The First Narcissist And The Challenges Of Staying On Script

Frank Bruni, NY Times columnist, inadvertently illustrates the difficulty of staying on script when employed by the Obama Press Office. Here he is with an interesting column that, superficially, is a movie review that has nothing to do with politics:

Joaquin Phoenix stars as a man in love with the operating system for his smartphone-esque device, a sexy Siri that — or should I say who? — tells him not only when he has mail but what a terrific male he is, and does this in Scarlett Johansson’s come-hither coo. There was much fuss recently over the decision that Johansson was ineligible for the Golden Globes: Should a disembodied voice’s contribution be regarded as any less real than a visible, palpable person’s? The debate echoed questions in the movie itself, which was written and directed by Spike Jonze and was just named the best picture of 2013 by both the National Board of Review and (in a tie with “Gravity”) the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

OK. But the real drama (OK, comedy) is here:

It’s a parable of narcissism in the digital world, which lets you sprint to the foreground of everything, giving you an audience or the illusion of one. To monitor Facebook or Twitter right after Nelson Mandela’s death last week was to be struck by how many people weren’t so much passing along the news as laying claim to it: Here’s what I thought of him. Here’s when I intersected with him. Here’s the personal reverberation.

Nelson and I! We can only wonder whether Mr. Bruni is aware of the Obama White House reaction to the news of Mandela's death.

As John Hayward said, "Little did Nelson Mandela dream that he'd be in a cell where Barack Obama would one day stand for a photo op."

REAL MEN OF HOLLYWOOD GENIUS: Wait a second - they signed Scarlett Johansson for a move and didn't put her on screen?

Comments

[narciso,]

Truly, TM a massive facepalm.

[Gmax]

Seriously, do you think Zero was able to get some tips on running a socialist paradise from Raul?

[clarice]

Very good, TM.

[Dave (in MA)]

Interesting. I seem to have moved from the Didn't See It phase to the Never Heard of It phase of movie cultural awareness. I'm even worse with music, or what passes for it.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

TomM-- speaking for myself, Scarlett J's voice is far sexier than her screen image.

BTW-- Bruni is one of the Prog High Priests who has begun the 'dump on Obummer Meme' as a failure to the Prog Utopia cause.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

DaveinMa-- I've moved on to the "I don't give a damn" phase of 'cultural' awareness.

[matt]

Imagine any other President shaking hands with Fidel or Raul. Yeah, I can't imagine it either.

So how many times did Obama use the word "I" in his eulogy?

[Gmax]

Uh oh, it may be finally dawning on the WH rats that the ship she be taking on water. But who thinks John Podesta is the answer? I love to see the panic in Democrat faces, it makes me laugh.

[BB Key]

Obama taking Selfies at the Funeral

[Dave (in MA)]

Posted this right before we got 2 new threads...
--
Today is the special election to replace Ed the Ice Cream Man Markey in the MA 5th congressional district.

I can't even find Frank Addivinola (the Republican candidate) mentioned in the so-called conservative paper the Boston Herald, but his opponent, the Democrat machine candidate, is mentioned on the front page of the Globe.

A search for Addivinola doesn't even come up in the Herald's archives.
--

[Jane]

"Little did Nelson Mandela dream that he'd be in a cell where Barack Obama would one day stand for a photo op."

Love it!

[James D.]

BB, I thought you were joking, but then I saw it.

My God. How low-class is that? There is not another President in our history who would have done that. Even Bill Clinton, shameful as he was, had enough self-awareness to know how to behave at a state funeral.

How ANYONE can support this disgraceful man, or find a single positive word to say about him, regardless of political views, is simply beyond me.

[Dave (in MA)]

BB Key,

http://selfiesatfunerals.tumblr.com/post/69596028648/obama-has-taken-a-funeral-selfie-so-our-work-here-is

[maryrose]

James D:
Obama and Moochelle are classless individuals and pretenders to the throne. Just think if the Edwards scandal had been publicized during the Iowa caucasses instead of held back this turkey wouldn't even be president now. Hil would have beat him in Iowa and New Hampshire and the rest as they say would be history. Someone high up did not want Bill and Hil to once again run the show. I wonder if the same people will kill her chances in 2016. Remember it was the super-delegates that did her in the final stages. She was beating Bammy like a drum in some of the final primaries.She actually had to give him some of her hard-won Michigan delegates after he {being cute by half} did not get on the ballot because Michigan went out of turn.

[rse]

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/sharing-economy-conference-boston-tickets-8741324537

In case Jane or TC want to attend.

[cathyf]

Wow -- thanks for the funeral selfie link, Dave. Another amazing thing -- Michelle actually looks completely appropriate in THAT picture!

[anonamom]

She also looked great at the Sunday WH gala. Somebody must have finally bought a full length mirror for the WH.

She's been laying very low lately---guess she doesn't want to be associated with Obamacare either.

[narciso,]

Oh, this will be amusing of sorts;

http://therightscoop.com/watch-secretary-of-state-john-kerry-testify-before-congress-on-iran-deal/

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

'amusing of sorts'

yeah like a 40 car pile up on the Bronx River Parkway, amusing.

[Porchlight]

There appears to be a Ted Cruz coloring book that looks to me like an obvious parody designed to make him look bad, but the ThinkProgress morons seem to believe it's real:

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/12/09/3036431/good-news-tea-party-parents-coloring-book-teach-children-love-ted-cruz/

[Porchlight]

Here's the image with a little flair:

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

You know what-- I respect that Moochelle is keeping her distance and her proper funeral face away from that Gong Show. There's your Three Stooges right there. Gawd.

[daddy]

.

[Porchlight]

Yes, I hope Michelle is suitably embarrassed. But based on some of the other photos, I think she was just angry that Barry was giggling with the blonde Danish PM.

[Captain Hate]

Reposted from a dead thread: Nothing says "Christmas" like making a double batch of ginger crinkles while listening to Tammy Bruce, who had no idea who the lezzo was in Time's list.

[daddy]

The last line at Insty's link about the bummed selfie of Michelle sez:

Later photos show Michelle switching seats with Obama to move him away from the blonde Danish prime minister.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Daddy-- what was the problem with the Danish PM? Does she have a thing for Gay Guys?

[daddy]

Here's Michelle O playing musical chairs with the the Danish PM.

[cathyf]

Yeah, that last shot where she is half turning away from Helle Thorning-Schmidt is pathetic. That's what my cats do when they want to dis you.

[Threadkiller]

"How ANYONE can support this disgraceful man, or find a single positive word to say about him, regardless of political views, is simply beyond me."

I thought the same thing when I joked about his citizenship.

[daddy]

And Barry and Miss Denmark in happier times (without the baggage known as Moochelle):

No wonder Colin Powell loves Obama:

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

I see that Susan Rice and the Iranian Rodent are right behind their Royal Heinies.

[daddy]

Now where have we seen that look before?

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

What a crew of grifters. Detestable.

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

Back from a wonderful meet up with Extraneus. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of a snowy day could deter me!
Had a lovely lunch (got to try escargot!) & talked, talked, talked...by the time we came out the sun had broken though. Hope for America!

What wonderful people here...seriously, I've met so many great Americans. If you ever get a chance I highly recommend JOM meet ups.

[Jane]

I see that Susan Rice and the Iranian Rodent are right behind their Royal Heinies.

First thing I noticed too. When a teleprompter isn't available, ValJar is there to whisper in his ear.

Oh and I'd bet a lot Obama has no idea of the history between Cuba and the US. He just knows it's a "cool" place because the rulers get to do what they want.

[narciso,]

I believe she was the plaintiff in one of the first case of SSM before the Court.

[Captain Hate]

That's her, narc, as teh Tam subsequently stated.

In the pictures before Mooch interceded, the JEF looked like he was in his natural bullshitting element, which is what I've always considered him to be.

[Jane]

Tell us more Janet...

[cathyf]

You know, the thing that most strikes me about Obama is how odd he is. Normal behavior -- like flirting with a beautiful woman -- is somehow reassuring that he is actually in our species

[anonamom]

I have to correct my approval on another thread about our First Lady's dress today. I
got a much better picture of the questionable-to-inappropriate short lacy dress FLOTUS wore to the Mandela memorial today at our old favorite site--Michelle Obama's Mirror.
Apparently, no full length mirror on Air Force One.

http://www.michellesmirror.com/

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

Well...Extraneus is a good looking man with impeccable political views.
We mostly talked about JOMers & I brought some pictures. Covered family news ...
2 hours flew by.

[Captain Hate]

In that Michelle's Mirror site there's a video of Slick down a bit where, extremely typically, he talks about Mandela in reference to himself. He has an odd discoloration on his forehead. Did he forget to put makeup on to cover the 666 mark or has Rodham's aim with ashtrays gotten a lot better?

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

a friend on FB reminds us of this from Nov. 2012 - America, Meet Your New First Lady: Obama's Foreign Side Piece, the Prime Minister of Thailand

http://gawker.com/5961769/america-meet-your-new-first-lady-obamas-foreign-side-piece-the-prime-minister-of-thailand

[narciso,]

Well we wouldn't expect him to be any more aware;

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/12/horrible-obama-compares-mandela-to-gandhi-mlk-and-lincoln-in-eulogy/

[Captain Hate]

Remember when the MFM used to obsess report on things like this? http://minx.cc/?post=345608

[matt]

Flirting with an attractive woman, especially a nation's president and especially with your wife staring at you is a special kind of stupid.

[matt]

daddy,

who's the guy in the poorly fitting jacket in the top photo. Very metrosexual. Very ewww....

[rich@gmu]

Janet-

sorry I missed out. darn it, where did you go to lunch.

[anonamom]

Can't fault him on his taste in female PMs.

[MarkO]

Then, spake the mirror thusly:

"It must be something you learn at President School: how to make every major world event about you. Because left to my own devices, I never would have been able to make the connection between a militant South African black man being left to break rocks in a hell-hole of a prison for 27 years, and the first black American President being impeached for lying to the Grand Jury about getting bjs in the Oval office. Only a world class fabulist/prevaricator like Bubba could do that."

[Jane]

Janet,

That is hysterical. Gay men are very good at flirting.

[Ignatz]

I'll defer to the ladies' superior radar on these matters, but it looks to me like that great Dane is doing a great deal of flirting of her own.

Michelle's radar seems to be indicating the same thing, since she had to play chaperone and separate the kids.

[narciso,]

That's quite clear, and her reaction was much as with Carla Bruni,

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

Rich, We met at the Bistro Du Coin in DC. It's up around Dupont Circle.

[daddy]

who's the guy in the poorly fitting jacket in the top photo. Very metrosexual. Very ewww....

Matt,

It's NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

They may have misspelled his middle name.

[Annoying Old Guy]

Capt. Hate;

MOTUS claims the mark is due to Hillary!'s superior aim.

[Gus]

I think Michelle Odrama would rather have Opie Von Kenyatta get it on with a black man, than have him talk to a WHITE WOMAN.

[majones.co.kr]

The Importance Of Car Batteries and COUGH.
The Importance Of Car Batteries