By Jeremiah Magan

Daily Titan Opinion Editor

Kanye West is a “jackass.”

These were essentially President Barack Obama’s words when he was preparing for an interview on CNBC.

At the time, the president was participating in an informal discussion about the pop culture news of the day, West’s outburst at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.

While the discussion was not officially off-the-record, it was said in a relaxed atmosphere where the president likely felt comfortable enough to speak his mind. He should have known better since he was sitting in a room full of reporters with their discussion being streamed directly to ABC News’ headquarters.

And being the Twitter-happy reporters they are, they immediately released the statement for the masses to read.

While very few people would actually disagree with Obama’s sentiment, it was irresponsible of him to shoot his mouth off the way he did.

As Matea Gold stated in her article for the Los Angeles Times, “In this age of nearly ubiquitous media, it’s difficult for the president to ever truly be off-the-record.”

You would think Obama learned his lesson back in July when he stated that the police officers who arrested a Harvard professor in his own home “acted stupidly.”

Or in March when he compared his bowling ability to the “Special Olympics” while appearing on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

After realizing what he had said about West, Obama referenced the time he was being interviewed by CNBC and swatted a fly during a break. This footage found its way to the masses, and apparently offended PETA greatly enough to make it a headline story for a few days.

Presidents of recent memory have had a habit of putting their foot in their mouths multiple times throughout their terms. And it would appear that Obama will be no different.

Though we may not be getting any gems of enlightenment like former President George W. Bush’s, “There’s an old saying in Tennessee – I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee – that says, fool me once, shame on – shame on you. Fool me – you can’t get fooled again.”

Or former President Bill Clinton’s, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”

Today’s world of media convergence and 24-hour news cycles has created a report-first-ask-questions-later mentality in many journalists and reporters.

News outlets have taken to reporting stories that have less social impact than a lizard farting in the desert, but at least they’re first.

The president’s words and opinion of West is not the story “Nightline” news anchor Terry Moran should have “tweeted.” It’s the fact that Obama has continued the time-honored presidential tradition of opening his mouth before thinking that bothers me.

Obama’s blunders appear to be coming about because he is too comfortable with his surroundings. Though, I wouldn’t advise him to shove a stick up his rectum for the sake of posterity. If a few slips of the tongue are the price we must pay for a mostly well-spoken, relaxed and unstressed president, then I think we can live with the cost.