Back On Planet Earth

Weekly commentary by CBS Evening News chief Washington correspondent and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.

---

Say what you will, we are finally having one debate we should have had during the campaign: how do we close the prison at Guantanamo?

We never got to that because John McCain and Barack Obama agreed the place should be closed, and because they did, the harder question of HOW to do it never came up.

Now the President is discovering what so many presidents have discovered before him: Saying something in a campaign is much easier than actually getting it done.

There is always an unexpected twist. Who would have predicted that a Congress clammering to close the place down, would block the president from doing just that?

And for good reason: It has suddenly dawned on everyone that, mistreated or not, there are some pretty bad dudes down there, and no one wants them in their neighborhood.

This will eventually be resolved, but the president will have to come up with a detailed plan on what is to be done with these people. He'll have to reassure Congress that the government is pretty good at running maximum security prisons - and with the gift of a federal bridge here and a post office there, Congress will find a way to give him the money to get this done.

But as it usually does, it will take longer and cost more than anyone imagined.

On Planet Campaign, all things are possible. On Planet Earth, it is never quite that easy, and it always costs more.

[ronbruton]

Bob Schiefer,

I am very disappointed in you. A true Texan should be qualified to ask the President of the United States some meaningful questions. Have you completely lost what cojones you had. You had more at KXOL in Fort Worth. You used to report the News, now it is day time drama.

Ronald J. Bruton

[skeezix06]

"It has suddenly dawned on everyone that, mistreated or not, there are some pretty bad dudes down there, and no one wants them in their neighborhood.

This will eventually be resolved, but the president will have to come up with a detailed plan on what is to be done with these people. He'll have to reassure Congress that the government is pretty good at running maximum security prisons - and with the gift of a federal bridge here and a post office there, Congress will find a way to give him the money to get this done. "
----------
You did it again. Instead of deconstructing the argument/statement, you took it at face value, refused to research it, and as has been said elsewhere, played the beltway card.

[noloyalisti]

Obama did not realize the level to which fascism has gripped America. I know from talking to a lot of educated, progressive people like myself that very few will admit to this dire situation. The forces that operate to kill populism and oppose things that are good for the masses (social reform, unions, equal rights and opportunity) are simply staggering.

Of course it won't change until we admit the breadth of the problem with corporate control of everything democratic.

[rodk47]

Gosh, nobody running for the Presidency should promise ANYTHING! Guys like Schieffer have been around the slough of despond that is DC for so long that they actually start to believe we care what THEY think! What's Obama supposed to do, Bob? Maybe he could have won saying " I don't think I can't get anything done because the Washington press corp says so." No matter how much Obama actually does accomplish, there will always be some old time press naysayers who will patronize him. Fortunately, Obama is too grounded and too smart to care.

[sjc_1]

This President has gotten more done in 4 months than the previous one did in 4 years. I would not worry about campaign promises, the positive results will speak for themselves. Let's revisit the results at the end of every quarter and see what progress is made. I think most people will be impressed.

[kenhamlett]

An alternative to immediate closure is to get on with the trials, pass sentences as appropriate, and yes, put those found guilty in real prisons. The current method of prisoner's without rights flys right in the face of our supposed honor and ethics.
Take this matter to its logical conclusion and Gitmo will be empty and can be used as a final home for Bush, Cheney and their friends after their war crimes trials.

[burneb]

Planet Pandering is more like it, as Congressmen, Governors, Mayors, etc. pander to irrational fears and NIMBY whiners. Holding dangerous prisoners is what maximum security prisons are SUPPOSED to do. They all have lots of pretty bad dudes already.

Any high security Federal prison that cannot safely hold Gitmo detainees should have their prisoners AND THEIR JOBS moved to someplace that can.