The conservative blogosphere is buzzing this morning about news that President Obama relied on a teleprompter for his remarks to students at the Graham Road Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. And it would surely be funny if he had. But it doesn't appear that he did. 
 
 
 
 Obama held two separate sessions at the school -- the first with students and a second for the media. And while he did use two teleprompters for his comments to the media he did not use them for his discussion with the students. 
 
 
 
 The White House website offers this picture of Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan talking to 6th graders from the school. No teleprompters in sight. 
 
 The caption on this AP photo reads: "President Barack Obama points to the media, as he enters to speak, after a discussion with 6th grade students at Graham Road Elementary School in Falls Church, Va., Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010." 
 
 
 
 And the beginning of the video posted on the White House website shows that there are no kids between Obama and the news media during the remarks he makes using the teleprompters. 
 
 The White House confirmed to TWS that the teleprompters were used for his remarks to the press, not with students. ||||| ← return to Water Cooler 
 
 President Barack Obama visited a sixth grade classroom in Falls Church, Virginia. What is particularly odd is Mr. Obama brought two teleprompters into the classroom along with the podium with the Presidential seal (video below) The White House describes the event of 30 sixth graders who were Mr. Obama’s audience. Compare this video to the photo of former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush visiting a grade schol classroom in 2006. While Mr. Obama was addressing media in this video, the use of the teleprompters in a grade school classroom shows the president cannot seem to leave the White House without his trusty glass and monitor friends beside him. : 
 
 This morning the President and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan paid a visit to Graham Road Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia where they had a chat with about 30 6th grade students. The conversation put a face to the people they were trying to help with the President’s latest investment of more than a billion dollars in next year’s budget to amp up the President’s “Race to the Top” program – a competition to incentivize success that has already generated an overwhelming response from states, with over 30 states expected to compete for first-round funding. 
 
 President Bush visits a grade school classroom in 2006. (below)
– Conservative blogs are beside themselves with glee today, jumping on President Obama for using a teleprompter to talk to 6th graders last week. “It would surely be funny if he had,” says the Weekly Standard. “But it doesn’t appear that he did.” Photos of Obama’s sit-down with the kids reveal that there were no teleprompters. Obama brought them out later before speaking to the media, but videos of that speech reveal that no children were present.