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Fourth-Grader To Obama: Why Do People Hate You?
Rachel Slajda | October 15, 2009, 3:42PM
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At a town hall event in New Orleans, President Obama took a question from a fourth-grader named Tyren Scott who wanted to know, "Why do people hate you?"
"They're supposed to love you," he continued.
After the crowd swooned, Obama responded that the boy should take criticism of him with "a grain of salt."
"One party feels like they need to poke you, keep you on your toes," he said.
"When things are tough, you're gonna get some of the blame," Obama said. But, he added, "I'm a tough guy. Are you a tough guy? You look pretty tough."
Late Update: Here's the video.
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goethean
October 15, 2009 4:07 PM
"...and the Republicans are a bunch of pansies," he added under his breath.
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fbacon2
October 15, 2009 4:14 PM
The RNC then put out a press release denouncing Obama's indoctrination of the 4th-grader to be tough.
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Chris
October 15, 2009 4:44 PM in reply to fbacon2
Now that's hilarious.
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zonk
October 15, 2009 4:51 PM in reply to fbacon2
Well... they would have, but Michael Steele couldn't get the damn fox machine to work (ps, mike - it's f-A-x).
They were going to put it up on the the website, but the wandering Steele flash annoyance has gained sentience and refuses to anyone touch anything until someone tells him what, is indeed, up.
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tosh
October 15, 2009 5:02 PM in reply to fbacon2
And claiming the kid was a "plant". ;)
John
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
October 15, 2009 5:25 PM in reply to tosh
And within a few days, Michelle Malkin will be publishing his family's home address and phone number on her site, driving by the house to peek in the windos and doing criminal records checks on his parents, with any matching names published. Drudge will then do a flashing blue light special "CUTE KID'S PARENTS CRIMINALS! Developing . . ."
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CityGuy
October 15, 2009 9:46 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
You're spot-on with that! The woman is beyond the pale (with or without her cheerleading uniform on)!
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Jacksonian
October 16, 2009 10:59 AM in reply to fbacon2
ROTF
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MyMy
October 15, 2009 4:17 PM
I wonder if this fourth grader's impressions are due to his location in a very red state? Or would something of the same impression be found among youngsters across the country? It would be worth trying to find out, because that would mean the Mau-Mauing of the democratic members of Congress by the teapartiers had a far reaching effect.
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MarkusR
October 15, 2009 4:20 PM
Obviously a planted question given by one of the browshirt Obama-youth.
It's the only logical explanation.
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LBJs Brain
October 15, 2009 4:22 PM
That man is a mensch! Deftly going where the haters fear to go.
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Tanjaoui
October 15, 2009 4:23 PM
I've heard from people down there Louisiana is off the charts in their distrust of Obama; purely anecdotal, but I wouldn't doubt it's true for the whole state. They have a history.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
October 15, 2009 5:29 PM in reply to Tanjaoui
New Orleans ain't quite like the rest of the state.
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Jymn
October 15, 2009 4:30 PM
How long before Michelle Malkin goes after the poor kid?
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Clavis
October 15, 2009 4:38 PM
Obviously, the child is funded by George Soros and ACORN.
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tiowally
October 15, 2009 4:42 PM in reply to Clavis
And he's a shill for Move-on. He obviously needs a good "kick in the teeth" from Orrin Hatch.
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zonk
October 15, 2009 4:56 PM in reply to tiowally
People with glass dentures...
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Adrian Browne
October 15, 2009 4:42 PM
Obviously the boy had been hypnotized by Obama.
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jerryfatheart
October 15, 2009 4:43 PM
The GOP: Managing to even turn off fourth-graders.
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East Coast Aussie
October 15, 2009 7:28 PM in reply to jerryfatheart
Ironic because at the recent Value Voters Summit some right wing string puller gave sound advice as to how 10 year old boys have the correct social instincts.
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Adrian Browne
October 15, 2009 4:46 PM
I hope someone can protect that child from the forthcoming Wingnut attack.
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theone718
October 15, 2009 4:49 PM
Would the GOP attack a 4th grader? LMAO you know the answer to taht damn question.
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sbv
October 15, 2009 4:51 PM
okay guys, all of these are pretty funny; but really isn't it sad?
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jerryfatheart
October 15, 2009 5:35 PM in reply to sbv
Incredibly sad. I'm reminded of my little cousin, who was probably no more than 9 or 10 at the time, tell me during the 2004 campaign that she didn't like John Kerry "because he's gay."
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GeorgeTheShrubber
October 15, 2009 5:08 PM
Check that kid's birth cert damnit!
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jdmcleodjr
October 15, 2009 5:18 PM
Cue Michelle Malkin giving out this kid's full name and address.
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
October 15, 2009 5:27 PM in reply to jdmcleodjr
Damn, if I'd seen that everybody else had already gone there, I would have ripped on Limbaugh or something.
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JohnH
October 15, 2009 5:39 PM
"They're supposed to love you," he continued.
Oh wait until Beck and the rest of the gargoyles get ahold of that quote. Prepare for an all-out wingnut exploding head fest as they all scream this is "proof" that Obama has "indoctrinated" our impressionable youth. I've already got a headache thinking about it.
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East Coast Aussie
October 15, 2009 7:31 PM in reply to JohnH
Sort of like teaching the impressionable youngsters about religion. It makes believers out of them.
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JEP07
October 16, 2009 9:35 PM in reply to East Coast Aussie
Except these aren't children. They should learn to think for themselves, a hack like Beck shouldn't have the power of suggestion in the first place, if they let one original thought cross their minds.
Reading back over the last few months about the teabaggers and tome of their complaints, I can only find a few solid talking points that they all seem to share. It all sounds like Be3ck's own well-repeated words. And like the rest of Wingnuttia, Beck seemed to get them from a common source.
Considering how robotic the zombies are in their parroting of those words, one must wonder just how sophisticated their word-choices have become, to establish and maintain such deep indoctrination.
The Pros are at work, and Beck's just a parrot like the rest. We never see or hear from the real brains, the strategic wordsmiths behind these common themes.
I'd like to know their "Q source".
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HusseinTenaX
October 15, 2009 6:20 PM
This president still makes me swoon, too.
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writergal
October 15, 2009 6:37 PM in reply to HusseinTenaX
Me too!
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lousgirl84
October 15, 2009 7:01 PM in reply to HusseinTenaX
Me too Big tie.
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ClosetLuddite
October 16, 2009 6:46 AM in reply to HusseinTenaX
Nice to see you again!
:-)
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writergal
October 15, 2009 6:38 PM
Where did the kid get the idea that "God is love" anyway? That's not what I hear from the wingnuts.
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faery222
October 15, 2009 7:22 PM
I love President Obama and his family. I volunteered for him, I voted for him and I support him.
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faery222
October 15, 2009 7:22 PM
I love President Obama and his family. I volunteered for him, I voted for him and I support him.
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WinderGA
October 15, 2009 7:29 PM
Some of you people are beyond vicious. I hope none of you are my neighbors. I don't need that kind of hate around my children.
Ever heard of love thy neighbor? I don't think Christianity is big in your circles.
Don't bother replying, I won't be back to read any comments---just go look in the mirror and contemplate the things you've posted, please.
p.s. God IS love, friend.
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commie atheist
October 15, 2009 7:43 PM in reply to WinderGA
I'm intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
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nova voter
October 15, 2009 7:49 PM in reply to commie atheist
your post is 5 parts win, 5 parts total awesomeness. funniest post i've read all day.
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Dedalus2k
October 15, 2009 10:55 PM in reply to WinderGA
WinderGA,
I read thru every post that preceded yours and I fail to see anything vicious in any of the posts. Really. Did you pick this one at random to post your inanities? Seriously. You say that you wouldn't want any of us as neighbors then in the very next line you go on to mention "love thy neighbor." Excuse me? Apparently, it applies to everyone but you, I take it. You self-righteous clowns really get my hackles up. I've got in-laws just like you. They talk the talk but certainly don't walk the walk. They can quote scripture verbatim, but the certainly don't live according to the words they speak. They personify, almost to a one, each of the seven Cardinal sins. They condemn everyone around them for all that they themselves are guilty of. I wager isn't so much us that needs a good long look in the mirror as it is yourself. In my experience anyone who claims to be virtuous is virtually assured to be nothing of the sort.
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roxanne
October 15, 2009 8:00 PM
Perhaps the child was reacting to the rabid, crazy, wingnut, teabaggers. They were angry and incoherant as they mangled the english language and the Constitution. Both of which they knew little about. The blame lies totally with them. The child sees very clearly what many adults refuse to.
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Overreach THIS!
October 15, 2009 11:46 PM in reply to roxanne
As noted elsewhere, the Constitution is a giveaway. Whenever you see someone spluttering about the Constitution, it's a sure thing they don't know jack about that document or anything else of significance. Many shit-for-brains are arguing that health care isn't in the Constitution so they're real concerned about that, blah-blah.
And there there's, "We gotta definnd our 2nd Amendment rahts! Cuz when they go, the rest of 'em is raht behind!"
Sure, fella.
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VivaAmerica!
October 15, 2009 8:19 PM
IT'S THE SPECIAL MIC!! Grab it or we'll lose this kid forever!!!
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Al Roderick
October 15, 2009 8:59 PM
I think it's the "they're supposed to love you" part that'll be sound-bit. (Is that a phrase?)
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thespis
October 15, 2009 9:23 PM
Obama's answer was masterful! Clearly he was more concerned for the kid than for the political moment and managed to serve both with the soft word and the kind comment.
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ShadowdogKGB
October 15, 2009 10:49 PM
Sir, why are you asking me to ask you this question?
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fortunatolucchesi
October 16, 2009 12:21 AM
Tyren also said "God is love." Sweet, totally sweet kid.
Malkin & Gang will soon claim he is a midget and a plant.
Sometimes I can no longer stand the level to which political discourse has sunk in this country; simple sentiments, like this child's, are twisted and hurled into the bonfire of partisan hatred.
And those prune-faced agents of Big Insurance in the Senate are so far beyond such honest opinions and basic humanity, butter wouldn't melt in their mouths.
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Mr.Sven Chambers
October 16, 2009 5:03 AM in reply to fortunatolucchesi
So... you guys really think the President is the bomb, huh? You don't think he has a very screwy understanding of the purpose of the DOI and the US Constitution? Oh yeah, I know what was said earlier about someone mentioning these sacred documents and the inherent lack of knowledge that individual might have about the actual content of these documents. My question remains nevertheless.
Also, I can answer the kid's question for the President. We could start with the Nobel Peace Prize...
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ClosetLuddite
October 16, 2009 6:56 AM in reply to Mr.Sven Chambers
You're way out of you league here. We have some of the highest quality trolls on the interwebs here so we're quite used to fending off the dastardly drivel dripping down your keyboard. Your pathetic little attempt at trollery is merely a sad commentary on how empty and meaningless a life of ignorance and willfull blindness is for you. If you take the time to get a little smarter on the issues, one of three things will happen: If you are smart and wise, you'll see the light and abandon the dark side. If you are smart and unwise then at least you might come up with more creative and intellectually stimulating bait. Otherwise, we will simply ignore you.
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zonk
October 16, 2009 8:36 AM in reply to Mr.Sven Chambers
That's brilliant.
You hate the President because he won a medal? Because the rest of the world likes our duly elected leader? This is a bad thing?
The next question from a 4th grader should be a demand to know what it is that Obama has added to the national drinking water supply to bring out the crazy in so many.
I would like to know this myself... Are you shutting the microwave door fully when you cook up the evening hotpocket?
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jenesq
October 16, 2009 10:22 AM in reply to Mr.Sven Chambers
No, I'm absolutely sure Obama knows a lot more about the Constitution and the DOJ than most people, including you. President Obama taught Constitutional Law at one of the nation's finest law schools, well before he became famous. He knows what he's doing. When his critics start whipping out ridiculous "Constitution!!" arguments, I know they're complete idiots.
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ppatt
October 17, 2009 11:05 AM in reply to jenesq
Sometimes they aren't so cognitively challenged but rather ignorant. It is a big plus to know when you don't know something. In many lines of work that is essential and you are even dangerous or can kill people when you think you know things that just ain't so. However in the realm of politics there is no penalty for building an alternate reality based upon junk like pettiness and underlying resentment. The rest of us pay a big penalty when these types get together and actually tip the scales in favor or a candidate who is as destructive as those put up by the Republican party... Bush, with Reagan running a close second.
I think that if he'd ever been able to get his facts right, face up to how wrong he had been (it is painful and one has to man or woman up, as the case may be), and reason forward from some foundation resembling truth that he migth be able to think productively.
I know one thing and that's if he carries this type of ignorance and pettiness into the workplace or any kind of more lucrative professional white collar situation he would not last long. That's not to say that blue collar people are all so afflicted I know some who are truly amazing and intelligent), just that you don't get a lot of looney options digging ditches and even if you shared your thoughts the ditch doesn't mind.
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ppatt
October 17, 2009 10:54 AM in reply to Mr.Sven Chambers
Do you have these feelings of insignificance and persecution often? Did you even read the reasons given by the Nobel committee?
Well, it doesn't even matter whether one agrees with them or not because it's a matter of what should one do if shown respect by others, deservedly or undeservedly.
Try this on for size:
1. you realize that there is a variety of opinion and you give everyone their due...some modicum of respect for them as a human and for their opinions whether you agree or not
2. you accept graciously, with humility and try to live up to the ideals of the spirit in which it had been bestowed
3. you, to quote scripture (you should have a talk with WinderGA about things of the heart), wipe the dirt off your feet on the doormat of people liike yourself and keep on going
So whether I agree with the Nobel or not, Obama did well, particularly with this sweet little boy.
What part of minority don't you understand? He was elected. If something like this makes you lead like a Grinch with an atrophied little heart and resentment then the next 7 1/2 years are going to be awfully rough on you.
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fsudirectory
October 16, 2009 6:49 AM
The kid isssss black so, I would expect FOX and it's opinion spewers to attack him and blame him for New Orleans taking so long to rebuild because he isn't out there building homes and breathing asbestos
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leolabeth
October 16, 2009 10:46 AM
Sniff; dab. Sweetness without saccharine.
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The Beav
October 16, 2009 2:46 PM
from the mouths of babes…Can the vitriolic among you now recongnize that opposed or not, the screaming, the rhetoric, the hatefulness is doing nothing but harm our society. Be opposed, that’s fine. Make good arguments without the destructive attitudes. As a non-partisan, it is clear to me that conservatives are angry. Maybe they should ask who they are really angry with. A Republican President and Congress from 2001-2006 that presided over and led us into the financial collapse of the nation, or a guy who has been in office almost nine months. I think it’s the former and being projected to the latter. If I were conservative, I know I’d be mad at my supposed leadership. Heck, even the half-informed mouthpieces on FOX generally realize the last guy and his Congress caused most of our deep problems.
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