Yesterday, President Obama held a lengthy news conference that was largely focused upon nuclear weapons and Iran. Someone asked him about the rumors that Bill Cosby’s Presidential Medal of Freedom could be revoked following Cosby’s bombshell admission of drugging women for sex. Talk about a change of subjects.
Obama first said he couldn’t revoke the medal because there aren’t procedures in place to do so. Then he declined formal comment on the Cosby situation itself (because there’s ongoing movement towards civil suits). Finally, Obama made a statement in which he indirectly condemned Cosby’s actions. Obama stressed how our country should have “no tolerance” for the alleged actions that occurred for decades:
“There’s no precedent for revoking a medal,” Mr. Obama said in answer to an off-topic question. “We don’t have that mechanism.”
He added that he made it “a policy not to comment” on cases in which legal action was pending. But after a noticeable pause, Mr. Obama did comment, if indirectly, suggesting that the facts involving one of the world’s best-known entertainers should not be taken lightly.
“I’ll say this. If you give a woman or a man, for that matter, without his or her knowledge, a drug, and then have sex with that person without consent, that’s rape. And this country, any civilized country, should have no tolerance for rape.”
[From New York Times]
See, Obama knew he couldn’t say anything outright against Cosby because it would mess up any potential lawsuits. His sly, indirect commentary lets us know exactly how he feels about Bill Cosby. Man, I hope Cosby has heard about this. He’s still got his little medal of freedom, but Obama just owned him.
P.S. One of the actors from The Cosby Show, Joseph C. Phillips (who played Lisa Bonet’s husband), wrote a blog post where he says everyone on set knew Bill was a dirty dog. It’s a good read and a confirmation of Cosby’s terrible reputation.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
Obama is gonna catch so much shit just for answering this question.
“Obama is going to catch so much shit for…” Fill in the blank with pretty much anything, ha. Being POTUS would be my worst nightmare.
Geo. W. Bush gave Cosby the award — let him take it back.
I was really impressed with how blunt and real he was about defining rape. That was bold.
‘I was really impressed with how blunt and real he was about defining rape. That was bold. ‘ This. So much.
Completely agree Kiddo. But people are going to be stretching to find a reason to do so. If that was not pre screened and his answer was off the cuff, I knew POTUS was smart, and this cements to me he is a genius.
Obama really is a genius. His comment was perfect, IMO, but yes, he will catch sh*t for it. As always.
Looking at pictures of Cosby now makes me want to vomit. What a despicable, depraved, wretched human being.
He’s a lawyer and his answer sounds just like that.
He catches shit for EVERYTHING. How is this any different? 🙂
Exactly.
True.
Yes.
You’re probably right, but I thought he handled it beautifully. If he had left it at “I can’t comment because of the lawsuits” I would have been disappointed. But you’re probably right.
Oh, I truly appreciated his response. And rape is something that should be discussed at the national level. It’s just that people get up in arms about Obama commenting on ANY issues outside of his role as president and then blame him for being the source of divisions, instead of a messenger recgnizing what is going on and commenting on ethics.
Right. I knew that what you meant.
@Kiddo, people get up in arms when he talks about anything inside the scope of his office too. He should spend the next year and a half just speaking out on any issue that gets his attention, without holding back.
LilacFlowers, I think that’s what he’s doing, subtly. And I love it.
ETA, it kind of amazes me that people get so pissed any time he says anything about anything. In the case of the Fox Newsies, it reeks of “how dare this man have the nerve to be black, be the president, AND speak his mind? I DO DECLARE, I SHALL NOT HAVE IT.” And it’s gross, to me. Long live POTUS.
“how dare this man have the nerve to be black, be the president, AND speak his mind? I DO DECLARE, I SHALL NOT HAVE IT.”
Hahahaha, dude this is so spot on! Now everytime a Fox commenter is going on one of their rants I’ll just hear this instead.
As for Fox, they’re probably apoplectic that he dared to be black, president, and force behind a treaty with Iran, because constantly threatening to bomb countries back into the Stone Age is so effective in creating peace
“because constantly threatening to bomb countries back into the Stone Age is so effective in creating peace”
LOL, so true!!!
+10000
he did not pull a politician, he spoke like a president.
Yup. My first thought exactly.
I love him for saying this, though.
ESOMom, he really does catch shit for everything. My crazy wingnut uncle has already been ranting about this on Facebook, so this situation seems to be no different. But, like GNAT said, I really do think he handled this very gracefully.
On a superficial note… POTUS is a really handsome man.
POTUS is a handsome, charming, smart, sexy man.
Ermagerd Lilac, I’m replying to two of your comments on the same thread, but I’m just so excited. I thought I was one of a very few who finds POTUS to be extremely charming, handsome, intelligent, brimming with swagger…. Excuse me while I go find a moist towelette. The man is just plain sexy. And I’m not the only one who thinks so! Happy dance. *cha cha cha*
HIS VOICE…gets me every time. low, melodic…I could listen to him all day.
When he sings, I melt. The man really knows how to wear a suit with style and swagger, which is my kryptonite. I met him back in 2004 and have been hypnotized since.
You’re most definitely not the only one Shambles.
He’s not classically handsome but he’s got charisma oozing everywhere. He tells a mean joke, and his smile lights up a room. I
Heart eye emojis to all of you guys. It’s something about his presence, I believe.
FYI, there is a Facebook page in existence called “I Think Barack Obama is Sexy.” The cover photo is a shot of him with his finger to his lips, doing the “shhhhh” gesture.
Sexy + smart + funny + gracious + unafraid + wears the hell out of a suit & a tux = done. He absolutely killed at the WHC Dinner this year; there are plenty of professional comedians & performers who should wish they had that much delivery, timing and presence. I am unashamed to have a crush on this President, even when I get genuinely pissed off & disappointed with him.
Can’t really teach someone to be adorkable AND cool to the bone… and that’s incredibly attractive. Hail to the Chief, baby.
Huckabee has already complained:
Huckabee said the President was “disingenuous” for not responding specifically to the Cosby allegations but instead commenting on definition of consent. The Republican presidential candidate said the admissions in the 2005 deposition was a “horrible, horrible thing.”
Obama cited potential civil or criminal litigation for his lack of specificity.
“Mr. President, you commented on Trayvon Martin, you commented on Ferguson, Missouri, you’ve commented on Baltimore, all before there were civil and/or criminal actions that were still pending. So it was so disingenuous for him to pretend that he doesn’t comment on these things when he’s commented on nearly every one of them that has surfaced on the public square,” Huckabee told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday.
Huckabee, if he was elected President, would also not revoke Cosby’s Presidential Medal of Freedom because “[Cosby] hasn’t been adjudicated.”
Obama said there was “no mechanism” to revoke the honor.
(not posting link because doing so once has already put me into moderation)
…said the guy with close associations to incestuous child molesters.
LOL! This is coming from the dude who went out of his way to publicly defend Josh Duggar.
I very much do not ♥ Huckabee.
Huckabee makes me throw up. He defends a child molester because he was young, and now he’s criticizing Obama for this. Gag.
And I have been in moderation for years. Apparently I can’t be trusted.
I get what’s he’s saying, but Huckabee should be the last person to complain about comments (or non-comments for that matter) over a rape issue…
One of the comments on this article was “serial pedophile defender says what?”
GNAT: “And I have been in moderation for years. Apparently I can’t be trusted. ” We already knew that! 🙂
Lol, cr…I guess I’m the last to know!
Huckabee needs to explain why Cosby and Josh Duggar deserve different treatment? Is it due to Huckabee’s own interference as governor in the prosecution of the Duggar case or to something else, like race?
Just read TLC finally cancelled the show. In my mind, they found out something even bigger is about to go down.
YES, the Touching Little Children network FINALLY pulled the plug!
Well, I guess he’s right about the other things Obama has commented on. Ick. I just agreed with Mike Huckabee. Off to the showers for me!
And what comment, pray tell, did Huckabee make about his son torturing and hanging a dog while at Boy Scout camp? Go away, disgusting hypocrite.
He couldn’t NOT comment on Ferguson, so it’s ridiculous that Huckabee would even make that comparison. The POTUS cannot sit back and ignore that kind of situation on his watch. That wasn’t a single court case – that was MASSIVE CIVIL UPHEAVAL that highlighted serious social dysfunction.
As for Trayvor Martin, I don’t recall him specifically commenting on Zimmerman’s action but rather toeing around the issue as he did here, focusing on the problematic aspects of our culture that portray young black men as inherently dangerous. People are free to correct me on that.
If he were asked what day of the week it was and answered correctly, he’d catch sh*t. Haters gonna hate.
Yep. My favorite is when President Obama calls out blatant racism and is called a “racist” for doing so or accused of causing division. Those innocent BLACK people meeting at one of the most famous AFRICAN-AMERICAN churches in our country, murdered by a proud White supremacist wasn’t about race. And flying the confederate flag is about states rights because the civilian war had nothing to do with the South wanting to continue owning human-beings and using them to enrich themselves. Seriously I don’t know how Obama wakes up everyday and keeps going.
I don’t know how he would “catch so much shit just for answering this question”… what’s the argument here? what can anybody say about his answer? is anybody “for drugging people”?
Right. “what can anybody say about his answer?” Yet people WILL find something to say. Believe that.
Start with Mike Huackabee.
+1,000,000
I agree w/everything that’s already been said here!
Man, I just said something about “the dark ages” of the 90’s on the Matt LeBlanc thread, but imagine how differently this may have gone if the gossip machine we have now was in full effect when The Cosby Show originally aired. There are things that aren’t great about it, but almost assuredly more of this information would have gotten out to the general public more forcefully and in more detail than it originally did.
Plus he probably would have been prosecuted, and that would still be better than just this. My question is though, I didn’t think Cosby admitted to giving them to the women unknowingly just buying them for the purpose of sex. If so then the President is smarter than I even thought, because by him alluding to this he made it public record for all the women that they were raped by Cosby. This was really the nail in the coffin. The President isn’t a gossip figure and he put it on the public media record it was rape. Cosby could defend with they knew about taking the drugs, but that will be forgotten as time goes on since there probably won’t be a criminal or even a public civil trial, because of the statute and his age too. Civil trials can linger for a long time, and he is in his late 70’s. Granted, not a trial or jail, but maybe that helped some get a bit of closure.
You have a preponderance of women testifying that they were unwittingly given knock-out drugs or drugs which incapacitated them. Sure you can challenge the veracity of individual witnesses, and some testimony might not hold up, but the shear numbers outweigh the ‘he said/she said’ scenario. There is no DNA evidence, but plenty of circumstantial evidence that points toward his guilt. In order for him to suggest that EVERY one of these women were otherwise casual drug users, where is the proof that they ‘used’ elsewhere to engage in sex with other partners? You mean to tell me, he was only having ‘affairs’ with women who used drugs? And how is he a more credible witness, when on the one hand, he chastised the entire black community for drug use, and yet had a stash of illegally-acquired, no longer manufactured Quaaludes? If they use his ‘good reputation’ or ‘legacy’ as some source of repudiation of allegations, then how do they square the contradictory actions of supplying drugs while simultaneously demonizing an entire group of people for use of same?
My point was not that Cosby isn’t guilty of rape. He is! My point is that technically even from Cosby’s own admission there is a legal way to defend the quaalludes admission, and President Obama being a very good lawyer knew this. Yet, still he put it in the media not gossip related record Cosby is a rapist. As much celebrity comment and stories that are out there, the President’s comment gives a lasting and more legitimate legacy hit to Cosby. Maybe he knew it was the only thing that could be done for the victims and thought it was just. Generally, though lawyers by nature are more judicious in their language. My lawyer friend still says alleged on every person until proven guilty in a court of law. President’ Obama was direct and straight forward and I think in history his comment will be remembered.
noway, I get what you were saying. I was just sort of responding to imaginary defense lawyers.
And that is how it’s done. God I am loving how President Obama is finishing his presidency.
And yes his definition of rape is spot on I hope a lot of people listened not just Cosby.
I love it, too. More to come, I hope.
Presidents generally feel more free in their second term, since legally it is their last so they don’t have to think about the next election. President Eisenhower was also like that. Anyway- it was a great response. He quite properly refused to comment on the case but took the opportunity to remind people that what Cosby is accused of doing is indeed rape. He strikes me as a man who is always aware that it could be his wife or his daughters facing such a situation. He does pay attention.
I loved his comments. I like how he didn’t feel the need to differentiate between “rape” and “rape rape” or “legitimate rape”, like some others have done.
@K – I’m right there with you. I listened to the q&a live stream on cspan. His response to the Cosby question was perfect. There were a lot of great responses from him throughout.
Thanks,Obama!!! (And I mean that!) We need our leaders to start recognizing and speaking out against sexual predators, no matter who they are. And I appreciate the way he included everyone by saying this could happen to men as well. No one should ever have to go through what these people did.
I love hearing Obama speak. Just makes my day.
He nailed this response perfectly.
That is a fantastic statement. Perfect in difficult circumstances. So has Cosby now officially shut up ? I don’t recall any more statements or stand up shows? For a self-important blowhard at least that’s a bit of punishment. Hopefully just the start…
Good point- he was all proudly rebellious about it and wanted to be the victim…until actual testimony of him admitting it came out. Now, not a peep.
Come to think of it, Phylicia Rashad has been awful quiet too!
I love that Obama said that – he basically called the guy a rapist!
I am so angry that we let Billy Cosby get away raping women for so long. He’s a criminal and a horrible human being. I’m also mad at the people at NBC and in Hollywood who covered up for him. That is a crime too. I hope the woman he hurt find some justice now that his reputation and legacy are ruined.
And I’m still waiting to hear some comments from Lisa Bonet – I bet she has some stories.
I’ve always wondered if he tried or succeeded in raping Lisa Bonet as well. Or if she was witness/saw/heard something. The way she completely wiped her existence from the show and refused to have anything to do with him always made me wonder. I think she can be difficult to work with but my gut has always said there was way more the story than either side wanted to tell. She refused to participate in the reunion special, etc.
Reading back through stuff from that time, there was conflict over her relationship with Lenny Kravitz
I think the question was likely pre-screened which impresses me even more. He’s waded into the issues the military has with sexual assault and I think this was further effort to raise public consciencesness. As a father of two girls I would have hated to see him dodge it…..I will desperately miss this President.
not to be nit picky because I’m very glad he said this, but Ppl who have taken drugs (or are drunk) even voluntarily, cannot give consent. Even if they say yes, if that person is intoxicated, it’s still a no. I say this because apparently Camille Cosby thinks that women consented even though she knows they took/were given qualuudes.
Agree. Doesn’t matter if victim voluntarily or involuntarily took the intoxicant. It’s the lack of ability to consent that matters.
Yes, and not to be extra nitpicky, and please don’t think I am defending him as I think he is guilty as hell, but still a bit sad that it is true. Legally speaking he could claim and I think it did and does still happen that people got high or drunk on purpose and then they decided to have sex. The woman or man may not be totally coherent and legally high, but if they both are that way I think that would be harder to prove who raped who. Not to mention, whether a person was incapacitated enough to not make a decision about sex. I know some of the women said they didn’t remember anything, and that would be very different, but I am sure his claim would be we were having fun together and both did it.
Now before someone gets on me for saying I am sad about this, I am sad about a lot of things with this. Yes I am sad that the entertainer, I saw as Fat Albert on my Sat. childhood morning memories raped all these women. Just sad and wrong on so many levels, but I am also sad that our system didn’t stop him before the amount of women reached such a large number. I am sad that not one of these women felt comfortable with our system to legally go after him in time, and that our system didn’t help them and may not have changed enough to help them prosecute even if it happened today. I am sad that the only thing we can do is ruin his reputation. Mostly I am sad for the women that endured this, but this situation is bad all around.
I read the blog post by Joseph Phillips, and I don’t understand one thing. He makes it clear that he believes Cosby is a serial rapist, yet he still loves him, and thinks his legacy of brilliant humor stands. I know a lot of people feel that way, but for me, knowing what he did taints everything about him. Because part of his charm and humor was the man I thought he was, and that was false. When I got divorced, after learning that my ex had been unfaithful throughout our marriage, I was so angry because even the good memories were ruined. When we had that romantic night at the beach, had he come straight from another woman? Was he thinking about me, or her when he kissed me? That kind of thing. I can’t look at anything Cosby did without wondering if he raped someone later that night. I think he has no legacy except one of the fear and pain and agony he caused those women.
This is such a good and important point. Everything about him is tainted. I have been showing my three young kids old sitcoms (we made it through the entire Brady Bunch series – they loved it! Hooray!) and I was looking forward to sharing TCS with them. It had a place of pride in my formative years. Especially as I was a latchkey kid, I felt like the Huxtables were family. It’s like he truly victimized the women he raped, but he also ruined memories for many of us too. I can’t stand to look at him. IDK how his wife deludes herself.
I really liked John Phillips post and suggest everyone read it, because it gives a great account from someone who knew Cosby loved and admired him and his realization of what he truly is. I agree for me it is also hard to look at his work, and not think about this too. It obviously is now his legacy.
Still I can appreciate John Phillips sentiments as he knew him personally and respected him at the time and John Phillips probably had many memories of the wonderful things he did with Cosby. In addition he appreciated his talent too. Which was probably one of the first times he had seen an African American male with Cosby’s kind of successful act. I understand his point.
@GNAT I think the difference from your situation and emotion and John Phillips is twofold. One your situation happened directly to you. Phillips obviously wasn’t raped by Cosby. Also, he admired and loved Cosby and his work as a colleague and mentor, not a significant other. As his mentor and sounds like idol for many years he is trying to separate the two to help him process and deal. I am sure with time though he would probably feel that it taints his work more than he realized.
I think that in general, women will find it impossible not to see everything about cosby as being tainted by the revelations about his decades of raping women; while men like john phillips will still be able to love him, even while they condemn him for the rapes.
And thats because men are programed to compartmentalize their lives while women are not. For women, everything is everything. For men, this thing belongs in that box and that thing belongs that other box etc. and this thing has nothing to do with that thing, etc.
Thats how men handle the fact that they have a loving caring wife and still go out and cheat on her.
Phillips also said that he was certain that at least some of Cosby’s alleged victims were “lying through their teeth”. He never seemed to go back on that, even after he spoke with the woman who claimed she was one of his victims, and he believed her.
I had mixed feelings about that blog post.
On one hand, I can imagine how difficult it would be to reconcile your previous view of a man whom you considered to be an idol with a man who is a serial rapist. On the other hand, I agree that you would think he would be angrier about Cosby tarnishing his legacy. I’m surprised he doesn’t feel more betrayed. Maybe this is his way of toeing the line and being diplomatic about it, trying to find balance between coming right out and sh*tting on Cosby and defending the man he worshipped for so many years.
You must take the post within context. Many people are making an argument that this is only a political issue in that Cosby is being railroaded by liberalism, because he said nasty things about the black community. People who don’t give a rat’s ass about Cosby take up his cause because they like the narrative that everything Cosby said is correct, in that white people bear no blame for any of the black community’s ills and suffering. The individual who wrote the blog is apparently conservative. So aside from Bill’s past squeaky clean reputation, he doesn’t want to toss away all of the philosophy that came with it. In fact the last line, about telling Bill to go away and live quietly, sounds like barely a slap on the wrist resolution of heinous acts.
Oh he’s conservative? I didn’t realize that.
Yeah that last line in particular seemed to really downplay Cosby’s actions.
Kiddo, ITA with your assessment of the blog post. I was going to post something similar but couldn’t do it so succinctly. It was pretty hard for me to read.
@kiddo I disagree this is political I think his blog post (and I know nothing about his politics nor do I care) read to me as someone coming to terms with who they “knew” and who is real. To dealing with the impact of this, to acknowledging the pain the women went through but still not being able to fully give up his idol. Telling him to go away for me read more like disappear so we can forget.
I don’t think he is trying to absolve white people of anything, or carry some political banner I think he just wants to pretend the man he idolized didn’t violate is friend and so many. And if we are honest I think we all wish it didn’t happen
I would have to read it again, but I was under the impression he was saying that at one point he thought they were lying, but has since changed his mind. I might be wrong on that though.
I got the impression he was trying to find a balanced tone, and to separate Cosby from the work, of which he was a part. It’s a really tough position to be in, I would imagine, seeing your hero hurt so many. I appreciate that he spoke out on it at all.
You have to read through his blog further to delve into his political leanings. But I was mixing a subset of conservative backing on Cosby, with this man’s opinion.
“The good Bill has done over the years is real and enduring. I am not prepared to simply dismiss his brilliance, his wisdom, or his legacy. You see, all of that is a part of who I am as a man – as a Black man. I am not going to toss all of that away, at least not yet. It seems to me that one should be able to look with sober eyes and yet hold on to those elements of substance that are both true and comforting.”
What exactly is Cosby’s wisdom? That what he prescribed for others bore no resemblance to his own life? I could see appreciating humor, or the TV show. But wisdom? Please explain if it doesn’t refer to speeches Cosby gave (which were entirely hypocritical).
I understand where you’re coming from, GNAT, but I can also understand where Phillips is coming from. It’s overwhelming and difficult to come to terms with that fact that our loved ones are capable of and have done monstrous things. When I worked in restorative justice and with the partners and parents of people incarcerated for rape/partner violence, a lot of mothers and wives felt shame and self-loathing for still loving their sons and husbands despite their crimes. This is also why I can’t jump on the Camille Cosby hate wagon. I’m not saying she’s in the right or that I agree with what she’s said about her husband’s victims, but I don’t see someone there who is okay either.
Yeah, I thought it was an honest take on how someone who idolized Cosby came to understand that he was not worthy of that hero worship. It wasn’t perfect, but I’m glad to see people who have had difficulty processing his fall from grace speaking up about it. It also shows that there are even MORE women out there who have not come forward, which is just awful.
Even though Camille is in a closer relationship with Cosby, I think it makes it a gazillion times worse. I’m sure on some level she was brainwashed, even if only subtly. A control freak like Cosby would not abide by less obedience and/or not having a yes-man by his side.
I think there are two issues – one is about knowing him personally like Phillips did and the second one – only knowing Cosby’s work as a fan. I wouldn’t be able to still like/love a person from my circle, if I knew they have raped anyone or did anything horrible. As you say – all the good memories would be tainted forever. But I’m still torn about the second one.
I loved Bill Cosby Show when I was a child. I was young enough to not even look at it in terms of acting – Cosby was Dr Heathcliff Huxtable to me. I wouldn’t want to rewatch it now or watch anything new from Cosby, with all the things he did in mind, but I can’t help but have fond memories about this show, because it was the only tv show that had a pretty big influence on my worldview. As a child I was living in a completely white, monocultural region and in a very right-wing small town. I hadn’t met anyone not white until I was a teenager and the race issue was completely absent from people’s minds, but as it is with right-wing people, who were finally free after living in a communist country for a very long time, the fear of what’s different and foreign was one of the basics of their teachings. Watching a show about a black family, who was so similar to mine, except the parents were better educated and more successful and their neighborhood was far more open-minded and accepting than mine, definitely influenced who I am. Suddenly I wanted to travel, get to know other people and cultures and I was completely unafraid of our differences.
It was just a sit-com to most people, but it really opened my eyes and had a big impact on why I never believed in all this – we are better off alone, others hate us, different is bad, borderline nationalistic BS. I wish Cosby was never involved with this show and I was devastated and disgusted when I first heard what he did, but as much as I wish he rots in jail and the justice is served for the victims, it’s just hard for me to erase this show’s influence on me and say – it’s all tainted by this one vile person.
@GoodNamesAllTaken +1!
I used to LOVE Cosby’s standup routine and his show, I’ll never watch either again. He is completely irrelevant to me now. He is truly scum and I hope justice is served for those women he abused.
When this first happened I looked at some of his stand up and just some of the faces he makes gave me the shivers. Even when I was more on the fence about his guilt it creeped me out a bit. Now it just makes me ill.
The Phillips post was a piece of crap. Cosby shouldn’t retire quietly to the countryside to preserve what’s left of his reputation. He should go to jail and pay restitution to his victims. The comments section under the Phillips post is full of women powerfully calling him out. Check out the highest rated comment.
I read the Phillips post, and I thought he sounded pretty douchey, despite his compassion for the victims. But I posted to say that the top rated comment made me laugh out loud. It was dripping with sarcasm. High level shade! She articulated why I was feeling uncomfortable when I read the post.
I love this president. I love this president so much.
Obama nailed it. Perfect response. Cosby needs help. Does he live in a state with civil commitment for predatory sex offenders?
Yes, Massachusetts (he lives in western MA) has civil commitment for those adjudicated sexually dangerous but there must be an open, active local case to start the proceedings, although old incidents can be cited as part of the case to show the overall dangerousness of the person
he brought the hammer down on the pudding pop perv!! I’m too old to have a crush..but DAMN..our POTUS… he’s fiiiine! Thanks Obama! *swoon*
Is it wrong that I’m highly irritated by the fact he is referred to as Mr Obama, not Pres. Obama,? I don’t remember Bush being referred to as Mr Bush, only Pres Bush. Even now only as former Pres Bush. (and I’m not even American…)
Am I wrong? I feel like I’m taking crazy pills
It is one of my major pet peeves. It is just another way of not acknowledging that he is actually President and is so very disrespectful and borderline, if not actually racist. He is President Obama.
And he is definitely in his GZF mood. This was a harsh indictment of someone he probably idolized when he was younger.
No, i don’t see it as racism
Hmm, were you in the company of Cosby recently?
lol Kiddo!!
Yes, you are wrong. Obama receives a lot of racism, but that is not the case here.
This is standard, long-established New York Times style. In articles about presidents, they always refer to them as President Lastname the first time they are mentioned, and then as Mr. Lastname for every subsequent mention. Their rationale is that these men are citizens as well as presidents, and thus after their title has been mentioned, they are written about as everyday citizens would be. So Bush was called Mr. Bush, Clinton was called Mr. Clinton, Reagan was called Mr. Reagan. It’s a longstanding policy going back decades, and it receives scrutiny with every administration. See “No Disrespect Intended” by former ombudsman Clark Hoyt from November 2007 for a Bush-era response to the same complaint – though they were accused of liberal bias rather than racism.
Awesome response! Thank you!
I wasn’t aware of that pattern with the Times and perfectly explained.
Entirely possible that I don’t hear the switch from Pres. to Mr. nearly as often being Canadian, and why I phrased it as a question. I prefer to assume that I’m missing a key detail than … its a big world out there 🙂
It is the tradition of the NYTimes to address all presidents in such manner but other media outlets have changed their behavior and show this president less respect than they showed his predecessors
You are welcome Leigh 🙂
Thanks for the explanation, Kingsbury. I wasn’t sure of the rationale.
I find your question so interesting. Sometimes, it’s a loaded one; sometimes, the signifier a matter of editorial & social practice or policy – not to mention intention and context.
Confession: I loathed Bush so much that I could not even bring myself to address him directly as “Sir” – much less “Mr. President” – as, of course, I should have done, if only out of respect for the office. On the other hand, I refer to Obama as ‘President Obama’ in every single family discussion, just to drive the point home, represent, and quite intentionally make the familial Fox wing nuts of the dodgier branch even crazier & angrier.
In return of the favor, they very often refer to the President as ‘Barry’ or ‘Hussein’ in their attempt to diminutize or demonize him; whilst I could call him ‘Bada** Bama’ when he makes statements and takes a stand like the one referenced in this story – and mean it will all the respect and love I have for my brilliant, eloquent and principled Mr. President.
(I realize your question was referring to a more formal one of address – and in a public forum – yet it got me thinking how Obama’s term has brought all these issues more to the fore than they have been before, imo… especially in private, dog whistley-type ways.)
Belle, you sound just like me and my family. One of my sisters adores Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck and declares Fox “the only place to hear the truth.” At family gatherings my other two sisters sort of duck their heads and concentrate on their meal when the feathers start flying.
Enrages me! I find it disrespectful and I always wonder why especially when past presidents are rightfully referred to as president so and so. Didn’t know it was standard nyt practice. It seems more common with president Obama. Practice or not I find it disrespectful
Enrages me regardless of how you feel about him politically he is our president and deserves respect!
Ugh I love president obama’s “have no f—ks left to give” final presidential tour!
He deserves it. From the boatloads of sh-t he’s had to deal with his entire presidency I’m glad he’s waving his middle finger to everyone.
Thank You, POTUS. Now with Barack clearly defining Cosby’s actions— let’s see if that Civilian Medal Bush gave him back in 2002 can be stripped.
Cosby deserves to be stripped of anythi g honorable after repeatdely attempting to shame and call his victims liars who were attempting to use him for fame!
He is lucky they are not removing his Star on Hollywood Blvd. Perhapd everytime it is spray painted with the word RAPIST it will remind him and his delusional Wife of his true lasting legacy and what the American Public genuinely believe and feel about him.
Congress has to change the statute and statutes cannot be passed to target an individual for past wrongs, nor can they be made retroactive
I’m glad this isn’t going away. I’m glad it’s still being discussed in a very public format with people who get a lot of attention with what they say.
I’m glad those defending Cosby aren’t the loudest drowning out the growing number of accusers.
It’s just that simple. If you make someone unable to give consent. If you then go ahead in an act that requires them giving some form of consent. If you can’t be honest with them about what you plan to do regarding them. You’re a monster.
Maybe the worst part of this currently. Cosby is losing his faculties it seems. I want him aware of all he’s losing. The lack of control. The shame being brought down on him. All the terrible things he’s done being brought into the public knowledge. His secret life exposed because they were criminal.
Ugh.
Very well put. I agree 100% with everything you said. Glad this is not going away, and also hope, hope, hope he is fully aware of the proper shitstorm raining down upon him….I too fear he’s not all there any more. This wrecked his mind and shattered the image he even had for himself, I believe. He’s an ugly man on the inside and it now shows on the outside too. Good.
Yes FLORC!
Cheers, my friend.
*raises bottle of Polar seltzer*
Cheers! *Chugs Tropical Mai Tai seltzer*
Vampi
If nothing else his legacy is stained and there’s distance being created for any potential future projects. Court of public opinion may not land him in jail, but it can still do damage.
Just read the blog post by the fellow who played the military husband on the Cosby show. Wow. This is the first crack in the cast’s silence. He makes it clear how much he had respected and owed the man, but also confirms what the man was doing in a very believable way. But notice that he really didn’t know about anything but the infidelity until his friend told him what had happened to her. So others on the regular cast might really not know anything – unless they were personally affected, directly or indirectly.
Obama is accurate. He answered the question like a lawyer.
When Cosby asked for the “black media” not to report when these matters came to light I doubt he would ever have imagined President Obama would call him out. This must be the last straw for him. Well done MR PRESIDENT.
Boom! Ballsy POTUS
Makes me dislike Phylicia Rashad even more. I mean, Camille is a terrible person, but you can at least see why she would be in such denial – she has spent her life with an evil, raping sociopath and gave him children. She has slept with him during all this time. OMG – I would hate myself forever.
But Phylicia —- ugh.
The comments under the Phillips blog are excellent!
At this point, does it really need Obama to prescribe what is rape? Clinton did sex no favours, but it shouldn’t take a president to define what consensual sex is.
That IS such a left field question though. The President’s answer was more than stellar though! GO POTUS!
He commented on the Trayvon Martin case while it was clearly under investigation and before it went to trial. But he’s not comfortable commenting directly about Bill Cosby’s actions. Interesting.
In other case, he did not comment on guilt or innocence.
either
Yeah he pretty much commented here, he just made sure to phrase it so the case could continue and the victim could get justice.
“Obama first said he couldn’t revoke the medal because there aren’t procedures in place to do so.”
Obama has no problem creating procedures in places where there were none. See: his entire presidency.
He should have revoked the medal.
Gabriella: I agree with you. I believe Obama could most certainly–if he cares to enough–create a procedure in which Cosby’s medal could be revoked. Cosby is a wretched, monstrous man, and I think part of the betrayal many feel is that part of his whole T.V. persona was that of a kind, loving, protective, loyal, and deeply good hearted father and husband. Of course, that was only T.V., but Cosby used that persona in many areas of his publicly presented life, taking a moral, well-intentioned (and sometimes entirely misguided) stance on social issues. What I miss about him most is the “protective father”/ “loyal husband” aspect of his T.V. character: growing up w/out a father I used to imagine he was mine, the perfect paternal figure. The feeling of betrayal, then, is at a very emotional, almost childlike level, and, as an adult, I feel he has sullied formerly good memories.As a survivor of rape, that betrayal–of Cosby’s absolute duplicity– feels almost painfully personal to me: I can’t believe I had long term faith in a man who has proven himself to be such a terrifying and terrible man. (Don’t quite comprehend all the accolades going out to the president, for while I voted for him twice, I still see him as a politician, with all a politician’s more spurious traits. And, while I love some things he has done while in office, I can hardly rave about the man just because he defines rape accurately and implies Cosby is guilty. He IS guilty, and rape IS always wrong, so these words are not exactly a transformative revelation–or a revelation at all– from President Obama.)
I couldn’t agree with you more.
I give plaudits to the President because Cosby was asking the “black media” to support him so I assume it will gall him more to hear this from a black president…Of course we shouldnt need to hear what the definition of rape is from him (or anyone) but I am assuming Cosby will be pissed at this – it will matter to him in a way that the women he abused obviously dont.