I like his analogy to a "boat in a storm". The "Captain" cannot control the weather. I agree I do not like the ride right now. It would be nice to see some "sunny skies". However, I believe God is STILL in control and I pray for our President and our country's leaders and military everyday. I am so thankful we do STILL live in the best country in the world.
Why bother have an interviewer if the President isn't going to be challenged on ANY of his made up tales!!! Just make this an Ad for his re-election! What a JOKE!
I strongly disagree with anyone that suggests that Mr. Kroft's line or manner of questioning the president was disrespectful. After all, wasn't it Mr. Kroft's job to present the issues to the president as narrated by the opposition? I think Mr. Kroft did an admirable job, not to be seen to be too soft or too hostile to the president. If Mr. Kroft had been perceived to be too soft in his questioning of the president, many republicans would shout foul, while calling CBS a liberal network sucking up to the president.
As for the president, my advice to him is to make greater efforts in informing the American people, especially those who are less knowledgeable about our system of government, that as the president he can only come up with ideas of solving the problems, economic or otherwise, we face as a country, and that it is up to Congress to fund those ideas. He as the president does not have the authority to finance any economic projects or implement any economic activities without the favorable actions or support of the Congress, which has so far adamantly refused to do so. More over, the president should enlighten those of us who believe that part of his job is to control Congress. Far be it from it. In fact, the job of creating economic prosperity/growth in our system of government is given exclusively to the Federal Reserves and not the president. So what is left for the president and Congress to do is to manage our revenues and expenditures based on the interest and the general welfare of our citizens. In light of that, it is my opinion that the president and his administration have done a remarkable job in spite of the obstructionist Congress he has to deal with. I for one would not blame him if the unemployment rate is not lower than 7% by November 2012. After all, any serious economist understands that our current economic problems are primarily a consequence of our long-run economic actions covering several decades; thus, we should not expect to correct them all within a short period of two to four years.
@ piBen11 December 11, 2011 - Finally, another person who believes like I do. The average American Citizen simply does not understand the Office of the President (who "We the People" elect to represent our "will" for the country), or the function of any other branch of the government. Did everyone fail their basic Civics class? It doesn't matter how bold a President's Agenda is, if he does not have cooperation from the Senate/Congress (who are made up of representatives that ironically, "We the People" also elected to actually ensure that the "Will of the People" is at the center of the legislative process). Sadly, today these representatives are putting their collective will above the will of the Republic for their political careers. Talk about absolute power corrupting absolutely....this is it!!
Gosh, so if the republicans think they are so good, why not try OBAMA's ideal. And if the result turned out bad, then it wil be his fault. But if it works the republicans seriously need to learn teamwork back in high school or middle school. Don't they understand EXPERIMENT
Steve Kroft did a very poor job of interviewing President Obama tonight on 60 Minutes. His interviewing techniques are often quite lacking...but especially tonight. I found myself wondering--is it because he is a Republican and simply cannot hide his political bias?!? What else would account for this method of questioning and lack of respect?
Scott Pelly would have done a far better job! He asks tough questions, but is ALWAYS polite and respectful to his guests.
Totally agree...seriously, I can see his little act.... A 17 years old like me can even see his false. But if that's the way he just is, then I'm fine with him (accepting the way he is, hopefully he was not doing it on purpose)
President Obama was pitch-perfect tonight in his responses to Steve Kroft's inaccurate assertions. I found it humorous that Mr. Kroft was so intent on needling the President that he tried to say both that President Obama had not accommodated the Republicans enough, and that he had pandered to them too much. As the President correctly pointed out, both statements can't be true. Since taking office, President Obama has given the Republicans every opportunity to work with him. They have shown over and over they are more interestedin pursuing an agenda of selfishness and destruction rather than doing what's right for this country. Its about time the President started standing up to them and asserting a more progressive agenda that will return America to the dream it used to represent. I love the feisty new President!
Yes, I agree. The President was cool as a cucumber, despite the bias questions and disrepectful manner in which Steve Kroft proposed them. I thought his questions were personal instead of from a journalistic stand point.
I can't say, but they seem to be the one trying to defeat our president or kill him off. Lets just say karma will hit them hard if they do anything against god's will. HE IS WATCHING, and HE KNOWS WHO IS DOING THE WRONGGG THING.
This was a profoundly disappointing interview. The only content introduced by the interviewer was the superficial negative media obsessions that have shaped his presidency and the criticisms made by others. Interestingly, the interviewer referred to NONE of his achievements, which only got air time because the President was asked to list them.The fact that the president stated he was not appeasing our enemies was translated as him being "even more combative". Then, of course, his failure to be adequately "combative" had to be nuanced. The embedded bias was actually kind of shocking. LIke many in the media, I do recognize that this strange response to this president is simply denied rather than explored.
Here is the logic that the interviewer never confronted. If a group of people publicly state that they want a leader to "fail" and will do everything that they can to ensure that the leader will fail, then that factual information ought to be part of the discussion. Blaming the president for this decision or implying he should magically make everyone change their mind gives those who have made the decision a free ride and blames the president for the lack of patriotism, respect, and care for our nation that should be laid at the feet of those who made the decision. Why is he being blamed for their behavior? Does the interviewer honestly believe that he is accountable for their lack of character?
It was also a cowardly and pretentious interview. The reality is that a significant part of the opposition to this president has been carefully researched by significant scholars: he is our first black president and this is a significant factor in the entire media and subculture meme about his tenure. One is left with the sense that this interviewer is one of the people with this subliminal problem.
This interview bordered on malpractice. I tried to picture the interviewer having the same conversation with George W. Bush. I could not do so. Thank God the president was willing to interrupt the interviewer when his simplistic parroting of extremists views on the president (both conservative and progressive) were presented as facts.
The president was awesome when he corrected STEVE. "THEY JUDGE ON MY IDEALS, NOT MY PERFORMANCE." Totally owned STEVE, it made me laugh, pleaseee don't embarrass yourself steve.
President Obama came off as a thoughtful, competent leader with a sense of humor. As I watched the interview with Steve tonight, it was clear we have our best president in years in the White House. Obama tried to compromise with the GOP by suggesting deeper cuts than the Dems would like. The GOP refused to compromise and clung to their position of no tax increases for the wealthy. Obama is the middle class warrior that puts fear into the GOP and their rich masters.
I want one America. The one led by president Obama to restore middle class prosperity.
The GOP wants two Americas. One where the rich live in gated communities and get richer off of the burdened middle class and poor. The other America is where no upward mobility exists for the mass of the workers.
This 60 Minutes interview proved again that Obama is a class act.
The debates proved over and over that this class of GOP candidates is just an act.
HAHAH he is like ROBIN HOOD! Gosh RICH people only think about being the top richest, please yall can't ever catch up to Bill Gate or the other Indian guy and the others. So why not cooperate to have fame that your cooperating to help the middle classes.
This interviewer referred to the First Lady of the United States of America as MICHELLE! How horribly disrespectful! Would he ever refer to Mrs. Bush as Laura or the other Mrs. Bush as Barbara? Would he refer to Mrs Clinton, when she was 1st Lady as Hillary or Mrs. Reagan as Nancy? Mrs Obama is due the same respect as her predecessors! The President can speak of his wife as "Michelle" but how dare anyone else in a professional capacity ever part their lips to reference her as Michelle & not Mrs Obama. It's shameful of 60minutes. Disgraceful!
I came away with this thought. Steve Kroft was hostile and attempting a gottcha question. Any person that blames the hard times and disfuction of our governmenton on President Obama must be living under Rick Perry's rock.
Agreed. Steve Kroft was out of line in some of his questioning. How many times can a reporter interrupt the President of the United States? His line of questioning was cynical and antagonistic. As an independent viewer, it's easy to see where this reporter and the 60 Minutes production team falls on the political spectrum. For a second I thought I was watching Fox News.
Agreed! Steve Kroft's conduct probably increased the number of independent voters for this president. I remember when I used to respect 60 minutes. They cashed it in tonight.
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The occupiers need you.
As for the president, my advice to him is to make greater efforts in informing the American people, especially those who are less knowledgeable about our system of government, that as the president he can only come up with ideas of solving the problems, economic or otherwise, we face as a country, and that it is up to Congress to fund those ideas. He as the president does not have the authority to finance any economic projects or implement any economic activities without the favorable actions or support of the Congress, which has so far adamantly refused to do so. More over, the president should enlighten those of us who believe that part of his job is to control Congress. Far be it from it. In fact, the job of creating economic prosperity/growth in our system of government is given exclusively to the Federal Reserves and not the president. So what is left for the president and Congress to do is to manage our revenues and expenditures based on the interest and the general welfare of our citizens. In light of that, it is my opinion that the president and his administration have done a remarkable job in spite of the obstructionist Congress he has to deal with. I for one would not blame him if the unemployment rate is not lower than 7% by November 2012. After all, any serious economist understands that our current economic problems are primarily a consequence of our long-run economic actions covering several decades; thus, we should not expect to correct them all within a short period of two to four years.
Scott Pelly would have done a far better job! He asks tough questions, but is ALWAYS polite and respectful to his guests.
Signed,
A 30+ Year Fan of 60 Minutes
A 17 years old like me can even see his false
A 17 years old like me can even see his false. But if that's the way he just is, then I'm fine with him (accepting the way he is, hopefully he was not doing it on purpose)
Here is the logic that the interviewer never confronted. If a group of people publicly state that they want a leader to "fail" and will do everything that they can to ensure that the leader will fail, then that factual information ought to be part of the discussion. Blaming the president for this decision or implying he should magically make everyone change their mind gives those who have made the decision a free ride and blames the president for the lack of patriotism, respect, and care for our nation that should be laid at the feet of those who made the decision. Why is he being blamed for their behavior? Does the interviewer honestly believe that he is accountable for their lack of character?
It was also a cowardly and pretentious interview. The reality is that a significant part of the opposition to this president has been carefully researched by significant scholars: he is our first black president and this is a significant factor in the entire media and subculture meme about his tenure. One is left with the sense that this interviewer is one of the people with this subliminal problem.
This interview bordered on malpractice. I tried to picture the interviewer having the same conversation with George W. Bush. I could not do so. Thank God the president was willing to interrupt the interviewer when his simplistic parroting of extremists views on the president (both conservative and progressive) were presented as facts.
Shameful!
I want one America. The one led by president Obama to restore middle class prosperity.
The GOP wants two Americas. One where the rich live in gated communities and get richer off of the burdened middle class and poor. The other America is where no upward mobility exists for the mass of the workers.
This 60 Minutes interview proved again that Obama is a class act.
The debates proved over and over that this class of GOP candidates is just an act.