# Sigh. Why, Obama, why? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 18, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894 "2009-01-18T21:19:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/1 "2009-01-18T21:19:25Z")
Hey almost President Obama, how you doing? I know right now as I type this you’re sitting there in the cold suffering through one of the most boring concerts imaginable, but just in case pigs fly at some point, maybe you’ll read this. Or not. Probably not. But whatever. I’m still not over the Rick Warren thing, which to me shows an unbelievable amount of insensitivity to the feelings of gays and lesbians and their supporters. It was a hard, cold, painful slap in the face to people who were already hurting after the horrific bigotry shown by voters in California, Arizona, Arkansas and Florida. So ok, you’re not gay, you don’t care about their feelings. Fine. But here’s something that touches you personally. You and Michelle have talked about falling in love to the song “At Last” by Etta James. It’s “your song” and at your ball Tuesday night, your first dance will be to that song. You and Michelle, dancing to “At Last.” It’s going to be beautiful, emotional, but oh so unbelievably insensitive. Why? Because it’s going to sung by fucking Beyonce. Why is that insensitive? BECAUSE ETTA JAMES IS STILL ALIVE AND SINGING AND IN GOOD HEALTH! Poor Etta. Didja even think for a split second how Etta would feel choosing some snot-nosed pop star to sing the song that brought you and your wife together? No, of course not. Hey dude, think you’re gonna be a great president. Love your pro-science stance, and even though I’ve looked askance at some of your appointments, I’m willing to wait and see how your intelligence and education and ability to reach across all those aisles will help our country. I have no doubt that we’ll be in much better shape as a country by the end of your term(s). Go forth, do good, get 'er done. Good luck, best wishes, I support you. But please try to work on this streak of insensitivity that’s very troubling to me. Poor Etta. Damn. Sincerely yours, Citizen ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/2 "2009-01-18T21:26:45Z")
Ever stop and think that maybe the choice was Etta’s? Maybe she’s not in any condition to be there? Maybe she’s not available? ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/3 "2009-01-18T21:29:45Z")
Do you know that they didn’t offer it to her first? Maybe she had other things scheduled. But more importantly, do you really, seriously think that _picking singers for the fucking ball_ should really be high on the President’s list of priorities? Really? Doesn’t he have, like, REAL work to do? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/4 "2009-01-18T21:33:18Z")
Are you sure? [Her web site](http://www.etta-james.com/index.html) doesn’t list any singing gigs since 2006. Though it looks like it hasn’t even been updated since 2006. Oh, and according to [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_James), there is _some_ reason Beyonce was chosen – she played Etta in the film _Cadillac Records_ ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/5 "2009-01-18T21:33:58Z")
Obama didn’t pick the song, Beyonce did. [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1602971/20090116/knowles\_beyonce.jhtml](http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1602971/20090116/knowles_beyonce.jhtml) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/6 "2009-01-18T21:38:53Z")
Typical slip-shod, slap-dash Dem agenda. Been the Pubbies, they would have chosen the singer, the song, her dress, her shoes and her eyeliner. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/7 "2009-01-18T21:50:34Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Typical slip-shod, slap-dash Dem agenda. Been the Pubbies, they would have chosen the singer, the song, her dress, her shoes and her eyeliner. Celine Dion, I bet. Or Whiney… I mean, Whitney. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/8 "2009-01-18T21:54:28Z")
Silly me, I jumped the gun on starting this thread. I _just now_ read (edit to add, I was typing and didn’t see Justin’s post, I read it elsewhere), that, it would seem that Beyonce chose the song herself, they didn’t ask her to sing it, which, if I’d read that prior to starting the thread, I never would have started the thread. [Emily Latella] Never mind. [/Emily Latella] (I should add that Beyonce will do a wonderful job. She was pretty good playing Etta James in the movie Cadillac Records. My emotions at loving Etta so much, she’s such a legend, and is going strong at age 70, and it would have been so wonderful to see/hear her sing that song to the Obamas, got the better of me.) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/9 "2009-01-18T22:08:08Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Are you sure? [Her web site](http://www.etta-james.com/index.html) doesn’t list any singing gigs since 2006. Though it looks like it hasn’t even been updated since 2006. I don’t know what the deal is with her web site. Official web sites always suck. I do know she played the Telluride (Colorado) Blues and Brew festival and the Marin Civic Center Memorial Auditorium (edit to add, in San Francisco) in September, just a few months ago. Also edit to add, [here’s Etta live](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edGDt5izxIg&NR=1) in (I think) November 2007, > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Oh, and according to [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_James), there is _some_ reason Beyonce was chosen – she played Etta in the film _Cadillac Records_ I know, I saw it in the theater. It was pretty good, and Beyonce was fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/10 "2009-01-18T23:17:53Z")
For my money, Little Jimmy Scott’s version kicks major ass, and he’s still alive also. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/11 "2009-01-18T23:35:24Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Typical slip-shod, slap-dash Dem agenda. Been the Pubbies, they would have chosen the singer, the song, her dress, her shoes and her eyeliner. And paid $150,000 for them from campaign funds… ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/12 "2009-01-18T23:36:48Z")
You could probably still round up most of the original Turtles to sing “HappyTogether”. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/13 "2009-01-18T23:38:01Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > You could probably still round up most of the original Turtles to sing “HappyTogether”. Good luck with that Beatles thing, though. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/14 "2009-01-18T23:43:55Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Hey almost President Obama, how you doing? I know right now as I type this you’re sitting there in the cold suffering through one of the most boring concerts imaginable, but just in case pigs fly at some point, maybe you’ll read this. Or not. Probably not. But whatever. > > I’m still not over the Rick Warren thing, which to me shows an unbelievable amount of insensitivity to the feelings of gays and lesbians and their supporters. It was a hard, cold, painful slap in the face to people who were already hurting after the horrific bigotry shown by voters in California, Arizona, Arkansas and Florida. So ok, you’re not gay, you don’t care about their feelings. Fine. > > But here’s something that touches you personally. You and Michelle have talked about falling in love to the song “At Last” by Etta James. It’s “your song” and at your ball Tuesday night, your first dance will be to that song. You and Michelle, dancing to “At Last.” It’s going to be beautiful, emotional, but oh so unbelievably insensitive. Why? Because it’s going to sung by fucking Beyonce. Why is that insensitive? > > BECAUSE ETTA JAMES IS STILL ALIVE AND SINGING AND IN GOOD HEALTH! > > Poor Etta. Didja even think for a split second how Etta would feel choosing some snot-nosed pop star to sing the song that brought you and your wife together? > > No, of course not. > > Hey dude, think you’re gonna be a great president. Love your pro-science stance, and even though I’ve looked askance at some of your appointments, I’m willing to wait and see how your intelligence and education and ability to reach across all those aisles will help our country. I have no doubt that we’ll be in much better shape as a country by the end of your term(s). Go forth, do good, get 'er done. Good luck, best wishes, I support you. > > But please try to work on this streak of insensitivity that’s very troubling to me. > > Poor Etta. Damn. > > Sincerely yours, > > Citizen > [@Equipoise](#): > > [Emily Latella] Never mind. [/Emily Latella] It’s going to be a long four years, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/15 "2009-01-18T23:55:25Z")
I would like to think that the last thing on Obama’s mind is who performs for all of this inauguration hoopla, nor what songs they play. I’d like to think that he attends these events only because he’s expected to. Today he tried to emphasize how screwed up the country is, but that didn’t matter. The performers and the audience acted like his election were the second coming of the Christ. Everything was peaches and cream for them. I’d like to think that he’s just humoring all these people, who have spent excessive amounts of money to engage in mere idol worship. This guy has worked an amazingly well-executed campaign to the presidency. Now that he’s soon to be president, the last thing I’d expect him to do is become fatuous because of of bunch of people who want to party because he was elected. He is taking on a nation that is seriously messed up, and if you think he should care about all these sentiments projected on him, you are not giving him credit. I believe that he’s thinking more about the economy, and in as much as he appears and takes part in all of this inauguration nonsense, he’s only doing so because he doesn’t want to alienate anyone. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/16 "2009-01-19T00:20:36Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Oh, and according to [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etta_James), there is _some_ reason Beyonce was chosen – she played Etta in the film _Cadillac Records_ I’m not sure how big a deal the song “At Last” was to the Obamas. From [here](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/09/23/obama-grooves-to-stevie-wonder-and-eminem/) > [@](#): > > “Barack, what’s your favorite song?” a dance teacher in the crowd yelled. > Signing autographs, Obama looked up. > > “Oh, I got so many favorite songs,” he said. “Do you want old school or new school?” > > “I want your school,” she replied. > > After thinking it over for about another minute of signing souvenirs and posing for pictures, Obama came up with an answer. > > “I tell you what. I can tell you the kinds of stuff that I love dancing to, and that is–I’m sort of of the generation of Stevie Wonder and ‘Earth, Wind and Fire,’” he said to a cheer. > > “I’m dating myself now,” he continued. > > “But I’m sort of hip to the younger stuff. You know, like Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love.’ That’s a good song to dance to. Eminem has a–although he curses sometimes.” I guess Beyonce was chosen because he just likes Beyonce. ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/17 "2009-01-19T00:26:29Z")
The leader of the Free World likes Beyonce?!? The leader of the Free World likes Beyonce. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/18 "2009-01-19T00:31:17Z")
> [@George\_Kaplin](#): > > The leader of the Free World likes Beyonce?!? > > The leader of the Free World likes Beyonce. > > ☹ I don’t know her very well. What’s the problem with her ? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/19 "2009-01-19T00:36:07Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > So ok, you’re not gay, you don’t care about their feelings. Fine. Bastard is hosting a dinner for John McCain. He probably hates us all. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/20 "2009-01-19T01:21:14Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > It’s going to be a long four years, isn’t it? I was just thinking that. Are we going to be reading Pit threads about the minutiae of his life for four solid years? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894.md?page=2)