September 10, 2010 1:12 PM

Obama: "Fair" to Say I Haven't Fostered Cooperation in Washington

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
Obama Administration

President Barack Obama speaks at a news conference on Friday, Sept. 10, 2010.

(Credit: AP)
At his press conference today, President Obama was asked how he had changed Washington.

He responded first by pointing to Democratic policies that he said were geared to help ordinary Americans, not the powerful and special interests, among them health insurance for those with preexisting conditions, regulating credit card companies, and improving the environment.

But he then added this: "Now, if you're asking why haven't I been able to create a greater spirit of cooperation in Washington, I think that's fair. I'm as frustrated as anybody by it."

"I think part of it has to do with the fact that when we came into office, we came in under very tough economic circumstances," he continued. "And I think that some of the Republican leaders made a decision, you know, 'We're going to sit on the sidelines and let the Democrats try to solve it.' And so we got a lot of resistance very early."

He went on to say that because he took on "tough issues" like health care and financial reform, where there is a lot of money at stake, "you end up having a lot of big fights here in town, and it's messy, and it's frustrating."

Mr. Obama said he decided to take on those issues anyway, however - presumably at the cost of greater cooperation - because that's what Americans want in a leader.

"Are there, you know, things that I might have done during the course of 18 months that would, you know, at the margins have improved some of the tone in Washington? Probably," he allowed.

He then added, however, that the lack of cooperation is "a lot more" attributable to the difference in approach between Democrats and Republicans.

More from the press conference:

Obama: Economic Recovery 'Painfully Slow'
Obama on Afghan Corruption and the Hunt for Osama Bin Laden
For Obama, Stimulus is a Four-Letter Word
Elizabeth Warren Gets (Vague) Support From Obama
With Key GOP Vote Secured, Obama Urges Senate to Pass Small Biz Bill
Austan Goolsbee Tapped As Top Economic Adviser
Obama: Americans Shouldn't Turn on Each Other
Obama on Quran Burning: You "Don't Play Games" with Troop Safety
Obama: It's Not Us Vs. Them -- "It's Just Us"
Obama: We've "Fallen Short" on Closing Gitmo

Brian Montopoli is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of his posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

Add a Comment See all 29 Comments
by wellsfargoloanfraudvictim September 12, 2010 1:00 PM EDT
Mr. President, why don't you address mortgage fraud which caused billions of dollors loss for

the Americans? Why not hold Wells Fargo accountable for making mortgage loan

based on hugely inflated appraisal?



How many jobs have to be created and how hard taxpayers have to work in order to fill up the

deep hole mortgage fraud has created for the society? Bottom line, where is justice

when the largest mortgage lender Wells Fargo is foreclosing home based on fraudulent loan

and hugely inflated appraisal. Isn't it prosecutable crime that majority of State Attorney

General's offices are prosecuting?



Where is HOPE for homeowners? Is it too much to expect that Wells Fargo, the largest

mortgage lender in US not to defraud homeowners like us by making fraudulent loan and

foreclosing home based on hugely inflated appraisal?

www.wellsfargomortgagefraud.com
Reply to this comment
by a1106foothil September 10, 2010 5:32 PM EDT
Well, Mr President, as an ordinary citizen whom you profess to represent? As an ordinary citizen who is unemployed? And an ordinary citizen who has observed your behavior for two years? The only thing I see that is geared up is the deficit that my kids will now have the great honor to re-pay. Your deficit, Mr President. By the way, Mr President, as you pander at the last minute for votes, be assured that this voter who saw promise in you two years ago, will not be burned again. You come to me just before an election, suddenly interested in the ordinary citizen, small business, and the economy? Mr President, take a hike.
Reply to this comment
by DocD--2008 September 10, 2010 6:43 PM EDT
Remember, it was not the President or the Democrats that stopped you from receiving your unemployment check, it was the Republicans that did it. It was the Republicans that caused this economic mess, let the blame fall where it belongs instead of using Obama as the fall guy.
by cleantheDCcesspool September 10, 2010 5:11 PM EDT
Facing a possible Republican blowout in November, Obama sought to rally his struggling party, casting Democrats as warriors for the hard-pressed middle class and Republicans as protectors of millionaires and special interests.

Yeah, obamao, everything has to be a battle. Big business, big oil, the repubs, Wall Street, tea partiers, auto companies, CO2, everyone and everything is an enemy. Perhaps that is because all your previous experience is "fighting" to get every last dime from the "enemies", to give to people who never earned a living, and "fighting" to put people into homes they could not afford to keep.

Too bad obamao only has about twenty six more months to fight everyone who is successful, before we return to a government who will want to work together with successful people to restore American prosperity.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8601-250_162-6853334-3.html?assetTypeId=30&blogId=&tag=contentMain;contentBody#ixzz0zAAeX5Ma
Reply to this comment
by lawkwfl September 10, 2010 5:01 PM EDT
Pure Genius, I guess when you "force feed" your entire agenda down the populations throat in less than 24 months you aren't going to be praised for cooperation. For being so "educated" the man proves over and over what an idiot he is..It's so pathetic its comical at this point. But I do have perpetual "I told you so smirk on my face" 24 / 7 - we're getting exactly what many knew upfront. A completely incompetent POTUS who would rather weigh in on tabloid issues like the Mosque, Koran Burning and Beergate in Boston. Yes a tabloid world indeed. And here I thought only Shebama posed for those trashy magazines. Silly me.
Reply to this comment
by dadirt September 10, 2010 4:26 PM EDT
Normal americans are not people on welfare, collecting food stamps, haveing babies out of wedlock generation after generation. We are throwing money away yearly to perpetuate this behavior, while families with jobs and income pay for their own daycare, dance, swim, football, baseball and other activities. Our kids are moving out of public schools because of crime, and lowering standards, and disrutive classes.
What happened to getting and education, good job, having a mother and father in a family! We get rewarded with paying school taxes and also sending our kids to private schools, moving further away from work to get into safe neighborhoods where we can raise our kids without daily fear of being robbed or assaulted in school. Obama wants to even the playing field, uneducated people have the same income as a working family? The american dream is becoming being able to stay in school unitl you go to jail or drop out pregnant, colect welfare, food stamps, sell drugs onthe side and live in low income housing. We the middle class didn't do this to these people, the do it to themselves. do I feel sorry for them, no, I feel sorry for the kids they bring into this world and who turn out just like them. What is going to happen when, the grand parents die off who had morals and a sense of right and wrong? Who will take care of these kids then? It is not the tax payers fault, and not our obligation. That should be what it means to be an adult. We are turning into a society of lazy bums who work the system.
Reply to this comment
by starzeyes September 10, 2010 4:22 PM EDT
Wow! He's STILL blaming others for his inability. Who would have seen THAT one coming???? Liberals are so terribly blind to be so "open-minded".
Reply to this comment
by slatep September 10, 2010 3:03 PM EDT
WOW!!!!

HE GOT ANOTHER ONE RIGHT.!!

Obama has created more division in this Country, even among ordinary citizens, than any other person I can remember.

Remember, he is a Muslim by his own admission, and his way of changing the "greatest country in the World" as stated in his Inaugural address; is to divide and conquer.
Reply to this comment
by vissar2g September 10, 2010 3:37 PM EDT
Well, it was this country who elected him... If you don't like him, let's vote more often! I don't see how he divides the country different from the previous presidents, maybe you can point this out. Barack Obama is Christian, prove that he is a muslim... and the conspiracy of his is no worse than of any presidents of the past as well. I am a Libertarian, by the way.
by retm-w September 10, 2010 5:46 PM EDT
vissar2g

He may not be dividing the country but the leaders in congress and the senate sure are, along with the MSM.
See all 4 Replies
by Quantrill13 September 10, 2010 2:53 PM EDT
Imam Barry Obama is a total idiot and weasel!
Reply to this comment
by JCraig_Church September 10, 2010 4:30 PM EDT
Lots of thought went into THAT one (lol)
by RobAla September 10, 2010 2:52 PM EDT
First he admits to not fostering cooperation, and then immediately goes on a rant blaming everybody and their brother. This has gotten old. The policies of the extremist left progressives are killing the country economically, and this has to stop. The only way to turn this country around is to get rid of the people in Washington who have done this to the nation. I am not talking about political parties. Any member of Congress or the Senate voting for the following needs to go:
1) Stupid health care bill
2) Bailouts
3) Bogus stimulus packages
4) Expanding the limit on the national debt
5) Voting for ANY bill they have not first read
6) Cap and trade bill
7) Creations of additional federal departments and offices - we can't afford the one we have ($1.47 trillion deficit this year)

Regardless of party, they must go. In November, vote responsible people into office and vote these people out.
Reply to this comment
by michaelm07 September 10, 2010 2:36 PM EDT
So what, this calculated mea culpa is supposed to make us feel that he really gives a s**t about anything but what the professor wants. The saying used to be "those who can, do. Those who can't, teach". I suppose we should add that they teach "...AND become worthless politicians". The truth hurts libs, swallow that.

He's already a failed president and liberals just HATE it and can't face up to it so they get real nasty for little reason. Lots of venom from libs on here. Criticism of Obama is no big deal and is deserved. These are the same hypocrites who thought it was okay to do the same to Bush. They can dish it out but they can't take it, ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Reply to this comment
by JCraig_Church September 10, 2010 4:18 PM EDT
WRONG! I can take it just fine, thank you very much. I am proud of our president (for the first time since Bill Clinton left Office, and that CLOWN Bush stole it) I think he is doing remarkably well, considering the mess he started with. I WILL make one concession though, he damned well SHOULD have started on jobs and economy sooner. That said, I am still pretty happy with him. Choke on THAT, neocons.
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