Comments on: Obama reminds GOP it must work hard to reclaim seats

By: serine

serine — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:22:37 +0000

“Why do the people we elect to represent us seem to be struck dumb and stupid when they get in front of a camera?”

That’s an easy one. If you look at some of the video of the room, (check cnn or msnbc, fox didn’t have any up.) You’ll see that for the most part they were reading perpared questions and talking points instead of asking a straight question. For most of us, if we have a question, we ask the question. We don’t do 5 to 10 minutes of posturing full of buzzwords and grandstanding. We also don’t try and lump three or four different questions together in order to try and trip up the person we are asking the questions of.

So Yes, the House Reps, (except for 1 or 2) for the most part came off looking bad. Like him or not, Obama was able to go toe to toe with them for over an hour not only with no notes but was able to keep his focus no matter what subject they brought up.

That alone should let the GOP know that they better up their game since this guy plays for keeps.

By: bosco

bosco — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:52:27 +0000

Absolutely. But now each state has a year to develop a response. With the bottom falling out of the economy, fewer key public servants is not what is needed. I would not be surprised or dismayed if another stimulus is needed. You are absolutely right: long term success requires the creation of private sector jobs.

By: bosco

bosco — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:44:58 +0000

I’m glad you’re not in charge. You could probably get a spot on Fox Speak though.

By: bosco

bosco — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:43:55 +0000

I did not get the “always look right.” What I heard was that our president did not accept the Republican choice of details as facts, which when fact-checked—surprise—both sets were off. The time is always “now.” We need a little long-range planning now that the “emergency” has slowed.

By: bosco

bosco — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:40:16 +0000

Prevaricate. Hyperbolize. Disinform. Is there a politician who is not fluent in these forms? I hope our President follows through with conversation/legislation with the Wisconsin lads. Boehner, McCain, Price, Pence, Hensarling, Pelosi, Reid have poisoned their wells of prevarication, hyperbole and disinformation.

By: bosco

bosco — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:31:26 +0000

Just as the previous administration received less than deserved credit for the attacks on this country that did NOT occur, so this administration will receive less than deserved credit for what the 3 trillion prevented happening. The evolving bar for the previous administration’s success in Iraq is NOT 2004 or 5 or 6 or 20XY; so the bar for success for this administration is not 2009. Unless of course as our President pointed out, the goal is slash and burn the “opposition.”

By: newsie

newsie — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:46:15 +0000

One of the most revealing pieces of video I have seen was Marsha Blackburns comment to Obama on the House leadership being the problem.He shut her down quickly. That should be replayed and commented on by the GOP. It would make a great campaign ad

By: shepmoors

shepmoors — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:31:53 +0000

The President was presented with real ideas from the Republicans. He can no longer call them the party of no. But he will. Those on the left who say Republicans are obstructionists need to look into the mirror. Why don’t they remember that they were in complete control all last year. The press is enamored by his “performance” at this retreat. We don’t need superficial performances. The White House comes out with their ideas and it has become evident that there is very little meat behind them. Glose Gitmo – no place to go, Pass the stimulus budget – no organization, no handle on where the money is going, KSM trial in NYC – no thought to expense and safety. They are like actors on a movie set. One dimensional proposals put out by a group of pseudo-intellectuals not based in reality. Obama needs to get over himself.

By: Rob Harper

Rob Harper — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:48:03 +0000

The President held his own in the den of Republicans! I hope he performs the same way over the next few months and 3 years; otherwise, he will be a one termer.

By: gwen

gwen — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:59:16 +0000

i feel the republicans did okay, the only other thing they could have done was
to say you lie every time he rambled on, but the American people can see thru him now. seems everytime he opens his mouth he lies. the republicans need to keep doing what they are doing, because it is the will of the people. we don’t
want the radical agenda of the dems. so go ahead and be the party of no, that is what the American people want to stop the health care take over.

By: Link Drop…

Link Drop… — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 06:23:33 +0000

[...] Republicans concede Obama’s performance in his Q&A with Republicans was “remarkable.” Will the [...]

By: sulliedsoul

sulliedsoul — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:22:07 +0000

Moira: “We’re not the ones in denial.” Another denial!

In any case, you’ve demonstrated a very prevalent tactic by those without any kind of substantive response to valid criticism: when inky pointed out the facts the president used in rebutting the weak questions House Republicans gave him, you went straight to… a completely different and unrelated topic! Never mind the entire thread we’ve been discussing, namely health care, Moira’s now ticked off that the White House is in “denial of the real significance of Scott Brown’s victory.” Well played, Moira. You can’t win the argument, so you’ve changed the subject. Bravo.

By: thebigodoopedu2

thebigodoopedu2 — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:13:08 +0000

It’s not like there isn’t anything to say about Obama’s failures as a president. what has this loser done right? He doesn’t even do wrong the right way.

By: thebigodoopedu2

thebigodoopedu2 — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:09:26 +0000

The Big O will just create more money..its easier to run a printing press than it is a country…LOL

By: moira1987

moira1987 — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:59:51 +0000

Sorry, I just can’t keep all his lies straight! But if you want to talk about denial, why don’t you deal with White House denial of the real significance of Scott Brown’s victory? That’s just one recent example. We’re not the ones in denial. It’s just that we’re not suffering from koolaid-induced dementia. Drink up, comrade!

By: baal

baal — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:59:55 +0000

YEs, the format was in his favor. But, you’ve got to ask… why? Why is is so difficult to say something like, “Mr President, you’ve spent 3 trillion dollars, more that double the cost of the Iraq war, and you ‘ve have NOTHING to show for it. Why should anyone consider you or your administration competent?”
Why do the people we elect to represent us seem to be struck dumb and stupid when they get in front of a camera? Anyone on this forum could have done a better job in slamming him and not even resort to ad hominem. It could be done on the basis of the numbers alone!
I’m disgusted with the republicans now.

By: inky

inky — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:47:24 +0000

Are you all in denial? The President got the better of the Republicans yesterday because he used facts instead of ideology to rebut them. While they whined about not being listened to, he gave instance after instance where their desires had been given credence. (ie, over a hundred republican amendments in the health care bills of the two houses and one third of the stimulus being tax cuts) But, as he rightly pointed out, this country is not 100% conservative–it has independents and liberals. So, everyone’s perspective, not just yours, must be taken into account. The conservatives cannot write every bill without consideration of the rest of us like you already did for the eight years you blew holes in the budget with unfunded mandates. And P.S., if you are going to write about the applause line, please get your facts straight. That line was about tax cuts, not the spending freeze. Go back and watch again.

By: moira1987

moira1987 — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:21:51 +0000

I agree with you that the Republicans could have done a better job of nailing him to the wall. They allowed him to ramble on with his excuses, finger-pointing and lack of substantive answers when challenged (particularly by Paul Ryan). The format was in his favor. He apparently has no shame when it comes to this kind of thing. So if they let him, he will always rely on excuses, finger-pointing and empty rhetoric. If he wants to act more like the leader of the Democratic Party than the POTUS, then they need to treat him like the party hack that he is.

By: jimw

jimw — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:12:58 +0000

Obama was smooth, no doubt, typically cocky and self assured. But the whole thing ended up being like a one (question) and done press conference. No follow ups or rebuttals to call him on things. He, on the other hand, interrupted at will when he’d had enough of even a lengthy question. This was not a full dialogue, the type needed to get things done.

The Republicans best implement some changes in terms of staging these events if they are going to actually accomplish anything.

By: billbrady

billbrady — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:07:31 +0000

The stimulus will dry up in a year or so and the communities will be faced with the same problem. How do we pay for firemen, police, and teachers? They perform honorable and valuable services but are public sector jobs. Meaningful job growth must take place in the private sector and without it, tax revenues remain low and the police, fire, and teachers will be unfunded again.