Spock Weighs in on President Obama’s ‘Meld-Gate’

On March 1st 2013, President Obama awoke hoards of Star Trek and Star Wars fans when during a press conference he (purposely?) fused a Jedi Mind Trick and Vulcan Mind Meld into a: Jedi Mind Meld.  According to White House transcripts, President Obama was responding to CNN’s Jessica Yellin’s remark that he should have the leadership to force Congress to accept a deal to avert the damaging sequester.  President Obama replied to her by first stating that he was not a dictator, and second that he would not use a Jedi Mind Meld to coerce Congress into accepting a deal.

For those who are unaware, a Vulcan Mind Meld and Jedi Mind Trick are indeed different. Two videos are posted below that shed light on that difference.  The first video features Spock performing a Vulcan Mind Meld (Star Trek), and the second involves Obi-Wan Kenobi inacting a Jedi Mind Trick (Star Wars).

Although the pundits initially believed that the President’s mixing of terms was a mistake, experts in some quarters now believe that by using a Jedi Mind Meld President Obama could simulatenously ascertain both his foes’ true intentions and coerce them into accepting a deal.  The President may have likewise been contemplating how Congress could be spurred into action, and perhaps thought as a last resort he’d recruit Star Trek and Star Wars fans worldwide to pressure Congress.  Toward that end the White House released the following image via their Twitter feed, and also launched the website http://www.wh.gov/jedimindmeld/:

The White House released this image to raise awarness of the sequester (http://www.wh.gov/jedimindmeld , image credit: Whitehouse).
The White House released this image and created the following website (http://www.wh.gov/jedimindmeld) to raise awareness of the damaging sequester (image credit: White House).

However, Leonard Nimoy (Spock) has weighed into ‘Meld-gate’, and advised President Obama to forget about Jedi Mind Tricks altogether since, “Only a Vulcan mind meld will help with this congress. Live Long and Prosper.

President Obama isn’t the only politician who happens to be an avid Star Trek fan. King Abdullah II of Jordan was lucky enough to make a cameo on Star Trek Voyager.  Will President Obama be making a cameo in the new Star Trek film “Into the Darkness” directed by J. J. Abrams?  Incidentally, Abrams will likewise be directing the new Star Wars: Episode VII movie.  Perhaps the President is on to something?


20 Replies to “Spock Weighs in on President Obama’s ‘Meld-Gate’”

    1. Hi DA, well I admired Bush 43’s speech during the memorial service for the Columbia disaster (http://tinyurl.com/d4dcdhv), and the loss of those astronauts knocked the wind right out of me. However, I strongly disagreed with the bulk of the decisions taken during Bush 43’s 1st term. I was also unsure if that administration’s plan to focus NASA partly on returning to the moon was right. Too bad the folks around him in the latter part of his 2nd term weren’t around during the 1st term.

      Dan.

  1. If you are going to nitpick about the Vulcan Mind Melds and Jedi Mind Tricks, you might want to spell Leonard Nimoy’s name correctly in the article.

    1. Hi Helen, I must have been under the spell of the dark side. Thanks for pointing that out, it’s now corrected.

      Dan.

  2. I really don’t read this website to find pictures of POTUS, though it is nice to see Ms. Nichols.

      1. Dead Link.

        As dead as dozens of children collecting firewood, murdered by Obama’s Drone program, forgiven and forgotten by this administration.

      2. Hi Woodrow, the link above featuring a picture of Uhura and Kirk engaged in potentially the first interracial kiss on TV should be entered without the bracket, thus http://twitpic.com/8dblwo . I strongly disagree with your characterization of the drone program. As I noted above, the blame for unintentional drone-strike deaths rests squarely with the crazy terrorists who intentionally shot a girl in the head for desiring equal rights and education for women, and who throw acid at girls merely for attending school. These individuals should be stopped at all costs. I agree, however, that there should be significant oversight to the drone program.

        Dan.

  3. “Will President Obama be making a cameo in the new Star Trek film “Into the Darkness” directed by J. J. Abrams?”
    Why not?!
    He’s been on every other non-confrontational television show that will have him!
    It’s not like he’s got other stuff to do…

    1. Hi ZK, regarding the first part of your comment concerning his cameo appearance in Star Trek, some believe that the President’s Jedi Mind Meld comment was intentional, and aimed in part to pave the way for J. J. Abrams to take over both the Star Trek and Star Wars projects. Concerning your assertion that ‘It’s not like he’s got other stuff to do…’, I strongly disagree, namely since the evidence shows he was instrumental in helping track down the most wanted man in the world (who evaded capture for a decade) and has been efficient at eliminating his crazy followers who threaten humanity’s progress (the billions of dollars that have to go toward this fight could be going to education and space exploration), he brought healthcare to millions of folks who weren’t fortunate enough to be able to pay for it (& it’s expensive as you know, see http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/12792 ), and he removed the existing bias placed on millions of gay and lesbian couples, etc. Seems like to me he did much, perhaps he is indeed a Jedi?

      Dan.

      1. Hi Woodrow, the blame for unintentional drone-strike deaths rests squarely with the crazy terrorists who intentionally shot a girl in the head for desiring equal rights and education for women, and who throw acid at girls merely for attending school. These individuals should be stopped at all costs. I agree, however, that there should be significant oversight to the drone program.

        Dan.

    2. Maybe they can give Romney a part since he doesn’t have anything better to do.

    1. Thanks for keeping the streets clean for one-sided objectivity which only offers negative commentary. By the way, as I post:

      Against Obama: 5
      For Obama: 2

      Also notice that the attacks tend to be ad hominem (general slander about his character), while the defense tends to be based on scientific explanations and appeals to strong American values (like a sense of fairness, equal rights, etc.).

      Can you define the word “cult” in a way that doesn’t refer to the President? Because allegedly his “cult” followers among the people I know question his specific actions the most. I don’t hear any of them confusing religion and politics, either.

    2. Hi Phil, this article was meant merely to be a lighthearted and somewhat sarcastic effort to give folks a smile on Monday morning. The White House themselves even took the matter in stride and with a laugh, as indicated by the image they released of the affair. However, from the comments posted here it appears that I misjudged the amount of animosity toward the US president, something I cannot understand given his acheivements of placing two females on the supreme court, keeping the US auto industry from collapsing and retaining the countless jobs in that sector, removing the bias that gay and lesbian couples had to endure, providing countless folks and children health insurance, boosting fuel efficiency standards, etc. I’ll readily admit that he has made mistakes and is he fallible, but he is human and overall his contributions are impressive. The second thing I came to realize from this exchange is that Obama’s detractors appear much more vocal than his supporters, the latter of which are the majority (as indicated by the election results). Anyways back to reading the incredible breakthrough concerning the baby cured of AIDS, http://news.discovery.com/human/health/baby-cured-aids-130204.htm

      Dan.

  4. If the realities of Star Trek were to be factual. The human race would be so much better off. The mind of Gene Roddenberry was/is a great one. Most of the series portrayed life of today and way into the future as well. To me, it was the best of the best. Star Wars cannot compete nor can be in the same sentence as Star Trek. I am a Trekky all the way! Good job Dan.

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