Obama: 'She insisted she's going to be buried in an Obama t-shirt'

[Calabrio]

Obama: 'She insisted she's going to be buried in an Obama t-shirt'
By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
02/05/10 11:42 AM EST

Yes, those are the words of the president, last night at the Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Washington. After listing his administration's accomplishments and vowing that "our most urgent task is job creation," Obama pledged to keep fighting for a national health care system. "We knew this was hard," Obama said. And then he described a letter he received from a campaign worker who suffered from breast cancer and has since died:

I got a letter -- I got a note today from one of my staff -- they forwarded it to me -- from a woman in St. Louis who had been part of our campaign, very active, who had passed away from breast cancer. She didn't have insurance. She couldn't afford it, so she had put off having the kind of exams that she needed. And she had fought a tough battle for four years. All through the campaign she was fighting it, but finally she succumbed to it. And she insisted she's going to be buried in an Obama t-shirt.

Many observers have noted that the president often seems extraordinarily self-referential. It's all about him, they say. But even those critics might be a little taken aback by the "buried in an Obama t-shirt" remark. Is it really that much about him?

Others ask how some of Obama's statements would have been covered had George W. Bush made them -- for example, if Bush had pronounced "corpsman" as "corpse-man" (as Obama did twice at the National Prayer Breakfast). Had Bush mispronounced the word so badly -- and he did say some weird things -- it's likely many commentators would have rushed to fit it into their Bush-is-stupid narrative. Now, it's Obama who's sounding strange. And even putting aside the "corpsman" gaffe, what does the president's telling of the "buried in an Obama t-shirt" anecdote tell us about him? (By the way, this is not about the woman and her choice -- people do all sorts of things, and we respect the decisions they make -- but about the president's choosing to tell the story himself.)

The statement comes at 8:25 in the video below. You can see that the crowd laughed after the "t-shirt" comment -- perhaps because they thought it was funny or perhaps because it made them a bit uneasy. In any event, Obama was serious.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/o...-an-Obama-t-shirt-83645132.html#ixzz0f32azBpD

YouTube- Pr. Obama to DNC (2) / OFA Organizing for America [Be Relevant. Join in]

 

[mikemark8]

The media-ignores other half of the Royal Couple too

About Michelle :

Written by Dr. Paul L. Williams

"In my own life in my own small way, I have tried to give back to this country that has given me so much," she said. "See, that's why I left a job at a big law firm for a career in public service, "...
Michelle Obama

No, Michele Obama does not get paid to serve as the First Lady and she doesn't perform any official duties. But this hasn't deterred her from hiring an unprecedented number of staffers to cater to her every whim and to satisfy her every request in the midst of the Great Recession.

Just think, Mary Lincoln was taken to task for purchasing china for the White House during the Civil War. And Mamie Eisenhower had to shell out the salary for her personal secretary from her husband's salary.

Total Personal Staff members for other first ladies paid by taxpayers:

Mamie Eisenhower: One-- paid for personally out of President's salary.

Jackie Kennedy: One

Roseline Carter: One

Barbara Bush: One

Hilary Clinton: Three

Laura Bush: One

Michele Obama: Twenty-two

How things have changed! If you're one of the tens of millions of Americans facing certain destitution, earning less than subsistence wages stocking the shelves at Wal-Mart or serving up McDonald cheeseburgers, prepare to scream and then come to realize that the benefit package for these servants of Ms. Michelle are the same as members of the national security and defense departments and the bill for these assorted lackeys is paid by YOU,

John Q.Public.

Michele Obama's personal staff:

One.. $172,200 - Sher, Susan (Chief Of Staff)

Two.. $140,000 - Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of
Policy And Projects For The First Lady)

Three.. $113,000 - Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House
Social Secretary for Mrs. Obama)

Four.. $102,000 - Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications
for the First Lady)

Five.. $100,000 - Winter, Melissa (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First

Lady)

Six.. $90,000 - Medina , David S. (Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)

Seven.. $84,000 - Lilyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady)

Eight.. $75,000 - Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady)

Nine.. $70,000 - Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Project for the First Lady)

Ten.. $65,000 - Burnough, Erinn (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)

Eleven.. $64,000 - Reinstein, Joseph B.(Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)

Twelve.. $62,000 - Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator For The First Lady)

Thirteen.. $60,000 Fitz, Alan O.(Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady)

Fourteen.. $57,500 - Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady)

Fifteen... $52,500 - Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary To The First Lady)

Sixteen.. $50,000 - Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide To The First Lady)

Seventeen.. $45,000 - Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence For The First Lady)

Eighteen.. $43,000 - Tubman, Samanth a (Deputy Associate Director, Social Office)

Nineteen.. $40,000 - Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)

Twenty.. $36,000 - Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary)

Twenty-One.. $35,000 - Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant)

Twenty-Two.. $35,000 - Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)

Total.. $1,591,200 in annual salaries

There has NEVER been anyone in the White House at any time who has created such an army of staffers whose sole duties are the facilitation of the First Lady's social life.

One wonders why she needs so much help, at taxpayer expense.

Note: This does not include makeup artist Ingrid Grimes-Miles, 49, and "First Hairstylist" Johnny Wright, 31, both of whom traveled aboard Air Force One to Europe .

Copyright 2009 Canada Free Press.Com
canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/12652

Yes, I know, The Canadian Free Press had to publish this, perhaps because America no longer has a free press and the USA media is too scared that they might be considered racist or suffer at the hands of Obama.

 

[fossten]

Obama didn't even remember the name of the 't-shirt' woman.

Lame.

Oh, great article, Mike - I forwarded it to several people.

 

[ford nut]

About Michelle :

Written by Dr. Paul L. Williams

"In my own life in my own small way, I have tried to give back to this country that has given me so much," she said. "See, that's why I left a job at a big law firm for a career in public service, "...
Michelle Obama

No, Michele Obama does not get paid to serve as the First Lady and she doesn't perform any official duties. But this hasn't deterred her from hiring an unprecedented number of staffers to cater to her every whim and to satisfy her every request in the midst of the Great Recession.

Just think, Mary Lincoln was taken to task for purchasing china for the White House during the Civil War. And Mamie Eisenhower had to shell out the salary for her personal secretary from her husband's salary.

Total Personal Staff members for other first ladies paid by taxpayers:

Mamie Eisenhower: One-- paid for personally out of President's salary.

Jackie Kennedy: One

Roseline Carter: One

Barbara Bush: One

Hilary Clinton: Three

Laura Bush: One

Michele Obama: Twenty-two

How things have changed! If you're one of the tens of millions of Americans facing certain destitution, earning less than subsistence wages stocking the shelves at Wal-Mart or serving up McDonald cheeseburgers, prepare to scream and then come to realize that the benefit package for these servants of Ms. Michelle are the same as members of the national security and defense departments and the bill for these assorted lackeys is paid by YOU,

John Q.Public.

Michele Obama's personal staff:

One.. $172,200 - Sher, Susan (Chief Of Staff)

Two.. $140,000 - Frye, Jocelyn C. (Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of
Policy And Projects For The First Lady)

Three.. $113,000 - Rogers, Desiree G. (Special Assistant to the President and White House
Social Secretary for Mrs. Obama)

Four.. $102,000 - Johnston, Camille Y. (Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications
for the First Lady)

Five.. $100,000 - Winter, Melissa (Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First

Lady)

Six.. $90,000 - Medina , David S. (Deputy Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)

Seven.. $84,000 - Lilyveld, Catherine M. (Director and Press Secretary to the First Lady)

Eight.. $75,000 - Starkey, Frances M. (Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady)

Nine.. $70,000 - Sanders, Trooper (Deputy Director of Policy and Project for the First Lady)

Ten.. $65,000 - Burnough, Erinn (Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)

Eleven.. $64,000 - Reinstein, Joseph B.(Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary)

Twelve.. $62,000 - Goodman, Jennifer R. (Deputy Director of Scheduling and Events Coordinator For The First Lady)

Thirteen.. $60,000 Fitz, Alan O.(Deputy Director of Advance and Trip Director for the First Lady)

Fourteen.. $57,500 - Lewis, Dana M. (Special Assistant and Personal Aide to the First Lady)

Fifteen... $52,500 - Mustaphi, Semonti M. (Associate Director and Deputy Press Secretary To The First Lady)

Sixteen.. $50,000 - Jarvis, Kristen E. (Special Assistant for Scheduling and Traveling Aide To The First Lady)

Seventeen.. $45,000 - Lechtenberg, Tyler A. (Associate Director of Correspondence For The First Lady)

Eighteen.. $43,000 - Tubman, Samanth a (Deputy Associate Director, Social Office)

Nineteen.. $40,000 - Boswell, Joseph J. (Executive Assistant to the Chief Of Staff to the First Lady)

Twenty.. $36,000 - Armbruster, Sally M. (Staff Assistant to the Social Secretary)

Twenty-One.. $35,000 - Bookey, Natalie (Staff Assistant)

Twenty-Two.. $35,000 - Jackson, Deilia A. (Deputy Associate Director of Correspondence for the First Lady)

Total.. $1,591,200 in annual salaries

There has NEVER been anyone in the White House at any time who has created such an army of staffers whose sole duties are the facilitation of the First Lady's social life.

One wonders why she needs so much help, at taxpayer expense.

Note: This does not include makeup artist Ingrid Grimes-Miles, 49, and "First Hairstylist" Johnny Wright, 31, both of whom traveled aboard Air Force One to Europe .

Copyright 2009 Canada Free Press.Com
canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/12652

Yes, I know, The Canadian Free Press had to publish this, perhaps because America no longer has a free press and the USA media is too scared that they might be considered racist or suffer at the hands of Obama.

Not all true.

Clicky

The fist lady has about the normal amount of staff.

Laura Bush had a staff of 26 at the end of her hubbys term.

Jakie Kennedy had a staff of 40.

 

[mikemark8]

If, in fact, this is true that Her Imperial Majesty has a staff that is in line with what previous First Ladies' had, doesn't that fly in the face of the anointed ones' claims to streamline the government from 'top to bottom'? Maybe he can claim that Bush is responsible for his globe-trotting spouse's huge administrative needs since Laura had so much paid 'help'. Yea, that's it-we can blame Bush (again).

I guess the point is if it had been done before, is it really necessary in these harsh economic times to fund, to the tune of one and one-half million dollars, this Watusi to foist herself on the public? That doesn't even factor in the cost of the spending excursions in Europe, or the celebrity chefs that have changed the First Families' diet from McDonald's to Braised Chicory with Emmental Cheese, on the taxpayer's dollar.

 

[foxpaws]

If, in fact, this is true that Her Imperial Majesty has a staff that is in line with what previous First Ladies' had, doesn't that fly in the face of the anointed ones' claims to streamline the government from 'top to bottom'? Maybe he can claim that Bush is responsible for his globe-trotting spouse's huge administrative needs since Laura had so much paid 'help'. Yea, that's it-we can blame Bush (again).

I guess the point is if it had been done before, is it really necessary in these harsh economic times to fund, to the tune of one and one-half million dollars, this Watusi to foist herself on the public? That doesn't even factor in the cost of the spending excursions in Europe, or the celebrity chefs that have changed the First Families' diet from McDonald's to Braised Chicory with Emmental Cheese, on the taxpayer's dollar.

Ah, mike, the Bush's were big on 'upscale' food too, it wasn't Big Macs and Fries during Laura's years...

A fondness for Maryland crab, Kobe beef, shrimp and lamb, served two or three times each (week)​

Have any idea of what Kobe beef runs?

 

[fossten]

Ah, mike, the Bush's were big on 'upscale' food too, it wasn't Big Macs and Fries during Laura's years...

A fondness for Maryland crab, Kobe beef, shrimp and lamb, served two or three times each (week)​

Have any idea of what Kobe beef runs?

Tu quoque. The difference is that we didn't have 10 percent unemployment during the Bush years. Obama's hypocrisy is rather thick as he jets around telling other people to sacrifice while he lives it up.

 

[foxpaws]

mike brought up the previous admin...

Actually McDonalds was a favorite of Bills.... not Bush...

I think you're just a little peeved because...

Oh, great article, Mike - I forwarded it to several people.

And now you find out it isn't true...

 

[ford nut]

I guess the point is if it had been done before, is it really necessary in these harsh economic times to fund, to the tune of one and one-half million dollars, this Watusi to foist herself on the public?

If that is your point, then why did you post a chain e-mail that is full of half truths?
You might get some fool to believe its true.
Next thing you know they will forward it to several people, making themselves look stupid.

What does that have to do with some wack job who wants to be put in her grave in a Obama shirt?
Or the fact that Obama is using this a a tool to advance his health care plans?

 

[Joeys Lincoln]

Tu quoque. The difference is that we didn't have 10 percent unemployment during the Bush years. Obama's hypocrisy is rather thick as he jets around telling other people to sacrifice while he lives it up.

So the first lady should be allowed to have assistants based on the unemployment rate? I already know you won't just agree that they both have/had far to many people employed on government money.

 

[shagdrum]

So the first lady should be allowed to have assistants based on the unemployment rate? I already know you won't just agree that they both have/had far to many people employed on government money.

A straw man argument is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position. To "attack a straw man" is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by substituting a superficially similar proposition (the "straw man"), and refuting it, without ever having actually refuted the original position.

 

[fossten]

A straw man argument is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position. To "attack a straw man" is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by substituting a superficially similar proposition (the "straw man"), and refuting it, without ever having actually refuted the original position.

Beat me to it.

 

[Joeys Lincoln]

A straw man argument is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position. To "attack a straw man" is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by substituting a superficially similar proposition (the "straw man"), and refuting it, without ever having actually refuted the original position.

So if I say it's never ok to have that many staff members but his stance is that it was ok because the unemployment rate was lower I'm being a strawman.

 

[fossten]

So if I say it's never ok to have that many staff members but his stance is that it was ok because the unemployment rate was lower I'm being a strawman.

Try again. Speak slower. In English, and without run-on sentences.

Take a deep breath. We'll get through this. Together.

 

[Joeys Lincoln]

Try again. Speak slower. In English, and without run-on sentences.

Take a deep breath. We'll get through this. Together.

You made me laugh I applaud you.

But seriously isn't it fair to say they're both clearly in the wrong?

 

[fossten]

You made me laugh I applaud you.

But seriously isn't it fair to say they're both clearly in the wrong?

It's absurd IMHO. I could make a weak argument about how Jackie Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson had the biggest staff and they're Democrats, but it's not that big a deal.

I will say this though - snopes better get its act together. Their sources for the fact check in this story are Brett Michael Dykes and Dan Froomkin. Dykes' bio reads thusly:

Brett Michael Dykes

Writer/Co-Creator

Brett Michael Dykes - Writer/Co-Creator is a 35 year old writer and actor based in New York City. He is the co-creator of The Mod Couple, a television show in development at Warner Brothers prior to the recent WGA strike. Born in Thibodaux, LA and raised in the small Cajun community of Chauvin, LA, Brett moved to New York in the summer of 2002 to pursue a life in the arts. He has written for numerous print and web publications and is the author of the popular blog, Cajun Boy In The City, which has been featured in The New York Times, Gawker.com, Wonkette.com, Jossip.com, Deadspin.com, Pink is the New Blog, DailyKos and many others. He has also acted in numerous off-Broadway productions in both lead and supporting roles. Brett spends most of his free time contemplating infinity as he goes careening through the universe, his axis on a tilt.

Not exactly the shining beacon of objectivity.

And Froomkin is a certifiable lunatic.

When I look back on the Bush years, I think of the lies. There were so many. Lies about the war and lies to cover up the lies about the war. Lies about torture and surveillance. Lies about Valerie Plame. Vice President Dick Cheney's lies, criminally prosecutable but for his chief of staff Scooter Libby's lies. I also think about the extraordinary and fundamentally cancerous expansion of executive power that led to violations of our laws and our principles.

 

[shagdrum]

So if I say it's never ok to have that many staff members but his stance is that it was ok because the unemployment rate was lower I'm being a strawman.

You are missing his point entirely. Not too surprising when you have a confirmed propagandist active in this thread trying to muddy the waters.

His point was that it is exceedingly arrogant and disingenuous to tell others to sacrifice when you are not willing to do that.

Michelle Obama is not sacrificing or even simply keeping expenditures for herself at the same level as her predecessor. She is being recklessly extravagant and wasteful with the taxpayers money.

It shows a HUGE disconnect from the problems of the American people as well as an arrogant, aristocratic and elitist "restrictions-for-thee-but-not-for-me" mentality. That is the type of mentality that leads to a disregard of the rule of law.

But seriously isn't it fair to say they're both clearly in the wrong?

Again, that only distracts from the point and confuses the issue. It is irrelevant to what was originally being discussed. As Fossten pointed out, it is a fallacious Tu Quoque argument:

Tu quoque (pronounced /tuːˈkwoʊkwiː/, from Latin for "You, too" or "You, also") is a Latin term that describes a kind of logical fallacy. A tu quoque argument attempts to discredit the opponent's position by asserting his failure to act consistently in accordance with that position; it attempts to show that a criticism or objection applies equally to the person making it. It is considered an ad hominem argument, since it focuses on the party itself, rather than its positions​

You would do well to be suspicious of anyone who habitually engages in fallacious, false arguments like that. Those arguments only serve to circumvent legitimate counterarguments and to deceive. Anyone who habitually uses them is not being honest and up front.

 

[mikemark8]

If that is your point, then why did you post a chain e-mail that is full of half truths?
You might get some fool to believe its true.
Next thing you know they will forward it to several people, making themselves look stupid.

What does that have to do with some wack job who wants to be put in her grave in a Obama shirt?
Or the fact that Obama is using this a a tool to advance his health care plans?

Gosh, you're both right (you and Fox) I am unfairly casting aspersions upon Barry/Barack, whatever his name is (oh, wait, we're talking about his wife, the one with the fake hospital job)-let's get back on track and listen again to that heart-tugging story about the woman who (what was her name?)...gee., lost my train of thought again, where was I? Oh, yea, I have decided to REFORM and learn the goose-step that seems to be in all of our futures.

 

[fossten]

Gosh, you're both right (you and Fox) I am unfairly casting aspersions upon Barry/Barack, whatever his name is (oh, wait, we're talking about his wife, the one with the fake hospital job)-let's get back on track and listen again to that heart-tugging story about the woman who (what was her name?)...gee., lost my train of thought again, where was I? Oh, yea, I have decided to REFORM and learn the goose-step that seems to be in all of our futures.

LOL well put. Your sarcasm is quite sharp, sir. Keep up the good work.

 

[ford nut]

You are missing his point entirely. Not too surprising when you have a confirmed propagandist active in this thread trying to muddy the waters.

The person trashing this thread is mikemark8, posting some BS chain mail.
It has nothing to do with Obama, a dead woman, and his t- shirt.

His point was that it is exceedingly arrogant and disingenuous to tell others to sacrifice when you are not willing to do that.

Michelle Obama is not sacrificing or even simply keeping expenditures for herself at the same level as her predecessor. She is being recklessly extravagant and wasteful with the taxpayers money.

It shows a HUGE disconnect from the problems of the American people as well as an arrogant, aristocratic and elitist "restrictions-for-thee-but-not-for-me" mentality. That is the type of mentality that leads to a disregard of the rule of law.



Again, that only distracts from the point and confuses the issue. It is irrelevant to what was originally being discussed. As Fossten pointed out, it is a fallacious Tu Quoque argument:

Tu quoque (pronounced /tuːˈkwoʊkwiː/, from Latin for "You, too" or "You, also") is a Latin term that describes a kind of logical fallacy. A tu quoque argument attempts to discredit the opponent's position by asserting his failure to act consistently in accordance with that position; it attempts to show that a criticism or objection applies equally to the person making it. It is considered an ad hominem argument, since it focuses on the party itself, rather than its positions​

You would do well to be suspicious of anyone who habitually engages in fallacious, false arguments like that. Those arguments only serve to circumvent legitimate counterarguments and to deceive. Anyone who habitually uses them is not being honest and up front.

Again It has NOTHING to do with Obama using this dead woman to advance his health care agenda.

Instead of trying to discredit some one, why don't you try to bring the thread back on track?
Drop the dam pissing match, maybe more people will post.

 

[foxpaws]

In an effort to get back on track.

It was a foolish thing to do - to use the 'Obama t-shirt' tie-in.

This is justified criticism...

I would imagine that this speech was written by a staff member - but Obama should have red lined and changed that little bit.

If only he would have used the words 'campaign t-shirt', tying it back to the message of 'hope and change' and not made it about him. The point that he was trying to convey, that the woman believed in the message of 'change' with regards to the issue of health care was lost in the appearance of egotism.

Once again - it looks like the work of an over enthusiastic staff member, but Obama needs to show some common sense and humility, especially when dealing with this sensitive subject matter. I would also imagine that the note really said that she requested to be buried in an "Obama" shirt - probably those very words, but appearances mean all, and that should have been edited for the speech.

Bad move on his part.

I have also seen criticism regarding this same speech because he didn't name the woman, as though he forgot her name, or that she wasn't important, that his ego trumped all. That I believe is unjustified. Since we don't know the background on this issue, there could be lots of things in play. The survivors would have been asked if it was OK to use the woman's name - they could have said no (for many reasons - I would have said no as well). Perhaps at that point they could have been asked if a first name was OK to use, to help add a more personal touch to the speech. Saying...

I got a letter -- I got a note today from one of my staff -- they forwarded it to me -- from Mary in St. Louis who had been part of our campaign, very active, who had passed away from breast cancer. She didn't have insurance. Mary couldn't afford it, so she had put off having the kind of exams that she needed. And she had fought a tough battle for four years. All through the campaign Mary was fighting it, but finally she succumbed to it. And she insisted she's going to be buried in a campaign t-shirt, one that continues to carry our message of Hope and Change.​

What a difference changing just a few words makes...

 

[fossten]

Drop the dam pissing match, maybe more people will post.

"Shut up," he explained.