Evidently there’s been a slew of fainting incidents at Obama rallies of late. Fortunately for the state of our nation’s psychological health, the fainting doesn’t look to be of the ilk seen forty years ago when the Beatles had shrieking pre-adolescent girls toppling over, or when Frank Sinatra inspired similar behavior. The fainting appears to be a product of overcrowded venues and young Obama supporters who wait for long periods in line without the good sense to eat or hydrate themselves. (I’m a mother. I know these things.)
Here’s a link to a video that combines several clips of the various fainting incidents.
The most fascinating thing about this video, is how down-to-earth and….well…in charge Obama appears to be in each of the incidents. A couple of times, he tosses water from the podium and instructs those around the fainter to give them some water—behaving like a good dad or good coach would. I hate to bring this back to George Bush, but contrast Obama in these times to Bush and the Great Goat Book moment.
Of course, the fact that Obama has the wherewithal to do the sensible thing when a foolish kid gets dizzy in a crowded gymnasium doesn’t guarantee he’ll be a good president. Maybe it just shows that he’s instinctively a good dad and/or a good neighbor. In terms of character traits needed in a leader, that’s far from the whole shebang.
But it’s not a bad beginning.
BY THE WAY, a big Bronx cheer to the idiots over at Powerline and the very predictable Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit who try to make the fainting thang other than it is. (When a girl fainted at a Schwarzenegger event, I don’t remember charges of phony evangelism or plants in the audience being trotted out.)
PS: And, yes, there have been fainters at both Hillary’s and Bill’s rallies, such as here" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> and here.
Obama’s rallies are taking on the aura of black funerals, where it’s almost obligatory for women to faint over the casket. (I know. I’ve been to them. Foogie and her commenters agree.)
To praise Obama for seeming to be in charge of these faiting emergencies is almost of silly as the praise that Hillary got for “taking command” when that nut case with flares went into one of her campaign offices.
Celeste, you could just have easily said Bush holding the girl who lost her family member in 9/11. You wouldn’t be on the left of center would you by any chance? 😉
Celeste,
Don’t let these crabby guys get you down! I’d call you a compassionate liberal, but that would be redundant, wouldn’t it? BTW, the photo is a riot. Little Women?
xxx
This news does not make me want to vote for Obama. Sounds creepy to me.
At least the women aren’t trying to tuck dollars into his pants.
I hope Obama stays away from Chris Mathews.
Nancy, I am NOT a crabby guy. I am a principled Conservative (P.S., don’t listen to what the Woodster says about me. 😉 )
I’m a left-leaning Democrat with a bulletin board full of anti-Bush cartoons and whatnot in my office. I fully intend to vote for whichever candidate the Democratic party chooses.
But could someone clear up for me the problem with Bush’s “Goat Book moment”? I believe it’s referring to Sept. 11th, when he was visiting a classroom and reading to the kids. As I recall, someone whispered the news of the attacks in the President’s ear, and he kept reading until the book was finished, and then left the classroom. (Although I also recall a “deer in the headlights” kind of look on his face).
As a former classroom teacher, it’s always been my opinion that Bush did fine in that situation. If there’s a crisis happening, you don’t freak out and go “Oh, my God, kids! An airplane just crashed into the World Trade Center! We’re all going to DIE!” You just keep doing what you’re doing until you can get to a good stopping place, and then move on to whatever’s needed.
Maybe I’m missing something. So could someone school me on this? It’s a little disturbing to be defending the guy.
Watcher, I can’t speak as an elementary school teacher, but as a mom (and this is true of all the moms with whom I’ve spoken) I’d have paused and said in a calm voice, “Kids, Mr. [whoever it was] tells me that I’ve got some unexpected work to take care of, so I’ll let Ms. [teacher] finish the story. It was great being here with you. I hope to see you again soon.”
EXIT POTUS to address the largest national emergency within living memory.
Instead the guy sat there looking like a deer in the headlights for minute….after minute….after minute….after minute.
Don’t know if that helps.
Aha…it becomes clearer. I did not realize that the deer in the headlights look was so prolonged. That is a bit worrisome.
A moment to gather one’s thoughts is expected. Several seconds of disorientation is definitely not appealing, in one’s President.
I try not to watch too much media coverage of this administration, so I probably didn’t catch the scene in all its glory.