# Obama press conference on Friday the 16th at 2:15pm EST **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 16, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831 "2016-12-16T02:07:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/21 "2016-12-16T15:12:52Z")
> [@GrandWino](#): > > How would C-SPAN know what Obama is or isn’t going to talk about today? Spoiler: They don’t. He’s not necessarily talking about _anything_. He’s answering reporters’ questions. Do you understand that? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/22 "2016-12-16T15:13:44Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > ISTM that whatever Yankovich’s credentials might be, he sounds like a guy prone to hyperbole. Certainly comments like “orderly transition cannot be accomplished” reek of the kind of attention-grabbing hysteria that tends to afflict much of the media at times. He was relaying reporting by CNN w/ that line you quoted about an “orderly transition”. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/23 "2016-12-16T15:16:58Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > He’s not necessarily talking about _anything_. He’s answering reporters’ questions. Do you understand that? You’re the one that quoted C-SPAN and said “nothing to see here.” It could be his typical end of year presser. But with the slow drip of Russia news coming out all week, I’d guess Obama comes out and gives his holiday statement and then takes questions - the first of which will certainly be about Russia, and at that point he’ll get into it. But just because the description doesn’t outright say what will be discussed doesn’t mean it won’t. Haven’t you ever seen a preview description for a hot “no spoilers” type tv show? It’s not like they’re going to tell you “Season finale: Tony dies”. We’ll see this afternoon, but w/ the EC voting on Monday and the news coming out all week about the Russia hacking. I think we’re going to get something more than a “Happy Holidays” from Obama today. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/24 "2016-12-16T15:20:43Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > What exactly is this guy hinting will happen? Failure to certify the election? Does the current POTUS have any power to, say, call for a new vote, if he has definitive proof of Russian interference and Trump’s collusion in same? No, President can’t do much of anything. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/25 "2016-12-16T15:29:35Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Hacking? Get over it - Americans have been caught hacking foreign leaders before (e.g. Angela Merkel). Fake news? Americans themselves have been doing it for decades if not centuries. (“At least we’ll make him deny it!”) Actual manipulation of votes? That’s a real problem. It’s amazing to me how many people try to dismiss this as business as usual. Maybe the US has done it in the past but most of the people threatened with loss of health insurance or social security, or loss of their civil rights, had nothing to do with that. The entire human race does not deserve destruction of the climate because if that. How can seemingly intelligent people believe that saying the magic words “get over it” will actually cause people who are personally threatened to get over it? When you say “get over it” in this context you’re fighting human nature. So no, in spite of your command to “get over it”, people won’t. Sorry to rain on your parade. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/26 "2016-12-16T16:00:55Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > The entire human race does not deserve destruction of the climate because if that. LOL. There’s no way that a four or eight year Trump administration is going to do much one way or the other to “destroy the climate”. Let me ask you for three numbers: 1. current CO2 level in the atmosphere 2. expected level if Trump does his damndest to “destroy the climate” in 8 years 3. expected level if Hillary had won and done her best to reduce CO2 emissions 8 years from now ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/27 "2016-12-16T16:08:23Z")
> [@GrandWino](#): > > > [@D\_Anconia](#): > > > > Here’s C-Span’s description of the event: > > > > “President Obama responds to reporters’ questions on a variety of topics ahead of his annual trip to Hawaii for the holidays.” > > > > IOW, nothing to see here. :rolleyes: > > How would C-SPAN know what Obama is or isn’t going to talk about today? Spoiler: They don’t. What exactly do you think a press conference is? BTW, from everything I’ve seen so far, Obama has been completely gentlemanly and forthcoming in the transition process and has, at least in public, accepted that Trump will be POTUS. ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/28 "2016-12-16T16:34:03Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > LOL. There’s no way that a four or eight year Trump administration is going to do much one way or the other to “destroy the climate”. Let me ask you for three numbers: > > 1. current CO2 level in the atmosphere > 2. expected level if Trump does his damndest to “destroy the climate” in 8 years > 3. expected level if Hillary had won and done her best to reduce CO2 emissions 8 years from now You can say that about any 8 years, sure. That’s why it’s called “long-term” climate change. Which 8 years would you say would be the right ones to take action? Just for the sake of argument, let’s say we’re having this conversation 40 years from now, (that’s not too long, 8 years is 20% of the way there) and Florida is underwater. Is that the right time? Or would you say: “whups, too late, time to move on.” (Don’t mistake my tone: I’m saying this tersely, but I’m genuinely curious). ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/29 "2016-12-16T16:39:53Z")
The OP perfectly illustrates why click bait and fake news works. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/30 "2016-12-16T17:23:27Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Maybe Obama’s going to declare martial law and appoint himself president-for-life, like all the conspiracy theorists predicted. Oh please please please please please. not for life, just until someone legitimate can be POTUS. > [@](#): > > BTW, from everything I’ve seen so far, Obama has been completely gentlemanly and forthcoming in the transition process and has, at least in public, accepted that Trump will be POTUS. while, in the background, he is getting ready to SAVE US from trumplandia with a Putin Puppet in charge. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/31 "2016-12-16T17:58:23Z")
I think that anyone who expects anything truly explosive is going to be disappointed. Do we have any idea where David Yankovich is getting his information from? A lot of us (myself included) are desperate for some earth-shaking change - some constitutional fix for an apparent foreign coup attempt that may have changed the outcome and caused the election of someone we see as an unqualified buffoon who buys into some of the right’s worst conspiracy theories and who shows an unsettling attitude of approval of Vladimir Putin. That makes us desperate to grasp at things like these Yankovich tweets. But Obama hasn’t shown any apparent interest in trying to overturn the election. If anything he’s shown just the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/32 "2016-12-16T18:09:23Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I think that anyone who expects anything truly explosive is going to be disappointed. Do we have any idea where David Yankovich is getting his information from? > > A lot of us (myself included) are desperate for some earth-shaking change - some constitutional fix for an apparent foreign coup attempt that may have changed the outcome and caused the election of someone we see as an unqualified buffoon who buys into some of the right’s worst conspiracy theories and who shows an unsettling attitude of approval of Vladimir Putin. > > That makes us desperate to grasp at things like these Yankovich tweets. But Obama hasn’t shown any apparent interest in trying to overturn the election. If anything he’s shown just the opposite. What is this Cold War 2 the left is enthralled by? The US deals with a lot of unsavory characters. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/33 "2016-12-16T18:41:09Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > What is this Cold War 2 the left is enthralled by? The US deals with a lot of unsavory characters. ^^ Party over country. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/34 "2016-12-16T18:43:20Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Do we have any idea where David Yankovich is getting his information from? No, why would he burn his sources publicly? In the tweet reply thread to his tweets on the matter were replies from some other journalists confirming that they were hearing similar things from their sources on the hill. We’ll know soon. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/35 "2016-12-16T19:00:15Z")
If “orderly transition can’t be accomplished” means anything, it’s probably no more than “President Obama has decided to just fix anything he can now his time’s ticking out, rather than wasting his days trying to teach a pig to sing” ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/36 "2016-12-16T19:02:28Z")
Anyone know a good place to stream the press conference from? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/37 "2016-12-16T19:11:17Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Anyone know a good place to stream the press conference from? Youtube usually has a stream. Hopefully they do this time as well. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/38 "2016-12-16T19:12:07Z")
I wonder how late Obama will be for his own press conference. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/39 "2016-12-16T19:12:41Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Youtube usually has a stream. Hopefully they do this time as well. It’s there. Thanks for the heads-up; I was unaware they did this. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-press-conference-on-friday-the-16th-at-2-15pm-est/774831/40 "2016-12-16T19:15:02Z")
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