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To Blunt Criticism, Obama Makes a TelePrompTer Move
In a sure sign that it has been stung by criticism of President Barack Obama's over-reliance on a TelePrompTer, the White House made a change in location for the device for the president's prime time press conference last night. Gone were the familiar dual glass panels on either side of the podium from which Obama is so adroit at reading prepared remarks, and which have been popping up in more and more news photos of him. Instead, the president delivered his opening remarks reading from a flat panel placed at the back of the room.
The move allowed Obama to offer his remarks while looking directly at the camera, instead of turning from side to side as has become familiar. However, in this observer's opinion, the president's delivery suffered. He was not as smooth and lacked his usual cadence. The White House insists there is nothing wrong or unusual with President Obama's use of the speaking aide. But by moving the device, the president's handlers put the lie to their own statements. If the Administration was truly unconcerned about the growing criticism of Obama's use of a TelePrompTer, it would have set the East Room up in exactly the same way it did for the president's first press conference. Ironically, in trying to blunt his critics, the White House has drawn more attention to the president's use of the device.
All presidents of the modern age have used a TelePrompTer from time to time to deliver White House addresses and major speeches. But Obama does seem to use his more than most. If the White House wants to stop the focus on Obama's use of the device, and put it on the president's words, it should either embrace its use, or abandon it altogether. Claiming that the president's use of the TelePrompTer is a non-issue, while simultaneously taking steps to quell the criticism only ensures that the story will continue to grow.
SEE ALSO: An alternative view of Barack Obama's teleprompter use
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The move allowed Obama to offer his remarks while looking directly at the camera, instead of turning from side to side as has become familiar. However, in this observer's opinion, the president's delivery suffered. He was not as smooth and lacked his usual cadence. The White House insists there is nothing wrong or unusual with President Obama's use of the speaking aide. But by moving the device, the president's handlers put the lie to their own statements. If the Administration was truly unconcerned about the growing criticism of Obama's use of a TelePrompTer, it would have set the East Room up in exactly the same way it did for the president's first press conference. Ironically, in trying to blunt his critics, the White House has drawn more attention to the president's use of the device.All presidents of the modern age have used a TelePrompTer from time to time to deliver White House addresses and major speeches. But Obama does seem to use his more than most. If the White House wants to stop the focus on Obama's use of the device, and put it on the president's words, it should either embrace its use, or abandon it altogether. Claiming that the president's use of the TelePrompTer is a non-issue, while simultaneously taking steps to quell the criticism only ensures that the story will continue to grow.
SEE ALSO: An alternative view of Barack Obama's teleprompter use
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357 comments
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Mark Impomeni
Mark Impomeni is not a journalist, or a pundit, but a citizen with a keen interest in national issues. Skeptical and argumentative...more
Comments (357)
chillax
7:55AM Mar 25th 2009
Ok Mark, more ridiculous criticism of Obama and his teleprompter. I'm wondering if you were so critical of Bush 43 when he used note cards to answer reporters question. As noted in Salon "For this question, as throughout the press conference, Bush looked down at notes that had been placed on the lectern for him ahead of time. Asked if the spy case would damage relations with Russia, Bush seemed to have to look down at his notes before coming up with the name of Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov." Could you not find anything to criticize in the substance of his press conference?
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Mark Impomeni
7:58AM Mar 25th 2009
chillax,
I didn't watch it. There was a good basketball game on. I caught the opening remarks on video afterwards.
But if you think the president's TelePrompTer use is not a story, or not a concern for the White House, think again. It most definitely is.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Sincerely,
Mark Impomeni
I didn't watch it. There was a good basketball game on. I caught the opening remarks on video afterwards.
But if you think the president's TelePrompTer use is not a story, or not a concern for the White House, think again. It most definitely is.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Sincerely,
Mark Impomeni
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(0) chillax
8:04AM Mar 25th 2009
Why is it a concern for the White House Mark? Oh, I know, it is because people like you make a big deal of nothing. Seriously, Bush used note cards DURING his question and answer session with reporters...bet you didn't have a problem with that. And, now we know that you really don't know what the substance is so you pick on something of no importance.
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(0) Mark Impomeni
8:10AM Mar 25th 2009
chillax,
If it was not a big deal to the White House, why did they move the TelePrompTer to the back of the room?
Come on, chillax. Obama can take a little criticism. He'll survive. The fact is he uses the TelePrompTer as a crutch. The media has noticed. And now the White House is moving to blunt the criticism. That proves it's a concern, whether you want to admit that or not.
As for Bush, he's not the president anymore, Obama is. Let's not look to the past, but concentrate on the future. Besides, Bush was a moron, remember? But Obama is smart. He doesn't need cheat sheets, right?
Sincerely,
Mark Impomeni
If it was not a big deal to the White House, why did they move the TelePrompTer to the back of the room?
Come on, chillax. Obama can take a little criticism. He'll survive. The fact is he uses the TelePrompTer as a crutch. The media has noticed. And now the White House is moving to blunt the criticism. That proves it's a concern, whether you want to admit that or not.
As for Bush, he's not the president anymore, Obama is. Let's not look to the past, but concentrate on the future. Besides, Bush was a moron, remember? But Obama is smart. He doesn't need cheat sheets, right?
Sincerely,
Mark Impomeni
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(0) chillax
8:18AM Mar 25th 2009
LOL, perhaps the move was made to assist the president and not because people like you make a big deal of nothing. Your "let's not look to the past" argument would be more effective if we weren't in such a Bush mess. Because I have done public speaking I understand the importance of delivering an accurate message and the role notes or a teleprompter play in that...apparently you don't...and Bush was, during his presidency, less than well spoken WITH his note cards.
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(0) Mark Impomeni
8:28AM Mar 25th 2009
chillax,
Bush, Bush, Bush. Bush, Bush, Bush.
That's all you've got.
This isn't about Bush anymore. It's about Obama. My article correctly points out that the TelePrompTer was moved and posits that it was moved because of criticism that the president uses it as a crutch. You disagree, that's fine. But you are wrong.
And really, get over the Bush obsession. Obama is president. He will succeed or fail on the strength of his own policies and abilities, not because of anything Bush allegedly did or did not do.
Sincerely,
Mark Impomeni
Bush, Bush, Bush. Bush, Bush, Bush.
That's all you've got.
This isn't about Bush anymore. It's about Obama. My article correctly points out that the TelePrompTer was moved and posits that it was moved because of criticism that the president uses it as a crutch. You disagree, that's fine. But you are wrong.
And really, get over the Bush obsession. Obama is president. He will succeed or fail on the strength of his own policies and abilities, not because of anything Bush allegedly did or did not do.
Sincerely,
Mark Impomeni
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(0) falling
8:34AM Mar 25th 2009
chillax8:18AMMar 25th 2009
LOL, perhaps the move was made to assist the president and not because people like you make a big deal of nothing.
---------------------------Yeah, right! You have just proven that you will believe anything this administration tells you! Did you watch the press conference last night? Obama was HORRIBLE! Even many in the main stream media was talking about it! The truth is that without his teleprompter he isn't able to get into that singsong cadence. Without his teleprompter the things he says fall flat and come across poorly. He would NEVER give it up unless he felt he was taking far too much heat for using it so much. BTW, perhaps you also didn't notice Obama looking at notes during many of his question and answer sessions? He doesn't think very fast on his feet as evidenced by the way he falls completely apart without his prompter!
LOL, perhaps the move was made to assist the president and not because people like you make a big deal of nothing.
---------------------------Yeah, right! You have just proven that you will believe anything this administration tells you! Did you watch the press conference last night? Obama was HORRIBLE! Even many in the main stream media was talking about it! The truth is that without his teleprompter he isn't able to get into that singsong cadence. Without his teleprompter the things he says fall flat and come across poorly. He would NEVER give it up unless he felt he was taking far too much heat for using it so much. BTW, perhaps you also didn't notice Obama looking at notes during many of his question and answer sessions? He doesn't think very fast on his feet as evidenced by the way he falls completely apart without his prompter!
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(0) chillax
8:34AM Mar 25th 2009
Yes Mark, I see how important the issue is by all the comments being posted on your article...LOL...the whole Bush is gone now, let's forget him line is pretty lame as well...LOL...I'm off to something way more important.
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(0) FOXYLYNX
8:37AM Mar 25th 2009
THEY ARE GOING TO START TELEPROMPTING ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS TO HIM - THE PUPPET EXTRADINAIRE!
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(0) Em
11:28AM Mar 25th 2009
Bring back the tennis match!
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(0) PAYNE
8:41AM Mar 25th 2009
Obama is an empty suit that lied ,cheated and stole to get elected.Now he doesn't even have the balls to accept the responsibility of this post.
HOW long you going to blame Bush? Did he add FOUR trillion to the national debt? Did BUSH mishandle this AIG mess?I COULD GO ON.
IN TWO MONTHS- THIS IDIOT HAS DONE MORE DAMAGE THAN BUSH DID IN EIGHT.
ANY ARGUMENT OTHERWISE ON YOUR PART IS IRRELEVANT.
The main-stream media fed people the same kool-aid about how SMART he is -how SUAVE he is- isn't he just SO COOL- and most swallowed it. Not all of us, thank GOD.
This man- and I will NOT call him president, because he's not- got into office with a socialist agenda, which he is now carrying out.
He doesn't CARE about the economy- he doesn't CARE about the people- he cares about his Marxist agenda.
And that anyone would be surprised that this man can't speak without the adulation of adoring lemmings doesn't surprise me at all.
HOW long you going to blame Bush? Did he add FOUR trillion to the national debt? Did BUSH mishandle this AIG mess?I COULD GO ON.
IN TWO MONTHS- THIS IDIOT HAS DONE MORE DAMAGE THAN BUSH DID IN EIGHT.
ANY ARGUMENT OTHERWISE ON YOUR PART IS IRRELEVANT.
The main-stream media fed people the same kool-aid about how SMART he is -how SUAVE he is- isn't he just SO COOL- and most swallowed it. Not all of us, thank GOD.
This man- and I will NOT call him president, because he's not- got into office with a socialist agenda, which he is now carrying out.
He doesn't CARE about the economy- he doesn't CARE about the people- he cares about his Marxist agenda.
And that anyone would be surprised that this man can't speak without the adulation of adoring lemmings doesn't surprise me at all.
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(0) Ruth
9:02AM Mar 25th 2009
FOXYLYNX ... NOT SO FOXY THERE BUBBA ... IT'S EXTRAORDINAIRE YOU DUMMY ... AND "ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS TO HIM" ... PERHAPS YOU NEED TO TAKE "ANGLAIS (ENGLISH) AS A FIRST LANGUAGE" DARLINKKKKKKKKKKKKKK KISS KISS
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(0) You Fired
8:46AM Mar 25th 2009
Here's what this teleprompter reading, community organizer has caused me to do at my company. I have resigned myself to the fact that Barrack Obama is our President and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way. To compensate for these increases, our prices would have to increase by about 10%.Since we cannot increase our prices right now due to the dismal state of the economy, we will have to lay off six of our employees instead. This has really been bothering me, since I believe we are family here and I didn't know how to choose who would have to go. So, this is what I did. I walked through our parking lot and found six Obama bumper stickers on our employees' cars and have decided these folks will be the ones let go. I can't think of a more fair way to approach this problem. They voted for change - I gave it to them. I will see the rest of them at the annual company picnic.
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(0) Alyssa
8:49AM Mar 25th 2009
"TelePrompTer" **** Why are you spelling it this way? I guess I'm missing the significance.
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(0) John in Carolina
6:34PM Mar 25th 2009
What troubles me is, if the man is so dependent on the teleprompter, as seems obvious, how will he deal with these meetings he is so anxious to have with the Iranians, North Koreans, etc.? I doubt they will look favorably on a teleprompter being used in the conferences.
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(0) CG
8:51AM Mar 25th 2009
It is a very big deal that obama is too stupid to speak with out a teleprompter, and when he has made any comments with someone else writing them and him reading them he sounds like the incompetent he is. Maybe instead of Jay Leno the loser should go on Sponge Bob Square Pants
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(0) Kathleen
8:51AM Mar 25th 2009
Obama has been using every tool possible right now to win a second term of presidency. The news media especially CNN and all of the white women love him and put him where he is today. There is no one that is going to stop him from whatever it is that he wants to do. As, long as he has Nancy Pelosi at his side he can do no wrong. We are paying for all of his performances, and Nancy Pelosi will make sure that whatever he wants he will get. McCain and his daughter were never strong people but their are alot of the GOP who are strong and love their country first , unlike Obama who absolutely loves himself and uses everyone in congress to get what he wants, he is a crybaby. Geithner is a very costly joke, what I would like to know is who gave Obama the authority to say that there is no way Geithner will ever lose his position, another words , people dont have the freedom of choice, that sounds like something Castro dictates. Reagan, Clinton and Bush didnt need a teleprompter because they could speak, more than what I can say for Obama performances. He cant stand to be closed in and do his job at the Whitehouse, he should have been an actor, he could memorize his scripts. We are in so much debt now, if we had another 9/11 , this country would be so devastated, I guess we would become completely poverished. I wish the GOP would start making a stand, because they cannot afford to wait. 9/11, Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina put the republicans in great debt, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, wasnt there a Jennie Mae [Oprah Organized] those democrats put us in unwanted costly territory, Pelosi passed all of those bills. Pelosi and Geithner should be replaced, they are the debt.
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(0) Mark Impomeni
8:51AM Mar 25th 2009
Alyssa,
TelePrompTer is the trade name. It's like Xerox machine.
Sincerely,
Mark Impomeni
TelePrompTer is the trade name. It's like Xerox machine.
Sincerely,
Mark Impomeni
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(0) CJ
8:53AM Mar 25th 2009
Who cares if he uses a TelePrompter or not. I would much rather the President spend his day working on this nations problems then worrying about memorizing a speech. That would not be time well spent!
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(0) Vacanciere
8:53AM Mar 25th 2009
Note cards are far more preferrable over a teleprompter. First, Obama reads the darn thing word for word. Note cards are used as a reference, key points one does not want to forget to cover. There is a huge difference. When I see the teleprompter, I just think how he is reading exactly what his advisors wrote and it is bothersome. I preferred the questions after his speech, at least those were off the cuff.
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