As Sister Toldjah writes, you stay classy, Mr. President
Lauer: Yeah, well — let — let me show you. This is the — the current issue of — of Us Weekly.
Obama: Right.
Lauer: And here’s a great picture
Obama: Oh, it’s beautiful.
Lauer: — of — of you and — and Michelle and — and your daughters. Now, the — the reason I bring this up I think is funny. It’s a great picture.
Obama: Yeah.
Lauer: But I wanna show you the cover. Look what they did. They — they took you off the cover.
Obama: Yeah.
Lauer: They took you out of it.
Obama: It — it’s — it’s a little hurtful.
Lauer: You got replaced by Jessica Simpson.
Obama: Yeah, who’s losing a weight battle apparently. (LAUGHTER) Yeah. Oh, well.
Classy, eh? Warner Todd Huston at Newsbusters writes
It seems a bit low of the President of the United States to so offhandedly slam a mere entertainer, doesn’t it? Is this something that a good politician would do? What did Simpson ever do to Obama?
Is this appropriate behavior for the President of the United States to engage in? It’s one thing for Obama to attack Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh, who, while private citizens engaged in political free speech, are at least involved in politics. To make fun of Simpson and her weight problem, and, yeah, she has one (though some are saying she put on the weight as a way of getting press), is just plain wrong.
Will Obama apologize? Will women’s groups stand up for SImpson? Doubtful all.
The video is here. Full transcript here.
Others: Michelle Malkin, Gateway Pundit
Updated: The MSNBC transcript doesn’t jibe with the actual video (which several commenter’s point out. Sorry, was out running errands.) He actually says she is “in a weight battle” Quite frankly, while that might be a little nicer, is it appropriate for the President of the United States to have even said that? Imagine if it had been Bush who said it, or McCain had he won, or Sarah Palin. Yeah, you know what would have happened.
This is the Jessie I prefer
 
You know, the group-think among you people is just astonishing. Any chance you have to berate the President, you take it, regardless the veracity of the claims. In this case, for instance, you, Sister Toldjah, Newsbusters, and others, take the transcript and make it seem as though the President called Jessica fat, from just looking at a picture of her. Are you seriously telling me that it didn’t occur to ANY of you that he might’ve been reacting to a headline about Jessica’s weight instead?
http://www.usmagazine.com/news/michelle-obama-to-use-pottery-barn-in-white-house
C’mon, critical thinking — use it.
It shows you that his comment wasn’t to call her fat it was to say she has a weight problem. Blogger get it right next time! Pirates Cove grow up! Reasic Thanks!
It is a shame the way they are putting words into the presidents mouth…he did not say she was losing a weight battle…..he said…. “Quote she’s is in a weight battle apparently, Unquote”…H e did not say she was losing a weight battle….People would get the facts straight before writing or commenting on things.
What if that would have been President Bush that made that comment? I am sure the press will give our current President many passes. I do miss unbiased news stories.
Nice way to *misquote*. This *misquote* is everywhere. He was acknowledging the cover. I distinctly did NOT hear “losing a weight battle” but rather I heard “is in a weight battle”.
An observation of what is already written on a magazine cover is NOT a judgment. It is a statement of what is so.
This magazine, I might add, will be purchased by multitudes of women who can’t help themselves to see someone IN a weight battle. Misery loves company, I guess.
Reasic, you on the Left berated Bush for EVERYTHING, no matter how minor, and, in some cases, made it up. So you can drop your holier-then-thou BS. 8 years of stark raving idiocy and insanity from your side. And, I notice that you have no problem with the President of the USA making personal comments about a citizen, and laughing. Why is that?
And, yes, Michelle, you are correct. I am trying to update the post, first time I did it, it failed.
And Kathy is exactly correct.
The Democrats won’t have to worry about losing any elections anytime soon if this kind of drivel is representative of what the Evangelist Neocon Republicans have to offer in terms of political discourse.
The justifyable reasons that many people were disparaging president-select Bush is because he was already a War Criminal having committed treason against the United States and directly causing the deaths of thousands of American soldiers (men and women) and hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths in Iraq (men, women, and CHILDREN) – all the while plundering the U.S. Treasury by paying off his cronies in the oil business and DESTROYING THE AMERICAN ECONOMY leaving the bill to our children and grand children and probably great grandchildren.
Oh, and by the way, W (just like Ronald Reagan) also pandered to his corrupt corporate sponsors by leaving our borders wide open to illegal immigrants despite his bs double talk about the “War†on terror. Congrats – what an idol. Sweet dreams, pinhead.
Clearly you have a misquote. Nice way to promote an inaccuracy. =D>
Did you actually listen? =))
Yup, listened, and missed it, after first reading the transcript. Regardless, do you think it is appropriate for President Obama to make that type of comment?
Are you all morons? For anyone that actually watched that interview…………Pesident Obama did not call Jessica fat. He was referring to being replaced by her on the cover of a magazine for ” apparently fghting a weight battle”. The magazine is making the statments and President was just referring to the statements. He wasn’t saying that she indeed was fighting a weigh battle just that her story replaced his.
Jessica don’t ever let them take you alive! Go out and live your life on your terms. Everyone in the media is trying to make a buck off of you. You are stronger than that.
And now as far as Jennifer Hudson goes…………Baby girl you did a fine outstanding job. I saw the fear in your eyes, but I also saw something stronger. You were doing it for you Mother because you know that is what she would have wanted you to do. You kicked a field goal!
PS. Faith you weren’it too shabby either, You are beautiful!
Just my take, but I did my homework!
[…] President Obama Calls Jessica Simpson Fat On National TV » Pirate … […]
Why did he refer to her in any sense as being either fat or having a weight problem? Did he refer to his wife any way in the negative? Michelle Obama is an attractive woman, but she is not a fashion model type. She only gets headlines as the the One’s wife. I beleive Jessica Simpson made it on her own. I could car less about Simpson. I am not defending her but if you read Obama’s books,you will find he has made snide remarks, especially about whites, often in his life, if he doesn’t have the spotlight he gets jealous. A black, female friend of his chewed him out at Occidenatl College for snide remarks he made in regards to Black and white relations. Don’t take my word for it go read “Dreams of my father”. Don’t tell me we are quick to criticize Obama. I have read hundreds of articles about him and books written in his own words. I assocaiate with people who criticize me for not being on me knees to him. The people who get on me can’t answer ten questions about Obama, but yet they defend him in spite of the fact I can answer the ten questions and more. No, we are not “quick” to criticize but you are “quick” to defend a man you know little about or understand . I would take that arguement to the bank. Kool aide is cheap and unhealthy.
Native Son,
First of all, get a life. The only questions you could probably answer about President Obama include, race, gender, and occupation. Michelle has never proclaimed to be a fashion model. Her agenda does not include shoes and dresses. It includes being an advocate for military familes and also increasing community involvement by way of community action agencies. So what if another Black person made snide comments about PRESIDENT OBAMA. What’s the significance of that statement? Since you know alot about him, you should also know that it took a very diverse population to put PRESIDENT OBAMA IN OFFICE. Lastly idiot, PRESIDENT OBAMA was simply stating what US Weekly stated. What did you know about Bush before electing him? NOTHING!!!!!
It seemed like he just read the caption next to the picture or something… he didn’t call her fat, US Weekly did!
Yeah? and your wife is ugly inside and out
Doesn’t the fact that the President of the United States was in an interview with Matt Lauer where the topic of conversation was a magazine cover…seem a little trite to begin with. When are we going to have real issues and challenges discussed by the media with *our* president.
It seems the discussion of a pop-star’s photo and/or weight issues in itself either speaks to the media’s disinterest in hearing anything other than fluff from Obama, or the fact that Obama is, in fact, as McCain stated, more of a celebrity.
What you can’t seem to get through your thick skull is that this was not a “personal comment”. He was reading the headline over Jessica’s picture.
To answer you question Native Son no one is ‘criticizing’ you because you won’t ‘follow his lead’. You are being ‘engaged’ because your claims are completely base-less. Seems to just be an excuse to go off on some ‘white-fright/Obama hates white ppl’ tangent. And it’s a free country so you’re free to do that.
>>shrug<<
But–you claim to be so knowledgeable about Obama. If this right here is the extent of your fault-finding abilities then I see why you suffer so much criticism. It’s clear to me that you need all the advice and criticism that you can get.
Either some conservative bloggers are stirring up trouble (just to be causing trouble)or they have limited comprehension skills/are just plain stupid.
First of all, did you (and the other)guys actually WATCH the video? Lauer was cheesing like a ‘Stan’ but:
1. Obama didn’t calling Jessica ‘fat’.
2. Those transcripts are incorrect. Can you not see that?
Lauer: You got replaced by Jessica Simpson”
Obama pointed at the magazine and said: “Yeah…WHOSE IN A WEIGHT BATTLE, APPARENTLY”
He never said she was ‘losing a weight battle’
And Matt Lauer is the one who started laughing.
Obama mentioned her because Lauer brought her up.
Goodness…smh
Believe everything you read, don’t you? I bet you guys wait for the tv to tell you what to think, too.
Well–I’ll tell you like this: You can’t go around expecting everyone to ‘spoon-feed’ you as I and others in this thread have done. Sometimes you have to take the time and the INITIATIVE to research and understand things for yourself.
…and it is so ridiculous that this fake controversy has been allowed to ‘sprout legs’.
Anyway–I’m sure that ppl can find a legitimate reason to dislike Obama. You don’t have to make things up.
…and no–I’m not a democrat and I’m not a Republican. No, I did not vote for Obama.
I saw the interview yesterday and must admit I did think his comment was a little strange – particularly since he is usually so careful about the words he chooses. He probably should not have said it but I don’t see this as a big deal.
Teach said: Reasic, you on the Left berated Bush for EVERYTHING, no matter how minor, and, in some cases, made it up.
You berate the Left for doing something yet feel justified in doing it yourself? Yes, there were a lot of frivolous and sometimes false complaints about President Bush but using this as an excuse to do the same seems inconsistent to me.
Besides, why bring Reasic into this? I don’t recall him berating President Bush for “everything†or even for minor things. He certainly never made anything up.
The Democrats won’t have to worry about loosing any elections anytime soon if this kind of drivel is representative of what the Evangelist Neocon Republicans have to offer in terms of political discourse.
The justifyable reasons that many people were disparaging president-select Bush is because he was already a War Criminal having comitted treason against the United States and directly causing the deaths of thousands of American soldiers (men and women) and hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths in Iraq (men, women, and CHILDREN) – all the while plundering the U.S. Treasury by paying off his cronies in the oil business and DESTROYING THE AMERICAN ECONOMY leaving the bill to our children and grand children and probably great grandchildren.
Oh, and by the way, W (just like Ronald Reagan) also pandered to his corrupt corporate sponsors by leaving our borders wide open to illegal immigrants despite his bs double talk about the “War” on terror. Congrats – what an idol. Sweet dreams, pinhead.
Michelle hates Obama so much she is trying to make an issue out of nothing.
All Obama did was read the cover of the magazine and say she evidently has a weight problem, he wasn`t making a judgement the magazine was.
If this is all you have to worry about you really are a silly woman.
Come on! Listen to the actual interview, and you’ll see he was READING the magazine cover and the laugh was self-deprecating because he didn’t make the cut for the cover. I’m sure he was pleased that the very nice photo of his family did, even if he was cut out, and it’s clear that the chuckle was NOT at Jessica’s weight. He didn’t say Jessica was fat nor make fun of her. This is much ado about nothing. It’s also a deliberate attempt to mislead by whoever did the orginal transcript, dedicated to changing the meaning of what he said.
I saw the interview. He did not call her fat and anyone who came to that conclusion needs to do a little work on their cognitive skills. Watch the interview for yourself, there’s probably a clip somewhere. As Gypsy points out, Obama was reading what it said on the magazine cover. He wasn’t making a personal statement.
Can anyone tell from the author’s picture if William here is a man or a woman? Maybe we should just call it Pat?
Viktor,
I can understand that you might be upset about this nonsense that Teach posted, but I really think there’s no need for the name-calling and vitriol that you’ve spewed here. It really makes you look just as bad. If you want to portray yourself as more intelligent and/or moral, act like it.
I’m really amazed at the comments posted here. What a way to get worked up over absolutely nothing. The President was simply making an observation based on what was stated on the cover of the magazine and in response to what had been pointed out by Lauer. Teach either has (a) extremely bad cognitive skills as a result of an irrationally intense dislike of the President or (2) has deliberately set out to to mislead people (bad job) as a result of an irrationally intense dislike of the President. In any case, I think the US has bigger problems than the non-issue that has been posted here.
Bottom line: Obama sucks….ass.