Cheap Head Lines

BHO’s head brushed up against the doorway but without sharp contact or pain. In contrast, GWB cracked his head pretty good. Both recall Monty Python’s 127th Upper Class Twit of the Year contest that challenged contestants to duck under a bar 5 feet off the ground.
CNN fails to clear the low bar of improving news coverage.

Oh geez. My political nemesis at the office today breathlessly asked me “Did you hear, poor Barry smacked his head while getting into Marine One”, and then laughingly asked if I wanted to see the photos. I declined. Now that I see it, I can only sigh. I almost feel sorry for the wingnuts, if this is all they can glom onto. As for CNN and the others reporting this incident, I’m reminded of Blagojevich and his unwillingness to admit he was part of the problem with politics.

So, let’s see: He knocks his head, then ducks down and moves on.
And I bet if you asked him about it he’s say something like “What? Oh, THAT! Yeah, I screwed up.” And then smile.

For a while now, I’ve been hesitant to watch anything on the news channels, it is because of crap like this, how that gets air time over other more important issues affecting the world I’ll never know. It is something I’d expect to see in a youtube mash up in 4 years time.

video link not working for me today…

fair game video IMHO. Bush smacked it head and Obama more or less smashed the side of his face.

why do i remember staffers cupping bush’s head as he got into the chopper, to make sure he didn’t bang his head? did they used to do that?

I wouldn’t say ’smashed’, kinda extreme description isn’t it.

…as a cheap visual metaphor to suggest he is stumbling — especially as the flight is directly tied to his sale of the stimulus package.
After reading the following not-so-cheap headlines, perhaps Mr. Obama actually tripped over his tongue instead:
Reuters, January 29, 2008 — US presidential helicopter 50 percent over budget:

Lockheed Martin Corp’s (LMT.N) high-profile VH-71 presidential helicopter program, designed to work in a pinch as a White House in the sky, has surged more than 50 percent over budget, the U.S. Navy said on Thursday.
As a result of such cost growth, the Defense Department either must end the program or certify that it is essential for national security and meets three other tests established by law.
The Navy notified Congress of the problem on Wednesday, as required by the so-called Nunn-McCurdy procurement law that can force cancellation of an arms program if unit-cost growth tops certain levels, Navy spokesman Lt. Clay Doss said.
The cost breach is the latest in a long string dogging major arms programs, but the first to be announced since President Barack Obama took office as the 44th president on Jan. 20.

Associated Press, July 18, 2008 — McCain, Obama hedge on costly new Marine One:

John McCain and Barack Obama vow to reform the nation’s defense procurement if elected president, yet each is unwilling to take a firm stand against the skyrocketing cost of a plum White House perk: the new Marine One helicopter.
Originally carrying a hefty price tag at $6.1 billion, the fleet of 28 helicopters being built to fly the next president is now projected to cost $11.2 billion.
At $400 million apiece…

Thank goodness we’re finally seeing some non-partisan agreement on the issues.