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The Cranky Professor Is Back

Over at Postmodern Conservative Ivan Kenneally described Obama's performance at the Health Care Summit as a "cranky professor".  I just saw Obama on the 6 P.M. Fox News show and boy was the cranky professor back.  His main strategy seemed to respond to any question with a droning repetition of his stump speech regardlesss of whether it had anything to do with the question.  He also just kept talking and talking and talking long after his answer retained any coherence.  His long (and often meandering) responses to questions in press conferences can often give an impression of mastery.  You stop paying attention to what he is actually saying, but he seems to know what he is talking about, so the problem must be you.  But today he looked irritated and uncomfortable so he came off as blustering in the hopes that you won't notice that he has no real answers to the questions he is being asked and hopes that the questioners will go away.  His defense of the funny math of double counting the medicare cuts was pitiful.
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Discussions - 4 Comments

We've seen this behavior before from Obama in previous press conferences. It reminds me of Coach Dean Smith's old "4 Corner Offense" which purpose was to keep the ball away from the other team while the clock ran down and out. Obama's "4 corner stall" offense minimizes his opponents' opportunities by minimizing their questions by maximizing his own "time of possession" (time when he is speaking). I believe reporters must dare to be more rude with the man, cutting him off and directing stark, yes-or-no questions at him. Obama will still try to reply with ponderous answers, but he will look bad doing it.

Listen to Tim!

Another famous person that has these same traits is Charley Mason. If you have ever watched any of his interviews, he has a tendency to continue to answer the question long after his answer has retained any coherence. Funny, Charley and Obama have a lot in common.

Tim, good to see have surfaced; give me a call.

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