1. Mediaite
  2. Gossip Cop
  3. Geekosystem
  4. Styleite
  5. SportsGrid
  6. The Mary Sue
  7. The Jane Dough
  8. The Braiser
Advertisement

Gov. Haley Barbour: “The President Is One Of The Greatest Politicians In The History Of The United States”

Video
» 60 comments

Republican Governor Haley Barbour appeared on Meet The Press and admitted to David Gregory something that will most certainly come back to haunt him: he actually thinks President Obama could be the greatest politician in history. Even if such a declaration was meant to suggest that Obama is extremely calculating and won’t speak out on an issue unless it is politically beneficial, the sound bite from a potential Republican opponent like Barbour is pretty remarkable.

In discussing the ongoing budget battle in Wisconsin, and the attempt to end certain collective bargaining rights for public employee unions, Barbour suggested Obama is “quiet because he understands most Americans know this has to be done” and does not want to be on the losing side of this political battle. Barbour’s honest assessment of Obama’s political capabilities may provide the clearest hint yet why no Republican has officially announced their intention to run for President.

Watch the clip from NBC below:

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite's daily newsletter.

Email Twitter Facebook Digg Reddit Stumble Upon Yahoo Buzz LinkedIn Tumblr Delicious
  • The Lantern of Truth

    RRKING adds . Woodrouw Wilson once gave me some rock candy , so he was great !

    I like Mr . Barbour ‘s monikour ! It’s peourfect !

  • TeaPartyPatriot

    Barbour is now is now so politically dead that the stench of his decomposition is stinking up the entire nation. He can kiss good-bye any hope of ever running for president. (Barbour: Stay off the booze and drugs and you might be able to talk sensibly in the future.)

  • notsofast

    For God’s sake Barbour, put down your crack pipe. Barry is nothing, but I will admit Bill Clinton is something; what, I can’t say.

    “Barbour suggested Obama is “quiet because he understands most Americans know this has to be done” and does not want to be on the losing side of this political battle. ”

    Too late! Like the NYC mosque, the Cambridge police scandal, Barry jumped in with both feet last week on WI and now has his staff walking THAT back.

  • same2u

    Haley has been kissing some ass of late of certain individuals and groups to demonstrate he is a man of the people.

  • Liberal Tormentor

    I don’t think voting “present” on every issue makes you a great politician, it makes you a weakling.

  • Yoda002

    The Tea Party people don’t like anyone saying something nice about the president. So when you do that you go to the bottom of the list. Tea Party people are simple minded people.

  • Liberal Tormentor

    Quick Yoda, name 3 things you like about George W Bush.

  • notsofast

    Yoda002 said:
    The Tea Party people don’t like anyone saying something nice about the president.

    He dresses well, son.

  • notsofast

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Quick Yoda, name 3 things you like about George W Bush.

    Is that before or after Joda tries Bush for war crimes?

  • FredCPA

    come on folks. he means that BHO has no spine. he is gutless, rudderless. in the most heinous context of the word “politician”. he didnt say “leader”. so cut him some slack. ask him to define “politican” next time. and if he says a gutless loser with no real beliefs or convictions who is unable to lead, then ok, yeah, he’s pretty close.

  • Yoda002

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Quick Yoda, name 3 things you like about George W Bush.

    He visited the troops during Thanksgiving;surprise visit. He didn’t bash Muslims after 9/11; visited mosque. His little personal incidents were funny; pulling on the wrong door in China dropping Barney etc. I always had a good laugh.

  • Liberal Tormentor

    He does dress well, notsofast. And he’s a wiz at coloring the gray out of his hair when he needs to. Plus, let us not forget is unparalleled teleprompter skills.

  • FredCPA

    Yoda002 said:
    The Tea Party people don’t like anyone saying something nice about the president. So when you do that you go to the bottom of the list. Tea Party people are simple minded people.

    it wasnt nice dude. unless calling a hooker a “prostitute” is “nice”. you have to think it thru some.

  • Liberal Tormentor

    Yoda isn’t bright enough to realize he wasn’t giving a compliment. But in his defense, that is how the liberal media is spinning it and we all know that whatever they say, the lib minions take as gospel.

  • Yoda002

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Yoda isn’t bright enough to realize he wasn’t giving a compliment. But in his defense, that is how the liberal media is spinning it and we all know that whatever they say, the lib minions take as gospel.

    Thats why the Tea Party crowd didn’t like Barbour’s comments they thought it was a compliment.

  • WillP

    Yoda002 said:
    He visited the troops during Thanksgiving;surprise visit. He didn’t bash Muslims after 9/11; visited mosque. His little personal incidents were funny; pulling on the wrong door in China dropping Barney etc. I always had a good laugh.

    His command of English!! My favorite one was always “putting food on the family.” I loved hearing Bush like Palin does now speak English as if it is their second language.

  • Liberal Tormentor

    Well I’m not a TP’er, but Barbour should’ve realized how those comments would be reported by the liberal media. He’s naive at best.

  • Liberal Tormentor

    WillP try listening to BO off-prompter, he’s just as bad or worse. It’s easy if every word you utter is written for you.

  • notsofast

    Hey, if Haley says something bad about Barry, will the libs accuse Haley of barbarism?

  • WillP

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Yoda isn’t bright enough to realize he wasn’t giving a compliment. But in his defense, that is how the liberal media is spinning it and we all know that whatever they say, the lib minions take as gospel.

    The most watched news network is Fox News. Is Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin a liberal? Watch out son they might get “armed and dangerous” and put you in their “crosshairs”?

  • FredCPA

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Well I’m not a TP’er, but Barbour should’ve realized how those comments would be reported by the liberal media. He’s naive at best.

    come on guy. relax. nobody listens to them anymore. it really doenst matter what they say. you can only say “freedom is slavery, and war is peace” for so long. newspeak doesnt work anymore. its cool. they only discredit themselves more when they open their mouths. please, stay out of their way when they are self-destructing. its only “nice”.

  • notsofast

    WillP said:
    The most watched news network is Fox News. Is Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin a liberal? Watch out son they might get “armed and dangerous” and put you in their “crosshairs”?

    And yet, the only documented violence at any rallies has been committed by lib union thugs.

  • FredCPA

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Yoda isn’t bright enough to realize he wasn’t giving a compliment. But in his defense, that is how the liberal media is spinning it and we all know that whatever they say, the lib minions take as gospel.

    so your saying that being gutless and without conviction, a caniving narcissistic opportunist, for a liberal is a compliment? yeah, thats is true. and they are proud of it. sweet.

  • WCinWI

    WillP said:
    The most watched news network is Fox News. Is Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin a liberal? Watch out son they might get “armed and dangerous” and put you in their “crosshairs”?

    Will – There was a crosshairs sign with Walker in the crosshairs at one of the union rallies in WI. That’s not exactly a good argument. Just saying. :)

  • Gasket

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Quick Yoda, name 3 things you like about George W Bush.

    That is easy.

    1. AIDS funding for Africa. (Did much more than even the liberal Presidents have. Very high approval from Africans for that.) I don’t even think Obama will eclipse Bush’s legacy on this front.
    2. Immigration stance (His non-nativist, non-xenophobic, non-isolationist approach.)
    3. Non-aggression on wedge culture issues. ie. not a demagogue — hates to pander to people even those from his own party.

    Three things I hated about Bush.
    1. Bellicosity on foreign policy (dialed that back in his 2nd term though.)
    2. Stem cell research.
    3. Economic policy ie. taxes and deficits.

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    Well I’m not a TP’er, but Barbour should’ve realized how those comments would be reported by the liberal media. He’s naive at best.

    You obviously do not know Barbour. He IS the smartest and most politically savvy Governor as far as political acumen is concerned. Barbour always says something for a reason. He wasn’t complimenting Obama with that statement.

  • WCinWI

    FredCPA said:
    so your saying that being gutless and without conviction, a caniving narcissistic opportunist, for a liberal is a compliment? yeah, thats is true. and they are proud of it. sweet.

    Go back to school. There were too many spelling errors in that comment. I expect you to not call conservatives dumb at this point in time or in the future. :)

  • PunditPawn

    Barber is not a serious candidate. No one knows who he is. To think he’s going to show up and stand out in a line of already national GOP candidates is choosing a tough road to hoe.

  • WCinWI

    Gasket said:
    That is easy.

    1. AIDS funding for Africa. (Did much more than even the liberal Presidents have. Very high approval from Africans for that.) I don’t even think Obama will eclipse Bush’s legacy on this front.
    2. Immigration stance (His non-nativist, non-xenophobic, non-isolationist approach.)
    3. Non-aggression on wedge culture issues. ie. not a demagogue — hates to pander to people even those from his own party.

    Three things I hated about Bush.
    1. Bellicosity on foreign policy (dialed that back in his 2nd term though.)
    2. Stem cell research.
    3. Economic policy ie. taxes and deficits.

    You obviously do not know Barbour. He IS the smartest and most politically savvy Governor as far as political acumen is concerned. Barbour always says something for a reason. He wasn’t complimenting Obama with that statement.

    Hi Yoda!!!!!!

  • Gasket

    Yoda002 said:
    The Tea Party people don’t like anyone saying something nice about the president. So when you do that you go to the bottom of the list. Tea Party people are simple minded people.

    Very true.

  • WCinWI

    PunditPawn said:
    Barber is not a serious candidate. No one knows who he is. To think he’s going to show up and stand out in a line of already national GOP candidates is choosing a tough road to hoe.

    Who is this Barber you speak of? Can he do hair?

  • rover37

    He wasnt a contender, but he wont get my vote just becasue of this comment

  • notsofast

    rover37 said:
    He wasnt a contender, but he wont get my vote just becasue of this comment

    maybe Haley will be back ever 75-76 years?

  • Gasket

    PunditPawn said:
    Barber is not a serious candidate. No one knows who he is. To think he’s going to show up and stand out in a line of already national GOP candidates is choosing a tough road to hoe.

    I actually like him, even though I’m still ambivalent when it comes to racial issues. He has said some really questionable stuff on that front. He’s reasonable, though, and probably the most able of the current crop of GOPers aside from Daniels. Can’t win though. Difficult for a white GOP southerner like him. Stereotypes will work against him.

  • Gasket

    rover37 said:
    He wasnt a contender, but he wont get my vote just becasue of this comment

    David Duke is your man, you racist POS.

  • notsofast

    Gasket said:
    David Duke is your man, you racist POS.

    Play the card, son, play the card!

    LOL

  • WCinWI

    Gasket said:
    I actually like him, even though I’m still ambivalent when it comes to racial issues. He has said some really questionable stuff on that front. He’s reasonable, though, and probably the most able of the current crop of GOPers aside from Daniels. Can’t win though. Difficult for a white GOP southerner like him. Stereotypes will work against him.

    AS has been said numerous times, a shoe will beat Obama.

  • WCinWI

    Gasket said:
    I actually like him, even though I’m still ambivalent when it comes to racial issues. He has said some really questionable stuff on that front. He’s reasonable, though, and probably the most able of the current crop of GOPers aside from Daniels. Can’t win though. Difficult for a white GOP southerner like him. Stereotypes will work against him.

    Besides, your political instincts aren’t exactly the best. Still waiting on the President that you voted for to address entitlements. What’s his stance on those? Do tell.

  • Elrod

    Tubby finally gets one right.

  • Yoda002

    Liberal Tormentor said:
    WillP try listening to BO off-prompter, he’s just as bad or worse. It’s easy if every word you utter is written for you.

    Not even close. Bush and Palin and many other Republicans need a teleprompter. So for their sake I hope the Republicans don’t try to cut the teleprompter budget because its hard to write your whole speech on your hand.

  • WCinWI

    Yoda002 said:
    Not even close. Bush and Palin and many other Republicans need a teleprompter. So for their sake I hope the Republicans don’t try to cut the teleprompter budget because its hard to write your whole speech on your hand.

    Do you realize what you just said? You claimed that they needed a teleprompter but provided evidence that Palin used her own hand instead of a prompter. Libs aren’t exactly the brightest bunch when trying to make their point.

  • Gasket

    notsofast said:
    Play the card, son, play the card!

    LOL

    I called him a racist because he IS one, Sparky. He has called Michelle Obama a silverback gorilla amongst other vile things. He’s a douche. You should not defend him. ;)
    http://www.mediaite.com/tv/michelle-obama-addresses-those-who-hate-the-president-with-matt-lauer/comment-page-1/#comments

    WCinWI said:
    AS has been said numerous times, a shoe will beat Obama.

    This needs no rebuttal from me since it’s so sophomoric and dumb.

    WCinWI said:
    Besides, your political instincts aren’t exactly the best.

    An accusation coming from the same person who made the post above? Rich.

    Still waiting on the President that you voted for to address entitlements. What’s his stance on those? Do tell

    WTF are you talking about sister? It’s hard to keep up with your prattling. What was the context of this conversation again? When did I say I voted for a POTUS to address entitlements? Please quote or link to said thread, unless you are hallucinating again….or dreaming about me. :)

  • Yoda002

    WCinWI said:
    Do you realize what you just said? You claimed that they needed a teleprompter but provided evidence that Palin used her own hand instead of a prompter. Libs aren’t exactly the brightest bunch when trying to make their point.

    You needed to reread what I wrote because I didn’t say that you my friend are a few chicken McNuggets short of Happy Meal.

  • Gasket

    WCinWI said:
    Do you realize what you just said? You claimed that they needed a teleprompter but provided evidence that Palin used her own hand instead of a prompter. Libs aren’t exactly the brightest bunch when trying to make their point.

    Actually, she USES a teleprompter. She even used one during the blood-libel address. Before attacking Yoda, better have your own facts straight. She used the hand-prompter to answer pre-screened questions…which is even WORSE!
    http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-02-07-palincrib.jpg

  • alecj

    Obama is a masterful politician….

    He has gotten himself elected to national office twice, as President in’08 while never accomplishing a lick, having disgusting, shady friends and acquaintances, being the most radical, far left liberal in the Senate , and continually being recorded saying things that are not only unpopular, but career ending for many politicians.

    He has broken every campaign promise he made, presided over the worse economy since the Great Depression, and a wild fire of international upheaval. All while providing ZERO leadership, voting present when pressed for a decision, and making a mess of our foreign policy. He has spent the next 2 generations into debt and pushed the entitlement mess into a crisis. Wasted over a trillion dollars paying off political friends and unions while watching unemployment sit around 10%.

    Obama has ignored federal law, been harder on Arizona then Libya, and remained silent as America’s enemies threaten us.

    The guy is not up to the job, on a scale not seen since Jimmy Carter. In a world with a fair media, he would be feeling pressure to step aside in 2012 a la LBJ, if not feeling the heat of possible impeachment. Instead he still is hanging around the mid 40′s in approval somehow.

    Politics is nothing, if its not doing the worst job possible but staying somewhat popular. Politics is symbolism over substance……image over reality…….intentions over results, and that sums up the Obama Presidency perfectly.

    He is the ultimate politician……which, unfortunately, is not mutually exclusive with being the ultimate failure President.

  • Sprocket

    The Tea Party motto: “We eat our dead….and we’ll eat a live one if he’s nice to Barack….and we can catch him”

    Yoda002 said:
    You needed to reread what I wrote because I didn’t say that you my friend are a few chicken McNuggets short of Happy Meal.

    She has a reading comprehension problem. And if you present her with a slam dunk argument, she solves it by calling you a racist and telling you not to talk to her. Oh, the maturity level!

    All teleprompter jokes aside, Cons forget the freestyle asswhipping Obama put on the Republican House Retreat the first time he visited with them….the bloodbath got so bad that Faux had to cut away to keep from freaking out its viewers. The “President-whose-birthplace-they-shall-not-name” wiped the floor with them sans teleprompter. You can relive bits of it on YouTube if you dare.

  • WCinWI

    Gasket said:
    Actually, she USES a teleprompter. She even used one during the blood-libel address. Before attacking Yoda, better have your own facts straight. She used the hand-prompter to answer pre-screened questions…which is even WORSE!
    http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-02-07-palincrib.jpg

    I don’t talk to racists. Or idiots.

    And if you can’t tell the difference between an actual speech and a pre-taped one, then that’s not my fault.

  • WCinWI

    Sprocket said:
    The Tea Party motto: “We eat our dead….and we’ll eat a live one if he’s nice to Barack….and we can catch him”

    She has a reading comprehension problem. And if you present her with a slam dunk argument, she solves it by calling you a racist and telling you not to talk to her. Oh, the maturity level!

    All teleprompter jokes aside, Cons forget the freestyle asswhipping Obama put on the Republican House Retreat the first time he visited with them….the bloodbath got so bad that Faux had to cut away to keep from freaking out its viewers. The “President-whose-birthplace-they-shall-not-name” wiped the floor with them sans teleprompter. You can relive bits of it on YouTube if you dare.

    I’ve already reported you and your antics.

  • WCinWI
  • Sprocket

    WCinWI said:
    I don’t talk to racists.

    Whoop! Dere it is!
    She’s out at the plate!
    Bazinga!
    Ladies and gentlemen, for your amusement, I present WCinWI! The amazing predictable troll!

  • Sprocket

    WCinWI said:
    I’ve already reported you and your antics.

    Reported me…to….The Thought Police? The Lord High Commissioner of Fox Views? The Secret Elf who lives under your stairs? Conan the Barbarian? The Tooth Fairy? Interpol? Homeland Security? The Tea Party Mind Control Militia?

    Who, pray tell, should I be expecting to come to my door to arrest me?

  • ganymede

    Well, Haley Barbour turns out to be one very clever dude. Probably the most interesting southerners are from Mississippi (Elvis Presley, Oprah Winfrey, William Faulkner, B B King). I’ve always thought this fellow had a nice way about him despite being a Republican, and a southern one at that. What he’s doing is trying to save the Republican Party from its eventual and ignominius demise. I don’t know about Obama being one of the greatest politicians, but he has in a short time shown that he has the strength, intelligence, common sense and, hopefully, courage to get us through a very harrowing time in the history of our great country.
    I realize most of you on this website will not agree. You dislike and disrespect Obama in a very obsessional fashion, bordering on hate. And it’s not just because he’s a Muslim, Socialist, fascist, anti-American, etc. He inherited an unholy mess caused primarily by Republicans with many Democrats lending a helping hand. He’s at the helm of this land when we’re about to make a decision to either sink into oblivion as just another great “Empire” that got too big and too greedy, or whether we’re going to go into the next chapter where we really help build a more peaceful and prosperous country, as well as the planet. If we’re so exceptional, why are we in a very lousy, unexceptional situation. For instance, a really exceptional people and country would put its efforts into creating the best health care and educational systems in the world instead of playing the silly games of enriching the very wealthy at the expense of the rest of us. Trickle down was tried and found to be unworkable and, basically, a scam. Also, to think that you could have promoted Palin as someone who would be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. At any rate, Gov Barbour will go down in the books as the first major Republican who spoke some truth about Obama.

  • Sprocket

    ATTN: WCinWI

    THIS IS THE TEA PARTY MIND CONTROL MILITIA. THANK YOU FOR THE TIP ON THIS MISCREANT. WE HAVE ARRIVED AT HIS HOUSE, TAKEN HIM INTO CUSTODY AND TAKEN CONTROL OF HIS COMPUTER. HE HAS AGREED TO GO WITH US FOR QUESTIONING. WE SHALL INTERROGATE HIM INTENSELY.

    UPDATE: AFTER SPEAKING TO MR T. WEASEL, HE DOES SEEM TO BE QUITE A CONVIVIAL FELLOW AND HAS AGREED TO UNDERGO QUESTIONING AT RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE AT HIS EXPENSE. HE SHOULD NOT BOTHER YOU FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING. YOU MAY SAFELY RETURN TO TROLLING.

    REGARDS

    CMDR HARRY BAALS
    TPMCM, SOUTHEASTERN COMPACT

  • BatBoy

    “The President Is One Of The Greatest Politicians In The History Of The United States”

    This is southern gentleman speak. Translated it means, “Obama is so full for crap, he stinks and he hasn’t a clue as to what his is doing now, or at 3AM when that damn phone rings off the hook.”

  • racialite

    BatBoy said:
    “The President Is One Of The Greatest Politicians In The History Of The United States”

    This is southern gentleman speak. Translated it means, “Obama is so full for crap, he stinks and he hasn’t a clue as to what his is doing now, or at 3AM when that damn phone rings off the hook.”

    “Southern gentleman speak” is what promoted CCC and other racial-terrorists to a greater legacy of terror than Al-Qaeda or the Taliban could ever achieve. The slack-jawed tobacco-drawl is quite blatant and needs no translation.

  • http://www.snowspot.net Snowspot

    I think people don’t realize how amazing the Obama presidency is, they’re so focused on what Limbaugh and Beck are saying, they are letting the world pass them by. All that seething anger following them around. Anyone that listened to the way Limbaugh and Beck talk about Obama would hate him, they act like Obama is some unstoppable country-ruining force.. but really he hasn’t hurt anyone. Our country is going through hard times and he has to make choices, most people want to be immature and just insult him… but he’s doing a pretty good job IMO.

    It reminds me of a joke on 30rock, Tracy Morgan’s character pays for his son to start a business, then the business fails… so he says “I blame it on Obama!”, that pretty much sums up the attitude of tea Partiers… now, if any business fails anywhere in the United States, to them it’s Obama’s fault, even if the facts don’t show that.

  • Pablo

    Snowspot said:
    I think people don’t realize how amazing the Obama presidency is,

    What’s so amazing about it?

  • justanotherconservative

    what?????

  • BatBoy

    racialite said:
    “Southern gentleman speak” is what promoted CCC and other racial-terrorists to a greater legacy of terror than Al-Qaeda or the Taliban could ever achieve. The slack-jawed tobacco-drawl is quite blatant and needs no translation.

    Ahhh So tell me, how is it like to live in the hood? Your writing tells me you will NEVER escape mentally, physically yes, but mentally never.

    You are living in the past…it is the 21st Century, where racism has raised its ugly head lead by our president.

  • http://gordonbloyershow.com gordonbloyershow

    Snowspot said:
    I think people don’t realize how amazing the Obama presidency is,

    You are right. It is amazing that in only two years he could take the democrat party down the tubes. Amazing that he would put his legislation in the hands of the left-wing kook, Nancy Pelosi. Amazing that he would shut down oil drilling when gas prices are going through the roof.

    He is truly AMAZING.

  • fb100001413097760

    Wow…… he sounds as amazing as George cluster fuk Bush

© 2012 Mediaite, LLC | About Us | Advertise | Newsletter | Jobs | Privacy | User Agreement | Disclaimer | Power Grid FAQ | Contact | Archives | RSS RSS
Dan Abrams, Founder | Power Grid by Sound Strategies | Hosting by Datagram