The Republican war on Teleprompters

[old timey villain]

So, I'm here to ask a question about an issue that's been bugging me. Apparently, in Republican world, Obama is an empty suit who can't speak a coherent sentence without a teleprompter handy everywhere he goes. You hear the jokes and criticism of the teleprompter in repub. circles all the time. What the hell is with this?

If I recall, every modern President has used a teleprompter. I mean, do people expect Obama to speak off the cuff at the State of the Union for god's sake?? It seems to me that among some people there's a simple formula: If Obama does it = BAD

Oh, and Bush used a teleprompter, and he needed it.

[Bacon King]

The GOP is just following the Karl Rove playbook of attacking your opponent's strengths, like how Kerry's military service became a liability after the Swift Boat ads in 2004.

Obama's an inspiring speaker, a significant asset for any presidential candidate; making a meme out of his teleprompter allows the GOP a comeback any time they can't compete with him rhetorically.

[old timey villain]

It seems to me that the Karl Rove method only works when the candidate you're trying to attack isn't actually in office. That way, your attacks have more merit because they can't really be tested in a real environment. We all know that Obama is a good speaker, but he's also proven to be a competent executive. Yeah, I said it yall.

[Colbert]

I'm neutral on this affair, but I think teleprompters are useful for official talk, but in meeting with fans, speaking with heart like santorum is useful too

[tpfkaw]

Obama has used teleprompters far more often than any other president, including Bush, even for things like photo ops.  It's a legitimate line of criticism.

[memphis]

As many gaffes as the GOP presidential candidates are making, perhaps they should use teleprompters too.

[old timey villain]

If this campaign is SOOO important and the situation SOOOO dire, then the Republicans should hone in on more important issues instead of this fabricated line of criticism.

[Adam Griffin]

The teleprompter is just the modern manifestation of notes and speeches strewn all over the podium. Just because more people see it nowadays doesn't mean it was never there before.

[Bacon King]

Obama has used teleprompters far more often than any other president, including Bush, even for things like photo ops.  It's a legitimate line of criticism.

Sure, Obama uses a teleprompter more than Bush did, but that's because Bush was horrible at using it so he preferred written notes. You could always tell whenever Dubya read off a teleprompter, because he always had a really bad "deer in headlights" look, and he was also way too obvious about the way he scrolled his eyes to read it. Obama's use isn't unprecedented, though- Ronald Reagan was never without his.

(Also, it sure is D-GA in here, guys!)

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Obama has used teleprompters a lot more than any other President, even for speeches that should probably be done without one.  But to make that such a big criticism is kinda dumb in my opinion.

Sure, it can be used as a minor attack, but I really don't see how it's a big deal.

[Tender Branson]

Well, Obama is a tech-President - unlike most previous Presidents.

It can also be said that Obama uses the I-Pad more often than the Presidents before him.

Therefore no big deal.

[Phony Moderate]

Teleprompters are scientific, so....

[muon2]

Obama has used teleprompters far more often than any other president, including Bush, even for things like photo ops.  It's a legitimate line of criticism.

Sure, Obama uses a teleprompter more than Bush did, but that's because Bush was horrible at using it so he preferred written notes. You could always tell whenever Dubya read off a teleprompter, because he always had a really bad "deer in headlights" look, and he was also way too obvious about the way he scrolled his eyes to read it. Obama's use isn't unprecedented, though- Ronald Reagan was never without his.

(Also, it sure is D-GA in here, guys!)

Actually, part of Reagan's communications magic was when he left a prepared speech and worked from his famous notecards.

[Cobbler]

I agree that the whole teleprompter complaint is a dumb one. I have no problem with someone reading their speech from one rather than a piece of paper, especially since plenty of other Presidents have used them as well.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Teleprompters are scientific, so....

Scientific? You mean like a calculator?  I think he just uses them for reading.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Obama has used teleprompters far more often than any other president, including Bush, even for things like photo ops.  It's a legitimate line of criticism.

Sure, Obama uses a teleprompter more than Bush did, but that's because Bush was horrible at using it so he preferred written notes. You could always tell whenever Dubya read off a teleprompter, because he always had a really bad "deer in headlights" look, and he was also way too obvious about the way he scrolled his eyes to read it. Obama's use isn't unprecedented, though- Ronald Reagan was never without his.

(Also, it sure is D-GA in here, guys!)

Actually, part of Reagan's communications magic was when he left a prepared speech and worked from his famous notecards.

Haha, that's a gem. Shows how things were done different and lets you see his greatest hits. I especially like the last thing they quoted right at the end of the article.

[Badger]

Obama has used teleprompters far more often than any other president, including Bush, even for things like photo ops.  It's a legitimate line of criticism.

An utterly empty criticism, you mean. The key isn't whether a president can deliver a speech off the cuff, but whether he can WRITE one worthg damn, which President Obama clearly can.

W. and most GOP hopefulls can't begin to write a birthday greeting without multiple speechwriters. Gigrich and, to a lesser degree, Santorum could, but the end result is inevitably two parts crazy to one part fail.