I do think he's a great speaker. I think the right wing say it because he makes it even more obvious what a bozo they saddled us with for eight years. Off the cuff? I don't think I've seen enough occasions - I've seen Q&A's, interviews - not much else that I remember. I think he was definitely better than average, though. I listen to a lot of Congressmen - he is head and shoulders above most of them. And, I would agree - Clinton was truly amazing. I just loved and still love hearing him speak. Blair? I'm not familiar enough with him but it wouldn't surprise me. I don't think any of these men are average and I think a lot of them ARE outstanding - just as you would expect.

But the teleprompter bull@#$%? That isn't taking him down, correcting, or anything else - it's bull@#$ Since when do we expect a President not to speak with a teleprompter? Is it that the speech is prepared? Is that bad when someone is prepared and ready? If it is, maybe we should have some stand-up comedians as president because they're usually pretty amazing off the cuff. And, BTW, I've seen enough Reagan footage where he is addressing the TV enough to know that the great Communicator used a teleprompter. Is that different?

Yeah :) okay - sounds funny but you know what I mean. Would it be better if he had his speech written out in front of him, old school? Is that really different? Didn't Lincoln have a reading copy of the Gettysburg address - one of the greatest speeches ever? Is it that he is so natural with the teleprompter that they don't like? So what?

If you want to talk content of what he says - fine - go for it. His talks appeal to me because he usually addresses my concerns (unfortunately, sometimes only in the speech and not in real life). If you don't like them - that's a real discussion point...

Maybe this really is the right's answer to the accusation (never proved or disproved) that Bush wore a wire - not only when he gave speeches, but when he debated and when he answered questions.

And do we really have to listen to the right complain about Obama when they gloried in Bush being dressed up in a flight suit paraded off the plane as if our manly President just landed it...it's just all too inane?

This piece is just as much about the absurdity of the republican accusations as it is about Obama's actual use of a teleprompter.

I think Jill is more upset with the right wing ding bats who actually think this is a real criticism than she is the onion and the 5th estate