    Then why does the market drop every time he or his Treasury Secretary talks about the economy?
    LOL. I think I remember him making some brief remarks yesterday that had to do with the economy, and the DJI went up. It's up today as well. Didn't he make some economic-type remarks today? I think he did, but I could be wrong. I can't check right now because I'm typing this on my phone.

    Even if all of the other little things you piss on about can be laid at his door, they were all minor, minor little mistakes that don't detract in any way from the man, his wisdom, or his knowledge.

    Once again, Steve = fail.
  • The DJI is not the entire market. It is only 30 companies that, while important companies, many argue are not decent indicators of the market as a whole.
  • LOL. I think I remember him making some brief remarks yesterday that had to do with the economy, and the DJI went up. It's up today as well. Didn't he make some economic-type remarks today? I think he did, but I could be wrong. I can't check right now because I'm typing this on my phone.
    You think you remember? Wow, what a great way to respond to something.

    You might want to pay a little bit more attention to the market. If you had you might have noticed that the big financial news yesterday had to do with Citibank. As for today the DOW only closed up about 3 points.

    Are you prepared to prove Causality that Obama's remarks caused an upswing in the market? Most economists are with me in that every time Geitner or Obama talk about the market and their economic plan the DOW drops.
  • Ladies and Gentlemen, please take your seats.

    It's time for another Joe versus Steve debate!

    Get ready for some fantastic fact free assertions, some illogical ideologically biased reasoning and some adventurous ad hominim attacks.

    Who will be telling the truth? Who cares?

    Who will win? Who give a shit?

    Check back at the death of the thread when Steve will post a script of his side of the argument, and his misrepresentation of Joe's side. Which Joe will ignore.
  • edited March 2009
    Didn't Jon Stewart just cover the Obama/DOW connection the other week?

    The DOW Knows All
    Canadian Mirror
    Post edited by Eryn on
  • Fuck these threads.
  • Fuck these threads.
    Yup. Way to kill a thread, eh?
  • edited March 2009
    Didn't Jon Stewart just cover the Obama/DOW connection the other week?

    The DOW Knows All
    Canadian Mirror
    Yes. He covered it very well.
    Post edited by HungryJoe on
  • You know what the real funny thing is Joe? You read what the others write about this and you act as if it is all me.

    You tell me to whisper or email you yet you never do so yourself.

    It takes two to tango Joe.
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