Our president went to a burger joint where he learned about one of our national security agencies for the first time. That he has no idea what it is and what it does is a bit unnerving. I'm sure the intelligence agent who spoke with Obama wasn't encouraged, either. The Politico has the details of the conversation:
Obama: What do you do Walter?Walter: I work at, uh, NGA, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Obama: Outstanding, how long you been doing that?
Walter: About six years
Obama: Yea?
Walter: Yes.
Obama: You like it?
Walter: I do, keeps me...
Obama: So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial...uh...
Walter: Uh, we work with, uh, satellite imagery..
Obama: Right
Walter: [unintelligible] ...support systems, so...
Obama: Sounds like good work.
Walter: Enjoy the weekend.
Obama: Appreciate it.
Oh boy.
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Filed under:
Barack Obama, National Security
Comments (22)
I'm just a lowly Navy pilot... (Below threshold)1. Posted by CDR M | May 30, 2009 8:18 AM | Score: 5 (9 votes cast)
I'm just a lowly Navy pilot but dang, even I know what NGA does!
1. Posted by CDR M | May 30, 2009 8:18 AM |
Score: 5 (9 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 08:18
2. Posted by epador | May 30, 2009 9:00 AM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
Most of the people that voted for him don't know NGA from IGA.
2. Posted by epador | May 30, 2009 9:00 AM |
Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 09:00
3. Posted by Jake | May 30, 2009 9:12 AM | Score: -17 (21 votes cast)
Oh please. This is Obama making the guy feel important, not some case for his own stupidity.
We know, we know, you hate the guy. But this isn't a very strong point for your case of why the rest of us should all hate him too.
3. Posted by Jake | May 30, 2009 9:12 AM |
Score: -17 (21 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 09:12
4. Posted by epador | May 30, 2009 9:13 AM | Score: 10 (12 votes cast)
Oh please, this is Jake emulating Obama again.
4. Posted by epador | May 30, 2009 9:13 AM |
Score: 10 (12 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 09:13
5. Posted by P. Bunyan | May 30, 2009 9:15 AM | Score: 10 (10 votes cast)
Jake sounds like a broken record...
5. Posted by P. Bunyan | May 30, 2009 9:15 AM |
Score: 10 (10 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 09:15
6. Posted by Gmac | May 30, 2009 9:22 AM | Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
No Jake, this is Obama exhibiting his utter ignorance of the government he now leads.
Reality, it has a way of biting you in the ass when you least expect it.
6. Posted by Gmac | May 30, 2009 9:22 AM |
Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 09:22
7. Posted by Aresay | May 30, 2009 9:25 AM | Score: 4 (8 votes cast)
The mainstream media wouldn't do it. So we are trying to get your important messages to the American people.
7. Posted by Aresay | May 30, 2009 9:25 AM |
Score: 4 (8 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 09:25
8. Posted by WildWillie | May 30, 2009 10:00 AM | Score: 9 (13 votes cast)
Obama was, is and will be an empty suit. I am not surprised he doesn't know the agencies, especially the important ones.
Jake, moan all you want, he is what he is. Empty. Teleprompter Kidd. ww
8. Posted by WildWillie | May 30, 2009 10:00 AM |
Score: 9 (13 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 10:00
9. Posted by LaMedusa | May 30, 2009 10:25 AM | Score: 3 (7 votes cast)
Although this video appears to be somewhat staged in order to highlight what this guy does for a living, here is an "On the job" primer. This video includes a mini collage of how our govt *cough-uh-monitors and *cough-tracks everything we do, on a global scale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rCoLMIb67A
9. Posted by LaMedusa | May 30, 2009 10:25 AM |
Score: 3 (7 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 10:25
10. Posted by JLawson | May 30, 2009 10:35 AM | Score: 0 (10 votes cast)
I'm going with Jake on this one. Lacking any other context, this is Obama the people-person working the crowd, making someone who was rather surprised at meeting the President feel a bit more comfortable.
I might be wrong - but that's what I'm reading into it.
10. Posted by JLawson | May 30, 2009 10:35 AM |
Score: 0 (10 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 10:35
11. Posted by Justrand![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| May 30, 2009 10:41 AM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
I don't mind the un-scripted moments of Obama, like this one. I mind the SCRIPTED ones!
The scripted ones that are cutting our missile defense as the need for it grows.
The scripted ones that increase spending as our debt grows.
The scripted ones that turn General Motors into Government Motors.
etc....
THOSE I mind!
11. Posted by Justrand![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| May 30, 2009 10:41 AM |
Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 10:41
12. Posted by ExSubNuke | May 30, 2009 11:13 AM | Score: 1 (9 votes cast)
Even some of us that didn't vote for him don't know what the NGA is, and knowing what the acronym stands for doesn't really help either. I'm giving the prez a pass on this one.
12. Posted by ExSubNuke | May 30, 2009 11:13 AM |
Score: 1 (9 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 11:13
13. Posted by LaMedusa | May 30, 2009 11:19 AM | Score: 5 (7 votes cast)
This was not a surprise visit. It was all pretty much staged, and Obama asked a particular patron what he did for a living. As opposed to coming across an "average" office worker picking up a fast-food lunch before they head back to their mind-numbing, finger-drumming desk job, he happened by a man with a very specific govt job.
13. Posted by LaMedusa | May 30, 2009 11:19 AM |
Score: 5 (7 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 11:19
14. Posted by epador | May 30, 2009 11:24 AM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Well ENS, I guess its not so important to have someone who understands where our intelligence comes from to provide us National Security when he's in charge of National Security. Is it?
Perhaps he doesn't consider himself an end-user.
14. Posted by epador | May 30, 2009 11:24 AM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 11:24
15. Posted by Steve from MKE | May 30, 2009 11:56 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Geez, how many times is Obama gonna snub his White House chef?
And I'm all for getting burgers, but for a man who complained about the price of arugula, this is nothing but theater.
15. Posted by Steve from MKE | May 30, 2009 11:56 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 11:56
16. Posted by maggie | May 30, 2009 1:17 PM | Score: 4 (10 votes cast)
Jake,
It's getting tiresome of you accusing
others of hate because they criticize
or disagree with the president.
I will make the assumption you do hate
others who either disagree with you, or
the president.
16. Posted by maggie | May 30, 2009 1:17 PM |
Score: 4 (10 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 13:17
17. Posted by max | May 30, 2009 1:29 PM | Score: -3 (7 votes cast)
Awesome.
Palin/Bachmann 2012!!
17. Posted by max | May 30, 2009 1:29 PM |
Score: -3 (7 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 13:29
18. Posted by Falze | May 30, 2009 6:28 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I'd be inclined to also 'give him a pass' if he hadn't asked the guy what the agency he works for does, struggling to repeat the name, not just an acronym.
18. Posted by Falze | May 30, 2009 6:28 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 18:28
19. Posted by Arthur | May 30, 2009 10:26 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Too Harsh. I used to work in Govt. intelligence (4 years Air Force (USAFSS), 1 year as a private contractor under NSA) and I couldn't tell you every single agency that was active at that time - there were a lot then and there are even more now. And NGA is one of the smaller ones.
And, to be clear, I think Obama is a catastrophe as President. But I'm not going to expect a President to memorize every single govt. agency.
19. Posted by Arthur | May 30, 2009 10:26 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 30, 2009 22:26
20. Posted by xiphos | May 31, 2009 2:32 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
What he does or doesn't know about government agencies is irrelevant......he DOES KNOW however, what he is doing to this country and seems to relish in the moment.
Socialist egomaniac!
20. Posted by xiphos | May 31, 2009 2:32 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on May 31, 2009 02:32
21. Posted by Brian Richard Allen![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| May 31, 2009 8:47 AM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
In Post Number 8, WildWillie say that (Zero) is an empty suit.
Beg to differ.
Zero was, is and ever will be an empty galabia.
Who hasn't a clue about what goes on in the race-hate-spewing Marxist "church" he says he's attended these past 20-odd years.
Let alone knows the feral agencies -- especially the important ones.
Brian Richard Allen
Los Angeles - Califobambicated 90028
And the Far Abroad
21. Posted by Brian Richard Allen![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://wizbangblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| May 31, 2009 8:47 AM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on May 31, 2009 08:47
22. Posted by Christina Viering | June 2, 2009 7:53 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Only time will tell.
22. Posted by Christina Viering | June 2, 2009 7:53 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 2, 2009 07:53