Obama's Silence: Blessing or Curse?

I remember back in the early days of Obama's reign. His face was everywhere, and he was on the TV interrupting prime time programming every other night. One website has links to most of Obama's speech transcripts, and they break down like this:

2009   47 speeches (including inaugural address)

2010   24 speeches

 

2011   29 speeches

2012    9 speeches (not including his DNC speech)

 

Naturally, this list does not include his campaign speeches. It only lists of those that are made in his capacity as President only. Notice anything about 2012?



That's what the Eastwooding meme is all about. At the RNC, Eastwood spoke to an empty chair to illustrate that Obama has been absent from his duties for much of the last 12 months.


Now, I don't know about you, but I for one am glad that Obama has lightened his speaking schedule. I cannot stand to hear him speak, so I avoid it at all costs.

 

Next to that, Obama's silence is pretty much okay with me. He was silent this morning on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11.

 



 

 

Not everyone is happy that Obama has been silent, however. Indeed, there are issue on which he probably should have spoken up, but failed to do so. Here is a partial list of some of the headlines over the last few years, mostly in 2012, when news headlines highlighted Obama's silence on a variety of topics.

 

Obama Notably Silent on Gun Control After Mass Shootings (7/20/12)

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/obama-notably-silent-on-gun-control-after-mass-shootings/
 

President Obama silent on skyrocketing Chicago violence (6/26/12)

http://outfront.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/26/president-obama-silent-on-skyrocketing-chicago-violence/

Obama's Deafening Silence on Syria (1/9/12)

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/01/09/obamas-deafening-silence-on-syria/

 

Obama Silent About Defending Freedom In Iran (6/17/09)

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/12074

 

Obama silent on ‘red line’ nuclear warning to Iran (9/10/12)

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/10/white-house-publicly-defining-red-line-iran-not-fr/

 

Obama silent on Troy Davis (9/21/11)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/obama-silent-on-troy-davis/2011/09/21/gIQAH9tIlK_blog.html

 

Obama silent on China dissident (5/1/12)
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/04/201243013749589577.html

 

Obama Silent on Gay Marriage Because He Fears Black Backlash? (May 2012)

http://loop21.com/politics/obama-gay-marriage-black-voters-support

 

 

Why Barack's Silence On Obamacare? (9/10/12)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gracemarieturner/2012/09/10/why-baracks-silence-on-obamacare/

Obama's Embarrassing Silence on Marijuana (9/4/12)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-morgan/obamas-embarrassing-silence_b_1853141.html

Obama Talks Afghanistan Loss of Life at NATO Summit But Silent on Chicago Carnage (5/22/12)

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/05/22/obama-talks-afghanistan-loss-of-life-at-nato-summit-but-silent-on-chicago-carnage.html
 
Obama Silent On Climate (8/4/12)
http://www.buzzfeed.com/rebeccaelliott/obama-silent-on-climate

Obama and Romney silent on 'the media' (9/6/12)

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/09/obama-and-romney-silent-on-the-media-134818.html

Egypt: Obama Silent on Revolution (1/28/11)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT3uoObdLCI

Obama, Holder silent on 10k potentially disenfranchised Joplin tornado victims (8/3/12)

http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/03/obama-holder-silent-on-10k-potentially-disenfranchised-joplin-tornado-victims/#ixzz26BRQGiwb

As Congress Acts, Obama Silent on EU Carbon Tax Scheme (8/5/12)
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/08/04/As-Congress-acts-Obama-remains-silent-on-EU-carbon-tax-scheme
 

Why Obama must stay silent on the Trayvon Martin case (3/21/12)

http://thegrio.com/2012/03/21/why-obama-must-stay-silent-on-the-trayvon-martin-case/

Obama silent on union spending in statement blasting GOP for DISCLOSE (7/16/12)

http://freebeacon.com/obama-silent-on-union-spending-in-statement-blasting-gop-for-disclose/

Obama Silent on Upcoming Increase in Payroll Tax (7/26/12)

http://ampoch.org/2012/07/26/obama-silent-on-upcoming-increase-in-payroll-tax/

Obama silent on Jewish-American detained in Bolivia (5/30/12)

http://babalublog.com/2012/05/obama-silent-on-jewish-american-detained-in-bolivia/

Obama Silent on 'Amendment One' in North Carolina Speech (4/24/12)

http://www.towleroad.com/2012/04/obama-silent-on-amendment-one-in-north-carolina-speech.html#ixzz26BTQwoqA

Obama silent on Solyndra speech anniversary (5/26/12)

http://times247.com/articles/obama-silent-on-infamous-solyndra-speech-anniversary

Obama silent on passing of MCA (5/6/12)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2880699/posts

Obama's Silent Second-Term Agenda (8/24/12)

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2012/08/24/obama039s_silent_second-term_agenda_288268.html

Obama Stays Silent on Aliens During Roswell Visit (3/22/12)

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/international/obama-stays-silent-on-aliens-during-roswell-visit/506523

Obama silent while spokesman denies mandate is a tax (7/5/12)

http://washingtonexaminer.com/obama-silent-while-spokesman-denies-mandate-is-a-tax/article/2501349

Occupy protesters decry Obama's 'silence' on arrests (11/23/12)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/11/occupy-protesters-decry-obamas-silence-on-arrests/1

Obama Silent as Ahmadinejad Calls for Annihilation of Israel (8/2/12)

http://www.conservativehq.com/article/9118-obama-silent-ahmadinejad-calls-annihilation-israel

Why Is President Obama Silent On The Drought (7/18/12)

http://wisupnorth.com/2012/07/why-is-president-obama-silent-on-the-drought/

Obama's strange silence on Libya (2/22/12)

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexspillius/100077264/obamas-strange-silence-on-libya/

Bill O'Reilly: Why Is Obama Silent On '' Wikileaks '' ?? (12/2/10)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lT3CcVA2gw

Obama Silent for 15 days about the Fires in Colorado, then ONLY Responds when WH Press Sec. Jay Carney is asked about it (6/28/12)

http://www.theodoresworld.net/archives/2012/06/_obama_silent_for_15_days_abou.html

Planned Murder Of Pastor on Schedule - Obama Silent (10/3/11)

http://www.teaparty.org/article.php?id=1425

Obama Camp Silent on Media's Mormonism Smears (5/27/12)

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/27/obama-mormon-off-table

Syria, the Family Research Council, and Obama's silence (8/15/12)

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/tygrrrr-express/2012/aug/15/syria-family-research-council-and-obamas-silence/

Mary Pember: Obama silent on apology for Native peoples (12/13/11)

http://64.38.12.138/News/2011/004062.asp

 Silent as the Grave — Why so President Obama? (2/15/12)

http://www.catholicvote.org/discuss/index.php?p=27136

Obama silent as Pakistani doctor who found bin Laden sentenced for treason (5/23/12)

http://dailycaller.com/2012/05/23/obama-silent-as-pakistani-doctor-who-found-bin-laden-sentenced-for-treason/#ixzz26BboYiTW

New Black Panthers Advocate Violence, Obama Silent (4/9/12)

http://www.thenationalpatriot.com/2012/04/09/new-black-panthers-advocate-violence-obama-silent/

Obama Silent In Wake Of Pepper Spray Torture, Jill Stein Speaks Out (11/20/11)

http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2011/11/19/obama-silent-in-wake-of-pepper-spray-torture-jill-stein-speaks-out/

Obama silent on latest Israel strikes against Hamas in Gaza (undated)

http://www.thevoicemagazine.com/headline-news/headline-news/obama-silent-on-latest-israel-strikes-against-hamas-in-gaza.html

White House strangely silent on sharia question (8/6/12)

http://times247.com/articles/w-h-won-t-act-to-keep-shariah-law-from-legal-system

Obama, Holder silent as Brian Terry memorial act unanimously passes House, Senate (5/9/12)
http://times247.com/articles/w-h-won-t-act-to-keep-shariah-law-from-legal-system

Chicago Teachers Strike – 16% Raise Not Enough; Obama Silent; UPDATE: Strike Continues 2nd Day (9/10/12)

http://www.educationnews.org/education-policy-and-politics/chicago-teachers-strike-16-raise-not-enough-obama-silent/

Will Obama’s Continued Silence Hurt Him Politically? Why the President risks shirking his leadership responsibilities by not responding to Republican attacks (2/22/12)
http://ideas.time.com/2012/02/22/the-price-of-obamas-continued-silence/

OBAMA SILENT ON BLACK ON WHITE MURDERS. RACISM PERMEATES HIS WHITE HOUSE  (3/30/12)

http://thedcpost.com/?p=14708

OBAMA REMAINS SILENT ON SAUDI CLERIC’S CALL TO DESTROY CHURCHES (3/24/12)

http://mikesright.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/obama-remains-silent-on-saudi-clerics-call-to-destroy-churches/

Obama White House, Campaign Silent on Federal Contractor LGBT Nondiscrimination Policy Questions (3/12/12)

http://www.metroweekly.com/poliglot/2012/03/obama-white-house-campaign-sil.html

WSJ Editorial: Obama Silent On Second-Term Agenda (8/24/12)

http://thirdmillenniumtimes.com/wsj-editorial-obama-silent-on-second-term-agenda/
 
Obama Strangely Silent on Overseas Tax Rate (2/22/12)
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/national-affairs/obama-strangely-silent-on-overseas-tax-rate-20120222

Advocates: Romney backs gay scouts, Obama is silent (Reaffirms 1994 position) (8/7/12)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2916147/posts

Why Is Obama So Silent On Afghanistan -- And Why Are the Media Letting Him Get Away With It? (4/8/11)

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/04/08/obama-silent-afghanistan-media-letting-away/#ixzz26BhACfSt

Obama silent on pipeline; GOP isn't (1/25/12)

http://omaha.com/article/20120125/NEWS01/701259898

Obama silent on Sudan’s Muslim ethnic cleansing of Christians (4/4/12)

http://usactionnews.com/2012/04/obama-silent-on-sudans-muslim-ethnic-cleansing-of-christians/

Obama strangely silent about massive campaign spending by his allies (7/10/12)

http://www.humanevents.com/2012/07/10/obama-strangely-silent-about-massive-campaign-spending-by-his-allies/

 


The only speech that I want to hear from Obama will come on November 6, 2012, when he gives his concession speech.