Michael Goldfarb spots a case of postmodern guns versus butter:
CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller has been doing some in-depth reporting on the president’s trip to an ice cream parlor this afternoon. He reports that “Obama had vanilla frozen custard in a cup with hot fudge and toasted almonds.” He reports that “Sasha had a Brownie sundae: vanilla frozen yogurt, hot fudge, cherry, sprinkles and whipped cream (which she asked Dad to scrape off).” He reports that “Malia had vanilla frozen custart in a waffle cone.” And, “You’re gonna laff: Obama & the girls actually bought Frozen Puppy pops for Bo: flavors: pumpkin, peanut butter and yogurt…”
When some twitterers complained that maybe President Obama’s time could be better spent given the crisis in Iran, Knoller responded, “Surprised by the outrage at the ice cream outing. What is it you expect or want the US to do about Iran? Attack? War?”
“‘Why can’t I just eat my waffle?’ he said, when asked a foreign policy question by a reporter at the Glider Diner.”
Update: Patterico compares and contrasts: “Here are some Twitter messages I saw today from Change_for_Iran, a pro-Mousavi Iranian student, and Mark Knoller, CBS News White House Correspondent.”
Update: As Tom Blumer likely knows, the question that his headline asks answers itself. Meanwhile, the above photo was found by Allahpundit, who captions it, “The president ponders his most important decision of the day.”
Hey, nobody said it was easy being an ice cream socialist.
Update (6/21/09): Welcome Insta-readers. Elsewhere, it’s “Confection accomplished!” as Jim Treacher emails, adding, “Obama Snacked, Iranians Got Whacked.”
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35 Comments
1. Mik:Present
Jun 20, 2009 - 4:33 pm 2. Obama is Hitler:You do realize, I hope that if the uprising fails, Obama and his pet media will blame Republicans.
And if it succeeds, suddenly we’ll hear stories of how Obama secretly engineered the whole thing.
Jun 20, 2009 - 10:20 pm 3. JamulBlog: Obama and Ice Cream…. | Total Info:[...] CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller has been doing some in-depth reporting on the president’s trip to an ice cream parlor this afternoon. He reports that “Obama had vanilla frozen custard in a cup with hot fudge and toasted almonds.” He reports that “Sasha had a Brownie sundae: vanilla frozen yogurt, hot fudge, cherry, sprinkles and whipped cream (wRead more at http://pajamasmedia.com/eddriscoll/2009/06/20/let-the-man-finish-his-ice-cream/ [...]
Jun 21, 2009 - 1:30 am 4. Barack Obama … Let the Iranians Eat Ice Cream … Where is the Support for Democracy & Human Rights from the White House? | Scared Monkeys:[...] but wait, this is the Obamamessiah we are referring to … let the man finish his ice cream. How does anyone compare and contrast these two stories with this out of touch [...]
Jun 21, 2009 - 7:38 am 5. The Agitator » Blog…. Ed Driscoll » Let…. | Total Info:[...] CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller has been doing some in-depth reporting on the president’s trip to an ice cream parlor this afternoon. He reports that “Obama had vanilla frozen custard in a cup with hot fudge and toasted almonds.” He reports that “Sasha had a Brownie sundae: vanilla frozen yogurt, hot fudge, cherry, sprinkles and whipped cream (wRead more at http://pajamasmedia.com/eddriscoll/2009/06/20/let-the-man-finish-his-ice-cream/ [...]
Jun 21, 2009 - 12:30 pm 6. dorkafork:Oh COME ON ED! I know you read Mark Morford’s column. The “Age of Evil” is over! (Sarcastic quotes!) Remember this?:
Jun 21, 2009 - 3:13 pm 7. dorkafork:Ugh. Sorry about the HTML fail.
Jun 21, 2009 - 3:15 pm 8. Instapundit » Blog Archive » ED DRISCOLL: Let the man finish his ice cream! Plus, tone deaf?…:[...] ED DRISCOLL: Let the man finish his ice cream! [...]
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:02 pm 9. elaine:Apparently it’s important to the one to be seen being a dad, rather than… I don’t know. Actually BEING a dad — you know, playing with the girls on their new playground equipment or bowling in the White House bowling alley. Or maybe just sitting around a table with a family-friendly board game. Then again, there wouldn’t be a photo op if they remained out of the public eye…
Also… they apparently don’t have ice cream at the White House. So it’s necessary to put the lives of a dozen or more secret service agents at risk just for the one’s meaningless photo op.
Is it just me, or is anyone else sick of this narcisstic &$$hat?
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:14 pm 10. TedN:Personally I just don’t “get” this story. I’m no fan of Obama, and I’ve been mad at the media playing this game with other (mainly Republican) presidents (Bush enjoys ‘cigarette boat’ while crisis in xxxxistan looms…), but come on. The guy’s job is to report what Obama is doing. Obama was eating ice cream. What’s the reporter supposed to do? As for Obama, I think his responses to Iran have been pretty lame, but does any think he would not have been alerted it some development requiring his immediate response took place while he was out with the girls? Does anyone think he would have been working hard on a tougher Iran policy if he were at home?
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:16 pm 11. elaine:TedN:
Yes, I do think he would have been working hard on some kind of meaningful Iran policy if he were spending his time in the White House, rather than in a limo being ferried to Alexandria for ice cream. It’s not like he was thinking about unfolding events in Iran during the trip. Heck, he’s already had more than a week to develop some kind of meaningful response beyond encouraging the mullahs to accept the will of the people. Then again, he kinda doesn’t bother to show that much respect for the American people, so is it really surprising that he can’t work up any concern for downtrodden Iranians half a world away…?
And, for the record, notice the hypocrisy of the media… as you mentioned, if Bush ever left the White House there was no end to the “why’s he doing X instead of dealing with Y problem?” reporting. With Obama, it’s all about what a great dad he is for taking the girls out for ice cream, which I will again point out that they could have had the White House chef whip up for them…
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:26 pm 12. Mike G:I think this is totally unfair… and hilarious payback for the lefties who made hay out of My Pet Goat for years, as if Bush should have leaped up and immediately flown Air Force 1 into combat or something.
Maybe somebody will make a stupid, unfair documentary using the footage. Oh my, wouldn’t that be a pity.
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:43 pm 13. Despite Murder and Brutality, They Still March in Iran : The Sundries Shack:[...] Ice cream, huh? That’s the appropriate thing to be doing while folks in Iran are being beaten to death and shot down like dogs in the street? Patterico has a post full of startling contrasts. Yes, kudos to the President for finally issuing a statement criticizing the Iranian government for it’s brutality, but only minor kudos since it’s something he should have done days ago. The ice cream thing, well, it boggles the mind. [...]
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:44 pm 14. Sundae Bloody Sundae:I can’t believe the news today
Oh, I can’t close my eyes and make it go away!
How long?
How long must we sing this song?
How long?
How long?
‘Cause tonight…we can be as one
Tonight…
Broken bottles under children’s feet
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:55 pm 15. jr565:Bodies strewn across the dead-end streets
But I won’t heed the battle call
It puts my back up, puts back up against the wall!
We now have seen photo ops and news stories about Obama eating ice cream and hamburgers. What next news stories of Obama ordering pizza? How about eating a hot dog? Because nothing speaks of competence in the presidency like ordering a pizza.
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:57 pm 16. Will Cate:re: “if it succeeds, suddenly we’ll hear stories of how Obama secretly engineered the whole thing…”
They’re already warming up that story in the bullpen:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/weekinreview/21cooper.html
Jun 21, 2009 - 5:58 pm 17. kcom:It’s a waste of Obama’s time but an even bigger waste of Mark Knoller’s. Obama is doing his level best to steamroller the Constitution and the rule of law and the most productive thing Mr. Knoller can find to do is to report on his ice cream choices. Very sad.
The funny thing is, though, the way things are going that might put him in line to win a Pulitzer Prize.
Jun 21, 2009 - 6:01 pm 18. Richard Blaine:“And if it succeeds, suddenly we’ll hear stories of how Obama secretly engineered the whole thing.”
They’re already giving him credit:
http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/opinion/luckovichjune09/
Jun 21, 2009 - 6:08 pm 19. Richard Blaine:Bummer. Above link was supposed to direct to the June 16 cartoon. Didn’t work, but it’s on the page below.
Jun 21, 2009 - 6:11 pm 20. ast:Whatsa matter? You never heard of “human interest” in demigods?
How long before these guys decide that they didn’t go to J-school so they could write for Tiger Beat? I can’t imagine any human being so fascinating that I’d want to trail behind him just to file reports on what he ordered at the ice cream store?
On the other hand, maybe he’s trying to send a message to the Iranians of how much more normal things are for a democratic leader vs. a bunch of thug mullahs.
Jun 21, 2009 - 6:32 pm 21. Martin:Be careful Mr. President. A recent expose here in Toronto, done by the Toronto Star found a high precentage of soft ice cream had unacceptably high counts of coliform bacteria contamination, which can lead to infectious diarrhea.
Jun 21, 2009 - 6:36 pm 22. glenny:Only thing worse than having Mark Knoller’s job is TO BE Mark Knoller. glenny
Jun 21, 2009 - 6:57 pm 23. Enos Sporf:Ice cream made from my pet goat’s milk.
Jun 21, 2009 - 7:12 pm 24. Hyphenated American:At the same time Iranian opposition is slapping Obama for helping the mullahs.
Jun 21, 2009 - 7:35 pm 25. Wacky Hermit:http://hyphenatedamericans.blogspot.com/2009/06/do-you-need-evidence-that-iranian.html
Maybe the reporter could have taken some time and actually asked Obama his opinion about the Mousavi’s response to Obama’s bloviating? I mean, if it’s not too much to ask.
Funny, I just got through reading a PJM article about how important it is for kids to have a father. What kind of father/daughter date can you have by sending your kids to the White House kitchen for ice cream while you work on Iran policy?
I’m no fan of Obama or his policies, but come on, everybody needs some family time, even the POTUS and especially his kids. If he’s taking them out to ice cream all the frickin’ time, then I’d be worried. He can’t be working on international diplomacy 24/7; he IS human.
Jun 21, 2009 - 7:42 pm 26. C -georgia:Let CBS & the MSM keep up these slobbering stories. This contrasts greatly with the courage coming out of Iran. To watch this should be inspiring to many Americans: The quest for life, liberty and happiness.
For this US President to offer up Statements as weak as his melting ice cream: A coward w/ no real understanding of history.
Jun 21, 2009 - 8:17 pm 27. Bob Sacamano:I would say this was ridiculous nitpicking if I hadn’t been hearing for the last 8 years that George W Bush sat reading a children’s book…. blah blah blah.
The Left is going to be very sorry for what it did to W because it’s going to all come back to bite them in the end. Eat as much ice cream as you want BHO. We’ll wait.
Jun 21, 2009 - 8:31 pm 28. lsi:0bama is out of his depth … more clear everyday!
Jun 22, 2009 - 1:30 am 29. Fairfacts Media:Don’t be too hard on the Messiah.
Jun 22, 2009 - 2:23 am 30. Fairfacts Media:He’s researching his next job.
Picture him dishing out the chocolate flakes in Wendy’s a few years from now.
Will the media be licking his cone then?
Jun 22, 2009 - 2:24 am 31. Michael Kochin:As Mbeki is to Mugabe, Obama is to Ahmadinejad.
Jun 22, 2009 - 2:40 am 32. Gal:Didn’t Obama give a big speech against junk food? and yet, we see him buying greasy burgers and ice cream. “Do as I say, not as I do”?
Jun 22, 2009 - 4:05 am 33. willis:Where are all the lefties who are so enamored of peace? Why no marches on the Iranian embassies? Can’t think of anything to say? How about…all we are saying is give peace a chance; war never soved anything; imagine world peace; war! huh! good you all! what is it good for? Come on lefties, look progressive! Break out the posters and hit the streets!
Jun 22, 2009 - 9:18 am 34. GD:#33 willis – Don’t you see? Ahmadinejad opposed the fascist Bush… hated him. So Ahmadinejad is the GOOD GUY! These protesters are evil neocons imported from Israel, not the authentic voice of the Iranian people!!!
Jun 22, 2009 - 10:59 am 35. Mike G in Corvallis:I’m no fan of Obama or his policies, but come on, everybody needs some family time, even the POTUS and especially his kids.
Exactly right, Wacky Hermit! The man shouldn’t have to choose between governing the nation and spending quality time with his daughters. That isn’t fair to him, and it isn’t fair to the girls.
The obvious solution is for Barack Obama to resign, and to turn over the presidency to a man with vastly more exprience and wisdom. A man who has spent most of his life in politics and statesmanship. A man with leadership skills. A man with hairplugs.
Jun 22, 2009 - 2:05 pmSorry, comments for this entry are closed at this time.