Taking a harsh look at Obama's use of 'look'

[RamboLiberal]

Pre-empt "American Idol" enough times and Americans will start to critique your vocal performances.

That's the message that President Barack Obama is getting this week, as he draws comic heat for his liberal use of the word "look" in his televised Tuesday night news conference.

Wednesday's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" show featured a video montage of Mr. Obama saying "look" 26 times during the hour-long news conference -- a gag that Mr. Fallon then spun into a musical remix and a dance routine.

The Pittsburgh-based satire Web site Carbolic Smoke Ball also gave Mr. Obama a prominent "look" yesterday, featuring a made-up story about two friends who succumbed to alcoholism and alcohol poisoning after launching a drinking game based on his use of the word.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09086/958687-84.stm

[ErinBerin84]

1. Obama says look

like Biden says "literally". A lot. That said, if this is all they've got for comic relief, we're not in bad shape.

[Jennicut]

38. Don't forget Biden's use of Ladies and Gentleman and God love Ya, Obama has nothing on him!

:rofl:

[Schema Thing]

2. He should spread the love and use "mira"

[CTyankee]

47. The ever present "allora" or "senti" in Italy.

I kept hearing them over and over. I never could figure out, though, why "senti" was used instead of "ascolta."

[baldguy]

3. Compared to El Busho, whose eloquence was faith-based.

He only believed he could speak English.

[leftofthedial]

4. What if it is rhetorical misdirection?

Like a sleight-of-hand artist showing us what's not up his sleeve.

What if he's making us "look" away from the real action?

[Cha]

11. Yeah, there's a lot of

paranoids out there.

[gmoney]

19. Do you remember the "Obama is hypnotizing us" threads during the campaign?

one of the FR tinfoil hat people had this whole treatise on it, like 90 pages, including how the Obama "O" logo was designed to draw the viewer inside the circle an down the path and make them highly suggestible.

Rock solid science!

Using the word "look" a lot is clearly a neuro-linguistic programming method to further hypnotize us!

[leftofthedial]

31. he is diabolically clever, "that one"

LOL

[JTFrog]

34. John is that you?

:shrug:

[AirBaud]

5. Does he say it as much as that idiot Raygun said "well"?

goofy.

[theoldman]

6. I guess I am guilty of saying look too much.

I do it to get a persons attention. Why waste a lot of words if the other person is not listening. We need a robot for president. One that never makes a mistake.

[Libby2]

7. I have to admit, that's one thing I don't like.

[HughMoran]

41. .

:eyes:

[JuniperLea]

8. He must have one fault... thanks for finding it!

Petty little thing, that. I can live with it. The media hasn't mentioned it until now, but they sure have been using it more themselves lately! Check it out... think about it as you watch the news next time.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Perhaps he means it literally,

as a lot of folks refuse to look at the complexity of the predicament that we find ourselves in reference to a whole lot of issue.

We need to look, and then maybe we could see. Closing one's eyes or looking the other way certainly hasn't been helpful to date. Looking at the facts, their implication, and the unmmovable forces that have been entrenched in Washington DC for decades might bring us some perspective as to why certain actions are necessary, although many would rather close their eyes, click their heels and wish upon a star for a brighter day, without seeing what actions are needed to try to get us there.

So yeah......we need to look.
Glad this president is pointing this out.

[Cha]

13. You write so nice and calmly

..explaining rationally. Whereas, I just want to vent at the corporatemediawhores' latest distraction.

[JuniperLea]

15. Distraction... exactly!

Let's not listen to WHAT he is saying, but HOW he is saying it.

They have nothing substantial, so they have to work overtime looking for the tiniest of nits to pick.

[FrenchieCat]

16. I wrote a letter to the author in the same vein as my post.

Dear Ms. Sostek,

As you included in the last paragraph of your recent article, perhaps our President literally means for us to "Look", as many Americans, including the media oftentimes refuse to see or acknowledge the various complexities of the many predicaments that we find ourselves; bequeathed by the last President.

As a Nation, closing our eyes or looking the other way certainly hasn't been helpful to date, and in fact may account to how we got to where we are. Looking at the facts, their implications, and not shielding our eyes to the unmmovable forces that have been entrenched in Washington DC for decades, could be helpful in bringing rational perspective as to why certain actions are now deemed necessary according to this President.

Certainly, too large a number of Americans would choose to close their eyes, click their heels and wish upon a star for a brighter day, without seeing that part of getting that are the actions required at this time.

So yes, Americans must look in order to see. I, for one, am encouraged that this president has the instinct and insight to purposefully point this out everytime he speaks.

Respectfully,

[Cha]

21. That's so perfect..

thank you, FC~ Jimmy Fallon needs one of those letters from Frenchie, although, I know he's just doing comedy.

I don't even remember "look" and I always notice if somebody says one thing so many times.. I was listening to the content.

[FrenchieCat]

24. I did....send a letter to Jimmy Fallon.

He's a good guy, but looking is a requirement, and no joke.....unfortunately.

[Cha]

37. Grrrreat!

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

[ecstatic]

30. He should also add "listen"

People need to look and listen!

[HughMoran]

42. .

:eyes:

[ecstatic]

10. I'll take that over "my friends" and the excessive use of "also"

any day!

[suston96]

12. Look, all politicians and pundits say "look".....and it annoys me........nt

[LisaM]

14. It's minor, but it bugs me too.

It sounds as if he's lecturing us. It's a common speech pattern - others do it too - and I think it sounds a trifle condescending. Let me underscore, I don't think he means it that way. It might be a lawyer thing, it might be a teaching thing. It is one of those little things that rubs me the wrong way. (Another one is when someone is ranting on, and recaps every few seconds by saying, "okay?" - as if I wouldn't understand what he or she was saying otherwise). I do not mean this as personal criticism against Obama - most politicians have some little quirk like this.

[jbnow]

43. The ex-professor lecturing? Could it be? I think it's him

composing his thoughts...if you notice his "ums" and so on are much less. They use to really bug people.

Not me...not this either because it did/does remind me of favorite professors actually trying to answer a question, reflecting for a moment.
The "Look" strikes me as various parts of the answer come to mind and now he is about to try to draw the picture out.

The professor does speak to us. He did teach young adults law so it's not like he's doing a 4th grade thing. I've "talked" to some of his past students and he was anything but condescending (but actually listened more than he spoke to draw the answer out from, them...guess that wouldn't work to well answering public questions)
But you can tell he wants people to understand, tries to make himself clear. I guess I just like how he shows his thinking when he answers questions.

[kctim]

17. Saying "look" all the time

is a lot better than sayin "like" all the time. Those damn people drive me nuts: Like, you know.

[RoadRage]

18. Obama's mention of the word "LOOK" 26 times...

is about 1/10th of the number that Bush uttered "Terra" in each of his vocal appearances anywhere.. and 1/50th from Guilliani saying "09/11".

I think we're still good.

[road2000]

20. Bush did it, too.

That speech pattern wouldn't bother me much, but when Obama does it, I keep recalling the Chimp, who would then proceed to disgorge a mountain of gibberish.

At least our Prez doesn't pepper his speech with "reck-E-nize."

[rvablue]

22. Big deal, really. Ha, ha! I think it's funny, too. And I'm glad I can finally laugh a little in good

fun at my President whom I trust rather than wince every time the former President showed up on my teevee and made me fear for the future of my country.

So, I think this observation is cute and funny and I'm happy that my outlook is confident and sunny enough now that President Obama is at the helm that I can actually have a little giggle about it.

[PopSixSquish]

23. I Say "You Know" All the Time

half the time I don't even realize that I've said. We all have our own verbal "thing" you know?

It's the rest of the sentence that I'm interested in...

[dionysus]

25. look, this is just a foolish post.

:evilgrin:

[asphalt.jungle]

26. look at that turrist exportin turra. 9/11 ... 9/11 ... 9/11

my friends.

[Brazenly Liberal]

27. One of our local news bimbos puts the word "obviously" in nearly every sentence

I keep meaning to write to the station and point out that if everything she's telling us is so freakin' obvious, 1) it ain't news; and 2) they are wasting money having her tell us what we can see for ourselves. For half what she's making, I'd tell their rightwingnut audience a whole lot of things they don't know yet. Ah, yes, I can see it now. The lynch mob forms to the right.

[butterfly77]

28. Now, I hate when someone says it to me but..

I love it when he does it to the media because they always try to confront him with nonsense when they know he has answered the same question over and over and over in many venues..

[SemiCharmedQuark]

29. This reminds me of "Rappin' Ronnie Reagan"

"well-well-well.....well-well-welll"

You know something? He *did* say "well" a lot.

[Peregrine Took]

32. That was a great show. Thanks for reminding me. n/t

[CreekDog]

33. Compared to Bush's "nothing to see here..." I prefer this

:eyes:

[empyreanisles]

35. It's not just "look", its.. "well, LOOK ..." :) (n/)

[treestar]

36. I don't mind it

People's attention spans are for shit these days. A focuser is needed.

I know a person who says, "Listen" when starting a sentence, a lot. Same idea.

People are easily distracted and so it increases the chances they will hear.

[Jennicut]

39. So long as its not My friends or Right back to ya I am okay with it. :)

[Odin2005]

40. So what? I, like, use "like" as a filler word like all the time.

[V4Edwards]

44. Reminds me of my late father

(Wish I could change my username)

Anyway . . . I noticed President Obama saying "look" immediately during his news conference. It brought back fond memories to me of my late father. During the conference I said to my mother - "he sounds just like Dad!" I did notice that Pres Obama used it a lot - but I didn't mind. I really think it's cool. My father was a very intelligent, strong man. Whenever he really needed to make a point with me, or perhaps someone else, he would preface it with "look". I also heard him say it on the phone when he was talking business with someone. It was never threatening or condescending, it just meant "I'm about to say something very important and you need to listen". I think it is good that Pres Obama uses it - but I do hope he does not overuse it. It will have more effect if he does not overuse it. Believe me, when my brother and I heard my father say "look" we PAID ATTENTION!

Just don't overuse it, President Obama.

[gulliver]

45. Obama also uses "listen" a lot. nt

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

46. Look, If this kind of BS is all the media and pukes can manage to bring up

then Obama has got it made.

[Fla Dem]

48. Small thing, but it is off putting..."see".....Edward G Robinson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js6mgxdFLE4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47x2-0rlZb0&feature=related