SNL opening was surprisingly candid about Obama's record. Wow!

[Hieronymus]

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

1. I found it unfair, though well within norms of political satire

[vi5]

17. What was unfair about it?

I've read a few people say the same thing, but they don't really elaborate. Not trying to be confrontational at all, just curious as to the other side of the opinions on it. It pretty much said that it's ridiculous that the Teabagging right hates Obama so much because he hasn't actually done anything overly liberal or socialist. And that the left should be more mad at him because every liberal overture he made during his campaign (Ending the wars, closing Guantanamo, progression on gay rights with regard to marriage/military, etc.) he hasn't delivered on.

The only thing that could technically be deemed unfair was that climate change legislation and health care reform haven't technically been finished/completed yet. But the fact is he hasn't really done all that much on either one of those things either so it's not inaccurate to say he hasn't delivered.

I agree it was satire and not to be taken too seriously. But I thought that for satire it was as close to accurate and voicing the cold reality of the situation as some of the best work on the Daily Show.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

21. They argued that with a Dem Congress he can do anything he wants. He can't. Conservadems.

They put the closure of Gitmo on the list of things that weren't accomplished, but that is ongoing. As you said, Healthcare and Climate change are ongoing.

The BIG "YEAH!" that I saw was

Gay Rights (although they were entirely too generous here and only called him out on DADT)
and
"Improvement" of Afghanistan (although, I don't think that this means the same thing to everyone)

[mvd]

31. I pretty much agree

The SNL guy had the tone down, but not the style. I laughed at times. Exaggeration is part of the comedy.

I guess Iraq could also be doing better.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

33. That's my thought. Like I said down below, it's not suitable for MTP or something like that.

But it's entirely reasonable for political skewering on SNL or Daily Show or something like that.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

27. I agree with the central joke...

I agree with the central joke 100% that it is hilarious for pugs to say Obama is making this a socialist country since he is not even making it a liberal country and is just not all that effective a President.

And I do not mind the general joke of his having done surprisingly little compared with the dream sold during th election year.

But I found some of the list-entries of things he hasn't done to be unfair.

Yes, we will be in Iraq longer than was suggested in the campaign, but I don't think we would have been out of Iraq today in any scenario.

And the non-delivery of health care seemed a little rough to me since it is before congress, things are happening, and nobody thought comprehensive HCR was going to be in place by this point in any scenario.

So though I generally agreed, it seemed a little rough-shod. But well within the normal range of exaggeration/understatement of political comedy.

[Clio the Leo]

52. You thought the part about Gitmo and Iraq was accurate?

Where in the executive order he signed on day two does it say that Gitmo would be closed by October 3rd?

When in the campaign did he say he'd have all troops out of Iraq in 8 months?

[impik]

75. Bullshit

Let's see:

Health care: Moving up in congress.
Climate: Moving (slowly) in congress.
Closing Guantanamo: A work in progress.
Ending the war in Iraq: He promised to do it in 16 months, now he's doing it in 19. Big fucking broken promise.
Afghanistan: He said he'll give it much more focus, he never promised a magic solution.

The one criticism that i can fully agree with, is over DADT. Not sure what's going on with it, but i am sure that it's not because Obama hates gays.

Pure Liberal bullshit.

[Connie_Corleone]

2. Well...what??

:shrug:

[joeycola]

3. nothing in the OP is the big clue.

[tabatha]

4. It was a very superificial take

designed to make the teabaggers look foolish.

[timeforpeace]

40. I wish they would leave Obama alone. There's nothing funny about him.

[bigwillq]

5. What did they say?

:shrug: I didn't watch.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

6. That Obama hasn't done anything about anything.

[quantass]

10. And yet the right want him DEAD asap. nt

You'd think they'd be happy since Obama hasnt changed anythng...if anything, from the SNL skit you get the impression Obama is Bush III. So why isnt the right happy. They want him assassinated. :shrug:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

14. That was the point of the skit.

Although it wasn't entirely fair for say...a round table meeting on Meet the Press, I felt it was fair political satire.

[bigwillq]

24. Was it funny?

:shrug:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

28. It was pretty funny, especially the end when he said that if the right didn't stop with the Nazi

comparisons, he would have to take drastic action. Then he goes "Nah, just kidding."

It was probably the best skit of the night, but...the other skits were dog awful.

[Beacool]

7. I laughed my head off.

Except that the guy playing Obama didn't sound like him or have his speech pattern. He didn't master Obama's staccato delivery: I....pause, pause....Barack Obama....president of....the United States....etc.

:7

[SemiCharmedQuark]

8. I'll bet you did.

Get over it, Bea. Honestly.

I've tried and tried to reach out to you. I like you. I enjoy your posts about Hillary. But at this point it's really really getting old. It's been a year. How much longer are you going to let primary bitterness consume you?

[Beacool]

11. Like the South said: Nevahhh!!!!

:shrug:


:hi:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

15. That's really sad.

[laugle]

22. Geez..........

now it's a crime to laugh.........

It's better than crying..........

[CakeGrrl]

62. THIS I totally believe. And it's not surprising.

Anger eats at you from INSIDE. It doesn't affect the ones you're trying to irk.

[bigwillq]

23. Oh, please. It's a freaking comedy skit.

I laugh my ass off too when they "do" politicians, even the ones I like.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

26. This isn't about this skit, per say. I thought it was a decent skit myself.

This is about this specific poster who absolutely and admittedly and PROUDLY won't get over the primaries.

[bigwillq]

29. There's a lot of things many here need to "get over"

But that doesn't stop them from continuing to post. Doesn't bother me. Free speech and all, even if it's old and repetitive shit.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

32. This is true.

But I find that some posters are "lost". They only post crap or harp on people and they take joy in being rude and nasty. Bea's not like that. I like Bea's posts on Hillary and I like Bea. I'm not saying she can't or shouldn't post her thoughts. I'm trying to tell her as one person to another that I think she would be happier just letting it go and moving on. Everyone else, including Clinton, has.

[AspenRose]

88. Ooh, I can take a guess who "ignored" is, then

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PerpetuallyDazed]

20. I thought the same thing!

Fred Armisan usually NAILS it with his Obama impression! Why was he so off last night??

[Beacool]

30. I don't know.........

:-(

[Clio the Leo]

54. Because the jokes were too far off from reality....

.... what was very telling to me was that, until the very end, there were no applause. When satire delivers something that is funny AND accurate the audience will cheer. It's possible that I was projecting, but there seemed to be a lot of nervous laughter from the audience.

The Fey/Palin skits are now the stuff of comedy legend because they were spot on ..... and as we all know, literal in their portrayal in one famous instant.

The notion that the President hasn't done enough is one only held by some on the left .... it's certainly not the view held by most Americans. (There mere fact that the whack jobs on the right are afraid he's going to kill grandma and let some Mexicans move into her house, the exact opposite of "he hasn't done enough," is proof of that.)

They tried.

They failed.

[CakeGrrl]

63. Exactly. The list of stuff they used was like rereading OPs here on DU.

Nothing really funny about it, unless one gets enjoyment from taking potshots at what the President has or hasn't accomplished.

[BeyondGeography]

53. True; not as good as some others they've done

[quantass]

9. Didn't find it funny...But it was all true...i wonder how he took it nt.

[kayla9170]

12. Well....if the shoe fits..........

Were is the help for the citizens.....Banks Got It, Wall Street Got It, The Rich who are still Enjoying Tax Breaks Got It........

Who have not got it
-Lower Class
-Middle Class (under 90 K)
-College Students (State are taking back scholarship programs left and right and Pell Grants do not help the middle class)
-Folks that pay their mortgage on time and are stuck in a ARM with decreasing home values
-Folks that lost 30-50% of their 401K did not get it
-Most GM and Ford workers with less than 15 years of Seniority did not get it....and they are out of a job
-People that have been unemployed got a extension, not jobs
-Small Business People did not get it. They still cannot get a line of credit

and on and on and on..........................................

[SemiCharmedQuark]

16. Actually, college students did get it. My textbooks were tax deductible this year thanks to the

stimulus, and legislation winding it's way through congress is shutting down the hold the big lenders have on us.

[firedupdem]

46. Bullshit!

Just one of the ways I got it was a tax cut and 65% decrease off my high ass cobra payments. Try again. :eyes:

[crim son]

13. Too true and therefore not funny. Link:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/99970/saturday-night-live-ryan-reynolds#s-p1-so-i0

V. depressing, in fact.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

45. Writing was poor, acting was poor and it wasn't funny.

Versimilitude has never been a part of the equasion - Chevy Chase certainly did not personify Ford in any meaningful way except to portray him as a bufoon who fell down time after time, so that's not really the issue. The issue is what I said in my title.

This just came up short in every way possible.

[crim son]

47. Except it makes a fair point.

Sigh.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

49. Well, to me, since the acting was poor and the writing was poor and it wasn't funny

it really didn't make have any point.

Satire has to have a point. This was a lazy, piss poor job by the SNL crew who are known for far better than this. If the impression of Obama was bad, if the writing was lackluster and if it did not make you laugh, exactly what did it offer?

From the SNL viewpoint? From the viewer viewpoint? From any viewpoint? It was a total waste.

[Skittles]

69. it was true though

[cherokeeprogressive]

61. I just watched it again, thanks to your link, and laughed just as hard.

It's comedy people... get the fuck over yourselves. So it's our guy being skewered. That doesn't make it any less laughable.

Do I believe anything in it was worthy of the insult DU'ers who think Obama can do no wrong feel today? NNNNNNNNNNo (circling forefinger).

It made me giggle my ass off.

[Jennicut]

19. When will they get a decent Obama? Until then, I can't watch it.

[Hieronymus]

34. I agree that guy is lousy as Obama.

[Major Hogwash]

86. He's my favorite comedian on that show. He's brilliant, versatile, and funnier than hell.

I remember the first year he was with SNL - he was great.
He did that impression of the comedian guy from Colombia with the 2 congo drums and then he would beat the drums and then sigh "oh my weooow" or something like that.

I think he's funnier that hell.

[jeanpalmer]

78. I think they got what they wanted

Someone who comes off happy-go-lucky care-free not really serious about anything. In other words, a lightweight. And that was the intended caricature.

[Jennicut]

84. They got a bad actor.

[doc03]

35. The Righties are freaking out about Obama

turning the country Socialist and so far he hasn't been able to deliver on anything he promised. The joke is on us, we thought if we had control of the Congress we could actually do something.

[Baltoman991]

36. No, the righties

are winning the battle because you and your ilk continue to lie about Obama not delivering on anything he promised.

He's delivered on a lot so why not tell the fucking truth.

[Cha]

37. Because the screeching whiners on here do

not care if it's a fucking lie or not.

"Accomplished nothing".. au contraire. He's been busy building a foundation.. these accomplishments are up until July 20, 2009..

PO also just gave a Mission Statement Address to the UN that has a vision of a peaceful world..and the UN just approved a Resolution to rid the world of nukes.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33001551/ns/world_news-unit... /

Political Tiger (1000+ posts) Mon Jul-20-09 06:36 PM
Original message

What your President has accomplished just 6 months into his first term

Signed executive orders to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year, ban torture and end the CIA’s secret overseas prisons and define treatment of Detainees.

Reversed restrictions on stem cell research.

Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Reducing discrimination based on gender, age, religion, or race.

Signed an executive order reversing the ban that prohibits funding to international family planning groups that provide abortions. Gag rule revoked (Mexico City policy).

Creates the White House Council on Women and Girls "to provide a coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families."

Signed a Presidental Memorandum extending federal benefits to same-sex partners of federal workers and announced support for the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009.

Reverses U.S. position on LGBT Issues at the UN: At the "Durban Review Conference," U.S. supports language condemning “all forms of discrimination and all other human rights violations based on sexual orientation.”

Signed executive order requiring federal contractors to offer jobs to current workers when contracts change.

Reversed a Bush order requiring federal contractors to post notice that workers can limit financial support of unions serving as their exclusive bargaining representatives.

Signed executive order preventing federal contractors from being reimbursed for expenses meant to influence workers deciding whether to form a union and engage in collective bargaining.

Created a foreclosure prevention fund for homeowners.

Expanded eligibility for the refinancing portion of the Making Home Affordable plan to help Americans struggling with distressed mortgages refinance at lower interest rates, even if they owe up to 25 percent more than their homes are now worth.

Established a credit card "bill of rights".

Expanded loan programs for small businesses.

Extended and index the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch.

Expanded eligibility for State Children's Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP).

Expanded funding to train primary care providers and public health practitioners.

Created a new White House task force on the problems of middle-class Americans, and installed Vice President Joe Biden as its chairman.

Appoints Vice President Joe Biden to Oversee Stimulus Plan Payouts.

Granted a reprieve to Liberian immigrants facing imminent expulsion.

Directed military leaders to end war in Iraq.

Allowing Caskets to be photographed when the return from Iraq with family approval.

Released nine previously secret internal Justice Department memos and opinions defining the legal limits of government power in combating terrorism.

On Arab TV Network, Obama Urges Dialogue.

Gave a speech in Cairo engaging the Muslim and Arab world.

Bars independent contractors from conducting interrogations of terror suspects.

Granted Americans unrestricted rights to visit family and send money to Cuba.

Ordered the release of nearly a quarter of a million pages of records from the Reagan White House that were kept from the public during a lengthy review by President George W. Bush.

Restored funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) program.

Released presidential records.

Required new hires to sign a form affirming their hiring was not due to political affiliation or contributions.

Pushed for enactment of Matthew Shepard Act, which expands hate crime law to include sexual orientation and other factors.

Invites gay families to the Easter Egg Roll as part of the Obama administration's outreach to diverse communities.

Created a White House Office on Urban Policy.

Increased funding for the NEA.

Appointed an assistant to the president for science and technology policy.

Funded a major expansion of AmeriCorps.

Banned lobbyist gifts to executive employees.

Investment in all types of alternative energy.

Enacted tax credit for consumers for plug-in hybrid cars.

Support for high-speed rail.

Provided grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes.

Extended unemployment insurance benefits and temporarily suspend taxes on these benefits.

Created the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers to help auto industry workers transition to new manufacturing opportunities, including jobs in alternative energy.

Stopped raids on medical marijuana dispensers.

Nominated Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States. If confirmed, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic to ever serve on the Supreme Court.

Appointed more than 60 openly LGBT persons to positions in the executive branch.

Issues Presidential Proclamation for Pride, proclaiming June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.

Signed a mercury reduction pact with 140 other nations.

Signed the Weapons System Acquisition Reform Act to curb wasteful spending by the Pentagon. Intended to price contracts and budgets lower; may potentially save billions of dollars in defense.

Signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009, which serves to protect two million acres of land and creates a new system of land conservation for the Bureau of Land Management.

Phase out government payments to crop producers making more than $500,000 a year and eliminates subsidies for cotton storage to help trim the U.S. budget deficit.

Cut funding for a proposed U.S. nuclear storage facility at Yucca Mountain.

Restored Endangered Species Act Provision requiring U.S. agencies consult with independent federal experts to determine if their actions might harm threatened and endangered species.

Orders The Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration "to protect and restore the health, heritage, natural resources, and social and economic value of the Nation's largest estuarine ecosystem and the natural sustainability of its watershed."

Signed the 2009 Omnibus Public Land Management Act designating two million additional acres of public wilderness areas the highest level of government protection from logging and other forms of commercial use and development.

Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act which will expedite the search for cures and treatments for millions of Americans living with paralysis caused by spinal cord injury, stroke, MS, Parkinson's and many other diseases and disorders.

Established The Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record, a new system for updating medical records of servicemen and women both during and after their military careers.

Established the White House Office of Health Reform

Created new and stronger safety standards to safeguard the country's food supply.

and

got his daughters a new puppy!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8538282

So fuck the lies and the fucking fuckers who spew them.

[doc03]

38. I don't blame him for not delivering on his

promises, it's the Republicans for preventing any change. There was all this focus on getting 60 votes in the Senate but yet the Republicans are still able to set the agenda. He didn't deliver on any of the promises listed in the skit. Are we out of Iraq, is Gitmo closed, do we have health care reform, do we have an energy policy, did the Stimulus Plan keep unemployment under 8%?

[timeforpeace]

39. He promised to kick ass in Afghanistan and he is keeping that promise.

[doc03]

42. I talked to a Marine that is going to Afghanistan

in a few days, he said they told him ihn training it's bad and we are having our asses handed to us over there.

[cherokeeprogressive]

58. Eight American Soldiers were just killed in a single attack.

Kicking ass. Is that what you call it?

[BeyondGeography]

51. Day-um, U R right, what the hell has Obama been doing for EIGHT WHOLE MONTHS?!?!?!!?!?

[impik]

41. Oh well

I'm pretty sure that president Romney will be better, so some people here and over the Daily Koss and HuffPost and any other Liberal or whatever sites should just hang in there for another 3 years.

[emulatorloo]

43. Or surprisingly short-sighted and annoying about Obama

But hey, that's what they do. Bad comedy. And they feel the need to be "fair and balanced" every once in a while.

[Cha]

56. THey didn't have to lie about bush or

any other President..why start with PO? Fail Pushing is so ugly.

[vaberella]

44. Half truths and misrepresentation to TRY to be funny is, candid? Maybe after a bottle of vodka . n/t

[iceman66]

48. Obama has accomplished more in 9 months than most presidents.

Heck, Bush had hardly even begun destroying the country by 10/01!

[pot luck]

50. I thought the meme was that he was doing too much

too soon? Now they're dinging him for doing nothing at all since getting in office? I'm getting whiplash trying to keep up with the media's talking points on Obama.

[Hekate]

55. Here's a few links at DU -- a totally unbiased source in itself, you know...

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8673262&mesg_id=8673343
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8538282
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4526424


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8131601
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8374686
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8631496
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8672204
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8671169
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4072612
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6288785
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8668493
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8250329

[freddie mertz]

57. This shows that the impression of failure to deliver has broken wide.

Everyone I talk to seems to mention how disappointed they are.

These are tough times.

I hope the president breaks the spiral, and soon.

[Cha]

59. snl and your Fail Pushing shows no such thing..but

of course, your ilk is very happy with this disingenuous shyte.

[freddie mertz]

99. "Ilk" indeed.

Well at least we always we know where we stand with YOU, Cha.

[joeycola]

81. yes, to have SNL do this type of skit shows how far the sentiment has gone.

[TexasObserver]

60. It's a message the White House needs to hear.

He got a "B" for his first "semester" as president, but in the second semester, he's on the verge of going on probation for weak grades.

Less talk, more action. He thinks every issue only needs more reasonable talking. As LBJ said, if one wishes to be in politics, they have to learn how to count. Get your 51% in both houses and make some law. He's coming across like one of these parents who does nothing but try to talk reason to their two year old. It can't be done sometimes.

[CakeGrrl]

64. "On probation"? How? He has a 4-year term.

If HCR isn't a done deal by the year's out, are you advocating that he be impeached or something?

Makes me wonder how rabid people will be in, say, a year or year and a half from now depending on what has yet to be accomplished/resolved/completed.

[TexasObserver]

65. Yes, on probation. He's getting close to a failing grade these days.

Did I say anything about impeachment?

Do you usually read comments and draw conclusions that are completely irrational?

[CakeGrrl]

71. I'm curious how "probation" translates into something actionable

apart from running a primary challenger to him for 2012, which has been suggested here several times.

[TexasObserver]

74. Again, you're connecting dots that are not there.

I used a grading analogy. You have some perception that I might be planning on supporting someone other than Obama in 2012.

I have said Obama is not doing great, that he started off fairly well, but that he's really not performing well now. We'll see if he improves, or if he continues to falter.

Right now, he's the worst or second worst Democratic president of the past 100 years.

I have not addressed 2012 and do not intend to do so, no matter how much you want to do so.

[impik]

77. Nice

Less than 9 months of the toughest presidency in decades, and he's already the worst Democratic president ever. I actually think that he's the worst. Period. Democrat or Republican. He's worst than Bush. Much worse than Bush. Impeach him now, or god help us all.

Oh well. You have only 3 more years to suffer.

[Lilyeye]

80. The man has been in office for about 9 months...

and you're already calling him the worst Democratic president of the past 100 years? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? Wow.

[Beacool]

85. Really?

I thought topping Carter would be a hard thing to do.

:eyes:

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cha]

67. Candid or

stupid?

[cherokeeprogressive]

72. Comedic.

But then comedy is in the eye of the beholder.

Even more comedic to me is the mental image of some DUers fuming when the skit was over.

SNL is only funny when it's Tina Fey making fun of She Whose Name Shall Not Be Spoken? Or when someone is skewering W? Come now. Learn to laugh.

[Cha]

91. Not too fuckin' funny when they're lying about the Prez..enough

of that shite goin' on. They didn't have to lie about the other Admin's "mockings".

<snip>

"Here at PolitiFact, however, we're tracking Obama's 515 promises with our Obameter, which rates them as Promise Kept, Promise Broken, Compromise, Stalled, In the Works and No Action.

Just for fun, we thought we'd go through Saturday Night Live's checklist and match it up with the promises we've rated on the Obameter.

• "Close Guantanamo Bay - Not Done." We've rated Obama's promise No. 177 Close the Guantanamo Detention Center as Stalled. Congress has been reluctant to fund the closure and press reports have indicated progress is not proceeding as the White House had hoped. Still, Obama gave himself a year to get this done, and that's not until January 2010.

• "Out of Iraq - Not Done." Actually, Obama did not promise to have troops out during his first year; he promised to remove them in approximately 16 months. We rated Obama's promise No. 125, Direct military leaders to end the war in Iraq, as Promise Kept and his promise No. 126, Begin removing combat troops from Iraq, as In the Works."

http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2009/oct/05/saturday-night-live-obama-campaign-promises/

http://www.nbc.com/Footer/Contact_Us/

[MadBadger]

68. Well that was random, plus I have no idea what ur talking about.

[cherokeeprogressive]

70. He's talking about last night's Saturday Night Live episode. The opening skit was ostensibly

Barack Obama speaking from the Oval Office, concerning his performance to date.

I actually thought it was funny. The Ms. and I lay in bed and laughed our butts off. No, the mannerisms weren't worthy of a good impression, and it was a stretch to imagine that it was something President Obama would say into a camera. It was comedy, something that the hardest of the hardcore Barack Obama defenders took great offense to. They took it as a direct attack on the President himself. I took it as comedy. They took Tina Fey's impressions of Sarah Palin as comedy, as well they should have, and as did I. I guess the opinion is that President Obama should be untouchable. I disagree.

Personally I thought it would have been funnier if they'd have depicted President Obama giving a speech, or addressing a joint session of Congress, with teleprompters.

Here's a link, you need only watch the first three or four minutes or so and you're totally up to speed.


http://www.hulu.com/watch/99970/saturday-night-live-ryan-reynolds#s-p1-so-i0

[FrenchieCat]

73. Is there a President who hasn't used a teleprompter while addressing a Joint Session of Congress?

Cause if so, please tell me who that was and when.

It's not that I care so much about you throwing the teleprompter bullshit in there...
I just thought only freepers did that one.

The pile on stinks like shit if you ask me.

[cherokeeprogressive]

76. "I just thought only freepers did that one"

Well you thought wrong, didn't you?

It's fucking comedy. And it was pretty fucking funny. I don't care if you don't see that. It matters not a whit to me. I know you to be one of the hardest of the hardcore, and frankly, after seeing that skit last night one of the last things I told the Ms. was something on the order of "Oh boy, I can't wait to see what certain DUers have to say about this tomorrow."

You didn't disappoint.

I'd venture a guess that teleprompter technology is fairly new, say the last thirty or forty years or so. So my answer to your question, asked rather indignantly, is that plenty of Presidents have addressed joint sessions of Congress without teleprompters.

It was comedy. Or a lame attempt at comedy, as you and others seem to see it. Maybe I ain't as learn't as you is; I thought it was funny. Adding the teleprompter to the skit would have made it funnier by half. It would have made him seem (as it does with others) like he was talking while watching a tennis match. Hell, maybe they could have made it seem like he was watching the US Tennis Open while Serena Williams was playing. Maybe it could have included his asking her to join his team that's been working on health care reform. Maybe it could even have included Ms. Williams herself.

Comedy. You get it, or you don't. Watching something intended to be comedy with a policing eye pretty much means you don't, or won't.

[WeDidIt]

79. Lamest opening in 20 years

Armisen's impression of Obama has gotten worse and Obama has accomplished more in eight months than most presidents accomplish in four years.

[uponit7771]

89. Satire has to be fact based....

[CJCRANE]

82. There were two chuckle-worthy jokes but most of it fell flat nt

[Honeycombe8]

83. It was "candid" if you're a wingnut. Otherwise, it was funny but inaccurate.

Since when is his "first year's accomplishments" over after 9 months?

And there's the obvious: the goal was NEVER to get out of Iraq in 9 months, was it? Of course not. The goal was NEVER to have Quantanamo completely emptied and the prisoners repatriotriated elsewhere within 9 months, was it? Nope.

So it was a silly joke that only wingnuts took seriously.

You're not a wingnut, are you? Or a D.K. supporter?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

87. I don't understand this. First, they say he's doing too much. Now, they say he isn't doing anything!

Make up your fucking mind, people. And yes, this not only goes for the wingnuts out there pushing lies. This goes for the Clintonistas, too, who gleefully cheer Obama's demise because they can't get over the freakin' primaries!!

[zulchzulu]

90. It was a half-witted attempt to appeal to the Teabaggers

Teabaggers don't watch SNL. It's not on Fox.

As for Obama not fixing the wars and healthcare and what the fuck ever the other shit mentioned was, it was pure stupidity.

I always thought SNL sucked ass for years (except for the Palin stuff), so I'll have no problem missing it any time soon.

[RepublicanElephant]

92. randi rhodes discussing this republican skit now. nt

[budkin]

93. I see what they were alluding to, but it was extremely poorly executed and not funny

[tomm2thumbs]

94. 100% true and that is why it hurts - SNL can pull a Palin if it wants to and I hope they do

truth to power

[jenmito]

97. 100% true? He did nothing? And was he SUPPOSED to close Gitmo and get all our troops out

of Iraq by now?

[Malikshah]

95. SNL has been unsurpisingly lame for the last decade or so. Self-indulgent,

self-referential, neocons masking as libertarians, barring those few who enabled them.

Why folks continue to watch is beyond me. I get sent links to "must watch"--after 5 seconds, it's over.

Seth Meyers is one of the lamest writers ever...

Of course, the US public loves DWTS and allowed the * regime to continue, so...

[ctaylors6]

96. very funny: everyone who buys US car in next 6 months gets Chicago 2016 tshirt

I thought it was pretty funny overall. I didn't think it was the best impression though. I wish he'd get Obama's cadence a little better.

[Name removed]

98. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TexasObserver]

100. Although exaggerated, as humor is, it was fairly accurate.

Yes, it did stretch the truth to make the point, particularly about Gitmo closing and getting out of Iraq. And YES, it did fail to note some accomplishments.

But what would any political comedy troupe say about the sitting president with large majorities in both houses of congress and getting outplayed by the scrubs on the other side?

The basic problem is that as terrible as the GOP has been this year, they've consistently outplayed Obama, Reid and Pelosi. This is like watching a lottery team whipping up the world champion Lakers. One has to ask how is Kobe letting this happen? Well, how is Barack letting this happen?

I have been a huge supporter of Obama from January of 2008 until the last couple of months. His weak performance on health care, however, and his penchant for being too malleable are disappointing. He's too worried about appearing reasonable and not worried enough about not getting things done.

He needs a lot more LBJ and a lot less Jimmy Carter in his game. Less Luke Walton, more Kobe.

[Lord Helmet]

101. PolitiFact surprisingly candid about the fail of this op

LINK

[Raine]

102. and well of course since it came from SNL

it's "gospel" according to the talking heads. :eyes: x(