Jedward and Westlife - perfect openers for Obama
Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 at 07:55 AM
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Niall O'Dowd is unimpressed with the warm-up acts for President Obama's speech at College Green in Dublin this afternoon. The two headline acts are Westlife, a rapidly aging boy band, and Jedward, well, if you don't know you probably don't want to know.
O'Dowd's problem seems to be that these two groups (acts/bands/whatever) are completely devoid of talent. He feels they compare badly with Van Morrison, who preceded President Clinton's address in Belfast in 1995. He's right about that. When Morrison sang his song Days Like This the President and the massive throng gathered to cheer him sang along in joy at the prospect of peace. It was a real moment of meaning, something people remember and look back on fondly.
I agree with O'Dowd on Van Morrison and how he compares with Westlife {photo} and Jedward, but today doesn't call for a singer/song-writer of Morrison's ability. Why? Because unlike in 1995 when the people of Belfast, indeed the people all over Ireland, had a real reason to cheer and celebrate the American President, today's love fest has nothing whatsoever to do with anything President Obama has done for Ireland or anything else he has done since taking office.
If today's large crowd was there to cheer the President for his boldness in waging war and especially for the operation that killed Osama bin Laden, I'd be thrilled. Yet, I know that a large chunk - possibly the majority - of those who'll be there will either be indifferent or uneasy about all that.
The mostly young (I'm guessing) crowd can hardly be there to thank the President for the fact that his Treasury Secretary shot down a better bailout deal for Ireland. After all, quite a few amongst the gathering will undoubtedly have to leave Ireland in the not-too-distant future because we owe a debt that we cannot repay priced in a currency we can neither afford nor control.
Maybe they hope that by showering the President with adulation today he will be so moved that he will start pumping Green Cards into the crowd with one of those air cannons they use for tee shirts at sporting events. If that's their motivation then I say "Good luck to them," but there's no hope of that.
The truth is none of that matters to the crowd. They will yell and shout and cheer the President's speech, which I expect to be mostly feel-good platitudes and little else. There will be nothing of any real importance said and his starry-eyed audience will adore him for it.
In other words, he'll look good and he'll probably sound good, but there will be no substance to his lyrics or his performance - just like Jedward and Westlife.
9 comments
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TheYank | May 25, 2011, 06:37 PM EDT
citizen69,
Well, maybe because President Obama has shown himself to be a pretty good war-time President. I think he's done a good job of marshaling the resources at his disposal and combating America's (the west's - Ireland's?) enemies. Do you not consider al Qaeda your enemy?
But you've made my point for me. If they wouldn't cheer him for something that is really central to his Presidency, then why were they all doe-eyed, cheering him on? What of Obama's executive decisions and/or policies were they endorsing on Monday?
Well, maybe because President Obama has shown himself to be a pretty good war-time President. I think he's done a good job of marshaling the resources at his disposal and combating America's (the west's - Ireland's?) enemies. Do you not consider al Qaeda your enemy?
But you've made my point for me. If they wouldn't cheer him for something that is really central to his Presidency, then why were they all doe-eyed, cheering him on? What of Obama's executive decisions and/or policies were they endorsing on Monday?
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citizen69 | May 25, 2011, 12:56 PM EDT
Erm, you'd be 'thrilled' if the crowd "were there to cheer the President for his boldness in waging war"?? You actually think the Irish people would want to thank Obama for waging war or for the operation that killed Osama bin Laden? Why on Earth would they do that?
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ochshane | May 24, 2011, 11:41 AM EDT
Truly a great Community Organiser! What's more he is a Fake Phony Fraud.
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chesapeake | May 24, 2011, 09:58 AM EDT
Quite pleased to have a conservative view of the original talking suit (one size too small, charcoal gray,two-button, straight-front pants, opening in the back for the ventriloquist and/or wires to the teleprompter. Obama is controlled by others... he delivers his lines fairly well; but - when unrehearsed - fumbles badly. Ireland can keep him.
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jacersagain | May 23, 2011, 06:44 PM EDT
Ah well now lads, shure yez must know that there wuda been nobody in College Green if der hada’int been some peeples arownd ta entertayne dem while waitin’? What better than new byes Jedward and oul’ byes Weshlife to fill d’oul Green w/ the kinda audience who Prez O’Bama likes? Well, dey got more goin’ ta de Green dan dey wuda gottin’ inta Croker. Smart move. Not a bad speech by Mr. O’Bama – gud at start, nice craic, flat in midstream but he cuda wrote a new National Anthem for Ireland wi’ his finish. I first taut he said “Is failure sinn”, gettin’ his Irish an’ English-American all mixed up. But den I heard him say “Yes we can! Is faydir linn”. He got me der... Smart man. O’Bama for next Irish Teashock! An’ Meeshell for Queen!
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Ajreaper | May 23, 2011, 01:34 PM EDT
of that I can offer no argument- I believe you did.
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TheYank | May 23, 2011, 01:29 PM EDT
Ajreaper,
I nailed it, to be honest.
I nailed it, to be honest.
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Ajreaper | May 23, 2011, 12:00 PM EDT
LOL, Yank you certainly sized this all up in a way few have (and I must admit I think you are likely dead on target).
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