Criticism of Obama’s pronouns falls apart

[kpete]

Criticism of Obama’s pronouns falls apart
10/21/14 09:36 AM—UPDATED 10/21/14 09:39 AM
By Steve Benen

As odd as this may seem, President Obama’s critics have taken a keen interest in his pronouns: for some on the right, carefully counting the number of times Obama uses the word “I” or “me” tells us something important about the president’s arrogance. Or something.

This line of attack has been ongoing for years, though Charles Krauthammer, non-practicing psychiatrist, summarized the right’s pitch about a month ago: “I mean, count the number of times he uses the word I in any speech, and compare that to any other president…. You know, this is a guy, you look at every one of his speeches, even the way he introduces high officials – ‘I’d like to introduce my secretary of State.’ He once referred to ‘my intelligence community.’ And in one speech, I no longer remember it, ‘my military.’ For God’s sake, he talks like the emperor Napoleon.”

With this in mind, BuzzFeed put together an interesting research project.

BuzzFeed News analyzed more than 2,000 presidential news conferences since 1929, looking for usage of first-person singular pronouns – “I,” “me,” “my,” “mine,” and “myself.” Just 2.5 percent of Obama’s total news-conference words fell into this category. Only Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt used them less often. […]

While Obama has shied from the first-person singular, he’s leaned heavily on the first-person plural – “we,” “our,” “ourselves,” and “us.” In fact, he’s used it more than any president in the dataset.

Hmm. This would suggest Obama is actually the least narcissistic president in the modern era. Krauthammer, who specifically urged the public to “count the number of times he uses the word I in any speech,” isn’t just throwing around cheap criticism, the far-right pundit actually has the entire line of attack backwards.

In fact, this seems like a fine time for a new chart.
?itok=1G4lv_Zs
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/criticism-obamas-pronouns-falls-apart

[Voice for Peace]

1. I'd like to see an analysis of Krauthaummers pronouns..

Although people who are constantly judging others' merits
tend to use a lot of they, them, he, she, and don't forget
the auxiliary verb should.

[procon]

2. Its like the word game of 'opposites'

Obama has never matched the image Republicans wanted, so they had to invent a cartoonish bugaboo to make themselves look better. When outright lying isn't enough to meet the agenda, then just add some tasty fake sprinkles that is the exact opposite of the real Obama -- look how often the GOP uses the same tactic to their advantage -- because it sure helps make the propaganda sweeter so the lie is easier to swallow.

[Johonny]

3. Charles Krauthammer is a shining symbol of the modern right

He used to come off as a well educated and informed person. Now thanks to the right wing echo machine he comes off as an ill informed talking parrot that doesn't try very hard or work to come up with original or researched thought. The graph just shows how comically wrong he is, but this is hardly the only issue he is comically wrong on. Yet they talk toward you in a condescending fashion as if they alone have this fountain of information and you are a fool not to see it.

[Martin Eden]

5. I'm disgusted every time I see his commentary published in my daily newspaper (Chicago Tribune)

He's nothing but a partisan hack who is taken way too seriously. Too bad the Trib keeps featuring him, rather than exposing him like this OP did.

[3catwoman3]

4. What a trivial thing to pick on.

How about all the guys who can't say "I" and constantly refer to themselves in the 3rd person?

[MADem]

8. A bunch of George Remus types!

[radiclib]

6. So will anyone refute him to his ugly puss?

Not so much. Nowadays these right-wing shills can lie baldfaced, challenge their audience to prove them wrong, and still get away with it, because none of their "journalist" peers are up to it.

[tjl148]

7. Meaningless.....

Without the context of the news conference this doesn't mean a thing.