Obama-come-lately on Iran; O’s obligatory press conference

At around 12:30pm Eastern, Barack Obama will put down his ice cream cone and boldly condemn repression in Iran.
Why now?
Andrew Malcolm explains the timing:
You don’t need to be a basketball-loving president of the United States to know that if you’re trying to block opponents’ shots in your end, you sure aren’t increasing your own totals. You can’t score points on D.
So Obama’s news conference this morning Pacific time is his bid to steal the ball from his opponents and scoot down the court for his own layup. It’s a classic political reset of the play clock. At 9:30 a.m. Pacific (12:30 p.m. Eastern, 4:30 p.m. GMT), Obama will make a statement in the White House Rose Garden and then take questions.
Obama has lost some mojo in recent days on this month’s pressing issues, especially Iran’s ongoing protests and healthcare reform. Obama’s printed Saturday statement about Iran on his way out the White House door for ice cream with his daughters was insufficient media competition for the appallingly graphic video of the young woman Neda dying on a Tehran street. Some called the presidential statement ineffective and “mealy-mouthed.”
On Father’s Day, while the president played golf out of camera-sight, others were on TV declaring the U.S. must say more to support the unarmed protesters in Iran.
…Sen. John McCain’s angry Senate Neda speech Monday, also reported and analyzed here with a video, dramatically changed that equation, forcing Obama to talk today more powerfully about the power of talk.
It was just last month that Obama was forced to scramble in response to another Republican, Dick Cheney, to organize dueling speeches on homeland security.
Obama-come-lately strikes again.
“Leadership.”
***
But, of course, Obama’s Cairo speech inspired the freedom activists in Iran that he is only now speaking out for, you know.
***
Update: Obama’s press statement this afternoon was rather unemotional and obligatory-sounding. Included an odd set-up question with Huffington Post writer Nico Pitney, who has covered Iranian election extensively. Obama anticipated his question and basically telegraphed what Pitney would ask — a question solicited from Iranians communicating across the Internet.
Major Garrett at Fox News asks the obvious question: “What took you so long?”
Obama blathers.
Garrett asks if invitation to Iran to meet on July 4 is still on.
“That’s up to Iran.”
Translation: Invitation — and “path” to engagement — still open.
***
Question: Were you influenced by McCain/Graham speaking strongly on Iran?
Obama snarks: What do you think?
Reporters laugh.
Are you laughing?
***
Chuck Todd: What about consequences for Iranian repression?
O refers to Neda again: A young woman getting shot on the street as she’s getting out of her car is a “problem.”
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LGM will now explain how it is a good thing to make a statement on this less that 48 hours after saying it was a good thing to not make a statement about this.
I posted McCain’s speech on my Facebook page. I thought it was great. I had sent him the link to the graphic video as I am sure many others did! I am glad he watched it.
I am sure Obama has seen it, but hey he can’t condemn it because of his Cairo speech praising Muslims. He put himself between the rock and the hard place.
Oh well….it’ll be fun to watch him scramble his way out.
BHO must have seen the latest polls showing that his numbers had dropped….Oh, wait, the polls only contact BHO supporters, so his numbers won’t be dropping.
Obama suffers from ‘me too’ syndrome.
When will Duh One condemn the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? Or offer his condolences on the Titanic sinking?
It’s just about time for that now.
zero will in a show of courage and leadership face iran and flap his ears in indignation.
where, oh where can it be ?
Barry needs to man up.
Otherwise he’s in jeopardy of replacing Vidkun Quisling.
Even as his State Dept. still plans to have the nice Iranian diplos over for the July 4th picnic.
Would we have invited the Japanese and Germans over for hot-dogs after the rape of China or the invasion of Poland?
I think the bill-of-fare for the bab-e-kube ought to be hot German potato salad with lots of bacon, and pulled pork.
and who woke McShame, little late I’d say…only by 25 plus years tho.
Is Obama’s taking credit for this uprising pathetic? Yes, to be sure, but one must also consider two things: 1) the character and judgment of those who continue to believe him, and 2) the idea that Obama may actually believe his own hype.
No he isn’t. He will not meddle remember???,, oh wait, that was yesterday.
Will BHO bow his head in remembrance of Neda ???
He won’t condemn it – he’ll say something like “It’s a bad thing that riots are happening and that people just happen to be getting in the way of the tear gas and bullets. It’s a shame people are trying to thwart the aims of a dictator.”
BHO – brave enough to kill unborn babies.
RSS commenting that it isn’t true that in basketball if you’re trying to block opponents’ shots in your end, you sure aren’t increasing your own totals in 3..2..1…
Oh yes “Obama-come-lately Leadership”-the inept telling the unwilling to do the unnecessary. It must be terribly hard for him to have to call out his mohammedan hommies. Barry needs to man up? Careful with that “Man” part there laddie-he threw his own family under the bus so I think we can expect little from BabyDaddy.
Sen. John McCain had something to say? Really? Perhaps he can reach across the isle and work with the Ayatollahs-perhaps along the line of amnesty.
—
May your sheep and goats prosper and all four wives be obedient.
Here we go again ….Malkin sensationalizing petty items…Don’t you have any real job? BTW I see you completely left out mentioning about missing GOP governor Sanford or about the Nevada republican’s “antics”…
You are just one big hypocritical scumbag…Go sleep with your RINO friends like Cheney.
Nice.
BTW, after learning what we have about Neda, does it not seem plausible that she was targeted by the Basji? She was taking underground singing lessons…
Which way did they go?
How many were there?
How fast were they going?
I must find them, for I am their leader.
RSS is more likely to blame bush. Because you know its all bushs fault or we didn’t condem something or other bush did… And you are racist..
or something…
Oh, please tell us about it. Pretend this is YOUR site, and you actually have anyone in the world who would read your bilge.
Please, please, please…
There’s no leading, or following…this one just needs to ‘get out of the way’…
ooooooohhh, hit a nerve? Sounds like the left is beginning to see the larger picture of their “fearless” leader and it’s not looking so good.
Michelle Malkin, keep it up girl! The left don’t like it when we beat them at their own game. Pathetic losers!
I’m waiting for Obama to take a stand and apologize for the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake WAS Bush’s fault. Keep that in mind.
He oughta apologize for that terrible cup of coffee I had at work this morning…yuck.
Hey I just thought of something–that’s what he reminds me of! A really bad cup of coffee!
raaccciiisssttttt!!!!
I thought it was global warming.
Obama’s Cairo speech is being credited for the Iranian protest? Are you frickin kidding me? How about that this has been simmering since 1978? How about the Iraq war and the deposing of Saddam Hussein might have more than little influence? The big 0 says a few flowery phrases and all of a sudden the middle east wakes up! In the words Catherine Tates character ‘Nan’ “What a load of old s&!t!”
That’s no way to talk to a lady, son. Be glad you’re not within arms reach.
BTW, Cheney is not a RINO.
YES!!! Dear Leader (actually I prefer Dear Lord) will finally speak up and the bloodshed will be over!!!!!
Please explain how this issue is “petty”.
The guy took a few days off to go hiking. Issue? Here’s more if you’re so inclined to read.
Oh, you mean this story that Mrs. Malkin posted on 17JUN09?
i.e. “pay no attention to that man behind the curtain”
brad_sk just punked you i think.
RSS said: Nothing intelligent.
You beat me to it B-Cat #30
RSS: You may love the dictatorial pos in the White House – and I may not, but please refrain from any attempt, causal, joking or serious, to diefy him. He is just a man, and the left’s attempts to diefy him are growing old very fast.
Obama is NOT God, and any attempt by you and your ilk to diefy him is distasteful at best, blasphemous at worst.
Please cease and desist.
“This just in….
Obama is not God. Film at Eleven.”
Major Garret just asked O why it took him so long to condemn the killings in Iran – naturally O told Major he was wrong (someone will have the transcript or video up at some point if you can stomach it).
I think they burn you at the stake for that.
ALL THE DEAR LEADER DOES IS FLAP HIS GUMS. if he would quit speechifying and partying and actually start addressing the problems with the economy, our enemies, and the dismal state of this country’s future, maybe his poll numbers would start going back up. at this rate, carter two will be totally superfluous by christmas. he’s alienated the british, the french, the chinese, the germans, the israelis and the italians. but on the upside, he has finally taken a stand on the iranians (against the protesters and for the ayatollahs) and the club gitmo terrorists (let them live in resorts on the taxpayers dime and they won’t blow us up). HEY UAW HOW’S THAT HOPE AND CHANGE WORKING OUT FOR YOU? HEY CALIFORNIA, YOU TOO?
“WE” wouldn’t, but Der Fuhrer would…you know…for the kids.
Actually, I find it somewhat amusing watching people worship BHO. They are worshiping a corner crack dealer. Someone who wouldn’t have gotten into ANY of the elite institutions except for his race (ie: merit – never, but affirmative action – always). Someone who can’t put together a complete sentence without saying uhhh. But this is the lowlife they worship.
And yet they call me stupid.
The best BHO can do is nothing. I really don’t want him doing anything.
On June 23rd, 2009 at 1:04 pm, cheapseat said:
Ok, he’s alienated the French. But everything else he has done is messed up.
“Obviously if a tremendous escalation happens — if tanks happen — we would respond to that immediately,” Gibbs [smartest and greatest WH pressman EVAH] said.
So, if they just gun them down with small arms, we’re good…
No tanks. Machetes are good…
what ever makes you gentleman here think these slims ball libs would know what a lady is if they saw one, have you not seen their women.”the beast” Hillary ewwww, the affirmative action president’s wife, another eww with booooo thrown in.
Why is it that every time we finally get rid of one offensive, sycophantic, uneducated, uninformed, hate-filled, racist, bigotted troll, one – two more get allowed in?
Seriously…do we really need to be forced into dealing with these idiots?
If we wanted to deal with stuff and nonsense like this, we would be at HuffPoo or DU.
The trolls are testy today.
10:12 AM PST…watching news conference:
Gag me with a whole place setting…
Word on the street is that his campaign speech in Germany was so good it actually travelled back in time and made Hitler kill himself and thus gave us the timeline we know as history.
And tasty, too.
On the subject of trolls, I generally feel they serve a function here. Group-think is a danger for any group, and they SOMETIMES actually serve as a foil. I wish they were brighter, but…hey…you fight the trolls you have, not the trolls you wish you had.
In total agreement RF #47…it’s not an issue of free speech, I’m sure MM is striving to be above the fray and doesn’t want to appear to thin skinned which we all can understand that, but these whiners, with idiotic posts that have nothing but crap to contribute are not really necessary, are they?
Another example of Obama being unwilling to take a stand and to put something in his own words. Instead, he leaves the answer up to everyone else.
Major Garret deserves an atta boy for his question, betting that just really pissed of the one, as we all know he doesn’t like to be questioned about his actions or words.
When THEY try and shove the Fairness Doctrine at Michelle, she can always point out lgm, rss, and the rest of the Peanut Gallery as examples of why it is not needed at this site.
For every Chapoutier, there is a dozen lgms, ILMCs, brad_sks, etc.
well…he’ll always have the teleprompter…
Kudos to Major Garret!
What a miracle worker our unconstitutional Narcisisst in chief is! Even his INACTION translates into action!
“obligatory press conference”?? Try, “continual press conference”!!
Good Lord, when is this man NOT holding some sort of press event?? No wonder he’s got all his proxies running the
countryworld!dON’T YOU MEAN HATE CRIMES BILLS?
dON’T YOU MEAN HATE CRIMES BILLS?
Couldn’t have said it better! Watch out for the Barry “O” Channel coming to a television staion near you (all others will be goverment run)
All barry, All day, All night!
Yeah, but then they’ll shut her down as being in violation of health codes.
No. Say it isn’t so.
THE ONE manipulating the press…?!?!?!
A woman getting shot by a sniper is a “problem”? Yeah…just like a baby is “punishment” to a woman who didn’t plan for motherhood. “Eloquent”, my arse.
Nope. Bad for globull warmerning. TEH ONEs minions would do it The Chicago Way: have you disapear in the night, get fitted in cement overshoes and be dunked into Lake Michigan and become food for lake fauna, IIRC.
Y’all fail to under President Cucaracha.
When filtered through his “I am the Messiah” mindframe, what he means by “a problem” becomes quite clear. The problem is that the photo saw the light of day.
This kind of an error of his could require another belt-buckle diving session w/King Saud by the Lewinsky-er-in-chief…
Obama: Huffpro, you are so wonderful all over the internet and all, do you have question for me about Iran?
Huffpro: Was that my cue…? Oh, Mr. President, I have a question from the internet for you about Iran.
Gag.
Obama wants to sit at the feet of Ahmadinejad and share his favorite tea party and cosmetic secrets with him. In the meantime, he’ll “monitor” events in Iran, and respond accordingly–meaning, when MA has utterly reestablished his hold over every corner of his country, he will celebrate that conclusion, and once again pursue relations with this tyrant, and together they will discuss the Israel “question.”
On June 23rd, 2009 at 1:43 pm, martin.musculus said:
EWWWWWWWW!!!! Burn!!!
…hoping something, ANYTHING, sticks is all you have left.
Better than watching his “dunk shot”
“Hey Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat…”
what I found incredible about this statement is “as she’s getting out of her car,” vs what? protesting?
OPERATION OVER-REACH is working very well.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/24025.html
Obama polling, meet Mr. Toilet.
Reporter: (to Obama)
“Why is this night different from all other nights?”
Hangfirem, I’m sure you not thinking if “they” ever do make the move to shut down talk radio or control it along with the internet web sites such as MM’s “they” are really going to be looking at the “Fairness” displayed on any given site other than HUFn’Puff or DK? It won’t and doesn’t matter if MM is open and fair with her contributors or not, “they” will do as “they” please, remember “they” won.
If anyone expects this man’s poll numbers to remain even marginally high, they are nuts. One thing I’ve never doubted was when he starts to tank (which I believe is beginning), his popularity will drop like a lead balloon. He’d better enjoy it now, because 90% of his term will see dismal approval ratings. Well see how often he gets in front of the cameras when he realizes he’s not “Great black hope” anymore.
But But But
Huff-in-puff post and DK are all ready fair by definition….Right?
With his All Barry All Day All Night approach to coverage, Would he have to sign a presidential decree (executive order) to make the Earth slow in its rotation? That will give him more than the all ready consumed 24 hours in a day period.
Maybe wave his arms to make it so
Just Thinking
Sorry, forgot to put /sarc in the entry.
When that starts happening the MSM will explain to us that polls reflect institutional racism of the sampling methods and must be “corrected” to reflect Obama’s true popularity. Sort of like affirmative action for data.
Boy, talk about your unfortunate timing…
As THE ONE speaks…
Achmed’sDoDad is consolidating the new, improved totalitarian mullocracy.
http://hotair.com/archives/2009/06/23/caught-on-tape-ahmadinejad-and-clerics-conspire-to-eliminate-iranian-democracy/
Which has a perverse truth in it. Look closely at African-American polling data, especially as compared to previous presidents. This is one very important reason his personal numbers are so high. Ironic, since his policies are so averse to AA preferences. Racism seems to be alive and well in the US,
Huuuhhh sure. Listen, when you finaly get you head out of obamas butt and start thinking for yourself, let us know. The trend now favors us not you.
I believe, no, I know racism is increasing in America because of Obama.
I think we should consider how politcally savvy Obama is. While we who would never vote for him anyway are hammering him, he has used this last week to bring into his fold yet another constiuency group; The Procrastinator’s Club.
The problem for Obama is that The Procrastinator’s Club will not get around to announcing their support for his re-election until the summer of 2013 and who knows how many procrastinators will ever get around to voting for him.
Obama on leadership:
“…Let’s see how this plays out…”
Chamberlain would be SO proud… <
flyover – the Procrastinator’s Club want to wait to see how it plays out…
Precisely my point last Saturday.
A crass politico like Bill Clinton would have seen the certainty of a jump in his approval numbers that a strong statement of support for the Iranian people would bring. He would have gotten out in front of this.
THE ONE has a set of priorities that are even outside of crass politics…and they sure aren’t those of a leader with moral character.
Hmmm… I wonder what his priorities could be….?
FOOMCL
BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Wish I had seen it. Unfortunately I worked 11 hours that day and missed a lot of posts.
I’ll take that seriously when you have more than a 20-something percent approval rating.
Something akin to: leave my messiah alone! I wuv him.
I am not nancy Pelosi.
Must suck watching your god sink back to earth to be exposed as the fraud he is.
One of the best comments I’ve seen on the Obamessiah:
Who was bounced?
At least one third of the country doesn’t disapprove of him.
Please notice the trend line, that’s what sonofdy was talking about.
Oh, my person fav is his own, “That’s above my pay grade”.
What’s with Nico/BHO? Does Michelle know about this affair? There’s enuff of this steamy stuff on the soaps… must we endure it at the press conference too…
Goodness BHO… zip up!
The choice is up to the Iranian government?
Not the PEOPLE, just the ‘government’.
Sounds like his policies HERE.
How could he?
Does he agree? Condone?
Just kill who you wish to kill, we can still talk… maybe we’ll have ICE CREAM and hot dogs.
NOKO bombs the U.S. (on the 4th) while zerobama eats lunch with Ahmamadjihad.