Obama on the economy: "I didn't overpromise"

You might say President Obama needs a "3-3-3" plan. That's how many days he has to convince American voters he should be re-elected -- 333.

He's up against some tough new numbers. According to a new CBS News poll, the president's job approval rating is 44 percent. That poses a big challenge because according to a Gallup poll, no president since Harry Truman has been re-elected when his approval rating was below 48 percent.

Also this question from the poll: Does President Obama deserve to be re-elected? More than half -- 54 percent -- said no.

The week economy is largely to blame. In a "60 Minutes" interview with Steve Kroft to air this Sunday Dec. 11, the president compared himself to a captain in a storm.

Obama: No matter how well we're steering the ship, if the boat's rocking back and forth, and people are getting sick, they're being buffeted by the winds and the rain. At a certain point if you ask them, "Are you enjoying the ride right now?", folks are gonna say, "No." And [if you ask them], "Do you think the captain's doing a good job?", people are gonna say, "You know what? A good captain would have had us in some smooth waters and sunny skies, at this point." And I don't control the weather. What I can control are the policies we're putting in place to make a difference in people's lives.

President Obama to appear on "60 Minutes"
Obama: Unemployment could go down to 8 percent by election
Grim economic outlook weighs down Obama approval rating

Kroft: Did you overpromise? Did you underestimate how difficult this was gonna be?

Obama: I didn't overpromise. And I didn't underestimate how tough this was gonna be. I always believed that this was a long-term project. This wasn't a short-term project. For individual Americans who are struggling right now, they have every reason to be impatient. Reversing structural problems in our economy that have been building up for two decades -- that was gonna take time. It was gonna take more than a year. It was gonna take more than two years. It was gonna take more than one term. Probably takes more than one president.

You can see more of Steve Kroft's interview with the president on "60 Minutes," Sunday Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. ET.

[oldman67]

Marxism, Socialism, Obamism and Communism. Anyone that thinks we aren't more of a Socialist country and a police state hasn't been paying attention. 59% of the citizens in America today depend on the government for some type of assistance. "A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul" George Bernard Shaw.Obama made some great campaign speeches. Too bad he never followed up on any of them.

[TStewartIII3]

Hot Air: Obamateurism of the Day
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/12/15/obamateurism-of-the-day-650/

[morsecode5]

If this person had lived up to his so-called "promises" and his "yes we can" crap, then he would have a better approval rating. On the other hand, change begins when people decide, without relying on the governments.

[GeneSmith44]

BO - I didn't over promise. We will take from those that produce and give to those that didn't earn it!

[GeneSmith44]

"The week economy" LOL Did this affirmative action writer mean "WEAK" ... yes, I believe so. LOL

[dcouch04]

The February 2011 issue of "American History" named eight Immigrants who became Americans. They are/were all very outstanding people in some way. They are: (1) Albert Einstein, (2) I. M. Pel, (3) Irving Berlin, (4) Alexander Graham Bell, (5) Madeline Albright, (6) Henry Kissinger, (7) Arnold Schwarzenegger, and (8) Dinesh D'Souza, President of King's College in New York City.

The later part of 2011, Dinesh D'Souza, released a book titled, "THE ROOTS OF OBAMA'S RAGE." Every intelligent American should read this book. It will give you a pretty good idea why Obama lies and will continue doing so. If Obama is re-elected President, the country will be in horrible shape at the end of his second term, no doubt about it. The people who vote for him will be those who suffer the most. Remember that Obama did not tell us what he meant by Hope and Change. Read the book and I think you will realize that his hope and change or not what you would expect.

[dcouch04]

I have a typo in this comment. The book was released the later part of 2010.

[molakinmolo]

Of course he over promised. Everyone, including his most ardent supporters knows that he did. The question was inane. The response worse.

Honestly, I'd be far more willing to give him a pas for not having a clue were he to act human, state "I did not fully comprehend the unigue foundings of this recession. So, yes I did underestimate the time and effort required to address it'.

At least in that case, I would be able to relate to him as a fellow human rather than a liar .

[MMichelle79]

HAHAHAHAHAHA. I just love this one. Obviously, Mr. Obama needs to watch some of the tapes from the last election when he blamed every US problem on GW. By his standards, that means that he is now the culprit. And sorry to say, but you did think you only needed on term and you were completely arrogant about it. A guy who thinks he could fix all the problems, how new is that.

The other candidates just need to have some "pep" rallies like you did and get all upset about things that they can't change. Amazing. So now you feel that you deserve another chance. You are now back tracking and changing your words. You are no Bill Clinton or Hillary, for that matter. You had your chance and you should just bow out gracefully because your bipartisan campaign promises were all lies and now everyone knows it. Do you really think independents are going to vote for you now that they saw the real deal and not some bobble head agitating people? How many campaign "promises" did you go back on? You said you'd have Iraqi troops home in six months after taking office but it was more like three years and more than likely because you are already campaigning and only because you HAD to get it done.

The worst part is, the Republicans don't have the best candidates to choose from so there may be a shot for you, but at least it will only be one more term, thank god, and the entire world will be bankrupt and you can continue to give excuses as to why you were such a failure as the president. Someone who wouldn't even get his children a dog unless he was president, and people actually thought we could give a guy who can't even deal with some dog urine on his carpet a chance at helping Americans.

[Longliveamerica]

This means "I am a failure".

We got it, Mr. President. And you deserve to lose a very very sad defeat. You are not a true American patriot who loves this country but a traitor who put her into a dungeon.

I commit a serious sin every time I see your face on TV, newspapers and here. And news networks' lost of viewers is only reason- because they continually whitewash your failures.

[Longliveamerica]

I couldn't help myself but to say bad words everytime I see this man on TV and publications. The media, as it lost its ethics today, made him an idol.

[sandy 1027]

The dynamics of the situation should factor into the president's approval rating.He was left a mess, and economists found , after the fact, that the situation was even worse than originally believed( This was after the Stimulus had already been implemented, which needed to have been larger for a greater impact, but probably was kept smaller to begin with because of not being able to get anything larger through Congress) .The 2009 Stimulus bill had a positive effect.We were in the hole, losing jobs when the president took office; but he has gotten jobs growth back on the positive side of the ledger, and the growth has been slow, but moving , steadily, in the right direction.

We live in a global economy,and all of the aspects of what happens isn't just in America's hands, but all effects us here.One of the things that HAS been in America's hands is working together to fix the problems; and that hasn't happened because of politics.We have a 2-party system, so no president has the ability to just wave a wand and get the things done that he or she campaigns on.If the president and Congress don't work together, nothing happens.One side may rejoice in advancing their position, or thwarting the opposition; but too often America loses, in the process and that has happened time after time; and is happening even now with the rejection of Steven Cordray, by the GOP, to head the consumer protection agency,not in opposition to him as the nominee, but in fundamental opposition to the agency itself.


No president is perfect, and there may be some things that could have been done, differently; but the deck has been stacked against President Obama from the beginning.He was dealt terrible hand coming into office ;something that looks like an unwinnable Tic-Tac-Toe board, with an economic situation that requires 2 opposite solutions( not according to political ideology, but according to economists).Spending needs to be cut because of the deficit; but on the other hand,, we need to spend to boost the economy, and jobs growth.It's a situation that may even challenge Solomon.The president is right.This economic mess wasn't created in a year, or even 4 years.Many of the problems have come about over the last decade, with unfunded tax cuts that haven't created jobs( as promised then, and is being promised now, by his opponents),unfunded wars and prescription drug plans( all of which are still in place as we speak from the previous administration, and draining us dry).

Many of the issues that have befuddled the president center around Congress, specifically with the Republicans in Congress, who announced , from early on, that their main goal wasn't solving our economic problems, but making Barack Obama a one-term president; and going about to thwart most of his initiatives( some senators also announcing that they weren't going to work with him on Energy, nor an Immigration bill, early on).

Reagan and Clinton, as strong and talented as they were, were only as successful as the members of Congress allowed them to be because of our system of government. If they had Congresses like this one, with the lowest approval rating in history, and who didn't operate in good faith, filibustering and/or voting down every proposal, they would not have accomplished half of what they did; and so those in Congress who have intentionally, and systematically obstructed America's progress and growth by gamesmanship should be replaced, before the president, and maybe we can get something done.

[iamproteus]

Thank you, Sandy. That was probably the most accurate assessment of the situation that I've seen. I only wish more people had as good a handle on it as you do. Until the Republican leadership can bring themselves to think of the country instead of their party though, we will remain in the quagmire in which presently find ourselves.

[sandman713]

What a crock!!! When the Democrats had a MAJORITY, it should have been dealt with then, but being the greatest procrastinators, and pompus buffoons, you had your chance and BLEW it. Now, it's back to blaming someone else, as usual, While the economy slips into oblivion, and obama is out "raising MO'Munney....that the common folk DON'T HAVE....

[MMichelle79]

Sorry Sandy, but you forget that Clinton also had a majority Republican dominated Congress for most of his two terms as President so please do not act as if Obama has it "tougher" than he did.

If people had been happy with Obama, two years after his election people would not have voted in a republican dominated congress. He didn't seem to mind, so, now we have what we have. Obviously people didn't like Obama's "brand" of change.

Don't trash Reagan or Clinton. Read some history books and stop making excuses for Obama.

[nmgene]

The stymulous was a total waste of taxpayer money. Obumer doesnt have a clue as to how to run the country. His number one goal is to destroy our country. He has done nothing that was legal or constitutinal and will be brought up on charges, tried and convicted of treason. Then hopefully there will be a public hanging for him, Biden, Pelosi and Reid. They are all Communist TRAITORS. Any blue collar worker would have turned the economy around by now. I would love to be on the firing squad!!!!