Fun:Barack Obama fly swatting incident
“”Spins a web, any size, catches thieves just like flies; look out, here comes the Spider-Man!
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| —1960's Spiderman theme song [1] |
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The Barack Obama fly swatting incident happened when U.S. President Barack Obama swatted a fly during a taping with CNBC that aired on June 17, 2009.[2]
How it happened[edit]
The initial warning[edit]
When the fly first buzzed the most powerful man in the world, Obama gave it a verbal warning, stating "Get out of here".[2]
Reaction to the initial warning[edit]
The fly's reaction to the President's warning was that it kept on buzzing near the President. It showed no fear. Then the invertebrate challenged the President by landing on his left hand.[2]
The President defends himself[edit]
In a defensive move, the President smacked the fly, and then asked "Now where were we?".[2]
Obama's victory speech[edit]
Declaring his win in the battle, Obama proudly stated "That was pretty impressive, wasn't it? i got- I got the sucker."[2]
Documentation of the battle[edit]
CNBC has put the video of Obama smashing the insect on a special webpage titled "Obama & the Fly."[3]
Anti-violence activists take action[edit]
In response to Obama's killing of the tiny creature, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent Obama a device that traps flies without hurting them, so they can be safely released outside.[2]
That's right folks, PETA believes we should trap flies without hurting them, then release them outside. Naturally this gives flies the chance to enter other people's houses and spread dirt together with disease in other people's houses. PETA thinks that's an ethical way to treat flies and people. Incidentally PETA is less concerned about dogs and cats than about flies, as 85% of dogs and cats under PETA control at their shelters are euthanized within 24 hours, and their shelters are below their own standards. [4]
Comparison to other Presidential fly encounters[edit]
Obama's experience with the fly has been compared to an event that happened to U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Weinberg, the owner of the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago, owns a photograph of Lincoln with a fly on him. According to Weinberg, although it is not known if Lincoln knew about the fly, even if he had known, he would probably not have swatted it, because he was posing for a photograph, and he knew that moving would cause a blur in the picture.[5]
Scientific analysis of Obama's dexterity[edit]
The Discovery Channel said that Obama's victory over the fly was evidence of Obama's "good inherited hand-eye coordination perfected by eating right and shooting hoops during off hours."[6]
Psychological analysis of Obama's actions[edit]
Maureen Dowd wrote, "Maybe the president who collected Spider-Man comics as a kid couldn’t resist the age-old face-off with a fly."[7]
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 PETA miffed at President Obama's fly "execution", Reuters, June 18, 2009
- ↑ Obama & the Fly, CNBC
- ↑ Peta Kills Animals
- ↑ Like Obama, Lincoln Had Run-In With A Fly, Associated Press, June 18, 2009
- ↑ Obama Fly Swat Reveals President's Impressive Hand-Eye Coordination, The Discovery Channel, June 18, 2009
- ↑ Obama’s Fly Move, New York Times, June 20, 2009