John Hodgman Asks Obama, "Are You a Nerd?" 147
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?"
First geek President? (Score:5, Interesting)
TFA says Obama would be our (the U.S.'s) "first geek president."
Hello? Anybody out there ever heard of Thomas Jefferson?
Re:He is President of the United States (Score:5, Interesting)
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...
Re:Let's first agree on one thing (Score:3, Interesting)
I'd say historically wikipedia's definition is wrong. Nerds were defined by particular interests (e.g. Star Trek, computers, etc) and a particular appearance (e.g. pocket protector, calculator on belt, etc). Being smart or getting good grades wasn't required to be a Nerd.
Now days it seems to be more of a derogatory classification directed toward anyone who isn't a slacker.
Re:No, but... (Score:1, Interesting)
The Obama Deception is great. It bashes both Bush and Obama. It blew away a lot of conservatives I showed it to.
Re:No, he's not a nerd. (Score:3, Interesting)
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.
Re:He's a jock (Score:3, Interesting)