Obama on NPR: ISIS not a threat to the U.S.

Your emperor gave an interview to guaranteed-friendly media outlet NPR on ISIS.  Here's how another friendly outlet (The Hill) summarized it:

[He said] it is important “to keep things in perspective.”

“This is not an organization that can destroy the United States.  This is not a huge industrial power that can pose great risks to us institutionally or in a systematic way. But they can hurt us, and they can hurt our people and our families.”

This is a classic "straw-man argument:"  The speaker describes a problem in an absurd way, as if that's his opponent's position, and then says that's absurd (which of course is true, because that's not what his opponent said).  But of course no one has ever claimed ISIS is "a huge industrial power."  At least he admitted the obvious: they can hurt Americans. 

Obama blamed the media in part for fears, saying that in the past month “all you have been seeing, all you have been hearing about is these guys with masks or black flags who are potentially coming to get you."

Let's see here:  Terrorists shouting Allah snackbar just got through murdering 130 unarmed civilians in one of Europe's most sophisticated capitals, and then seem to have inspired a Muzz couple in California to murder another 14 and shoot another 20.  But your concern is unfounded, citizen:  You're just worried--needlessly--because it's been all over the news.  There's not a real threat.  Well maybe a tiny one, but nothing to be concerned about.  And certainly not enough to temporarily stop importing Muslim refugees into your neighborhoods, without telling locals about it--let alone negotiating or seeking their agreement.

“The media is pursuing ratings....

See, citizen?  Your concern is over an illusion, created by the media because of "ratings."

Obama acknowledged "a legitimate criticism" about how he and his administration have gone about its attempts to allay fears among the public following recent terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino.

"We haven't, you know, on a regular basis, I think, described all the work that we've been doing for more than a year now to defeat ISIL," Obama told NPR.

Translation:  "Those who criticize my response to ISIS just aren't aware of ALL the work we've been doing--for more than a year now!--to defeat them.  It's just a PR problem.  We need to do a better job of explaining all the work we've been doing."

Well, that and you could stop importing unvetted Muslims into the U.S. until your FBI director and others figure out a better way to ensure they're not terrorists.  Cuz right now the entire process consists of asking 'em their name and if they support ISIS or terrorism.  Somehow I don't think that'll quite have the result you think.

Or maybe it will, which it what more Americans are beginning to suspect.