The Big Obama Administration Thread

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I would think it's about the face we show to the world(and ourselves). Do we really want guys like him attached in anyway to our Government, especially in these times. It's bad enough we have/had Conan/The Body as State Governors. Other than Reagan, what other actors/stars have made their mark in politics?

 

Other than Reagan? Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Clooney, Al Franken, Sonny Bono, Fred Thompson...there have been quite a few entertainers who enter politics.

I don't think being an actor in an of itself is all that embarrassing. Sure, Kal Penn has done a bunch of stoner movies, but he's also done some critically-acclaimed and culturally important films, like "The Namesake" and is currently on one of America's top-rated TV shows, where he plays a brilliant young minority doctor. He's also the most famous south-Asian entertainer in America right now by far. So in terms of the face we show to the world, someone like Kal Penn makes us look better internationally than, say, blonde-haired blue-eyed corn-fed American boy Brad Pitt (nothing against him, though). Add to that he's a bit of an icon among young voters...

I consider the appointment fairly shrewd, myself.

 

I think he's done a reasonably good job in Cali, better than his counterpart, Ventura did in Minnesota. We've had GWB and his successor, Rick Perry, who's a GWB wanna be (if you can imagine). In fact, maybe we could work out a trade. Nah, I could never wish that on DMC and BTA...AMaster would never speak to me again.

 

Yup. What I like about the print media is that they are, in my experience, far more likely to take the time needed to report the actual facts without all the sensationalism found in live formats.

 

We need leaders and workers in these positions, not faces. Just because America has gone the way of entertainment and money does not necessarily mean that our Government should incorporate people from these industries to positions that take years of understading and background to be able to do a viable job in that position. What possible background did Schwarzenegger have to be a Governor of California? Movies and Muscle? Clooney? What has he done for us that a more qualified person handling the same issues couldn't of done better? What's his background in politics? Star-Power is the only reason why they get a voice in the 1st place. But having an "Actor" that is voicing for America is embarrassing for the rest of Americans. What world leaders respect would Clooney or Schwarzenegger as politicians? None, that's who. We need to disengage our Government from entertainment and focus on the real, important issues, not spending money on looking into Steriod use or any of the other bleeding heart issues actors want to jaw about. We have too many problems in finance, ecology and war/terrorism to not have experts leading us in these issues. I'm sure the Kal Penn appointment is something that's way beneath Barack's radar, appointed by under-staff instead. But i just hope it's not another step in the wrong direction. We need to show the world were still the top dog, that's what keeps our cozy, independent little lives cozy and independent. Keeps are kids safe.There are rising and re-emerging powers in the world like China and Russia. For the 1st time since the end of WWII, the world will start to challenge the US both economically and hopefully not, but also militarily. We don't need faces, we need intelligent leaders.

 

Blades, your entire post is excellent as far as it goes. I firmly believe that being a highly skilled actor does not automatically qualify one to be a political leader.

However, it does not disqualify one, either. In addition to that, the value of name recognition in an election is difficult to discount, so in that sense entertainers have an edge in getting elected. But there are politicians from other walks of life who for whatever reason managed to get elected and turned out to be crappy politicians.

Actors are not by definition "unintelligent". And politicians with other careers previous to their stint as polticians are not by definition "intelligent" politicians, even though they may have been highly skilled in their fields.

 

LKD,

I understand and i was probably ranting just a little. Sorry about that. Your right, it doesn't automatically make someone unintelligent in general if they were an actor. I was using the term Intelligent when i should of been using the term "Knowledgable" instead.

 

Ranting? No, no we don't allow that here. Boy did you come to the wrong place.

Welcome to SP, by the way.

 

Thanks Rabibit!

I'm pretty new to ANY forum, but my love of IE games brought me to check out all the mods. But i find this forum to be very informative, educational and well-rounded about all topics, not just gaming, so i would like to stick around.

 

Unfortunately, at least around here, the newspapers have the same biasses as the local TV news (in fact, they are associated or partnered with the TV news). We get a good range of biasses around here, but nothing really even close to central. There's the liberal news, which is almost word-for-word what MSNBC prints, there's the military-targeted news, which is heavily conservative for the massive number of troops stationed locally, and then there's the 'panic everyone and criticize the gov't' news, which is just opportunistic.

 

I don't read the local paper. I stopped taking it back in 2004 when it endorsed GWB for prez. I've not read it since. But I get news stories on selected topics in my emial from The Washington Post. I get about three or four stories a day in that manner.

For instance this is one of several I received today:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy.../04/07/AR2009040703979.html?wpisrc=newsletter

 

I thought it was embarrassing to see the President of the United States bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia. Giving the Queen of England an iPod? I think this trip just highlighted his inexperience in dealing with foreign affairs.

 

Well, Bush held hands with the King of Saudi Arabia. The thing is, holding hands, and bowing are customary there. It is considered polite to respect the customs of others on diplomatic meetings.

Now that I agree with. It's as if Obama asked his daughters to pick the gift for the queen.

Compared to what? The foreign affaris we've had in the previous 8 years? I'm not ready to go that far. He did get some of the things he wanted. This is a diplomatic technique known as "compromising". While we saw little of that during Bush's presidency, sometimes comprimising is good because you get something where you may have got nothing if you didn't.

 

I'm sure the Saudi King missed his big smooch on the lips, like the one he received from GWB. I mean did, Obama hold hands with the king during a nice walk in the garden? It must of have annoyed the king to only receive a measly bow. No kissing and hugging? No holding hands? I was embarrased as well.

http://prophetofdoom.net/pics/Islam...ge_W_Bush_Prince_Abdullah_kiss_hold_hands.jpg

I know, I know. I was really fretting over what Obama would give the queen as well; that important conrerstone of foreign policy, just the right gift for her majesty. I hope he at least looked up her favorite colors and that the iPod matched her favorite hat and shoes. But that's what happens when you shop at Walmart: You can't count on the advice of a knowledgeable salesperson. I am mean he and Michelle could have at least asked one of those elderly Walmart employees who greet you at the door.

"Hi, welcome to Walmart, Mr. Prez!"
"Hi, Old Timer. I'm looking for just the right gift for the Queen of England."
"Well, we have some new iPods on aisle 7. Why don't you check em' out?"
"Really? You think that will be OK with all those conservative bloggers out there if I get her one?"
"I don't know about those guys...I mean...that's a tough sell. We have some American Flags over on aisle 18 - just got them in from China."
"I don't know, she probably has plenty of flags. Do you have something authentic, like the flag George Washington had with him at the Battle of Yorktown?"
"No Sorry. Only if it was made in China. Besides, I mean...she is the Queen of England...She might not like being reminded of how we kicked her conuntry's behind at Yorktown."
"You got a point there. You're not a bad sales guy for a door greeter. I hope they at least give you decent healthcare here at Walmart."
"Healthcare? What's that?"
"You'll see. Aisle 7, you say?"
"Yep. Have a nice day!"

 

Wow, first a DVD set to the Prime Minister, and now an iPod for the Queen. I wonder who's gonna get a Wii?

 

Was this bow to the Saudi king a mutual show of respect or did he abase himself before the Saudi king? I can almost guarantee that no King or Queen would bow before the Saudi ruler, and I would also be surprised if the Saudi King ever bowed before the Queen of England -- or any other world leader, for that matter. Perhaps I'm wrong, and I guess I should put a little more faith in the President's advisors on diplomatic dos and don'ts.

The I-pod thing to me is a non-issue -- anything he might give her would be criticized by one group or other.

 

It may be a non-issue, but that doesn't make it any less amusing.

 

Getting rid of monarchs was one of THE points the founders had in mind. As a result, the United States of America are the world's foremost republic. When the president bows to a foreign ruler he bows for all Americans. It is inappropriate for a US president to bow before a monarch, any monarch, much less to an absolute one as the one of Saudi Arabia.

 

Oh, yeah. Do you think that Jefferson and Adams bowed to King George III upon meeting with him after the Revolution? Personally, I think he should have given him a big GWB "smack" on the lips. But then, when was the last time you kissed a guy with a beard?

A bow three times?

I will point out that Adams was not president at the time.

 

Because protocol doesn't change in 200 years, right?

Also, as funny as Dubya holding hands while prancing through the gardens with the King was, it's still not comparative to bowing to a ruler of a foreign nation.