As I sit here and watch our new president-elect in his first interview since November 4, I’m once again reminded of once of the reasons he’s a breath of fresh air. When Steve Croft asks him…
“Have you been reading [XYZ]?”
…it doesn’t really matter what the direct object of that question is. Whether it’s Lincoln’s writings on bringing together his cabinet or FDR’s musings on the Great Depression. Because Obama’s answer is simply:
“I have.”
Damn. Refreshing, ain’t it? Conversely, I am also reminded of one of my pet peeves about 44. While he sits there and so eloquently describes the viscous cycle of oil addiction, it’s apparent that he himself hasn’t kicked his own addiction…to a single word. His prefacing of answers to tough questions with “Look…” manages to suck almost all the air out of his arguments. Why? Because since the dawn of time, homo sapiens have regularly used that word to get their questioners ready for some grade-A bull.
When a politician begins an answer with, “Look…”, this is what I actually hear:
Okay. Check it. That question is dicey for me politically and/or I just don’t have a thoughtful answer. You should know better than to ask me such a thing. Frankly, you’re lucky that I’m even here right now. But since I can’t win anything pissing off the media, I’m going to come up with some horseshit to eat up the next 24 seconds. Don’t even think about asking me a follow-up…
I’m not saying that’s what he actually means…it’s just what I hear. He’s been using it since his campagin kicked off and it’s time to retire it from the lexicon.
el D 5:59 pm on August 25, 2009 Permalink | Log in to Reply
That’s it. I’ve had it. I want your parents’ home phone number. Stat.