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President Obama To Shut Down ‘Main Street USA’ (In Disney World) For Speech

» 61 comments

For those of us not typically in the public eye, it is easy to forget the importance of good optics and public relations for someone who is. For those who routinely forget, however, there arises, once in a while, a perfect reminder of why they exist in the form of a delightfully bad PR move by someone who really cannot afford it at the moment. Today’s PR miss comes from the Obama campaign, whose candidate is shutting down “Main Street USA” to give a speech–the “neighborhood” Main Street USA in Disney World, that is.

RELATED: President Obama’s Reelection Campaign Announces $68 Million 4th Quarter

The substance of this story is not particularly exciting: President Obama will visit Orlando, Florida tomorrow– where many theme parks call home– to talk about the economy and boosting tourism to the region and generally across the country. The President has begun a series of executive actions to help the economy under the title “We Can’t Wait.” It is the process by which the President will undertake this mission on his itinerary that appears tailor-made for punchlines.

Gawker’s Jim Newell points out how it reads once on paper, via the News 13 report on the matter:

Disney says the president will be at the Magic Kingdom, which means guests can plan for heavy security. Main Street USA will be closed for the duration of the president’s time there. Guests will be re-routed to other parts of the park. Disney is also cancelling extra magic hours for the Magic Kingdom, and pushing back the “Celebrate a Dream Come True” parade.

They really couldn’t find any other land in Disney World to do this in, like Fantasyland, or maybe Adventureland? On the other hand, at least they avoided shutting down Liberty Square.

[Photo via News13]

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  • Anonymous

    Republican Hate in 3….2…..1…..

  • Anonymous

    Main St. is mostly for buying souvenirs and candy.  People will get over it.

  • Anonymous

    HE is awesome! Still laughing over his Betty White birthday video!

  • Anonymous

    Playland for the manchild – how fitting.

  • Anonymous

    Maybe his fantastical ideas about the green economy will play well in fantasy land.  

  • Anonymous

    It says “guests will be re-routed to other areas of the park”.  Who is he giving the speech to – Donald Duck?  I would think that people who are visting there would be interested in his speech.  Then, they could all have the “parade” down Main Street USA.

  • Gloves Michael Donahue

    Barry could make this announcement from the White House, with a mockup of Disnety World behind him, and let the paying tourists have their day at the park and save the taxpayers a million and a half dollars.

    But , what does he care?

  • Anonymous

    If I were on vacation there, and I missed out on using the park, I’d be PISSED.

  • Michael T

    Agreed. it is the most boring part.  And they’ll always have the story that the President was there the same day they were.  Settle down Republicans.  Not a big story.

  • Anonymous

    Awesome!   Oh, yes, indeed!

  • Anonymous

    Assuming that–like gorgegirl implied–this speech is for those on vacation and not more for the press,  Liberty Square would make a lot more sense, and it wouldn’t further bottleneck an already congested area of the park.

    But I gotta hand it to whomever thought this up, however. Between this and the bit on the Betty White tribute, I think these are exactly the kind of PR moves he needs to appear more relatable to those who have been hit hard by the economy.

    If it’s streaming somewhere, I may even watch it. But I hope it isn’t scheduled against the Apple announcement tomorrow, because if it is, he is going to LOSE.

  • Anonymous

    There are no rides on main street, it’s a shopping area that is open until later in the park (to catch all the suckers when exiting).

  • http://www.facebook.com/andrew.sappington Andrew Sappington

    I still don’t understand why he is a manchild?  Sounds racist to me.   

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CIXF2QUIO456WI3K3JDRFL3QKY Bret

    your getting Obama mixed up with Georgey w bush

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CIXF2QUIO456WI3K3JDRFL3QKY Bret

    only if they wouldn’t let me into APCOT. Only place worth going to in tha whole theme park.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CIXF2QUIO456WI3K3JDRFL3QKY Bret

    You know Goofy has more patience then Donald does, couldn’t be the duck.

  • Matt Ketcham

    Future Fox News headline: PRES OBAMA HALTS THE CELEBRATE A DREAM COME TRUE PARADE 

  • Anonymous

    Yeah, so glad of you to point that out and all. Of course if this were Bush or Romney, there would be no Democratic hate. Nope, not one bit.

  • Anonymous

    Of course it’s racist. That’s how the brown shirts will control everything, because the new Scarlett letter is R these days, and to avoid getting that stamped on your forehead just don’t complain about the Messiah in Chief.

  • Anonymous

    UH, Right no rides on Main Street. But why cancel extra magic hours for the entire magic kingdom? Tickets for those aren’t free, and a lot of people plan on those hours to avoid crowds that are more prevalent in the daytime. Maybe the king – i mean the prez – and his family are reserving the park for themselves during those hours? 

    What a dick.

  • Bobby Brady

    As usual, Obama is all for whatever is good for Obama.

  • Anonymous

    Promoting tourism by shutting down Main Street?  How many folks have saved up money to have a vacation at Disney and have it taken away from them by a President promoting tourism?  Isn’t one bit logical to me!

  • Anonymous

    I would think that people who are visting there would be interested in his speech.

    Yeah.  Because the first thing a family wants to do when visiting Disney World is listen to Obama flap his gums.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Politics-culture-Reasoned-America/100001284363960 Politics-culture Reasoned Amer

    The (pampered, Marxist indoctrinated, pseudo-intellectual dilettante) KING has spoken!

    The MOUSE is dead!

    Remember the days when REAL LIBERALS – as opposed to MARXISTS – would rail against “Big Brother”, and an imperious President?

    That’s before the Democratic Party became Big Brother!

    Now the Obama Democrats and THEIR MEDIA have become freedom’s oppressors, and like every other dictatorial regime throughout history, think they know better than the rest of us how to best  govern and lead.

    Seeking this type of unaccountable authority is hubris at best, and self-aggrandizing, neanderthal human regression at worst.

    Purge Democrats from power in November, not just for the country’s sake, for evolution’s sake!

  • http://mrfunn.myopenid.com/ mrfunn

    Being in proximity to The One will make it all worth it.

  • Anonymous

    Exactly. Plus, the “re-routing” of the “plebian” guests to accomodate Obama is ridiculous. How long will it take to get to the parts of the park where there are lines while his holiness is wandering around “Main Street?”

  • Anonymous

    Desperation of a loser!!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ERDSZOOPOITNDF3GS45TPSRZP4 Jeff

    I thought Obama signed a bill to stop UNNECESSARY travel expenses for government workers? Could he not make this address from DC? Why does he hate staying at the “office”? He seems to hate being there, and travels on our dime to get away from there. There are a lot of rumors that this president is lazy, doesnt want to put in the work and he himself admitted that in his  a couple of weeks ago. Obama loves the title of President but doesnt actually like doing the job.

  • Holistic

    Still living large at the taxpayers expense. Always thinking of the little guy. He is, it turns out, the little man among others.

  • Anonymous

    he has proven he’ll do ANYTHING for a vote….

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NK5INRFELITZ3TS337HINC3VMM Adam

    Since when is the term “manchild” racist? He’s a narcissistic neophyte who’s never spent a day in the private sector and been nothing but a community organizer or politician for the last 2 decades. Frankly, “manchild” is pretty tame given the record he’s compiled in just 3 years.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734862248 Dan Hydar

     Um…. laughter is not “hate”.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734862248 Dan Hydar

     ”Sounds racist to me.”  Why so?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734862248 Dan Hydar

     Hmm.  How does a teleprompterd speech  at a Disneyworld make him “more relatable”?  

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734862248 Dan Hydar

    Heh.  When embarrassed by the actions of your fearless leader, simply make up an action by the “other side” so you can condemn it?  Neat!

  • Anonymous

    0….Obimbo has finally found someone with an IQ on his level, and his ears are bigger. What better place could be found to listen to another mickymouse speech by Daffyduck.

    How’s that ?

  • Anonymous

    I never will, that’ one more place he’s soiled!

  • Anonymous

    The sky is blue……..does that sound racist too…….

  • Anonymous

    So, they set it up in the right place. Anyone listening got to be a sucker.

  • James Daniels

    And YOUR command of the English language, your depth of intellectual substance, and the impeccable, persuasive power of YOUR rhetorical skills are a brilliant display.  YOU’RE really willing to display this level of ineptitude at expressing your point of view for the purpose of defending a politician?  

  • Anonymous

    And his speech was to no one..was he afraid of hecklers? Or maybe someone throwing a shoe at his highness? Without jobs Americans can’t go on vacation unlike our idiot in chief. Brazilians can since he cut deals with them for drilling but nixed drilling here. November can’t come quick enough.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3GKFVYE4ERPTIPL3NJ3S7COQGY Doc P

    About what we expected from your ilk. Perhaps, it would appeal more to your “taste” if the President put in a big ole codpiece, sported a tight flightsuit and spoke on an aircraft carrier?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3GKFVYE4ERPTIPL3NJ3S7COQGY Doc P

    Didnt YOUR English teacher teach you to never begin a sentence with you, youre, or your? Did he or she teach you how to write a complete sentence? Isnt it ironic?

  • Anonymous

    Oh cankersore, you’ll survive.  

  • christina vanvalkenburgh

    How does this make him more relateable?  Republican, Democrate, none of these poilticians seem to understand what the rest of this country is going through.  99% of the people that are at Disney World spend a year or more to be able to afford a nice vacation for the entire family.  Going to Disney World take money and planning and now because a politician wants to appear “relateable” people are going to have their vacation plans upset.  I am so tired of the fact that NONE of these people represents me, my friends, my value, my income, nothing.  The whole lot of them make promises they can’t keep (Guantonimo Bay anyone), they blatently lie (Mitt Romney hiring illegals) and they vote to increase their own paychecks but not ours (all of Congress). 

  • Anonymous

    I would not give the sweat off my rusty testicles to listen to this UnAmerican Fool!  Serving under Presidents Nixon thru Reagan, I respected and loved them all, even Carter, who I helped vote into office and helped vote out of office when he turned out to be more of a burden than a help.  Praise Our Lord Jesus that he gave me the wisdom not to vote for someone who had no Record, no Accomplishments, and, apparently, no Past!  His past is slowly coming out and it isn’t good.  The Son of a Twobit Whore needs to pack his bags and get ready to move out of the WH, because he is going to be slaughtered in the election.  God will Bless America in November by Ridding our country of this Worthless person!  Thank you Lord!  Amen!

  • NDanielson

    A codpeice. LOL. For Barry? America is not the only thing Michelle is not proud of. Your mom said as much after leaving the welfare dept.

  • NDanielson

    Sounds racist to me.

    Liberal clowns say the same thing to me when I refer to Barry as “their boy”. I don’t get it. He’s not exactly a girl. Is he? At least according to his birth certificate…

  • Anonymous

    Hey, Disney Land is a place children play!!

  • Anonymous

    There you go again, talking about anything other than the issue. Is changing the direction of the argument the only way you can support, or apologize for Obimbo’s failures?

  • Anonymous

    Except you come as a little child……

  • Anonymous

    Because it’s not true…..

  • Anonymous

    That is why China is becoming a great world power.  They are not stuck in the past; they are looking ahead to the future.

  • Anonymous

    And, you wonder how a President like that has accomplished so much in three years…..more than any President before him…….go figure

  • Anonymous

    Who was that they threw a shoe at ?

  • Anonymous

    And you call yourself a Christian…..?

  • Anonymous

    China is becoming a world power because they are much more willing to exploit their people, their environment, and their resources to do so.

    They also are leading the world in pollution of air, water, and soils.  They force workers to sign contracts stating that they will not commit suicide while working for $2/day at a job forced upon them by their government and performed in company labor camps away from their families.  They are known to have no respect for intellectual property rights and are constantly stealing and reverse engineering technologies, or just outright stealing the intellectual properties of those corporations who have manufacturing in China…  They are busy contracting for the world’s scarce resources, while in this country we make acquiring those same resources a night mare..  We make Manufacturing such a burden that it is just much easier to do so overseas…  We tout a green economy that can not survive without heavy and continued governmental subsidy, and we have a regulatory environment that really wants to see nothing happen in this economy without their say so..  go figure….  and you have the cojones to ask why China is winning?

    Now tell me it is because they subsidized their green energy programs with 30 billion or so dollars….  Yeah I’m not laughing.  

    If you took our taxing, regulation, and wages laws to China it would destroy their economy overnight.  So I would ask, do you really think that the president can push our markets in a direction that they really don’t naturally want to go without having a negative effect on our economy?  It has been tried in Spain with disastrous effect.

  • Anonymous

    Another thought….  You are right, they are looking to the future unlike the US..  China is moving in all directions, all over the world to buy up oil contracts, while here in this country we are doing everything within our governments power to close off oil production and importation…  do you ever think about that?

  • Anonymous

    You are absolutely right about China. The reason manufacturing has been shipped overseas is because of greed. American manufacturers want the most profit they can get without paying workers a fair wage. That is why Chinese workers are committing suicide. The rules and regulations were put in place to prevent such abuses. Look at Wall Street. Even though American taxpayers bailed them out, they still paid themselves million dollar bonuses. They didn’t create any jobs so why did they get a bonus? The rules are there to protect the American people not greedy corporations who destroy and pollute our air and water. Would you rather have a million dollars or air you can breathe? China is ahead of us with green technology. It is the wave of the future. We should get on board now. Look at the Wright brothers. Once man thought we could not fly but look at us now. When I was a little girl, I used to dream of strange objects in the sky. They didn’t look like airplanes. Now I see those same objects in the heavens. They are satellites and space stations. This world was not just meant for those who are presently here but for those who will come after. We must preserve it and take care of it for future generations.

  • Anonymous

    China is not just looking for oil. China is ahead of us in solar. She is playing all the cards. Oil is now. Solar is future. What is most important? Money or people? Once coal was king, then oil, what will be next? There will always be something new. We must get ahead of the curve. When oil goes out, what good will it do China to have all those contracts……all that pollution…..all its people killing themselves…..ask yourself?

  • Anonymous

    I agree with a little more than half of what you say.  But you neglect to offer any solutions for the future.  Chinese produced good sell in this country because the American consumer has a huge appetite for cheaply produced goods.  As far as Wall Street goes this is just a game that has been going on in this country for close to 100 years and it does not belong to one political party but to both…  The government could not finance their debt and wars without the collusion of the banking system, enter the Fed, created and owned by the largest private banking cartel in the world at the time of its inception. Some of the laws have changed regarding the Fed that has taken the Families such as the Rockefellers and Rothchilds out of the system, but the game has hardly changed..  That is why you saw the bonuses paid within 12 months of a crisis that supposedly meant bankruptcy for those same banks.

    Everyone is for green energy, why would anyone oppose it?  The broader question is is how do we get there, do well allow the market to develop it, as it is certain that once developed it would be well rewarded as consumers would flock to it, or do we force it on the economy prematurely raising energy rates all over the nation 20 to 40 percent at a time when we can ill afford it.  

    I am not suggesting that the government screws everything up for the wrong reasons, quite the contrary they screw everything up for all the right reasons, but their good intentions do not negate the fact that they make a mess out of much that they attempt.

    I would ask of you how are we going to compete with China and just how large can our deficit grow?

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