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Will the Obamas teach by example?

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  • 12-11-2008 7:09pm
    #1
    Amnesiac_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 510 ✭✭✭


    There's a wonderful piece by Rachael Brown on guardian.co.uk wondering whether Barack Obama would consider enrolling his daughters in a public school in Washington D.C.

    I think as somebody who has spoken so passionately about the need to invest in public school education it would be hugely symbolic for the Obamas to send the "First Children" to a public school.

    How likely is it to happen though?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Amnesiac_ie wrote: »
    How likely is it to happen though?
    Good question. Although an excellent symbolic gesture, I wonder if the public school system in DC or in a nearby state are safe from a security standpoint from potential kidnappers or worse? Some of the private schools are isolated and like armed camps, because of the children at risk, resulting in less of a security problem for the Secret Service?


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    #3
    Amnesiac_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 510 ✭✭✭Amnesiac_ie


    They will both require constant Secret Service protection anyway so i would assume security risks/costs would be similar whatever type of school they attended.

    I wonder which of our own TDs sent their children to state schools?


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    #4
    Ludo
    Registered Users Posts: 5,015 ✭✭✭Ludo


    Speaking of leading by example...just watched last nights Daily Show there. They showed Obama on the trip to Washington to meet Bush. Did he seriously charter a frickin airliner for the trip from Chicago to Washington???
    WTF? HE is supposed to be pro-environment and he need a shaggin huge airliner to get around? I can understand it on the campaign when al the staff and press have to travel but seriously..come on dude. What was that about?


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    #5
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    politician in hypocrisy shocker!


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    #6
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    Ludo wrote: »
    Speaking of leading by example...just watched last nights Daily Show there. They showed Obama on the trip to Washington to meet Bush. Did he seriously charter a frickin airliner for the trip from Chicago to Washington???
    WTF? HE is supposed to be pro-environment and he need a shaggin huge airliner to get around? I can understand it on the campaign when al the staff and press have to travel but seriously..come on dude. What was that about?

    Lolz was thinking the same thing when I saw it.

    Tbh op there are more important things than symbolic gestures, and if he is considering it he should also consider the lives of the kids in class with his daughters who will be disrupted by the Secret service, news crews, celebrity status and all the other nonsense that would surround them. For the sake of making himself look good for a week he shouldn't sacrafice twenty, thirty or forty children's education.


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    #7
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    brianthebard wrote: »
    Tbh op there are more important things than symbolic gestures, and if he is considering it he should also consider the lives of the kids in class with his daughters who will be disrupted by the Secret service, news crews, celebrity status and all the other nonsense that would surround them. For the sake of making himself look good for a week he shouldn't sacrafice twenty, thirty or forty children's education.
    Indeed.


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    #8
    Ludo
    Registered Users Posts: 5,015 ✭✭✭Ludo


    hmmm...I wonder has the journo who wrote that peice in the Guardian been watching the West Wing season 7 and get the idea for the article from there?
    Lazy Jornalism!


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    #9
    RichTea
    Registered Users Posts: 1,179 ✭✭✭RichTea


    As fantastic as it would be from a 'practice what you preach' standpoint, I really don't think it would be sensible or practical for the Obama kids to go to a public school in DC. The whole security and privacy issues really make it not worth the risk for them.


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    #10
    banquo
    Registered Users Posts: 9,487 ✭✭✭banquo


    Ludo wrote: »
    hmmm...I wonder has the journo who wrote that peice in the Guardian been watching the West Wing season 7 and get the idea for the article from there?
    Lazy Jornalism!

    Oh totally.

    Also, my gf got me the West Wing box set for my birthday a few weeks ago. I'll be honest, I nearly came.


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    #11
    Ludo
    Registered Users Posts: 5,015 ✭✭✭Ludo


    banquo wrote: »
    Oh totally.

    Also, my gf got me the West Wing box set for my birthday a few weeks ago. I'll be honest, I nearly came.

    Best tv series ever. I have watched it 3 times now and intend starting again in the new year...yes I am geek :D


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    #12
    Otacon
    Registered Users Posts: 6,721 ✭✭✭Otacon


    Ludo wrote: »
    Best tv series ever. I have watched it 3 times now and intend starting again in the new year...yes I am geek :D

    I saw its on sale in HMV over here for £50 - all 7 seasons!

    OT, while it would be a nice gesture, I think it would do more damage than good to the school and its pupils.


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    #13
    Amnesiac_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 510 ✭✭✭Amnesiac_ie


    I have dropped several hints that the entire eight season boxset (in Presidential seal box) would be the best Christmas present ever. I live in hope...


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    #14
    eoinbn
    Registered Users Posts: 791 ✭✭✭eoinbn


    Putting his kids at risk isn't the best way to make a point.


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    #15
    Ludo
    Registered Users Posts: 5,015 ✭✭✭Ludo


    Amnesiac_ie wrote: »
    I have dropped several hints that the entire eight season boxset (in Presidential seal box) would be the best Christmas present ever. I live in hope...


    LOL...I wouldn't hold my breath on getting 8 seasons as there are only 7 :)


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    #16
    Amnesiac_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 510 ✭✭✭Amnesiac_ie


    Ludo wrote: »
    LOL...I wouldn't hold my breath on getting 8 seasons as there are only 7 :)

    We're all allowed a Dubya moment now and then! :pac:


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    #17
    banquo
    Registered Users Posts: 9,487 ✭✭✭banquo


    Is it possible that this forums is frequented mostly by WW fans?

    <3 the WW


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    #18
    RichTea
    Registered Users Posts: 1,179 ✭✭✭RichTea


    Bartlett 2012!


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    #19
    Manic Moran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manic Moran


    They've selected the same private school that Chelsea went to.

    NTM


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    #20
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Manic Moran wrote: »
    They've selected the same private school that Chelsea went to.
    Very practical, considering that they are experienced in providing for the security of such children, without disrupting the learning environment. If they had chose public for symbolic (or whatever) reasons, it would have been a zoo, and disruptive for the students in their classroom.


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    #21
    Sir Digby Chicken Caesar
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 23,556 ✭✭✭✭Sir Digby Chicken Caesar


    good god, why not just stick bill in the oval office and be done with it.
    is obama going to be wearing a selection of his ties and underpants as well?


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    #22
    The Raven.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭The Raven.


    Mordeth wrote: »
    good god, why not just stick bill in the oval office and be done with it.
    is obama going to be wearing a selection of his ties and underpants as well?

    Lol :D! Change you can believe in!

    Bill who?


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    #23
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    The Raven. wrote: »
    Bill who?
    The guy with the cigar.


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    #24
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    Mordeth wrote: »
    good god, why not just stick bill in the oval office and be done with it.
    is obama going to be wearing a selection of his ties and underpants as well?

    How different do you expect two democratic party presidents to be?


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    #25
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #26
    InReality
    Registered Users Posts: 1,374 ✭✭✭InReality


    Sending kids to the same school as chesley or appointing ex-clinton people does not make obama = clinton.
    have a look through the books obama has written if your interested in what he will try and do.
    I think he will turn out to be an exceptional politican.So far he has done very little wrong ( imo).


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    #27
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    I find it amusing that there are so many posters on the political forum that are already finding reasons to criticise Obama, when he hasn't even been sworn in as president (20 January 2009). Why don't they give him a chance to screw up first? He will. No one is perfect.


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    #28
    Manic Moran
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,221 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manic Moran


    But it's just so much fun to shatter the illusions of those who thought he was going to waft in on his unicorn and completely change the nature of American politics.

    For example, many people have been decrying the US policy of not granting captured persons POW status and being enthusiastic with its interrogation techniques. These same people have been advocating Obama to provide a change in this policy. Yet the Wall Street Journal this weekend dug out a quote from Obama's AG appointee saying that if they granted POW status, then they would be limited as to the information they could elicit from the detainees, and that he strongly did not believe that people like Moussaoui should be granted such status.

    Instead, Obama seems to be making appointments on the old-boy system, as opposed to capability. This is the vaunted Change (TM), how, exactly?

    NTM


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    #29
    irish_bob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,271 ✭✭✭irish_bob


    InReality wrote: »
    Sending kids to the same school as chesley or appointing ex-clinton people does not make obama = clinton.
    have a look through the books obama has written if your interested in what he will try and do.
    I think he will turn out to be an exceptional politican.So far he has done very little wrong ( imo).

    being an exceptional politician doesnt mean someone will be any good a leader , bertie aherne is and was a superb politician but was a very poor leader apart from in the north where he was encouraging others to show leadership


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    #30
    InReality
    Registered Users Posts: 1,374 ✭✭✭InReality


    irish_bob wrote: »
    being an exceptional politician doesnt mean someone will be any good a leader , bertie aherne is and was a superb politician but was a very poor leader apart from in the north where he was encouraging others to show leadership
    I was including leadership in my definition of a politican.


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