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03-20-2012, 08:26 PM   #1
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It's moments like these...

Sign of the Times: Watch One of the Best 'I Met Obama' Stories Ever | Distriction

03-20-2012, 08:52 PM   #2
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That's... remarkable. I don't know what else to say.
03-21-2012, 05:03 AM   #3
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makes me proud of our president. I think its been a while, too long actually since this nation had a president with real intelligence, not just some fancy degree's. people can say what they want about Obama in terms of how he has handled his time as president, and maybe how he will handle his second term, but you all know he is a more intelligent, honest and real than any of the republican candidates. no president has ever kept all or even most of their promises, but how they represent themselves is how they represent our nation. and on this front, Obama has been one of the best president we've ever had in my opinion. I don't think any president has inherited such a difficult job then Mr. Obama. two wars, bailouts, a nation that still dislikes him for no reason other than the color of his skin, or his perceived faith and ethnicity. and so much more. and to still show a level of humanity and intelligence that a lot of other presidents could only wish to be able to show, much less posses.
03-21-2012, 05:07 AM   #4
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As opposed to "they should be made to learn English or not be citizens."

03-21-2012, 05:51 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by GeneV Quote
As opposed to "they should be made to learn English or not be citizens."
its amazing isn't it, how some people think that ignorance and a complete lack of desire to learn and understand other cultures, languages and ideas is somehow a good thing to people. Im fairly certain you are referring to Santorum here, based on his recent comment about Puerto Rico. besides the fact that a presidential candidate is ignorant of the federal laws or lack thereof in this case, just advocating ignorance and a bigoted attitude toward a Commonwealth is just downright pathetic. people like that will only quicken the pace of this countries current backward traveling direction.
03-21-2012, 07:12 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by séamuis Quote
makes me proud of our president. I think its been a while, too long actually since this nation had a president with real intelligence, not just some fancy degree's. people can say what they want about Obama in terms of how he has handled his time as president, and maybe how he will handle his second term, but you all know he is a more intelligent, honest and real than any of the republican candidates. no president has ever kept all or even most of their promises, but how they represent themselves is how they represent our nation. and on this front, Obama has been one of the best president we've ever had in my opinion. I don't think any president has inherited such a difficult job then Mr. Obama. two wars, bailouts, a nation that still dislikes him for no reason other than the color of his skin, or his perceived faith and ethnicity. and so much more. and to still show a level of humanity and intelligence that a lot of other presidents could only wish to be able to show, much less posses.
I don't know about the first one, but the last two are just oxymorons when considering any politician.
03-21-2012, 07:15 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by wasser Quote
I don't know about the first one, but the last two are just oxymorons when considering any politician.
only terms of politics. I was referring to him as a person. this particular moment had nothing to do with politics.

03-21-2012, 08:36 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by séamuis Quote
only terms of politics. I was referring to him as a person. this particular moment had nothing to do with politics.
I was replying to your general statement comparing him to the other candidates. That had everything to do with politics.

And this event also had something to do with politics, which makes it difficult for me to separate this moment of signing of "thank you" to his general schmoozing of the masses from politics.

Also, there is an assumption here that the president knows sign language and knows what was said to him. Yes, he said, "thank you" in ASL, but my 6 year old girl knows how to say that. If he'd responded with something like, "I'm proud of you too", then I'd be impressed by his ASL.

Last edited by wasser; 03-21-2012 at 09:55 AM. Reason: oops, forgot a "to"
03-21-2012, 08:49 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by wasser Quote
I was replying to your general statement comparing him to the other candidates. That had everything to do with politics.

And this event also had something to do with politics, which makes it difficult for me to separate this moment of signing of "thank you" his general schmoozing of the masses from politics.

Also, there is an assumption here that the president knows sign language and knows what was said to him. Yes, he said, "thank you" in ASL, but my 6 year old girl knows how to say that. If he'd responded with something like, "I'm proud of you too", then I'd be impressed by his ASL.
fair enough, but that doesn't mean I was referring simply to politics. I was referring to past presidents and future presidents as people. hence my comment 'how they represent themselves, is how they represent our nation.' and eluding to the fact that failures as a president from a political standpoint is common to all presidents. I may have not been clear in my meaning, but that doesn't mean you can't separate the man from the politician. as for the sign language. comparing the president to a six year old girl is somewhat pretentious to be honest. I think its likely that most younger people know some sign language. a lot more than people his age likely will. also, your presumption that because he gave a simple answer to the statement means he likely doesn't know much is pretty absurd. the answer he gave was fitting to the statement received. the answer being simple doesn't mean he doesn't know or is incapable of signing back in more intricate ways. thats a pretty strong bias you have there.
03-21-2012, 09:15 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by séamuis Quote
fair enough, but that doesn't mean I was referring simply to politics. I was referring to past presidents and future presidents as people. hence my comment 'how they represent themselves, is how they represent our nation.' and eluding to the fact that failures as a president from a political standpoint is common to all presidents. I may have not been clear in my meaning, but that doesn't mean you can't separate the man from the politician. as for the sign language. comparing the president to a six year old girl is somewhat pretentious to be honest. I think its likely that most younger people know some sign language. a lot more than people his age likely will. also, your presumption that because he gave a simple answer to the statement means he likely doesn't know much is pretty absurd. the answer he gave was fitting to the statement received. the answer being simple doesn't mean he doesn't know or is incapable of signing back in more intricate ways. thats a pretty strong bias you have there.
My bias is strong?

I never presumed anything. I also never said, "he likely doesn't know much". Based on what happened I can't make that assumption. For all I know the president is fluent in ASL. However, I can't make any such assumption either way from this video.
03-21-2012, 09:26 AM   #11
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It was a nice thing for Obama to do.

Re Obama's intellect, check out his writing and be in no doubt - this is a very thoughtful and intelligent guy.

Last edited by ihasa; 03-21-2012 at 09:40 AM.
03-21-2012, 09:27 AM   #12
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Guys, guys... let's not.

(Also, if you watch the Michelle video at the bottom of that page, you'll see that she at least is somewhat fluent in basic ASL, which would make it reasonable to assume Barack isn't completely ignorant of it.)
03-21-2012, 09:41 AM   #13
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I don't know that he is or isn't fluent in ASL, and that is not the point. He is making an effort to relate to a constituent in his language. Kennedy was not fluent in German, but his mangled sentence in his Berlin speech was appreciated. It is simple thoughtfulness. This is a contrast to the immediate past president who had to apologize for making a joke about the sunglasses worn by a blind reporter. After Sunglasses Gaffe, Bush Apologizes to Legally Blind Reporter - ABC News
03-21-2012, 09:42 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by deadwolfbones Quote
Guys, guys... let's not.

(Also, if you watch the Michelle video at the bottom of that page, you'll see that she at least is somewhat fluent in basic ASL, which would make it reasonable to assume Barack isn't completely ignorant of it.)
I did watch the Michelle Obama clip and still can't make this assumption she is "somewhat fluent in basic ASL". I don't know anything about the video. I don't know ASL. She looks great saying it, but I don't even know what she said, or if she said it correctly. I don't know. Also, it appears to be a staged event and the ASL could then have been staged too. I don't know.

What I do know is I can't make any assumptions based on these two clips.
03-21-2012, 09:47 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by GeneV Quote
I don't know that he is or isn't fluent in ASL, and that is not the point. He is making an effort to relate to a constituent in his language. Kennedy was not fluent in German, but his mangled sentence in his Berlin speech was appreciated. It is simple thoughtfulness. This is a contrast to the immediate past president who had to apologize for making a joke about the sunglasses worn by a blind reporter. After Sunglasses Gaffe, Bush Apologizes to Legally Blind Reporter - ABC News
Or kinda like Romney and his "ya'll" and "I like grits!" speak.
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