“Of course, we’ve heard this kind of thinking before.  If some of these folks were around when Columbus set sail, they must have been founding members of the Flat Earth Society.  … There always have been folks who are the naysayers and don’t believe in the future, and don’t believe in trying to do things differently.  One of my predecessors, Rutherford B. Hayes, reportedly said about the telephone, ‘It’s a great invention, but who would ever want to use one?’ That’s why he’s not on Mt. Rushmore because he’s looking backwards.  He’s not looking forwards.  He’s explaining why we can’t do something, instead of why we can do something.” Read full article > >

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Obama’s whopper about Rutherford B. Hayes and the telephone

My general policy regarding political speech is to be tolerant of the occasional verbal mistake or misapprehension or imprecision or unsuccessful quip. Give these folks a break: They’re always miked up and of course they’re going to say something now and again that, particularly when taken out of context, will make them look like doofuses.

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Obama’s favorite superhero, Steve Chu