Comments on: A More Contentious Obama Press Conference

[mistermcfrugal]

Seem like even the worshipers on the far left should start getting sick of this worthless president. Have you ever seen such a weak president? He lets Nancy Pelosi tell him when to wipe his you-know-what. This loser needs to resign! He's done for!

[gravyboat3000]

Boring.

[gravyboat3000]

How long did it take this press corp to stop kissing GW's arse after 9/11?

A lot longer than it took them to fight back against claims that they were Obama fans.

lmao

It seemed they were all trying to out, "Fox News", Major Garrett.

Funny stuff.

[mimiHamidou]

100% agree with you, zodie. Brian needs to stop smokin' whatever he's smokin'. Many of Brian's comment descriptions were taken out of context--to many to count. Watch the thing yourself and see it! Don't take my word when you can easily make up your own mind! See video link above.

[mimiHamidou]

oh, and I forgot... one thing. Surely you don't link the high unemployment with Obama. Don't you remember the banks began failing right BEFORE he took office. I may not like all Obama does, but I can't say 6 months is long enough to cause the economy to crash. That is nonsense, really. Both Dems and Republicans PAST have a role in that. If anything the Republican had 8 years to fix whatever things they thought were wrong with the economy, if they even though anything wrong. I seem to remember J. McCain saying, during the campaign, "the basics of our economy are sound." Hmm.. don't think he'd say that today.

[mimiHamidou]

I had a completely different opinnion of that news conference. I thought it was not tense. Some tough questions were asked, but certainly not anything I myself didn't expect. I mean, come on, didn't we all know they would ask about Iran and the Health Care plan? He did well in this conference, I thought, but maybe that's because I have confidence (utterly) in his approach to Iran. It comes from years of knowing so many Iranians and studying their language. I think Obama has actually smothered the hot air life out of the mullahs by depriving them of oxygen completely, but that's just my two cents.

[mimiHamidou]

ONe comment on meddling that is getting way mis-understood in my opinion. Obama is not trying to be "nice" by not meddling. I've many Iranian friends and have spent the last 10 years of my life studying politics in Iran. I don't think meddling is exactly the right word. OUr support of ANYONE RIGHT now would mean instant hanging in the street for that person. Do NOT be surprised, now after John Mccain has hammered on this and the president has stated his "concern" TO NOT be surprised if the Iranian Government now drag Musawi's family out of their home on the even before the next rally and execute them. Americans never leave their country and rarely know what to say to people whose country they've neer seen.

[mimiHamidou]

This was a great comment. Very well stated. You aren't the child posters I see out here, who think they know something about a country to which they've never ever even been.

[mimiHamidou]

I'm with tonatq. I think Obama is confident, not arrogant. But I accept that to people who 1)have no clue about Iran and have never met an Iranian 2)have not ever been denied health insurance in the USA 3) have so much money they fall in the category Obama is going to tax more this year ($250,000) or more I don't feel very sorry these days. We waited for 8 years. Try not to feel too imprisioned as you now SERVE YOUR 8!

[Paul-Solomon]

In between fielding questions dealing with the unrest in Iran, the fate of the economy, and the perils of global warming, Obama admitted that he still smokes occasionally, and that it is an ongoing battle. "As a former smoker, I constantly struggle with it," said Obama. "Have I fallen off the wagon with it? Yes." Obama added, however, that he never smokes in front of his two young daughters and not on a daily basis. During the presidential campaign, Obama occasionally bummed cigarettes from aides, but was never photographed by the media and made sure to emphasize he was working on getting his habit under control. Today, Obama that he is "95% cured," after a reporter asked about his struggle kicking the habit. As to the legitimacy of the question, the president brushed it off, saying "I understand...It's an interesting human interest story." He didn't see however, how it was relevant to the new law, but, in order to satisfy the media's quest for instant gratification on the subject, he wasted time talking about his own struggles. "There are times where I mess up...I get this question about once every month or so. And, you know, I don't know what to tell you, other than the fact that, you know, like folks who go to A.A., you know, once you've gone down this path, then it's something you continually struggle with, which is precisely why the legislation we signed was so important. Because what we don't want is kids going down that path in the first place." The President didn't explain where exactly he lights up, but since he doesn't do it in front of his family, and the media hasn't witnessed him smoking, it seems that the question asked of him was unnecessary. The sweeping new legislation passed yesterday giving the FDA authority to regulate tobacco was a major step in protecting children. Obama has said he got hooked on cigarettes as a teenager, and as he signed the bill in the White House Rose Garden yesterday, he said "The decades-long effort to protect our children from the harmful effects of tobacco has emerged victorious." That should be the story, not Obama's own struggle with nicotine. He is, after all, a role model for children. Why complicate the issue?

http://www.paulsolomon.blogspot.com

[mimiHamidou]

Yeah... don't you miss the days when Bush would walk out and even with a Teleprompter, would almost mess up his own name?

[speakinup22]

It's about time President Obama got a little more "testy".


I'm not sure it should have been with the press corps though. That will bit you in the butt faster'n anything barry.

[mimiHamidou]

I'm an Obama supporter and I've never enjoyed it more. I thought he did so well, unlike Brain. He had people laughing so hard, at one point, it startled me. He made a joke about his ears that was really funny. BElieve me, noone was thinking he was an idiot tonight, but the people who voted for J. McCain, who really didn't understand what it meant to have foriegn experience. McCain is clammoring about being more "tough." Iranians do NOT want a "tough" American man shouting at them, LOL.

[mimiHamidou]

As an American Abroad for the past 10 years, THIS is exactly why I voted for Obama and not McCain. I'm sorry, but Americans reading this article who don't understand why Obama is condemning the violence but not condemning the election as a fraud: could you do us all a favour? Ask youself if you've ever met an Iranian in all your life and b) If you have met anyone Iranian, at all, if you've ever actually spoken to this Iranian about politics between the USA and Iran? Then add some points if you've ever been out of the country! Tell us for how long you've been oustide the USA, and whether or not it was to the Middle East. THEN come and tell me that Obama should walk out with gun in holster and shoot his mouth off to "aid" the cause of Iranians who are protesting--as if Iranian Youth are beholden to the same US interests their parents held a Revoltion over! (Remember Iranians kicked out the US backed Shah *king* and he ran for his life)? These House Resolutions are a JOKE to Iranians. They are so utterly offended (even the Opposition against Amedidinejad) that they would probably question themselves if they should revolt, and further would ask themselves if the USA was really behind the Opposition, as the Iranian Government is claiming now. People: American foreign relations is NOT a game. Our security (nuclear possiblity of war)is of grave concern here. WE have a Pres who GETS IT. We are not going to shout a bunch of mullahs down, who have been brainwashing their people for 30 years. In fact, to do so would play right into their hands. Go do a search on CIA sponsored coup in Iran and 1953, and you will get a lot of hits--one of which is an article in the year 2002, in the NYTimes, admitting our role and publishing the CIA document in the back pages, which no-one probably read. I had an Iranian friend call me and wake me up that Sunday morning to read it, and I couldn't belive my ears and eyes. No wonder Europeans know more than we do!

[mimiHamidou]

As an American Abroad for the past 10 years, THIS is exactly why I voted for Obama and not McCain. I'm sorry, but Americans reading this article who don't understand why Obama is condemning the violence but not condemning the election as a fraud: could you do us all a favour? Ask youself if you've ever met an Iranian in all your life and b) If you have met anyone Iranian, at all, if you've ever actually spoken to this Iranian about politics between the USA and Iran? Then add some points if you've ever been out of the country! Tell us for how long you've been oustide the USA, and whether or not it was to the Middle East. THEN come and tell me that Obama should walk out with gun in holster and shoot his mouth off to "aid" the cause of Iranians who are protesting--as if Iranian Youth are beholden to the same US interests their parents held a Revoltion over! (Remember Iranians kicked out the US backed Shah *king* and he ran for his life)? These House Resolutions are a JOKE to Iranians. They are so utterly offended (even the Opposition against Amedidinejad) that they would probably question themselves if they should revolt, and further would ask themselves if the USA was really behind the Opposition, as the Iranian Government is claiming now. People: American foreign relations is NOT a game. Our security (nuclear possiblity of war)is of grave concern here. WE have a Pres who GETS IT. We are not going to shout a bunch of mullahs down, who have been brainwashing their people for 30 years. In fact, to do so would play right into their hands. Go do a search on CIA sponsored coup in Iran and 1953, and you will get a lot of hits--one of which is an article in the year 2002, in the NYTimes, admitting our role and publishing the CIA document in the back pages, which no-one probably read. I had an Iranian friend call me and wake me up that Sunday morning to read it, and I couldn't belive my ears and eyes. No wonder Europeans know more than we do!

[dencal26]

Lets hope this is the start of something new. Perhaps they will begin to question Obama on his actual Chicago history and Bill Ayers which we know was more than " just a guy from the neighborhood". Perhaps the media will expose his lack of a record in State and US Senate instead of digging through Palins trash cans. Perhaps they will finally do their JOB.

[dencal26]

Republicans hid after 911? I must have missed that because my Restaurant in Gramercy Park was empty and the vast majority of my customers were liberals.

[sjc_1]

After 8 years of fascist repression the press corp has gone over board and has become rude. Get some civility back, ask questions but be polite and respectful. Chuck Todd should be banned from the press corp immediately for being a jerk.

[mimiHamidou]

I thought the interview was exactly OPPOSITE of what this author thought. Obama looked completely relaxed. He made people laugh--not the "tense" session complained about above. At one point, I was startled because he made them break out into laughter, and it was really loud and really long! :-) One of the first questions was something to the affect of "did McCain's comments make you change you mind on Iran." He smiled and said, "what do you think?" but it was more self-deprecating, I thought, than Brian is letting on. You're also leaving out Obama's statements completely about WHY Obama stated it would not be wise for America to interject her comment on the fairness. He said of course, we object to the violence, but he said, "we don't know how this thing is going to play out yet." When questioned further, that's when he said, You guys are on a 24 hour clock and I'm not." The tone and the facial expression was serious. He said as President, he had to make the decisions and he is not on a 24hour news clock. (paraphrase). He mentioned that the Iranian press is already lying about what he DID say--They are climaing that he told protestors to go out onto the streets and riot (which Iranian Government knows would anger other Iranian people). I've even read many Iranian Twitters where Iranians have asked Obama to keep it up!! The USA has been accused of meddling in Iran to the point it caused a Revolution and they ran the US backed Shah out. Absolutely this is not the time to back Musawi. If we did, he'd be arrested and hung the next day on Main St. TehranS, if you know what I mean.

[gilzimmerman]

Civil? Really? Is that the standard of journalism CBS really thinks matters? After they and the rest of the Liberal Media forgot to tell the American People who this guy really is during the campaigns? This is Chicago thug politics, folks. All suited up in a snappy suit and tie with Harvard credentials. Bernie Goldberg actually gets it right.