Obama on Letterman

President Barack Obama appeared on David Letterman's show last night. Video above and a snippet below:

"One of the things that you sign up for in politics is that folks yell at you," the president said, noting that "whenever a president tries to bring about significant changes, particularly during times of economic unease, there is a certain segment of the population that gets very riled up." He pointed to the experiences of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan as examples.

More here.

Comments

[Ska]

So has SAG contacted him about his union dues yet?

[Xeones]

I sure am glad the video starts playing automatically. That's not inconvenient for those of us slacking off at work AT ALL.

Anyway... David Letterman is still on TV?

[Xeones]

Also, shut the fuck up, Barack Obama.

[Johnny Longtorso]

I sure am glad the video starts playing automatically. That's not inconvenient for those of us slacking off at work AT ALL.

You aren't running Mozilla w/ NoScript? You are clearly racist.

[Parents Rights / Marine Patrio]

Amen, Xeones! Dave is a giant LIBERAL, so I guess this makes sense. I won't even watch this; I would probably PUKE.

I understand how a comedian can be expected to not grill a man, but I just know even without watching that this was a giant LIBERAL LOVEFEST.

Hopefully Leno will give him the gentle ribbing he desrves. I heard a joke at the VFW about Obamacare and crack cocaine, but I can't remember the details. Somethig like this would be appropriate for Jay methinks.

[Xeones]

I AM running Firefox with NoScript, you fascist. They replaced the autoplaying CBS video with one from Youtube, so my complaint is now moot. Thanks, Reason!

[Banana-eating Jungle Monkey]

"Mozilla"?

I'm offended.

[Xeones]

Parents Rights is definitely performance art.

[Tricky Prickears]

egomania
Noun
an obsessive concern with fulfilling one's own needs and desires, regardless of the effect on other people

[Joe M]

Yeah, I was almost buying it at first, but the all caps LIBERAL is a major tell.

[Attorney]

Maybe this is the future of the presidency. The president becomes basically like a news anchor -- someone who doesn't do any actual investigating or writing, but just looks good on TV and can read a teleprompter comfortably. A Ron Burgundy kind of thing.

[Nick]

You'll notice he claimed grand comparison to arguably the three most beloved presidents of the 20th century.

[John]

The caps liberal is believable. It is the crack joke at the VFW that gives away the game.

[Johnny Longtorso]

A Ron Burgundy kind of thing.

I love scotch. Scotch, scotch, scotch....

[Pubicus]

Maybe this is the future of the presidency. The president becomes basically like a news anchor -- someone who doesn't do any actual investigating or writing, but just looks good on TV and can read a teleprompter comfortably. A Ron Burgundy kind of thing.

Wow, way to predict the future 49 years after it happens.

[sage]

YOU LIE!

[Gilbert Martin]

"whenever a president tries to bring about significant changes, particularly during times of economic unease"

Yeah - especially when those significant changes have absolutely nothing whatsoever to with fixing the economy and everything to do with enacting the long-standing government policy wet dreams of liberal democrats.

[Mango Punch]

Obama sounds a lot like Nick Gillespie here: "I was black before the election." i.e. we eleected a black president, lay off the rascism claim!

I dislike Obama a lot, but I have no issue with what he said in that clip. I actually think it was pretty good.

[T]

"One of the things that you sign up for in politics is that folks yell at you,"

But if they do, they're probably racist.

Seriously, I want to tattoo this phrase on some members of my HOA so they'll remember it.

[Attorney]

Hey -- I just got an email from Bill Clinton! He's shocked, shocked:

Like you, I'm a bit shocked at the anger and resentment coming from Republicans these days. It seems they'll do anything to bring down President Obama and distract us from the important work at hand.

They simply can't accept that America has entered a new era, where the same old political rules just don't apply.

But we have. Today, we have a president, a Congress, and, if I may be so bold, a pretty darn impressive Secretary of State, who are committed to improving our standing in the world and our economy here at home.

Under their leadership, we can not only bring lasting change to America, we can secure lasting majorities for Democrats.

But if we falter - if we hesitate - if we blink - in the face of Republican fear-mongering and misinformation, we'll have not only lost our momentum; we could lose the movement.

That's why I'm asking for to join me in supporting the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. ...

[@]

"Mozilla"?

I'm offended.

We've got a gorilla for sale.
Mozilla Gorilla for sale.
Won't you buy him,
Take him home and try him,
Gorilla for sale.

[bookworm]

attorney, I thought Clinton said the era of big government is over.

[?]

The era of riled up folks clings bitterly.

[Mike M.]

I thought Clinton said the era of big government is over.

It is. We're in the era of mind-bogglingly humongous government now!

[Attorney]

attorney, I thought Clinton said the era of big government is over.

Obama wants me to say that the same old political rules just don't apply.

[John]

I think the Dems are going to kill themselves by calling all of Obama's critics racist. Okay, take them at their word. Suppose it is racist to criticize him. And suppose that they convince the black community of this fact. What happens when white liberals turn on Obama over Afghanistan or losing the Congress in 2010 or not getting healthcare and cap and theft? How will they explain to blacks that they are not racist?

[Bush on Jimmy Carter]

"If I'm ever eighty-two years old and acting like that have someone put me away." -- Bush on Jimmy Carter.

[Episiarch]

I'm outraged at all the outrage coming out of Washington. It's outrageous that politicians should manufacture outrage at their colleagues' outrage. I want them to feel my outrage. You should all be outraged at this excessive outrage!

[Episiarch]

What happens when white liberals turn on Obama over Afghanistan or losing the Congress in 2010 or not getting healthcare and cap and theft?

Turn on him? Have you noticed that almost every Obama supporter has completely disappeared from these boards? They won't turn on him--as you've stated, they're digging their own grave right now if they did eventually turn on him. Remarkably stupid of them, but hey, partisans are pretty fucking stupid.

[SugarFree]

I am outraged at your outrage, yet also outraged that you don't share your outrage of my outrage with yourself.

[Episiarch]

Don't make me unleash my outrage upon you, NutraSweet.

I think the Dems are going to kill themselves by calling all of Obama's critics racist.

Yes, indeed. They've gotten almost as annoying as cosmotarians.

[SugarFree]

You'd you say that you would like to pour your outrage on me? Are you hot, sticky sweet? From your head to your feet? Yeah?

[Leppard]

Are you hot, sticky sweet? From your head to your feet? Yeah?

Huh? What'd you say?

[T]

I am outraged at your outrage, yet also outraged that you don't share your outrage of my outrage with yourself.

This seems strangely appropriate.

[Episiarch]

Just f-f-f-foolin'. F-f-f-foolin'.

[SugarFree]

Do you take sugar? one lump or two?

[Love is like a bomb, baby...]

...come and get it on.

[J sub D]

I am tired of The Neverending Campaign. Really fucking tired. It's so bad that I found myself wishing Michael Jackson could die again just to get Obama off the fucking TV for a couple of weeks.

[JB]

Are you hot, sticky sweet? From your head to your feet? Yeah?

Rock is racist!

[Dagny T.]

Dear Mr. Obama,

Stop saying "folks." Really. It does not make me want to have a beer with you. It makes me want to twat-punch you. That is all.

[Zeb]

"folk" is already plural, damnit!

[SugarFree]

Does Obama have a twat, is a metaphorical twat, or is that just something that you learned how to do?

If the latter, color me appalled and intrigued. Appaltrigued.

[comrade]

"color me appalled"

Racist.

[Haakon]

Here's why I've left these boards:

I was introduced to libertarian values a few years ago and it all seemed to make a lot of sense. I read some Ayn Rand, found out about Reason, etc.

However, over the last 2 months I've realized that I don't want to be involved with a bunch of angry, ideological sociopaths. The truth of the matter is that we will always live with a mixed government, a blend between the private and the public. There are too many economic externalities and many of the proposed private sector solutions are too convoluted or too revolutionary.

The base facts are this: Health care in the US is totally flawed and the root of the issues is that there are companies who profit off of the suffering of others. The market forces push apart doctors from their clients. This is morally wrong and I refuse to let any sort of dogmatic "fuck the government" mentality get in the way of fixing this issue.

Convoluted approaches using secondary currencies such as "health care vouchers" or government regulation will NOT fix the issue. Only a publicly run insurance company can.

[Pro Libertate]

I think "angry" is redundant when used with "sociopath."

Anyway, you're completely wrong. What's different in healthcare now from what we had thirty years ago? More government intervention--greater regulation of medicine, medical services, insurance, government as a provider of (poor) services, etc., etc. Why have prices increased so much? Because of the free market run amok? Like the freeish market in food? The free market in computers? The free market in TVs?

Meh.

[Wikipedia standards dept.]

Convoluted approaches using secondary currencies such as "health care vouchers" or government regulation will NOT fix the issue. Only a publicly run insurance company can.

[citation needed]

[SugarFree]

Good thing to know that a public option is not a form of government regulation.

[Brian Lockwood]

Haakon,
Check your premises and go do some more reading. You obviously missed some of the crucial aspects of Libertarianism.

[Andy]

Letterman still has the sharpest wit on late night TV - no one can hold a candle to him.

[Joseph Valencia]

David Letterman blows.

[Lost_In_Translation]

A Ron Burgundy kind of thing.

You stay classy little people! *wink*

[Michael Ejercito]

Convoluted approaches using secondary currencies such as "health care vouchers" or government regulation will NOT fix the issue. Only a publicly run insurance company can.

The problem is that young, healthy people will opt out.

[Mike Laursen]

This Obama guy is totally undermining our President!

[Mike Laursen]

Well, Haakon, thanks for giving libertarianism a try. You're more open-minded than most.

[Mike Laursen]

The problem is that young, healthy people will opt out.

Well, actually, the core problem is that pretty much all old people get sick and die. Somehow this sad biological truth is widely accepted as evidence of a failure to have the right government policies to fix it all.

[B.P.]

"...there are companies who profit off of the suffering of others."

Tow truck operators profit from my misery when my car breaks down on the road. I guess the moral thing for these operators to do would be to shutter their businesses so they don't profit from misery.

[Jim Treacher]

Letterman still has the sharpest wit on late night TV - no one can hold a candle to him.

Damn, that is one brutal indictment of late-night TV.

[Michael Ejercito]

Well, actually, the core problem is that pretty much all old people get sick and die. Somehow this sad biological truth is widely accepted as evidence of a failure to have the right government policies to fix it all.

I have a California stare insurance license.

I heard a rumor that it is nearly impossible for centegenarians to obtain or renew life or health insurance.

[Mike Laursen]

I heard a rumor that it is nearly impossible for centegenarians to obtain or renew life or health insurance.

I believe that. If you have a company that's in the insurance business, truly in the insurance business, they are not going to take on elderly customers that are known to be at high risk as customers.

The health care debate is really about how much public assistance to provide for old and poor people. That some of the proposed plans are called "insurance" or that we are considering requiring insurance companies to not act like insurance companies stems from confusion about and obfuscation of the meaning of the word.

[constant gina]

wow...Obama has to be one of the most actve presidents have seen in a long time...he is EVERYWHERE!!