President Obama: "Half of my letters call me an idiot"

[bigtree]

. . . funny. I like his self-effacing side




Agence France-Presse
Thursday, March 11th, 2010

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama joked on Wednesday that half of the 40,000 letters that pour into the White House each day brand him an "idiot."

Tongue-in-cheek, the president remarked that his staff did not spare him the wrath of his correspondents -- selecting a representative portion of 10 letters for him to read when he returns to the White House residence at night.

"I will tell you, that my staff is very even-handed, because about half of these letters call me an idiot!" Obama said, chuckling at his own joke during a rally in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Obama frequently mentions the flood of letters that make it to the White House every day, and has said those selected for him to read help him to puncture the presidential "bubble" and connect with regular Americans.

read: http://rawstory.com/2010/03/obama-letters-brand-idiot/

[Mari333]

1. I am sure his staff make sure he doesnt see everyday US citizens

living in tents, hotel rooms, under overpasses, or in boxes.

I am sure his staff doesnt let him know what its like to live on 6 dollars an hour working 3 shitty jobs and using tires in your wood stove to heat your house.
I am sure his staff doesnt upset him with stories about old people eating ramen noodles to offset their medication costs.
I am sure his staff does not ruin his day by telling him about children hungry all day long because mom and dad are out of work .
I am sure he is never bothered with scenes of soldiers being blown to bits by IEDs or children having their intestines blown out and mothers holding them crying due to drone strikes in Pakistan or Afghanistan

no, he lives in an Armani wearing, gold cufflink, limousine riding, pheasant under glass, champagne world where the caviar is beluga and the everyday people can eat sh*t.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[bigtree]

4. I'm just as certain that you're wrong.

More than ANY president in my lifetime, this one is the most connected and aware of how ordinary folks live, work, struggle, and persevere. Both Mr. Obama and the First Lady look to me to be extraordinarily grounded compared to others who've assumed that office.

I've read and heard plenty of accounts of the plights and concerns of 'everyday' Americans reaching the president's notice and capturing his attention. I wouldn't presume that just because WE elevated him to the highest office in the land that he's somehow forfeited his humanity.

[berni_mccoy]

8. Thank you bigtree. I know you don't agree with some of President Obama's

decisions, statements and policies. I appreciate your defense on this point here. I can also appreciate the arguments you make on your criticisms of the Administration.

[laughingliberal]

36. I would have to argue that Clinton was pretty connected to the common folk. too

That said, I think the President is quite aware of the plight of many Americans.

I am unsure if the solutions he sees will do much to resolve their plight.

But I have never seen him as unaware or unfeeling about the problem.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[nevergiveup]

6. None of us have a clue

as to the pressures this man is under every stinking minute of every stinking day. He is just a human being who has taken on the most pressure ridden job in the world and he has been presented with a government that basically doesn't function. He probably "gets it" a lot better than any of us imagine. For God's sake give the guy a break and at least a little time to fix the monumental disaster he inherited.

[sharp_stick]

7. I'm sure

you'd be more than happy if he decided to walk around in sweat pants and a wife beater.

Pathetic whining aside, this is one pointless fucking reply.

on edit: I have no idea why I still clean out my ignore filter every month or so. Some people wind up back there with the first post.

[pnorman]

9. MISS ME YET?

[GoCubsGo]

23. How can I miss you, George?

Every time I look for a job and find none available, I'm reminded of you and the fucking asshole minion of yours that cost me the job I had for 20 years.

[pnorman]

24. I'm glad you took that image in the spirit it was offered!

I should have accompanied with a lineful of sarcasm smiliesd!

[michreject]

10. I don't think that you'd live very long

Using tires in your wood stove to heat your house.

Just sayin.

[Mari333]

12. you need to live in rural michigan

the poorest parts.
and yes, people burn everything here to heat their houses.
dangerous as hell.
lots of fires .
2 deaths last month here.
maybe you do live in rural michigan, according to your avatar.
Its ugly out there.

I would like to see every bluedog dem and the entire administration at the white house attempt to survive on 6 dollars an hour.
for a year.
even for a month.

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. That's understandable, being a barren treeless desert and all. nt

[Mari333]

17. ever pay for cords of wood?

there were 2 fires last month , people burning tires and other things to heat their homes.

not smart, but its what happens when you are in poverty.

again, I want to see the entire Obama admin live on 6 dollars an hour, live in a box on the street and attempt to survive for one month.

they need to walk in the shoes of what people are going thru.

[cali]

34. Obama worked for several years

in a very poor section of Chicago. I'm sure he knows more about poverty first hand than most people.

[cali]

35. Every fucking year, honey.

and many of the other poor people I know, do too. Never heard of anyone burning tires to heat their homes. Please do provide the news story about that.

[michreject]

15. I was born and raised in the rural Appalachians

We were dirt farmers.

I only came to Mi. to work. I worked 30 at GM Tech Center. Tires are petroleum based. They will give off fumes and the smoke will kill you in an enclosed area.

[HeresyLives]

14. Well I doubt anyone is burning tires in a wood stove

in their house, but as to the rest of it this has been true for years, so it's hardly Obama's fault.

Someone told Dubya they worked 3 jobs to get by, and Dubya made out it was the American way.

There is a famous photo of LBJ crying over the photos from Vietnam.

And you've seen menus from WH dinners...there is no pheasant under glass or beluga caviar.

Obama is trying to straighten out the American economy...the mess he was left...and while you may not agree with everything he's done, there is no point in trashing him. That won't help anyone.

[Jester Messiah]

19. Wow, bitter much?

I think his days as a community organizer are still with him, and keep him firmly rooted in the knowledge of what some people have to do just to get by day-to-day. He's not some country-club Republican, he wasn't born to power and privilege. Your rant has the sound of a stock response, a knee-jerk reaction against the entire political class... and not unjustified given what most of them are like. Still, Obama is cut from a different cloth, and doesn't merit your bitterness.

[dionysus]

25. when in doubt, make up a paranoid, bitter pile of drivel.

:rofl:

[Hekate]

27. Jesus, Mari. I feel like I've known you a long time here, but this is over the top, around the bend,

... and just generally going off the edge.

Good luck.

Hekate

[Starbucks Anarchist]

28. Because he grew up with a stable family in the lap of luxury, right?

:eyes:

[tallahasseedem]

29. LOL!

This is so over the top.

[DFab420]

31. Inane and vitriolic

This is nothing but ridiculousness wrapped in aggression seasoned with a hint of serious delusions

[cali]

32. I think he knows these things. Honestly, you can't

do the work he's done on the south side of Chicago as a community organizer and not know them. I think you know very little about how he reacts to scenes of soldiers being blown to bits? How could you possibly? I think you know nothing whatsoever about how he feel about children who have their intestines blown out and the mothers who hold them crying? How could you possibly?

As for living an Armani wearing, gold cufflink limousine riding blah blah blah life, how do you expect the President to live? In a tent? Wearing sackcloth, covered in festering sores? I hate to break this to you, little genius, but FDR didn't exactly live an austere or impoverished life either. Nor did Jimmy Carter or any other President. That part of your post is utterly inane. which is a kind way of saying stupid.

In fact, your post is shallow and jejeune to the nth degree, dear.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

33. I bet uppity Mr. Obama doesn't have to walk to school 20 miles in the snow

bare foot and uphill both ways.

:crazy:

[Number23]

37. As if a man who has probably seen all of this firsthand needs to be "reminded"

Did you forget his time spent in Indonesia?? On the South side of Chicago??

You are absolutely ridiculous.

[lamp_shade]

2. Good Lord I love this man.

[LeftinOH]

11. I'm *quite* sure that W never received (in his hands) letters that were critical of him.

[asdjrocky]

16. Only half?

[Marr]

18. I wonder how many of those "idiot" letters are from Democrats?

I wouldn't be surprised if they're half fawning praise from the Kool-Aid Krew, and half angry rants from Conservatives. Both those groups are irrelevant.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

20. I send him one --

in which I called the current HC bill bullshit and him a sellout of the American people. :shrug: Not quite called him an idiot...

[laughingliberal]

38. Have never called him an idiot in a letter and have been respectful of him but I have unloaded about

my opinion of some of the policies I see him supporting and have, certainly, let him know I was angry about all the compromise. Have also told him, almost daily, that a few of his advisers seem to be missing their families and should have more time with them.

[timtom]

21. There is much to like about Obama.

He is intelligent and witty. A splendid orator.

It's just that his choices in who he surrounds himself with...are bad choices for America.

The right wing, of course, blasts him for ALL the WRONG reasons. But, then, they are incredibly stupid people.

[GeorgeGist]

26. You can learn a lot about the real character of a person ...

from the people who surround them.

[mod mom]

22. and the other half say "FIRE RAHM EMMANUEL"

[DFab420]

30. Winner winner chicken dinner!

ding!ding!ding!ding!ding!

how many posts did it take for someone to take something that had nothing to do with the Chief of Staff and bring it up...count 'em.. 22!

ding!ding!ding!ding!ding!

I bet I could say the other half says KEEP RAHM EMMANUEL...but I won't cause there is no point..

[laughingliberal]

39. I do say that a lot. But I've never called him an idiot. Nor do I think him one. nt

[mod mom]

41. President Obama is probably in the top echelon of intelligence of all our presidents.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

40. probably most mail to Bush was he was an idiot not half