# 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:** 2
**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 19, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/21 "2009-01-19T01:23:51Z")
I’m kind of wondering who our Republican Reeder is going to be. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/22 "2009-01-19T01:43:56Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > 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. Jeez, has the guy got to be a saint? Why exactly would it be so wrong for him and his family to enjoy the festivities? To have a few hours of well-deserved celebration where you can have anybody you want to to sing and play for you, and dance with your wife and your little girls, and eat the hell out of a good steak, and not think about the recession or the war or the energy department or the Supreme Court or anything else for a few hours? Now, the man is a consummate politician and workaholic, so he probably won’t enjoy it - but he _should_ and it is not a sin! ---
**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 19, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/23 "2009-01-19T02:02:49Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Jeez, has the guy got to be a saint? Why exactly would it be so wrong for him and his family to enjoy the festivities? Because these festivities have become symbolic of an excessive expectation. “Don’t worry; be happy, Obama is going to be president. All of the nation’s problems will disappear.” Every president-elect should be able to enjoy some festivities. But by raising the hallelujahs so high, they’re setting him up to fail. The guy **certainly isn’t a saint**. So why do they expect him to be one? They’re just setting him up for his detractors to get all the more leverage. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/24 "2009-01-19T02:17:40Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > I don’t know her very well. What’s the problem with her ? We’re talking about the woman who coined the term _bootylicious_. Well, popularized it, at least. She probably doesn’t write her own songs. Frankly, he could have picked Andrew W.K. for all I care. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/25 "2009-01-19T02:22:47Z")
> [@](#): > > “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. During the halftime news of the Steelters-Ravens game, the local station included a shot of Obama’s elder daughter breaking out her camera for Stevie Wonder. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/26 "2009-01-19T02:24:29Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > For my money, Little Jimmy Scott’s version kicks major ass, and he’s still alive also. OK? ---
**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 19, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/27 "2009-01-19T02:24:54Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > We’re talking about the woman who coined the term _bootylicious_. > > Well, popularized it, at least. She probably doesn’t write her own songs. > > Frankly, he could have picked Andrew W.K. for all I care. Didn’t Frank Sinatra sing at some inaugurations? At least Beyonce doesn’t have ties to organized crime. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/28 "2009-01-19T02:33:14Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Didn’t Frank Sinatra sing at some inaugurations? At least Beyonce doesn’t have ties to organized crime. I’ve never much cared for Old Blue Eyes, but it’s worth noting that the FBI had an eye on him for half a century and never found anything to charge him with. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/29 "2009-01-19T03:00:44Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Every president-elect should be able to enjoy some festivities. But by raising the hallelujahs so high, they’re setting him up to fail. The guy **certainly isn’t a saint**. So why do they expect him to be one? They’re just setting him up for his detractors to get all the more leverage. Yeah, I know… getting a “just average normal” presidency the next 4y would by itself be enough of an upgrade for me. But if after all these years on this Earth some people will still look upon a change in human leadership and allow themselves to hope that this time is really “It”, they may be beyond help. Or if we take the more cynical approach some of them may be unconciously expecting just that sort of falling-short, so that they reaffirm their despair at how rotten is the system. But really, it’s more a matter of the self-admittedly knee-jerk overreaction in the OP: like was asked before are people going to be gnashing their teeth and rending their garments at every news report that he is not doing what their idea of the Perfect Leader would do in every possible field of endeavor? > [@](#): > > We’re talking about the woman who coined the term bootylicious. > > Well, popularized it, at least. And that’s a problem because… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/30 "2009-01-19T03:39:52Z")
> [@](#): > > At least Beyonce doesn’t have ties to organized crime. That’s true. You could say a lot of things about her husband’s criminal past but organized wouldn’t be one of them. ---
**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 19, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/31 "2009-01-19T04:13:58Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > It’s going to be a long four years, isn’t it? I’m sure it will be for freepers. Except for the real crazies, who are downright scary, it’s a lot of fun to watch them freaking out. Unless Obama turns out to be Genghis Khan, I’m excited to see what the next 4-8 years will bring. For every one thing that goes wrong, and I’m sure some will, a LOT will go right. Well, not right. Left or center. Lots of good things will happen. As I said, I’m most excited about Obama’s pro-science bent. That’s going to be so refreshing after the last 8 Dark Age years. [QUOTE=JRDelirious] are people going to be gnashing their teeth and rending their garments at every news report that he is not doing what their idea of the Perfect Leader would do in every possible field of endeavor? [/QUOTE] Not me. I’ve only voiced complaints about 3 things: Rick Warren, Eric Holder, and this OP. I was absolutely wrong with this last one, and yeah, if I’d held off posting just a little while longer to read more articles I would have a) cooled off after hearing, and thinking, that Etta was snubbed, and b) realized I was wrong anyway. My bad. Terribly bad. Regarding Eric Holder, I’ve learned some things since he was appointed that made me feel better about him, and I’m more than willing to give him a chance. Obama is much smarter than I am and I think he knows what he’s doing with this and some other ‘huh?’ appointments. We’ll find out. Now, the Rick Warren thing, I will never ever ever change my mind about that. It was an unbelievably callous and insensitive thing to do. It certainly changed my perception of Obama as a compassionate man, and I will admit I’m more wary now. That shows in this wrong-headed OP. I just need to learn to do research before I get bent out of shape about something. But, beyond that, I’m very optimistic and hopeful, and more than willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt for everything else. I’ve even changed my mind about not watching the Inauguration. In fact, my husband and I are going to watch it all in a movie theater. I’ll boo out loud when Warren comes on. I’m sure I won’t be the only one. **Liberal** , I don’t care that Obama’s hosting a dinner for McCain. Good for him. He needs McCain. I don’t care that he’s called and called on sane Republican politicians. He needs them. I don’t care that he was on O’Reilly and will be on Glenn Beck’s show. Anything that makes a few more freeper heads explode is fine by me. I don’t even care that he had lunch or whatever it was a couple of weeks ago with a bunch of knuckle-dragging right-wingers (like Bill Kristol). He’s gotta do what he’s gotta do to reach across that aisle and make it harder for them to complain that he’s excluding the idiot wing of the Republican party. I understand all that. He didn’t have to do Warren though. Not for the Inauguration. Lunch, dinner, breakfast, meetings, basketball, bowling, whatever, fine, but not the Inauguration. That hurt too many people, and was totally unnecessary. You can snark at me all you want, it’s not going to change a thing. We’re 99% on the same side regarding Obama. Quit trying to make me out as an irrational hater just because of Rick Warren. And yeah **Chefguy** , Little Jimmy Scott does indeed kick ass! ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/32 "2009-01-19T04:16:35Z")
I enjoyed the concert and the speeches. Obama already seems to feel the weight of the presidency on him, I’m glad he and his family got to relax and enjoy the show. ---
**Author:** ![Rolken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df788c/32.png) [@Rolken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rolken)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/33 "2009-01-19T04:24:09Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > You could probably still round up most of the original Turtles to sing “HappyTogether”. I actually saw them singing that song live a few years back. Not sure whether they were the original members, but they were definitely old. 🙂 ---
**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, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/34 "2009-01-19T07:02:03Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Quit trying to make me out as an irrational hater just because of Rick Warren. Seems to me you and he are a lot alike. ---
**Author:** ![MrBerious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MrBerious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrBerious)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/35 "2009-01-19T07:16:28Z")
Yep, the honeymoon is over. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/36 "2009-01-19T07:20:01Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > During the halftime news of the Steelters-Ravens game, the local station included a shot of Obama’s elder daughter breaking out her camera for Stevie Wonder. Why on EARTH would she lend Stevie her camera? They got braille ones now or something?? 😕 Oh, goddit, misunderstood context etc, OK. Don’t mind me, nothing to see, move along etc. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/37 "2009-01-19T07:41:39Z")
Endless love: Stevie Wonder playing tennis with Ray Charles. And, you know, all of this just points out the sad truth that Obama simply isn’t electable. America’s just not ready. ---
**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 19, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/38 "2009-01-19T17:03:13Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > OK? Sorry. I had other bullshit tacked onto the end of that, but deleted it. Makes it sound like a non-sequitur, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/39 "2009-01-19T19:06:21Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Why on EARTH would she lend Stevie her camera? They got braille ones now or something?? > > 😕 Maybe it was a [Kannon AE-1](http://snltranscripts.jt.org/82/82skannon.phtml)? ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Roger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/91b2a8/32.png) [@Jolly\_Roger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jolly_Roger)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894/40 "2009-01-19T20:33:32Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Seems to me you and he are a lot alike. I said it before and I’ll say it again…if people shut up about Warren he’d just be the guy that gave the invocation and no one would remember it a week after and barely anyone would remember or care about his ideas. Oh well…carry on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sigh-why-obama-why/481894.md?page=3)