Obama Pokes Fun At Own Debate Performance

[trailmonkee]

Last edited Mon Oct 8, 2012, 12:46 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: cbs

LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Barack Obama has a new critic of his debate performance — himself.

Speaking at a celebrity-led fundraiser at the Nokia Theatre, Obama came on stage after performances by such singers as Katy Perry, Jon Bon Jovi and Stevie Wonder and remarks by actor George Clooney. He marveled at how they are able to perform flawlessly night after night and then said, quote, “I can’t always say the same.”

It was a shot at his listless debate showing against Republican Mitt Romney on Wednesday. Supporters in the crowd laughed at the line.

Obama was raising millions of dollars over two days of campaigning in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He was capping his night at a ritzy 150-guest dinner costing $25,000 person.

Read more: http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/10/07/obama-pokes-fun-at-own-debate-performance/

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[Andy Stanton]

1. No one's laughing

Sorry, Mr. President, no Democrat/liberal is in the mood to laugh at your pathetic debate performance. The way to deal with a shifty liar like Romney is to challenge him at every opportunity. The time for self-deprecation is over. It's time to be hard hitting and aggressive ALL THE TIME or kiss the Presidency good-bye.

[karynnj]

2. Speak for yourself

Last edited Mon Oct 8, 2012, 10:35 AM - Edit history (3)

Your comment is extremely rude.

The fact is that although our pundits value the intensity which with you emote at a debate, content should count too. The President did counter many lies - he refuted the 20% tax cut/deductions issue at least 3 times. Given that Romney was saying "that's not my plan", dropping it and expecting his team to provide instant video of 4 or 5 times he said it and a screen capture of it in his plan on his web site as he spoke is a reasonable expectation. Do you seriously think that litigating it further ending up arguing "It is"/"It isn't" - where the truth could not be proven on stage- would make Obama look better?

Where the criticism was more real, it was that he looked tired and distracted and not enthusiastic.

[Cha]

6. Thanks, karynnj, for your thoughtful

post.

[Lugnut]

10. +100! n/t

[blm]

39. karynnj - you always have the most thoughtful posts which generally makes them the most accurate

in the long run.

If I had your temperament I'd be Senator blm, at this point.

; )

[karynnj]

48. Thanks - and I'd vote for you if I were in your state

Actually, the dogged way that you go after the truth suggests you have both the honesty of Obama and a willingness to fight that would have made the media happy.

[Bandit]

58. I have no criticism of what Obama said at all but I do criticize his body language

He looked and acted like a fellow caught in bad behavior and was being reprimanded. He was constantly looking down and appeared to be wincing as Rmoney spoke down to him...It was extremely unPresidential IMO and I was very disappointed..

[David Zephyr]

63. Yes.

Well said.

[Cha]

3. Sorry, Andy Stanton, I'm laughing.

President Obama may have been whatever but he still won the post debate cycles against the Lying Mitt Romney hopped up on Red Bull or whatever.

So Pres Obama didn't spend his time calling out the fucking maniac's lies. PBO is not kissing anything goodbye.

[David Zephyr]

64. And I'm with you, Cha.

Moreover, President Obama won the debates. Watch the polls. I like you.

[Cha]

68. Hey David!

[Tumbulu]

4. You are being rude

Our president allowed Mitt to shoot himself again and again and reveal himself to all the public as a bully.

He did not give Mitt the opening to get out of his 47% comment.

He was presidential, not maniacal and now a whole bunch of people are modeling his behavior when confronted with bullies- me for one!

Our president is not yours to control. He is a thoughtful brilliant kind human being, not a beast- we saw what a beast looks like- they go after Big Bird.

[defacto7]

15. hear, hear!

[Dina]

40. AMEN!

Obama's subdued behavior was perfect when encountered with a bully. AND if Obama pounced like a lot of people wanted him too, the media would have called him, "The mean black guy!" He did the right thing at the right time, and he gave a big lesson on how to behave when encountered with a bully!

[littlemissmartypants]

50. Welcome to the DU!

[Tumbulu]

55. Agree! Welcome to DU!

thanks for joining us!

[Dina]

56. Thank u for warm welcome!

My friend sent me a link right after the first debate, and I fell in love with this site instantly! It was in regards to the reasons Obama's debate wasn't what one expected, but were actually the best things he did. I instantly agreed. I was tired of people around me and in the media giving snap judgments about Obama's "poor performance" during the first debate. I knew Obama HAD to have a reason for being the way he was at the first debate - he AINT NO DUMMY! First of all, engagement in an argument with a bully can be tricky (if Obama pounced he would have been called the angry black man! NO doubt that's what would have happened!) Next, I love all the crap Romney spewed out of his satanic mouth; which wouldn't be possible with Obama butting in.

I have a feeling that in the future the people who were angry that Obama wouldn't pounce all over Romney will be finally praising Obama for staying calm. Perhaps in the future we will see a headline like, "Obama Knew What He was Doing All ALong During First Debate." And then in all debate classes all over America they will teach college students a successful debating technique called "The Obama Method." lol!!!

[David Zephyr]

65. Welcome to the DU, Dina. And you summed up the debate.

What looked like a "victory" in that debate to talking heads, will not digest over time with the American People. Like you, millions of Americans saw a "bully" and rude jackass.

I agree with every word you wrote.

[primavera]

41. So was Kerensky

You can see where that got him. There is much to be said for civility; there is also much to be said for not bringing a knife to a gun fight. Which will serve Obama better... I'm not sure, but, with the stakes this high, it's hard to not worry about it.

[dogman]

5. Many are

The two major takeaways from the debate are Romney lied, admitted by his campaign, and Big Bird, the albatross around Romney's neck.

[Beartracks]

59. Ha! I always wondered what Big Bird's breed was! n/t

[barbtries]

9. i'm a democrat and a liberal

and i can appreciate his self deprecation and do not feel the need to pile on. it was a debate, a small point in time over a long long campaign. romney lied and lied and lied and lied; as newt gingrich said, you can't debate a person who refuses to tell the truth.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

70. yep

[wtmusic]

12. Half on board with you.

It's not as if millions of people aren't working their asses off and contributing every extra dollar to get him elected, not just for Barack Obama, but for the country.

When I perform poorly on others' behalf - when I let my team down - it's usually the cause for some embarrassment and a renewed commitment in getting it right next time. And it's not a joke.

[Andy Stanton]

23. I'm from New York

And in New York if someone attacks you, you don't passively take the abuse but strike back twice as hard. Also, what's up with his failure to defend his record? I'm sure most of you agree that Obama has a lot to be proud of, but you wouldn't know it while watching the debate.

Yes, I hope Obama has learned from his failure and will do much better in the next two debates. But, let's face it, a lot of damage has already been done.

[TalkingDog]

26. Prove it. Prove "the damage has already been done"

Show me the plummeting poll numbers. Show me the increasing numbers of people who say they are voting for RMoney based on ONE debate.

Frankly your argument sucks.

I don't disagree that he seemed weak in the debates. But just because he seemed weak that did nothing to make RMoney appear strong.

The world I live in and most liberals live in is not binary. Unlike the knee jerk reactionaries on Team Faux, we consider the deeper implications of things.

So, put up or STFU.

[Andy Stanton]

29. The poll numbers are moving

away from Obama and towards Romney.

Like it or not, that's what's happening.

I don't want to see Obama snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, do you?

[primavera]

43. Just check LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014259385

[emulatorloo]

53. Sadly, New Yorkers come off as assholes to many in the US

[PSPS]

14. I don't agree

This is the Obama I really like -- he's able to reflect and publicly admit his own shortcomings. As an added bonus, he pledges to do better. These are a qualities I want in a president -- qualities sorely lacking with his predecessor who really had no developed thinking skills at all. The behavior you're describing would serve no useful purpose.

Plus, I don't agree that his "debate performance" was "pathetic." First, it was no debate. It was just a made-for-tv spectacle. Second, as unserious as the "debate" was, it would have been even more so (if that's possible) if we had two guys yelling at each other.

Believe me, the corporate media's prediction of Thurston winning and Obama's political career ending are laughingly absurd.

[BlueMTexpat]

19. Just signed up for DU in late September 2012 ... hmmm ...

Did it take you that long to decide that you are a Dem/liberal?

If you truly are, welcome. But your comment

no Democrat/liberal is in the mood to laugh at your pathetic debate performance

can't possibly be true. Quod erat demonstrandum by the responses in this thread.

Failing outright fraud and/or voter suppression by the GOP, I doubt that President Obama will be kissing the Presidency good-bye as long we have his back and GOTV. But I appreciate your concern.

[Andy Stanton]

24. Now I'm laughing

at your suggestion that I may not really be a liberal democrat since I signed up for DU only a few weeks ago.

I was marching for civil rights, unions and against the Vietnam war as a young teenager. I never voted for a Republican and never will.

I admire Obama and think he's done an excellent job in most respects. But he failed to live up to his responsibilities when it came to the debate. It seemed to me that Obama was completely unprepared and that's unacceptable considering all that's at stake. I don't want to hear any excuses. I don't want to hear him make any self-deprecating remarks. I just want him to get out there and kick butt.

[BlueMTexpat]

45. Glad to hear that you have sterling Dem credentials

but when your first posted comments are discourteous ones toward our President - and I wasn't the first to find them so - paired with an incorrect sweeping generalization (e.g., "no Democrat/liberal ...&quot , it does give one pause, to say the least.

So, welcome to DU! I myself actually lurked here for years before signing up.

The Prez's debate performance may not have been his most "spirited" hour. But how he actually did was certainly in the eyes of the beholder and a lot of us just don't quite see eye to eye with the punditocracy and those who favor "red meat" who were extremely quick to kick him when he didn't quite breathe fire. In fact, if journalists/anchors, etc. actually did their own jobs, the Prez wouldn't have to debunk Rmoney's lies.

As a proud senior (currently 68), I've been a practicing Dem all my life. The only Republican in my lifetime I may ever even have considered voting for, had I been of voting age at the time, was DDE, who, in addition to being a war hero and a genuinely decent man, was certainly farther to the left than most Dems since.

[olegramps]

49. What you say about DDE is absolutely correct. Just read his 1956 State of the Union speech.

He praised very program that helped to create the Middle Class ; from unions, expansion of Social Security to health care and education. He would have as much chance to run in today's Republican Party as the survival of a snowball in hell.

[treestar]

20. That lets Rmoney control the debate

And gives him chances to repeat himself.

I don't know what Obama could have done differently, but here it is too easy to make declarations about what it was.

[Chemisse]

22. There are far worse things one can do in a presidential campaign than have a lackluster debate.

Spouting off that you could give two shits about 47 percent of the nation pops to mind.

Self deprecation is an excellent way to diffuse criticism. Unlike the more pompous, self-important candidates (Bush, Romney), Obama is not too proud to laugh at himself. For this he deserves applause.

[OldDem2012]

25. I guess you're trying to demonstrate an aggressive style, right?...

...which is about as truthful and effective as Romney's turned out to be.

[oswaldactedalone]

27. I'm with Andy Stanton

I don't mind a little self-deprecating humor but there really was no excuse for the milquetoast performance.

[KurtNYC]

31. the Obama campaign is stomping the Romney campaign like a bunch of grapes.

No whine before it's time.

[chuckstevens]

32. No one' laughing

Andy: You are spot on! My first reaction on seeing the story before I even read the comments was to think that there is way too much at stake to joke about. He better come out swing during the next debate.

[karynnj]

36. Why do you and Andy fail to see that he can do both?

Obviously he and his team are looking for how to fight back harder. They may not even need much of a change. The next Obama debate is a town hall. Obama has NEVER looked disinterested in that format and he listens to the people and responds directly to them. Romney will HAVE to do the same - he can't do the same thing he did last week. (One problem is that Romney used last week to disavow everything he ran on for months and will likely continue that shifting - and in a town hall, it will be even harder to point out the lies.)

As to making a sardonic joke about it, the New Yorkers I know (this to Andy) would be the first to use a joke to deal with what they and everyone knows is a bad break. His "joke" is nothing other than admitting that he agrees that he lost that debate. It is likely important to admit that at this point. Ironicly, his people will likely argue as Bush's did in 2004, that the best debater does not make the best President. (Bush was far worse in 2004 and Kerry was as clear a winner and, unlike Romney, he did not lie and was likable.)

[primavera]

42. Have you seen Tom Tomorrow's cartoon this morning?

?1349546676

[karynnj]

51. Cartoons as always exaggerate and by doing so show some truth

Obama, Romney and the media are all skewered here. Obama was not as bad as depicted and the criticism is that he is trying to be above the fray and unwilling to thrown dirt. (ignoring that he has approved a huge number of ads on the 47% and Bain). I also think they are making him look weak, not strong and principled, in doing this.

However, they are portraying Romney as a liar extraordinairere and as the plutocrat from the Monopoly game. The media is hit as treating this like a game where you score points by being overly aggressive and making points - whether blatant lies or not. To me, the media comes out the worst on this.

[primavera]

52. Of course

I'm merely pointing out that Andy is not some lone extremist in his evaluation of the President's debate performance.

[karynnj]

57. Go back and read the comments - most are not saying Obama did well

They are saying there is a problem with the tone of Andy's post.

[frylock]

66. yes, the butthurt is palpable because the poster said some mean stuff..

what a big poopyhead.

[karynnj]

69. Are you 7 or 8? Do your parents know you are writing here?

[frylock]

71. just bringing it down to the level of this thread..

i mean, really? extremely rude?! there was nothing in the least bit rude in that post. i'll grow up when you grow some skin.

[davidthegnome]

33. The ability to laugh at one's self...

Is something that I find admirable in any Presidential candidate - in any human being, for that matter.

The way to deal with a shifty liar like Romney is simply to tell the truth. Self deprecation, when not taken to extremes, tends to reveal a person who possesses significant humility - a quality I find admirable.

[GOTV]

35. Despite the banging you're taking I agree with you

We can all laugh when he stops dropping in the polls. He fell asleep while the bacon was cooking and now he wants to make jokes while the house is still on fire.

[heaven05]

37. all who

speak absolutes are not speaking for me. I am in no mood for someone like you deigning to speak for me, "no democrat/liberal is in the mood to laugh" ect. Your comments are offensive and I would not speak to a man who has a day job, night job 24/7, as you have done to our President. I am in no mood for you sir/madam. How dare you! When you are able to be perfect everyday 24/7 get back to me, I'll make you a god! little g.

[fascisthunter]

38. I agree with you

and believe he will.

[plethoro]

46. I somewhat agree with you, but I will reserve my

condemnation for what happens in the next presidential debate. The Biden-Ryan debate is not near as important as the next presidential debate. I worry about the time factor, though. After the first debate performance is there enough time to reverse the perceived or real damage? Many times in debates, as with other multiple encounters, the initial performance sets the inertia.

[cliffordu]

67. As, Andy,ighten up.

What do you do perfectly??

[andym]

7. A mark of maturity is to admit one's mistakes and laugh about them

Also, to fix something, you need to know what is went wrong. High marks to the President.

Now, I want the President to come out on fire against Romney at the next debate, if for nothing else to keep Romney from attempting to demonstrate false empathy (his goal in humanizing himself).

[lexx21]

17. Come out on fire??? How about bring the napalm!

[Tx4obama]

8. Kick! n/t

[SunSeeker]

11. Good to hear the President gets it. I'm looking forward to the next debate. nt

[flamingdem]

13. Well said, he'll be back on track for that nt

[lexx21]

16. Quite honestly I think...

that the President was acting like a gentleman. Romney obviously was not. If you are going to give points to someone who over talks the moderator, goes over time again and again, and then cuts in to talk stating that "I have to have the last word"..... go ahead. But Romney acted like a spoiled child. The President acted ... well....Presidential. It is my belief that when he was looking down and smiling, he was trying not to blurt out any of the things that were going through his head at the moment. Probably the very things that I was shouting at the screen when Romney spoke that wouldn't be fit for man nor beast to hear.


Just my 2 cents.

[treestar]

21. I agree!

I am sick of Rmoney being treated as if he did things right! He should not be rewarded for that behavior.

[oldbanjo]

28. Your right after lying as much

as he did he should be DISQUALIFIED from running, this entire Election has been disgracefully.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

18. Humor is healthy. And he knows how important it is to stay connected. I applaud him for this.

[BeyondGeography]

30. More interesting to me is that he feels the need to keep addressing this

The campaign must be seeing plenty of fallout in its polling. I'm sure it will pass with Biden tomorrow and two more subsequent debates with Romney, but this is obviously one that Obama would like to have back.

[GOTV]

34. The external polling looks pretty bad. He may have lost the entire Summer.

Five thirty Eight has him still ahead but in free fall

[olegramps]

47. Obama decided to be presidental and reserved, it didn't work.

As much as I admire President Obama and his tireless efforts to overcome the mess he inherited, I believe that he totally missed the boat on this one. I can only hope that their second and third debate are not as bad as the first for Obama.

[polichick]

54. Good, but I hope he knows he needs to fight next time...

That's something he learned the hard way as a new President - best not to forget again.

[hedgehog]

60. The point that everyone here seems to be missing is that the Press was invited to attend

the dinner and record the comments - no "just between us girls" comments from Obama!

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

61. "WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, OBAMA YOU JERK!!!"

"YOU WON THAT DEBATE, STOP GIVING RMONEY AMMUNITION!!!!"

Just using the logic people had here complaining about Chris Matthews and Ed Schultz.

[David Zephyr]

62. K&R. President Obama's humility and humor work for him.

This is why he will be re-elected.

Thank you, trailmonkee, for this video.

[swayne]

72. IT IS NOT F*CKING FUNNY IN THE LEAST. SUPPORTERS MIGHT NOT SHOW UP BECAUSE OF THAT KIND OF BS.

It was unnecessary and in fact, kind of lazy, to have a poor debate performance at this stage of the election. Almost everyone expected Obama to rise to the occasion. He clearly did not. Fortunately for the President, Romney lied his ass off and will have continued problems simply because of that.

President Obama, get your shit correct.

[BlueInPhilly]

73. Really?

Glad he thinks it's self-deprecating humor, because I don't.

For me, it's personal, and he let me down. He wouldn't be laughing in November, if his folly caught up with him. Or he could laugh about it while the rest of us gets our hearts broken.