# Obama sees handwriting on the wall **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 14, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431 "2011-06-14T14:43:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/1 "2011-06-14T14:43:19Z")
[Family would be just fine with one term](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110614/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_family_1) Fluff, or sending early smoke signals? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/2 "2011-06-14T14:48:37Z")
Is this more of the stupid “Obama will be Forced Out to make room for Hillary” conspiracy theory? Yes, it’s fluff. Obviously. Hell, I just got an email from the Obama campaign (along with probably 50,000 of his other closest supporters[1]) announcing that they’re hiring a bunch of staff. [1] which is to say, people who’ve at one point in the past clicked through to his campaign web site. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/3 "2011-06-14T14:54:02Z")
I’m not sure there is handwriting on the wall. When you’re, for example, [tied with Romney in a poll](http://www.thestatecolumn.com/articles/poll-mitt-romney-is-clear-front-runner-tied-with-obama/), [as bad as that may be for Democrats](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/44/post/west-wing-briefing-a-closer-look-at-obamas-poll-numbers/2011/06/06/AGBFosKH_blog.html), that means the outcome is uncertain, not that Obama’s sure to lose - which is what the phrasing “handwriting on the wall” implies. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/4 "2011-06-14T14:57:26Z")
Fluff, particularly considering he said they would have been fine _if_ he hadn’t run for another term. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/5 "2011-06-14T15:05:25Z")
As opposed to “Michelle and my daughters will be greatly disappointed in me and think less of me as a father and husband if I don’t run again and win…”? It’s a fluff quote. Who would expect him to say different? ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/6 "2011-06-14T15:23:32Z")
Michelle has made it clear that she only loves me for the power, and will divorce me if I don’t run for a second term. My daughters love to say “my Dad could pardon your Dad”, and will be mocked mercilessly if I lose that privilege. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/7 "2011-06-14T16:43:59Z")
> [@](#): > > if she no longer thought that what they were doing was worthwhile for the country You think a president is going to decide that what he’s doing isn’t worthwhile for the country? 😕😕😕😕😕😕😕 Man, I said that this was the silly season, but… I can’t believe anyone is so desperate that they’d start interpreting homilies to one’s family as political news. What new bottom can we sink to? ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/8 "2011-06-14T16:49:09Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > What new bottom can we sink to? This is politics: As low as you can go. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/9 "2011-06-14T18:01:43Z")
_Barack be nimble, Barack be quick Barack go under limbo stick!_ ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/10 "2011-06-18T15:35:24Z")
Maybe he is trying to stir up the base. A little uncertainty, and perhaps that will trigger a bit of panic in the Dems "OMG what are we gonna do without our incumbent!!!’ Never hurts to reduce the danger from a primary challenge either from the left or the right. Not that there is much danger - as previously mentioned, as long as Obama avoids major scandals, he is safe as houses for the nomination and the outcome of the general election will depend on the economy. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/11 "2011-06-18T15:55:15Z")
In the interview with Robin Roberts, Obama said that the best thing about being president is that the Secret Service will guarantee that his daughters will never get into a car driven by a boy who’s had a beer and he wants another four years of that. Is that a signal to the base too? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/12 "2011-06-18T17:34:44Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > as long as Obama avoids major scandals, he is safe as houses for the nomination :dubious: Before after the great recession? Might be time to retire that idiom, or perhaps its meaning will do a 180 degree shift. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/13 "2011-06-18T17:42:30Z")
The nomination? He’s safe as safe can be. There won’t be a credible Democratic run against him for the 2012 election. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/14 "2011-06-20T15:44:28Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The nomination? He’s safe as safe can be. There won’t be a credible Democratic run against him for the 2012 election. I think he means that houses are not that safe anymore (i.e., falling house prices, rising foreclosures). It’s the idiom, not the sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/15 "2011-06-22T03:22:10Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > In the interview with Robin Roberts, Obama said that the best thing about being president is that the Secret Service will guarantee that his daughters will never get into a car driven by a boy who’s had a beer and he wants another four years of that. They didn’t stop the Bush daughters! In fact, the Secret Service interfered with the bar people who were trying to stop the daughters! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/16 "2011-06-22T04:06:51Z")
I’ve a hunch that Obama’s instructions to the Secret Service regarding his daughters might be a bit different from Bush’s. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2011, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/17 "2011-06-27T11:33:29Z")
Obama’s biggest problem is that unemployment is still at 9.1%. If he doesn’t get that down, it won’t matter what his family thinks. The GOP can run Bachmann and win. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/18 "2011-07-10T20:11:26Z")
If the Repubs do not lift the debt ceiling things will get a lot worse. I think the voters will know who is responsible. Legarde ,the new head of the IMF says there would be terrible consequences if the Repubs did not do the right thing. McConnell said long ago his job was to make Obama a 1 term president. He may be miscalculating .He may bring voter wrath down on those responsible ,the Repubs. ---
**Author:** ![Recovering\_Republican](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@Recovering\_Republican](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recovering_Republican)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/19 "2011-07-10T21:08:20Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > If the Repubs do not lift the debt ceiling things will get a lot worse. I think the voters will know who is responsible. > Legarde ,the new head of the IMF says there would be terrible consequences if the Repubs did not do the right thing. > McConnell said long ago his job was to make Obama a 1 term president. He may be miscalculating .He may bring voter wrath down on those responsible ,the Repubs. McConnell’s not the problem. He and Boehner have agreed to a framework. It’s getting their caucuses to vote for it if Obama keeps insisting on tax increases. Nobody wants tax increases. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431/20 "2011-07-10T21:43:32Z")
> [@Recovering\_Republican](#): > > Nobody wants tax increases. Wants, no. Thinks they are necessary… different story. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-sees-handwriting-on-the-wall/585431.md?page=2)