The dumbass is you submitter. At least he was being honest with the kid.

I see that ndotseth and his clones are busy clogging the submission queue.

Good.

The first step in fixing a problem is acknowledging that there is a problem.


When was the last time you head Bush say that there was anything, besides a horde of terrorists wanting to kill us all, wrong with this country? So how can you wonder why he has failed to improve anything?

"America is no longer what it could be; what it once was"

Slave owning?

It stands to reason that shrubmitter is completely satisfied with the state of the nation and wants your children to inherit it just the way it is now.

I actually quite like the answer. "America is having problems." The implied statement (that the adults in the room and probably most of the children, but not submittard) is: "My hope is that I'll be able to help solve the problems and, in the position of the presidency, I'll have the power/ability to do so."

Do you still believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, gulliblemitter?

Lies are bad for kids. I heard it on The View just this morning.

Submitter is obviously that parent who sees their teenager skipping school, drinking, doing drugs and getting picked up by police, but keeps saying, "What?? My little angel is perfect", when an asswhopping and a looong stretch of yard work would be the correct parenting answer.

Er, should have included ", understood)" after I denounced the submitterin my previous comment. D'oh.

Is this the "Obama outrage du jour"?

I actually like that answer to. If he had acted like theres not a problem with America, then maybe he'd deserve the dumbass tag.

Wow, a politician inspiring change by telling the truth?

I'm almost buying this guy. Almost.

This is why we can't have honest politicians...everyone hates them for it!

I'd have to disagree with Obama on this one.

The idea of America is great, but it hasn't been executed honestly and with integrity- or rather, hasn't emough.

"And I say to myself, I don't want that future for my children."

He could have at least said that in the scratchy Satchmo voice :(

So America is a Utopia Subby?

Sorry but that looks like creative editing.

CtrlAltDelete: I'd have to disagree with Obama on this one.

The idea of America is great, but it hasn't been executed honestly and with integrity- or rather, hasn't emough.

So how exactly is that disagreeing with Obama?

Of course Obama was a dumbass... everybody knows that children should be treated like mushrooms (kept in the dark and fed shiat).

No, no, no. The answer is always that America is the greatest nation that ever was or will be. And any observation or opinion otherwise is unAmerican hippy-talk unbecoming a true patriot.

One of the primary reasons we're in the mess we're in today is because of tools who spend their energy going "We're the Greatest Nation in the World" TM and spend exactly zero time going "How can we do things better?" or, God Forbid "Should we actually be doing this?"

Don't mock The Obama.

I came here to say that the dumbass tag was for submittard, but I see you guys have this well in hand...

cameroncrazy1984: So how exactly is that disagreeing with Obama?

I was about to ask the same question.

I cannot wait until Obama is sworn in. Then we can start to undo the crimes of the past eight years. This country can be baptized again.

I have hope!!!

b2theory: I cannot wait until Obama is sworn in. Then we can start to undo the crimes of the past eight years. This country can be baptized again.

I have hope!!!

The audacity!!

packrabid04: This is why we can't have honest politicians

When we have one, let me know. I think a politician isn't above telling some truths to cover up even bigger lies.

I mean, it's not like it's a truth he can really do anything about. Four, or even eight, years isn't enough to fix the problems America has.

No, I don't think this guy is completely honest. All I think we can hope for is that the 7-year-old in question (assuming she wasn't coached to ask the question and was able to assimilate the answer) goes on to lead the revolution we so desperately need.

cameroncrazy1984: So how exactly is that disagreeing with Obama?

Because I don't think America was once great. I can point to a lot of instances in history in which our country have done wonderful things in the name of American principles, but I do not see this beautiful nostalgia for any 'glory days.'

You know, this is why we can't have nice things. A politician DOESN'T piss down your back and tell you it's raining, and you all react with horror!!

"Oh noes!! Don't tell us we aren't perfect! We live in a magical land of sunshine and rainbows, where puppydogs fart ice cream!!"

BoneStorm: Wow, a politician inspiring change by telling the truth?

I'm almost buying this guy. Almost.


It's as close as this country is going to get. You want to get even closer? Vote for him and other candidates will see that being honest doesn't mean you lose the race...

BoneStorm: Wow, a politician inspiring change by telling the truth?

I'm almost buying this guy. Almost.

Well... the child asking the question was obviously a plant to make Obama look good... like the hecklers, and the crowd in Germany, and Generals in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Hillary Campaign, The Iowa Caucus results, etc, etc, etc...

CtrlAltDelete: Because I don't think America was once great.

I think the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Air Lift and the GI Bill were pretty great.

Of course, that led to McCarthyism, so maybe it's all a balance.

an honest politician? the end is nigh

CtrlAltDelete: but I do not see this beautiful nostalgia for any 'glory days.'

Have you listened to Bruce Springsteen?

Diogenes: The answer is always that America is the greatest nation that ever was or will be. And any observation or opinion otherwise is unAmerican hippy-talk unbecoming a true patriot.

This is an ignorant generalization. I am a patriot. I do believe that America is the greatest nation that is or was. I do not believe in our current leadership, but that doesn't diminish my belief in America one bit.

However, it does make me fear for our future that people would still vote for Bush were he able to run for another term.

I have a good friend who reveres Bush and idolizes Blackwater and doesn't understand why I won't vote for McCain. He's serious and that scares me.

Diogenes: The answer is always that America is the greatest nation that ever was or will be. And any observation or opinion otherwise is unAmerican hippy-talk unbecoming a true patriot.

Your lack of conviction disturbs me

And he's damn right.

BoneStorm: idolizes Blackwater

What about Blackwater is there to be idolized?

CtrlAltDelete: Because I don't think America was once great. I can point to a lot of instances in history in which our country have done wonderful things in the name of American principles, but I do not see this beautiful nostalgia for any 'glory days.'

Obama didn't say that the country was once great though, just that it wasn't what it once was or what it could be. To be fair though a lot of people in other countries used to view America as a great country (hence the mass migrations here). That is not the case anymore. People still come here, but it's mainly for work, not necessarily that they think this is a great country.

pwhp_67: When was the last time you head Bush say that there was anything, besides a horde of terrorists wanting to kill us all, wrong with this country? So how can you wonder why he has failed to improve anything?

Anyone remember Romney talking about this in the debates?

what_now: BoneStorm: idolizes Blackwater

What about Blackwater is there to be idolized?

c'mon, who didn't want to grow up to be a mercenary when they were a kid?

DeadZone: "America is no longer what it could be; what it once was"

Slave owning?

Grab yourself a good one.

I have no problem with that statement.

I also think his wife is pretty damn optimistic about being proud of this country. I haven't been proud of my country in my adult life yet.

If Obama doesn't love America he should go back to Africa.

subby: I don't know if you've noticed this, but a dominant theme of the Obama campaign is "change." I for one have seen that on a number of his campaign signs. So, if he were to answer that child's question as you suggest, wouldn't that raise some inconsistencies with his campaign message? I mean, what change would be needed if America were now perfect?

Also I don't know if you've paid any attention to John McCain's campaign, but he to has sort of co-opted the "change" message in his wrinkly white haired guy way by suggesting that we have to change things to make America better. A recent commercial actually said that we are worse off now than we were four years ago.

And since you no doubt loved Reagan, I would remind you that the City on the Hill theme that he so lovingly evoked was fundamentally a challenge to the perfectness of then America

I could go on since pretty much every president campaigns on the idea that he or she is running for the office because they can make America better, but why bother.

gunga galunga: DeadZone: "America is no longer what it could be; what it once was"

Slave owning?

Grab yourself a good one.

I like to think what Obama meant, and what I believe, is that America is a place, for all its flaws, that strives to improve itself. We look to get better, more fair, more moral. The last 8 years has been a step back - we have gotten worse. We can start moving forward again if we decide to.

Headlines like this only prove Al Franken right when he said, "Republicans love America like a 5-year-old loves their mommy, Democrats love America like you love your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend/whatever."

what_now: I think the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Air Lift and the GI Bill were pretty great.

That's true- and as I said, I can point to instances in which we have done great things. But they were always overshadowed by some hypocrisy. I think we can get better or we can get worse, but I do not think- HONESTLY, that these are the worse years of our country's history or that there was ever any one period for which we should be nostalgic.

baorao: Have you listened to Bruce Springsteen?

Not since my last trip to Jersey.

flaEsq: shrubmitter

You may consider that stolen, sir.