Did Obama trick Republicans out of giving a response to his (campaign) speech?
By Ken Falkenstein | Thursday, September 8th, 2011 | Politics
Shepherd Smith of Fox News made the following observations following President Obama’s (campaign) speech before Congress tonight (and I’m paraphrasing Smith):
The speech was scheduled to begin at 7:00, and the White House announced that it would last 43 minutes without applause. So, adding about 7 minutes for applause throughout the speech, the White House created the impression that the speech would last about 50 minutes.
The first NFL game of the season was scheduled to begin at 8:00.
Republicans did not want to be responsible for delaying or causing people to miss the season’s first kickoff, so they chose to release a short written statement in lieu of a televised speech.
Obama’s speech actually ran 32 minutes, including applause, leaving a full 28 minutes after the speech until kickoff – time that could have been used to include a traditional short Republican response speech or at least some informal interviews with some Republicans.
But just before the speech, the White House announced that there has been a “specific” and “credible” terrorist threat that was being investigated by the FBI.
So, much of those 28 minutes after the speech were used to cover this “breaking news,” thereby depriving the Republicans of virtually any chance to respond to Obama’s (campaign) speech.
In short, the Obama administration appears to have lied about the length of the president’s speech and to have timed the release of information about a possible impending terrorist attack for the deliberate purpose of silencing his political opposition after a major nationally televised address to Congress – an address in which he admonished Republicans and Democrats to work together in good faith for the benefit of the American people.
Nice words, Mr. President.
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About the author
Ken Falkenstein has been a staffer in the United States Senate and the Virginia House of Delegates. He has managed political campaigns. He was a military intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army in West Germany during the Cold War. He is currently the Vice President of the Down Syndrome Association of Hampton Roads and practices as a civil litigation attorney with the law firm of Poole Mahoney PC in Virginia Beach. His concern for his kids' future is what most informs his writing.
Comments
4 Responses to "Did Obama trick Republicans out of giving a response to his (campaign) speech?"
How do you know he lied? Maybe he talked faster on stage? Maybe his sycophants in speech prep clapped longer and filled up those 20 minutes? How many people would have left for the fridge or restroom after he finished? How many people heard nothing he said but were looking at his non Grecian formula hair? Who remembers any response to a speech longer than what could be presented in the last 2 seconds of Prof Corey’s 5 minute university.
See I can randomly speculate too.
One hour before his speech, Obama sent a fundraising e-mail out to supporters about the speech. Still think his political manipulation is just random speculation?
Fundraising email and phone banking.. I have a phone I use for politics only that had a recorded message from bobo volunteers. This is yet another reason to impeach this jack of all asses who abuses presidential privileges.
“There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”
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