He’s not a pomp and circumstance kind of guy

[RamboLiberal]

-----

But in the eleven days he’s been in office, other changes have been noted about the operations of the White House.

It’s long-standing tradition that just before the Chief Executive enters a room for a speech, he is announced: "Ladies and Gentlemen – the President of the United States," is the standard introduction spoken by a staff member of the White House Communications Agency.

But this morning when Mr. Obama entered the East Room to address an audience about the economy, there was no announcement. He just walked right in – announcing his own presence with a hearty "Hello, everybody – good to see ya."

On Day One of his presidency, everywhere Mr. Obama went they played "Hail to the Chief" for him – but not since. In fact the U.S. Marine Band's duties at the White House over the last ten days appear to have been dramatically downsized.

Instead of the usual contingent of trumpets, tubas and drums, a single piano player now provides musical interludes before and after the president’s appearance.

And the tunes have little connection to the military marching music of John Phillips Souza that is the usual accompaniment to presidential appearances. These days the pianist’s repertoire includes Cole Porter’s "Night and Day" and Sting’s "Desert Rose."

"He’s not a pomp and circumstance kind of guy," says Press Secretary Robert Gibbs of the new president.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/01/30/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4764853.shtml

Way to go, President Obama!

[monmouth]

1. How deliciously refreshing...sigh....n/t

[ikojo]

2. Interesting. So unlike Bush and the others

who previously inhabited that office.

I wonder if Obama walks around and says to himself in the mirror, "I'm the PRESIDENT B*tch!"

[TTUBatfan2008]

3. Huge change compared to this egomaniac...

[goclark]

15. Stop it! My water bottle turned over when I got to the boots

LOL and LOL some more

[LynzM]

4. I love it.

So, so refreshing! :D

[Digit]

5. Everything about him is so refreshing

It is not ego driven, instead it is down to earth - take care of business.
He shows with everything he does that he is a public servant, and he is setting an example (hopefully) for other public servants that the mission IS to serve our country.

[Cha]

6. I had to see

this coming.. Being one of his supporters for a couple of years..you kinda of get what he's about and pomp or circumstance isn't one of them..like Gibbs said.

In Hawai'i, I don't even think they own ties.B-)

[madaboutharry]

7. I had a professor who worked for many years in Hawaii and

once said he didn't know anyone who owned a suit.

[Cha]

8. That too...it's all about

the Aloha shirt, slippahs(flip flops), and shorts.

[Lisa0825]

16. Yep.... I remember seeing the city council on the TV news, and they were in Aloha shirts.

No ties to be found.

[Cha]

18. Baby Prez

is too cute for words.

[Lisa0825]

19. Yeah, I found that split photo online, and added the cap.

His baby/childhood pics are so fun and radiant! I don't think he ever had an awkward phase.... he seems to go from adorable baby, to adorable toddler, to adorable adolescent to hot hot hot man! LOL

[Cha]

20. He's just

a rebel!

[firedupdem]

He doesn't need his ego fed with all that crap. n/t

[firedupdem]

9. dupe n/t

[dalaigh lllama]

10. Good grief! Somehow over the years I missed this gem about

Little Lord Pissypants:

He came to feel there was something magical about the Oval Office. At a Town Meeting in Dayton, Ohio in 2004, he told his audience about the effect the room had on people.

"People will stand outside the Oval Office and they say, 'I can't wait to get in there and tell him what for.' And then they open the door, and they walk in this majestic shrine to democracy, and they're overwhelmed by the atmosphere. And they say, 'Man, you're looking beautiful, Mr. President.'"


:puke:

[high density]

11. Bush couldn't be more full of himself

The Oval Office is a "majestic shrine to democracy?" Umm, our government with its three branches could be at times, but "democracy" can die in that room with the stroke of a pen.

[Norrin Radd]

12. Cool. A President shouldn't be treated like a monarch.

[Olney Blue]

13. The anti-Bush.

[Clio the Leo]

14. Not to disagree with Gibbs who not only knows the man more than I do...

.... and whom I adore, but I wouldn't say it's that he's NOT into pomp and circumstance .... I watched him ALL during that parade and drank up every sugary drop of it .... he just doesn't need his ego stroked. He's ALL for pomp and circumstance when it's in celebration of the American people, a group he is obviously proud to be a member of. ;)

[grasswire]

17. I have mixed feelings about this.

It's important to remember that while Obama may be an informal person, the formalities are about the OFFICE of the presidency, not about the man who is president. American citizens have vested him with the world's greatest power, the world's greatest experiment in liberty earned through their oceans of blood, sweat and tears. I think the honors at his entrance are meant to signal the preciousness of our common trust in the vote! And so I think some formality is a good thing.

[Raine]

21. I agree

he is deserving and more than worthy of all the tradition so I hope he restarts the protocols as time goes by.

[Retrograde]

27. There's a time and place for everything

State dinners, meeting foreign dignitaries, formal press conferences - go all out with the pomp and circumstances.

Day-to-day work, daily briefings, all the more mundane stuff - just focus on getting the job done without worrying about wearing the special presidential socks.

[Honeycombe8]

22. It's a minor thing, really, so I don't care much. But actually, I think pomp is OK for the Prez of

for the Prez of the U.S., arguably the most powerful person in the world, while in office.

It's the office, not the person, who carries the distinguishment (if that's a word).

Also...the guy who speaks to a crowd of 250,000 in front of Greek columns is pretty okay with pomp and circumstance, I think. And that's okay.

[Waiting For Everyman]

23. Glad to hear he likes 'Desert Rose', too.

Good taste, Pres.! Dynamite song...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2AjsFzUQ1c

Love this line, "...these dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire..."

[ClarkUSA]

24. Nice story. He is a humble man without the outsize ego that defined his predecessors.

[Writer]

25. X'er. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

26. OMG!

This New President is such an elitist! :sarcasm: