I shot myself at 15 p.s.i. just to make sure.
February 8, 2012 11:28 AM Subscribe
President Obama fires a marshmallow gun built by an 8th grader.[SLYT]
The President meets Joey from Phoenix, AZ at the White House Science Fair. The two launch a marshmallow across the State Dining Room of the White House with Joey's science project - an air cannon.
The President meets Joey from Phoenix, AZ at the White House Science Fair. The two launch a marshmallow across the State Dining Room of the White House with Joey's science project - an air cannon.
That was absolutely wonderful.
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist at 11:33 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist at 11:33 AM on February 8, 2012
Note: this is not the first time a citizen with a gun has been invited to meet with the President.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:33 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:33 AM on February 8, 2012
Between 2:11 and 2:15 he looks like Pete Hornburger in the 30 Rock credit sequence.
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:34 AM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:34 AM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
I'll bet someone a shiny new quarter that this ends up in a Republican ad this fall, as they try to duplicate this.
posted by Danf at 11:35 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Danf at 11:35 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Obama: "What'd you think when you first built this, son?"
Joey: "Yeah, I can sell this to military for money!"
posted by hincandenza at 11:36 AM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
Joey: "Yeah, I can sell this to military for money!"
posted by hincandenza at 11:36 AM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
One of my son's friends came over with one of those ridiculously overengineered Nerf anti-tank guns and I popped down to the basement for one of our homebrew PVC marshmallow guns. Superior in every way -- speed to reload, velocity, and deliciousness of projectile. Hail to the Chief and his mighty 'mallow piece.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:37 AM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:37 AM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
I can't believe he was allowed to shoot that thing inside the White House! What if he hit something old and fancy?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:37 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:37 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
This YouTube comment is great:
"Kid's resume: Managed to get a projectile weapon inside the White House and fire it within 1ft of POTUS without being neutralized by secret service agents. References available on request."
posted by four panels at 11:38 AM on February 8, 2012 [76 favorites]
"Kid's resume: Managed to get a projectile weapon inside the White House and fire it within 1ft of POTUS without being neutralized by secret service agents. References available on request."
posted by four panels at 11:38 AM on February 8, 2012 [76 favorites]
marshmallow diplomacy
posted by mullacc at 11:38 AM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by mullacc at 11:38 AM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Joey Hudy is apparently his full name, by the way. And this is his Twitter feed.
posted by aught at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by aught at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
> What if he hit something old and fancy?
Joe Biden was kept in the bunker.
Although I don't know how fancy he is.
posted by mrzarquon at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012 [39 favorites]
Joe Biden was kept in the bunker.
Although I don't know how fancy he is.
posted by mrzarquon at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012 [39 favorites]
I'm pretty sure it's only the really, really huge marshmallows that are lethal.
posted by crunchland at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by crunchland at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012
Fox News Spin: PRESIDENT DISCHARGES WEAPON IN FRONT OF CHILD
posted by The Whelk at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012 [27 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012 [27 favorites]
This gives me hope that I can successfully petition Obama to pardon me for my sordid potato cannon past.
I once had a friend throw old AOL CDs in the air like skeet targets and totally nailed them out of the sky. It was sweet.
posted by backseatpilot at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
I once had a friend throw old AOL CDs in the air like skeet targets and totally nailed them out of the sky. It was sweet.
posted by backseatpilot at 11:39 AM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
The most interesting part for me was hearing the sudden flurry of camera shutters once the president started pumping the pump, the collective journalistic excitement of 'yes, that's an image.' Curiously, there were only a few shutters audible when he switched to his second, sillier pumping pose.
posted by nobody at 11:41 AM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by nobody at 11:41 AM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
I love that a bike tire pump was used and that President Obama had to take over because he couldn't stand to see this kid struggling to pump enough air. Although, I bet Michelle could've done it faster.
I cannot imagine, though, what it must be like to hear the clicking of hundreds of cameras each time I moved even a muscle.
posted by Leezie at 11:41 AM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
I cannot imagine, though, what it must be like to hear the clicking of hundreds of cameras each time I moved even a muscle.
posted by Leezie at 11:41 AM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
> Managed to get a projectile weapon inside the White House and fire it within 1ft of POTUS without being neutralized by secret service agents.
Yeah, I would like to read a complete account of all of the security background checks/clearances/etc. this photo op went through.
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:41 AM on February 8, 2012
Yeah, I would like to read a complete account of all of the security background checks/clearances/etc. this photo op went through.
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:41 AM on February 8, 2012
"Lets go look at the Marshmallow! See what happened!"
posted by The Whelk at 11:42 AM on February 8, 2012 [10 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 11:42 AM on February 8, 2012 [10 favorites]
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the White House...
posted by crunchland at 11:42 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by crunchland at 11:42 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Fox News Spin: PRESIDENT SHOOTS SOFT WHITEYS
posted by Kabanos at 11:42 AM on February 8, 2012 [45 favorites]
posted by Kabanos at 11:42 AM on February 8, 2012 [45 favorites]
I'm more amazed by the poise of that kid. If I was an 8th grader showing off one of my science projects to the President of the United States, I'd be beyond terrified that the damn thing wouldn't work and that I'd be ushered out ignominiously. Oh, the horror!
Also, these photo-ops always make me think of this SNL sketch with Phil Hartman as Mastermind Reagan.
posted by workingdankoch at 11:43 AM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
Also, these photo-ops always make me think of this SNL sketch with Phil Hartman as Mastermind Reagan.
posted by workingdankoch at 11:43 AM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
More info about the rest of the White House Science Fair.
posted by aught at 11:43 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by aught at 11:43 AM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Re Joey's Twitter account. I love this tweet:
The Canon is on http://www.whitehouse.gov. COOL! I hope President Obama had as much fun as I did!posted by yoink at 11:44 AM on February 8, 2012 [8 favorites]
'That was great Joey, now let's take this thing down the hall and see if we can sneak up on Hillary.'
posted by shakespeherian at 11:44 AM on February 8, 2012 [14 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 11:44 AM on February 8, 2012 [14 favorites]
I volunteered yesterday to judge the science fair at my local elementary school. There were no marshmallow cannons, but nerdy kids never fail to make me all smiley.
posted by peeedro at 11:45 AM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by peeedro at 11:45 AM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]
Fox News Spin: PRESIDENT SHOOTS SOFT WHITEYS
FOOD STAMP PREZ IN FOOD WASTING SCANDAL!
posted by yoink at 11:45 AM on February 8, 2012 [9 favorites]
FOOD STAMP PREZ IN FOOD WASTING SCANDAL!
posted by yoink at 11:45 AM on February 8, 2012 [9 favorites]
It's not the gun part of it that surprised me it was allowed inside the White House. I thought Michelle would've declared marshmallows as nutritionally inappropriate. (Got one that fires tofu?)
posted by evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight at 11:46 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight at 11:46 AM on February 8, 2012
I really like that President Obama wanted to see what happened to the marshmallow. I can picture so many politicians being so intellectually incurious that they'd have no interest in seeing the results of their actions.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:47 AM on February 8, 2012 [33 favorites]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:47 AM on February 8, 2012 [33 favorites]
Now we just need someone to invent a chocolate sauce bomb and a graham cracker trebuchet and the s'mores wars ARE ON.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:50 AM on February 8, 2012 [40 favorites]
posted by oneirodynia at 11:50 AM on February 8, 2012 [40 favorites]
"Is it ...operational?"
It would take a stronger well of poise then I could ever muster to not respond with " fully armed and operational"
posted by The Whelk at 11:52 AM on February 8, 2012 [12 favorites]
It would take a stronger well of poise then I could ever muster to not respond with " fully armed and operational"
posted by The Whelk at 11:52 AM on February 8, 2012 [12 favorites]
A friend had one of the homemade blow-in-one-end guns and shot me in the eyeball at point-blank range with a marshmallow (College!). It hurt like hell but left no mark whatsoever. That power scaled up like this.....oof.
posted by troika at 11:53 AM on February 8, 2012
posted by troika at 11:53 AM on February 8, 2012
Yes we cannon!
posted by Decani at 11:54 AM on February 8, 2012 [23 favorites]
posted by Decani at 11:54 AM on February 8, 2012 [23 favorites]
What a fluff piece.
posted by lalochezia at 11:55 AM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by lalochezia at 11:55 AM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
PRESIDENT COURTS SCANDAL WITH THE RELEASE OF STICKY WHITE SUBSTANCE
posted by The Whelk at 11:56 AM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 11:56 AM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Now we just need someone to invent a chocolate sauce bomb and a graham cracker trebuchet and the s'mores wars ARE ON.
Are you really saying that we should follow a policy of Mutually Assured Deliciousness?
posted by zombieflanders at 11:58 AM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
Are you really saying that we should follow a policy of Mutually Assured Deliciousness?
posted by zombieflanders at 11:58 AM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
"Will it hit the wall? Will it stick? Let's try it!"
That was such a buddies with beers moment, I loved it.
posted by calamari kid at 12:00 PM on February 8, 2012 [5 favorites]
That was such a buddies with beers moment, I loved it.
posted by calamari kid at 12:00 PM on February 8, 2012 [5 favorites]
Of course, if he tries to show off his Presidential Marshmallow Cannon at school, the gun will be confiscated and he will be expelled.
posted by malocchio at 12:02 PM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by malocchio at 12:02 PM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]
evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight: "It's not the gun part of it that surprised me it was allowed inside the White House. I thought Michelle would've declared marshmallows as nutritionally inappropriate. (Got one that fires tofu?"
Nutritionally appropriate to what species? I once used a slightly less well-built one of these to return a bunch of acorns to the squirrels that dropped them on my car.
"Son, what in Hell are you doing?" "You know that car alarm that wakes you up every morning, detective? I'm fixing that problem." "Carry on then. And put on a damn shirt."
posted by notsnot at 12:02 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Nutritionally appropriate to what species? I once used a slightly less well-built one of these to return a bunch of acorns to the squirrels that dropped them on my car.
"Son, what in Hell are you doing?" "You know that car alarm that wakes you up every morning, detective? I'm fixing that problem." "Carry on then. And put on a damn shirt."
posted by notsnot at 12:02 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Chicago-style politics... it's all about the gat.
posted by Ron Thanagar at 12:03 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Ron Thanagar at 12:03 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Counter attacks and defense in Mutually Assured Deliciousness include the Macaron Line, The Bratwurstkrieg, and Intercontinental Ballistic Medovukha
posted by The Whelk at 12:04 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 12:04 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
I love that guy.
posted by Ad hominem at 12:04 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by Ad hominem at 12:04 PM on February 8, 2012
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye were also at the science fair. Which takes this awesome event to a new level of super-awesome.
posted by luminarias at 12:05 PM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by luminarias at 12:05 PM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]
Watching this in slow motion only lends credibility to the magic marshmellow theory.
posted by dr_dank at 12:05 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by dr_dank at 12:05 PM on February 8, 2012
You're...quite a nerd, Mr. President.
posted by moviehawk at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by moviehawk at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
PRESIDENT COURTS SCANDAL WITH THE RELEASE OF STICKY WHITE SUBSTANCE
or
PRESIDENT PUMPS EIGHTH GRADER'S "CANNON"
posted by yoink at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
or
PRESIDENT PUMPS EIGHTH GRADER'S "CANNON"
posted by yoink at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
I cannot imagine, though, what it must be like to hear the clicking of hundreds of cameras each time I moved even a muscle.
No kidding. The place seemed to explode with clicks as soon as Obama started pumping.
You really had to feel for the other kids in the room, though. How do you follow that act?
posted by Thorzdad at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
No kidding. The place seemed to explode with clicks as soon as Obama started pumping.
You really had to feel for the other kids in the room, though. How do you follow that act?
posted by Thorzdad at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
They pull a knife, you pull a marshmallow cannon. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the science fair. That's the Chicago way!
posted by shakespeherian at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [20 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [20 favorites]
OK, from the reaction in the room, it's clear no one expected to actually fire the thing. Ten points to Obama. "Let's try it out!" Kick ass.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:06 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
Yet more evidence of the executive support for the Middle-School Industrial Complex.
posted by rh at 12:07 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by rh at 12:07 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
two words: vince foster
posted by facetious at 12:08 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by facetious at 12:08 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Bugsy Malone looks on impassively.
posted by phong3d at 12:09 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by phong3d at 12:09 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
TEA PARTY RESPONSE: WHAT DID YOU EXPECT WITH THAT SORT OF PERSON IN THE WHITEHOUSE.
TEA PARTY CLARIFICATION: WE MEANT THE GUN-SHOOTING KIND, NOT ANYTHING RACIST BECAUSE WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE ALL HUMANITY AND WOULD NEVER STOOP TO RACE BAITING.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 12:09 PM on February 8, 2012
TEA PARTY CLARIFICATION: WE MEANT THE GUN-SHOOTING KIND, NOT ANYTHING RACIST BECAUSE WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE ALL HUMANITY AND WOULD NEVER STOOP TO RACE BAITING.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 12:09 PM on February 8, 2012
Proof that the President is a tool of Big Marshmallow.
posted by The Whelk at 12:12 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 12:12 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Mythbusters should get Obama to be their safety guy. It's going to shoot a marshmallow and he's shooing reporters out of the flight path.
I really wish they'd done a show about the cannonball incident, talking about the safety measures they follow and doing failure analysis on the accident. "Don't try this at home-- we're experts. Let us show you our expertise."
posted by morganw at 12:13 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
I really wish they'd done a show about the cannonball incident, talking about the safety measures they follow and doing failure analysis on the accident. "Don't try this at home-- we're experts. Let us show you our expertise."
posted by morganw at 12:13 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
This level of charm and awesomeness makes in completely impossible for liberals to rationally evaluate this administration.
Goddamnit, now I'm watching that man sing.
GRAR. ALL IS FORGIVEN. THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL.
posted by pjaust at 12:13 PM on February 8, 2012 [14 favorites]
Goddamnit, now I'm watching that man sing.
GRAR. ALL IS FORGIVEN. THE CHECK IS IN THE MAIL.
posted by pjaust at 12:13 PM on February 8, 2012 [14 favorites]
I imagine the debates being Romney going on about government spending or something and then Obama just leans into the mic and sings some Al Green, a whole song, then pulls out a marshmallow cannon and says 'I got Bin Ladin' and then sings some more.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:16 PM on February 8, 2012 [92 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 12:16 PM on February 8, 2012 [92 favorites]
A real President, one who'd actually been born in the USA instead of communist muslim gay Kenya, would have gone downrange to try to catch that marshmallow in his mouth.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:17 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:17 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Our time to answer the impending threat of Iranian weapons-grade hot chocolate is now.
Personally I'd have rigged up a big red firing button underneath a hinged plexiglass cover that only opened with simultaneous turns of keys at least 3m apart from one another.
posted by jimmythefish at 12:19 PM on February 8, 2012
Personally I'd have rigged up a big red firing button underneath a hinged plexiglass cover that only opened with simultaneous turns of keys at least 3m apart from one another.
posted by jimmythefish at 12:19 PM on February 8, 2012
The Whelk: "Fox News Spin: PRESIDENT DISCHARGES WEAPON IN FRONT OF CHILD"
Wouldn't that be a positive with their target demographics?
posted by schmod at 12:20 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
Wouldn't that be a positive with their target demographics?
posted by schmod at 12:20 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
I love that his first thought was, "Heck yeah, let's fire this up!"
A more subtle point, but I like that his back was to the press pool so that he was directly addressing the Joey rather than standing at his side in the standard press junket pose.
posted by Mercaptan at 12:22 PM on February 8, 2012 [9 favorites]
A more subtle point, but I like that his back was to the press pool so that he was directly addressing the Joey rather than standing at his side in the standard press junket pose.
posted by Mercaptan at 12:22 PM on February 8, 2012 [9 favorites]
OK, from the reaction in the room, it's clear no one expected to actually fire the thing. Ten points to Obama. "Let's try it out!" Kick ass.
I think it's awesome but I think they had EVERY intention of launching that thing, why else would an unopened bag of marshmallows be sitting there just waiting to be used?
posted by Fizz at 12:23 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
I think it's awesome but I think they had EVERY intention of launching that thing, why else would an unopened bag of marshmallows be sitting there just waiting to be used?
posted by Fizz at 12:23 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
I like that his back was to the press pool so that he was directly addressing the Joey rather than standing at his side in the standard press junket pose.
Never turn your back on a 10-year old kid with an orange howitzer.
posted by jimmythefish at 12:25 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Never turn your back on a 10-year old kid with an orange howitzer.
posted by jimmythefish at 12:25 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
See, social welfare programs could just refame their programs to get defense funding, a cannon that shoots high-powered, high-nutrient payloads directly at the needy.
posted by The Whelk at 12:25 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 12:25 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
WND SPIN: MUSLIM PRESIDENT SEEN USING POSSIBLY HALAL MARSHMALLOWS, MUSLIMNESS CONFIRMED YET AGAIN.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:26 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:26 PM on February 8, 2012
Marshmallow Gun? Allowed.
But there will be no baseballs.
posted by badger_flammable at 12:26 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
But there will be no baseballs.
posted by badger_flammable at 12:26 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's orange and the kid mentions Home Depot. Product placement in the White House?
posted by jon1270 at 12:28 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by jon1270 at 12:28 PM on February 8, 2012
I remember hearing that Lincoln was super-enthused about gattling guns and really wished the generals would be quicker to start using them.
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:29 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by mccarty.tim at 12:29 PM on February 8, 2012
I knew we should't have given that man a Nobel Peace Prize.
posted by storybored at 12:29 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by storybored at 12:29 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
OBAMA SOFT ON CRIME
posted by longsleeves at 12:30 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by longsleeves at 12:30 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
'That was great Joey, now let's take this thing down the hall and see if we can sneak up on Hillary.'
shakespeherian, you win for being the FIRST lol I had in this thread.
Snortastic.
Damn, rereading that did it again.
posted by IAmBroom at 12:35 PM on February 8, 2012
shakespeherian, you win for being the FIRST lol I had in this thread.
Snortastic.
Damn, rereading that did it again.
posted by IAmBroom at 12:35 PM on February 8, 2012
"I'll bet someone a shiny new quarter that this ends up in a Republican ad this fall, as they try to duplicate this."
I'd take that bet, cause I think in general the GOP will have a hard time recreating that image. First of all, Obama has a pretty good bulwark against Foreign Affairs and Defense attacks what with Qadafi and Bin Laden being dead and all.
Secondly, when I saw this clip, I kinda forgot all sorts of distaste for politics and just saw Obama as a dad. He looks exactly like a middle aged guy who is very practiced in the art of being impressed by what an older child has created. Yeah, he's posing, but he's posing for a kid. When your potential opponents are the Romney-bot and a person who serially divorces his sick wives, this is pretty pure, unimpeachable, PR gold.
posted by midmarch snowman at 12:36 PM on February 8, 2012 [9 favorites]
I'd take that bet, cause I think in general the GOP will have a hard time recreating that image. First of all, Obama has a pretty good bulwark against Foreign Affairs and Defense attacks what with Qadafi and Bin Laden being dead and all.
Secondly, when I saw this clip, I kinda forgot all sorts of distaste for politics and just saw Obama as a dad. He looks exactly like a middle aged guy who is very practiced in the art of being impressed by what an older child has created. Yeah, he's posing, but he's posing for a kid. When your potential opponents are the Romney-bot and a person who serially divorces his sick wives, this is pretty pure, unimpeachable, PR gold.
posted by midmarch snowman at 12:36 PM on February 8, 2012 [9 favorites]
I don't think a sticky white goo has been launched that far in the white house since the clinton administration.
posted by empath at 12:41 PM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by empath at 12:41 PM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]
I agree with all your points, midmarch snowman, but you are also using rational thought, a process that even the part of the GOP used to have it seems to have completely lost. Just because it would be a bad idea doesn't mean somebody wouldn't try it.
In fact, if I was a man with a stronger constitution, I'd troll over to some of the nastier conservative blogs to see what they made of this. But I'm not, so I won't.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:41 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
In fact, if I was a man with a stronger constitution, I'd troll over to some of the nastier conservative blogs to see what they made of this. But I'm not, so I won't.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:41 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
What if he hit something old
McCain didn't make it, remember?
and fancy?
And Todd Palin isn't there either.
So no worries.
posted by rough ashlar at 12:53 PM on February 8, 2012
McCain didn't make it, remember?
and fancy?
And Todd Palin isn't there either.
So no worries.
posted by rough ashlar at 12:53 PM on February 8, 2012
The other press images taken at the event are starting to filter out. My goodness if this image isn't ripe for some viral meme-ness I don't know what is . . .
posted by jeremias at 1:03 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by jeremias at 1:03 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
FARK weighs in on the president's ulterior motive.
Go ahead, Joe Wilson. Try that shit again.
posted by Slap*Happy at 1:13 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
Go ahead, Joe Wilson. Try that shit again.
posted by Slap*Happy at 1:13 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
YES OKAY OBAMA SHOT THE MARSHMALLOW GUN GREAT GREAT BUT HOW ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE WANTS TO TORTURE AND IMPRISON AMERICANS AND HE SOLD US OUT
posted by mightygodking at 1:14 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by mightygodking at 1:14 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
this is pretty pure, unimpeachable, PR gold
My goodness if this image isn't ripe for some viral meme-ness
jeremias' link is in Rockwelll territory. You telling me that guy is a secret kenyan muslim terrorist? That right there is as American as it gets.
posted by Ad hominem at 1:15 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
My goodness if this image isn't ripe for some viral meme-ness
jeremias' link is in Rockwelll territory. You telling me that guy is a secret kenyan muslim terrorist? That right there is as American as it gets.
posted by Ad hominem at 1:15 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
You people laugh at this, but once the device has left the prototype stage and is deployed in the field, never again will Americans be killed by a rampage of Gozer the Gozerian.
posted by Harvey Jerkwater at 1:17 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Harvey Jerkwater at 1:17 PM on February 8, 2012 [3 favorites]
My goodness if this image isn't ripe for some viral meme-ness I don't know what is . . .
1 2 3 4
so far...
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:21 PM on February 8, 2012
1 2 3 4
so far...
posted by Mister Fabulous at 1:21 PM on February 8, 2012
My goodness if this image isn't ripe for some viral meme-ness I don't know what is
Something like this?
posted by zombieflanders at 1:22 PM on February 8, 2012
Something like this?
posted by zombieflanders at 1:22 PM on February 8, 2012
So far 33 upcoming OMG Obama on quickmeme.
I predict it will last for 4 days, only to be resurected in an ironic way two months from now and then forever forgotten.
posted by Ad hominem at 1:25 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
I predict it will last for 4 days, only to be resurected in an ironic way two months from now and then forever forgotten.
posted by Ad hominem at 1:25 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
I think President Obama is pretty cool guy, eh shoots marshmallows and doesn't afraid of anyone.
posted by tumid dahlia at 1:32 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by tumid dahlia at 1:32 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
My favorite part was when the kid gave him his business card and Obama was all "I'm going to save this for later" Class act.
BUT HOW ABOUT THE FACT THAT
If you don't like it when other people do this, don't do this here. If you are actually doing this here, use real words so people can have real conversations with you.
posted by jessamyn at 1:33 PM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
BUT HOW ABOUT THE FACT THAT
If you don't like it when other people do this, don't do this here. If you are actually doing this here, use real words so people can have real conversations with you.
posted by jessamyn at 1:33 PM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
Go ahead, Joe Wilson. Try that shit again
Say "socialist" again. Say "socialist" again. I dare you. I double-dare you, motherfucker. Say "socialist" one more goddamn time!
posted by zombieflanders at 1:37 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Say "socialist" again. Say "socialist" again. I dare you. I double-dare you, motherfucker. Say "socialist" one more goddamn time!
posted by zombieflanders at 1:37 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Obama was all "I'm going to save this for later" --- I'm pretty sure this is how the presentation with Solyndra went. Some 10 year old shined a flashlight on a piece of cardboard painted black, and he ended up leaving the White House with a cool $500 mill.
posted by crunchland at 1:49 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by crunchland at 1:49 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
I try to keep "charming Obama" separate from "political Obama," but sometimes he makes it very difficult. But it's nice to know that the guy who's letting me down is at least a good guy. I even felt that way about W. You know he's not a dick, just an idiot. And I would have felt that way about McCain. But none of the Rs in the race right now come even close to getting that consideration.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 1:56 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 1:56 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
When your potential opponents are the Romney-bot and a person who serially divorces his sick wives, this is pretty pure, unimpeachable, PR gold.
The fact that such a guy is considered in the top tier of GOP candidates AT ALL is, well, really something.
posted by darkstar at 1:59 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
The fact that such a guy is considered in the top tier of GOP candidates AT ALL is, well, really something.
posted by darkstar at 1:59 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
The kid is way more interested in his invention than in the fact that he's in the White House - True Nerd that he is.
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 2:04 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 2:04 PM on February 8, 2012
When your potential opponents are the Romney-bot and a person who serially divorces his sick wives
Sorry, but the second guy's been replaced by a person who's so family-oriented that he brought a miscarried fetus home to spend time with his 'other' kids.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:15 PM on February 8, 2012
Sorry, but the second guy's been replaced by a person who's so family-oriented that he brought a miscarried fetus home to spend time with his 'other' kids.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:15 PM on February 8, 2012
Yeah, BlackLeotardFront, I would've bet that nothing could erase my perception of the guy who just can't quite wrap his head around marriage equality, but he sure enough did. For a minute, guy-who's-nice-to-a-kid was all I could see. I'm a mother of a nerdy 17-year-old (God, don't ask) whom I would love to see treated this kindly by a public figure.
posted by S'Tella Fabula at 2:17 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by S'Tella Fabula at 2:17 PM on February 8, 2012
Something something Dick Cheney in the face.
posted by davebush at 2:19 PM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by davebush at 2:19 PM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
The kid is way more interested in his invention than in the fact that he's in the White House - True Nerd that he is.
The kid actually has Asperger Syndrome.
posted by unwordy at 2:28 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
The kid actually has Asperger Syndrome.
posted by unwordy at 2:28 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Not to throw a wet-blanket on the Marshmallow Cannon Meme but there were 100 Science Fair winners there and only one got ANY notice outside of their hometown media? (Insert 1%/99% snark here) I know the Major Media is that shallow, but wasn't the President encouraging that with his photogenic enthusiasm? Or was he just as "gee whiz" with several other science goodies and it was all the White House Press Corps' fault?
For the record, one of the other participants was from my area and they brought a freakin' robot, and I'm prouder of that than I would've been with a marshmallow gun.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:28 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
For the record, one of the other participants was from my area and they brought a freakin' robot, and I'm prouder of that than I would've been with a marshmallow gun.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:28 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sorry, but the second guy's been replaced by a person who's so family-oriented that he brought a miscarried fetus home to spend time with his 'other' kids.
Santorum is a douche super-mega-tanker among douchecanoes, but this is over the line. A lost child, and his grief relating to that, are pretty much above reproach.
I really dislike the guy and his smarmy dipshit ways, but he and his family - much less the poor child - deserve space for mourning however they see fit.
He's done and said and is lots of reprehensible things. Mock him for that.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 2:36 PM on February 8, 2012 [14 favorites]
Santorum is a douche super-mega-tanker among douchecanoes, but this is over the line. A lost child, and his grief relating to that, are pretty much above reproach.
I really dislike the guy and his smarmy dipshit ways, but he and his family - much less the poor child - deserve space for mourning however they see fit.
He's done and said and is lots of reprehensible things. Mock him for that.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 2:36 PM on February 8, 2012 [14 favorites]
Or was he just as "gee whiz" with several other science goodies and it was all the White House Press Corps' fault?
He stopped and talked with a bunch of the kids--the marshmallow gun just gave the best photo-op. Here's a blog that has some cute photos from some of the other encounters (although it leads off with the marshmallow gun).
This photo in particular deserves more play. Those are the girls who built the rockets.
posted by yoink at 2:41 PM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
He stopped and talked with a bunch of the kids--the marshmallow gun just gave the best photo-op. Here's a blog that has some cute photos from some of the other encounters (although it leads off with the marshmallow gun).
This photo in particular deserves more play. Those are the girls who built the rockets.
posted by yoink at 2:41 PM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
Not to throw a wet-blanket on the Marshmallow Cannon Meme but there were 100 Science Fair winners there and only one got ANY notice outside of their hometown media? (Insert 1%/99% snark here)
Sometimes parodies just write themselves, evidently.
posted by joe lisboa at 2:58 PM on February 8, 2012
Sometimes parodies just write themselves, evidently.
posted by joe lisboa at 2:58 PM on February 8, 2012
Puppy Commandos, Marshmallow Cannons. Clown Enemies and the first steps to public health care.
Are you sure Cirque de Soliel, the Canadian Special Forces branch, hasn't staged an unnoticed coup?
posted by srboisvert at 3:10 PM on February 8, 2012
Are you sure Cirque de Soliel, the Canadian Special Forces branch, hasn't staged an unnoticed coup?
posted by srboisvert at 3:10 PM on February 8, 2012
That kid's gonna be on the no-fly list until he's a hundred and forty...
posted by Devonian at 3:13 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Devonian at 3:13 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Here's a blog that has some cute photos from some of the other encounters
I saw this picture in the Times the other day and realized that the upcoming election will inevitably bring an uptick in pictures of constituents gazing adoringly at Obama - that blog post has some good candidates.
Whatever else he is, he's a charming guy. Honestly my main disappointment in him is his inability to hypnotize the Republicans into gazing at him like that. It may have been an unrealistic expectation.
posted by yarrow at 3:14 PM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
I saw this picture in the Times the other day and realized that the upcoming election will inevitably bring an uptick in pictures of constituents gazing adoringly at Obama - that blog post has some good candidates.
Whatever else he is, he's a charming guy. Honestly my main disappointment in him is his inability to hypnotize the Republicans into gazing at him like that. It may have been an unrealistic expectation.
posted by yarrow at 3:14 PM on February 8, 2012 [6 favorites]
I love the little girls who hand them back the shot marshmallow, all, "pleasesayhitomepleasesayhitomepleasesayhitome..."
posted by xingcat at 3:48 PM on February 8, 2012
posted by xingcat at 3:48 PM on February 8, 2012
although it was not his intention, the Presidents offhand remarks about self-experimentation would lead little Bruce Banner down a dark and twisting path.
posted by The Whelk at 3:56 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Whelk at 3:56 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
oneswellfoop: "Not to throw a wet-blanket on the Marshmallow Cannon Meme but there were 100 Science Fair winners there and only one got ANY notice outside of their hometown media?
For the record, one of the other participants was from my area and they brought a freakin' robot, and I'm prouder of that than I would've been with a marshmallow gun"
No offense to young Joey and good for him, but I'm a little surprised that in this day and age a kid can win a trip to the white house with a spud gun science project. I thought they had to map an insect genome or something these days just to get noticed.
posted by Red Loop at 4:01 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
For the record, one of the other participants was from my area and they brought a freakin' robot, and I'm prouder of that than I would've been with a marshmallow gun"
No offense to young Joey and good for him, but I'm a little surprised that in this day and age a kid can win a trip to the white house with a spud gun science project. I thought they had to map an insect genome or something these days just to get noticed.
posted by Red Loop at 4:01 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Fuck yeah.
My gizzat is phizzat, so won't you just step back
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 4:02 PM on February 8, 2012
My gizzat is phizzat, so won't you just step back
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 4:02 PM on February 8, 2012
So, this actually made me weepy (ok, yes, it's February) because he just acts ... Normal. Like, with common sense, like OK, kid, whaadya got here? And does it work? And, well then, let's take a look! And OK, let's jump in here and give you a hand with the pumping, and OK, what psi do we need? and OK, wow, gotta see the smooshed marshmallow! Im just so exhausted by screen personas, this was unexpectedly sweet and unscripted and low key. "I'm serious, people. Move!"
posted by thinkpiece at 4:12 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by thinkpiece at 4:12 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Student “Making” and Starting Small Business to Sell his Invention. Fourteen year old Joey Hudy from Phoenix, Arizona is already a Maker Faire veteran. He invented an Extreme Marshmallow Cannon and an LED Cube Microcontroller Shield, which he has exhibited at Maker Faires in New York, San Francisco, and Detroit. He received 2 Editors Choice Awards from Maker Faire, and has started a small business selling the microcontroller (Arduino) shield kits on several websites. As the World's Largest Do-It-Yourself Festival, Maker Faire is the premier event for grassroots American innovation.From aught's post
posted by rosswald at 5:43 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Has anyone else noticed an uptick in Obama news stories/photos that make him look charming to his various constituents? Meanwhile he gets all of his money from the super rich so he can inevitably play back these adorable images on the airways, possibly juxtaposed with crazy quotes and black-and-white photos of whichever loonball is his opponent.
It's quite a campaign strategy and will erase his legitimate faults in the minds of non-crazy Americans. Two weeks before the election, a photo will leak of him fist-bumping a member of seal team 6 while rescuing a kitten from a burning tree, much to the astonishment of his daughters' friends.
posted by SouthCNorthNY at 7:37 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's quite a campaign strategy and will erase his legitimate faults in the minds of non-crazy Americans. Two weeks before the election, a photo will leak of him fist-bumping a member of seal team 6 while rescuing a kitten from a burning tree, much to the astonishment of his daughters' friends.
posted by SouthCNorthNY at 7:37 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
It's quite a campaign strategy
It's quite a normal campaign strategy.
posted by Hoopo at 8:17 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
It's quite a normal campaign strategy.
posted by Hoopo at 8:17 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
Meanwhile he gets all of his money from the super rich
The FEC doesn't ask how much money you make, but the latest numbers I can find are that in 2011 Obama raised $58M from donors who gave $200 or less. This was 60% of the funds raised by his campaign.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:41 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
The FEC doesn't ask how much money you make, but the latest numbers I can find are that in 2011 Obama raised $58M from donors who gave $200 or less. This was 60% of the funds raised by his campaign.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:41 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
The thing that he didn't catch? He knocked a fly out of the air with that marshmallow. And that fly was a secret miniature North Korean spy drone.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:17 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:17 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Also, these photo-ops always make me think of this SNL sketch with Phil Hartman as Mastermind Reagan.
Yeah, when the cameras are on him, Obama's geeking out over a marshmallow gun, but when the cameras are off, he's all "Get me Larry Summers, stat. I need a factory manufacturing this marshmallow gun in a Rust Belt swing state, and I need it yesterday." and "Have Panetta get the guys in the skunk works to research all possible military applications while developing a risk mitigation plan to prevent technology transfer to the Chinese." Meanwhile, Romney has already stolen the science fair kid's IP and sold it to a private equity firm, Cain wants to use it to declare war on Uzbecki-ecki-ecki-stan, Gingrich compares it to a tribal blowgun and denounces it as a symbol of Islamo-Kenyan anticolonialism, and Santorum just stares creepily at the marshmallow's sticky discharge. Ron Paul wishes he could use it to pelt Ben Bernanke, but his supporters are debating whether to put it in the new gun cabinet or make a bong out of it.
posted by jonp72 at 9:18 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Yeah, when the cameras are on him, Obama's geeking out over a marshmallow gun, but when the cameras are off, he's all "Get me Larry Summers, stat. I need a factory manufacturing this marshmallow gun in a Rust Belt swing state, and I need it yesterday." and "Have Panetta get the guys in the skunk works to research all possible military applications while developing a risk mitigation plan to prevent technology transfer to the Chinese." Meanwhile, Romney has already stolen the science fair kid's IP and sold it to a private equity firm, Cain wants to use it to declare war on Uzbecki-ecki-ecki-stan, Gingrich compares it to a tribal blowgun and denounces it as a symbol of Islamo-Kenyan anticolonialism, and Santorum just stares creepily at the marshmallow's sticky discharge. Ron Paul wishes he could use it to pelt Ben Bernanke, but his supporters are debating whether to put it in the new gun cabinet or make a bong out of it.
posted by jonp72 at 9:18 PM on February 8, 2012 [4 favorites]
Has anyone else noticed an uptick in Obama news stories/photos that make him look charming to his various constituents?
Just wait until you here all about fluoride in the national water supply.
posted by joe lisboa at 9:39 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Just wait until you here all about fluoride in the national water supply.
posted by joe lisboa at 9:39 PM on February 8, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah, I said "here." THINK ABOUT IT, MAN!!11!!1!
posted by joe lisboa at 9:40 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by joe lisboa at 9:40 PM on February 8, 2012 [2 favorites]
He has a demeanor here that would make him a perfect middle-school teacher. And I mean that as a compliment, both of good teachers as well as Obama. Talking to a kid like an adult, but with the right amount of enthusiasm and joy.
posted by chronic sublime at 8:08 PM on February 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by chronic sublime at 8:08 PM on February 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
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posted by Kpele at 11:32 AM on February 8, 2012 [7 favorites]