Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen liked President Obama's speech so much yesterday that he repeated it -- for 20 seconds. At that time he realized that Obama's speech was still on the teleprompter.
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Chaos in the White House - Obama’s teleprompter blows up
By Jimmy Orr | 03.18.09
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Or as Daily Mail blogger Don Surber writes, “Live by the TelePrompTer, die by the TelePrompTer.”
Lookin’ good
Teleprompters are great. You never have to look down at your notes. You look like you’re ad-libbing. And, for the most part, they’re invisible.
Maybe that’s why President Obama likes them so much. Sure, other presidents have used them. But not to the extent of President Obama.
He even used one in a rodeo once (while speaking not while roping goats or anything).
Caution
The only problem is, when they blow up — you can blow up with them.
There were instances during the campaign where alleged teleprompter breakdowns caused him to stumble a bit.
But so far at the White House, it’s been pretty good. He looked lost here. But quickly rebounded.
Yesterday though, was another story.
BOOM
The president was appearing with Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen. Obama just got done with his remarks (using the teleprompter) and Cowen got up to deliver his speech (also on the teleprompter).
Problem was, Cowen’s speech wasn’t there. The one Obama just got done delivering was still on it.
Made no matter to the Irish PM. Like a zombie he just started reading the words.
“We begin by welcoming today a strong friend of the United States,” Cowen began welcoming himself.
And he kept going. About 20 seconds later, it appeared to Cowen that he was repeating everything Obama just said.
“That’s your speech,” a startled Cowen said to Obama.
“Why don’t these things work for me? Who said these things were idiot-proof?” Cowen muttered (we’re assuming that was not on the teleprompter).
Ba-doom-ba
Not missing a beat, when President Obama returned to the podium he returned the favor.
“First, I’d like to say thank you to President Obama,” Obama said to much laughter.
Video
We know what you’re thinking. Where’s the video?
It’s not up on YouTube. And as you would imagine, the right side of the web is clamoring for it.
Guess who had a ball with the story this morning? MSNBC? Not so much. FOX and Friends made a regular comedy routine out of it (see below).
——–
You don’t need a teleprompter to follow us on Twitter.
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3. Val | 03.19.09
I find it interesting that the Obama administration has apparently blocked the actual footage of this snafu from being available to the general public. How typical is that of this “1984″ish government we find ourselves in the grip of….sigh…
5. Kay Dubbleu | 03.19.09
Ace, I agree with you. After reading the artical, I was under the impression that the President was aware that there had been a little blooper made with the teleprompter, so he took the edge off by having a little fun and thanking himself while laughing.
6. Debra Schrishuhn | 03.19.09
This is a non-story. Technology occasionally fails and the situation was salvaged. It’s not like he tried to walk out of a fake door (Bush 43) or threw up on the Japanese Prime Minister (Bush 41).
7. Laine | 03.19.09
NOTE: Liberals need to learn that a teleprompter is NOT to be used in place a a brain.
8. Bob | 03.19.09
The real story is the cover-up by the Obama team to make sure the press didn’t publish the video. He is NOT a great speaker, he is a great reader. Without the telepromptor he is a bumbling idiot.
9. Digs | 03.19.09
A video would clear everything up, just like an original birth certificate…
All this non-disclosure certainly makes many of us wonder what is being hidden…
10. cgh2009 | 03.19.09
You know Steve Doocy was just loving this story. But I’m surprised the Fox brain trust didn’t try to somehow connect the snafu to Bill Ayers …
11. Ace Gikmo | 03.19.09
The spin on this story by Rush and the conservative media is shameful. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to question the President’s policies, but this is simply foolishness. Please read an accurate account of the incident from the Irish Times.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0319/1224243068325.html
12. Venky | 03.19.09
Laine Darling: Conservatives use then, Liberal use them - the use of a teleprompter is not a reflection of one’s intelligence. We all know what a brainiac the last conservative president was - don’t we? Tying the use of a teleprompter to intelligence is something apparently only a conservative would do !!
13. Eric | 03.19.09
Irish PM Cowen had the teleprompter issue, NOT Pres. Obama, but Fox News is still trying to spin this as an Obama slip-up. I feel bad for Cowen, especially since he didn’t seem to realize the error for about 20 seconds. To try to pin this on Obama is weak, and typical Fox. Reading off a teleprompter is nothing new. What truly matters is the substance & content of what you are saying.
14. Rick | 03.19.09
Let’s see…Irish PM reads wrong speech, therefore President Obama is a idiot! Conservative logic on display.
President Obama uses the teleprompter for almost every prepared speech. But he can speak contemporaneously as good as anyone I’ve ever seen. Just watch any of the dozens of interviews he’s given.
The need for “conservatives” to tear down our President is hilariously pathetic. You supported a bumbling idiot for 8 years, and now you a desperate to have President Obama look bad so you can feel better about what your guy did to our country.
15. Dave | 03.19.09
“original birth certificate?”
“1984-ish?”
Is anyone as bored as I am by these willfully ignorant stooges posing as conservatives, giving Republicans a bad name (not that I care that much to be honest) but - more importantly - making our entire citizenry look like a bunch of bickering petty school kids to the rest of the world when we finally have a decent man in office?
I mean, has anyone BOTHERED to look at recent interviews with McCain and/or Palin, then imagined what trouble we’d REALLY be in if things had gone the other way?
Be grateful. Be VERY grateful.
News flash: He was born in America. If he wasn’t we’d know about it. It’s not like there’s a shortage of Republicans who like to dig up the dirt when they want to.
Our President is eloquent and can read fine without a teleprompter, as he has proven numerous times during the campaign.
Why you choose to be willfully ignorant from the facts is beyond me.
Life - and getting our country back on track - is complicated enough as it is without all this nonsense. Or maybe this is some pointless distraction to avoid doing YOUR job to pitch in?
16. zenlunatic | 03.19.09
Digs - Enough with the birth certificate. The constitution says that the President must be a U.S. Citizen by birth, not by naturalization. It does not say that the President had to be born IN the U.S. Any child born to a U.S. Citizen (as Obama’s mother clearly is) is automatically a U.S. citizen no matter where in the world the birth takes place. The complete distortion / lack of knowledge on this subject is testament to the general illiteracy of this country. I don’t agree with the guy’s policies, but let’s at least malign him for something that’s real (like his New Socialism). This is the reason I’ve given up on the GOP, you Limbaugh-led sheep can’t seem to distinguish between real issues and fabrications designed to boost radio & TV ratings.
17. collegeconservative | 03.19.09
“6. Debra Schrishuhn | 03.19.09
This is a non-story. Technology occasionally fails and the situation was salvaged.”
Technology is only as powerful as the person using it. But in this situation, both Obama and the Irish PM acted as mindless drones who read a scripted speech from the machine, without realizing their repetition. Since Obama thanked himself, it is apparent that he’s reading the words and saying them without comprehending what he is saying until after the fact. It is worrisome that he continues to use the teleprompter in so many scenarios when other Presidents have not. How much of what Obama says does he actually mean? So, Debra, it is a valid story that should concern the citizens of the this country.
18. Mark - Houston | 03.19.09
It would be nice if people who think someone being born to a US citizen is automatically a US citizen would learn the law before speaking/complaining. It really makes them look STUPID/UNINFORMED, as they are.
19. JayTeas | 03.19.09
Wow some of your comments amaze me. Also why is this news? A teleprompter slip up. Well it happens and it will happen again. Obama tried to add a little levity to the situation and the right tries to use it as fodder against him. This just goes to show how desperate fox news is and how ignorant most of the population is.
20. Tom | 03.19.09
Debra: “This is a non-story. Technology occasionally fails and the situation was salvaged. It’s not like he tried to walk out of a fake door (Bush 43) or threw up on the Japanese Prime Minister (Bush 41)”
No, he tried to walk into the White House using a window, mistaking it for a door.
Amazing that you know about Bush gaffe’s but never heard about this. Or maybe not so amazing at all as Obama/Biden gaffes are laughed off as quirky while any conservative gaffes are major character/intellectual flaws. Uh-huh.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/01/28/2009-01-28_hey_bam_thats_not_the_door.html
21. Tom | 03.19.09
JayTeas: “Why is this news?”
Because millions of Americans cite how Obama’s intellectual brilliance and amazing articulation as the reason for supporting him. It is news because it is a long line of evidence showing that he in fact is a normal politician that deserves to have his policies scrutinized as much as any politician. Instead his is presented by his handlers and his supporters as infallible and criticism of his policies are thus discarded.
By showing how fallible the man truly is, perhaps we can have serious debate about his policies and not a bunch of Obama-lemmings enabling him to do things that are bad for the country. His media-made aura gives him protection against criticism. No one deserves that protection. This is news because we want that protection stopped. As soon as the ‘Obama is always right’ crowd sees the truth, perhaps we can see his ideas as the anti-thesis of common sense and what type of moral character the man truly has. I believe it is very poor; so giving him the benefit of the doubt should never occur.
As for you, I’m sure you’re just happy to ignore the ‘man behind the curtain’. Er, teleprompter.
22. mrcouchp32 | 03.19.09
Given the HUGE deal that some people tend to make of President Obama’s use of teleprompters, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. And I can’t help but laugh at it a little bit. But should I REALLY be surprised that FOX News, Rush Limbaugh and the right, is trying to have a field day with this? They need SOMETHING to crticize President Obama about; no matter how trivial it is. It doesn’t matter though. President Obama is going to ride that magic teleprompter through 2010, onto 2012; and beyond. Should he choose to seek re-election. And nothing the Republicans do, is going to stop that.
The only thing that can stop the Democrats’ ongoing dominence, is the Democrats themselves; since the Republicans, are their own worst enemy. If the Republicans gain back seats in 2010, and the White House in 2012, it will be because President Obama, and the Democrats, screwed themselves over. But things are looking pretty good right now, so I’m not worried about the Repubs, being any sort of real threat anytime soon. (God forbid).
23. Tom | 03.19.09
Rick: “But he can speak contemporaneously as good as anyone I’ve ever seen. Just watch any of the dozens of interviews he’s given.”
You mean the interviews where he’s got a list of approved and pre-viewed questions coming at him as if he were Maria Carey? Subjects to not discuss? I’ll grant that he often does well in powder-puff interviews where he is not being challenged to remark on anything other than a talking point from his campaign.
His debates w/ McCain were quite good, I give him that. Again, pretty much prepared.
But you can you really not understand why, after 8 years of certain segments of media and population saying how stupid Bush is, that people are perplexed why the same people apologize for Obama when he makes identical mistakes?
If he gaffes it’s the fault of technology, or he was tired, or we’ll just have the media tell you what he MEANT by that screw up as opposed to actually highlight the screw up and pointedly ask him if that is truly what he believes.
Nothing he ever does is ever a fault in the armor of St. Barack to these people. And you apparently.
24. anneee | 03.19.09
Ok, maybe it wasn’t that big of a deal, and maybe some people are trying to spin it to make him look bad. But if that’s true, then WHERE IS THE VIDEO? Why can’t anyone find it online????
Bottom line, he should not need to rely so much on that teleprompter. We need a guy who can work under pressure and if he can’t wing a speech without looking like an idiot, what does that say about his quick thinking and acting skills? (and I’m NOT referring to this last blunder, this is clearly becoming an on-going problem for him).
26. spiritguide | 03.19.09
There’s a reason George Bush didn’t use teleprompters nearly as much… Not only can he not speak… he can’t read !!!
27. JOE DEJACMO | 03.19.09
The left tried to use George Bush’s comments to make a dummy out of him (Bush).
The right uses Obama’s teleprompter to make a dummy out of him (Obama).
Is it not ***** that the President (Obama) that promised to have the most transparent White House in history is already covering up things?
If he treats little screw ups in this manner… what will he do with the big ones?
31. F.P. | 03.20.09
Collegeconservative, you ought to try taking some classes on humor. The Irish PM, according to the story here, had already just pointed out the problem and jokingly called himself an idiot. “That’s your speech,”"Who said these things were idiot-proof?” Obama then pokes further fun at the slip up (which was not even his own here) by saying he’d like to “thank President Obama.” Obama’s gaffe was assuming people on the far Right are smart enough to catch it.
32. dmaxi | 03.20.09
It’s quite simple really: we - the Irish nation - are the ones who elected a moron this time! I’m Irish, born & reared, and I live here so I say this with some authority.
May I remind all you squabblers of your President’s swearing in? When the person (can’t recall his official title) fluffed his lines and missed the order of the words Pres. Obama knew immediately and waited for him to correct himself before continuing. Our Taoiseach (Irish word for PM) doesn’t even realise what he’s reading for a full 20 seconds!?!
I’m alarmed, appalled & embarrassed. Hopefully he won’t still be Taoiseach by next St. Patricks Day.
33. Ace Gikmo1 | 03.20.09
Until further facts about this incident come to life, the spin in the conservative blogosphere continues to be shameful. The best coverage I’ve seen comes from the Irish Times (not sure if they are in bed with the lefties in our country, but the account seems unbiased), which lends credence to the view that Obama was making light of the situation when he “thanked himself.” Another issue is that the factual retelling by Rush Limbaugh seems to be patently false. On Wednesday, Rush claimed Obama rose to speek after the initial blunder by the Irish Head of State, and that Obama spoke for some indeterminate amount of time before thanking himself — I DO NOT SEE THIS FACTUAL SCENARIO CONFIRMED IN ANY OF THE NEWS REPORTS. Further, Rush says the British media covered this story better — but he only links to one Britsh story on the issue on his website — the other links are to other conservative media site. So, in effect, the story is being richoted around a conservative echo chamber. In the end, however, the message I take from this is that liberals, to some extent, brought this on themselves. The failed to give George Bush the respect due a sitting president during the past 8 years and now, in the words of Rev. Wright, their chickens are coming home to roost.
34. Judi M. | 03.20.09
I think Orr needs to get over his envy of Obama’s IQ and verbal superiority. What a petty article for an ordinarily excellent writer.
35. Luke | 03.20.09
The spin by the rightwing idiots here and elsewhere that Obama WASN’T joking about the situation and trying to cover for the Irish PM when he started off by thanking himself (”President Obama”) is really, painfully, self-evidently idiotic. You should not have to explain how this sequence of events proves that this was a moment of levity, but the Dear Leader, Rush Limbaugh, says it was a HUGE MISTAKE, so here we are.
36. Cullen | 03.20.09
I agree, this is a non-story. So what, everyone uses a teleprompter. If anyone is at error it’s the teleprompter operator… But to say Obama is a great speaker without a teleprompter is wrong. He’s a decent conveyor but not a great speaker. Great speakers don’t say ummm, especially to the degree that Obama does… Sorry, but they don’t.
37. hj | 03.20.09
The story is…. Obama can’t put together a coherent thought without the aid of a teleprompter. He can’t make it through a press conference without one. If the people feeding him his thoughts suddenly quit he would be lost. If this was a Republican all we would hear about is how “dumb” he is and that he can’t speak without help. The story is…. people are starting to see the bias coverage this man gets. The curtain is being pulled back and the wizard is being exposed.
38. RmtProperteis | 03.20.09
Debra:
How about:
“I’ve been in 57 states with one more to go (Obama)
or:
Trying to walk through a sliding glass door that was closed (Obama)
or:
Giving British Prime Minister Gordon Brown 25 DVD’s that he cannot watch in part because they are formatted for the US and partly because Gordon Brown is leagly Blind. (Obama)
But we understand this is “the chossen one” and he can do no wromg.
39. Gettin Tired | 03.21.09
” Please read an accurate account of the incident from the Irish Times.” I’m curious how you know what accurate is. I tend to think that you are assuming the Irish Tmes is accurate because it agrees with what you WANT to believe. I’m wondering why, if it is a non-story as suggested, then why did the clamp down on the video?
It could be because their lying to us (most likely) or that their intentionally trying to cause distress in half the populace (not sure their smart enough). Either way, it’s not leadership.
Could you think of any other reason why they would hide a “harmless” video?
40. ace gikmo | 03.21.09
Gettin Tired — you’re right, at this point, we really cannot say whether the Irish Times account is “accurrate.” However, based on everything I have read, I think we can say that Rush Limbaugh’s retelling of the story is inaccurrate. Obama might have returned to the podium and (unwittingly) thanked himself, but no coverage (Irish Times or another source) supports Rush’s claim that Obama spoke for some indeterminate amount of time before thanking himself. If you read and listen to Rush’s “riff” on the incident from Wednesday, you’ll see that his inaccurrate retelling of the story is key to spin he wanted put on the story. Still, I agree with you — we can’t really know what happenned until we see the video, or we get some more detailed account from a member of the press that attended the event. As someone who has tried to review this incident from a “middle-of-the-road” viewpoint, I am as troubled by the conservative spin on the issue as I am by the failure of the administration to release video of the incident.
41. Responsibility | 03.22.09
GOP, take responsibility for the past 8 years and destroying our country… shut up. Seriously. You contribute nothing but vile. Go burry you head in the sand for the next “8″ years. If you can’t take responsibility for what you’ve done…
42. VOTE RUSH LIMBAUGH! | 03.22.09
that’s righ, i can’t! divorced multiple times, college drop out, fat, drug addict, liar, doesn’t have the guts to actually DO anything in government just sits back and criticizes… this is the GOP Leader! GO GOP! still this is better than your contribution the last 8 years.
43. cbmtrx | 03.22.09
Ironic, isn’t it, that these news anchors had to do all this off a teleprompter? (And don’t be fooled by this hokey-jokey vid–they read everything off a teleprompter; nothing is left to chance.) Couldn’t they just have memorized these few sentences and delivered the joke without reading it? Ah, but now you’re going to say……..
Listen up nobblenoses: When your speeches aim to provide more depth, detail, and meaning than just sophomoric sound bites for the benefit of Fox News viewers, yeah it kinda helps to use a teleprompter to deliver it accurately.
But judging by all the overblown reactions to the President’s teleprompter snafus, you’d think the teleprompter was writing the speeches too!
The alternative, of course, is “We’ll smoke ‘em out”, and “Fool me once…” and “Now watch this drive…”.
44. charles | 03.23.09
6. Debra Schrishuhn | 03.19.09 said “…It’s not like he tried to walk out of a fake door (Bush 43) …” Didn’t I see a clip where Obama tried to walk in a fake door?
45. charles | 03.23.09
14. Rick | 03.19.09 said, “…President Obama uses the teleprompter for almost every prepared speech. But he can speak contemporaneously as good as anyone I’ve ever seen…” Really Rick, he speak contemporaneously?
46. ml | 03.24.09
Please, everyone read the book “Atlas Shrugged.” Once you read it you will spot similar characters all over our new “government.” It is up to us, the people left who still have pride in our achievements, in the work of our hands, and do not surrender it to people just because they demand it.
There are the producers and then there are the looters. Our new government is trying to LOOT the producers, the hard workers, the industrious. The game that they are playing is very similar to the game played in “Atlas Shrugged” by all of the bureaucrats and government planning boards. Eventually they take over everything that once made the country great. They form boards, committees, and planning boards and agencies. They control all salaries in every industry, forbid people to quit their jobs, pass so many laws that they create “criminals” because no one can keep up with all of their regulations, and wreck the country.
Only we the people can prevent it. If we LET them do this, we are just as guilty.
47. joe republican | 03.24.09
What a empty suit is Obama. The man says what ever he is told to say. Its time to be worried very worried
48. Happily Conservative | 03.24.09
I am so tierd of the Bush whining. What is it about all u Bush Bashers? You bash him for ruining this country? Wait until your rights under the constitution are taken away. Freedom of speech?… not if Obama has his way. We can’t afford 8 years of this fool.(literally) Wise up people.
49. tforeman | 03.25.09
The real question is, why cannot two intelligent elected world leaders speak lucidly without assistance? I heard a 7th grader do better last night at the school board.
50. Frank | 03.25.09
Obama is a total hack, and the Republican party is to blame. McCain? come on. We could have done much better there. The media chose both primary candidates, we can’t let them do that.
joe republican is correct, empty suit- lead by the puppet masters at the heads of the left wing table.
51. Keith | 03.25.09
On the surface it looks pretty innocent except from the Irish PM’s point of view. But why won’t the whole thing be released is the key. I suspect maybe the Limbaugh’s interpretation may be closer to the truth since it is being covered up. Obama and Biden have had an extraordinary number of mistakes and they are mounting fast in only a few months. The worrisome thing is the media tend to favor him too much and not cover the ones made by this administration. The only reason Bush had so many was that he liked to be spontaneous unlike any other modern politician. I doubt he used a teleprompter nearly as much as the guy in their now. With the short time and the number of gaffes made and not being reported much, I suspect Obama is probably going to be quite a bit worse. I see nothing much good on the horizon. Everyone should pray to God or Mother Earth, whichever way your religious tendencies go.
52. dmaxi | 03.25.09
Keith, I suspect the whole thing is being “covered up” to save our (Irish) Taoiseach’s blushes or because our (Irish) government demanded it. They’re not above that form of censorship…
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0325/breaking38.htm
If you want a non story that’s being blown out of all proportion take a look at this link.
btw: can’t believe you’re all still talking about this!
53. obama sucks | 04.28.09
Obama is the worst prez ever in history !! worse then bush…already,and what he has been in office for about 100 days on this date…? moron!
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Ace Gikmo | 03.18.09
Am I missing something about this story? The version on Fox News seemed to imply that President Obama got up and (unwittingly) began reading the Irish Prime Minister’s speech. However, this version by including the language “not missing a beat” appears to imply that the President was making light of the situation and wasn’t just reading the wrong speech without noticing it. Can someone clarify this?