Larry Summers falls asleep while Obama talks

[phk]

Larry Summers falls asleep while Obama talks

By Jon Ward on April 23, 2009 into POTUS Notes


Larry Summers, the president's top financial adviser, apparently isn't getting a lot of sleep.

For that or some other reason, as President Obama spoke to reporters inside the White House Thursday following a meeting with credit card company executives, Summers was photographed clearly asleep at the end of a table in the Roosevelt Room.

This isn't the first time this has happened. Summers reportedly fell asleep during an economic summit at the White House in February, but there were no cameras at that event.

This time there will be pictures of Summers, hand in chin - and what's worse - as the president is speaking.



Here's my profile of Summers from December.

-- Jon Ward, White House reporter, The Washington Times

Follow me on Twitter // jward@washingtontimes.com // Read my latest articles here // My YouTube channel

[Brittain33]

Some people have a hard time staying awake in meetings unless they're talking, even when the meeting is important and the speaker is good. It's a curse and wethey deserve your empathy.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Well that's not surprising.  He's not exactly a captivating speaker.

Perhaps you should give him a lesson or two.
And while you are on it maybe he will take some of your charm and good manners too.

[paul718]

Well that's not surprising.  He's not exactly a captivating speaker.

You serious? 

Some people have a hard time staying awake in meetings unless they're talking, even when the meeting is important and the speaker is good. It's a curse and wethey deserve your empathy.

This. 

Personally, I can't fall asleep when I'm sitting up.  But my attention certainly does "wander".  You can't really fault Summers for this.  I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't getting enough sleep at home, being that he has one of the most stressful jobs in the world right now.     

[Rowan]

But I do have to agree, his teleprompter gives a good speech.

[paul718]

Well that's not surprising.  He's not exactly a captivating speaker.

You serious? 

I'm absolutely serious.  It seems that the only people who think Obama is a good speaker are his supporters.  I've sat through several Obama speeches (usually just to cure my insomnia) and they're just ... awful.  They're awful because they sound like speeches.  A liberal talking point here, vague patriotic line there.  If Obama is seen as a good speaker, then it really shows how far we've fallen in terms of speech ability.

And when the man speaks off the cuff .... Zzzzzzz.  To me, a good speaker doesn't have his sentences sprinkled with "ums" and "uhs".

Good point.

[Holmes]

But I do have to agree, his teleprompter gives a good speech.

Reagan, Clinton and Bush's did too.

[Zarn]

Where is George HW Bush's?

[Rowan]

But I do have to agree, his teleprompter gives a good speech.

Reagan, Clinton and Bush's did too.

That's for the State of the Union. Obama uses a teleprompter for simple speeches and press conferences.

[Holmes]

But I do have to agree, his teleprompter gives a good speech.

Reagan, Clinton and Bush's did too.

That's for the State of the Union. Obama uses a teleprompter for simple speeches and press conferences.

Evangelical convention thing. On the campaign trail. Mission accomplished!

I found one of HW but it was a State of the Union, not good enough.

[Zarn]

But I do have to agree, his teleprompter gives a good speech.

Reagan, Clinton and Bush's did too.

That's for the State of the Union. Obama uses a teleprompter for simple speeches and press conferences.

Evangelical convention thing. On the campaign trail. Mission accomplished!

I found one of HW but it was a State of the Union, not good enough.

So the guy elected to only one term didn't overuse the teleprompter?

[Joe Biden 2020]

He'd better be thankful he was in America.  In some other countries, he would have been made to forever sleep.