The Meme That Wouldn’t Die
If you paid close attention to Rush Limbaugh over the past week, you might have been puzzled by his multiple references to the TelePrompTer. At his Conservative
Jul 31, 20203.7K Shares1.8M Views
If you paid close attention to Rush Limbaugh over the past week, you might have been puzzled by his multiple references to the TelePrompTer. At his Conservative Political Action Conference speech: “for those of you in the Drive-By Media watching, I have not needed a teleprompter for anything I’ve said.” When challenging the presidentto a debate: “without staffers, without a teleprompter, without note cards.”
The references made sense to conservatives because, as Ed Driscoll demonstrates, conservatives have said for a year that the president cannot speakwithout an autocue. The meme started when the late Dean Barnett, a writer for the Weekly Standard, watched footage of Obama giving a speech with note cards wherein he “stumbled over his phrasing repeatedly.” A legend was born—the so-called great orator was a mess without his favorite crutch. Suddenly, his middling debate performances against Hillary Clinton made sense.
After this, of course, Obama won three debates against John McCain, participated in countless town hall-style events, and made so few gaffes you can count them on two hands. (Quick: Start with the “bitter” moment and try to count nine more gaffes.) His most notable fumbles came when he said he’d been to “57″ states instead of 47, and when he sort of lost his place in a health care statement. This latter mess-up was turned intoa YouTube video that has been viewed more than 312,000 times.
It’s the best example I see these days of the cocooning that’s resulted from the right-left bifurcation of new media. Driscoll’s comments are worth reading for examples of this, including a rare appearence by Steven Den Beste, a wordy psuedointellectual who gained some fame in the early days of the blogosphere before retiring to write about Japanese animation.
Oh, while we’re at it: Barack Obama wrote his two books, while it’s an open secret that Limbaugh’s mid-1990s books were ghostwritten by John Fund, based on Limbaugh’s taped monologues. That’s not to say Limbaugh isn’t a terrifically fluid speaker — he is — but rather the TelePrompTer mania is rather pointless.
Camilo Wood
Reviewer
Camilo Wood has over two decades of experience as a writer and journalist, specializing in finance and economics. With a degree in Economics and a background in financial research and analysis, Camilo brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his writing.
Throughout his career, Camilo has contributed to numerous publications, covering a wide range of topics such as global economic trends, investment strategies, and market analysis. His articles are recognized for their insightful analysis and clear explanations, making complex financial concepts accessible to readers.
Camilo's experience includes working in roles related to financial reporting, analysis, and commentary, allowing him to provide readers with accurate and trustworthy information. His dedication to journalistic integrity and commitment to delivering high-quality content make him a trusted voice in the fields of finance and journalism.
Latest Articles
Popular Articles