# Who looks worse? Breitbart or Obama WH? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 21, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448 "2010-07-21T11:20:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/241 "2010-07-23T18:49:09Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > It actually was a sincere comment. What I meant to say is that the administration has been taking a number of hits lately, and they probably overreacted to try to get out in front of the story before it took on a life of its own. It’s a mistake that can happen to anyone. The important thing here is that he recognized it, apologized for it, and tried to make amends to the damaged party. That shows some intelligence and character, and that’s why his apology earned him a pass from me. > > As for his ratings, they are certainly going down by some measures. > > [Obama Approval Rating Drops in 49 States](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/07/map-of-the-day-obama-approval-rating-drops-in-49-states/60218/) > > Although to be fair, I just checked the RCP moving average of all the polls, and it looks fairly constant over the past few months: [RealClearPolitics Presidential Approval Rating](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/president_obama_job_approval-1044.html) If you look closely at the article in the first link, they are comparing July 2010 numbers with those from one year ago. Over the span from 2009 to 2010, his numbers are lower, which is shown in the Polling Report numbers I linked to earlier, but they aren’t collapsing by any stretch, even though that is a narrative being pushed by conservatives (perhaps apart from yourself). By contrast, I don’t give him a pass on this. It’s the same behavior that has led him to struggle to achieve his goals as much as he has, and which has more broadly plagued Democrats for at least the past decade. That is, this reflexive cowardly aversion to actually fighting for principles is a real turn off . I’ve said a hundred times here that people, all people, want a champion. Those whose beliefs are being fought for will rally behind them, and those who are perhaps mildly predisposed in a given direction, or those who don’t really know or care otherwise, will be more likely to be supportive because they perceive that a belief worth fighting for must have greater merit. If people who are supposed to be adherents blanche when the rubber hits the road, why should others join them? Obama was someone who, for example, made a great defense against bullshit demonstrations of patriotism, arguing that wearing a lapel flag did not really have anything to do with one’s patriotism or love of country. He gave in on that note, however, and I would be shocked if he were to repeat such an argument these days. He gets no pass from me for pulling the rip cord just because some conservatives said “Boo,” and then apologizing when everyone saw the original claim for what its worth. It’s the same mentality that made him believe he should try to appease conservatives when crafting legislation, rather than just doing the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/242 "2010-07-23T18:50:52Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > To his credit. So did [Shep Smith](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/21/shepard-smith-unloads-on_n_655013.html) Isn’t he the same guy that started pounding on the table saying “WE DO NOT FUCKING TORTURE PEOPLE” while fox guests and his coanchor were making a case for why torturing was A-OK. Integrity is so fucking rare these days that this guy looks like Edward R. Murrow. Where have all the good journalists gone? ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/243 "2010-07-23T19:03:48Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > It would appear that you have some question about her honesty and candor. Except in this instance, in which you wholeheartedly accept her word. How very odd. > > But even if it were so, that she was told such a thing, does that make it so? And the > White House apology? I missed the part where Obama apologized for taking a direct and personal action in her firing, perhaps you’ll point that out for us. He called her but I think she wants a face to face meeting with him so that she can explain what it means to grow up black in the South. She wants to know that Obama is 100% behind her before she takes on the sort of job she has been offered. Maybe she can teach him how to grow some balls while she’s at it. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/244 "2010-07-23T19:07:00Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Here’s how I see it: > > Breitbart screwed up. He aired a video he had without first finding the entire video to judge context And if this was the first time we saw video footage edited for effect, you might have a point. This is starting to become a pattern. > [@](#): > > If Vilsack and the administration didn’t panic and act so rashly, all fingers would rightly be pointing and Breitbart. As it is, two other players made MUCH bigger mistakes. > > There you go. I don’t think what Breitbart did was a “mistake” It was wilful ignorance or “i don’t give a shit” ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/245 "2010-07-23T19:10:31Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Do any righties understand that the ACORN story was false? I doubt it but It took root, just like this one would have. I gotta raise my hand on that one. I bought the Acorn video hook line and sinker. Now I feel like we threw them under the bus. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/246 "2010-07-23T19:13:45Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > You’re still assuming this fireing was on Obama. I don’t assume that. I don’t assume he knew the source was a two bit media whore {thanks for noticing that}But even if that’s true, what does it mean? If the implication is to question his judgement I don’t buy it. I don’t approve or appreciate the knee jerk reaction to a news story without checking it out first but it’s pretty minor compared to my other concerns. I’m not assuming anything. It’s fact that the President was briefed on it and supported the decision. It’s fact that he apologized to her. The entire thing is a complete knee-jerk reaction to a news story and the President fell for it without any due consideration of the facts. It’s his job to challenge information and decisions brought to him. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/247 "2010-07-23T19:27:12Z")
I’m curious, **Magiver** - are you willing to concede that the entire point of Breitbart’s actions were to make the Democrats, the NAACP, or Obama look bad so that Republicans will do better in the next election? If not, then what \*was \*the point of it all? ---
**Author:** ![sleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@sleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleeping)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/248 "2010-07-23T19:28:52Z")
Best summary of the affair I’ve seen so far: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdSKjYxAHY) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/249 "2010-07-23T19:41:23Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I’m curious, **Magiver** - are you willing to concede that the entire point of Breitbart’s actions were to make the Democrats, the NAACP, or Obama look bad so that Republicans will do better in the next election? > > If not, then what \*was \*the point of it all? Don’t know, don’t care. I don’t have a link to Breitbart on my computer. When I heard about it I bothered to research it on the web. Unlike the President, I didn’t support her dismissal. ---
**Author:** ![Cinebar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Cinebar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinebar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/250 "2010-07-23T19:43:28Z")
> [@sleeping](#): > > Best summary of the affair I’ve seen so far: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdSKjYxAHY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTdSKjYxAHY) Rachel rocks! 🙂 Seriously, she is probably one of the smartest and most level-headed people on t.v. On the rare occasions when she does give wrong information, she’s always quick to correct it and apologize for it. But, yes, probably the best summary of the whole sordid mess. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/251 "2010-07-23T19:45:13Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Then it was pretty fucking stupid of him to broadcast video sent to him by some random guy, wasn’t it? I’d say “sloppy”. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/252 "2010-07-23T19:46:45Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Don’t know, don’t care. I don’t have a link to Breitbart on my computer. When I heard about it I bothered to research it on the web. Unlike the President, I didn’t support her dismissal. You didn’t research it competently. You have evidenced massive misunderstandings of the issue in this very thread. Are you seriously gonna pretend that this didn’t happen? You do know that people can read the whole thread, right? It doesn’t disappear when you post something new. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/253 "2010-07-23T19:49:43Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m not assuming anything. It’s fact that the President was briefed on it and supported the decision. It’s fact that he apologized to her. The entire thing is a complete knee-jerk reaction to a news story and the President fell for it without any due consideration of the facts. It’s his job to challenge information and decisions brought to him. Exactly. It’s good they he apologized, but he made the same mistake with the Gates incedent that led to the :rolleyes: beer summit. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/254 "2010-07-23T19:52:56Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Isn’t he the same guy that started pounding on the table saying “WE DO NOT FUCKING TORTURE PEOPLE” while fox guests and his coanchor were making a case for why torturing was A-OK. > > Integrity is so fucking rare these days that this guy looks like Edward R. Murrow. Where have all the good journalists gone? same guy ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/255 "2010-07-23T19:56:11Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > You didn’t research it competently. You have evidenced massive misunderstandings of the issue in this very thread. I researched the video before posting. My post was clear and I stand by it. Her use of terminology to describe how she dealt with her past bigotry merits a review of how she does her job. If you don’t like my opinion you are free to disagree with it but you are deliberately making incorrect statements about me. You might as well work for Breitbart. ---
**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:** [July 23, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/256 "2010-07-23T20:08:47Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I researched the video before posting. My post was clear and I stand by it. Her use of terminology to describe how she dealt with her past bigotry merits a review of how she does her job. If you don’t like my opinion you are free to disagree with it but you are deliberately making incorrect statements about me. You might as well work for Breitbart. The reason we’re all kind of “Did he actually watch the whole video?” is because we don’t understand how anyone could do so and not actually understand what she was talking about. Because if you understand what she was actually saying in her speech, you wouldn’t be holding that opinion at all. Because it makes no sense. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/257 "2010-07-23T20:10:54Z")
Perhaps, one day, she will evolve to your level of tolerance and humanity. We can only hope. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/258 "2010-07-23T20:16:13Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The reason we’re all kind of “Did he actually watch the whole video?” is because we don’t understand how anyone could do so and not actually understand what she was talking about. Because if you understand what she was actually saying in her speech, you wouldn’t be holding that opinion at all. Because it makes no sense. Her story is not in question, it’s the words she chose to illustrate it. I’ve said this repeatedly. She does not sound like someone who is free of the prejudice she admitted to. It’s nice that her example showed she was able to do her job but the words she uses to this day call her integrity into question. Unlike the President, I never supported her dismissal. The person who did not do the research is the President. A video on Breitbart does not a jury make when deciding to fire someone. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/259 "2010-07-23T20:16:23Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m not assuming anything. It’s fact that the President was briefed on it and supported the decision. It’s fact that he apologized to her. The entire thing is a complete knee-jerk reaction to a news story and the President fell for it without any due consideration of the facts. It’s his job to challenge information and decisions brought to him. And he has plenty of time within his job discription to challange and investigate every decsion a department head briefs him on doesn’t he. We have no idea what details regarding the decision to fire Sherrod were given to him. I’m not interested arguing these details. I already acknowledged that I don’t support their knee jerk reaction to the story and edited video. I don’t believe this is a major issue or setback for his presidency, in comparison to other issues. I do think that the continued willfull distortion of facts to slander people and raise racial fears is abhorent {and that’s the nicest term I can think of} ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448/260 "2010-07-23T20:21:45Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Her story is not in question, it’s the words she chose to illustrate it. I’ve said this repeatedly. She does not sound like someone who is free of the prejudice she admitted to. It’s nice that her example showed she was able to do her job but the words she uses to this day call her integrity into question. > > Unlike the President, I never supported her dismissal. The person who did not do the research is the President. A video on Breitbart does not a jury make when deciding to fire someone. Then please as, you’re raising these points to critisize her and Obama , tell us that Fox is generally speaking, the two bit media pimp lying scumbags we see them as. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-looks-worse-breitbart-or-obama-wh/547448.md?page=14)