May 15, 2012

Obama's name appears in the bios of ALL the other Presidents on the official White House website (except Gerald Ford's).

What an embarrassment!
The Heritage Foundation’s Rory Cooper tweeted that Obama had casually dropped his own name into Ronald Reagan’s official biography on www.whitehouse.gov, claiming credit for taking up the mantle of Reagan’s tax reform advocacy with his “Buffett Rule” gimmick. My first thought was, he must be joking. But he wasn’t—it turns out Obama has added bullet points bragging about his own accomplishments to the biographical sketches of every single U.S. president since Calvin Coolidge (except, for some reason, Gerald Ford)....
IN THE COMMENTS: tim in vermont makes perhaps the funniest comment in the history of this blog:
"Like Jesus, Obama also sports the middle initial of 'H'."

118 comments:

Tom Spaulding said...

Via Twitter: #ObamaInHistory Earlier prez followed doctrine "Manifest Destiny". Obama, 1st Gay President, favors "Mani-pedifest Destiny"

Balfegor said...

That is hilarious.

Chip S. said...

"Help me, I'm mellllllting!!"

Balfegor said...

I mean, just imagine the conversations that took place. Who suggested this? Who thought this would be a good idea?

Expat(ish) said...

He can a-ford to reagan his composure. He can ful-filmore of his promises, that is tru-man. It's harding for hime - you must grant that he is adam'd if he does and adam'd if he doesn't.

Try the veal, I'll be here all week.

-XC

Scott M said...

My very first thought is, unfortunately, did the past few presidents (ie, internet age) do this?

pious agnostic said...

Who knew that whitehouse.gov was a Wiki site?

Bob said...

He'll add Ford to the list after he pardons Eric Holder for Fast & Furious.

rhhardin said...

The dinky Presidential seal at every speech is the first hint of ongoing comedy, if you missed the styrofoam columns.

wv. tsarma , political effects leftists bring on themselves.

Michael K said...

Is anyone surprised ? I have a post over at ChicagoBoyz about a little known provision in Obamacare that nobody has mentioned accept a few nerd doctors. It has a clause that prohibits any future Congress from repealing or modifying the IPAB provision (which restricts ALL heath care spending, public or private). There is, as far as I know, no similar provision in US history. Do the constitutional lawyers know about this ? Only Obama and Pelosi would try this.

He is a megalomaniac.

Kevin said...

It's just like a Bible concordance that goes through Daniel and Isaiah and Ezekiel and points out passages that presage the coming of Jesus.

traditionalguy said...

I would keep an eye on the Professor's bio sheet. Obama could insert a sentence claiming credit for her being a woman whose life depends on using the Government's internet.

Chip S. said...

Who suggested this?

I'm guessing that his staffers got the idea from a commemorative plate picturing all the presidents that was stashed in the garage of that couple in Reno.

Wince said...

...bragging about his own accomplishments to the biographical sketches of every single U.S. president since Calvin Coolidge (except, for some reason, Gerald Ford)....

Wouldn't come as a real surprise if it was because Obama's "composite girlfriend" was one part Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme and one part Sara Jane Moore.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Who owns www.whitehouse.gov? The people do I assume.

I will say it again- Romney should pledge he will put an end to 247 poiticization of the White House where a lobbyist visits the Whie House 34 times as Hillary Rosen did. This country is in big trouble and to what end did her visits serve to fix some of our problems.

Enough is enough! [and I am not saying nor suggesting this started with the Obama administration].

cold pizza said...

I can't wait for the B.O. version of the Bible where he walks at Jesus' side and gives counsel to the apostles.

DADvocate said...

Obama is the most interesting man ever born. He's just trying to share some of his glory with past presidents.

DADvocate said...

That guy in the Dos Equis commercials? That's Obama in disguise.

Stay thirsty, my friends.

Rob said...

Three points:

1. This is absolutely the "Chicago Way". You can't go anywhere in Chicago without seeing the Mayor's name, courtesy of the taxpayer rather than the Mayor's campaign fund. (This has been the practice for years and years.)

2. I seriously doubt the President himself approved this plan or even knew about it. However...

3. Can we hope that whoever conceived this plan will soon be out of the White House? Have we gone too far for that?

Christopher in MA said...

Andrew Jackson was known as 'Old Hickory.' Obama enjoys hickory smoked dog.

Anonymous said...

I met a traveller from an antique land

Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desart. Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:

And on the pedestal these words appear:

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:

Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Anonymous said...

Shelly.


(Keats!)


Shelly.

rcommal said...

This is so insidious I can't even laugh about, or at, it.

Brian Brown said...

Stop with the snark, David Brooks has summed up Obama nicely!

Normally, presidents look weak during periods of economic stagnation, overwhelmed by events. But Obama has displayed a kind of ESPN masculinity: postfeminist in his values, but also thoroughly traditional in style — hypercompetitive, restrained, not given to self-doubt, rarely self-indulgent.

Because when we think of Obama, we certainly think "rarely self-indulgent"!!!

DADvocate said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Curious George said...

I don't think it's all, unless I'm missing something. It seems to be in some at the end in a "Do you know..." section

Rob said...

When I read those pieces "Goofus and Gallant" comes to mind.

DADvocate said...

BTW - Obama's not capable of embarrassment. He has no shame.

TosaGuy said...

Can't wait for the mocking bios that will ensue for presidents such as William Henry Harrison and Millard Fillmore.

Do Obama'a PR guys even think about how this stuff can get turned around on them?

MaggotAtBroad&Wall said...

His narcissism knows no bounds.

I imagine many people oppose him as much for his narcissism as for his policies.

Jim said...

He'll add Ford to the list after he pardons Eric Holder for Fast & Furious.

LOL. You've got my vote for "Thread Winner", Bob.

TosaGuy said...

"Normally, presidents look weak during periods of economic stagnation, overwhelmed by events. But Obama has displayed a kind of ESPN masculinity: postfeminist in his values, but also thoroughly traditional in style — hypercompetitive, restrained, not given to self-doubt, rarely self-indulgent."

Name an American sportsfan not completely tired of the doofs on SportsCenter.

Original Mike said...

"What an embarrassment"

But interesting; don't you think?

Henry said...

(except, for some reason, Gerald Ford)

Hey, Obama, how's your golf game?

A fun creative writing assignment would be to write the blurbs the crack White House team hasn't rolled out yet.

"Like President Pierce, President Obama knows how it feels to be both very good looking and completely ineffective."

Frankly, this sounds like something a summer intern might have done, maybe out of boredome or naïveté, perhaps out of wicked humor. Are there any interesting typos?

Original Mike said...

What else would you expect from Mr. "And I'm in the house!"?

Tom Spaulding said...

Do Obama'a PR guys even think about how this stuff can get turned around on them?

No, because they are SO MUCH SMATER than us. Duh!

AA Obots will offer proof on this thread posthaste.

MarkW said...

1. This is absolutely the "Chicago Way". You can't go anywhere in Chicago without seeing the Mayor's name, courtesy of the taxpayer rather than the Mayor's campaign fund. (This has been the practice for years and years.)

Bingo. That was my first thought about this as well. The Obama White House is Chicago politics on a national scale. And why should that surprise anyone?

Rob said...

There are two different issues and I wish more attention was paid to the second. One is that the insertion of the President into the biographies is silly, inane, beneath the dignity of the office of the President.

The other is that this is a good example of using taxpayer money, public resources, for the aggrandizement of a public official.

CWJ said...

This administration is populated with clueless children. Daddy daddy, come see what I made for you today. That's nice Honey but you forgot Gerald Ford.

Cincinnatus said...

Basically, this is just vandalism. Tagging the bios.

chickelit said...

(except, for some reason, Gerald Ford)....

Obama thinks he's a Lincoln, not a Ford.

tim in vermont said...

From the "Did You Know" section at the end of the Reagan bio:

"In a June 28, 1985 speech Reagan called for a fairer tax code, one where a multi-millionaire did not have a lower tax rate than his secretary. Today, President Obama is calling for the same with the Buffett Rule. "

This is not some random blurb, like a web ad, that just happened to appear there, this is written as a specific "supplement" to the Reagan Bio.

vnjagvet said...

It's all a Romney dirty trick. Does anyone know Donald Segretti's whereabouts?

Icepick said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Icepick said...

The Obama team started screwing with the Presidential biographies almost immediately upon taking office. Change was not always for the better, either.

Saint Croix said...

George Washington cannot tell a lie. Vote for Barack Obama.

Rumpletweezer said...

Why not? Obama is awesome!

Saint Croix said...

Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. Now vote for Barack Obama.

Saint Croix said...

Ulysses S. Grant is on the fifty dollar bill. Now send one to Barack Obama.

Chip S. said...

Unlike any of those other guys, however, Barack Obama killed Osama bin Laden.

To make the world safe for gay marriage.

Matt Sablan said...

"In a June 28, 1985 speech Reagan called for a fairer tax code, one where a multi-millionaire did not have a lower tax rate than his secretary. Today, President Obama is calling for the same with the Buffett Rule. "

-- Did Reagan want to lower the secretary's taxes or raise the multi-millionaire's taxes? A little of both? Reform the whole system? I don't think Reagan had a Buffett rule.

Scott M said...

A Meme Is Born.

Joe said...

Now, are people more receptive to the obvious; that Obama has genuine and by-the-book Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

(And thank God for what constitution we have left else this guy would be working at making himself President for Life.)

MadisonMan said...

Well, it's not as bad as I thought. They're linking past Presidential platforms to Obama's present platforms (Still a stupid and hilarious idea).

I thought it was going to be along the lines of President Hoover signed legislation authorizing the building of Hoover Dam, where Barack Obama vacationed in 1975.

I'm chuckling at the Goofus and Gallant comment. Too true!!

Astro said...

Maybe John Lovitz was actually angry at Obama for stealing his shtick.
"Yes, I consulted with ALL of the former presidents. All the ones elected, that is.
"And my composite gir-, I mean my actual girl friend, was Morgan Fairchild.
"Yeah, Morgan Fairchild.
"That's the ticket."

Darcy said...

Narcissism. How interesting!

netmarcos said...

#ObamaInHistory Teddy Roosevelt rode with the Roughriders. Obama worked to provide free Rough Rider™ by Trojan to high school students.

Mark O said...

This is against the law. No. Really.

Rich B said...

Man, these are just infrastructure investments. Lighten up.

DADvocate said...

(And thank God for what constitution we have left else this guy would be working at making himself President for Life.)

Don't be too sure. We may have some sort of crisis that requires martial law. Micheal K asks, "Is anyone surprised?" If you are you shouldn't be. There is very little this man could do that would surprise, very little.

damikesc said...

This is against the law. No. Really.

That'd be a concern...if the AG wasn't ALSO a criminal at this point in time.

I'd love to see how his supporters can justify, on any LEGAL ground, using government resources for personal aggrandizement.

Hoosier Daddy said...

No shit he's a narcissist. Who the hell writes their memoirs four years after graduating law school?

edutcher said...

He thinks we'll forget him, otherwise.

He should live so long.

Or maybe we should live so long.

Hoosier Daddy said...

"... Don't be too sure. We may have some sort of crisis that requires martial law..."

Call it a hunch but I bet the military would tell him to go f**** himself.

Saint Croix said...

Some of the twitter jokes are pretty funny.

In 1803, Jefferson bought the Louisiana Purchase for $233 million in today's dollars, which Obama spent while you read this. #ObamaInHistory

Martin Van Buren was the first president born in the USA. Obama was also born in the USA. #ObamaInHistory

General Eisenhower invaded Europe. Historians rank this as almost as audacious as Pres. Obama's Bin Laden raid. #ObamaInHistory

Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity so that Obama could create the Chevy Volt. #ObamaInHistory

and from Comedy Central...

Lincoln establishes land grand colleges. Obama fills out NCAA brackets.

RNC gets into the act.

Amartel said...

Finding and eliminating all the self-aggrandizing Obama bullshit: finally, a shovel-ready job! Lots of them.

Saint Croix said...

Obama sent a recorded message to the troops at D-Day reminding them of what a political risk this was for him. #ObamaInHistory

Larry J said...

What we're seeing is just a manifestation of seeing all those images of "Dear Leader" all over the place in countries ran by dictators. I wonder if the dictator ordered his image plastered everywhere or if his sychophants did it on his behalf. This is going beyond the bounds of narcissism to meglomania.

Known Unknown said...

RNC gets into the act.


Dumb asses skimped on the photoshop. Less funny and impressive than it could be.

Darcy said...

I think the bad photo shop was on purpose. A point hilariously made.

Christy said...

Stylin' like a 3rd world dictator.

Scott M said...

That cop pepper-spraying the OWS types died pretty quickly. Much like the movement.

MadisonMan said...

Congratulations tim in Vermont on the tag. Well deserved, even though the quote is in a different thread!

tim in vermont said...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1318246/Tiger-Woods-cigar-guy-internet-phenomenon-appearing-Ryder-Cup-pic-taken-Mails-photographer.html

Somebody needs to photoshop Obama as "cigar guy"

$9,000,000,000 Write Off said...

President Coolidge later helped create the Federal Radio Commission, which has now evolved to become the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). President opposed Gay marriage, which evolved to backing Gay marriage.

tim in vermont said...

Don't know what to say about the tag except thank you.

MadisonMan said...

Somebody needs to photoshop Obama as "cigar guy"

Reince Priebus (or however you spell it) is on it. The GOP has a tumblr with Obama in many images.

MadisonMan said...

Link

There's also the #ObamainHistory hash on twitter.

Patrick said...

Jesus H. Christ, that was funny, Tim in Vermont.

Saint Croix said...

Obama and Nixon meet Elvis. LOL.

paul a'barge said...

To everyone who voted for Barack Hussein Obama (aka "Barry Soetero"):... look what you did to all of us.

virgil xenophon said...

When I was an undergrad in the 60s I took a class with a philosophy professor from Greece who had painted a Greek frieze border around the top of his home's dining room walls depicting all the Greek Gods in appropriate poses--except each and EVERYONE had his own likeness attached as the head rather than that of the relevant God! I thought that was the apex of narcissism that I would probably ever see in my lifetime. Little did I know..

Saint Croix said...

Obama picked the Jets in the '69 Super Bowl.

Saint Croix said...

Obama knew the world was round.

Saint Croix said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Darrell said...

No shit he's a narcissist. Who the hell writes their memoirs four years after graduating law school?

Yes, but when you lose that license to practice law after your wife has been asked by a court to give up her license, what else can you do?

Amartel said...

Moses* parted a sea. Obama made all the oceans of the world recede and healed the planet.

*A Jew.

Freeman Hunt said...

When I was an undergrad in the 60s I took a class with a philosophy professor from Greece who had painted a Greek frieze border around the top of his home's dining room walls depicting all the Greek Gods in appropriate poses--except each and EVERYONE had his own likeness attached as the head rather than that of the relevant God!

This is one of the funniest anecdotes I have ever read.

pm317 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Icepick said...

Yes, but when you lose that license to practice law after your wife has been asked by a court to give up her license, what else can you do?

That would appear to be a false claim.

ed said...

All we need is yet another remake of Star Wars and no doubt we'll see Obama show up there as well.

JAL said...

Why are some of us not surprised.

(Without even reading the comments.)

JAL said...

Surely Breitbart has screen shots of them all.

Please please please.

JAL said...

@ Michael K

Yeah -- people know about it (though not the general public).

(At least I assume becasue I had heard of it, that others knew ;-) )

How can the United States of America have a law which it makes which says no one can repeak it? It can't.

And remember -- these are the smartest people not only in the room, but in the world. And who needs to read a billl before they pass it. sdid your Senator or rep vote for it? Point that sweet sucker out. Ask them what they are going to be doing in 2013.

Please tell more people. (I wonder if that was brought up in SCOTUS discussion? I don't remember the Professor mentioning it.)

After leaving office, BHO needs to head south to Venezuela. They'll be looking for him by then. (Hugo needs to put him on the ballot as the VP.)

Darrell said...

The "factcheck" is bullshit. I live in Chicago and I heard a talk radio discussion of the issue during the last election. The legal people were all Democrats with access to records. They did not have direct knowledge of her particular case except for the "asked to surrender" part. As to why a judge would ask a lawyer to surrender his/her license or why a lawyer would do that without a fight, they could not say, but they all agreed that it had happened--her agreeing to do so was part of the transcript. From their personal experience, they could recall cases that would have warranted criminal prosecution against a particular lawyer but a judge giving a kinder option to satisfy the wronged party-- and as a professional courtesy to the lawyer and as to not embarrass the legal profession. However the entries appear now is a matter for additional discussion. Or investigation. Barack did elect to put his license on inactive status. But he was facing professional complaints with the Bar Association (and unpaid parking tickets and untruthful denials of outstanding fines or fees on sworn documents). Going inactive resulted in the dismissal of the pending hearing.

Aridog said...

icepick ... puleeze, Snopes?! They also said that a verbatim video and quotation of Obama saying his father served in WWII was true, but "false." They acknowledge he said it, but claimed it wasn't misstatement, just misspoken, and therefore, although he DID said it, the allegation of it's lack of veracity was "false."

Snopes has adopted the False, but Accurate" meme ... of Dan Rather, who still asserts it.

Now whether he or his wife has or has bot a law license is of no interest to me, but using Snopes as a reliable citation is blarney.

Paul said...

Narcissism, they name is Obama.

Never since the Caesars of Rome have their been such a demented individual at the helm of a country.

No I can't say Hitler or Pol Pot or Mao, as Obama isn't a mass murder, but his narcissism matches the twisted nutjobs of the Roman Empire.

Aridog said...

Hoosier Daddy said...

"... Don't be too sure. We may have some sort of crisis that requires martial law..."

Call it a hunch but I bet the military would tell him to go f**** himself.

With military being trimmed as it is today, leaving the political "detritus" in place, I wouldn't
bet my hat or ranch on that resistance.

Darrell said...

Additional points. Barack and Michelle both lived in Cook County and there was a relatively short amount of time between their actions. Why aren't the records worded the same in both cases? Have lawyers forgotten about the importance of words and consistency? So clerks are allowed to enter "voluntary inactice status" or "court ordered suspension" at whim? I'd slip the clerk a fin to get the former, just saying.

And when Barack was running for the Senate, Michelle was being interviewed by each of the networks--it seemed like every time I turned on the TV. They had her talk about the importance of her job at The University of Chicago Hospitals and they always made reference to the fact that she was a lawyer and she never corrected them or said that he license was "inactive." She always gave the impression that being a lawyer was an essential aspect of the work. She was always interviewed by a female reporter that emphasized the two-lawyer aspect of their household. It was a huge surprise when I heard that she had surrendered her law license three years after passing the Bar. That came out in 2008. I can't find any interview where she ever talked about it since. I guess no journalist is curious.

Icepick said...

Aridog, so far we have one claim that someone heard it on the radio in favor of Michelle and Barack Obama being disbarred, on one internet citation you don't buy against. So far the only sources I have found in favor of disbarment are highly partisan sites.

On the other hand, I found this link and this link, to Michelle Obama's and Barack Obama's information (repsectively) on the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois (IARDC) web site.

These links tell us the status of the Obamas to practice law in Illinois. For Michelle it states "Voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law". For Barry it states "Voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law". Neither has a Public Record of Discipline
and Pending Proceedings. In other wrods, just what Snopes said.

So come on, guys. These idiots have pulled enough crap in their lives (and especially in the last 3+ years) that we don't need to make up a bunch of tinfoil hat bullshit on top of it. He's a shit President and she's an obnoxious First Lady - isn't that enough reason to dislike them?

Icepick said...

Okay, the IARDC website sucks. If you want to see the information, go to this link:

https://www.iardc.org/lawyersearch.asp

And search for Obama. They're the only two Obamas with records on that site, so it won't take long to look it up.

ken in tx said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jose_K said...

After leaving office, BHO needs to head south to Venezuela. They'll be looking for him by then. (Hugo needs to put him on the ballot as the VP.)...
He would win,in Venezuela republicans are seen as Evil and Democrats as Angels.A opposition leader , former secretary of state wrote: Clinton negotiated free trade agreements with centroameica and Southamerica. Bush only finished then forced by circunsatnces and republicans gladly killed the treaty with Colombi.
No matter , the fast track was given to W in 2002 and Pelosi killed it
Republicans are antiinmigration . No matter if Reagan signed the amnesty .
An republican are portrayed as the USA chavistas so ...
Another compared the murders of hundreds of Union leaders in venezuela to Walker´s reforms in Wisconsin
BTW: the VP is named by the President at will. There is no VP in the ballot.
I have double nationality and i would vote republican if i lived in the USA.

MadisonMan said...

I hope they also have plans now about what to do if Barack postpones the election or refuses to acknowledge a defeat at the polls.

Oh, for God's sake.

There were ludicrous conspiracy theories about Bush refusing to leave office, declaring martial law, etc. Now this? Take a deep breath. Relax.

There. Feel better?

ken in tx said...

said...
I have read that the Pentagon had contingency plans about what to do if Nixon had refused to resign. I hope they also have plans now about what to do if Barack postpones the election or refuses to acknowledge a defeat at the polls. Many other countries have had this problem. We in the US are lucky we have not yet had it. Most Americans trust the military more than any other institution. They may yet be the savior of the republic.

Revenant said...

Snopes has adopted the False, but Accurate" meme

Oh, grow up. Snopes is an excellent site for fact-checking.

The rumor Snopes labeled as "false" was this:

Obama "lied" about his father's military service during World War II

That rumor is false, because Obama obviously didn't "lie" -- the story he told matches that of the grandfather who raised him.

You're suffering from Obama Derangement Syndrome. Take some antibiotics.

Revenant said...

I have read that the Pentagon had contingency plans about what to do if Nixon had refused to resign.

I certainly hope those plans were "continue obeying the orders of the commander in chief".

rcommal said...

Icepick at 7:39 (etc.): Well done. You go, guy!

MadisonMan at 8:28: Amen.

rcommal said...

FWIW, I've always thought as Michelle Obama as someone with a law degree, but not necessarily as a lawyer, for example; with regard to Barack Obama, I've long thought of him as someone trained in law, but not as an attorney in practice, for example. I suppose these might be seen as bullshit distinctions, but--yet--I still think that sometimes the differences lie in the distinctions and vice versa.

*shrug*

walter said...

If Obama had a grandfather named Ronald Reagan, he would look like Reagan.

walter said...

But should anyone be surprised by the level of narcissism of a guy who received an preemptive affirmative action Nobel?

Mark said...

"Unlike Gerald Ford, President Obama is coordinated doesn't trip on the tarmac when getting off Air Force One."

One way he can get himself into Ford's bio.

Tim said...

Before Barack, Tele-Prompters were mere communication aids. #ObamaInHistory

Tim said...

Before Barack, U.S. Presidents were not nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three weeks into their first term. #ObamaInHistory

Tim said...

Adding a trillion dollars in debt used to be thought of as a problem. #ObamaInHistory

John Cunningham said...

This is way creepy, well into the Kim Il-sung zone.

Icepick said...

Icepick at 7:39 (etc.): Well done. You go, guy!

Consider me gone....

;)

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