I’m OK with the Speech

By E.J. Keene

Filed Under General, POTUS on Sep 8 

I realize that it may already be happening, but I thought I’d throw this out for fraternal dissection. After reading the speech, and reading the revised lesson plans that replaced the first version, I am OK with the President giving the message today to the kiddies. Stay in school, stay away from drugs, wash your hands, etc, is all good stuff. While I’d prefer it being a conservative president, there are moments when the Pres needs to be just that – presidential, and not some partisan hack.

The more glaring observation from this whole mess is that his teams are operating at an amateurish, ad hoc manner. Let’s just assume for a moment that his message was always going to be an innocuous one. If that’s the case, his prep teams, and the Dept of Edjimication, made him look real silly. He actually lost points on this whole process until all the second round work was done (which should have been done the first time). Knowing he’s in a whirlpool of partisan politics with healthcare, they should have striven to make this appear as innocent and innocuous as possible on the front end, even possibly motivational for some. Better advance communication to a number of people (schools, districts, parents), better voluntary transparency (like having the speech prepared before announcing it), and better lesson preparers (goodnes gracious, these are ed. professionals-that’s the best the could do??). But they didn’t, and he had egg on his face by the time the corrections came.

That’s a sign of leadership more than anything else. Good leaders have quality teams who are executing their role with the results that his office (and hopefully him in their eyes) is magnified and maintained as a quality person in a quality role. When they’re operating sub-par, he’s looking more than mortal – he starts to look more like Jimmy Carter.

Comments

  • Brian H

    Why does this man, Obama, feel the need to interject himslef on the day that is for most schools across the nation, the 1st day of school?

    The porblem is that many people now have a sever case of Obama fatigue.

    • kristen

      Because Obama is obsessed with Obama. It’s not “ask what you can do for your country”, but rather “ask what you can do for Obama”.

      • Mrs Rusty Shackleford

        I think he has that copyrighted now. Isn’t he just the greatest? I mean, aren’t we on the comparison to The Beatles and Elvis by now? Someone told me that he’ll be touring with Britney Spears soon! Or was that Hannah Montanna?? HMM I guess I need to do some fact checking. Either way he sure is a TV staple and I expect to start seeing him on ET or TMZ soon. Can’t wait!

  • Troy La Mana

    Remember: If anyone says, “It’s to help the children.” you know it’s something you should be against.

  • Red State Eddio

    Another angle to examine that JE picked up on: Was this the most effective use of time, resources, etc. for the president?

    Robert Gibbs was positing how “if this speech helps just 1 child, it will have been worth it.” If that is the rationale, it sure explains how our economy keeps creeping towards the crapper. That is the most un-strategic-like thinking for a man who influences the fates of the free world more than most. Business managers and CEO’s get fired for that kind of thinking.

    Do companies usher in new products with the mantra “if we only sell 1 unit, it will have been worth it”? Do we sell cars with that…OK, don’t answer.

    Leaders are supposed to be making continually critical decisions about their time-energy-resources.

    It’s a debatable point over whether or not this should have been on the radar to begin with, knowing what else is going on in the world.

    • kristen

      “If this helps just one child…..”

      Wow. So if it wastes the time of the other 99.99% of the kids it’s ok? These schmucks don’t understand cost-benefit ratios and opportunity costs–Econ 101. And they are the same guys that took over GM, are running TARP, issuing bailouts, etc, etc. And they want to take over health care. (I can see it now: If we kill 1,000 but save one, it will be worth it.) Makes you feel good, doesn’t it?

      • http://scottslant.blogspot.com/ Scott A. Robinson

        It’s the same logic as universal healthcare. Well, the same logic they are using to sell it.

        They forget to mention the point of diminishing returns.

  • Shawn Naegle

    You people were fooled, this is the totally revised, and re-written speech version. The White House re-wrote it into a more benign message after conservatives started protesting it.

    The original speech called on kids to report their parents if they felt that the parents were abusing them through forced religious or “cult-like” activities. It also asked kids to report parents to authorities if they felt they had an “un-reasonable” amount of fire arms, ammunition, food, cash or medical supplies on hand or if any of their parents’ activities seemed “suspicious” or made them feel “un-safe”.

    But thanks to talk radio, we didn’t get that speech. Instead we got the boring “stay-in-school” speech that all presidents give.

    • David Kaiser, Editor

      Of course Shawn works in the White House as one of Barack Obama’s close aids.

      How else would he know this.

      *eyeroll*

      • Shawn Naegle

        So you like being played like a cheap fiddle? Let me tell you more then…

        I also heard that either the original “quoted the Koran” or “was written in crayon” (I’m not sure though, the message was a little garbled).

        • David Kaiser, Editor

          Was it done with your crayons or one of the Obama girls?

          • Shawn Naegle

            My sources won’t let me comment on that one. What I can say, however, is that the crayon in question was rumored to be Purple Mountain’s Majesty in color (purple being the new red and therfore symbolically Marxist).

            Also the crayon was made in China.

            Need I say more?

  • http://twitter.com/theatomicmom East of Eden

    From a teacher’s standpoint…it would bug me, because I’d have to rearrange my lessons for the day. I know it’s selfish, but it’s reality.

    As for the text of the speech, I”m not afraid of what O will say, just what his adoring fans will do with it.

  • http://www.sotr.us Cordeiro

    I read the speech, and actually I’m starting grad school today (again) so I was reading it as a “student”.

    Here’s my reaction to The One’s declarations:

    “Meh.”

    Maybe I should’ve had my diet mountain dew before the speech.

  • JE

    I still take issue with the speech regardless if it is a lib or con giving it. He’s going to tell them he is doing all he can to make sure they get edjimicated and that their schools are nice. That is a state responsibility and not his job.
    I am fine with him telling kids that they need to work hard but if that is the most important thing the president can spend his time and our money on…then he really needs to look around at the world.

    • kristen

      Good points JE. Also, isn’t it the parents’ role to instill values in their children?

      I agree: Leave education to the states. And if we really want to improve education, let’s abolish the Dept of Ed, unions, and get rid of crappy teachers.

      Also? As a jr high teacher, I know how each minute in the classroom is critical. With a core curriculum and standardized tests to worry about, who has time for something like this?

      • dw

        Sorry, gotta disagree. It is not the state responsibility to educate. The responsibility for education belongs to the parents (and the students). Not only should the US Government stay out of the education business, so should the state governments. That’s the real education reform that is needed – IMHO.

        • http://scottslant.blogspot.com/ Scott A. Robinson

          Normally, as you can tell, I’m all about the government keeping its hands off. However, I agree with the founding fathers on this point as well. It is important that the states do provide education for all citizens. Otherwise, you will end up with an ignorant population that will ripe for rule by a small class of elites.

        • JE

          I agree with you dw, my point is that as the laws are currently written, it is a state and local government function to fund public schools. I would prefer the gov stay out of education along with almost everything else. I’m ok with them doing defense. Beyond that i am libertarian, and much closer to anarchist than i am to the ideology of the current 2 party system. I would consider home schooling my kids except i currently have to work the first 6-7 months of the year to pay uncle sam.

  • Mrs Rusty Shackleford

    I agree RSE. Hubby and I were discussing this yesterday. I think it made a difference that so many did voice the opposition to the appearance of indoctrination. I think the speech he is giving and was posted is more than likely not the speech he is wanting to give. I think it is missing some of the talking points that the first set of lessons plans were leaning towards. Either way not sitting down and shutting up and just taking it like a “good little citizen” is working. I’m going to keep it up and question everything and ask what’s your motive and where does that align with the constitution.

  • http://scottslant.blogspot.com/ Scott A. Robinson

    RSE,

    Not to take away from your overall post, but can’t away from one statement you make:

    I am OK with the President giving the message today to the kiddies. . . . While I’d prefer it being a conservative president

    My issue is not the politics of the President. My issue is they President addressing my children at a time when presumably I am not present, in a location where my children under 16 are legally bound to be in attendance.

    I have no problem with the President addressing my kids, if he wants to do it in the evening when I can sit with them and watch his remarks.

    • Red State Eddio

      That’s where the prep team from DOE or within the WH should have done a much better job of preparing people for the event. It more or less stumbled out on its own, and with all the HC debate going on, it was easy to wrap it up inside it.

      I blame the DOE, because they should have communicated to states, districts, and parents that it was on the radar, and then leave the choice up to the states (and parents) after all the info was out. They could have even brainstormed other ways besides a live address on day one when everything is all chaotic and crazy: DVD, website, delayed broadcast, etc.

      They made Obama look foolish in the end.

    • dw

      So, how did you feel about the HW speech to students in 1991? The text and challenge was about the same…

      http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/public_papers.php?id=3450&year=1991&month=10

      Mountain and mole hill come to mind when describing this “issue”.

      Please, people… Obama actually did a good thing here. I can admit that and give him credit for wanting to challenge kids to stay in school.

      Let’s get the focus back on important issues like halting the health care deform, and the spread of socialism.

      • http://scottslant.blogspot.com/ Scott A. Robinson

        I felt the same way I do now.