Obama's Alleged Retreat From History [UPDATED]

By way of Hot Air I learn that Reason has detected Obama's retreat from history, or at least, past Presidential biographies:

In May, several folks took note that the White House’s web site had quietly added USA Today-style factoids promoting Obama’s accomplishments at the bottom of the biographies of other presidents, Democrat and Republican alike....

But as quietly as the Obama boasts appeared, they have been removed. The bullet points are now gone from all the biographies on the White House’s website.

Really? Some of them may be gone, but I can still find supplemental "Did You Know" plugs for Obama at the Kennedy, Reagan and Nixon bios. Also Coolidge, Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Johnson, and Carter. [And now Reason can, too, in their update.]

In fact, unless we are talking about a major format change, I don't think anything has happened. So what website was Reason looking at, or what am I seeing?  I put in a few current screenshots below.

And here is how the NY Times described it last May:

The White House added the footnotes on Monday in a section titled, “Did You Know?” under the official biographies, which were written by the historian Michael Beschloss and the journalist Hugh Sidey. A White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal operations told The New York Times and other news outlets on Tuesday that no biographies had been altered, and emphasized that the White House was simply adopting a promotion technique widely used on the Web.

Here is the bottom of the White House bio for Reagn:

And Kennedy:

Beats me. What are other people seeing?

 

 

Comments

[Donald]

Right off the top of its pointy little head.

[Captain Hate]

Welcome to Cleveland, JEF http://weaselzippers.us/2012/06/14/romney-campaign-bus-drives-circles-around-obama-speech-site-honking-its-horn/

[Chubby]

:(
and I thought it had been corrected.

I was reading this morning about the Emperor Augustus, once he had consolidated his power, kept it in hand by keeping up an appearance of self- deprecation, for example having silver statues of himself melted down. It makes perfect sense to me that self-exaltation is not a quality that will be much appreciated or admired by citizens of a Republic.

[matt]

This is the one I want to read"

"and in 2012, President Obama celebrated his historic election loss with an early retirement ceremony on November 7 leaving Vice President Joe Biden in charge of cleaning up his mess and handing over the keys to Marine One"

[NK]

CaptH-- when the reporters start clamoring for a Romney apology, Romney better say somethin Pattonesque like-- "I never told the driver to do that, but I wish to hell I had." No craven McCainesque apologies.

[Captain Hate]

Talk about being stuck with the tab http://weaselzippers.us/2012/06/14/pay-your-fair-share-obama-chews-and-screws-on-bill-at-bbq-restaurant/

[Clarice]

Why do you suppose the hires at the bottom of the heap are better than the ones at the top? The wh website has been a source of mirth from the outset.

[bgates]

Did You Know?

George Washington risked his family's fortune and his life to lead a principled fight for liberty against the greatest military power of his time. After being elected President of the United States twice, he voluntarily returned to private life in the absence of any legal constraint in order to set a precedent for the orderly and peaceable transfer of power that endured for generations.

Today, Barack Obama is an asshole.

[Joan]

Oh, bgates, you just gave me the best laugh I'll have all day ... no one will top 1:56 post!

[Captain Hate]

Romney just gave a nice speech which would've been simultaneous with the JEF's if the deadbeat had been on time.

[Joan]

Obama just started his speech...I muted my television.

[Jane]

The deadbeat has never been on time.

[Chubby]

ditto Joan re bgates post

[lyle]

Awesome, bgates!

[Porchlight]

Ha, bgates.

Yes, Reason updated their post (which I linked on last thread) to say that the biography insertions hadn't been removed after all, or not all of them at any rate.

Do they really think this reformatting changes anything?

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce played a bit of the JEF's claptrap for a while and then grew sick of it because it's his standard content-free garbage given to uncritical juveniles. I can't stand to listen to it without somebody doing a mocking voice-over.

[Jane]

Megyn Kelley has a copy of a letter Holder sent to Issa today. 4 paragraphs long and an attempt to put off contempt of congress. Unfortunately she has not read it and I can't find it anywhere else.

[Chubby]

the comments at Cap's 1:39 are so funny :))))))

[Threadkiller]

Did you know?

President Chester Arthur burned his family records in order to conceal his dual citizenship.

Did you know?

President Chester Arthur's dual citizenship was unknown until 2008.

Did you know?

President Chester Arthur appointed Justice Horace Gray to the supreme court. Horace Gray is famous for the massive dicta written into Wong Kim Ark.

[Jim Ryan]

In his late teens Ronald Reagan saved scores of people as a lifeguard. Barack Obama, in his late teens, got baked and coked up all the time and devoted himself to Marxist mental masturbation.

[Porchlight]

I'm at work so can't follow the speech, but saw this just now at HotAir:

Obama: “In this election you have two very different visions to choose from.”

Guy in audience: “No we don’t”.

I can’t believe that just happened at an Obama campaign rally.

rndmusrnm on June 14, 2012 at 2:18 PM

Another commenter said Obama appeared to be rattled by that.

[Jane]

He asks for a meeting no later than Monday and offers some minor accommodation:

1. docs that speak to how they sent the lying letter, but nothing else.

BS

[lyle]

Did you know that Reagan proposed a missile defense known as the Strategic Defense Initiative or SDI? It was widely ridiculed as "Star Wars" by liberal critics using a popular movie from the 70s as a foil. Obama married a wookie at approximately the same time.

[MarkO]

• Did you know?

Obama’s a liar

[jimmyk]

Guy in audience: “No we don’t”.

Hope he did his taxes carefully, he's gonna get audited.

[Chubby]

one of the comments at Cap's link:

((Delta says:
June 14, 2012 at 1:57 pm
It’s a good thing the Obama campaign doesn’t have a mascot, because if they did you can be damn sure Mitt Romney campaign would steal it.))

lololololololol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ignatz]

--Today, Barack Obama is an asshole.--

Yeah and just like that other God guy, Barack is the same today, yesterday and tomorrow.

[rse]

Jim Ryan definitely gets today's alliteration award.

[jimmyk]

it's his standard content-free garbage given to uncritical juveniles.

It's what got him elected, to my never-ending astonishment. He doesn't seem to realize that he needs a bit more this time around.

[Ignatz]

Alito's revenge:
Sheldon Adelson; maybe I'll give $100 million to Romney to whip that skinny Chicago kid's sorry Marxist ass (or words to that effect).

[daddy]

Good Morning.

Palin hatred continues unabated.

[Ignatz]

Why is the title of this thread 'Obama's Alleged Retreat From History' but the URL is 'Obama's Partial Retreat From History'?

[daddy]

Traitor!

[Captain Hate]

the comments at Cap's 1:39 are so funny :))))))

It got better with an infestation of concern trolls who were roundly ridiculed. This is soooo much better than McRINO's campaign.

[lyle]

I'm calling the ASPCA.

[Neo]

Speaking Truth to Power:
CALLER: It just came to my mind that Mr. Bush has got to be an absolutely incredible individual if, three years after Mr. Obama was immaculated, he still has not been able to undo all the good works that Mr. Bush did.
RUSH: It is amazing, isn’t it? After three-and-a-half years, everything that’s happened the last three-and-a-half years, if it’s all been Bush’s fault, don’t we have evidence enough now to know that Obama can’t deal with it. Obama doesn’t know what to do with it. We need to elect somebody who can stand up to Bush.
CALLER: Absolutely.
RUSH: This guy can’t even rescind tax cuts. This guy can’t fix anything that Bush did. If we reelect Obama, won’t it just be four more years of disaster caused by Bush? Obama’s admitting he can’t fix what Bush did. Why reelect him? If Bush screwed it up so bad we need somebody in there that can fix it. Obama’s been at it three-and-a-half years, he is admitting every day, and he’s gonna do it again today, that he can’t fix it. That’s what he’s saying.
CALLER: Yeah.

[Chubby]

Cap, I've been refreshing. :)))))))

[DebinNC]

" Copyright 2009 by the White House Historical Association."

The only purpose of the bios was and is the opportunity to add the Obama postscripts. He honestly thinks his "accomplishments" equal or surpass every previous POTUS. It's scary to think a majority of voters might be as ignorant and/or delusional as he is.

BTW, in this sentence - "The Presidential biographies on WhiteHouse.gov are from “The Presidents of the United States of America,” by Michael Beschloss and Hugh Sidey." - why is there a comma after America and why isn't the book title either underlined or italicized, instead of put in quotes as magazine articles that don't stand alone are?

[ECM]

I ahve a serious question (no, really): *whom* are these little factoids for, exactly? Is there a critical mass of undecided voters that would read them and think "oh yeah! now that I know there's some spurious, highly tortured, link to Reagan, I'm so totally going to support Obama!"

Those that can't breathe on their own without the aid of a machine probably are already voting O and this is only going to aggravate the right and, as stupid as I think most 'independents' are, they can't be *this* stupid.

[daddy]

Everybody always talks about Killing The Whales, but nobody actually does anything about it.

Until now!

Eskimo whalers, hoping to expand the use of a powerful new bomb that kills their giant prey quickly, have asked federal weapons regulators to permit U.S. manufacture of the explosive projectile.

However there has been pushback:

"Many of the most successful whaling captains prefer the black-powder bombs that have long served them well, said Johnny Aiken, executive director of the Eskimo Whaling Commission."

One fin forward, 2 fins back.

[lyle]

No one's falling for it, ECM. It's just Zero's sychophants lining up to fluff him, nothing more.

[AliceH]

--One fin forward, 2 fins back. --

Huh. I thought it was "2 fins enter. 1 fin leaves" :)

[matt]

according to the White House web site, the dog in the photo's name is "Dinner".

[Chubby]

((*whom* are these little factoids for, exactly?))

they are there to boost Obama's sense of his own greatness

[Threadkiller]

"CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela is building unmanned drone aircraft as part of military cooperation with Iran and other allies, President Hugo Chavez said, in a move likely to heighten U.S. anxiety over his socialist government's role in the region.

Referring to a Spanish media report that U.S. prosecutors are investigating drone production in Venezuela, Chavez said late on Wednesday: "Of course we're doing it, and we have the right to. We are a free and independent country.""

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/venezuela-says-building-drones-irans-help-160436916.html

I wonder if the three point landing in Tehran helped their R&D.

[fdcol63]

We're gonna be stuck with this ba$turd forever.

[hit and run]

TM: What are other people seeing?
This:

[AliceH]

So many good comments on that weaselzippers post linked earlier by CH! here's a rebuttal I particularly liked:

The ConcernTroll:

Romney may have “presidential hair” but sure doesn’t show any class by this stunt.... And by the way, the glee that his supporters show over this childish and unprofessional act is sickening. I’ve never seen a more hate-filled group of people in my life.

Rebuttal:

really?? you haven’t?, go to Santa Monica Ca and tell anyone you are Republican, try that

[peter]

So glad I cancelled my subscription to this rag years ago:; LUN

[NK]

Mittster-- link below to Mitt tweaking 'Bam's econ speech. Mitt quotes the Once from 2009 when Once said if he doesn't fix economy in 3 years, 'Bam is a one term proposition. Excellent snark by the Mittster: http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/romney-obama-looking-one-term-proposition_647247.html

[daddy]

Nice segment on Cavuto.

He just had on Dennis Kacinich, who in perfect Krugman imitation said we need to have a second massive stimulus, bigger than the first, to build infrastructure, blah blah blah. Said something like he wanted to invent money out of thin air instead of borrowing it from the Chinese.

Cavuto let him ramble as long as he wanted, then called him "naive" and said he sounded like a guy playing Black Jack who wanted to doubledown.

Nice job Neil. Wonder what Kucinich will do once he's out of Office? He's probably not a top choice as a host for MSNBC or CNN since he doesn't have a sordid public sex scandal in his background, but other than that he seems to have all the imbecilic Lefty qualifications those networks yearn for.

[Threadkiller]

Is Mitt using the Super Bus that Obama had built in Canada?

IIRC there were two busses built with one being designated to be used by the GOP candidate.

[Jim Eagle]

Peter,

You're 4:11 link reminded me to have Mark Twain call his office.

There are lies, damn lies and statistics:)

OT: Its going to be a light day for me here. Too many things going on - US Open, NBA Championship, Euro2012, 3 books I am reading, my Friend of the Court brief for Lance Armstrong, and on top of this we have elected to get Bandit a buddy. Its his littermate and brother Jazz who was still available. Flys into Daytona tomorrow and we pick him up after Basketball camp.

See you all later.

[Clarice]

In my next life I plan to come back as JiB's kid.

[Threadkiller]

"In my next life I plan to come back as JiB's kid."

Since the definition of "natural born" is so screwed up, I plan on being his kid in this lifetime.

I am housebroken, and my beer expenses are not that bad.

[Sara]

" alt="">

Romney and his campaign bus.

[Chubby]

Alice, there was another comment that pointed out that the left's idea of funny is Bush's head on a pike and their idea of hate is having the Romney bus drive around a campaign spot honking its horn :)))))

[Sara]

Let's try it again.

[Chubby]

((Wonder what Kucinich will do once he's out of Office? ))

volunteer to be rocketed into outer space?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Did you know?

Chester Arthur died in 1886.

Jesus, TK, give it a rest.

[bgates]

I thought it was "2 fins enter. 1 fin leaves"

No, that's Ukkonen Kupoli.

[Appalled]

I am not a big fan of the "drive a big bus and honk" gamesmanship. It seems petty. But --

The Obama folks do similar things and will continue to do so; and

Romney's showing bare knuckles consistantly gives him credibility. It makes him seem less likely to cave. And it does not seem to harm is image -- it's not like he is a slimy machine pol with a rent a mob in tow.

So this is probably a good approach for him. Pettiness sometimes serves a purpose.

[lyle]

Wonder what Kucinich will do once he's out of Office?

Model for Osh Kosh B Gosh?

[NK]

Bus Honking, good for a laugh today. But once is enough-- much more important is to do what Mitt did today, keep mocking 'Bam about jobs and the debt. Keep using 'Bam's big mouth against him

[Thomas Collins]

Appalled, I wonder whether Fehrnstrom is sending a signal that if Axelrod pulls a smear routine, Fehrnstrom is willing to smear back and then some. If so, I think it is a good signal to send.

[Sara]

The names have been changed, but the ad is as near a duplicate of an Obama ad against McCain in 2008.

Doing Fine?

[Ignatz]

--I ahve a serious question (no, really): *whom* are these little factoids for, exactly?--

They are for Barry. Congress is here for Barry. SCOTUS is here for Barry. The press is here for Barry. We are here for Barry.
It's all about Barry. Sure he can stop the oceans' rise without us, but somebody has to be a witness to history. We are fortunate to be of the generation that is blessed with that privilege.

[Chubby]

Sara, Romney must have felt a whole lotta love today, because a lot of it it was sent his way in the thread linked to above by Cap. I hope someone in his campaign reads it.

[Ignatz]

--volunteer to be rocketed into outer space?--

You got another way for him to get home?

[Captain Hate]

Wonder what Kucinich will do once he's out of Office?

He gets a pretty large pension from Congress, no? He'll never work for anybody the way we think of it, that's for sure.

[Sara]

I hope someone in his campaign reads it.

I don't think there is much that escapes their attention.

[NK]

Obamacare-- there should have been a SCOTUS conference today, and the Justices should have approved decisions for release next week, and possibly schedule a reading of decisions. Obamacare among them?

[Captain Hate]

I think the influx of trolls has overloaded Weasel Zippers. It was fun batting them around while it lasted.

[DebinNC]

If Obama doesn't wanna get honked, he shouldn't spend tax dollars on last minute flights to hastily arranged photo ops along Mitt's previously sceduled bus route.

[Ignatz]

Despite his squishiness Allapundit still manages some pretty funny headlines;

Gamechanger: Obama rocks America with speech everyone’s heard 50 times before.

[AliceH]

Hahahaha Posted by: bgates | June 14, 2012 at 04:36 PM

The best jokes are funny even when they require google searches to explain them.

[NK]

Correction-- no SCOTUS conference today-- off for Flag Day.

[Threadkiller]

Can't ChaCo.

Did you know?

In 1884 Chester Arthur gave this speech:

“An uniform rule of naturalization such as the Constitution contemplates should, among other things, clearly define the status of persons born within the United States subject to a foreign power (section 1992) and of minor children of fathers who have declared their intention to become citizens but have failed to perfect their naturalization. A just and uniform law in this respect would strengthen the hands of the Government in protecting its citizens abroad and would pave the way for the conclusion of treaties of naturalization with foreign countries.”

Wow! A citizenship expert. He was some precedent.

I mean President...

[daddy]

"I thought it was "2 fins enter. 1 fin leaves""

OK, got it. I'm baleen out on fin jokes.

[Chubby]

((I think the influx of trolls has overloaded Weasel Zippers. It was fun batting them around while it lasted))

yup, time to move on
let the trolls knock themselves out :)

[Thomas Collins]

TK, you might be interested in the LUNed article on Chet Arthur.

[Chubby]

((Despite his squishiness Allapundit still manages some pretty funny headlines))

one thing that is forever etched, etched I tell you, in my memory is Allah's photoshop during the Bush campaign of Kerry and Ter-a-sa aboard the Titanic

[DebinNC]

Insty has a link to a Bill Clinton speech two years ago, at the same Ohio community college Obama was at today, telling the crowd Obama needed another two years to fix the economy. Oops.

[Sara]

Did you remember to fly your flag today?

Raising the Flag

[DebinNC]

And new Romney ad is a twofer using Obama and Clinton quotes.

[Thomas Collins]

My nominee for Tweeter of the Day is Rich Gorka, Romney travelling press secretary, for this tweet in response to a complaint about Romney bus noise.

"Maybe Anna Wintour will design a scarf to muffle the sound."

[Clarice]

Narciso, check your email.

Will anyone who sees him here ask him to do that. Thnx.

[matt]

The perfect gift for Kucinich's retirement party is a case of aluminum foil and a Scientology manual. That way he can get in touch with his inner Thetan and stay in touch with the aliens at the same time.

[daddy]

Great point by a caller to Dennis Miller's Show.

"They always talk about what Obama inherited from Bush..he inherited this, he inherited that, he inherited etc. They never talk about what Romney is going to inherit."

Ha!

Get Mitt on the line.

Make that a campaign commercial ASAP!

[Porchlight]

Romney's showing bare knuckles consistantly gives him credibility. It makes him seem less likely to cave.

I think you are right, Appalled. It gives the GOP base confidence. And it signals to the Pinhead Troika that this campaign is not going to roll over for them like McCain's did.

[DebinNC]

ABC reports Obama and four guests frequented a small family restaurant yesterday and left without paying the bill. He's probably been comp'd most of his life, and bill-paying is an alien concept.

[Clarice]

Tonight the Obamas are also going to a $10 k fundraiser at the Plaza with Mariah Carey..Oh which one to attend. $10 K with Mariah or $40k with the Wintour-Parker desiccated team?

[Porchlight]

54 minutes. El JEFe's speech was 54 flipping minutes long.

Please Barack, keep doing this every week.

[sailor]

Well, I do hope so, Porch. Being the eternal pessimist that I am, I stay afraid that Romney will still say Obama is a "nice guy, BUT"

[Clarice]

Deb, remember this is the week he accused GW of sticking him with the steak bill.HEH

[daddy]

Wanna' know how to tick off a remote Alaskan Village, population 6080?

Put out fake fliers announcing the opening of a Taco Bell in the village and start taking job applications.

Cold:(

[Porchlight]

DebinNC,

“It’s like somebody goes to a restaurant, orders a big steak dinner, a martini and all that stuff, then just as you’re sitting down they leave and accuse you of running up the tab.”

[Chubby]

((...ABC reports Obama and four guests frequented a small family restaurant yesterday and left without paying the bill. ))

and it is Romney that is supposed to be out of touch with ordinary Americans?

[AliceH]

According to buzzfeed, the Romney campaign bus went around the venue where Obama was going to speak 1) well before the speech when Obama supporters were still outside waiting to get in 2) outside the security perimeter 3) two times.

The 'concern trolls' and lefties need to breathe into a paper bag for a few minutes if this little incident, which was not threatening, violent, or even disruptive in the least, sends them into such transports of hysteria.

[Clarice]

Alice, I hope your news was good.