Obama: I'm not "hiding the ball" on Russia

(AP) SEOUL, South Korea - Speaking to the microphones intentionally this time, President Obama on Tuesday assured he had no hidden agenda with Russia for a second term, seeking to contain a controversial gaffe that bounded all the way to the campaign trail at home and back again.

Obama got caught on tape Monday telling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have more room to negotiate on missile defense after getting through a November election, presumably expecting to win and not have to face voters again.

Obama's Republican rivals back home pounced, accusing him of secretive plotting and dealing over American national security. So one day later, with Medvedev at his side again, Obama tried some on the record candor and humor to put it all to rest.

The president's explanation: He wants to work with Russia on the deeply divisive issue of a missile defense shield in Europe, knowing only by building trust first on that matter can he make gains on another goal of nuclear arms reductions. And there's no way to expect progress during the politics of this election year, so he is already looking to 2013.

"This is not a matter of hiding the ball," Obama said, well aware of criticism erupting at home. "I'm on record."

Still, Obama had not meant for his initial political assessment to be heard. It was picked up by live microphones during a meeting with Medvedev and soon shot around the world. "This is my last election," Obama was heard telling Medvedev, Russia's outgoing president. "After my election, I have more flexibility."

Obama showed up at a nuclear security summit ready to clarify his caught-on-tape words even at the risk of overshadowing his message for a second day. He fielded a question but failed to address the presumptuousness of plotting out 2013 strategy with Russia when, in fact, he must win election again for any of that to matter.

For Russia, the issues of nuclear weapons reduction and the proposed missile shield are related. Russian fears of new U.S. missiles at its doorstep in Europe have helped to stymie further progress on nuclear arms reductions after a breakthrough agreement two years ago.

Obama: U.S. can afford to have fewer nukes

Obama said he wants to spend the rest of this year working through technical issues with the Russians, and said it was not surprising that a deal couldn't be completed quickly.

"I don't think it's any surprise that you can't start that a few months before presidential and congressional elections in the United States, and at a time when they just completed elections in Russia, and they're in the process of a presidential transition," Obama told reporters. He spoke after making a separate announcement on nuclear security.

The president also sought twice to dispense with the controversy with a dash of humor.

Before taking his seat at the nuclear summit, he caught Medvedev's eyes and said "Wait, wait, wait, wait." Obama then covered up his microphone and jest, enjoying a hearty laugh and handshake with the Russian leader.

And when he decided to offer his explanation about the flap, Obama said, "first of all, are the mics on?"

Obama's candid remarks Monday illustrated the political constraints that hem in any president who is running for re-election and dealing with a congressional chamber — in this case, the House — controlled by the rival party.

Republicans have fought Obama fiercely on health care, taxes and other issues. They are eager to deny him any political victories in a season in which they feel the White House is within reach.

Mitt Romney, the leading Republican contender to face Obama this fall, told a San Diego audience the unguarded comments were "an alarming and troubling development."

"This is no time for our president to be pulling his punches with the American people, and not telling us what he's intending to do with regards to our missile defense system, with regards to our military might and with regards to our commitment to Israel," Romney said.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who often faces charges of having been flexible on his own policies over the years, also issued a statement saying Obama "needs to level with the American public about his real agenda."

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich also questioned Obama's motives.

"I'm curious, how many other countries has the president promised that he'd have a lot more flexibility the morning he doesn't have to answer to the American people?" Gingrich said on CNN.

Neither Obama nor Medvedev knew they were being heard when they conferred quietly at what was billed as their last meeting of Medvedev's presidency. He leaves office in May, to be replaced by the incoming Vladimir Putin.

According to ABC News, Medvedev replied in English: "I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir."

Obama said the way the Republicans seized on his open-mic comments only made his point that the atmosphere is too politicized right now to advance arms control with Russia.

"The only way I get this stuff done is if I'm consulting with the Pentagon, if I'm consulting with Congress, if I've got bipartisan support, and the current environment is not conducive to those kinds of thoughtful consultations," Obama said. "I think we'll do better in 2013."

There, again, Obama's remarks suggested he feels good about his re-election prospects.

[RobAla]

CBS: Three years after the Obama administration called for a "reset" of relations with Russia, White House hopeful Mitt Romney slammed the president for saying during a "hot mic" moment with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that he would have "more flexibility" after the November elections to negotiate on a U.S. missile defense shield in Europe. Romney called the remarks "terribly wrong" and "alarming."

We should ask ourselves why President Obama has to conceal what he plans to do with the US missile defense until after the election. Wasn't his administration supposed be the transparent one? He doesn't want to hide his intentions from the Russians; President Obama wants to hide his intentions from American voters until after the election.

It's because President Obama knows that if the American people knew he would buckle under and give the Russians what they want, he would not be elected. Iran is building nukes and missiles to carry them. Pakistan (with it's arsenal of nuclear weapons) could easily be taken over by radical Muslim extremists. Any President who thinks it is wise to dismantle the US missile defense program is incredibly naive. Not many Americans would feel comforted by the idea of dismantling missile defense. President Obama's words to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are truly alarming. This should send chills down the back of every American.

[jackdaniels10]

Sh%% happens...........

During his 2000 presidential campaign, George W. Bush called New York Times reporter Adam Clymer a "major league *******" just before a campaign speech to Vice-President Dick Cheney, whose response ("big time") was also audible. The media reaction was intense, with news stations repeatedly broadcasting it and the New York Post running two pages about the incident.[16][17] Bush said of the incident: "I regret that a private comment I made to the vice-presidential candidate made it onto the public airwaves. I regret everybody heard what I said.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////

On 17 July 2006 a private conversation between U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg was picked up by a nearby microphone. Bush told Blair he hoped the UN would "get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this ****" (referring to Syria's influence over and support of Hezbollah in the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon), the crisis would be over. This was reaffirmed by the suggestion to "get Kofi [Annan] on the phone with [Bashir] Assad and make something happen." He also revealed that Condoleezza Rice would visit the area.

[cbsandme]

Bam Bam is just trying to kick the can so he can delay further development of the nuclear reduction dateline and it also give him a reason to get re-election forum...SMART!

[1pheasant1]

"I don't think it's any surprise that you can't start that a few months before presidential and congressional elections in the United States, and at a time when they just completed elections in Russia, and they're in the process of a presidential transition."

Too much for the paranoid Tea Sippers to understand. Our President needs to figure out a way to dumb it down further, or he risks hearing more of their unstable babble.

[iamproteus]

Jeeze, how much further can it be dumbed down?

[1pheasant1]

Smit, if you are going to begin by labeling people dumb, shouldn't you open a dictionary to the word "throw?" Our allies in eastern Europe were not at all pleased with President George WMD Bush, and our relations with them have greatly improved since President Obama has been in office. You are showing your Tea Sipping inferiority complex.

[travislg]

And the conspiracy theroies continue.....

[iamproteus]

A republican without a conspiracy theory is like a brush fire without smoke....ain't no such animal!

[werntrouble]

This is definitely the press' and the hapless gaggle of GOP would-be nominees' making a mountain out of an ant hill! Of course, the President has no flexibility in an election year. If you don't understand this, you don't understand how politicians function. However, it emphasizes something I've been advocating for a while now - the Presidency should be a single, 8 year term, no possibility for re-election and subject to recall or impeachment at any time in that 8 years. In that case, the President ,as the Leader of the nation, can focus on doing just that rather than have to be derailed into campaigning in the last year of his first term in office. So much time and energy is wasted on this and it really does distract the President from the issues of importance in running the country and maintaining its momentum towards economic prosperity and national security.

[iamproteus]

There's a lot to be said for that!

[JoeSpivis]

Hell no! He's hiding the ball on us. We just happened to hear his next play-call while he was in the huddle with Russia.

[travislg]

I don't understand what you are talking about. Whats the next play call?

[JoeSpivis]

travislg
The next play-call is wait until I get reelected because I'll have more fexibility in what I'm going to do. Do you have to have a picture drawn? Obama was telling Russia something that he doesn't want Americans to know about...he'll deal once he doesn't have to answer to the electorate.

[EmpireGeorge-----______]

Let's just say, the President is hiding his real intentions, with respect to Russia.......I guess we'll find out, only AFTER the election, when it's too late.

[Zann-Zel]

Lets just say he isn't!

Lets look at the past 3 years he's been in office.......
Yep still free.
Yep still Amerian.
Still speakin English.
Still got our guns.
Economy doing better.
FINALLY took a step on healthcare....

Y'all are scrambling for something to scare everyone with...but its just not working!

[EmpireGeorge-----______]

He did the scaring, not me......and everyone noticed, and in those people that might have been on the fence, this leaves a sense of "distrust" of Obama....in my opinion, of course.......in your opinion, the opposite, he was acting professionally with Russia.

We are not free in many respects, still Amerian but English is on it's way out in favor of spanish, and guns are banned here, like he wanted to be banned everywhere, but he lost the SC case......so not so rosey, as you portray.

[b4uigo]

Only a fool would interpret what was said as anything but Obama not wanting to propose something now as it would not be acceptable to Americans. One can easily come to the conclusion that missle defense is Obama's bartering chip to get the Russians to agree to more nuclear weapon reductions. Just wait until after I'm re-elected boyos. Then we can talk. wink-wink

[EmpireGeorge-----______]

Yes, exactly, it's the "Wink-Wink" that is very disturbing.

[Filmguy870]

OMG! Obama is going to have us all speaking Russian, drinking Vodka and dating pudgy, bearded women! I KNEW IT!!!!! (Back to my Teabagging!!)