Obama at the Precipice, or Have you Seen the Girl in the Freudian Slip?
What if Sarah Palin had said it? What if Dan Quayle or George Bush (either one of them) had said it? The Maureen-Dowd-Frank-Rich-Chris-Matthews-Evan-Thomas snark brigade would be falling over themselves to pillory them. The hilarity would be never ending. “My God, he doesn’t know how to spell ‘potato’!” Don’t hold your breath though.
Here’s what President — “he’s a sort of God” — Obama said at a news conference yesterday: “[I]t’s clear we are on the precipice of achievement that’s eluded Congresses, presidents for generations — an achievement that will touch the lives of nearly every American.”
He probably meant “threshold.” But he said “precipice.” What’s a precipice? According to my dictionary, it’s “the brink of a dangerous situation.” And that’s certainly what we have here with the Democratic proposals to “reform” (what cards these chaps are!) health care.
Innocent mistake or Freudian slip — a verbal slip that “is indicative of an unconscious belief, thought, or emotion”? I incline to the latter. Like Sebastian in The Tempest, Obama spoke “truer than [he] purposed.” Why do I think so? Consider what comes immediately after his slip: the acknowledgment, indeed the boast, that health care “reform” is something that, if enacted, would “touch the lives of nearly every American.” You betcha! It wouldn’t affect members of the government, of course, because they would have their own gold-plated health care provisions. But the rest of us slobs would have an opportunity to get up close and personal with hospital gurneys, long waiting times, fewer doctors, especially fewer good ones, and generally poorer health care all around. How’s that for “touching lives” (and precipitating deaths)?
Everybody’s talking about the “good, solid B+” Obama gave his first 11 months when he was on the Oprah show the other day. B+, eh? Many wags pointed out this was an age of grade inflation. But when you consider that Obama went on to say he’d deserve an A if he managed to ram his government appropriation of health care down our throats (my translation), you realize that what’s going on here is not grade inflation but something far more mendacious. It’s not just a massaging of reality; it’s an active, ideological distortion of it for political gain. “Precipice” indeed. Remember that word. You’ll feel it vividly if Obama manages to push us over it.
Some slips of the tongue are better than others. This one deserves preservation in a special museum. The best dissemblers cannot stop the percolation of the truth. Its the other kind of leak. Lets have more of it!
Innocent mistake or Freudian slip
There is also something else that must be considered. Barack Obama obtained a mediocre Harvard education. He obviously took advantage its lower standards for dark skinned people. Everybody reading my words knows that I’m right. However, they might prefer that I employ more euphemistic language. Well, that’s not my problem. Obama is intellectually shallow and poorly read. The truth must no longer be ignored. Harvard did not do any favors on behalf of our minority citizens. In the long run, the general public will simply begin to laugh at their unearned credentials. Thomas Sowell had to earn his Harvard degree some fifty years ago. This is something that Obama obviously didnt have to do.
we are on the precipice of achievement….,
Whats next? will he say we have taken a step forward?
Gardel
The other day Obama used the word Gyp in a talk. Why no fuss?
The lefties hail this guy as the most brilliant speaker ever, in the history of the world, the universe, anywhere. Oh really? Well try this little memory trick. Try to remember something that Obambi said that was truly inspiring, on the same scale maybe as President Kennedy when he spoke (in German, not Austrian) I am a Berliner, or President Regan when he implored the Russians to tear down this wall. Got anything yet? Well remember his gaffes, his stupid remarks, his strawmen that he drags out all the time. But inspirational? Not so much.
“Precipice.”
Innocent mistake or Freudian slip?
Neither. He said what he meant, and meant what he said.
It’s his little sneaky, snerdy, way of enjoying expressing his contempt — saying right out openly whatever nasty and ugly he means, and knowing he’ll get away with it.
Just as he’s done since he began his “Run,” between the outright lies, misdirections and vague platitudes/slogans, he told us exactly the truth of what he was going to do if elected — and what his intentions for us were.
“Never let a crisis go to waste” — was that not a wish for a crisis? Could it not be that this wish goes into the future? He’s taken a bad situation and continues to make it worse (the Health Bill is another portion of this), committing our nation to loans to the point that we’re soon going to lose Moody’s AAA rating, could go bankrupt, and owe our wealth to China into generations of the future. And he continues to get away with borrowing more and more money to be wasted on favors to campaign donors. Is this by mistake? He isn’t that stupid. Yes, it’s a “Precipice.”
He told us he intended to “close down coal companies” (or make it impossible for them to function). (How many hundreds of thousands of jobs and related jobs lost is that? How much of GDP lost is that?)
“Of course, electricity prices will skyrocket.”
“Americans CAN’T continue just doing WHAT THEY WANT. They CAN’T keep their homes at 72 degrees, eating what they want, etc., etc.” “They can’t just keep on using 25% of the world’s energy.” [Never mind what percentage of the world's wealth they produce. Never mind that the "energy" doesn't "belong" to the limited "world pie."]
When Charlie Gibson (I think it was him) mentioned to him that tax cuts actually brought more revenue into the gov’t coffers, the zero’s answer was that — that didn’t matter — “What matters is FAIRNESS.” (His version of “fairness,” of course.) Less and less revenue, more and more spending, unconscionable and unmanageable debt = Precipice.
He openly discussed his belief in Redistributing the Wealth.
We heard the radio program audio where he openly discussed his disrespect for the Constitution, describing it as inadequate (and inadequate to “bring about Redistributive Change”), and disdaining the “fundamental” idea of the Constitution’s purpose — which was and is — to protect the People FROM the force and power of Government. He had a better idea — that the Constitution should contain what the Government Must Do For the People (which, of course inevitably includes what the Government CAN DO TO the People).
We know he was both a student, teacher and advocate of the ALINSKY creed, which contains the idea that in order “to effect change,” it’s necessary to pretend, lie, cheat, deceive and to — overload the system and cause it to crash (see CLOWARD/PIVEN http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/barack_obama_and_the_strategy.html http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6967) (Notice Obama-Holder demand for “Rule of Law” only when an extreme interpretation will be harmful to America — and their avoidance of the term as they stomp on the Law when it benefits themselves and the furtherance of their plots).
He told us all. He never said his intention was to create “Change” for improvement — but over and over he told us — FUNDAMENTAL Change! Fundamental involves pulling out the “Roots.”
No — He meant Precipice. It’s where he’s intended to lead us all along. He believes it will be good for us, because, after all, as he’s said, our country is very guilty of many ills and we’re very “Arrogant.”
And as for the B+. He meant that too.
He got his first $787 B stimulous through FAST — by threatening “immediate crisis” — before anyone could read it. Then he took a nice self-congratulatory taxpayer funded million dollar weekend in New York — to very little criticism — and took days before signing it. Although he won’t really be able to pull that little trick again — obviously, he thought it was worth it. He got away with it AND got away with his “expired” promise — or rather, deliberate lie — to line item veto Pork — and he won. That gets an A+.
He’s gotten away with having (how many? 35?) non-Congressionally vetted and extremely radical-left Czars operating out of the Executive Branch, essentially stripping Congress of many powers and heavily shifting power to himself — and doing so much so fast in so many areas that it’s impossible to keep up with what’s happening until after many things are done and over. He gets and A for that.
He supported the UAW’s insistence they not give up anything, then gave them the major share in GM. GM runs at a loss and is supported by the Taxpayers — so those of us, who are not getting the same benefits as the UAW, are paying their salaries and benefits. He got exactly what he wanted. That deserves an A, doesn’t it?
He was able to pay George Soros back for all the campaign $$ and other favors by getting through an award to the Soros petroleum exploration company in Brazil. $2 Billion to do the off-shore drilling for oil he dupes the U.S. into believing would be so “bad” for the global climate. And he got away with the MSM not reporting on it. There’s an A+.
He’s insulted, abused and abandoned our allies, and given many winks and hugs to the totalitarian bullies around the globe. The MSM, except for Fox opinion shows, ignores, and even supports it. He calls that “healing our image.” It’s what he wants. He gets an A.
He’s on the road to, via the KSM trial in NYC, giving a platform for denouncement of the US, the CIA and the Bush Administration. He can then make more Apology Speeches in Europe, continuing his goal of humbling this nation. He wanted his “reckoning.” He’s getting it. By this, he can keep wounds that have begun to heel — open — and will further divide the country and help solidify his base. He gets an A.
Iran is going to get Nukes, which will definately be helpful to downgrading US influence — which he thinks is a good idea — he’s as much said that. And Israel will either be destroyed by an Iran/Hamas/Hezbollah/Syria attack — OR he will have his excuse to to demonize them totally if they attempt to defend themselves. That’s what he clearly wants — (we would know that if we had been paying attention to who his associates have been and who he chose as “advisers.”) He’s on the road to getting what he wants — doesn’t have it yet, so it’s only an A- so far.
10% Unemployment? He blames Bush, but he knows the increase was his own doing. Of course, he can’t say it, but it was never his intention to lower unemployment (very, very few of the “economy” and “jobs” stimulous programs went to create jobs– and only 12% was even spent!). His intention was to waste money, create more dangerous debt, and expand welfare and unemployment benefits. That, he accomplished. He gets an A.
And let’s not even go for his future hopes of making the final touches to the destruction of our economy — either via the EPA or his Cap & Trade. And let’s see what he brings home from Copenhagen. If he manages all this, then he gets an A++.
For today, until he gets the Health Obamination, he’s right about the B+ and
No — He meant every bit of “Precipice.” He must be thrilled with himself.
“What if Sarah Palin had said it?”
Palin doesn’t have slips of the tongue. She has tumbles, falls, plunges — off the precipice of reason, if you will.
Nothing happens by accident. He told everyone exactly what he was going to do and he’s doing it now. Most voters were under some form of mind control by this Svengali.
I guess the kinder explanation might be that he either doesn’t choose his words very carefully or gosh dern it, he just does not know the meaning of plenty of words, some that he employs even in high viz situations. As regards Palin, she is a genius compared to any Democrat and nearly half the Reps you could think of in that she knows where oil comes from and she can read a thermometer. These represent something of a dimunition of credentials, I know, but they surpass the current office holder by far so what can you say?
Great evidence, there biblio. You’re so darn persuasive.
Something like a Freudian slip, I think. These are people who believe we really could fly if we just wished hard enough and were Fair, by golly. When the knowledge that this might end catastrophicly badly occurs to them at all, they comfort themselves with the idea that gee, at least we tried; we dared to dream, we reached for the stars, whatever.
My view is that this makes them more dangerous than sociopaths who are trying to bring us down, not less.
The Won is really starting to precipice me off.
biblio44,
Cute, but I’ll see your Palin and raise you a Biden any day, any time. You’re holding nothing in your hand and you know it.
Little prediction:
The day after Election Day 2010, you and a lot of other Donks are going to be lying on the ground, seeing stars, rubbing your heads, and asking yourselves, “What the f*** just happened?”
biblio, it is probably best that you not make that comparison. The next time Obama (or almost anyone on the left, for that matter) arrives at a conclusion using reason instead of feelings will be the first.
Oh, and cites for your assertion?
Yeah. Didn’t think you had any.
“solid B+”, bah. I’d have all As, every time, if I was permitted to assign my own grades.
Tell me, what does it say about the President’s hubris that he gives himself grades on live TV? And what does it say about our gullibility that we let him?
Here’s a You Tube video juxtaposing Obama’s “precipice” comment with an appropriate Wile E. Coyote cartoon, complete with steep cliff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmey2U_aYWI
>”as President Kennedy..[snip]…I am a Berliner”
As I recall, what he said actually translated to “I am a jelly doughnut.” But the thought was there.
biblio44 – I can see why you would consider reason “the brink of a dangerous situation.”
Palin makes more and more sense everyday compared to Zero…..
If only he were on a figurative precipice and did jump things would be a million times better.
Aqua – Great comment and, unfortunately for this country, right on the money.
Whether it was a “Innocent mistake or Freudian slip” is irrelevant. They said that this was one of the most well-spoken men in all the world, of all time, in this galaxy or the next!!!!!! And yet, day in and day out, we see that he’s a bumbling idiot unless he has his trusty teleprompter right by his side! And since I’m sure this comment was made even with the TP on, this goes to show that he’s…. HUMAN, and not a god. This should be fun to watch the Left’s collective head EXPLODE!
Also, someone should tell President Most Brilliant Ever that when you cannot “touch the lives of every American” unless they are reincarnating within your term of office.
Idiot.
It could be of course, that Mr. Obama didnt have the remotest idea about the correct usage–without his teleprompter, he’s as useless at teats on a boar hog.
Fortunately, however, he has assigned himself a B plus–although apparently he laid an egg at Copenhagen while sharing a stage with Hugo Chavez and Robert Mugabe (apologies to the 1929 Variety headline)
David Thompson has it exactly right; the emperor has no clothes or brains. The MSM and the mush-mouths in the Democrack party are too gutless to admit it, but it is a disaster for this country. Mr. Magoo is flying the big plane.
Newsweek’s likening Obama to the Almighty and dismissing Reagan as “parochial” is not only blasphemous, stupefying, enlightening,laughable and tragic its a window into the elite’s “world view” (pun intended). Self-restraint and the necessity of work cut short any further comment.
“Palin doesn’t have slips of the tongue. She has tumbles, falls, plunges — off the precipice of reason, if you will.”
Yes, I remember when she said she’s visited 57 states (with 2 more to go!), claim that she didn’t know the translation of a word in Austrian, fumbles the Special Olympics joke, misspells the word “advice” in a letter to a fan, and uhms and uhs her way through every bit of unscripted interview.
Oh, wait. That wasn’t Sarah Palin. It’s the Girl in the Freudian Slip who is currently president of the United States!
(Apologies to girls everywhere for calling the panty-waisted moron in the White House a “girl.” He can’t even throw a baseball as well as we do.)
Here is something to ponder about – do you think that a literary giant who wrote “Dreams from my father” and “The audacity of hope” would know what the word “precipice” means? And what conclusion can we make from the fact that Barry is not very familiar with this word? Hm.
This also makes me wonder – what was Barry’s verbal score in SAT, and what was his reading comprehension score in LSAT? I’ve heard that his test scores are more protected than the CIA secrets – which also begs the question…
Precipice? The abyss beckons even in the rhetoric! Say NO to healthcare “reform” (a.k.a. unworkable socialized medicine).
Hyphenated American:
You got that right. The first and so far only Obama grade to be disclosed was his self-assigned B+.
Barry’s grades from Occidental, Columbia and Harvard Law along with his ACT, SAT and LSAT scores are more closely guarded than his birth certificate. This is because revealing them publicly would fuel a debate that would likely and badly contradict the MSM-leftist “Obama as Neibhur reading intellectual giant” narrative. Revealing those facts would show just how massive a race-based affirmative action preference Obama really got when he was admitted to “highly selective” schools.
(Here’s just one example of how surreal the affirmative action environment has become. Race-based affirmative action is an absolute necessity, the left harangues us, in order to prevent America’s elite university’s from apartheid. Yet, the left also says it is pure, hating racism to point out any specific minority who actually benefited from affirmative action. Certianly no minority ever admits to being a beneficiary of affirmative action except in the vaguest ways.
“This is because revealing [Obama's college grades] publicly would … show just how massive a race-based affirmative action preference Obama really got when he was admitted to “highly selective” schools.”
Nah; they’d just show that he got into those schools on a foreign-student exchange program….
The word that Obama meant to use was “PINNACLE’ – the high point of achievement.
He has already said he’d give himself an A if it passed. He certainly regards it as the major accomplishment of his administration to date. Because all the prior legislation he’s signed into law can readily be overturned and reversed. Passage of the HealthCare bill has been his “Open Sesame”. The gates have been broached, the troops will pour through the breach, new positions will be secured, by the hundreds, staffed by thousands of the faithful within the next nine months. Theonly surge in employment will be in federal employees. A set-back of loss of control of Congress in 2010 may check him but the new cadres will be entrenched, protected for at least two more years. Even his impeachment wouldn’t affect them.
No wonder he’s euphoric. He has, indeed, achieved the pinnacle, the high point. It may all downhill for the Democrats from here on, but Hey! Se’s done what Soros/Ayers wanted from him: the heavy foot of Soviet-style Communism ison the neck of our capitalist system.