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November 7, 2010 8:11 PM

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Obama: The Full "60 Minutes" Interview

By: Overtime Staff
Topics: Overtime Original

President Obama has had a long week. His party suffered a resounding defeat in the midterm elections, resulting in the loss of the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives and close call in the Senate. To top it off, he had to deal with "60 Minutes," waiting for him in the Oval Office with a long list of questions in hand.

Obama Interview Transcript, Part 1
Obama Interview Transcript, Part 2

Watch Steve Kroft's Report, Part 1
Watch Steve Kroft's Report, Part 2

Late in the afternoon on Thursday, two years to the date after his election as the 44th president, Obama sat down with correspondent Steve Kroft for a midterm chat. In the full interview, only available here on "60 Minutes Overtime," Kroft asked him about his regrets, the expansion of government under his leadership, his anti-business reputation, and whether the president has lost his mojo.

Watch and tell us what you think. How did the president do? What would you have asked him? Has Obama lost his mojo?

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by democrazyd74 September 13, 2011 9:12 PM EDT: hmm am proud of these president if he wins or not, a lot of people don't really understand what is going on they are only walking on rumors what America is going through is like a tree that died and your trying to make it grow every one will say things that will make it grow but it takes time for a dead tree to grow back even all the leaves would have fallen down so people it takes years for it to grow no matter who comes in will never solve these problem overnight but will blame president Obama, are you people kidding me health care is good everything cant be good but its a start now people with pre-exting condition can get health care that's a blessing Republican wants to take out the health care for real if they do these people with pre-exiting condition is in a big trouble, they don't want these for for the people so people sit down and think; Reply to this comment

by USAskeptic May 8, 2011 10:56 PM EDT

Croft you chicken ****, why didn't you ask why Bin Laden wasn't captured instead of being executed?

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by louisvillelady May 11, 2011 6:09 PM EDT: USAskeptic, have you ever thought about what would have happened if we "arrested" him and had him in custody? Millions of people across the world would be killed and even taken hostage. War is ugly. People are killed. Bin Laden CHOSE to wage war on America, WE DID NOT CHOOSE THIS. Nor did the 3000 who lost their lives at ground zero. I am sorry to his family, for they are victims as well.


by Kyle564 May 23, 2011 12:59 AM EDT: Ok, for the remedial educated ones here, saying, "Croft you chicken ****, why didnt you ask why Bin Laden wasn't caputre instead of executed?" is going to make you look dumb when you check the date of the interview.

BTW, as you didn't check that, it is November 7, 2010. As in months before the Bin Laden raid in Pakistan.

So, how does Croft ask a question about an event that hasn't happened yet?

by Angie83177 November 14, 2010 3:22 PM EST

I am so glad the Republicans won, cause now they have to act according to their campaign promise. The problem with that was they had no idea's. They spent the whole mid-term talking about what they didn't like, never once saying HOW they would go about fixing them. Watch they will hand President Obama the second term.

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by jorin33 March 17, 2011 10:41 PM EDT: You couldn't be more right. The Republicans are now in a position where they have can't just sit back and bash Obama. They now have to work together to solve problems. I think Obama is more than ready to work with them to get these things done. If the economy gets back on it's feet, Obama will get re-elected. Check out my blog...

http://www.americanandinternationalpolitics.blogspot.com/

by beavertje November 12, 2010 7:46 PM EST

If the US was my country, i would be sooo proud of this guy.
He is a straight forward, honest, tough leader.

He has got the dirtiest job of all. Clean up the crap from the past 8 years, fighting snakes in the holes all around his house and building up a country with a dent in its own trust and ego.
This guy is a true hero if you ask me.

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by 4wingster November 23, 2010 4:40 PM EST: This is my Country and I am Glad he is our President. Had he not been dealing with a lot of things not of his making, we would be a lot farther down the road.

by lmw952 November 11, 2010 5:03 AM EST

This was a very good interview. Steve asked all the right questions in a respectful way. President Obama took full responsibility for his shortcomings. It takes a good leader to fess up and take full responsibility for whatever happens on his/her watch. Unlike some politicians that wait until they're out of office, have a ghostwriter write a book for them, then admit what they should have admitted while they were actively serving the public. As a matter of fact, President Obama is one of the few people who writes his own books.

Anyway, President Obama still has the opportunity to correct his mistakes and I believe he's more than willing to do that. As far as this "new" Congress goes, they're already flip-flopping on their campaign promises. Our Country's one priority is jobs and the economy - not subpeonas and investigations. Just give enough rope to hang themselves. They're going to over reach and be voted out in 2012.

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by aschark November 14, 2010 9:07 PM EST: You're right, ln, jobs and the economy should be on the front burner, not campaigning for his Party that he, Reid, and Pelosi threw under the bus. Passing a health plan that nobody read, that will affect the whole Country? Buddy, if you believe that, I've got an underwater bridge for sale that I'm sure you"d be interested in.
Obama's accomplishments: transparency (?); CNN at all meetings (?); slow reaction to BP spill; fast reaction to Cambridge cop acting "stupidly"; reaching accross the aisle (never saw that, did you?); his opinion on the NY mosque; Louisina "purchase" to pass his unread health plan?
If you truly don't believe that Obama is steering this Country into Socialism, well, I'm sorry for you. Obama could talk a starving dog off of a meat wagon, he's that good.
Let me leave you with facts, something like a math problem: numbers don't lie - either right or wrong.
Large government has to be paid by the taxpayers. If the gov't increases, taxes increase , also. Got that? Right now, we're paying 33% in taxes, pre VAT (I know that you know what VAT is, so I won't have to explain it). We're in a recession (Iknow you know that), so raising taxes (AKA Bush cut) would be, well, not too bright. Why is Obama taking so long to make up our minds? And you know (Iknow you do), that if the elections didn't go the way it did, we wouldn't enjoy the tax cut (funny, nobody's blaming Bush for the tax cut). Now our stimulus money is shoring up, mostly, gov't and Union jobs. Very little in the private sector. All of these jobs have to be paid for, and when you say the gov't is paying for it, it's YOUR money. And you'll have less and less of it as the gov't expands.
A little plagiarism here from Margaret Thatcher (1976), Prime Minister of the UK, 1979-1990: "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." I know you've heard that Obama is going to print out an additional $800 million. That will make your dollar worth 50 cents, but, obviously, you don't care.
Did you get anything out of that, or are you going to call me a pathetic psycopath bigot racist?
Listen to the other side, then make up your own mind. That's better for this Country


by justsayn November 9, 2010 11:47 PM EST: The onus is on Republicans now. Don't worry. At least half the country is still sane.; Reply to this comment

by dadelbergjoy November 9, 2010 3:32 PM EST

As an outsider, I'm sure that Americans couldn't care less aout my opinion, however, I'll give it anyway. I believe the ONLY reason the Democrats lost the midterms is FOX NEWS. Unquestionalbly the voice of the Republican party. Without Beck and O'rielly, the Republicans and their agenda would be a distant memory. Right from day one the Republicans through FOX NEWS, set out to ruin Mr. Obama. The Republicans all got together and agreed to use FOX NEWS to spue a message that Mr. Obama was to blame for the country's woes. Unfortunately, Mr. Obama was remiss in not making sure that the people knew this ,and that they also knew that their government was doing all it could do to change what the republicans had and were still trying to do.Here is the real truth...Evert-one, and I mean every member of the Republican party is complicit in this. Tea Party...She Party...just a bunch of Negro hating bigots who are scarred out of their minds that an uppity Black man is not only smarter than all of them put together, but could also, through intelligent thought, unite the country in ways not seen since FDR. I would like to warn the American people that if they don't stop FOX NEWS they will never stop driving their country towards total distruction.
Dave Adelberg
Canadian citizen

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by ToddFoster November 10, 2010 2:13 PM EST: Thank you our Canadian Brother. Dave has it pegged. We still are being led down a path though. Like a magician, FOX and others have us so intrigued and "dramatized" we are unable to see the real issues at hand...Peak Oil, Drinking water shortage, And the absolute need for green energy.
Those things aside...there recently was an article in the St. Petersburg , Fl. Times. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on: "How Would You Fix the Economy?" I think this guy nailed it!

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America 's economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan.
You can call it the "Patriotic Retirement Plan":

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new AMERICAN Car. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress pay their taxes..

Mr. President, while you're at it, make Congress retire on Social Security and Medicare. I'll bet both programs would be fixed pronto!


by jlthurmo May 9, 2011 2:32 AM EDT: Wow! Really?! "Negro hating bigots"? That is the same ignorance that you place on the people who watch Fox News. Yes, it is a terribly biased organization. I will not argue with you there. But that statement makes everything you say irrelevant. If you want to make a point, especially about how ignorant Fox News viewers are, don't make ignorant statement to prove your point. How many Tea Party members do you know Mr Canada?


by IvyDenise November 9, 2010 3:28 PM EST: I continue to be inspired and proud that I voted for President Obama. It was a good interview, he explains things clearly and calmly. I think that Steve Kroft asked good questions and was respectful. To those who think the President was somber, I think he should be losing so many of his democratic states men. To those who think he is arrogant, he should be a bit arrogant to be president. It is a characteristic of a confident leader. America we have something good in President Obama lets not mess it up.
God Bless America!!!; Reply to this comment


by iamshouse November 9, 2010 2:13 PM EST: Great interview. Thank you 60 minutes. Finally the "real" truth.; Reply to this comment


by anndamato November 9, 2010 11:57 AM EST: This was one of the worst interviews I have ever seen. Mr.Croft had a continual smirk on his face,clearly doesn't like Mr. Obama and let his personal distain show through. He never preferenced his questions with Mr. President, and overspoke the President in the middle of his answers several times. I think that Mr. Croft needs to go back to journalism school and learn that as an interviewer he must be unbaised. Whether or not he likes the man, or agrees with him or not Mr. Obama is the President of the US and Mr. Croft needs to show respect for the office.; Reply to this comment

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