Contrary to popular belief, Obama’s speeches rate at the bottom of the presidential scale

http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/study-obamas-rhetorical-superiority-myth

I checked several sources for this story. The liberal ones claim that Bush and Obama were equally elementary in the speeches and today no one would be able to understand the complex speech and references of the pre-1920 politicians. But others say Bush's speeches were better. Actually, it's the speech writers, with the politician putting in his own touch. I find Obama's mannerisms, teleprompter dependence and stammering very distracting, as were Bush's facial quirks and folksy good ol' boy mannerisms. But Bush was an avid reader of history, biography and politics--Obama depends on hip hop music on his I-pod and it showed.

https://www.vocativ.com/interactive/usa/us-politics/presidential-readability/

I took a writing class a few years ago at Lakeside in which the instructor told us the most difficult vocabulary and complex constructions were on the sports page of the newspaper. I was once a speech writer for an Ohio female politician. It's not that hard to learn the cadence and style of a speaker by reviewing previous speeches. But you do need to consider the audience.  Speaking to a conference of state workers was different than speaking to a gathering of unemployed workers who were over 55 (the area I was working in).

The daily memo

The President apparently gets his daily briefings as memos rather than in person the way other presidents have done. Seems they pile up unread. WaPo reported 2 years ago: "During his first 1,225 days in office, Obama attended his PDB just 536 times — or 43.8 percent of the time. During 2011 and the first half of 2012, his attendance became even less frequent — falling to just over 38 percent. By contrast, Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush almost never missed his daily intelligence meeting." That explains a lot.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-is-obama-skipping-more-than-half-of-his-daily-intelligence-meetings/2012/09/10/6624afe8-fb49-11e1-b153-218509a954e1_story.html

“. . . the former president held his intelligence meeting six days a week, no exceptions — usually with the vice president, the White House chief of staff, the national security adviser, the director of National Intelligence, or their deputies, and CIA briefers in attendance. Once a week, he held an expanded Homeland Security briefing that included the Homeland Security adviser, the FBI director and other homeland security officials. Bush also did more than 100 hour-long “deep dives” in which he invited intelligence analysts into the Oval Office to get their unvarnished and sometimes differing views. Such meetings deepened the president’s understanding of the issues and helped analysts better understand the problems with which he was wrestling.”

Like or hate Bush, he was more engaged and relied on a stronger base of knowledge than Obama, who seems to  believe he knows more than everyone in the room, or the world.

George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation

Thanksgiving Proclamation
Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

George Washington

Bread and Circuses

Mona Charen writes:

"Mrs. Obama has been all over pop culture. Her Oscar outing followed hard on the heels of a mean “mom dance” on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Her husband, meanwhile, has been golfing with Tiger Woods. Some members of what used to be (long ago, boys and girls, when non-cool presidents were in office) the adversarial press corps joined forces to chant a question at the returning President Obama after his golf outing. They had lodged complaints with the press secretary about lack of access, apparently crestfallen that the White House refused to permit pictures of Obama and Woods on the course. Their shouted question wasn’t about the sequester, or Benghazi, or Syria, or Hagel; no, the pressies chanted in unison (Occupy-style) “Did you beat Tiger?” Their crush on Dear Leader is undiminished.

The president makes himself available to friendly questions from the press — see the latest 60 Minutes interview — and is always available to chat about his basketball final-four picks or what’s on his iPod. In short, both he and his wife have mastered the art of being celebrities-in-chief. The man who wrote two autobiographies before he was 45 (earning a tidy fortune in the process) is a genius at marketing himself. Together, the Obamas provide “circuses” aplenty for the masses. As for bread, that’s another matter."

Did you know that in order to coerce the Republicans into higher taxes and no cuts, they are releasing criminal illegal immigrants due for deportation as an early sequestration move?  But dance on Bo.

Why Obama isn't at the Wall

Sure, he doesn't want to celebrate the fall of communism in Europe, flying a big RED flag that his socialist, statist policies won't work. There's a bigger reason, however. HIS EGO! He'd have to share the stage! Have you seen the photos!!! OMG! Every important president, chancellor, premier and former-anybody of Western Civilization is there.

• UK Premier Gordon Brown
  
• French President Nicholas Sarkozy
  
• Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel
  
• Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
  
• German president Horst Koehler
  
• Poland's Lech Walesa
  
• Hungary's Miklos Nemeth
  and even
  
• the former USSR's Mikhail Gorbachev

Democrats preach; Republicans praise

“At the dawn of this New Year, let us rededicate ourselves to that work. Let us reject the impulse to harden ourselves to others' suffering, and instead make a habit of empathy—of recognizing ourselves in each other and extending our compassion to those in need.” President Barack Obama

"The prophets taught the Jewish people never to falter in the world-wide search for the betterment and peace of mankind and never to leave the conflict against the forces of discrimination and poverty.

“These are precepts which were inherited by our forefathers from those who received them at Sinai. They are beliefs which have been given new and forceful expression in the State of Israel, where they were first proclaimed and where Rosh Hashana prayers were first uttered.” President Lyndon Johnson

"We all can learn from the Jewish people’s strong dedication to civil rights and tolerance, and we all must redouble our efforts to combat the forces of intolerance that still linger in our society.

“As we celebrate Rosh Hashana, I urge all Americans to join the Jewish community and to come together as a nation to speak out against hate crimes and to appreciate our common humanity.” President William Clinton

"Our moral code, the ideals that animate us, the faith in God that strengthens us — all these were most clearly and most inspiringly proclaimed many centuries ago by men of Jewish blood.

“Their descendants, in race and in faith, have contributed greatly to the knowledge and the skills and the culture of America.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower

“The liturgy of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur emphasizes both the moral obligations men have to their Maker and the ethical responsibilities we owe to our fellows. Fundamentally, America stands for the same principles. Indeed, these values... have been derived in large part from the Jewish tradition which is thereby inextricably linked to our American spiritual heritage. President Ronald Reagan

“Rosh Hashana celebrates Judaism’s remarkable heritage, and it is a reaffirmation of God’s mercy, glory, and love. As you look ahead to the coming year, I join with other Americans of diverse backgrounds and beliefs in receiving inspiration from your faith, your holy acts of repentance, and your loving kindness. May this year’s celebration bless all who participate as we heal from the wounds inflicted by the recent terrorist attacks.” President George W. Bush, Sept. 17, 2001

HT Atlas Shrugs