The Wire: Greatest Show Ever Made

That would take us back to Johnson. He was before my time, but by all accounts he was a broken man by the time he left office and died just 4 years later. Nixon seemed to do ok, I think he had reclaiming his legacy driving him. Jerry seemed downright chipper as an ex-pres, and he had 2 attempts on his life in office. Same with Carter, for a while anyway. Reagan was knocking on the door of alzheimers towards the end. Bush Sr seemed to be more affected by the election loss than the rigors of the job itself. Clinton was certainly a little worse for wear. The job has chewed up W and Obama pretty thoroughly though.

Tuco_sl said:

I thought the same thing. He's always had those characteristic pauses but man, it's like he's mentally exhausted.

How many presidents have we had in the last 50 years that were just falling apart at the end of their terms?

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Probably most of them.

I think with Obama though it's very very much that he's trying to not say the wrong thing. If he used any sort of racial phrases, while it would be utterly appropriate in discussing The Wire, the CNN headlines would be President Obama called Omar "muh Wakandan".

Kenyan born Barack **HUSSEIN** Obama has gay fantasies for Omar

He's Muslim, like Brother Mouzone. He readsThe EconomistnotThe Advocate.

Did Obama like the co-op so much because he's a socialist??

The co-op was a cartel, which aren't generally popular with socialists. However he was down with Hamsterdam.

Iannis_sl said:

Probably most of them.

I think with Obama though it's very very much that he's trying to not say the wrong thing. If he used any sort of racial phrases, while it would be utterly appropriate in discussing The Wire, the CNN headlines would be President Obama called Omar "muh Wakandan".

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This. Obama has become progressively more hesitant as a speaker since taking office. If you watch his pre 2008 speeches, vs. his speeches while campaigning, vs. his speeches since gaining office, you will notice a pretty clear evolution (devolution may be a better word).

I also agree that the main source of this devolution is his fear of saying the wrong thing and getting nailed to a cross for it. Obama takes criticism very personally and is more careful than many previous presidents at trying to avoid it (not that he has succeeded). He talks like he believes he is walking through a minefield and it shows.

One of the interesting things about Obama is that one of his great strengths (traditionally) has been that he excels at writing his own speeches and going off script. You can't really do that as a president. The best presidential orators (in the modern era) are those that can stick with a script. I.e. don't think about what you are saying, just say the things the speech writers put in front of you and do it convincingly.

Arden_sl said:

One of the interesting things about Obama is that one of his great strengths (traditionally) has been that he excels at writing his own speeches and going off script. You can't really do that as a president. The best presidential orators (in the modern era) are those that can stick with a script. I.e. don't think about what you are saying, just say the things the speech writers put in front of you and do it convincingly.

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He may have Martin Luther King in the back of his mind when he does that. The most moving part of the I Have A Dream speech is when King went off script and just started ... preaching. You're right though. King wasn't a president and Obama isn't a minister.

I was on Amazon and sawthis, which is coming out June of this year. You can't beat the price point at $100 I think.

n/m

Nice.

Nathan "Bodie" Barksdale, the inspiration for much of the drug trafficking and violence in The Wire, died in Prison on Saturday. He was 54 years old.
Barksdale, inspiration behind characters on dies in federal prison - Baltimore Sun

I need to watch this series again. I have the new Bluray collection, but haven't had a chance to jump in to it.

Barraco Bisi_sl said:

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One hell of a cast of characters. I think I can name every one without effort. The show definitely burned an imprint on my brain.

Power is not quite The Wire but its a pretty solid show.