He's Got His, Or, Can't Spell "Book Deal" Without Barack

Obama reportedly signed a $500,000 book deal just before taking office.  Well, good for him.  I guess it is only a coincidence that he proposed to cap executive pay at $500,000 at TARP firms; presumably these guys are free to write books as well.

My favorite quote from The One:

“If the taxpayers are helping you, then you have certain responsibilities to not be living high on the hog.”

No word on whether the Barack "Book Deal" Obama, resident of the White House, will be forgoing flights on Air Force One, or even giving up his wagyu steak.  But he feels our pain!

WE FACE THESE TOUGH CALLS EVERY DAY!  "Book Deal Barry" or "Book Deal Barack"? 

SPEAKING OF PAIN:  Here is the rationale on offer for the imminent FNMA bonuses:

James Lockhart, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, or FHFA, which regulates Fannie and Freddie, said the bonuses they are paying are "critical" to retain people needed to support the mortgage market and work on foreclosure-prevention efforts. After the companies' chief executives were ousted in September, "it would have been catastrophic to lose the next layers down and other highly experienced employees," he said. Mr. Lockhart added that compensation has declined for many employees because other types of bonuses weren't paid last year, and "past stock grants are virtually worthless."

So we kept on the same people who got us into this mess, just as with AIG FP.  I say a deal is deal, so pay 'em, but if I don't hear suitable wailing and sanctimony from the usual suspects then clearly the AIG wailing was all for show and unsupported by any coherent principle.

[end of thread]

Comments

[Pofarmer]

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

[William Teach]

What bothers me most about this story is not the money Obambi is getting, hey, if he can get it, good for him (though his hypocrisy is amusing, and it does seem strange that a sitting president is going to capitalize on that.) What bothers me is that he is making his book more child friendly, in what appears to be an indoctrination attempt.

[kim]

Good one, Pofarmer. If we had a free press, the Democrats would be getting roasted over this and the whole housing mess. Jon Stewart, can you get a life and some integrity, please?
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[kim]

Integrity, integrity, integrity. When do we eat? I mean vote?
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[kim]

Speaking of child indocrination, I think I know why Obama has stiffed Ayers. His fingerprints. Literal and figurative. Bernardine is going to jail, and maybe William, too.

Now maybe we'll find out who made up the Barack dream story. Show me the certiorari.
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[ben]

"If the taxpayers are helping you, then you have certain responsibilities to not be living high on the hog.”

Absolutely, and he has moral authority to say so, since he is living in the White House in such squalid conditions at his own expense.

[clarice]

I think the teleprompter deserves a cut of the advance and royalties.

[MayBee]

Is this greed?

[Ranger]

I think Obama should lead by example and give back his half of the money.

[kim]

Look, we know the teleprompter is Axelrod. Depersonalizing it just helps him hide. Let the sun shine in. Rats and cockroaches will scurry.
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[Charlie (Colorado)]

I'm really torn on this. Should I be glad of the teaching opportunity this presents, so people find out what "Kobe beef" really is, or annoyed because nobody says "wagyu beef, also known as Kobe beef."

You just know that if Bush were serving this, it would be "wagyu beef, also known as Kobe beef, which can cost $500 a pound".

[MayBee]

Wagyu and Kobe aren't the same thing!

[MayBee]

Or I should say, not all Kobe is a subset of wagyu.

[MayBee]

No, that's not what I should say.
I should say, Kobe is a subset of wagyu.

[Jim Ryan]

Ah, but is Kobe a proper subset of wagyu? Charlie?

[Pofarmer]

U.S. dollar index now off another $1.60.

Can I use off a cliff yet?

[Pofarmer]

Stagflation boys.

Git-R-Dun.

[Old Lurker]

See the LUN, Po. They agree with you re the dollar.

[matt]

just another sleazy Chicago deal...move along, nothing to see here...why doesn't he donate it to the veterans organizations he just slagged?

[clarice]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mNDHTfdn1A
The Obama Side step

[Barry Dauphin]

Speaking of Kobe, perhaps we can find out what the President's picks are for the NBA playoffs too.

[Anonymous]

I read somewhere that the money is going to charity - ACORN? or TheRaza?

[Donald]

Charity ain't Obama's thing. Class ain't Obama's thing. Sleazy is Obama's thing. Cheap is Obama's thing. Class Warfare is his BIG DEAL. Bush was a war president. Obama, is a child playing president, next in 2011, when both houses of congress turn, which seemed a complete impossibility just 30 days ago, he is going to be I swear to God, just like I said before, like the leader of Il Paveau, all puffed up and incredulous that he's being removed. Nancy's mascara is gonna run, and Harry's just gonna run to some hide out in the desert. Barney, well, Barney's gonna go have gay sex, and Chris Dodd's gonna go get a sandwich...so to speak.

[Jim Ryan]

Always like my Donald posts. Like throwing back a shot.

[ben]

"You just know that if Bush were serving this, it would be "wagyu beef, also known as Kobe beef, which can cost $500 a pound".

Taken from confined animals living in horrid conditions and slaughtered inhumanely, of course.

[David in San Diego]

Book Deal Barry just flows with great mocking humor.

Book Deal Barack evokes thoughts of underhandedness and subterfuge.

Decisions, decisions.

[ben]

"The same is true with AIG. It was the right thing to do to step in. Here's the problem. It's almost like they've got -- they've got a bomb strapped to them and they've got their hand on the trigger. You don't want them to blow up. But you've got to kind of talk them, ease that finger off the trigger."

I guess the question to Obama would be how many actual cases are there where the suicide bombers were actually talked out of detonating....

The answer might defuse that argument, pun intended.

[Donald]

Jim, my psychologist (yeah I got one) says I'm a top 5%'r in intelligence. I tell her to read Just One Minute and Protein wisdom. That'll fix her ass. I also showed her a picture of Shane McGowan last week. She was appropriately horrified.

[Jim Ryan]

Cheers, Donald.

[PeterUK]

Obama is stupid to raise this issue,comparisons will be made,questions asked.If experienced AIG staff are not good value to the taxpayers,is Barack Obama good value as President? After all you can get any schnook to run for office.

[bad]

I object to the use of the word "schnook" in this way.

I had a wonderful pet goose named Schnookums who was highly intelligent, teleprompter free, and loaded with integrity.

He is spinning in his grave at the moment.

[PeterUK]

bad,
I retract and substitute wazzock.Anyone who had a pet gerbil called Wazzock can bugger off!

[bad]

LOL PUK and thank you. Schnookums can rest in peace...

He really was delightful.

[Donald]

I saw him sing that last Tuesday!

[Jim Ryan]

Get out! Was he plastered? I heard that he sings it drunk as a skunk but has no trouble getting through the lengthy song.

[Donald]

They played in Atlanta (They did DC for St Patty's). Every single member of the band was drinking bottled water. They came out, started playing, then here he comes stumbling out, being led by a guy to the stand, where he held on for dear life, started babbling, then started singing. It is one of the most tragic and beautiful things ever so see the Pogues and to see Shane do his thing. He didn't miss a word for 2 hours, but he was also talkative, and you just couldn't make out a word. The band was as increbile as ever. He looks terrible, worse than ever, and has gained about 40 lbs around his rear and mid section. I've seen 'em 3 time now over 20 years, and all I can say, if any of you have ever seen or heard of Shane McGowan, well Keith Richard is a posuer. Shane and George Jones baby, they're all we got left.

[Donald]

Oh, and he was wasted of course.

[Porchlight]

It is just too unfair. I've seen Shane with the Popes and the Pogues w/o Shane (I know, I know), but never have I had the opportunity to see the Pogues proper w/o traveling far and wide. But Donald, glad you had the pleasure.

Shane's drink (or one of them anyway) is apparently tequila and grapefruit juice, a favorite of mine as well.

[Jim Ryan]

Unbelievable. I've heard exactly this description of their performance of the tune, minus the extra lbs, from some friends of mine 20 years ago.

[Donald]

They did 2 great appearances on Saturday Night Live. One was a St. Paddy's day gig hosted by Rob Lowe. I forget what the played, but when they came out for the second song, they hit and instrumental deal, and Shane started doing some kinda shuffling kinda dance. He was a little kid lost, and a real deal Irish poet all in one. The second time was with Spider doing the singing after he was fired, it was a lilting version of Tuesday Morning, and I damned near cried.

I've seen some unbelievable stuff. I saw Sid Vicious with the Sex Pistols in Atlanta, completely oblivious to anything except the rednecks throwing beer bottles at him, take the blows and laughing.

I've seen Iggy Pop slice his chest up with a broken beer bottle, doing his thing.

I saw Johnny Cash and I saw George Jones stroll out then fall on his face.

There is nothing in the world like Shane McGowan.

There ain't nothing like Shane McGowan

[Porchlight]

We used to joke that the only word you could understand coming out of Shane was "whiskey," but at least it could be found in every song.

I love Spider Stacy too. What a band.