My favorite part of the Presser was the A-Rod question response.

[Bread and Circus]

Let's be honest, it was an inane question asked at the wrong time. I really thought the fellow who asked the question didn't do himself a favor by wasting his valuable question time.

However, Obama took what was inappropriate and irrelevant and turned it into a bit of magic. His response was pure beauty both for its pure political value but more importantly the message it conveyed. "There are no short cuts". This seizes upon the zeitgeist of what is currently wrong with our economic system, our health care system, our educational system, and our political system in general. "There are no short cuts" is another way of saying "there are no easy answers... there is no free lunch... and you can't expect to get something from doing nothing". Part of the economic malaise that grips the financial sector of America is the notion that they are the "masters of their own reality" and that through paperwork tricks they can somehow create wealth. Really all they've done is Rob Peter (mainly, the people) to pay Paul (mainly, themselves).

On the other layer of this, it goes directly to parents, children, and self reliance. It undercuts the heart of the criticism of liberalism. The critique is that liberalism is somehow an enabler (via the "nanny state") of the cycle of poverty. But here stands the most powerful man in the world, a liberal by any reasonable definition, who basically says that a culture of success starts with parents, children, educational opportunity, and HARD WORK. This is a stake through Reaganism's heart. Reaganism cannot live without the false notion that the goal of liberalism is to perpetuate poverty and redistribute working class tax dollars to those who don't want to help themselves. Obama, as our highest elected liberal, dispels that by saying a core tenet of his philosophy is that we need to provide equality of opportunity but that people have to take advantage of that and earn their success.

I'd say the rest of the presser was a total grand slam for Obama. But as for everything else he said I expected or already heard. It was this inane left field question that really made reminded of me of what an amazing thinker and leader Obama really is. He turned what was a waste of time and turned it into a way to demonstrate a core foundational tenet of liberalism.

[Uzybone]

1. Well said

it was a brilliant answer to an out of place question.

[aaaaaa5a]

13. I agree 100% NT

[Colobo]

2. You got it. The "no short cuts" part was a message to America

in terms of how we will have to face our current and future challenges.

[liberalmuse]

3. The teacher.

I think our President is definitely from 'teacher/seer' stock. Like you, I thought the question was asinine, but he used it to get a valuable message across.

[Condem]

4. What's so fucking inane about it?

[Bread and Circus]

6. I think it's right up there with asking about Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears....

and their transgressions.

[Condem]

7. Hey, Bread

Why don't you hop down a couple of threads and get a clue of why it was asked. You've probably never played a sport in your life.

[Bread and Circus]

9. I never have been an actress either but somehow I doubt that would make...

any it more relevant.

[Condem]

10. And you never will.

Fucking sad.

[Bread and Circus]

12. I read that other thread. It sounds like you have a lot emotionally invested

in the whole matter. I guess I just don't have that much emotional attachment to games, especially professional sports. I understand sports are vitally important as a past-time to many people. So is fashion. So is shopping. So are video games. So is porn. So is breeding rabbits and showing dogs.

I think it's tragic that people like A-Rod knowlingly cheat and make millions from it.

My favorite sports hero of all time is Walter Payton. He is one of my spiritual mentors though I've never met him. However, his approach to the game taught me a lot about handling life.

Nonetheless I stand by my opinion that mentioning A-Rod at a time like this was inane. It's just an opinion.

I'm not sure why you have so much emotion wrapped up in this matter and I hope you work the issue out.

[aaaaaa5a]

15. Excellent post! NT

[Condem]

16. Yes, I do, Bread.

And, I appreciate your opinion. I find nothing inane in cheating. At anything. Yeah, maybe a naive response, but I have hope. Christ, I used to watch the Tour de France, religiously. Not anymore.

[Cha]

5. He totally owned

it.

[Spazito]

8. Wow, I didn't think about his response this way...

but, reading your OP, you are right, that is exactly what he did, turned the question into a 'teaching moment' on the larger issues.

Thanks for posting your thoughts on this, it is much appreciated.

Recommended.

[closeupready]

11. Completely agree. He handled that outstandingly.

n/t

[closeupready]

14. Let's not forget, also that the prior occupant of 1600 PA Ave. saw fit to

mention steroids in high school athletics as a major problem in a State of the Union address. So it's not a question without precedent.

[rvablue]

17. I agree. Stupid question. Magnanimous respnse. n/t