White House Reporter To Obama: Are You A Dictator Or A Giant F**king P*ssy?
At the conclusion of the White House’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit last night, President Obama held a press conference at which he addressed a number of issues, but the thing that really stood out was the absurd framing of Jonathan Karl’s question about the President’s use of executive authority. The ABC News Chief White House Correspondent gave President Obama two choices of how his use of executive orders are viewed, neither of them good. The best part of this clip is President Obama’s knowing grin as Karl finishes his question:
;
“Does it bother you more to be accused of being an imperial President, pushing those limits, or to be accused of being a do-nothing President who couldn’t get anything done because he faced a dysfunctional Congress?”
Granted, this question is coming from a reporter who is known for asking bullshit questions (even the President has noticed this) and fabricating reporting against him, but the narrative that everything Republicans do is Obama’s fault has firmly taken root in the mainstream media, and has even metastasized into the supposedly liberal media. This isn’t a “When did you stop beating your wife?” question, it’s a “How hard does beating your wife get you; raging hard, or call-your-doctor hard?” question.
It also had the added benefit of the out-of-context “Gotcha!” quote, because then-Senator Obama was speaking about the specific issue of civil liberties. He was not making a broad statement about the use of executive orders.
The President delivered a characteristically measured, Bill Bixby-esque response, and made some news (for careful listeners) with his response to Karl’s followup question, “Do you believe you have the power to grant work permits to those who are here illegally?”…READ MORE
Click here for reuse options!Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Tommy Christopher
Tommy Christopher is The Daily Banter's White House Correspondent and Political Analyst. He's been a political reporter and liberal commentator since 2007, and has covered the White House since the beginning of the Obama administration, first for PoliticsDaily, and then for Mediaite. Christopher is a frequent guest on a variety of television, radio, and online programs, and was the villain in the documentaries The Audacity of Democracy and Hating Breitbart. He's also That Guy Who Live-Tweeted His Own Heart Attack, and the only person to have ever received public apologies from both Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.
Eric Trommater August 7th, 2014 at 12:59
My friends and I have a theory about Karl’s questioning style. We think it’s a mixture of performance art, truth or dare and lost poker bets. Whatever the reason this guy has become a satire of himself and the White House Press core and it’s not partisian either. I’d be saying the same thing if he asked a GOP POTUS such dumb questions.
ChrisVosburg August 7th, 2014 at 14:56
It’s reminiscent of that Howard Stern stringer who used to crash press conferences and submit satirical questions, famously once asking an unsuspecting Gennifer Flowers if she was planning to sleep with any other candidates before the election.
cecilia August 7th, 2014 at 20:52
The difference is that the questions to Flowers were satirical and funny.
the comments by this NON journalist are lame and pathetic
dave-dr-gonzo August 7th, 2014 at 21:19
“Stuttering John” Karl, the White House press corps’ clown-in-residence. Bababooey.
Eric Trommater August 7th, 2014 at 12:59
My friends and I have a theory about Karl’s questioning style. We think it’s a mixture of performance art, truth or dare and lost poker bets. Whatever the reason this guy has become a satire of himself and the White House Press core and it’s not partisian either. I’d be saying the same thing if he asked a GOP POTUS such dumb questions.
ChrisVosburg August 7th, 2014 at 14:56
It’s reminiscent of that Howard Stern stringer who used to crash press conferences and submit satirical questions, famously once asking an unsuspecting Gennifer Flowers if she was planning to sleep with any other candidates before the election.
cecilia August 7th, 2014 at 20:52
The difference is that the questions to Flowers were satirical and funny.
the comments by this NON journalist are lame and pathetic
dave-dr-gonzo August 7th, 2014 at 21:19
“Stuttering John” Karl, the White House press corps’ clown-in-residence. Bababooey.
m2old4bs August 7th, 2014 at 13:16
Do not believe that Karl is a journalist in any sense, not even a reporter. He needs to find a new job. He certainly doesn’t serve the citizens of the U.S. very well.
m2old4bs August 7th, 2014 at 13:16
Do not believe that Karl is a journalist in any sense, not even a reporter. He needs to find a new job. He certainly doesn’t serve the citizens of the U.S. very well.
John Tarter August 7th, 2014 at 14:09
“Obama’s knowing grin”? Yep, Obama knows exactly what he is doing, that he is exceeding his constitutional authority and he knows that his political opposition will do nothing about it.
William August 7th, 2014 at 14:21
“he knows that his political opposition will do nothing about it”.
That’s because they are too busy sponsoring monumental legislation to do anything else.
It’s your Congress Skippy, own it.
M D Reese August 7th, 2014 at 14:26
That just about sums it up. Oh–and of course Benghazi!Benghazi!…
William August 7th, 2014 at 14:30
Yeah, Hey how is that Benghazi thing going anyway? When are the indictments being handed down.
M D Reese August 7th, 2014 at 21:28
What is Boy Gowdy up to? I thought he was going to have the biggest, baddest Benghazi!Benghazi! superduper investigation yet!
Seriously,. I’ll bet that Gowdy is trying to figure out how in the hell he can just make the whole idea go away and be forgotten.
dave-dr-gonzo August 7th, 2014 at 21:17
You forgot BenGHAZI!!!!!1!1!!
M D Reese August 7th, 2014 at 21:26
OOPS! My bad…
EL Guapo August 7th, 2014 at 14:27
Baloney!
linann.singh@yahoo.com August 7th, 2014 at 14:41
Do you think congress has done anything for the American people? If your answer is yes, you must make over $250,000 a year.
ChrisVosburg August 7th, 2014 at 15:03
JT writes: he knows that his political opposition will do nothing about it.
…other than provide fodder for Democratic opponents’ campaign ads. Yeah, keep doing that, Republicans, hahahaha, no really, you look great!
ShelleysLeg August 8th, 2014 at 08:24
Well why don’t you sue then? I’m SO sure you’ll have standing!
John Tarter August 7th, 2014 at 14:09
“Obama’s knowing grin”? Yep, Obama knows exactly what he is doing, that he is exceeding his constitutional authority and he knows that his political opposition will do nothing about it.
William August 7th, 2014 at 14:21
“he knows that his political opposition will do nothing about it”.
That’s because they are too busy sponsoring monumental legislation to do anything else.
It’s your Congress Skippy, own it.
M D Reese August 7th, 2014 at 14:26
That just about sums it up. Oh–and of course Benghazi!Benghazi!…
William August 7th, 2014 at 14:30
Yeah, Hey how is that Benghazi thing going anyway? When are the indictments being handed down.
M D Reese August 7th, 2014 at 21:28
What is Boy Gowdy up to? I thought he was going to have the biggest, baddest Benghazi!Benghazi! superduper investigation yet!
Seriously,. I’ll bet that Gowdy is trying to figure out how in the hell he can just make the whole idea go away and be forgotten.
dave-dr-gonzo August 7th, 2014 at 21:17
You forgot BenGHAZI!!!!!1!1!!
M D Reese August 7th, 2014 at 21:26
OOPS! My bad…
EL Guapo August 7th, 2014 at 14:27
Baloney!
Linann August 7th, 2014 at 14:41
Do you think congress has done anything for the American people? If your answer is yes, you must make over $250,000 a year.
ChrisVosburg August 7th, 2014 at 15:03
JT writes: he knows that his political opposition will do nothing about it.
…other than provide fodder for Democratic opponents’ campaign ads. Yeah, keep doing that, Republicans, hahahaha, no really, you look great!
ShelleysLeg August 8th, 2014 at 08:24
Well why don’t you sue then? I’m SO sure you’ll have standing!
labman57 August 7th, 2014 at 14:49
Obama’s thought bubble during Karl’s “I’ll damn you if you do, and I’ll damn you if you don’t” style of questioning:
“Does it bother you more to be regarded as a complete douche-bag or a paid hack of the RNC.”
labman57 August 7th, 2014 at 14:49
Obama’s thought bubble during Karl’s “I’ll damn you if you do, and I’ll damn you if you don’t” style of questioning:
“Does it bother you more to be regarded as a complete douche-bag or a paid hack of the RNC.”
Republicans_are_Evil August 7th, 2014 at 14:59
If I were Obama I would respectfully request that reporter never be seen in my presence again.
ShelleysLeg August 8th, 2014 at 08:23
I wouldn’t acknowledge him with banishment…….it’s way more fun to watch him flailing and trying to be relevant.
Republicans_are_Evil August 7th, 2014 at 14:59
If I were Obama I would respectfully request that reporter never be seen in my presence again.
ShelleysLeg August 8th, 2014 at 08:23
I wouldn’t acknowledge him with banishment…….it’s way more fun to watch him flailing and trying to be relevant.
majii August 7th, 2014 at 16:43
Karl is nuts. He’s not even aware that he’s asking a question that contains opposing positions. If one is actually an imperial-style president, it naturally follows that he has been doing quite a few things on his own (like working, for example.) Combining an alleged imperial presidency with the idea of a do-nothing president doesn’t make sense. Only someone who possesses Karl’s ability to think two things which are opposites of each other make sense would believe this is a legitimate question or is based on reality.
My head hurts.
majii August 7th, 2014 at 16:43
Karl is nuts. He’s not even aware that he’s asking a question that contains opposing positions. If one is actually an imperial-style president, it naturally follows that he has been doing quite a few things on his own (like working, for example.) Combining an alleged imperial presidency with the idea of a do-nothing president doesn’t make sense. Only someone who possesses Karl’s ability to think two things which are opposites of each other make sense would believe this is a legitimate question or is based on reality.
My head hurts.
Edgar Halcyon August 7th, 2014 at 17:11
Shame on whoever wrote that LIE of a title for the article!! Lying is a right-wing tactic and we should have no parts of it!
dave-dr-gonzo August 7th, 2014 at 21:15
It’s called paraphrasing, and, in this case, it’s right on the money. Jonathan Karl is a movement conservative embed in the White House press corps (http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/a-right-wing-mole-at-abc-news/).
chicano2nd August 8th, 2014 at 00:54
Can you prove the lie? Bet we can prove a lot more on the other side!
Edgar Halcyon August 8th, 2014 at 10:22
Yes, it was right before your eyes. All you have to do is read the article! And, off COURSE there’s more on the other side – that’s their standard tactic. We shouldn’t be stooping to their level and our words should be beyond reproach!
Edgar Halcyon August 7th, 2014 at 17:11
Shame on whoever wrote that LIE of a title for the article!! Lying is a right-wing tactic and we should have no parts of it!
dave-dr-gonzo August 7th, 2014 at 21:15
It’s called paraphrasing, and, in this case, it’s right on the money. Jonathan Karl is a movement conservative embed in the White House press corps (http://fair.org/extra-online-articles/a-right-wing-mole-at-abc-news/).
chicano2nd August 8th, 2014 at 00:54
Can you prove the lie? Bet we can prove a lot more on the other side!
Edgar Halcyon August 8th, 2014 at 10:22
Yes, it was right before your eyes. All you have to do is read the article! And, off COURSE there’s more on the other side – that’s their standard tactic. We shouldn’t be stooping to their level and our words should be beyond reproach!
Jim Valley August 7th, 2014 at 18:42
“Bill Bixby-esque response”!
That was my favorite part of the article.
Jim Valley August 7th, 2014 at 18:42
“Bill Bixby-esque response”!
That was my favorite part of the article.
greenfloyd August 7th, 2014 at 22:19
Again! The title to this post is not only misleading, it’s patently offensive. How come Daily Banter’s so-called writers can’t seem to construct a sentence without reference to sexual intercourse or other bodily functions? Freud would have a field day with these guys.
So, do yourself a favor and ignore this post and go to the complete Q&A.
U.S.-Africa Summit, Closing News Conference
The full exchange between Obama and Karl takes place about 11 minutes into it.
floyd[@]greenfloyd.org August 7th, 2014 at 22:19
Again! The title to this post is not only misleading, it’s patently offensive. How come Daily Banter’s so-called writers can’t seem to construct a sentence without reference to sexual intercourse or other bodily functions? Freud would have a field day with these guys.
So, do yourself a favor and ignore this post and go to the complete Q&A.
U.S.-Africa Summit, Closing News Conference
The full exchange between Obama and Karl takes place about 11 minutes into it.
Debbie Pineau August 8th, 2014 at 06:25
There’s a person who has some courage to ask a question without pulling punches or without political correctness interfering with the truth.
ShelleysLeg August 8th, 2014 at 08:21
Bwhahahahhhhhhhaaa!!!
No wonder you have Dennis Miller and Kelsey Grammar as your ‘comedians’!
Jmacgowan8 August 10th, 2014 at 12:25
And you got Bill Maher
ShelleysLeg August 10th, 2014 at 13:04
Praise Jesus! And Louis Black, and Will Farrell, and Kevin Nealon, and Jerry Seinfeld, and Steve Martin and a thousand others.
You got bupkus….oh, I forgot to include the hilarious Victoria Jackson on your side of the equation!!
Debbie Pineau August 8th, 2014 at 06:25
There’s a person who has some courage to ask a question without pulling punches or without political correctness interfering with the truth.
ShelleysLeg August 8th, 2014 at 08:21
Bwhahahahhhhhhhaaa!!!
No wonder you have Dennis Miller and Kelsey Grammar as your ‘comedians’!
Jmacgowan8 August 10th, 2014 at 12:25
And you got Bill Maher
ShelleysLeg August 10th, 2014 at 13:04
Praise Jesus! And Louis Black, and Will Farrell, and Kevin Nealon, and Jerry Seinfeld, and Steve Martin and a thousand others.
You got bupkus….oh, I forgot to include the hilarious Victoria Jackson on your side of the equation!!