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President Obama's school speech appear non-partisan. AP Photo Alex Brandon
In my earlier writings discussing the nationwide school addresses of Presidents George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan it turns out I was wrong on one point. It turns out in watchings some clips of the two addresses they were actually very partisan. This new fact makes the conservative hypocrisy toward the neutral Obama school speech even more glaring.
As evidence of the partisan nature of previous Presidential school addresses I encourage everyone to watch the two clips below. In the first clip one of the upset parents first claims that anyone would be upset if Reagan had tried to speak to children. Rick Sanchez quickly mentions that in fact Reagan did address children in 1988. As the clip shows Reagan uses a response to one question to advocate for his tax cuts. I know conservatives agree with Reagan tax cuts but I can tell you the Reagan tax cuts hardly had bi-partisan support. For those who still think Reagan's response was non-partisan let me ask if you would really consider President Obama's speech non-partisan if he advocated tax increases on the rich?
In this next clip Keith Olbermann first points out how many conservatives have actually advocated for Presidents to help teach children before. At the end of the clip Olbermann also tells the audience how in the middle of the campaign season the Bush school lesson also asked children to "write him" and "tell him what they can do to help him achieve his goals."
So once more I must ask where the outrage was when Republican Presidents gave their school addresses. We will all have a chance to see the Obama school address when the White House releases a transcript on Monday. If at that time the Obama speech turns out to be an hour long address of partisan propaganda with some mind control mixed my readers can call me out on this. Somehow I believe the speech will actually be nothing more then an encouraging message to children to stay in school and work hard.
Comments
The reason this has become an issue is because the Republican party has so little to offer, can only say no, has nothing to stand for anymore (after all their family values no longer mean anything after all the affairs and lies about them) so they have gone into attack mode. They attack everything that President Obama does because that way they put Obama on the defensive and keep the focus off the fact that they aren't doing anything to help our country.
It's so disappointing that the Republican nation is so anti-Obama. Without knowing his message to our children, they are adamantly opposed. Where's the logic? Can he even breathe correctly????
Amanda Smith says: Without knowing his message to our children, they are adamantly opposed.
I don't care what he says as long as its not political. Show the speech Monday and I will then decide. Its the "lesson plans" that I have trouble with.
Pledge to the President? How can I serve Obama? No, not my children. My children know that it is the PRESIDENT that serves the people. It is the President that "pledges" to uphold and defend the US Constitution and in fact he is trashing it further.
Karen Harper, do not make the mistake that all Republicans are what you see on tv. Do not make the mistake that all Republicans are like the ones you are told about in your left wing media. People think it's just the children being indoctrinated. Just look at media on both sides in general.
I take extreme offense when someone tells me I have very little to offer my country. I take extreme offense when someone says I have nothing to stand for. I've served my country for the last 8 years. What I have trouble understanding is how nobody seems to understand that Republicans and Democrats are not the morons they see on T.V. bantering on about whatever is hot that moment. Rep's and Dem's are made up of you and me. The people and are generally not nearly as extreme in their views as the T.V. and internet would have you believe. That's why I can never understand why the attacks on either party are so vicious. Go after the front men, that's fine. Just stop generalizingtheir peopl
Republicans are ignorant, self-righteous hypocrites who hate people who aren't like them more than they love America.
Seth - You may not be one of the sinister leaders of the GOP but unless the Republican party finds LEADERS that will stand up and denounce the insanity you will all go down together.
This is a joke of a "news source" - it's just an outlet for the extreme left to vent their feelings about facts getting in their way.
It is incredilble in the amount of racism that exists. If President Bush or Reagan were addressing our school children, those very GOP anti Obama parents would have NO problems having their children listen to a Black President, only a step backward from such outrage of fearing our President.
Brian says:
This is a joke of a "news source" - it's just an outlet for the extreme left to vent their feelings about facts getting in their way.
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Right Brian.
Reagan and Bush never gave those speeches, and there was nothing political in them at all.
Keep drinking your Kool-Aid.
I never thought I’d see the day when parents would demand a President of the United States be barred from addressing their children. Because our current President is of another party (and, in some cases, because he is of African descent), he is now being treated as, immoral, villainous, toxic and alien. It will surely not be lost on African-Americans that a new precedent is being set for our first African-American President. Speaking as a Democrat, I have never in my life dreamed of treating any Republican President like a drug pusher or sex offender simply for offering to speak to schoolchildren. It is the height of impudence that any President’s remarks be “screened” by parent-ideologues of the other party, by tendentious teachers or school administrators. That any teacher, principal, school board, municipality or state should take part in this outrage is nothing less than a scandal. I rarely use this term, but there is no other term for it: is un-American.
Oh this is such a interesting little debate. Let's take a look at the Reps school address. Both were held in public. both had children asking questions. Both had permission of the parents for their kids to ask questions. Now let us look at Obama's attempt. He has suggest work for kids to do. Suggested questions for them to think about. He has asked kids to suggest what they can do to help the president versus what can the president do to help them. I'm all for any President being able to speak to school kids. But leave it to Speaking. No suggested readings on Obama or any president. No suggested class activities. No kids writing to the president telling him what the understood or didn't about the speech. Just talk and move on! Just wait until the Census hits high school classrooms. If you think this speech is a problem - wait until kids are told to report information on their parents! Socialism is here folks. It's here!!!
Travis, the 'socialism' argument has been proven moot long, long ago. Public education, police departments, fire departments, water departments, public libraries, State/Interstate highway systems, etc., etc. are a examples of true socialism in our country. We're ALL socialists -- We're ALL capitalists --- already. You can drink the kool-aide; you just don't have to continuously swallow it.
The last time I remember republicans in a classroom one just sat there while planes were flying into buildings, the other spelled potato wrong LMAO.
I am truly so sick and tired of the race card being played every time someone disagrees with the President. It isn't his color we dislike it is his left-wing, liberal thinking. Think of a new one.
The speech came and went. I want some apologies.
No child should of missed this speech.
Robert Moon is spamming The Activity Pit again: twi.cc/lAlq
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