[VIDEO UPDATES, including a NEW Obamaism] Listening to Obama’s “Speech” on CNN, I am stunned by his flat affect
By SusanUnPC on May 25, 2008 at 11:53 AM in Barack Obama, Current Affairs, Obamaisms
FIRST VIDEO UPDATE — you won’t believe this, but we have yet another OBAMAISM (a la the Bushisms of yore):
VIDEO TITLE: Where is Obama? Wesleyan, Wellesley or “Wellesleyan”?
THE SECOND VIDEO UPDATE IS BELOW THE FOLD - it’s his speech that caused me to stop cleaning my kitchen and hit the keyboard.
_____________________________
I am in shock.
His tone is utterly perfunctory. There isn’t an iota of emotion in how he delivers the words. He is just reading some text, as if he were reading a page from a textbook on statistics.
If I were a psychoanalyst, I would say that this is a man who FEELS NOTHING for others. Who cannot even FAKE a sense of emotion in his delivery. WHO could CARE LESS about being at the commencement, or even realize the IMPORT of conveying emotion in his delivery.
That is because this speech is NOT entirely ABOUT HIM. Unlike his rallies where he can feed his huge ego off the adoration of his fans — given his complete self-involvement — this event has no meaning for him. Therefore, he cannot imbue the words with any sense of feeling, or with any care for the man on whose behalf he is speaking.
These are just some quick impressions. I was making coffee, and cleaning my kitchen counter as he began to speak, and I had to stop my chores to sit down and write this — that is how shocked I was.
HERE HE IS with a golden opportunity - the kind of FREE press that any politician would give anything to get — and he is as flat as a pancake.
There is no there there.
He truly is what he said he is: Whatever people reflect of themselves onto him. He is a blank slate. He is not involved. He doesn’t care.
Even George W. Bush has more ability to feel and convey emotion than Obama.
::::::::::::::
HIS SPEECH TODAY — posted by the Obama campaign:
i cant listen to him i immediatley turn the channel if i hear or see him kind of like i used to do with bush …….
Same here. Obama allergy.
you’re missing the point …. see my comment below. He is a seriously disturbed person who cannot FEEL.
Perhaps Michelle told him this event does not help her children. After all, it is all about Michelle.
Hillary’snt give a speech, simply because she can inspire nothing.
What is wrong with this man???? He sounds like he is sleep walking…my God, is he back on drugs?????
He could care less if he were here doing this today, and the speech….not inspiring at all…
Very astute Susan….OBAMA HAS NO INTEGRITY….
Integrity. n. 1. Uncompromising adherence to moral and ethical principles. 2. The state of being whole or entire. 3. A sound or unimpaired condition. Random House Dictionary
*** OBAMA IS UNFIT FOR ANY ELECTIVE OFFICE ***
Susan is correct. Obama has something missing in the brain.
I used to work with an exceptionally charming guy. He was witty, brilliant, magnetic, and stabbed every co-worker in the back at one time or another.
The weird thing is, that the people he screwed over were all in denial that he would do such a thing.
They would make up excuses for his deeply disturbed behavior.
Once he actively prevented his fellow workers from getting raises. When asked why, he explained that he didn’t make that much when he worked at that level.
He could not see beyond himself.
I think of this guy when I see Obama in “charm” mode.
And I keep thinking about that poor woman who thought he was such a wonderful person that she entrusted him with her senate seat.
SHE learned the hard way the mind behind the charm.
Susan, a bit off topic here but I think you will get a kick out of this. Obama, as you know, came to my state, Florida, to rasie money. He told “the people” that for one thousand two hundred dollars, they could have their picture taken with him. I have not been able to learn if anyone actually took him up on his offer. He has no shame!
Are you kidding? Pay to have a picture!
Even sociopaths feel. The issue is what they feel. And what they feel is centered around their own universe, as the super-ego is suppressed or not even developed.
Unfortunately, there’s no cure for Antisocial Personality Disorder (i.e., sociopathy).
there is a cure for sociopathy..it generally involves jail
is that you dr. frist
I think it’s a bit late for all this patronizing flannel.
Peeps need to come to terms that BHO is going to be the next Preznit.
You’ll enjoy the article on his odds. They are lousy.
If anyone remembers the old weather guy from LA, NBC’s Christopher Nance, they probably have a bead on Obama, somewhat…
Same happy talk but a complete nutcase when the camera was off…
I’ve been saying this for a long time.
Empathy is either innate or learned. Some children seem to have the empathy gene — and others are taught by their parents to have empathy for others.
snObama is all about himself — from the titles of his books to his involvement in politics. I’ve not been able to detect any sort of empathy for others in snObama. Did he ever have a pet? It is my firm belief that pets can teach empathy. Having a pet, caring for a pet — focuses your attention on someone other than yourself.
My concern is that his personality structure is so extreme — He has an extremely rigid/regulated element of his personality. Which means he can ace the tests but has little knowledge of the material — he can memorize the information. In other words he can regurgitate what his mentors tell him — but he has little to no original thoughts. He is who his mentors are. WHO mentors him is indeed who HE is. Which is why Larry is so concerned about snObama’s associates.
snObama helped to cause the death of hundreds of human beings in Kenya by his interference and meddling in Kenyan politics (sending Dick toe-such Morris) over to “assist” his cousin. snObama has no remorse or emotional reaction to these deaths and suffering. And this guy wants to be President — goddess help us all. Get the bastard OUT of politics — forever!
Having just posted the opposite, I must say, I DO agree with your assessment.
It’s that rigid thingy.
I’m just not keen on assigning psyche labels.
That’s overdone. It’s cliche.
It’s annoying.
LOL* (Now, I’m laughing at myself. Like I could tell any of you what to do!)
There you are Northwest Rain….happy to see you on this subject.
This is so important, hate to ask the H question, but, since he also sets one group against another group all the time–race baiting– is he like a Hitler, or some other dictator type.
All his skills are social climbing, how to be what one group wants, use them to get up to the next level, never do any work, stab the last person or group in the back…move higher.
Is all that race baiting, the constant character assassinations of other people, and his inability to give a crap about others or work for anything part of his awful personality?
Hitler was a lot of things…but he was not incapable of feeling…in fact he had plenty of extreme nueroses…He was also easily fearful of public shame and punishment…hence the suicide…
Sociopaths are not afraid of being shamed as they do not value the judgement of others…and not all sociopaths are criminal or evil….
Stalin might be a better example of a sociopath…His only fear was a real fear of being murdered…takes one to know one…if you get my drift…
As a carbon copy? No.
Hitler had some creativity and insight, and appreciated things greater than himself (and not so ethnically “challenged” to borrow concepts from other civilizations, for his 1000 year Empire).
In contrast, Obama marries his equal Michelle, who views the world by a very narrow broadband of skin color. Michelle would deny what achievements Whites have made, to make a political point.
Who or what is snObama? (why do you put sn in front of Obama’s name? Also, I have read about Dick Morris working on Raila Odinga’s campaign (I also wonder if he is working for Obama now). Everytime that Dick Morris is on Fox News he is totally against Hillary. I wonder if he is working behind the scenes for Obama’s campaign.) Also, it is very hard to type a comment on this Website (there is a very bad lag as I am typing this). What is the problem with this website?????
Go to this website for more info on Obama:
http://www.dontvoteobama.net
and please spread the word about this website they have a lot of info on Obama.
snObama = snob ama…the emphasis is to play on snob….
Susan,
I watched the beginning commencement address of Obama at Wellesly. He does appear depressed. I believe that he has gotten word from his campaign staff that he is going to lose, he doesn’t have a chance to obtain the nomination. He may also have received word from some of his announced delegates that they are going to cancel their endorsement and switch to the more effective winner, Hillary Clinton. OR his dirty linen is going to be brought out in public by his adoring Media. We shall see. This could be the turning point.
Albert
For more on sociopathy, I highly recommend the book The Sociopath Next Door by Martha Stout. It reads like a thriller — get the audio version if you can. Did you know that 4% of people are born with the capacity to connect with other humans missing from their brains? From the sociopath’s point of view, other people are nothing more than objects to satisfy their desires. Chances are you know one or more of these people (not including the one in the Oval Office).
http://www.amazon.com/Sociopath-Next-Door-Martha-Stout/dp/076791581X
Here’s a good summary, with tips on dealing with sociopaths we’ll inevitably encounter:
http://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm?author_number=1097
*****A
Wow. I could only watch about three minutes before I started to yawn.
If you heard that Kennedy had to cancel and then that Obama was subbing for him, you would think that you were going to hear one heck of an orator. Imagine how disappointed you would be. Maybe he’s been reading the polls and knows he’s not doing very well in Massachusetts?
I have long thought that.
I have a sister who is a sciopath, and for years she made my life a living hell. Someone who was chief counselor fot the state Human Services finally told me straight up, and gave me the short list of symptoms.
I no longer speak to said sister, and my life has been so much more peaceful and sane the last few years.
OMG….me too, and I wake up thinking that I am in a dream; wondering WHY it is not yet over!!!!
Imagine how parents must feel: they pay at least one hundred thousand dollars in order to provide free media to an unqualified and lackluster politician who could care less about their child’s accomplishments. I would have boycotted the commencement if I attended that university.
“Imagine how parents must feel: they pay at least one hundred thousand dollars in order to provide free media to an unqualified and lackluster politician”
..who just happens to be beating the pantsuit off of your candidate. Thoughts?
He’s not beating Clinton.
Do you usually make decisions based on fantasy?
Really not a good habit…
I think you probably will feel more comfortable at Huffington Post.
They are still talking about 11 straight “states.”
And they LOVE the delegate system that is a complete joke to the rest of the world.
You’ll feel more at ease there.
my remote is getting worn out switching it every time I see him or bush
Barack is better on the big screen, he doesn’t do well on the small one. Why, I don’t know, maybe he lacks passion, maybe he’s tired and wants to go home, but he does not play well when he meets with voters and he looks passionless on television. I guess he needs to be more scripted?
EVERYONE: There is something SERIOUSLY WRONG with a person who cannot convey emotion in a key situation like that.
He is speaking on behalf of a man who IS DYING.
He is speaking to the entire world, because all the media are giving this free full play.
And his speaking style makes him come across as BORED as if he were cleaning out his desk drawer.
THIS MAN IS A SHELL. There is nothing inside him.
He is truly a creation of David Axelrod’s marketing genius.
And nothing more.
Susan…it takes integity to both feel and convey emotion…
This is what I mean when I say….
OBAMA HAS A SERIOUS CONFLICT WITH HIS INNER CRACKER…
The man has no integrity….floating partial bits of assumed personas…
he is either a classic psychopath….or sociopath and there is a difference. He is certainly APOLITICAL…and very good FASCIST material….
*** SHIT…EVEN THE DERANGED GWB STANDS FOR HIS WARPED PRINCIPLES EVEN IF THEY ARE INSANE ONES….***
Obama has none…because he has no integrity…YOUR AVERAGE MAFIOSO HAS MORE INTEGRITY….Sheeesh !…..chuckle…..
I was in the car when he started talking, so I turned it off - can’t abide his voice anymore. Now, I kinda wish I could have seen and heard him. I’m sure it will be endlessly looped and praised on the cable networks. I think he OD’d on his own kool-aid and he’s really just tired of having to work so hard, poor baby.
Me either. I cannot stand his voice any longer. Everything about him makes my skin crawl. It’s the same feel I have about Bush, only worse, because Obama is a sexist pig and I hate what he has done to gender relations to advance himself. I will never forgive him, for the Marzist pig he and his followers are.
I can’t wait to see him get his ass kicked back to Chicago, and only wish something about him surfaces before August so that I won’t have to even listen to his name till November.
I turned it off when he got to the civil rights march stuff because I figured he was going to lie again about his birth date.
Beautifully described point about integrity. Bravo.
Thanks…integrity simply means whole…Hillary is a literal force of Wholeness…She may compromise but only if it meets a common sensical political goal…She will not do anything to compromise her literal integrity as this would cause crisis…Like most integral people she engages in self reflection…Even Common Criminals can feel guilt or shame….
** The Unexmined Lide is not Worth Living ** - Socrates
Socrates…the King of Integrity…imho
ummmmmmmmmm*……not necessarily. Con artists are pretty good at that stuff. In fact, I read an interesting article about the ability of the sociopath to mimic all the “tells” on emotion, thus disarming people.
I will agree on one count. If it’s not authentic? You can’t keep it up forever. That takes a whale of energy.
It could well be that he’s out of energy, and the exhaustion has set in.
I think the guy is a bit short of passion, myself. He doesn’t strike me as the type to wake up and hit the floor excited about the day.
Hmmm….of course I did’nt say all common criminals…and even cons have some code….Integrity can be negative or positive in that it means whole not fractured….this is the def. I’m using….Obama is not a whole person…no core or as Uppity and Susan reminds us no substance…
He’s not just a shell. He’s a mean opportunistic shell. And so is his wife.
It is strange to see two people with very similar personalities married to each other.
Generally this type of person is a taker — and not a giver. With this couple we have two takers.
I disagree…I think Meeechelle’s envy and anger are genuine and she has held these a long time…In that her hatred is authentic if dispicable…Obama has nothing….
A little snark.
Here’s Obama’s favorite pickup line:
‘Enough about you, lets talk about my awesomeness’
Just thought you’d like to know that you made me laugh out loud. (Since you couldn’t hear me.)
Susan UnPC
Have you seen Northwest Rain about this? That poster talks about his pathological Narcissism.
And they have some stuff about it at the Hillary Clinton Forum.
I think it is a TRUE disorder. A psychologist has looked at his mannerisms and his expressions and shown it seems to be exactly what you said. It’s really interesting, the psychologist shows how his facial expressions show the disorder.
Like you said, he’s never shown emotion about anything but himself….it’s a sickness.
If Northwest Rain is around he/she knows more.
His excuse will be it wasn’t his speech.
The thing he does best is make excuses …
No compassion for Kennedy? It just sounded like a prefunctory read. The kids in that audience are his closest “believers.” How is it that he isn’t doing a better job reaching his key audience … is he over tired? Exhausted? Having health issues? At his age, for him to seem so listless is just not a good sign ….
did anybody notice how unimpressed the people behind him were? barely courtesy applause.
Axelrod’s marketing genius is overrated. I seem to recall the all the presidential brands he backed lost. Some genius.
Perfect description of Obama. He truly couldn’t care less about the people. He just doesn’t have it in him to run to serve, to run for the people.
He is running for him. It is a “dare game within himself”.
Obama inner demons still asking him to prove to himself.
Obama is like one of those easter eggs,
all wrapped up in those pretty attractive brillant colors on the outside yet hollow on the inside.
meant: to prove himself
Exactly right, Andy, hence his ability to steal, and extort, with ease, from the public.
I would LOVE to know what Fitzgerald has on Obama.
Maybe he knows something that we don’t, and he is a little “depressed”.
If he is depressed, I am glad. He has done nothing but depress me since his piggish campaign got rolling.
Comment by Donkey Brazziere | 2008-05-25 12:10:19
Maybe he knows something that we don’t, and he is a little “depressed”.
***
Maybe he got booed going on his way to the speech, or he passed tons of ‘Vote For Hillary’ signs, and very few of his.
Maybe he should have taken a lesson from Hillary on how to shed fake tears.
New IP?
Have you thought about spicing up your trolls, a little, want to add a new touch?
Can’t you hire a consultant?
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
They could hire Axlerove, but he’s busy helping steal healthcare from poor people. I thought UCH was nonprofit, but apparently they’re all about keeping more profits at the expense of the folks Obi’s been organizing.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/138519
He lacks the common touch. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. His movement is all about him.
That’s why he keeps making those “gaffes,” “Hello, Sunshine,” “I’ve been to all 57 states,” because he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Hillary never forgets where she is or to whom she’s talking. That requires effort, empathy and caring, even when you’re tired.
It would be one thing if he were upset and couldn’t speak. Maybe his “meds” are turned up too high.
Comment by hillarysmygirl | 2008-05-25 12:21:04
That’s why he keeps making those “gaffes,” “Hello, Sunshine,” “I’ve been to all 57 states,” because he doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Hillary never forgets where she is or to whom she’s talking. That requires effort, empathy and caring, even when you’re tired.
***
There are 57 states in the NATION OF ISLAM - maybe that was what he was thinking about?
There’s a troll here, dangling bait…DON’T TAKE IT! DON’T FEED THE TROLL.
It’s here because it knows they can’t win without us. And it’s killing them.
I see my comment was deleted. That’s unfortunate…opposing yet civil viewpoints are the essence of discourse.
Obama gave a speech that was not a best and not his worst…why does it need to be anything more than that.
Why attempt to treat this speech as a symptom of some deep psychological problem?
I miss the old, more reasoned and insightful version of this blog. Pity.
I suppose this comment will be deleted as well. That’s a rotten shame.
Larry doesn’t delete comments. He’s all about free speech.
Nobody deleted your comment. It is possible, however, that it got caught in the spam filter - WordPress has a major issue with its spam filter and it’s been going on for nearly three months, and nobody’s fixed it yet.
I will check the filter right now.
sure sure
It’s more than that because the Obamedia plays it with such sanctimony. It’s all Obama all the time. Even those left that are still supporting him will begin to drain from the over-saturation.
Maybe they can film some more free rock concerts and pretend those are his “followers” again to make us all think we’re not sick of him and his antisocial, anti American behavior.
OMG I didnt even have to watch it to know that it was one of the greatest speeches in history.
I had a tingling sensation running up my leg to the crack of my ass.
I started to faint just thinking about watching him speak, but i was told they already had a fainter set to go so i opted to save my leg tingling and fainting for the next speech.
THe man is truly transcendant. He shows all of us what small insignificant petty creatures we are and how we would be elevated if we let go of our smallness, our cash, our suvs and fries and 72 degree heating in the winter to be more like what he says we shoudl be like.
I was so moved but what he said that i was unable to watch or listen to that i am going to sponsor a hammas terrorst transfer student for the next year.
Be right back…need to go make some koolaid.
LOL….funny…. Uncle Jerry…
susan -
i don’t think it’s that.
i think it’s because he is very emotionally stressed right now.
this campaign has ground him down.
he has never had to face this kind of grueling regimein before in his life.
i’ll be surprised if he makes it to september without an even more obvious display of emotional stress.
i think this is one reason axelrod and plouffe have tried everything they could to drive clinton out of the race since february.
they know their horse is a short-sprint quarter horse
not a long-track thoroughbred racer like senator clinton.
i’s love to ask david axelerod what medications obama is taking right now and why he has returned to smoking.
n.b. i said returned to “smoking”, not “smirking”, he’s never quite smirking.
I disagree Orion….Obama lacks INTEGRITY….there is no substance…floating bits of assumed personas….
OBAMA HAS A SERIOUS CONFLICT WITH HIS INNER CRACKER = His is not an intergrated personality or ethical foundation…
Your average Mafioso has more integrity than someone like Obama…LOL
At least the Oath of Omerta makes you loyal to a group….sheeesh
And he attracts people just like him.
Well, your thesis can also help explain why he looks and acts so fatigued — the stress of trying to be someone you’re not is overwhelmingly difficult and tiring.
He’s so gaunt and thin that I’ve heard people in the ropelines tell him he needs to eat something.
I think he’s being eaten away from the inside by the pressure of being a poseur.
:::
I bet he’s smoking again too, when he can get a chance — and that he’s craving cigarettes constantly.
he may be doing more drugs too — who knows — he may need some coke to make it through those rallies.
I’ve never taken cocaine but from what I’ve heard people never stop craving it, and those with the personality type who need it to operate with any verve especially crave it constantly.
Addictive personality disorder is seen most clearly when the subject is under great stress.
SusanUnPc as with any addiction you never are free of the “hook”.
Senator Clinton nailed it when saying if you think the nomination process is tough you have not seen anything yet.
This nation is in DEEP g DODO if this un-interested and immoral man gets the power of POTUS. Jack Kennedy staring out the oval office window he ain’t. The chances of Iran and the US going “nuklear” is a very real thing inspite of the recent NIE. Obama can NOT be given the football.
hey Teak,
Immoral and Amoral. He isn’t good enough to wipe muck off the bottom of JFK or RFK’s shoes.
Or even be the door mat in that effort. The “dude” is Dangerous.
crack smoking makes you stink and mo said on tv her kids won’t come into their bed if he’s there because he stinks.
You mean he’s not used to working this hard, right?
I KNOW in my bones that that is the real reason he didn’t go to work for a major law firm. Those associates work their asses off — 80-90-100 hour work weeks. He KNEW that not only could he not do that, but he had no desire to work like that.
God help us if he’s president because that surpasses the pressures on a major law firm associate so much that it’s unimaginable.
Unless, like Bush, he passes off almost all of the work load on everyone else — which it’s very likely he’d do. He’d probably spend most of the day in endless schmoozing — particularly with his very special foreign policy expert Samantha Power.
I have doubts about the veracity of his degree, his training.
What did he graduate with from Columbia? Magnum cum laude? or what. I have never heard. Just how did he get into Harvard? Was he a legacy because his father went to Hardard? Or was he a affirmative action student? Or was he so brilliant? And how about the editor of the law review? It used to be the student with the highest grades, but they changed that to an elective position in 1977, I think. Since then, most of the editors were Blacks, asians, women…etc. minorities were now in that position.
at my law school, you either had to be in the top 10% or get in via a writing contest to even be on the law review. once you got on and served a year, which included a REQUIREMENT of writing an article (something obaby never did, as far as i can tell), you could run for election to whatever position on the law review the next year. that process was purely a popularity contest.
i read somewhere that obaby graduated in the top 25% of his law school class. if that is true, his even being allowed ON the law review is highly suspect.
the first affirmative action candidate indeed.
i guess my grades in a prestigious law school being way, way, way better than obaby’s doesn’t change the fact that i’m an uneducated dolt - after all, i support hillary all the way. and we all know we hillary supporters never got past 3rd grade.
hillary or mccain. no other option.
He certainly is not used to the scrutiny…or the criticism….imho….And this could be part of the stress….Stalin never gave a shit what anyone thought about him…That dude killed because he could and if it served…
In that Stalin had intergration…an Extremly effective cruel gravitas…
No doubt he’s worried. He should be worried and stressed.
He’s tanking at just when he’ trying to bluster through and demand the nomination.
The wind appears to be out of his sails.
The biggest sign to me that this is the case is Hillary’s latest snafu. It makes the editoral writers appear petty to make a big deal out of it.
Boy, wouldn’t we all have prayed for that reaction 8 months ago? Everytime she said “achoo,” her motives were demonized.
This time around? It’s gotten the usual “in-the-tank-for Obama-but-we already-knew that” response.
This is good. This is REALLY good.
Everyone has adjusted and is truly no longer giving the newspaper/TV Obama spin much credence.
They had the rope. They hung themselves with it.
People are now far, far more important.
Like real people, I mean. The ones who are too busy to even pay attention to Chris Matthews.
By the way. I think we should start pooling as to when he’ll get the axe.
Could be fun.
The information unfolding today about the huge overreaction to Hillary’s Argus interview and the unreal twisting of her words makes it pretty clear that the whole thing was stirred and pushed, if not invented, by the Obama campaign. Their sending out copies of the KO tape on the subject to every media outlet, Obama’s comments stirring up and pushing initial media reaction all suggest that they were hoping to use it to knock her out. I think they were doing this because they knew the poll numbers this week end were not going to look good for Obama and they desperately needed a distraction and something to smash her poll numbers back. Looks like they may get a backlash for all their trouble and if so, it could not happen to more deserving people.
Maybe the misfiring and blow up of this RFK ruse put a damper on Obama’s affect.
I CANNOT WATCH HIM LEAVE ALONE HEAR HIS SPEACH.
HE CANNOT EVEN DEBATE WITH HILLARY.
THIS GUY IS PHONY