(CNN) - If nothing else could bring the Republicans and Democrats to a deal to replace the forced spending cuts, maybe The Force can.
President Barack Obama mixed Star Wars and Star Trek metaphors in response to a question from CNN's Chief White House Correspondent Jessica Yellin in the White House Briefing Room on Friday, saying he didn't have the power to "somehow do a Jedi mind meld with these folks and convince them to do what's right."
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Obama has acknowledged he's a Trekkie, going so far as to invite Nichelle Nichols - the actress who played Lt. Uhura - to the White House.
Here's a photo of Nichelle in the Oval Office meeting w/ Pres Obama last year – a wonderful memory to be sure! twitpic.com/95b6ki—
Nichelle Nichols (@RealNichelle) January 21, 2013
He also said in a 2011 speech at Northern Michigan University after viewing technology teachers use to teach classes online, "I felt like the guy in Star Trek. I was being beamed around across the Upper Peninsula."
The White House tweeted:
We must bring balance to the Force. #Sequester #JediMindMeld http://t.co/lIZlgavhuR—
The White House (@whitehouse) March 01, 2013
RELATED: White House responds to Death Star petition
As did the actor who played Spock in Star Trek:
Only a Vulcan mind meld will help with this congress. LLAP—
Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) March 01, 2013
David Balser, president of the Star Trek fan association StarFleet, told CNN Friday that "a lot of Star Trek fans are also Star Wars fans" and Obama's mix-up is understandable.
"I think it's great that he's using Star Trek metaphors," Balser said, adding, "It would be great if all the political parties could get together and start to address the concerns of the nation and start to address the issues that are going on."
The official twitter account of Star Wars weighed in.
#JediMindMeld? Come on, it's #JediMindTRICK! #StarWars—
Star Wars (@starwars) March 01, 2013
Republicans responded:
.@WhiteHouse You know who else was supposed to bring 'balance' to the force? #JediMindMeld—
(@NRCC) March 01, 2013
And predictably, the social media sphere reacted:
Jedi Mind Meld won't work on me. http://t.co/EOKmTpOMRu—
Ron Joseph (@TrotlineDesigns) March 01, 2013
Can we get bipartisan agree the "Jedi mind meld" comment is one from which America may never recover.—
Howie Beigelman (@howielb) March 01, 2013
Obama is trying to cut government spending by having some operational capabilities of Star Fleet merge with the Jedi Council. #mehjoke—
O'Keefe Foster (@OEFoster) March 01, 2013
Jedi mind meld? huh? #cmonbro—
John Lash (@Johno_9) March 01, 2013
Jedi this is terrible how can you be president and not be a star wars nut—
george boseman (@cat7912) March 01, 2013
So he admits he's a Sith. RT @syracusedotcom President Obama says he can't 'Jedi mind meld' budget deal ow.ly/ibhtU"—
Chris Maher (@chris__maher) March 01, 2013
Obama concludes press conference: "Live long, prosper, and may the force be with you." #jedimindmeld—
Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) March 01, 2013
So Obama apparently said "Jedi mind meld" today, and Trekkies and Star Wars fans(..ies?) are freaking out because he mixed things up.—
Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) March 01, 2013
Jedi mindmeld? This POTUS of all people should know better. http://t.co/IyM39vUuDC—
Michael Li (@mcpli) March 01, 2013
Obama was my kind of pres, then he said"Jedi mind meld." Mr. Pres you're mixing trek & wars #sequestration #startrek #starwars #jedispock—
Richard Northrup (@ghostofbooberry) March 01, 2013
And some created vanity twitter accounts, like this one:
Just so you know, my birth certificate is from neither Tatooine nor Vulcan. #jedimindmeld—
Obama, Vulcan Jedi (@0bamaVulcanJedi) March 01, 2013
Others said he should be cut some slack, such as Twitter user @grifflion, who posted, "People! Obama has WAY more important things to think about other than a Star Trek or Star Wars analogy. geezuz."
Upset about Obama saying "Jedi mind meld"? I say this as a Trekkie: HE IS THE PRESIDENT. HE DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO WORRY ABOUT MADE-UP STUFF.—
Graeme Stewart (@NuncScio) March 01, 2013
From CNN Politics
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"convince them to do what's right"......We need someone to convince the Charlitan-in-Chief to do what's right. Asking for tax increase first, then the cuts was just an idle comment. He got the increase in revenues 7 weeks ago and now reneged on the cuts.
can't we just beam obama up to somewhere and be done with this nightmare?
It would require more than just your average Jedi to cut down those Klingons (congress).
In all seriousness....Bad show of politics today, folks. My wife is more negotiable than y'all. You're killing me.
Ancient Texan wrote:
"convince them to do what's right"......We need someone to convince the Charlitan-in-Chief to do what's right. Asking for tax increase first, then the cuts was just an idle comment. He got the increase in revenues 7 weeks ago and now reneged on the cuts.
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Sometimes I think the right wing media machine is the one performing Jedi Mind Melds, unifying thousands into an alternate reality.
President Obama is not asking for anything that he has not been asking for since July and August 2011. Go read the articles or listen to the sound bites. The President has always sought for a cut to tax deduction loop holes and no extension of the Bush Tax Cuts for those over a certain income. Nothing's changed.
BTW we did not have a "tax increase". The Bush Tax Cuts were set to expire. If Republicans had voted for a tax increase then they all would be in violation of the Norquist Pledge to be tax cut retentivites.
So, this is the most profound thing CNN can report on the subject of sequestration? Really the dumb reporting for the dumber.
These aren't the tax increase droids you are looking for; move along.
Well put by our President.
Congress makes budgets, so get the job done.
These are very insignificant reductions in spending increases. We need to cut about 10x as much from the fat Military budget.
President Obama has done all he can, and it's time for him to step out of this mess so that Americans can hold Congress, specifically the Republicans, accountable.
The dumbest thing he says is jedi mind meld? Better than legitimate rape. Keep things in perspective, people.
"We need someone to convince the Charlitan-in-Chief to do what's right."
Right after you learn to spell it right.
Oh CNN, you're so vicious in your attacks on Obama!
This is really sickening. All you Obama supporters out there – he's lost his "cool" factor. Trying to get it back with phrases like this – embarrassing. He is now a truly incompetent president.
If Bush had made this mistake, Dems and the new media would spend the next six months stirring it up as yet another reason he should never have been president. Obama does it and Dems are saying, "He's got bigger things to worry about."
amazing...he uses the press conference to now say, that any good future economic news will be made to seem worse because of the sequester...its a setup! so now, when more ugly economic news under his failed presidency comes in, it will because of republicans in congress....how about democrats in the senate who refuse to pass bills and a budget now for over 4 yrs.... mr finger pointer in chief rides again! yeeehaw!
man, is this guy the polar opposite of what he said he would be in 2008....its incredible...and the media, i think are FINALLY starting to wake up to it all....can you say bob woodward? lanny davis???
The president knows neither would work on the GOP. Finding out what they would be willing to do isn't there to find with a "mind meld." As for the Jedi mind trick, they are too stubborn to be swayed by that.
He is doing hat is right! The Republicans are the ones that need to bend. Those Repubs are t fault on every issue. All my friends agree, even the Conservative leaning ones. I hope they loll get booted next election.....
"This is really sickening. All you Obama supporters out there – he's lost his "cool" factor. Trying to get it back with phrases like this – embarrassing. He is now a truly incompetent president."
It appears that someone has inserted a Ceti eel larvae into your brain. In fact, I'm pretty sure that explains the entirety of the last 4+ years of GOP/Teatroll reality-denial tantrums.
How soon we forget but not me.
"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America 's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government cannot pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America 's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, "the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better." ~ Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006
At least he didn't say Legitimate Rape right Republicans ?
This is the best news we can muster? Great! Let's all give Obama a pass....oh wait, that's what the first 4 years was.
When Bush was Prez and the Dems held the Senate and House, he was responsible for the crash, the debt, the botched Pelosi plastic surgery (she should sue!), gas prices going up, blah, blah, blah. Now, Obama is Prez and the Republicans hold just the House and there is nothing the poor man can do. He is powerless.
But the Dems really wanted to cooperate! LOL. Right. O got his stimulus. Affordable Care Act, two years of holding all three branches. But the ONLY reason we are still at 7.9% is because the Repubs held the House for two years. Okay.
Congress is the reason for this mess. The republicans voted 211 or more back in 2011 to do this. For those of you that want to blame the President, I can understand you. You see that is congress's fault also for cutting your education benefits. If you are from Texas, you've got it even worst because Perry cut yours long time ago! Go to school if you don't understand our democracy system! Congress writes the laws, not the President! That's part of our problem in this country, we have a bunch of ignorant people that actually think the President does everything by himself. You should have learned in the 3rd grade how the gov't works! Maybe that's the problem, some of you never made it through the 3rd grade!
Obama tanks the economy with his trillion in new taxes, then will use this as cover and blame it on the Republicans when BOTH the tax increases and the sequester WERE HIS IDEA. Will the LSM let Obama get away with his endless tale of lies? Tune in next week to see what happens in ..."As the Clueless President Turns".
From Wookieepedia (dialog from Star Wars)L
C'baoth: "Tell me, Master Skywalker, has Master Kenobi ever spoken to you of the Jedi meld?"
Skywalker: "I don't think so. What does it do?"
C'baoth: "It permits a group of Jedi to connect their minds so closely as to act as a single person."
―Jorus C'baoth and Anakin Skywalker[src]
Force Meld, otherwise known as Jedi meld or Battle meld, was a technique where a number of Force users joined their minds together through the Force, drawing strength from each other. A refinement of battle meditation, it was known to the ancient Jedi, though dangerous. While battle meditation could influence both the Force-sensitives and the insensitives of both sides, Force Meld concentrates on coordinating and improving the Force-sensitives of the user's side.
ThisGuy – No. He didn't say legitimate rape. However, he did mention 57 states, army corpsmen, live soldiers being honored on Memorial Day and several other gaffes. Of course, when all you do is listen to Ed Schultz do his show between his 6 meals each day, you might miss a thing or two.
BTW, is that man pushing 4 bills or what? I'd pay to see a Limbaugh/Schultz sumo wrestling match. The winner gets to eat the other. Sell tix to that baby and the national debt could be erased. Is there any amount Ed Schultz won't eat at one siitting?
Resistance is futile.... you will be assimilated. Drink the Obama-naide.