Instant Analysis: The Obama News Conference
(AP)
Steve Chaggaris is CBS News' Political Director.
March 24, 2009 9:50 PM Some thoughts on Tuesday evening’s presidential news conference:
We're seeing a trend with these news conferences: President Obama has come into each with specific points he wants to make - fighting for his economic stimulus plan during his first one, and tonight pushing his budget blueprint. And he returns to these points almost regardless of what's asked. He even turned a question on Mideast peace into fixing the economy.
Based on what he repeated tonight, it was clear Mr. Obama wanted to make the point that including health care reform, an energy plan and education reform are keystones to helping fix the economy. In addition, he made it clear that this economic mess was something he "inherited" - a common refrain since he's taken office - and repeated that his "critics" don't have a budget blueprint of their own to counter his.
There are critics that suggest Mr. Obama is becoming overexposed with all of his high-profile events of late - Jay Leno, "60 Minutes," tonight's news conference. But this is a president whose approval numbers remain very strong and the obvious thinking is that he may as well take advantage of that. There's no better spokesperson for the president's agenda right now than the president himself.
In addition, this almost "perma-campaign" he's embarked on – press conferences, town meetings, etc. – marks a continuation of the behavior that swept him into the White House. It seems that the thinking is that the president selling his agenda directly to Americans is the most effective way to accomplish what he wants to get done. And until voters start complaining about his strategy, it's sure to continue.
One testy moment: His response to what he knew about the AIG bonuses and why it took him two days to say something about it. The one unanswered question lingering from this AIG flap is what, exactly, did the president know. The administration said he learned about the bonuses on March 12. But twice now, the president has not specifically answered questions about his exact timeline, perhaps understanding the political hot potato that the issue has turned into.
Steve Chaggaris is CBS News' Political Director.
Steve Chaggaris is CBS News' Political Director.
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- p.s. if just spending money were a plan their are alot of married folk who can stop arguing HoW the money was spent!
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- all obama did was point fingers, refuse to answer real questions, refused to offer a real plan and whine because he didn't heed warnings of spending the US into oblivion
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- Jedi0849 said: " you stop watching PMSNBC and start watching real news you would know the Republicans have lots of ideas. most consist of tax cuts for business to put money in the hands of the people. Also things like cutting capital gains and reduced spending, not even more spending. "
If you bothered to keep up with current events, you would know that the Republicans haven't proposed anything close to a workable budget...or how they would fix the financial instutions...or anything else. Do you really think that the financial institutions are going to be fixed with tax cuts? Not even former President George W. Bush was silly enough to believe that. It's easy to throw out this idea and that idea with no context about how that fits into a plan for governing. Republicans have just mindlessly recited slogans like tax cuts as the solution to everything. There is a difference between a workable plan and a knee jerk, mindless slogan. We've had the latter for 8 years and look where it got us.
You talk show host/Republican Party leader Rush Limbaugh has no answers for anyone but himself. Let's see if the Republicans have anything close to a comprehensive plan...or have the courage to put one out there. They don't deserve to have their ideas considered if they don't have the stones to put a workable plan forward for the public to consider. - Reply to this comment
- Apparently Obama and his administration have learned a lot from Homer Simpson:
"There are three sentences that will get you through life. Number one, "Cover for me." Number two, "Oh, good idea boss." Number three, "It was like that when I got here."
Thanks for the advice Homer. Now they just need to let Geithner confiscate businesses any time he feels like it
Oh yeah!. Side Note: Almost all of the people at AIG that had caused the company's meltdown had already left by the time the bonuses had been given. Most of the people that were targeted were the ones that actually helped keep the company afloat. However, I'm sure that won't matter to ACORN (who has recieved BILLIONS in taxpayer dollars, but organized busses to bring people to the bonus recipient's houses to terrorize them AND their families by saying things like "We know where your children go to school"). - Reply to this comment
- wasnt worth wacthing! the press did not ask much of of mr BHO
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- Obama was amazing. I guess it is not hard to do what Obama does when one is brilliant, hard working, honest and well intenioned. Obama is GOOD and that shows through.
I really don't get these weird comments about a teleprompter that I keep reading in different places. What is the problem with using a teleprompter? Maybe someone could explain what the big deal would be.
Guess it's another Republican idea for fixing all of our problems. Just complain about use of a teleprompter. Hey. that will solve all the problems. What a bunch of EVIL LOSERS the GOP and their right wing media are. What's with the teleprompter nonsense. GOT any ideas on how to fix all the problems facing our country and the American people?
Forget the teleprompter. any talk about it should not waste our time. - Reply to this comment
- A very boring boring conference with nothing to say but the same old. He cannot even answer a question - just rambles on about investment in the future. Sure, sure - there will be no future with him in office - just disasters!
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- Another "safe" news conference. Two WEEKS we have seen his administration debacle with AIG, yet this only results in ONE question about it??? Give me a break!
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- The Republicans are hilarious- they got things nearly irreversible fouled up, then have the audacity to obstruct legislative progress & worse, constantly throw mud at Obama & anyone else whom is wise enough to affiliate as a democrat. Now the republican pundits are loosely using the phrase "one term president" HAAAA! Wishful thinking! Their boy W should have been a one termer, President Obama, if allowed, should be a three termer. What a blessing & breath of fresh air to have a leader who didn't burn out all of his brain cells partying in college.
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- If the Republicans have such good ideas, what are they waiting for? What is their alternative? Now is the time to put their plan forward...if they have one. Are they afraid to do so?
In these tough times, do you really want leaders in charge who are so afraid of what a mere talk-show host has to say that they won't propose anything?
Posted by bradkt1 at 11:44 PM : Mar 24, 2009
If you stop watching PMSNBC and start watching real news you would know the Republicans have lots of ideas. most consist of tax cuts for business to put money in the hands of the people. Also things like cutting capital gains and reduced spending, not even more spending.
Its a false arguement to say that Bush's tax cuts didn't work. What didn't work is Bush's over spending and two wars along with his tax cuts. Thats what didn't work. - Reply to this comment
Author Thomas Friedman on Obama's Afghanistan plan and the war on terror.
