Obama: "We Can't Solve Global Warming Because I F---ing Changed Light Bulbs In My House"

While most of Newsweek's behind-the-scenes Special Election Project reporting reveals serious campaign issues on both sides, there's one funny moment when Barack Obama talks candidly about dumb debate questions:

The debates unnerved both candidates. When he was preparing for them during the Democratic primaries, Obama was recorded saying, "I don't consider this to be a good format for me, which makes me more cautious. I often find myself trapped by the questions and thinking to myself, 'You know, this is a stupid question, but let me ... answer it.' So when Brian Williams is asking me about what's a personal thing that you've done [that's green], and I say, you know, 'Well, I planted a bunch of trees.' And he says, 'I'm talking about personal.' What I'm thinking in my head is, 'Well, the truth is, Brian, we can't solve global warming because I f---ing changed light bulbs in my house. It's because of something collective'."

Read more highlights here. Read Newsweek's story here.

Comments

[greyseal in tampa]

The days of journalism as an honest and honorable profession have gone the way of the model T. And the MSM version of it is pathetic. I don't cut any of these newscasters slack. IMO they have been accomplices to the shambles that this country finds itself in today. In fact, I primarily blame them for the dumbing down of the electorate. As R andi Rh odes says "the news has been cancelled".

[AnalyzeIT]

Rock on President, (Elect) Obama!!!

[proudliberal4truth]

Actually, I don' t blame Brian Williams. He's an anchor man...noth­ing more, nothing less. He's not supposed to be able to ask relevant and thought provoking questions. He reads a teleprompter, and does it very well. It was actually nice to hear Barrack Obama using the "f" word in an unguarded moment.

[FarmetteReport]

And while being passionate about the environment no less!

[NJLawyer]

I view Obama's comments as more of a diss of the debate process rather than of Williams per se.

[TrooAmerican]

agreed.
but, ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.
totally nothing personal to BW.

[AZterritory]

Let's hope his intelligence, humor, steadiness and basic goodness touches every single person on his staff and by extension, America. (And I don't mean Brian Williams.)

[ccmd]

that dear dear precious man

I LOVE HIM!!!!

[fleetw1978]

Well stated, dont know about love just yet, but I cherish his answer and hope to see more of his sense of humor

[Amennyc]

Brian Williams is like the inside of a milk carton.

[TrooAmerican]

white, and drippy?

[daytrip]

Square and predictable? Waxen?

[LBDrew]

cheesy with a foul smell?

[LaurieLee]

An empty or full milk carton?

[zendem1]

artery clogging? from the loins of a cow?

[NewArtz]

Of course there is such a thing as a stupid question, and it's fine to ask a stupid question providing there is the opportunity to educate the questioner so that their questions can not be stupid. When someone asks a stupid question it means they lack understanding and should be educated. Someone who's been educated knows how to ask smart questions, and smart questions can be given wise answers.

Perhaps, now that our President has intelligence, our media folk will now get an education.

[brooklyncitizen]

Fingers crossed.

[JiminNC]

What about them apples Brian F--ing Williams?

[jimmyjones22]

lol, nothing like an appropriately placed eff word to make your point.

[BluePrideSMW]

He's been so brilliantly NOT showing any anger... America does not like an angry black man. He's gonna need to go to the very edge of it, though. To get anything meaningful completed. The republican'ts will go way over limits, that's their MO.
The Obamas are Moving On UP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf3uGsMxsoQ

[renatam]

That's Rahm Emanuel's new job!

[LarBear]

BluePrideS­MW...

QUOTE: "He's been so brilliantly NOT showing any anger..."

I as a Caucasian male do not give a dang if Obama shows anger... An honest anger can be refreshing­.... Depends a lot to me what the anger is about... I do NOT like pent up blame/ange­r... That which turns into Hate...

I Love the anger that has slightly been shown, as a warning to People, if Barack Obama thinks someone is attacking his wife, or Family... Anyone foolish enough to ignore that anger is behaving stupidly IMO....

Basically I believe his eveness and his steadiness is a gift he gave himself from his earlier days he spoke of....

[brooklyncitizen]

That night he gave his DNC acceptance speech and said "ENOUGH"..­that was fueled by well placed anger.we've been saying enough already for 8 effing years.

[drsmc41]

He's the President. He is human. If someone does not "like" him because he might get angry, he/she needs to "get real." Why can't Black men show anger? I would not even characterize that comment as such, but when you're "Black," that's the label....W­hen you are White, you might be "passionat­e."

[KillBillV2]

Though I kinda understand what you meant, I think we just need to stop labelling him as a black man who can't do anything but stay in line because he might piss off a few racists that wouldn't like him anyway. He can cuss all he wants,how are we ever going to think that everyone is equal if we keep being cautious 24/7 afraid of what the Rush Limbaughs of the world will think or say about it?

[invisible]

hahahaha!

[hiprogloho]

Williams is a typical wooden network stuffed shirt. It's part of the job of the PC talking heads to ask the dumb questions that blame our problems on the lifestyle of the avergage Joe. The oil companies support green energy as long as they can pretend a billion less lightbulbs and not less carbon fuel will give us back autumn in October are a white Xmas. Well, they won't. Duh.

[renatam]

Well, since we have had a pandering (to MSM) President in Clinton -- and a totally ignorant President in Bush, corporate media cos. will have to recalibrate and choose more savvy personnel to engage a brilliant President-elect Obama. This will include a complete overhaul of the sychophantic White House Press Corp. who cheerlead us into Iraq w/narry a question.

It will be a new day for MEDIA across-the-board, and since they are already teetering on the edge of irrevelancy and the Internet hijacking the news -- they had better rethink their business model. Fox "News" is toast...a right-winged Comedy Network.

[doctordoubt]

Have to agree on Fox noise. gone, done, done stick a fork in themdone.

[LipMyStockings]

So funny.
He's completely right. It needs to be a concerted effort.

[ljc]

Brian Williams is a fraud.

[renatam]

Correction­...an arrogant fraud...ju­st like Tom Browkaw. Readers of the news others prepare.