Just Awesome, love the arrogance. New Time zone in DC: Obama Time

[AteUp]

Is it just me, or is it just completely disrespectful? He has a habit of tardiness that goes way back so don't blame it on all he has to do in office.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/02/05/obamas-tardiness-sets-apart-predecessor/

Obama's Tardiness Sets Him Apart From Bush

Unlike his predecessor, President Obama has struggled to arrive on time to events and news conferences.
By Stephen Clark

Barely two weeks into his presidency, Barack Obama has made a clean break from George W. Bush in several high-profile moves, including reversing a number of the 43rd president's policies.

He's also reversed an unwritten but much-noticed Bush policy: Be on time, all the time.

Obama has been routinely late to events and news conferences, including the ones at which he reversed Bush's orders. This has led to an already familiar refrain from the Obama camp: "He's running late."

The president was 45 minutes late Friday for a ceremony in which he introduced a team of outside economic advisers. He was 10 minutes late Thursday to a memo signing at the Energy Department. He was nearly 30 minutes late Wednesday for the ceremony at which he signed a bill to expand children's health care.

Even before the inauguration, Obama wasn't a punctual sort; he arrived late to a Jan. 8 news conference on the economy that was aired live by broadcast and cable networks.

When it comes to following the clock, Obama closely resembles Bill Clinton, who was famously late to events when he was president. By contrast, Bush despised being late and was punctual to a fault. He set the tone early in his presidency -- he arrived at the Capitol five minutes early for his inauguration.

"To me, being tardy, it's got to be one of two things," said presidential historian Doug Wead, who advised both Bush and his father, George H.W. Bush. "Bad organization that can be corrected, or it's arrogance. It sounds to me like this is arrogance."

Mark Lindsay, a Democratic consultant and former senior White House adviser to Bill Clinton, disagreed, explaining that Clinton was late sometimes because he was making accommodations for logistics or average citizens.

"I would make the opposite observation," Lindsay said. "I would say that taking time to accommodate your schedule to regular citizens is not an act of arrogance. It's an act of humility."

Lindsay, who was the assistant to Clinton for management and administration, said Bush was not known for having the same level of engagement with regular people.

Allan Lichtman, a political history professor at American University, had a different explanation for Clinton's tardiness.

"President Clinton was always late because he wasn't very disciplined in general," he said. "This was a man who marched to the beat of his own drummer, who liked to talk, liked intellectual discussions, had his finger in every pie."

There are two kinds of presidents, Lichtman said: "Foxes and hedgehogs."

"Foxes know a little about everything. They have their fingers in every pie. ... Hedgehogs only know a few things and know it well and leave the details to others. Clinton was a classic fox. Bush was a classic hedgehog."

And Obama? He appears to be a fox, too, Lichtman said.

Obama was habitually late to events on the campaign trail and to meetings as a U.S. senator. In fact, there's a montage on YouTube of him offering apologies for missing testimony and presentations because of his late arrivals to meetings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He even apologized in advance for asking questions that might be repetitive.

The president's tardiness already appears to have spread to others in his administration. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs has been routinely late for daily news briefings, sometimes by more than an hour.

Wead warned that habitual tardiness can be misinterpreted, citing the Cingular dropped-call ads that show how communication breakdown can lead to awkward moments in a New York minute. And he said being late could cost Obama politically.

"When Obama's popularity slips, some people on Capitol Hill will not wait for him, and that will result in diminished political power," he said.

[watermelon3308]

alls i can say is.people wanted a change.they got it.for the worse.in my opinion obama lied his way right to the captains seat.but then again dont they all.

[WhiteRubi]

He is in over his head. The stress is already taking it's toll. Unfortunately we have 4 more years of this crap. It's not going to get any better.

[watermelon3308]

He is in over his head. The stress is already taking it's toll. Unfortunately we have 4 more years of this crap. It's not going to get any better.i can hear bushs famous last words to obama.hear ya go boy.i broke it. you fix it.

[CUZZIN]

Seeing that Bush was always there on time its a shame he didnt do any thing when he got there. :(

[MsgMills]

Seeing that Bush was always there on time its a shame he didnt do any thing when he got there. :(

Man why don't you go crawl back under the rock you came out from...You must really hate the last President to no end...What did you get turned down for Gubment assistance or something and have a chip on your shoulder against Mr. Bush?:rolleyes:

[Haves]

being late is a sign of disrespect for those you are meeting with. Obama will learn to be on time if people, including the media, wouldn't sit around waiting for him.

[AteUp]

being late is a sign of disrespect for those you are meeting with. Obama will learn to be on time if people, including the media, wouldn't sit around waiting for him.

Absolutely. It's obvious he's never been very considerate of other's time. For whatever reason this article goes right through me. Nothing I hate worse than an inconsiderate a-hole. I knew from the first time I saw him saunter across the stage he was rpetty full of himself. How many times has he already made mention of the fact that he won the election? At least a dozen that I have read about.

[turkeytalker]

I think obama is gonna wear very thin,very quickly. His pompous partisan speech thursday night shed alot of light on the real obama.


Does his strut remind anyone else of Ace Ventura's?

[Art]

Punctuality is a virtue. I actually have a phobia of being late to ANYTHING. I guess if I was an arrogant a-hole who thought everyone else was on MY schedule and that I couldn't be fired from my job for being late, then I, I , I STILL WOULDN'T BE LATE!

Obama has been treated as a God like figure for the past year, so I can't really blame him if has has started to believe he is a God. The sad part is that no matter what he says or does, the media and half of this country will never refuse to believe he isn't a God. These fools in the media and the govt. officials will cater to him and turn this into some sort of a running joke to make Obama look like this good ol' funny guy.

[AteUp]

Obama has been treated as a God like figure for the past year, so I can't really blame him if has has started to believe he is a God.

He's been the center of his universe for awhile now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y922UlW_BPM

[killinmammals]

Does his strut remind anyone else of Ace Ventura's?
HAHA...me and another buddy seriously said something about that the other night after watchin the movie and some cnn crap!!! Only thing is obama isn't near the man Ace is:D:D


Obama has been treated as a God like figure for the past year, so I can't really blame him if has has started to believe he is a God. The sad part is that no matter what he says or does, the media and half of this country will never refuse to believe he isn't a God. These fools in the media and the govt. officials will cater to him and turn this into some sort of a running joke to make Obama look like this good ol' funny guy.
Yeah, they have pumped him up into some sort of super hero...can't go anywhere without seein a video about him, cards, shirts, hats, posters, and action figures!!! Kinda lets you know how he got elected...heck there is a company somewhere south of the border makin an obama cigar....and I don't believe its of the clinton selection either;):D

[mgpatty]

It just goes to show the level of respect his has for the Office of the President.

[kmtpr]

"When Obama's popularity slips, some people on Capitol Hill will notwait for him, and that will result in diminished political power," hesaid.

I agree with this, but in the meantime, he is nothing but arrogant and disrespectful. :mad:

What other President put a "hold" on the former President's orders? Who is HE to "review" anything? Just my arrogant .02. :p

[Willie]

I learned very early in my life and my career that I should always be on time. In fact I was always at least 5 minutes early for any meeting.

If a meeting was at 8 am, it should START at 8 am. Everyone should be in their seats and ready to go at 8 am..

Meeting leaders and facilitators were always there 15 to 20 minutes early to set up.

Yes, this will wear thin on people real quick..

[CUZZIN]

Man why don't you go crawl back under the rock you came out from...You must really hate the last President to no end...What did you get turned down for Gubment assistance or something and have a chip on your shoulder against Mr. Bush?:rolleyes:That's not a very nice thing to say, I don't hate Bush and for a matter of fact I voted for him twice. Just think this country is headed in the wrong direction under his watchful eye. Its people like you that wants to bash the democrats with every breath, on this forum and others. Life is to short to get pissed off every time someone doesn't think the way YOU do. And as far as the government assistance, I'm not needing it right now what about you?:rolleyes:

[deepfryum]

I beleive that Pres. Obama will make Pres. Bush one of the greatest presidents we have had! By the end of his term most of the country will wish we had Bush back!

[kycowboy]

He is a joke

[AteUp]

What other President put a "hold" on the former President's orders? Who is HE to "review" anything? Just my arrogant .02. :p

Actually, it's a pretty common practice. Bush did the same thing to Clinton.

[Haves]

[quote=deepfryum;723486]I beleive that Pres. Obama will make Pres. Bush one of the greatest presidents we have had!quote]


Bush would have had to make himself a great president. There is no going back in time or hoping that someone else fails to put lipstick on that pig!LOL

[maxcam]

"President Clinton was always late because he wasn't very disciplined in general," he said. "This was a man who marched to the beat of his own drummer, who liked to talk, liked intellectual discussions, had his finger in every pie."

There are two kinds of presidents, Lichtman said: "Foxes and hedgehogs."

"Foxes know a little about everything. They have their fingers in every pie. ... Clinton was a classic fox."

And Obama? He appears to be a fox, too, Lichtman said.

They can try to fool you boys but I know it isnt fingers that Clinton was sticking in pies that made him habitually late! :rolleyes:

[kmtpr]

Must be me, but I don't recall Bush holding up orders that Clinton signed so he could "review" them? To be honest with you, I wouldn't agree with that either, even tho I didn't like Clinton. I would be interested in knowing which orders they were. :confused:

[taximan]

i can hear bushs famous last words to obama.hear ya go boy.i broke it. you fix it.
I sincerely hope you don't believe that. You name any former President in history that has faced the consequences that Bush did and handled it better. I would love to know because I must have missed that day in history class. I think the country needed a change, but Obama is a sad replacement in my opinion. I am an independent voter, but as a sportsman and gun owner I have never voted in a presidential election on the democratic ticket!

[raktrakr]

Obama was habitually late to events on the campaign trail and to meetings as a U.S. senator. In fact, there's a montage on YouTube of him offering apologies for missing testimony and presentations because of his late arrivals to meetings of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He even apologized in advance for asking questions that might be repetitive.
No wonder he always voted "present", he was never there to know what he was voting on

[AteUp]

They can try to fool you boys but I know it isnt fingers that Clinton was sticking in pies that made him habitually late! :rolleyes:

This part is even better. One of his former aides says it was because he connected with the avergae citizen better. WTH does that mean?

Mark Lindsay, a Democratic consultant and former senior White House adviser to Bill Clinton, disagreed, explaining that Clinton was late sometimes because he was making accommodations for logistics or average citizens.

"I would make the opposite observation," Lindsay said. "I would say that taking time to accommodate your schedule to regular citizens is not an act of arrogance. It's an act of humility."

[AteUp]

How many times has he already made mention of the fact that he won the election? At least a dozen that I have read about.

And count one more on Saturday.:rolleyes:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29050187/

'Still, the popular president — six in 10 voters approve of his performance so far — scolded Republicans with a pointed reminder that Democrats, not Republicans, were victorious in November."

[killinmammals]

No wonder he always voted "present", he was never there to know what he was voting on
you might just be on to something there...or it was probably just he didn't want anybody to know what he was really about

[AteUp]

Must be me, but I don't recall Bush holding up orders that Clinton signed so he could "review" them? To be honest with you, I wouldn't agree with that either, even tho I didn't like Clinton. I would be interested in knowing which orders they were. :confused:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/01/20/politics/main265806.shtml

Not So Fast!
Among First Acts, Bush Moves To Block Late Clinton Orders

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2001

CBS) Getting his new administration off to a quick start, President Bush on Saturday signed an executive order establishing ethics standards for his new administration, formally submitted his Cabinet nominations to the Senate and moved to suspend a batch of 11th-hour orders by his predecessor.

The regulations issued by former President Clinton include new Medicare guidelines and environmental protections. With the stroke of a pen, Mr. Bush also proclaimed Sunday as "a national day of prayer and thanksgiving" and ordered a temporary federal hiring freeze until his new Cabinet members get in place.

Mr. Bush served notice with his 15-minute inaugural address that he planned to move ahead on themes he had sounded repeatedly during his presidential campaign: an education package, proposed Social Security and Medicare changes, a big tax cut and increased defense spending.

"We must show courage in a time of blessing, by confronting problems instead of passing them on to future generations," he said.

The president also instructed his chief of staff, Andrew Card, to issue a directive to the Government Printing Office to effectively halt a series of last-minute Clinton actions, said Bush administration officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Among the actions targeted are environmental restrictions on runoff from animal feeding operations, and more than 800 pages of new guidelines for managed care programs under Medicare.

Mr. Clinton left office with a flurry of decisions, many of which have drawn sharp criticism from Republicans.

Federal officials said Mr. Bush acted to ensure that the president's appointees have the opportunity to review any new or pending regulations.

Card's directive, expected to be announced later Saturday, imposes a moratorium that would prevent any new rules from being printed in the Federal Register - unless specifically approved by the incoming administration.

That would essentially block the most recent of Clinton's executive orders because most rules cannot take effect until a certain time after their publication in the Federal Register. It also puts a 60-day delay on any regulations already printed in the Register but which have yet to take effect, Bush aides said.

Older regulations would not be covered, but are actively under review by the incoming Bush administration. Many may be rescinded, Bush transition officials said.

The freeze would not affect pardons issued by Mr. Clinton in his final hours.

Imposing a freeze on rules has been done in the past by other incoming presidents.

Then-President Ronald Reagan used a similar technique in 1981 to block scores of last-minute executive orders by his predecessor, Democrat Jimmy Carter.

And when he took office in 1993, Mr. Clinton moved quickly to block several orders that Bush's father, George Bush, had put in place in the closing days of his administration.

One would have required federal ontractors to inform nonunion employees of their rights to get a refund of any dues withheld from their paychecks. The younger Bush may issue a new executive order reimposing that blocked order of his father's, the GOP officials said.

Mr. Bush also signed an executive order spelling out a code of ethics for members of his new administration.

And Card imposed a freeze on hiring of new federal employees "unless and until" a Bush-appointed agency head approves the hiring, preventing holdover Clinton officials from hiring new employees.

[bowhunter08]

I have a pet peeve about being on time. got to be atleast 20-30min early at work. If I am on time i would like to thank that our President should be doing the same. But I guess not all rules apply for "the mesiah":rolleyes:

[kmtpr]

AteUp, thank you for posting those and enlightening me, as I had forgotten. :o Guess issues Obama stands for have angered me. :(

[Jim in Annville]

Everything THE ENLIGHTENED ONE does pisses me off. He is a incompetent . This country is in for a long hard four years.

[We-Todd-Did]

If the president on the United States is five minutes late for something, I'm willing to give him a little slack if he is a republican or democrat. Its quite possible he may be a little busy!!! I think its hilarious people think he should be impeached for keeping a reporter waiting, if it were me I would make appointments with Fox nonNews and miss them for laughs!

[AteUp]

If the president on the United States is five minutes late for something, I'm willing to give him a little slack if he is a republican or democrat. Its quite possible he may be a little busy!!! I think its hilarious people think he should be impeached for keeping a reporter waiting, if it were me I would make appointments with Fox nonNews and miss them for laughs!

Did you bother to read the article or watch the youtube video. This isn't a new habit, he's always been the most important person in the room.

[We-Todd-Did]

Did you bother to read the article or watch the youtube video. This isn't a new habit, he's always been the most important person in the room.
I did bother. I still find it absolutely pathetic that this is such an issue.

[HUNTINGMAN]

Obama sucks:D,I wonder if he would be late for a meating with his muslim family members over seas.:rolleyes:

[MsgMills]

I beleive that Pres. Obama will make Pres. Bush one of the greatest presidents we have had! By the end of his term most of the country will wish we had Bush back!

Man, I got to back your thinking 100%...For I see this is as true as the fact that the sun will always rise in the East and set in the West.......

[AteUp]

I did bother. I still find it absolutely pathetic that this is such an issue.

Well, I guess that's telling in itself. I suppose you regularly keep people waiting without regard to their time or interest and/or don't care if you are kept waiting. It's not occasionally oversleeping, it's not getting stuck in traffic or standing in line getting biscuits and gravy. It's repeatedly not giving a shit about anyone else but yourself and your interest. It is pure, utter arrogance. I find it pathetic that the writer said the reason Bush was prompt and Obama/Clinton are always late is because they relate to the common man better. WTH does that mean? No coincidence that quote came from a former Clinton aide.:rolleyes:

[mgpatty]

I would be willing to guess that those who defend Obama’s habitual tardiness really don't understand the importance of promptness because they don't understand responsibility. Apparently Obama doesn’t understand it yet either.:(

[We-Todd-Did]

Wow, I guess you people throw a tantrum every time you go to the doctor, hospital, grocery store, bank, or post office. You showed up on time so they are supposed to drop everything and cater to you, right? I am a very prompt person and expect the same, but I dont stomp and whine when someone else's schedule isnt the same. I still see this as an incredibly petty thing.