Oct 20, 2009 7:32am
Obama a Japanese Verb?
EmailIt’s not quite the Nobel Peace Prize, but Japanese college students have awarded President Obama something a bit more hip: a place in their vernacular.
Jim Fallows points to reports that a new verb is popping up in Japanese college students’ conversations: obamu (literally “to Obama”).
One blog offers a definition:
obamu: (v.) To ignore inexpedient and inconvenient facts or realities, think “Yes we can, Yes we can,” and proceed with optimism using those facts as an inspiration (literally, as fuel). It is used to elicit success in a personal endeavor. One explanation holds that it is the opposite of kobamu. (which means to refuse, reject, or oppose).
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
Georgie and ABC better be good little boys or Barack is going to shut them off!!
Posted by: country cuz | October 20, 2009, 7:58 am 7:58 am
A slow day George?
Posted by: indymind | October 20, 2009, 8:05 am 8:05 am
George,George,George, I can see there is not enough hours in the day for you to praise Obama,maybe you have that tingling feeling running up and down your leg like Chris Matthews.
Posted by: Johnny L | October 20, 2009, 8:19 am 8:19 am
Much like the Duke lacrosse players almost got Nifong’d; pretty soon all the BHO jock sniffers will see that they were Obama’d.
Including you George.
I’d like to add that I’ve never seen a President vote present before BHO. Has this rookie made one tough decision, besides which Democratic fundraiser to attend or what kind of dog to buy?
Posted by: enough already | October 20, 2009, 8:30 am 8:30 am
In other words, the definition of “Obamu” is: to not let facts get in the way of one’s opinion.
I like that. Thanks, George.
Posted by: Mark O | October 20, 2009, 8:36 am 8:36 am
Nice news story,thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Nancy Miller | October 20, 2009, 8:42 am 8:42 am
“Georgie and ABC better be good little boys or Barack is going to shut them off!!”
country cuz | Oct 20, 2009 7:58:36 AM
Just out of curosity, has Obama taken any action at all against media he does not like? FCC actions for obscenities, sic’ing the IRS on them, threatening license reviews, agitating for legislations against them – anything at all? The Bush White House accused the NY Times of treason, a crime punishable by death – has the Obama White House made that kind of explicit threat? Or is the “attacking the media” canard just another exageration from the persecuted rich white men of the Right?
Posted by: jhw539 | October 20, 2009, 8:44 am 8:44 am
Well, I still like Obama, no matter what they say.
Posted by: Rick | October 20, 2009, 8:59 am 8:59 am
I can see there is not enough hours in the day for you to praise Obama,
Johnny L | Oct 20, 2009 8:19:34 AM
You think this is praise?!?!? It’s amusing, yes, and far more complementary than what “to Bush”(v) means, but hardly praise. There really is better fodder out there for today’s Two Minute Hate, this is just a fluff bit.
Posted by: jhw539 | October 20, 2009, 9:07 am 9:07 am
Just out of curosity, has Obama taken any action at all against media he does not like? Posted by: jhw539 | Oct 20, 2009 8:44:07 AM*****Have you not seen their “attacks” on Fox News over the past week or so and their refusal to do interviews with them? How about their push to reinstate a version of the Fairness Doctrine?
Posted by: MikeO | October 20, 2009, 9:11 am 9:11 am
Just out of curosity, has Obama taken any action at all against media he does not like? Posted by: jhw539 | Oct 20, 2009 8:44:07 AM****Almost forgot the attack on the radio stations during his campaign that had on speakers to which they objected. And, by the way, the NYT publishing classified information and endangering the lives of our troops during a time of war is treason, and they should have been prosecuted or had their license revoked. LtCol USMCR (Ret)
Posted by: MikeO | October 20, 2009, 9:15 am 9:15 am
“Have you not seen their “attacks” on Fox News over the past week or so and their refusal to do interviews with them? How about their push to reinstate a version of the Fairness Doctrine?”
MikeO | Oct 20, 2009 9:11:53 AM
Their attacks have been harmless words stating the obvious and making absolutely NO THREATS, real or implied. As for refusing to do more interviews on Fox, Bush wasn’t exactly running to MSNBC for interviews – he and his administration almost spoke to Fox almost exclusively.
As for the Fairness Doctrine YOU ARE LYING. Not a surprise coming from the Right. In REALITY, Obama has NEVER pushed the Fairness Doctrine.
‘”As the president stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated,” White House spokesman Ben LaBolt told FOXNews.com.’
So to sum up my response, your accusations are pretty typical Right wing exageration (his spokespeople accuse Fox of being Republican, what a vicious attack!!!), whining (he won’t go on Hannity), and the classic Right wing flat out lie (even Fox has documented reality that contradicts it).
Posted by: jhw539 | October 20, 2009, 9:30 am 9:30 am
Their attacks have been harmless words stating the obvious and making absolutely NO THREATS, real or implied
jhw539 | Oct 20, 2009 9:30:03 AM
jhw539, you’re not paying attention. Rahm and Axelrod are clearly promoting the line that Fox News is not a “real” news organization as a prelude to denying them media credentials and access to the WH, press briefings, etc.
Posted by: core | October 20, 2009, 9:57 am 9:57 am
jhw539–”As the president stated during the campaign, he does not believe the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated,” White House spokesman Ben LaBolt told FOXNews.com.”
Just like everything else – he said that just as his democratic minions in the senate were reviving it… along with a bill to give the president authority to take control of the internet in “an emergency” (as defined by the president)… The white house is now on record as saying that they guide reporters in what to report (big shock there!)
Just like he says that a public option is not required for his Health care bill while Pelosci and Reid continue to strongarm for it…
He says that the government has not taken over the car companies, then fires the execs in those corporations just a week later..
We must pass the stimulus…yet it hasn’t helped..
He’s not a radical (so he says), but he surrounds himself with them…
not a socialist or a marxist, but 4 of his czars are ..
Not going to tax anyone making less than 250K— but healthcare fines, cap and trade prices for energy, taxing healthcare benefits and a litiny of other things.. don’t really count as taxes…
What a joke…
Posted by: arkievet | October 20, 2009, 10:11 am 10:11 am
The the japanese student is spot on… He has nailed the Obama style,,, or is that really the style of his Advisors,, Axelrod, Emanual, and Jarrett,, have they ever spoken or written a truthful word????
Obama did say that to know him is to look to who he has around him…. well we are looking and all we see are used car salesman, liars and POLITICAL OPPORTUNIST…..
Posted by: joe cassidy | October 20, 2009, 10:27 am 10:27 am
Regarding the Fox issue..
George, why have you not pressed Axelrod or your friend Emanual on their opinion of MSNBC and the Nu YUK times as ” balanced journalsim” without a biased perspective????? Are they really news organizatiuons if we use the White House defination????
Where has real Journalism gone.?????
Posted by: joe cassidy | October 20, 2009, 10:35 am 10:35 am
Just out of curosity, has Obama taken any action at all against media he does not like? Posted by: jhw539 | Oct 20, 2009 8:44:07
Well, he stopped letting reporters of the news organizations that failed to endorse him ride on his plane during the campaign? I guess they were not supposed to be objective reporters but Obama cheerleaders like the rest of the press.
Posted by: John | October 20, 2009, 10:53 am 10:53 am
America has been obamaed about our national debt and budget deficits… we continue to ignore inexpedient and inconvenient facts or realities…
Posted by: Nate | October 20, 2009, 11:20 am 11:20 am
It can only be a true Obama verb if it is Marxist and costs a trillion dollars or more and encumbers the taxpayers to pay for it along with penalties, fines, punitive taxes, fees, and possibly imprisonment for dissent.
Posted by: TexBork009 | October 20, 2009, 11:20 am 11:20 am
CORE, MIKE O, JHW539: CORE & MIKE O, you’re right on the money. JHW539 is using the standard “If it’s Republican, it must be WRONG!” knee-jerk defense. Yes, this White House appears to be establishing a policy where (1) not only will they not interview with a disliked media outlet (FOX) but (2) they are ACTIVELY trying to discredit it & control what “news” IS disseminated – not only scary, but un-American!
Posted by: MoreNMore | October 20, 2009, 11:54 am 11:54 am
In other words, the definition of “Obamu” is: to not let facts get in the way of one’s opinion.
I like that. Thanks, George.
Posted by: Mark O | Oct 20, 2009 8:36:53 AM
I would say he does a pretty good job at that
Posted by: 'Un-American' | October 20, 2009, 12:29 pm 12:29 pm
‘Bama is not running nor is he in charge of the show. Lets see what Soros, Pelosie, Reid, Shumer and Rangel have to say first.
Posted by: Gunrunner | October 20, 2009, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
Obama is a marxist who hates America. He was able to manipulate 52% of the electorate into believing that he is a moderate. He did this despite his FAR-LEFT voting record and RADICAL associations. Accept for occasionally tossing someone under the bus along the campaign trail (his grandmother, his pastor/mentor of 20 years, ect) he was able to run around and spew his lies uninterupted. To “obama”, is to deceive; manipulate.
Posted by: Dave | October 20, 2009, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm
Fluff/Astroturf
Posted by: Gunrunner | October 20, 2009, 12:58 pm 12:58 pm
the majority of americans are brain dead to wrap their head around the concept. an american economist and business expert wrote the handbook that japan used to excel itself into the world economy with superior products and service. america scoffed at his ideas and later, decades later, the light finally came on in american minds to see. they japanese have another good word for american intellect…its DUH.
Posted by: 1 in a million here can see | October 20, 2009, 1:27 pm 1:27 pm
Very glad we elected Obama. Jack booted government thugs no longer raid legal marijuana dispenseries.
Posted by: Brett | October 20, 2009, 1:29 pm 1:29 pm
oh George this is pathetic journalism. what happened to ending the war? if anything he is expanding it. how about more jobs-unemployment is exploding. how about don’t ask don’t tell-pretty words are not enough. get to work george. it is no wonder ‘us democrats independents’ are turing to fox news in droves.
Posted by: maeg | October 20, 2009, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
I think this is a relevant story. Especially since one of the selling points of the Obama campaign was that he would improve the US image abroad if elected.
Posted by: Independent63 | October 20, 2009, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm
Guess that is pretty much the “rose colored glasses” syndrome, for sure.
That describes Obama quite well.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | October 20, 2009, 2:06 pm 2:06 pm
expect an earthquake…..
Posted by: vmax14 | October 20, 2009, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm
Hey America, fox news is a joke. They are not for real!! Nothing about them is real. Just abunch of idiots running their mouth, upset that their not in office.
The postion of NEWS is to tell us what is happening in the country, the world!! Not to give their own personal opinion or their bosses. FOX NEWS is a bunch of negativity,loving idiots.
Not to be taken seriously or watched.
Posted by: fedupscot | October 20, 2009, 5:01 pm 5:01 pm
Bravo, George! Bravo! If given an “hada” ending it can be made into a Korean verb also. In certain cases “imnida” is required and in questions “imnika”.
Most important and deserved is its meaning in Japanese and this denial of fact and these claims of progress by this adminsitration smack of these Japanese meanings, fully.
Posted by: Michael Rollo | October 20, 2009, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
Isn’t this the same as “Truthiness” from SNL ?
Posted by: Homer | October 20, 2009, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm
George W. Obama is still fighting two wars, spending money he doesn’t have, and blaming everything on the guy before him. Nothing has changed, the Japanese know this. They have perspective, unlike the Republicrats here… Obamu indeed.
Posted by: Keyser Soze | October 20, 2009, 9:13 pm 9:13 pm
George really has been doing some digging in the dictionaries lately! First tax, and now Obamu! Please look up IMPEACH, that’s a good word for the next round.
Posted by: Wes | October 20, 2009, 11:11 pm 11:11 pm
To sum it up, To Obama means:
TO LIE WITH STYLE.
Posted by: Hildy Angius | October 20, 2009, 11:54 pm 11:54 pm
Interesting!
Posted by: leighg1 | October 21, 2009, 2:30 am 2:30 am
They could also call it the “Bush bubble”. The fact is the Obama took that page from the Bush book and added a “see how cool I look when I do this” or possibly a verse or two from Maddona’s song about striking a pose.
Posted by: jan | October 21, 2009, 6:54 am 6:54 am
FEDUPSCOT: Are you familiar with the concept of “political commentary”? Everybody’s doin’ it, it’s the new RAGE in news (for about a million years!) Fox reports the news, just as ABC does. But they ARE decidedly right-wing, and their commentary isn’t so slavish in their praise of ANYTHING Obama. That doesn’t mean the White House should deliberately try to squeeze them out in such a BLATANT manner.
Posted by: MoreNMore | October 21, 2009, 8:25 am 8:25 am
Texans say REMEMBER THE ALAMO Hawaiians say REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR, who you kidding trying to play japan for obama
Posted by: earl | October 21, 2009, 6:43 pm 6:43 pm
This didn’t seem to be a compliment. Did the Japanese mean it to be one??
Posted by: Djinn | October 24, 2009, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Obamu seems to reasonably approximate the command style of the Japanese military in WW2. As the war went on the japanese High Command kept giving orders to ships and planes which had already been destroyed.
Posted by: Ronald Morris | November 24, 2009, 10:19 pm 10:19 pm