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John Hodgman Asks Obama, "Are You a Nerd?"
Hugh Pickens writes "Watch a video of comedian John Hodgman speak after Barack Obama at the recent Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner in DC and discuss the central question of our age: "how we can heal the great and shameful division that has plagued our nation for so long — the age old conflict between jocks and nerds" and ask Obama: Are you now, or have you ever been, a nerd?"
They go over this in the clip. He's not Jesus Christ, he's the Quizatz Haderach.
The opinons expressed are those of the voices in the author's head and are not necessarily those of the author.
TFA says Obama would be our (the U.S.'s) "first geek president."
Hello? Anybody out there ever heard of Thomas Jefferson?
[Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
I suggest we first define who a nerd is. Otherwise this being slashdot, we'll end up submitting comments about something that is entirely different depending on who is posting.
My submission: I agree with this definition and hope that all of you use it as a bench mark as you post your comments.
In part: "...derogatory connotation or stereotype, that refers to a person who passionately pursues intellectual activities, esoteric knowledge, or other obscure interests..."
Thank you.
Jesus had prodigious beard, an unkempt mane of hair, walked around in sandals in all weather, and saw himself as a man with divine powers who was put on the earth to show people "the way".
Jesus was clearly, clearly, a nerd.
Dude, you're confusing nerds with stoners and homeless guys.
And you, in turn, are confusing stoners & homeless guys as Richard Stallman
(My apologies to RMS ... when the humor is just there, right in front of you ... what can you do?)
Now i know why the price of a barrel of spice is so high
Test me and I will chronicle your pain - The Archivist (Diablo 3)
When did all of this disrespect for the position of our President start?
When people tried to make the position a king above normal citizens.
When people start to think of Presidents as Emperors or Popes that are above common man, then they start acting like it.
"I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
-Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
if Obamas a nerd were gonna be ok. All we need is a catchy music montage, a wise crackin sidekick (Joe Biden = YES), maybe a panty raid or two, and we can fix the world economy in no time.
Test me and I will chronicle your pain - The Archivist (Diablo 3)
To be fair, Obama has kept the dignity of the office fairly well. This was a press dinner, ie, although it's broadcast in various places, with clips here and there, it's not really a public address. Obama himself was making some pretty roasting jokes (more so at the White House Correspondents dinner), and John was pretty respectful in many ways, talking up Obama's intellect and how he's doing a good-job...
Discipline is most certainly not the key to maintaining authority and respect. He has authority because the US populace gave him it; he maintains respect by respecting the US peope who put him there, and being open and transparent, and not "talking down" to them, acting as though he's some sort of God purely because of his job. In fact Obama has made many self deprecating jokes about how some supporters seem to idolise him but he himself doesn't take it at all seriously.
I'm thinking of the "And on the seventy-third day, I shall rest" joke in particular...
The truth shall always be free: Boris Floricic is Tron.
The press made a big deal about his basketball playing ability during the campaign, therefore he is disqualified as a nerd. He is the diametric opposite of a nerd, he is a jock.
The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
"If you don't want to work, become a reporter. That awful power, the public opinion of the nation, was created by a horde of self-complacent simpletons who failed at ditch digging and shoemaking and fetched up journalism on their way to the poorhouse."
Mark Twain 1881
"Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
He's a constitutional lawyer, which is a whole different breed. And who says a nerd has to be a certain profession?
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... and the article misquoted John Hodgeman.
The article stated:
"also the first geek President"
Sorry to split definitions but we have to agree on the definition of nerd and geek. I don't consider them quite the same. I consider TJ a nerd but not a geek.
Secondly to quote John Hodgeman directly:
"He could be the first nerd president of the modern era."
I don't consider Obama a geek, but he has many nerd qualities, so I would agree with this.
"All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"
No, he's a nerd.
In fact he is an Alpha Nerd. He's a constitutional lawyer. That's nerdy by default. Not a lot of jobs are nerdy be default.
BTW I am A nerd. I also won trophies for fencing, water polo and baseball.
Next weekend I get to launch rockets with my kids! Assuming we have better weather conditions then last weekend. Stupid Oregon weather.
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You should probably WTFV (Watch the Fucking Video.) :)
Hodgeman makes this point pretty clear... The last administration wasn't an athletic bunch, but they did have that Jock attitude.
Obama is in good shape and plays sports, but really does seem more like the nerd type.