On The Road With Obama

Peter Baker of the NY Times hits the road with Obama. The TimesLove from 2008 is not still there, so we see some surprising criticisms. But they leave a few comic stones unturned, so on we march:

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — By the time President Obama took the stage at the Fox Theater here, he was in the 18th hour of a 19-hour day. His tie was still knotted to the top as he launched into his stump speech, attacking his opponent’s record and defending his own. “I still believe in you,” he said, “and I hope you still believe in me.”

He still believes in me! Giminy, it's feeling stronger every day. Why is Obama singing old Chicago classics? Which bright light among his speechwriters (or ad-libbers) thought that his belief in me was the issue? And why pick a song about lovers going their separate ways?

Obama shows an odd news sense here:

Flying on Air Force One last week, Mr. Obama read to aides a letter he had received from a 90-year-old man from Florida who said he was looking for work in sales and marketing. “I’m rounding third but not ready to slide into home,” the man wrote the president. “This is the best letter of the day,” Mr. Obama told the aides.

Hmm - does the old guy plan to score standing up? Is he going to head back to third and wait for the next batter (Romney, presumably) to bring him home?

And more importantly, why is this old chap looking for work? Did his home equity fall off a cliff in Florida? Did his 401(k) implode? I think it is great that this guy has the energy and motivation to look for a job but my goodness - if Obama has led us to a point where ninety year olds need to look for work to avoid the cat food diet, it's time for a change.

I hope the media tracks this guy down to hear the rest of his story.

Comments

[Rick Ballard]

The Texas primary tomorrow will push Governor Romney into the clear majority wrt delegates but the real battle is in the Democrat primary. Will Nobody maintain momentum tomorrow and then carry on into California? The next eight days will provide an indication of whether Please Believe in Me will keep the President above 40%.

PS - Who should I root for in the Texas Senate race? Dewhurst appears to have the lead but Cruz has Tea Party backing.

[Janet]

I hope the media tracks this guy down to hear the rest of his story.

Me too. Do you figure it was one old guy or a composite? One 90 yr old might really be a 23, 30, & 37 yr old composite character in the land of compression books.

[Rick Ballard]

Probably Cherokendonesian as well, Janet.

[Jane]

Rick,

All I hear is "Cruz,Cruz,Cruz - but that's all I know about it.

[Janet]

"For the sake of compression, some of the characters that appear are composites of people I've known, and some events appear out of precise chronology,"

He might have even read this letter years ago. Who knows.

[Ignatz]

--Hmm - does the old guy plan to score standing up?--

With this guy throwing;

what 90 year old couldn't steal home standing up?

[Janet]

Yeah Rick...Cherokendonesian Hah!

[narciso]

On a more serious note;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-officials-among-the-targets-of-iran-linked-assassination-plots/2012/05/27/gJQAHlAOvU

[AliceH]

Isn't that pitching stance more like a cricket bowler?

I throw like a girl, but I don't throw like that.

[myiq2xu]

And more importantly, why is this old chap looking for work?

He needs the money to support his parents.

[Rocco]

A Mitt Romney E-Mail I just received

Volunteer campaign worker for his dad's gubernatorial campaign 1 year.

Unpaid intern in Governor's office 8 years.

Mormon missionary in Paris 2 years.

Unpaid bishop and stake president for his church 10 years.

No salary as president of the Olympics 3 years.

No salary as MA governor 4 years.

That's a grand total of 28 years of unpaid service to his country, his community and his church.

[myiq2xu]

And more importantly, why is this old chap looking for work?

His girlfriend is pregnant.

[Ignatz]

--Isn't that pitching stance more like a cricket bowler?--

Speaking of bowling;

Is there anything he doesn't stink at?

Anyone else note the uncanny resemblance between the thing he's tossing and the thing on the end of his neck?

[Threadkiller]

He's pretty good at basketball, Ig.

[Jane]

Is there anything he doesn't stink at?

Let's see: Eliminating his enemies, blackmailing the press, lying thru his teeth, ignoring the constitution, robbing the taxpayer - just as a start.

[Ignatz]

Heh, TK.

[Jim Eagle]

AliceH,

In cricket bowling you have a run up and the ball cannot be delivered with a bent elbow - IOW's no throwing:

[Charlie (Colorado)]

His girlfriend is pregnant.

That's encouraging.

[Jim Eagle]

His girlfriend is pregnant.

That's encouraging.

Considering she is 82, you bet it is.

[Ranger]

In cricket bowling you have a run up and the ball cannot be delivered with a bent elbow - IOW's no throwing

Yes, it always amazed me they could get the ball anywhere near the wickets. I have no idea how you aim throwing something like that.

[Ignatz]

Is the dude's name Abraham?

[Captain Hate]

I don't know if somebody 106 would have enough patience to teach somebody to drive; but I could be wrong.

[Neo]

The old stories of “events” requires that we consider that the current trajectory of the campaigns will change when the SCOTUS rules on ACA.
I’m sure that Team Obama knows that the ruling is most likely not going to be to their liking, else there wouldn’t be this ‘whisper campaign” going on now about how Chief Justice Roberts must uphold ACA in order to retain the legitimacy of the court .. which is a whole lot of hocum. They have already pre-positioned themselves with those commercials about “Julia” and those mailers (mostly to women) from the DNC about the great benefits that they will get (and lose) with ACA. They intend to fight a campaign of envy, about all those benefits that the evil Tea Party and the Republicans in concert with the SCOTUS have taken away from “us.” Van Jones and Al Sharpton have been doing their part by spreading the message of the "evil Republicans" who eat small children and the elderly.
I hope Team Romney is ready for this. It also explains why they are doing the lame “Bain” thing now.

[Jim Eagle]

Hah.

How about the little documentary during half-time where Native American's gave this nation the game of LaCrosse? Since the game is being played in Mass. I wonder if Fauxchohantas is there to make sure the purity of the game is upheld?

[Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet]

C'mon Terps. Rally time.

[TexasIsHeaven]

"Who should I root for in the Texas Senate race?"

Dewhurst is just another RINO - talks real conservative out on the stump and at all the fundraisers. He is one more disappointment in my book.

All the cool and in the know people in Austin love him - the rest of us out in the real state of Texas - not so much.

And it would be nice to find a simple way to take Austin and dump it in tne middle of the Atlantic ocean - it's nothing but a blight on the great state of Texas.

[Captain Hate]

Jim, it just may be that Loyola is the best team.

[AliceH]

JiB: I've watched cricket before. I didn't say he was demonstrating GOOD cricket form, but he does grip the ball like a cricket bowler.

Aside - ever watch someone who grew up playing cricket try to play softball/baseball? Funny as hell. Absolutely no concept of "strike zone".

[Captain Hate]

Speaking of 90 year old people that are looking for work, Dick Lugar has pointed out the wisdom of the Indiana primary voters by saying he won't campaign for Richard Mourdock. Way to be a team player, Dick.

[Janet]

Speaking of 90 year old people that are looking for work, Dick Lugar...

Hahahaha...too funny, Captain!! Oh my goodness!! Hahahahaaaa

[Danube of Thought]

Lugar misses no opportunity to remind us why we couldn't stand him.

[Rob Crawford]

Way to be a team player, Dick.

And right after his little brain fart about there being too many "individualists" in Indiana.

[Jim Eagle]

AliceH,

Have you ever visited my website at LUN? You'll find out that cricket is in my DNA.

And, of course, batting using a cricket bat is a different set of requirements than baseball or softball. The primary objective of the cricket batsman is to protect the wicket and secondly by doing that get runs in and keep his station without being out. Also, remember, in cricket the ball is "bounced or spun" into the popping crease, which requires the bastman to hold the bat at almost a 45 degree angle to the field. The strike zone for a cricket batsman is the length of his batting arc both leg-on and leg-off. Can you imagine in baseball or softball having to give up a run if your pitch was outside the reach of the batter?

But when all is said and done, you can google an image of Albert Pujols (lets say) swingin a bat and Alastair Cooke or Andrew Strauss or Sachin Tendulkar swinging a cricket bat and you will be hard to tell the difference in their moves.

[narciso]

Even if he believes it, it's stupid to say it that way;

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2012/05/27/lugar-individualism-as-opposed-to-community-led-to-his-defeat/#comments

[daddy]

Watched Obama's Memorial Day speech today just because somebody had to.

Perhaps it's just my take, but the perfunctory delivery had me thinking of Willie Brown's comments yesterday:

"...the Barack Obama re-election campaign has lost its mojo.
There was no life, no personality, no memorable line or moment and no real enthusiasm...In short, there was no buzz.
It was like a summer rerun of a show that wasn't very interesting to begin with."

And having read Michael Barone's excellent article someone posted on the previous thread, I wonder if George Will is still advising Republican's as he did in March, to use their assets for winning Congress and not busting hump to take out Obama:

"Plan B for stopping Obama:"

"taking stock of reality, conservatives turn their energies to a goal much more attainable than, and not much less important than, electing Romney or Santorum president. It is the goal of retaining control of the House and winning control of the Senate."

Hope Will has got over that by now.

[Jim Eagle]

Sachin Tendulkar:

Albet Pujols:

[Jim Eagle]

Adrian Beltre:

Sachin Tendulkar:

[Jim Eagle]

All that said it is much harder to hit a baseball than a cricket ball.

Did you know that they play cricket in Kenya:)

[daddy]

90 year old sliding into Home Plate?

Bah! That spring chicken oughta' be out running Marathons.

[Carol Herman]

How come these stories don't make Mitt Romney look better?

Oh, the 90 year old guy votes in Florida.

He who takes Florida in November is probably going to be headed for a win.

Harder, of course, to get the 18 year old's to vote.

[Carol Herman]

George Burns said he was gonna perform at Vegas on his 100th birthday. He made the year. (1996)

Warren Buffett, of Berkshire Hathaway, is around 88. And, he's still going strong.

Nice thing about this 90 year old fella, he still uses stamps to send letters.

[GMax]

Rick I am voting for Cruz. He has an outside chance of forcing a runoff. He might actually win that if he does.

[Ralph L]

“I’m rounding third but not ready to slide into home,” means "I ain't dead, yet."

[Jim,MtnView,Ca,USA]

"Mitt volunteered for X years...Mitt took no salary for Y years..."
Who knew that *both* candidates never held a paying job? :)

[Laura White]

Tom, Clarice, any of you really in the public eye as far as the hard left is concerned--do indeed do what Erick Erickson and Glenn Reynolds have done, that is, notify your local sheriff NOW that there is a conspiracy afoot to get SWAT teams to your home based on a false report that you have a) killed your whole family; or b) something equally vile. If the sheriff knows in advance (as Erickson's sheriff did), the whole horror won't be as dangerous. And then everyone, read Michelle Malkin's "to do" list for suggestions about how to stop this very nasty business and punish the perpetrators. Gosh, really, Patterico (the first victim, I think) could have been shot--as it was he and his family were terrorized. Godspeed all.

[myiq2xu]

“I’m rounding third but not ready to slide into home,” means "I ain't dead, yet."

I thought it meant "I forgot to bring a condom."

[Sundog]

" 'I still believe in you,' [Obama] said, 'and I hope you still believe in me.' "

I do, Mr. President, but not the way you think.

I believed you were a phony in 2008, and I still do. I believed that you were an inexperienced, unqualified empty suit, and you have proven me right every day of the last three and a half years. Today, I believe more strongly than ever that you are the worst president this country has ever endured. And I believe you will continue to earn that title until the day you leave office.

Yes, Mr. President, I do believe. You can rest assured of that, sir.

[Gregory Koster]

Dear Tom: "I hope the media tracks this guy down to hear the rest of his story."

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. George Burns has nothing on you.

Dear Rick: If you are looking for background on Cruz, take a look at William Dyer's endorsement of Cruz, complete with link to a NATIONAL REVIEW cover story on Cruz. Go Ted!

[Jim Brock]

Give the guy a break. This picture is in mid-delivery, and it looks like he is holding the ball for a curve or slider. No dope on where it ended up, though.

I voted early. For Cruz. For Ron Paul.

Guess I like the real conservatives/libertarians.

[Greg Smith]

Cat food diet? Have you priced out the cost of cat food (or dog food) recently? It's no bargain either...

[Lisa Davis]

Definitely root for Cruz, and vote for him if in Texas. I, and eight other neighborhood leaders, spent three hours with him on a Sunday afternoon about 2 years ago. He is genuinely concerned with the direction of the country. We pelted him with difficult questions regarding his beliefs, how he formed them, why we should vote for him, etc. Imagine us skeptical questioners with a politico in front of us. HE WAS GREAT! He's argued several cases in front of the Supreme Court; AND he worked for years for Greg Abbott, the AG here in TX of whom I also think very highly. Cruz is the one...just my two cents (which is worth exactly two cents). Thanks!

[AT]

“I still believe in you,” he said, “and I hope you still believe in me.”

So does this mean he has "Tinker Bell Syndrome"? If they clap louder and longer he'll eventually regain his political life?

[Nate Whilk]

I was reminded of "I believe in you" from "How to succeed in business without really trying."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoJWzTasHE4&feature=related

[oakley sunglasses sale]

Don't expect any assistance or help from the LIBERAL INSTITUTIONS that we need to reconstruct as Americans

[Stages for hire]

Hi there, this weekend is good in favor of me, for the reason that this time i am reading this impressive educational post here at my residence.

[true religion outlet]

It really does feel like some kind of alternate universe where you get to play with the Beatles or whatever other band you have in mind. You can still hear the drums, vocals and bass pretty clearly and although I don't really show it in the video, it's a cool feeling.