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Obama's use of Teleprompters

What do you think of Obama's use of teleprompters?


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Jucon

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What do you think of Obama's use of teleprompters?

I'd say a little excessive. To be honest, I would prefer our president spent more time running the country rather than spending time memorizing long speeches. If you are president and you memorize every speech you make, you are wasting important time.

At the same time, I sometimes can't take him seriously because I know he's just reading it.

It also drives me crazy seeing him look left, then right... left then right... every few seconds when giving his speeches. I can imagine it could be pretty annoying seeing him make the speech in person when all he's doing is looking at the teleprompters.
 
I voted "Other" as "Who Gives A ****" isn't on the list.
 
I mean really. Can there be a bigger nonissue?
 
I would say slightly excessive just because of the fact that lots of people consider him to be some sort of hyper-eloquent speaker worthy of comparison to MLK, Churchill, and Hitler. He's not. Nothing close to any of them.

From a neutral standpoint, a non-issue. To compare excess of teleprompter use would be negligent for other presidents. It's not like Clinton and Dubya didn't have their share of reading TV fonts.
 
Teleprompters, notecards - they're just tools used when delivering a speech or something of that nature.

I think he's a *little* stringent with them, as in, he'll look like an ass instead of just winging it when they don't work right.

But since no one writes their own speeches I don't think it matters.
 
What do you think of Obama's use of teleprompters?

I'd say a little excessive. To be honest, I would prefer our president spent more time running the country rather than spending time memorizing long speeches. If you are president and you memorize every speech you make, you are wasting important time.

Wait. You're saying that Obama spends too much time memorizing speeches and at the same time complaining that he uses teleprompters too much?

What do you think teleprompters are for? They're there so the speaker doesn't HAVE to memorize the speech.

:doh
 
I understand why people don't like this. I don't love it, but I don't hate it.

I do think Obama thinks well on his feet, BUT, he often says a lot of "ummms" when he speaks off the top of his head, which I find more annoying than knowing he is reading a teleprompter.

This is a non-issue, in my opinion, but I understand the complaints about watching him look to the left and then look to the right. It is annoying.
 
I understand why people don't like this. I don't love it, but I don't hate it.

I do think Obama thinks well on his feet, BUT, he often says a lot of "ummms" when he speaks off the top of his head, which I find more annoying than knowing he is reading a teleprompter.

This is a non-issue, in my opinion, but I understand the complaints about watching him look to the left and then look to the right. It is annoying.

Thing is, I tend to umm a lot to when I am trying to recall information too. A lot of people do.
 
megaprogman said:
Thing is, I tend to umm a lot to when I am trying to recall information too. A lot of people do.

That's what I don't like too. When someone speaks with verve, passion, and knowledge about their subjects, they use "umm" a lot less. When you hesitate and put in a bunch of "umm" and "like" in your speech, you look more like a trained chimp giving someone else's speech.

Wouldn't it be nice if presidents actually said what presidents wanted to say? Fire the speech writers, I say.
 
That's what I don't like too. When someone speaks with verve, passion, and knowledge about their subjects, they use "umm" a lot less. When you hesitate and put in a bunch of "umm" and "like" in your speech, you look more like a trained chimp giving someone else's speech.

Wouldn't it be nice if presidents actually said what presidents wanted to say? Fire the speech writers, I say.

Yeah I agree. I can be passionate and convincing when I have a ready made opinion on something due to me thinking about it a lot. However, in a dynamic situation when people are asking me questions, it is not so easy.
 
He overuses them IMO. But he needs them to convey his words and speech. What's interesting is that for as many motivating speeches he's given, he doesn't communicate to the general public well. Case in point - over a years worth of talking about Healthcare and he's still not able to sell it. :shrug:
 
megaprogman said:
Yeah I agree. I can be passionate and convincing when I have a ready made opinion on something due to me thinking about it a lot. However, in a dynamic situation when people are asking me questions, it is not so easy.

That's precisely the method we should employ for our presidents. If you were to even say the phrase "town hall meeting" around 90% of elected Democrats in this country, they'd run screaming with odorous brown stains in the seats of their slacks. About 75% of Republicans too.

Educated people have to openly and frequently defend their positions, including orally. Hell, if you want a PhD you have to essentially survive a verbal firing squad of people who could crush your balls in one fell swoop. Do politicians deserve less?

Besides, it'd allow politicians to receive fair constructive criticisms. If you know it, answer questions about it so we know you know it.
 
I picked "acceptable", mostly because I don't care.

I'd probably prefer it if he carved his speeches on the back of a moose using an interstellar toothbrush, but that could get nasty.
 
I picked "acceptable", mostly because I don't care.

I'd probably prefer it if he carved his speeches on the back of a moose using an interstellar toothbrush, but that could get nasty.

Just think of the flying dander alone ... I mean, the nasal implications would be disastrous.
 
That's precisely the method we should employ for our presidents. If you were to even say the phrase "town hall meeting" around 90% of elected Democrats in this country, they'd run screaming with odorous brown stains in the seats of their slacks. About 75% of Republicans too.

Educated people have to openly and frequently defend their positions, including orally. Hell, if you want a PhD you have to essentially survive a verbal firing squad of people who could crush your balls in one fell swoop. Do politicians deserve less?

Besides, it'd allow politicians to receive fair constructive criticisms. If you know it, answer questions about it so we know you know it.

British Parliament :mrgreen:
 
Wait. You're saying that Obama spends too much time memorizing speeches and at the same time complaining that he uses teleprompters too much?

What do you think teleprompters are for? They're there so the speaker doesn't HAVE to memorize the speech.

:doh

No, he would be spending too much time memorizing his speeches if he constantly spoke them from memory. When I said "our president" I was referring to any president in general, not just Obama.
 
If Obama were just a state senator or congressman, I'd say yea maybe a little excessive... But he is the president. Being president, one small mistake in your wording of something could blow up big with the media. Most modern presidents we've had used teleprompters and the next president will use them too.
 
No, he would be spending too much time memorizing his speeches if he constantly spoke them from memory.

Which is why he doesn't. :doh What's your complaint, exactly?
 
I'm pretty sure lots of politicians currently invoke on a regular basis the use of teleprompters.
 
What do you think of Obama's use of teleprompters?

I'd say a little excessive. To be honest, I would prefer our president spent more time running the country rather than spending time memorizing long speeches. If you are president and you memorize every speech you make, you are wasting important time.

At the same time, I sometimes can't take him seriously because I know he's just reading it.

It also drives me crazy seeing him look left, then right... left then right... every few seconds when giving his speeches. I can imagine it could be pretty annoying seeing him make the speech in person when all he's doing is looking at the teleprompters.

I don't give a crap if he uses them, although I'd like to see more people speak from their mind and write their own speeches without help.

That shows me they review the information themselves.
 
Wait. You're saying that Obama spends too much time memorizing speeches and at the same time complaining that he uses teleprompters too much?

What do you think teleprompters are for? They're there so the speaker doesn't HAVE to memorize the speech.

:doh

I totally agree that teleprompters are appropriate for speeches. Where it gets a little excessive is when you have massive screens and teleprompters set up during press conferences. Hell...can he LOOK any more like a puppet being fed lines? Then again...we...ummmm...we have...ummmm...seen his...ummm...responses...ummm..to...uhhhh...questions that require...ummm...independent...errr...well...thought...that...ummm...
 
That's what I don't like too. When someone speaks with verve, passion, and knowledge about their subjects, they use "umm" a lot less. When you hesitate and put in a bunch of "umm" and "like" in your speech, you look more like a trained chimp giving someone else's speech.

Wouldn't it be nice if presidents actually said what presidents wanted to say? Fire the speech writers, I say.

Seems an adequate description of Obama.

Albeit a tad discourteous to a chimpanzee.
 
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