The latest right-wing "scandal" - Umbrellagate!

[sackett]

The horror! The horror!

[qimg]http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr157/antpogo/obama-erdogan-580_zpsd3719238.jpg[/qimg]

He didn't do it just because he didn't feel like holding his own umbrella that day.

My above question still stands: What happened to the America that didn't give a flying Clayton Moore whether the Prexy stood under a brolly or not. What happened to the America that got a laugh out of "my little dog Fala" and then moved on?

So many trousers, so few balls.

 

[zeggman]

[qimg]http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr157/antpogo/obama-erdogan-580_zpsd3719238.jpg[/qimg]

He didn't do it just because he didn't feel like holding his own umbrella that day.

I'm not sure what you're implying. The podiums would look unbalanced if he held his own umbrella? He didn't want to make the other speaker look unmanly for not holding his own umbrella, so he had a marine hold his umbrella too? As a trained public speaker he needs to be able to gesture with both hands while speaking to effectively make his points, so he needs to keep them umbrella-free?

I don't see anything in this picture which would make it difficult for Obama to hold his own umbrella.

 

[Tony]

Teddy Roosevelt (a Republican and a REAL MAN'S president!) would have stood there bareheaded and got SOAKING WET! Right down to his skivvies! And never changed them until next week, as per according to Regulations!

What happened to the America I knew?

Roosevelt died around 1919 or so, if that is the America you knew, how old are you?

 

[A'isha]

I'm not sure what you're implying. The podiums would look unbalanced if he held his own umbrella? He didn't want to make the other speaker look unmanly for not holding his own umbrella, so he had a marine hold his umbrella too? As a trained public speaker he needs to be able to gesture with both hands while speaking to effectively make his points, so he needs to keep them umbrella-free?

I don't see anything in this picture which would make it difficult for Obama to hold his own umbrella.

It was a ceremonial occasion where the ceremonial Marines that are always at the White House were prepped beforehand with umbrellas to shield the Prime Minister and the President.

Why do you think they did this?

 

[C_Felix]

There's a photo going around on Facebook with St. Reagan holding his own umbrella and the text: Hey Obama! Why don't you hold your own umbrella!


I reply with this:

 

[sackett]

So that's what became of Teddy?

Roosevelt died around 1919 or so, if that is the America you knew, how old are you?

I'm stealing a line from an old Mr. Natural comic. Mr. Natural's father, after throwing Flakey Foont down the stairs, becomes tearful with grief for "the America I knew."

And I feel exactly what he feels.

 

[Tony]

I'm stealing a line from an old Mr. Natural comic. Mr. Natural's father, after throwing Flakey Foont down the stairs, becomes tearful with grief for "the America I knew."

And I feel exactly what he feels.

I was being silly. Please don't take my post as a jab at you personally.

I'm not familiar with the comic so I can't personally relate to what you're saying. But as long as I can remember political events (my memory tends to start with the Clinton admin, I was too young to understand anything from Reagan or Bush), petty BS like this has been going on.

 

[zeggman]

It was a ceremonial occasion where the ceremonial Marines that are always at the White House were prepped beforehand with umbrellas to shield the Prime Minister and the President.

Why do you think they did this?

Your explanation sounds reasonable, I just hadn't had that thought myself. Thanks.

 

[A'isha]

Your explanation sounds reasonable, I just hadn't had that thought myself. Thanks.

I apologize for my tone in that post.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Look at it like this: the Turkish guy merited an umbrella held for him because he was a guest. If Obama had gone without an umbrella, or carried it himself, he would then either be a) making the guest look stupid and feel uncomfortable or b) making himself look lesser in importance than the foreign guy. Apart from moving the thing indoors, there was pretty much nothing Obama could have done otherwise that would not have looked bad from some perspective. I would say the least bad outcome was what happened--he had his umbrella held for him, mirroring the guest. Yes, he looked a little foolish. But at least he didn't look servile, or like he was trying to look better than the guest. From my perspective, those two things would have been worse for diplomacy and image.

Oh, and screw all y'all for making me post seriously on what may well be the stupidest topic ever posted in this forum. That makes you worse than a quadrillion Pol Pots.

 

[uke2se]

What the hell is wrong with [edit]some[/edit] conservatives?

 

[zeggman]

I apologize for my tone in that post.

I must be tone deaf because I didn't see anything in the post that warranted an apology.

 

[zeggman]

That makes you worse than a quadrillion Pol Pots.

Yesss...!! (fist pump)

 

[sackett]

By JREF standards, zeggman and ANTPogo have fallen sobbing into each other's arms.

See? Wimpness is spreading like a plague -- it is a plague. What happened to the forum *I* knew?

Please don't look at me. I

I

I

I think I'm going to cry.

 

[Sam.I.Am]

There's a photo going around on Facebook with St. Reagan holding his own umbrella and the text: Hey Obama! Why don't you hold your own umbrella!


I reply with this:

I will reply by pointing out that that is not a Marine in uniform nor is it at a press conference. If anything it looks like a man in a servants type uniform who is standing behind his boss. I can make the distinction between a servant (who's job description is all about doing menial things like this) and a Marine (who's job description does not include doing things like this). Can you?

 

[Ladewig]

Plus, these marines are not holding their guns. That is because King Obama doesn't want honest armed servicemen near him.


jk

in the 1920s, straight men were paid more than comics.

 

[Noztradamus]

It is a bit silly.

What's the charge? That having somebody hold an umbrella for you is wimpy?

What does it matter if the president is effete, effeminate, and kind of wimpy? Do these traits affect his ability to govern? Probably not at all.

So what if Obama throws a baseball like a weak, poorly-coordinated child? He wasn't elected to strike people out, he was elected to make tough decisions. Wearing mom-jeans around town, while a bit off-putting, shouldn't have any effect on his ability to make those decisions.

Why do we need our presidents to be "manly". It seems a bit primitive to want tough, macho guys in charge when brawn isn't necessary for the task at hand. Athletic ability is also overrated - what does that matter? Sports are just a distraction. Obama has big fish to fry; his inability to hit the broad side of a barn in his favorite sport has no bearing on crucial matters of state and national security.

Bravo to Obama for breaking the cycle and showing the American people that nary a whiff of masculinity is required to perform presidential duties.

View attachment 28178

 

[TellyKNeasuss]

It looks demeaning to the Marines. They are not there to be his butlers. Other presidents have either held their own umbrellas or have gone without them.

You've seriously never seen anyone hold an umbrella over a POTUS? It isn't all that uncommon, though usually it's done by a Secret Service agent rather than a Marine. I have never seen a POTUS carrying an umbrella (which doesn't mean that it's never happened, since I don't watch the POTUS 24-7).

 

[NoahFence]

“The Marine Corps Uniform Regulations, published by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, shall be binding on all Marines. No officer or official shall issue instructions which conflict with, alter, or amend any provision without the approval of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.”

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/05/16/obama-breaches-marine-umbrella-protocol/#ixzz2TalVsFAv

So only the commandant of the Marine Corps can alter the regulation, not you know, the commandant's BOSS?

 

[sir drinks-a-lot]

Give me a break! These people seem to get outraged at any old thing!

Why can't they have a more measured response, like those on the left? They only get outraged when there is really something going on. Like that time Marco Rubio took a drink of water.