Fox News anchors harp on oath story that experts reportedly say is insignificant
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SUMMARY: During Fox News' inauguration coverage, Chris Wallace stated, "I'm not sure that Barack Obama really is the president of the United States, because the oath of office is set in the Constitution." Wallace later claimed, "I wasn't at all convinced that ... John Roberts ever got it out straight and that Barack Obama ever said the prescribed words." On Fox & Friends the following day, Fox News repeatedly aired video of the oath flub, and Gretchen Carlson asked of Obama, "Is he really president," and went on to claim, "Because there was a flub in the oath of office." However, numerous experts, including one quoted later on Fox & Friends, have reportedly said that an incorrect recitation of the oath is insignificant.
During Fox News' coverage of President Barack Obama's January 20 inauguration, Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, asserted, "I'm not sure that Barack Obama really is the president of the United States, because the oath of office is set in the Constitution." Wallace later claimed, "I wasn't at all convinced that, even after he tried to amend it, that [Chief Justice] John Roberts ever got it out straight and that Barack Obama ever said the prescribed words. I suspect that everybody is going to forgive him and allow him to take over as president. But I'm not sure he actually said what's in the Constitution there." On the January 21 edition of Fox & Friends, Fox News repeatedly aired video of the oath flub, and co-host Gretchen Carlson stated of the administration of the oath of office by Roberts, "Well, but, here's the thing. Is he really president?" After co-host Steve Doocy responded, "Yes," Carlson again asked, "Is he really president," and went on to claim, "Because there was a flub in the oath of office."
However, numerous experts, including one quoted later on Fox & Friends, have reportedly said that an incorrect recitation of the oath is insignificant. During Fox & Friends, Carlson stated of Obama: "But here's the thing. He really still is president, because we consulted with Dr. Allan Lichtman, who is a professor and a presidential historian at American University. He says, you know what, they are not going to have to redo this oath. It's kind of a technicality, but he technically is still president." Additionally, a January 21 Washington Post article stated: "Constitutional law experts agree that the flub is insignificant." The article later reported:
Lawyers said Obama and his supporters need not be worried about the legitimacy of his presidency, but they also said a do-over couldn't hurt. Charles Cooper, head of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel under President Ronald Reagan, said that the oath is mandatory, that an incorrect recitation should be fixed and that he would be surprised if the oath had not already been re-administered.
Akhil Reed Amar, a Yale University professor of constitutional law, said, "Out of a super-abundance of caution, perhaps he should do it again."
Jonathan Turley, a professor of constitutional law at George Washington University, was hosting an inauguration party at his McLean home yesterday and did a mock swearing-in of 35 children. When Roberts erred, one child shouted: "That's not right!"
"He should probably go ahead and take the oath again," Turley said. "If he doesn't, there are going to be people who for the next four years are going to argue that he didn't meet the constitutional standard. I don't think it's necessary, and it's not a constitutional crisis. This is the chief justice's version of a wardrobe malfunction."
From Fox News' coverage of the January 20 presidential inauguration:
MEGYN KELLY (Fox News anchor): And I will tell you, I asked these folks how they felt about the chief justice flubbing the oath a little bit, which, for me, as somebody who covered the Supreme Court, was a bit of a surprise. They felt the way I felt, which was, it's nice to see that even the chief justice of the United States and our new president can get a little nervous on the big days -- Chris.
WALLACE: You know, Megyn, I -- I have to say, I'm not sure that Barack Obama really is the president of the United States, because the oath of office is set in the Constitution.
And I wasn't at all convinced that, even after he tried to amend it, that John Roberts ever got it out straight and that Barack Obama ever said the prescribed words. I suspect that everybody is going to forgive him and allow him to take over as president. But I'm not sure he actually said what's in the Constitution there.
BRIT HUME (Fox News senior political analyst): And, Chris, if it ever got to the Supreme Court, you would have to know there would be at least one vote in favor of letting him stay in.
WALLACE: That's right. That's true.
KELLY: Good point.
WALLACE: Brit is saying, Megyn, that, at the Supreme Court, that John Roberts will definitely vote that, yes, he has taken the proper oath of office.
KELLY: That's a very good point. That sounds like a case for "Kelly's Court."
From the January 21 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:
DOOCY: Also yesterday, the president of the United States, the new president, put his hand on Lincoln's Bible, we talked about that. He will be attending a national prayer breakfast today at the National Cathedral at 8:30 Eastern Time. You'll see it right here. There is Lincoln's Bible
BRIAN KILMEADE (co-host): Can we stop scheduling events for Barack Obama and let him be president?
CARLSON: Well, but, here's the thing. Is he really president?
DOOCY: Yes.
CARLSON: Is he really president?
DOOCY: He really is president.
CARLSON: Because there was a flub in the oath of office. There was a flub by Chief Justice Roberts -- I'm sure he wants this moment back, by the way, but now it's in tape in history forever, where he screwed up the word "faithfully," at least the order of it.
It was supposed to go like this, "I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States." Instead he said, "I will execute the office of president of the United States faithfully," and Barack Obama knew there was a mistake there. So there was this kind of a hesitation.
KILMEADE: Yeah, you can fix it.
CARLSON: Oh, here it is.
DOOCY: Let's watch.
[begin video clip]
ROBERTS: I, Barack Hussein Obama --
OBAMA: I, Barack --
ROBERTS: -- do solemnly swear --
OBAMA: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear --
ROBERTS: -- that I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully.
OBAMA: -- that I will execute --
ROBERTS: -- the offi -- faithfully the pres -- the office of president of the United States.
OBAMA: -- the office of president of the United States faithfully.
[end video clip]
KILMEADE: Believe me, you've got to learn to roll with it a little bit. You know, I never would have picked that up if he just repeated it.
[...]
CARLSON: Let's talk a little bit about the other flub that happened during the oath of office. Earlier, I played the role of Justice Roberts.
DOOCY: Chief Justice.
CARLSON: And I'm going to continue to play that role now, but now I'm going to turn to my left, because I put Steve on the spot in the five o'clock hour this morning. All right, Brian, repeat after me.
KILMEADE: OK.
CARLSON: I have to find it first. I don't have it memorized.
KILMEADE: I have to find it first.
CARLSON: OK. I will --
KILMEADE: I have to find it first.
CARLSON: OK. I will faithfully execute --
KILMEADE: I will faithfully execute --
CARLSON: -- the office of President of the United States.
KILMEADE: -- the office of President of the United States. How'd I do?
CARLSON: OK, now that's how it was supposed to happen.
KILMEADE: Right.
CARLSON: Unfortunately, the word "faithfully" got a little screwed up, Steve, and it sounded --
DOOCY: He put it at the end of the sentence.
CARLSON: It sounded -- it sounded like this then: "I will execute the office."
DOOCY: That's right. The problem was, Roberts, on his big day with a billion people watching, decided, "I'm not going to hold up a piece of paper and read. I'm going to just memorize -- "
KILMEADE: "I'm Justice Roberts."
DOOCY: "I'm going to memorize it, and I'm going to say it. How could I possibly screw it up?" Like this:
[begin video clip]
ROBERTS: I, Barack Hussein Obama --
OBAMA: I, Barack --
ROBERTS: -- do solemnly swear --
OBAMA: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear --
ROBERTS: -- that I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully.
OBAMA: -- that I will execute --
ROBERTS: -- the offi -- faithfully the pres - the office of president of the United States.
OBAMA: -- the office of president of the United States faithfully.
[end video clip]
DOOCY: You know, for a couple of smooth-talking constitutional experts --
KILMEADE: I know.
DOOCY: -- that was kind of a little [inaudible].
KILMEADE: That's why I don't want to go to an Ivy League school. Those two Ivy Leaguers could not get it straight.
CARLSON: But here's the thing. He really still is president, because we consulted with Dr. Allan Lichtman, who is a professor and a presidential historian at American University. He says, you know what, they are not going to have to redo this oath.
KILMEADE: Because --
CARLSON: It's kind of a technicality, but he technically is still president.
DOOCY: Because at the stroke of noon you are automatically the president of the United States.
Knew this was coming the moment Roberts screwed it up. The rightwing is so predictable... and loony. Now I am waiting for Rush and Hammity to scream about this for the next four years. God help us.
Technically speaking, Obama was already president when he took the oath. Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh can yell and scream all they want but according to the constitution his term began at 12:00N. The oath is just a formality. Besides right wingers can now get off that fake birth certificate thing. :)
Every so often I see a thread in here that simply gets me so fricken mad I can't help but say to those that MMfA are quoting with their own words.....
SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!
How completely and utterly pathetic does FoxNoise have to become before it begins to realize just how useless they really are?
Who is Chris Wallace and all subsequent rightwing whack-jobs that will undoubtedly repeat this idiocy since John Roberts himself (A Bush appointee) called Obama, Mr President even after the flub...
Its a done deal rightwingers... get over it! President Obama is PRESIDENT OBAMA!!
It's not just FOX-- just now Larry King said they "had" to redo the oath. And CNN is trying to generate a phony issue about "transparency" and the lack of cameras in the room! Let the carping begin (or is it red herrings...?)
Looks like MMFA and the "experts" were wrong. Obama take oath again. LOL
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D95RS3EO0&show_article=1
You really are a fool... ain't ya?
It was and is a complete waste of time that Obama retook the oath... but in order to make fools like you and all the other brainless twits happy... he retook it on the advise of some of his advisors...
Would it have really mattered anyways? Accept to give the rightwing one more thing to pounce on since they can't find anything of substance on Obama...
As far as I'm concerned... it was a done deal yesterday... but now it really is a done deal... so get over it POV...
President Obama.... was PRESIDENT OBAMA at 12:05pm on 1/20/09!!
I'm actually confused about the 12:05 part - does that mean we were without a president for 5 mins? Because The Twentieth Amendment (ratified 1933) says something like "The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January..." I was under the impression he was immediately President at noon, oath or no oath. I"d love to know more about that, since I'm just curious.
Joe Biden was sworn in before noon and was the acting president of the United States till Obama was sworn in.
Well... yes... he was president at exactly 12pm oath or no oath...
You do realize that I was only trying to make a point about the idiocy of the entire argument made up by some of the fools of the rightwing.... right?
I only said 12:05 because it happened to be at that time that Obama said the words...so no... we were not without a president for 5 minutes
So let me understand. A couple of posts above this, you attack fox news and anyone who said there was a problem. When it turns out you and MMFA and their experts were all WRONG, you then tell me I am a fool. Wow.....only a dem and radical left wing nut like yourself can call night day and day night, all with a straight face.
"So let me understand. " Apparently that would be impossible.
You're missing the point, Pointy. There wasn't much of a problem, aside from Roberts botching of the reading of the oath. To most people anyway. Just to satisfy the morons, the oath was taken again.
MMFA wasn't wrong, the government just did a do-over for those of you who have trouble following things at normal speed.
Have you ever seen warnings on products like "Do not put in mouth" on fireworks, or "product will be very hot!" on microwave meals? Most people are amazed that these things have to be mentioned.
Those of you who need these things emphasized shouldn't take any special pride in the fact that you know they're necessary. These things are done for you, at our expense. That's fine, we want to help you along, but don't push your luck by trying to insult others for dumbing it down for you.
Gold, dude. Solid gold reply.
Col. sir........ I could not have said it better myself!
Perhaps that is why you are a colonel and I'm just a captain... :)
Why thank you, Round & Cap'n. Now I'd better check it for typos and punctuation and re-post it for the slow kids.
You lefties really are hypocrites- I can just imagine the stink and cry from you had bush mangled a word in taking the oath in 2004. Obama is held up as this articulate speaker. Bush at least had a track record of malaprops in his pronunciation which you folks never relented on. For a while every other comment went on about things like "misrembered and "nukyular".... Get used to getting your own medicine back in kind for the next four years. As they say, be careful what you ask for.
President Obama didn't mangle a word, it was the bush appointee and hack, Roberts, that flubbed the oath. Don't let reality stand in the way of your stupidity.
MissDee... you have to be kidding.... right? You are bringing up an imaginary scenerio about whether I or other lefties would have had an issue with Bush "HAD" he flub his oath? Doesn't FoxNoise report this kind of crap thinking as news?
You mention Bush's killing of the english language as if that was something to be proud of? He was the POTUS for christ sakes! You would think that he could have taken the damn job a bit more seriously, that, or the Republican's could have by putting someone in the White House a little smarter than Bush!
A dose of our own medicine the next 4 years? Do you have any idea what the hell you are even talking about?
It was John Roberts that flubbed the oath, not President Obama, it was John Roberts that congratulated President Obama on becoming President Obama... it was John Roberts that assumed no biggy.
FYI: John Roberts was an appointee of Junior.
It was a few of President Obama's people that went ahead and had President Obama retake the oath, not for the sake of legality but so that dunderheads like you can be momentarily appeased!
And as expected... they gave you mice (rightwingers) a cookie and now you mice (rightwingers) want a glass of milk!
So I ask again dear... WHAT DOSE OF MEDICINE ARE WE LEFTIES TO EXPECT THE NEXT 4 YEARS??
As GWB once famously said.... Bring em' on!
Actually, the Left is actually proven to completely correct....the bush hack, Roberts, flubbed the oath and President Obama corrected the hack not once, but twice. Simply Pathetic, but expected from a bush hack.
Point, remember many liberals pick and choose what they like about the Constitution. "A president is required by the Constitution to say, "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."" Just glad that Obama has a few smart folks on his staff. White House counsel Greg Craig said the oath was re-administered "out of an abundance of caution."
Yea...! And Obama isn't even a U.S. citizen either... And he won't produce his birth certificate... <breathless> And he's a Marxist... LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL....
If you really want some laughs go to hannity.com and read the forum comments. The nutty right is still alive...although hopefully dwindling.
And if I'm not mistaken didn't he just about admit that he was a Muslim in his address yesterday?
Well, he said that the USA is a Muslim country...that Marxist bastard. ;>)
Just paid a quick visit to the Hannity Snakepit. You have to love a poster spewing nothing but bile and hatred who attaches a pair of praying hands to the end of each of his rants.
i've never been to the pit. must you shower after the visit?
Sandblasting is better...
Shower and a dose of antibiotics just to be safe.
Do you recall, IRONY, the words of Jesus? "The poor you always have with you." He could have said, "The STUPID you always have with you."
IRONY, you could have warned us that if we went to Hannity.com we'd be subjected to no less than SIX SEPERATE PHOTOGRAPHS of that turnip-brained moron, including one showing him superimposed over the flag he chose not to serve under.
And the Freedom Concerts--- god save us from the Freedom Concerts. Chickenhawks with guitars and no talent.
No thanks. I come here to get my laughs by reading the bilge that comes up on the forum here!
So you come here to post bilge just so you can laugh at yourself? What a strange, sad way to entertain yourself.
At least Fox personnel said it was Roberts' flub. Good for Megyn Kelly. I understand Drudge jumped on it as an Obama goof and AP followed that, initially at least.
The chief justice no doubt is very embarrassed. Poor guy. The lesson there is whether you're a kid reciting a Bible verse in a church play or a chief justice administering a 35-word oath to the new leader of the free world, always have a safety net: notes in hand.
I doubt the wingnuts will embrace the oath flub as an ongoing sign of Obama's illegitimacy as president. They still have that birth certificate nonsense to cling to.
Jerry Elsea
Only the delusional wingnuts would cling to the birth certificate.
Oh wait, their all delusional.
Never mind.
Whoops. Should be "they're".
I remember getting lots of points taken off a perfect paper in middle school for those silly errors.
always have a safety net: notes in hand.
MSNBC reported last night that Roberts was READING the oath. Kinda pathetic, if you ask me.
You can feel the desperation with these people. How petty. Talk about insignificant, doesn't that word explain Fox News?
That's all you got?
please, sit back down and don't interrupt the rest of the class with your outbursts.
I never thought that Faux News could demonstrate more stupidity and moronic behavior than they have in the past, but WOW, they DID. This should make them the laughing stock of the media, but, I guess it won't. So, NOW they are concerned about the Constitution. LOL!
If it's not this, it's the parting shot Bush received. Since Bush is yesterday's news, this is all they have.
DOOCY: Because at the stroke of noon you are automatically the president of the United States.
Except the President cannot execute the powers of the office until taking the oath of office...just to be technically correct. Hate to correct that learned scholar Steve Doocy...
Wolf repeated the same thing as well.
Except the President cannot execute the powers of the office until taking the oath
Oops too late. He signed some papers rigth after the oath. Those cabinet positions aren't legal either. He musr retake thr oath and sign again those appointments. Take it up with the Supreme Court. Hah!
Wrong. He had the authority of the chief executive the first time he took the oath. The second oath was strictly for the benefit of the idiot rightwing fringe.
So much for post partisanship. Several people predicted this but I didn't think it would really happen.
Wow, big surprise....a dubyah appointee screws up the simpliest task.
But, it's no surprise that Faux found a way to sink to a new low of lows. There is no mystery any longer that Faux is a pathetic excuse for a propaganda network.
I know. Justice Roberts is such a braindead moron. He is so stupid there are not enough words in the english language to describe how utterly stupid and moronic he is. Just so very, very stupid. He made such a spectacle of himself and proved to the world how stupid he really is. Just plain stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. The stupidest idiot on earth. I don't think there is anyone more stupid than justice Roberts. He's so stupid.
So, are you going to address the simple fact that it's no surprise that a dubyah appointee screws up the simpliest task? Or, are you just going to continue having a meltdown for all to see? Thanks for making me enjoy my vote for Obama that much more.
I don't really blame Roberts, he is human. It was a mistake Obama and Roberts seemed to joke about it at lunch.
And as a conservative, I thought to myself the very same thing, as the stupid Justice Roberts botched the entire inaguration, that no way could Obama really be president. The constitution clearly states: "Ant flub-dub in the swearing in as President of these United States shall forever render the swearer as a complete idiot and the swearee as the invalid president". As a conservative, and I speak for all conservatives, the constitution shall be preserved if adhered to correctly and all of us conservatives believe everything we hear on fox news and this example shall forever reign as the shining city on the horizen of truth, so help me God.
....sorry, any.
Need a tissue to wipe the dripping rage from your extended brow?
No thanks, harley, save your feminine wipes for those heavy days of yours.
Your wife, mother, and sister keep leaving them at my place. Do you mind picking them up...and their wipes? Thanks
My wife is an intelligent woman so that rules her out of your fantasy, my mother has been dead for almost 10 years, so that rules her in your fantasy and my sister is a consumate liberal, low I.Q. and all so she's all yours.
He was there. He put his hand on the bible and affirmed the oath. He is our president. He coulda bobed his head up and down and said "whatever it takes, justice dude" and I would accept him as our president. This whole story has prompted a lot of nonsense. If the left thinks more than a handful of conservatives buy into the Fox story then I have several acres of oceanfront property in Vegas for sale. Cheap.
Embarrassing being a right winger these days, isn't it...?
I'm not embarrassed for what other people do or say. I still believe in conservative principals. Those principals have been perverted and distorted recently but my principals are rock-solid. It's like converting from one religion to another because the people involved in the religion you no longer want to associate with have demonstrated ill will. It's the individuals who have departed from their principals, not the principals themselves. I will readily admit the mistakes made by the so-called right and as certainly point out the mistakes I see made by the so-called left. Unfortunately there is this extremism with both sides that makes it difficult to discuss issues rationally without the inevitable name-calling and trashing of each other's perspective.
Bull. The failures of Bush are the unavoidable culmination of the Reagan legacy. Failure is simply what happens when your idea of conflict resolution is always blunt military force. Failure is what happens when you when you have no empathy for your fellow American. What? Worked all your life, payed into a pension plan for your retirement, but the company left the country to make more profit while they dumped their obligation to your retirement? Too bad, you're on your own.
Cons are so ridiculous, they can't do contrition. It wasn't conservatism that failed, conservatives failed conservatism. Right? Pishaw.
There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.
you must have little faith in empathetic Americans if you feel the government has to do it for us.
Roundhouse is probably on the dole, thats why he's waving the checkered flag for the new deal democrats. Check please.
False. Talk about being the object of one's anger my hypocritical cyber friend. Sheesh, you hateful bastard. You think I'm some feckless Republican? I work long hours, brother. I had to go to work so I could provide a nurturing environment for my kids, that's why I couldn't come back and trade barbs with you.
"hateful bastard"? That kind of rhetorical response is a sign of weak intellect. It's probably gotten you to where you are in life, the bottom of a vast foodchain. Lotsa luck, bottomfeeder.
I'm crushed...a dead ender called me a bottomfeeder. Typical condescending Republican elitist.
How wonderfully glib. How deliciously trite. Another troll has dropped in to contribute yet another plenum of conservative big gubmint antiquity.
We'll do just fine together, as empathetic Americans, as soon as the market fundies get their noses out of the legislative process. It's the unfettered market, not effective government, that wrecks families.
I mean really, it's not big gubmint y'all hate. If that were true you'd see that it's always Republicans that expand government. Reagan and Bush both grew government. No. What you conjobs fear is the wrong type of people running government.
Basically, I think you're a phony, jamesb. I think cons like you use this hypocritical big librul gubmint line to frighten good people into accepting big gubmint conservatism because, in the end, you fear real American values and all you want to do is feed your authoritarian following desire to be told how to live by your Republican big daddy elite.
Your attempting to apply your view of conservatism on me and it won't work. Your second paragraph is revealing in that it's contrition you want. Thats very sanctimonious of you but is it me that should be contrite? Is it you the perpetrators of failed policies should be contrite towards? Am I the object of your anger or am I just your kicking-boy you think you can bully because you don't have the courage to confront anyone except those who post ideas you don't fathom. I'm not sure who your angry at but I should be the least of your worries. I didn't realize I possessed such power over you, roundhouse.
Ain't just my view my thin skinned friend. Conservatism is what it is. It's plain for all to see except for the dead enders. Conservatism is fine as long as it stays between the covers of idealized texts, but in practice, it's retrograde.
Why shouldn't conservatives apologize for their monumental failure?
And what's this convoluted piety you're attempting? You think you know me or something? You think I don't call Republican acquaintances of mine on their bs? You think I don't understand the so called lofty aims of conservatism? Please, kid. Check yourself.
This most recent iteration of conservatism is dead...or at least squirming and thrashing before it finally expires. Its remaining adherents are an embarrassment. Good luck in reconstituting a new conservative movement.
What conservative values of mine do you detest. I haven't revealed any of them at this point yet your irritation with what you think I represent is bristling. Calm down and enlighten me but save the pious attitude, I heard enough today already.
I think she's just a liberal doing a brilliant imitation of outraged, out-of-touch, and anti-American right-winger.
Yet, in her hissy fit, she still hasn't addressed the simple fact that it's no surprise that a dubyah appointee screws up the simpliest task.
If the left thinks more than a handful of conservatives buy into the Fox story then I have several acres of oceanfront property in Vegas for sale. Cheap.
I for one are COMPLETELY shocked there are actual lawyers (quoted by the Wash Post?) who think a do-over is needed or justified. Are these the same type of lawyers who think Bush's signing statements were OK? One trys to breaks every rule in the Constitution and the other flips two words which changes nothing. It must be a lawyer thing.
It must be a lawyer thing.
Kind of like Gonzo producing a memo saying torture is legal.
Gotta be. Anyone with any sense can see the whole story is a non-issue but there are several posters overcome with outrage, willing to strike out at anyone that can't see the enormous consequenses of the story. It's mostly contrived outrage.
"...several posters overcome with outrage.."
Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recover. Congrats. Keep praying to lord Ronny Raygun for strength.
The "why don't you quit talking about yourself" line is brilliant, harley. I must say you got me there.
Your on-going hissy fit is amusing and quite telling. How's that crow pie today? Learn to win elections. You are now irrelevant. Enjoy the wilderness.
I am? I must say I really wield a mighty axe.
No, you're having a hissy fit. That's not much of an axe...more like a dull spork.
I'm not going to continue with this exchange with you harley. It's pointless and adolescent. I'm embarassed I went this long with you, truly ashamed of myself.
Education is just one of those "things" liberals buy into.
Have ya seen the latest statistics lately, Harley. The U.S. is 23rd in math in the world. It's not education conservatives are harping on it's better education. You're clearly a product of the failed education system in this country. Thanks, teacher's union.
You're clearly a product of failed conservatism, where education and reality are not required, in this country. Thanks, ronny raygun and herr dubyah.
Hmmm, a few choice posts from the republican 2008 platform on education:
“We renew our call for replacing “family planning” programs for teens with increased funding for abstinence education, which teaches abstinence until marriage as the responsible and expected standard of behavior. Abstinence from sexual activity is the only protection that is 100 percent effective against out-of-wedlock pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS when transmitted sexually.”
That's a bone for the religious right.
“Partnerships between schools and businesses can be especially important in STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and math. The need to improve secondary education in those fields can be measured by the number of remedial courses now offered at the college level."
Cheap or free labor for business at the workers expense.
“The Republican vision for expanding access to higher education has led to two major advances, Education Savings Accounts and Section 529 accounts, by which millions of families now save for college.”
And more debt to the families instead of lowering education costs.
That's just a couple of examples.
Examples of what? What a wasted post. It made no sense whatsoever. Try again, snoopdog.
The scum vote appears to be taking it hard.
Gee, that's a shame.
Who cares what they say....They should all give more money to Phil Berg to continue his crusade (and money grabbing con). People, Phil is a lawyer...'nuff said.
"The Ridiculous Right can only succeed if something bad happens in this country".
They are invested in failure. They want Obama to fail even though that would mean further misery for the country. Rush Limbaugh used to accuse the Iraq war critics of being invested in failure...that they wanted the war effort to fail just to prove they were correct. Isn't it funny how Limbaugh's so-called logic can so easily be turned around on him? The constant, though, for the Ridiculous Right is ideology before country...
The "Irony" handle is appropriate for since the left has been invested in faliure in Iraq and the economy for eight years under Bush and their willing media accomplices have done everything to try and make that failure a reality.
Oh, yea...we just HATE America. You guys don't actually hate America...you just love right wing ideology more.
I didn't see a defense of your ridiculous statement above.
Oh, yea...we just HATE America
If you say so
The right-wing media blow hards don't need anything bad to happen to get their panties in a twist over an Obama administration. Most of them came to prominance slamming Bill Clinton when he was in the White House and most of what they reported was made up. It wasn't until he lied under oath that they had anything real to pin on him.
Media Matters' article is undermined by an article in the liberal San Francisco Chronicle entitled, which asserts, "-- Several constitutional lawyers said President Obama should, just to be safe, retake the oath of office that was flubbed by Chief Justice John Roberts."
Link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/20/MNAF15E20I.DTL
I guess it's all about which cherries you choose to pick.
Minor correction: The quote is not the title. It's a excerpt.
an excerpt.
"...just to be safe, retake the oath of office that was flubbed by Chief Justice John Roberts."
Not because that is legally required... but only to shut up the lunatics on the right who will most assuredly continue to claim that Barack Obama is an illiegitimate President. It really is time for this childishness to stop...
I heard this on righty radio yesterday morning, obviously before the " illegitimate oath" talking points were issued. At the time I heard it, it was all jokes about Obama needing a teleprompter, ignoring that he was thrown off by Roberts mistake.
I gotta sayCol., that it looked like Obama stepped on Robert's next line but this thing is way outa proportion. It was a simple mistake, corrected and went on. I can't believe this conversation is even taking place. Obama is our president and this is much ado about nothing.
Exactly...it's just embarrassing how some on the right wing cling to childish arguments.
Yeah, Roberts took a strange pause in the first line, then stepped on Obama's repeating of it, then he flubbed again with "office to the Prez." for Office of the prez."
But the magnanimous rightys just want to say that it was Obama who messed up, then drop the whole silly issue, which is blown out of proportion.So let's drop it, just as soon as they've put their spin on it.
ahem... LOL!
(For the record-- I consider the whole issue trivial)
I blame everything on the people behind the scenes since the birth of Obama. Sure, they can manipulate his birth certificate, fly his mom around the world, plant articles in the Hawaaian newspaper, send him to a madrassa, get him involved in politics, cheat and lie his way to the top, associate with unrepentent terrorists, etc. etc...You think that with all this planning that somehow, they would have trained him to follow the lead of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
I knew there was a lack of planning by that group.
Once again, it took a Democrat to correct a card carrying conservative's mistake.
Roberts didn't pause after his name, but Rehnquist did in 2005 so maybe Obama anticipated that. I've listened to about 3 others and the first phrase is always: "I, president's name, do solemnly swear"
Obama did indeed jump the gun, but Roberts screwed up twice after that.
Roberts didn't pause after his name, (Cheney..)
Yes he did. Conservatives just think more slowly, so you didn't notice it.
He didn't pause unless you make the claim he did so because Obama began speaking. Your man isn't infallible, Col.
How are you getting around now Dick? Or if you're a Cheney fan, do you really want him back in D.C. in 2012!!!? Wow.
"Thrown off" by Robert's mistake. Looks like he's easily derailed Col. That's what I like in my prez.
Stoopid people can always derail the smart people
This why government needs to get out of the way.
And if Kim Jung Il throws him a verbal curve ball? How-a-bout Taliban leaders roughing him up with some sand jargon? Hugo Chavez could stutter and Obama would be on the mat.
Why would any of them be reciting an oath for the president to repeat? And why would Obama try to cover for them as he would an American justice? Sometimes you guys don't even try to make sense.
stoopid people can always derail smart people. The Col. You were generalizing, Col.( no pun intended ). Doesn't say stoopid chief justices appointed by dubyah. Don't be kryptic and then criticize those who reply to what you post.
Stigmitized, What joke are you speaking of? Haven't seen one yet. And that would be President Obama. Quit crying. You have eight more years to moan and complain. Stick around here, you are a great space filler. Hope you eyes get better.
Don't get me wrong. I was hoping to start a website looking for donations to "Derail the Unsworn, Unrepentant Oath Taker". Donation were going to be in $100 increments. I was looking to retire off this terrible injustice but the numbskulls at Hannity and Fox ruined everything. Now if I can only find another idiotic lawsuit...I think I got it....Obama was never born. Send donations to help fight this cause to Imdumbenoughtogoforanythingiffoxsaysso@givemeyourmoney.GOP
I keep forgetting. When one slides down the path of liberalism, one relinquishes their sense of humor and replaces it with wry cynisizm. I gotta feeling you actually chortled a bit but won't let on.
Chortled a bit...I keep forgetting that the High Apex of Conservativism/ Republicanism/Postingism gives one the right to feel knowledgable about everything. Sorry that I do not find you humorous but life goes on down here on the ground. Forgetting is something you may have to do frequently if you wish to maintain your sanity. Put simply, Prez Obama be here.
He do be, and I do wish him well. no sarcasm. I believe he is an intelligent man with the country's best interest at heart.
There is some precedent. It seems Coolidge and Arthur did repeat it:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6222146.html
It has been done by two presidents previously:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6222146.html
How does that undermine the Media Matters article? The Post article they quote says the same thing.
But the headlines say opposite things, which would make readers think twice before believing Media Matters' interpretation of the comments as seeing the repetition of the oath as "insignificant". A reader might think, "But then why did the liberal SF Chronicle make a big deal out of it?"
One final, desperate gesture of idiocy from the political right in hopes of delegitimizing the Obama Administration.
Oops, I guess I hit 'Reply'. LOL
Do you agree with Turley that Obama should re-take it?
Only to shut up the Right Wing Loons who will run this thing into the ground.
"He should probably go ahead and take the oath again," Turley said.
Turley is and idiot in this regard. Does he think the Roberts court (Roberts being known as a pragmatist) would give it the time of day? Silly person.
Although take a look at this from 2005...
Rehnquist did indeed separate the name from "do solemnly swear" so Obama probably saw that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2B8-RME13I&feature=related
The whole thing was chopped up and maybe it was because Rehnquist was so old and sick. However Bush in 2001 was only 3 phrases and Reagan in 1981:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhkgfGKszfs
"solemnly swear" was in the first part. But the ending was chopped into 2 parts.
SO...even more reason for these 2 two get together for a few minutes and go over it!
AGAIN: To assign any significance to it is silly.
Peculiar how important the Constitution becomes when braindead Fock Snooze morons need something to beat a Democrat over the head with, but they have no problem with a Republican wiping his backside with it for 8 years.
I agree that this mistake is inexcusable. Justice Roberts should resign immediately for his brazen sabotage of this most sacred ritual.
At the risk of exposing my ignorance, the "law of the land" is not, should not be, the words written on paper be it statute or constitution. It is the meaning of the words and the actions of men that make law. Were it not so, we wouldn't need judges to supervise the interpetation of those words. To put it another way, in a democracy I am not ruled by the words of dead white men.
Midleft, I think zl.... is just doing some of that wingnut "satire".
That's where the right wing media tries to make a big deal out of nothing, others point out the BS, and then the rightys accuse those of exposing them of obsessing over the issue.
Usually involves a sarcastic strawman impression of some imaginary opinion (see above)
The "imaginary" opinion belongs to harley,Col. His "imaginary" depiction of Justice Roberts and the "imaginary" gaffs by both principals of the story have prompted me to make a less than imaginary response to his somewhat dubious observation of the event. As for the "strawman" ,in your less than usual keen observation of events, is, once again, harley, and if I remeber my movie trivia correctly, the strawman was the one in quest of a brain.
A "strawman" is a logical fallacy, not a character from the Wizard of Oz. You should start from there.
I'm well aware of that Col. It was intended to be used as "imagery" in an attempt to insult harley, pun style. I'll explain my jokes ahead of time, just for you, in the future.
Thanks, I'd appreciate that. Or you could just make jokes that make sense.
;0)
If I subverted my jokes to make sense, for you, I'd have to stick to stuff like: Obama walks into a bar with a parrot on his head and the bartender says, "hey where'd ya get that" and the parrot says "Kenya, there's millions of 'em".
Your not funny and I'am not laughing at your supposed clean-up of a "race" joke. That you had the nerve to repeat it in public and not in the backroom of some red-neck bar only speaks to your arrogance and white chauvinism.
Explain your charge of racism. It's not a racist joke.
What makes you think I'm white? And you have the nerve to call me a racist? You just displayed the true definition of racism. Racism isn't about words, it's about intent. Whatever reason you assumed I was white only goes to show it's you who have a difficult time with race, not me. If I were you, and I'm glad I'm not, I'd go take a long, hot shower and rethink my posture on race. You reek of racism.
You have revealed yourself. What an arrogant racist d*ck.
Explain your charge of racism. It's not a racist joke.
Previous posters described you as a religious woman, mary. A lot sure has changed since I was confirmed. It seems your contrived outrage is just that. Seems like 90% of the liberal posters live vicariously through MMFA to give them their pseudo jolt of hate adrenalin everyday. Read an article by MMFA, begin a slow, self-induced rage and let those fingers do the talkin', by golly, and if anyone closely resembling a republican/conservative gets in their way It's off with their head or any other handy organ, regardless of what they post. In the backward world of liberalism, Its not what you say, it's who you are. I've never seen such a large group of mindless robots in my life as I have in this chat forum. MMFA says "HATE" and the automatrons say "HOW MUCH". Not who or why, just "HOW MUCH".
..larebil drawkcab morF
.ekoj a dlot tsuj uoy tub yad lla koot tI. ynnuf gnieb era uoy woN.
Thanks(?) Alice.
Many of the justices who ruled on Roe v. Wade are dead. Are we then not bound by that decision?
Your comment is NONESENSE!!
Sense various legal challenges have so far failed to chip much of it away at large cost and further legal challenges are in the pipeline. There is not much bound there. I'm sure its been a personal cross for you to carry all these years. But how would you say you've been bound by Roe v. Wade?
I don't know 'e' the people seem bound by it when rather reasonable state restrctions are struck down time and again.
The argument above about 'law of the land' seems to say that the actions of men can change the law on a moment's notice.
Can't see rapid law and ordinance changes being of much utility to a society. Incite a mob, get a law change would be what kind of government?
If taking the oath in variance with what is written in the Constitution renders it null and void, then every President since Washington has been illegitimate.
The words, "So help me, God" have been added at the end by every President, as far as I know. Those words are NOT in the Constitutional version of the oath.
The Troglodytes need to find some other bone to gnaw on.
A small correction. In reading a couple of articles, it seems that Chester A. Arthur was the first documented case of a President adding the words "So help me, God".
Whether Washington added it or not is still being debated.
What is not debatable is that the words DO NOT appear in the Constitution.
How about Chris Wallace and Fox and Friends try using that expensive education they got and go and read the 20th Amendment.
At noon he was President of the United States. If he had taken the oath at 4pm on Jan 29th as far as the Constitution of the United States goes he was President as of noon.
Um, guys? Barack H Obama's term of office started at exactly noon Eastern time on January 20, 2009-- whether he had signed a document, taken an oath, or was emptying his bowels at that moment. The Constitution is quite specific concerning the length of Presidential terms, and there is no "lag time" between Presidents.
Calvin Coolidge WAS President the moment Harding died. Harry Truman became President the MOMENT FDR died. LBJ became President the MOMENT JFK was declared dead. Oath or no oath.
This is the dumbest "story" ever, Fox has really managed to reach a new low.
Well said
I send daily E-mail to FOX requesting from them to STOP their "CHILDESS ACTS", learn to speak the thruth! Brain Gas on my part! I forgot about the Dumb S.O.B. who owns FOX!!!
Obama just took the oath AGAIN. MMFA and all the posters who attacked fox and the repubs look like idiots now....lol. I love it
So Obama took the oath again and now it's done? Kind of makes the whole thing seem pretty insignificant, doesn't it?
"MMFA and all the posters who attacked fox and the repubs look like idiots now." - pointofview
POV, you misunderstand. You should have understood from his speech that Obama desires to be an inclusive president. He took the oath again so that the Fox and "repub" idiots would fully understand that he is to be their president as well. You yourself now have no escape hatches.
Sorry Craig. My post above was supposed to be to POV. I was incautious and tagged it on to yours.
That's priceless. Obama did a re-do on the oath to shut up the idiots, and the idiots are crowing that they needed it.
DO NOT PUT HAND ON HOT STOVE !!!!
Yep, you got that put on there too. Kudos!
It's simple: The fact that Obama took the oath again disproves Media Matters' and their cherry-picked experts' claims that the issue was "insignificant". The other experts were right.
WTF cares? The right-wing professional liars have to find something else to talk about now.
What absurdity. Last I looked "so help me god" isn't in the Constitution either. Does that invalidate the shrub's presidency also?
Actually, the Left is actually proven to completely correct....the bush hack, Roberts, flubbed the oath and President Obama corrected the hack not once, but twice. Pathetic.
Ironically, the screams of the Righties on "Obama flubbed" the Oath invalidates ALL Presidents.
The Oath, as written in THE CONSTITUTION, does not have a place for the President's name.
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
No place for the name, nor "So help me God."
This isn't dead yet. The next complaint is that he didn't put his hand on a bible on the second take.
His chances of ever being legitimate to a small vocal population.... are pretty dam small.
Passing strange. I may have had questions about shurb's election victory's, but as a legal review and judgement never happened I felt my opinion on it was of no use or value. He was my legal president, any other point of view was delusional.