WASHINGTON, July 2, 2009
Obama "Deeply Concerned" with Unemployment
Obama Talks Unemployment, Russia, and MJ in AP Interview
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President Barack Obama gestures during his interview with The Associated Press, Thursday, July 2, 2009, in the West Wing of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
With joblessness rising, President Barack Obama said Thursday he was "deeply concerned" about unemployment and conceded that too many families are worried about "whether they will be next" to suffer economically.
In a White House interview with The Associated Press, Obama said that since he took office, "we have successfully stabilized the financial markets," and "started to see some stabilization on housing."
"But what we are still seeing is too many jobs lost," said Obama, commenting after new government figures showed the unemployment rate had risen to 9.5 percent last month.
On an important international subject, Obama is scheduled to travel to Russia next week, and he said the agenda includes talks on a new treaty to curtail long-range nuclear missiles. Asked why he intends to meet with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the former president, Obama said he "still has a lot of sway." Putin now is nominally the second-in-command in the Kremlin.
Obama also is to meet with the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev.
It is important that both Medvedev and Putin hear the same message from the U.S., said Obama, who added that he believes Putin "has one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new."
Obama praised Russia for its cooperation in attempting to persuade North Korea and Iran to abandon their nuclear development programs. The United Nations recently approved "the most robust sanction regime that we've ever seen with respect to North Korea," he said.
Asked if he was resigned to Iran's possession of nuclear weapons, he said, "I'm not reconciled with that, and I don't think the international community is reconciled with that."
Obama spoke sympathetically of white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., who won a Supreme Court case this week after claiming they had been unfairly denied promotions because of their race. But he added, "Keep in mind the Supreme Court didn't close the door to affirmative action" to help minorities.
At the same time, he conceded the justices were "moving the ball" on the issue with a 5-4 ruling in the case.
Obama, a former teacher of constitutional law, said, "I've always believed that affirmative action was less of an issue or should be less of an issue than it has been made out to be in news reports. It hasn't been as potent a force for racial progress as advocates will claim and it hasn't been as bad on white students seeking admissions or seeking a job as its critics say."
Asked about his plans for detainees currently held at the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the president said the idea of indefinite detention being part of his legacy as president "gives me huge pause."
But he also said there are some detainees who don't fall neatly into existing categories for criminal prosecution in the United States or under international law. He said dealing with them is going to be one of the biggest challenges of his administration. He said he's not comfortable with mandating indefinite detentions on his own through executive orders, but he didn't explicitly rule that out.
And his view of Michael Jackson, whose death has dominated news coverage for nearly a week: The president said Jackson was "one of our greatest entertainers" and "I still have all his stuff on my iPod." But he said Jackson's life had been tragic and in many ways sad.
On light subjects:
The president spoke enthusiastically of the White House pastry chef. "Whatever kind of pie you want, he will make it," Obama said, adding ruefully that that was a problem for him and wife Michelle in regard to their weight.
Asked whether he was a bigger fan of Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan, one the reigning MVP of the National Basketball Association and the other a retired superstar, the basketball-playing president said without hesitation: "Michael. I haven't seen anybody match up with Jordan yet."
© MMIX The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- How sad that today, July 5th, CBS in it's infinite wisdom has not allowed comment in another article it presents, in which Biden indicates that the administration has underestimated the economic recovery.
Why is that I wonder? - Reply to this comment
- USA is fine as i do not know anyone that have lost there job.America is not hurting as bad as media wants you to believe.Live and enjoy life and buy the things you want and which others can't.We are the strongest economy in the world with our unfair rulers and dollar which is nothing but paper but we have the world believing it is worth so much.
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- We will not see better jobs numbers until September and will not see growth numbers until 1st quarter next year. The $2 trillion hole blown in the economy with CDO/CDS will take a while to heal. Stimulus will help, but we need to connect production with consumption in better ways to get capacity utilization up to where it should be.
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- President Obama just told the AP that he wants another 'engine' or Greenspan bubble to boost the economy.
He said that the carbon-swaps-tax would be that 'engine' or the new 'British-bubble South Sea Company', that helped wipe out most of Europe and plunged it into a Dark Age for generations.
Folks, I try to warn you with everything I got to listen to Lyndon Larouche and help stop the bailouts of Goldman Sucks and JP Morgan.
Goldman Sucks, JP Morgan, and British Banks like Barclay's Capital needs the bailout money to start this new 'South Sea' bubble which was a complete fraud, like the Dutch 'Tulip' bubble.
The difference about this carbon-swap-tax 'bubble' is that the derivatives to be used in it will kill and reduce the human population by 2/3rds.
Once the American sucker makes the mistake and transfers what's left of their 401(k)s and pensions over to these mega-hedge funds like Black Rock and the Carlyle group for 'green stocks', it's over.
Because then it will be a 'systemic risk' to back out of the 'carbon-swap-tax' bubble.
Please connect the dots folks, don't be a herd of sheep and fall for this Wall Street/City of London scam.
Even Mitt Romney said: "...we need to do something about CLIMATE CHANGE", which makes him just another corporate puppet for BIG FAILED BAMKS.
- President Obama just told the AP that he wants another 'engine' or Greenspan bubble to boost the economy.
- Oh, and they were hoping you wouldn't notice
THE STOCK MARKET CLOSED BELOW 8300 TODAY!
It is now right back where it opened on the morning of Jan 20.
It could be sliding even lower, just like it did in 1930, the first year of the Depression.
The market rose in the first quarter - then it dropped off and fell even lower than it was at the beginning of the year.
It kept stair stepping down until 1932.
Are we going over the first stair step?
The next few weeks should tell. - Reply to this comment
- by impeachbhb July 2, 2009 10:59 AM PDT
His stimulus bill must have saved a few million jobs because it sure hasn't created many. Little Barak needs to wake up and understand the campaign is over and it is time for performance not rhetoric.
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Excellent post. - Reply to this comment
- And it is so utterly laughable that the earlier news item on this topic has disappeared.
Seems like the discussion board got too anti-Obama, so they started a new one and gave the Obamabots a second chance to load up the board with their propaganda. - Reply to this comment
- by skyk-2009 July 2, 2009 4:20 PM PDT
Have you ditto heads ever though about what it means if this man fails?
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It means the voters finally turn against the Democrats just like they turned against the Republicans.
Madoff proved there's a limit to how much a Democrat can get away with.
And remember why the Republicans swept into power in 2001 - not just the White House, but also Congress. They didn't all steal the election.
There is a limit to what the voters will tolerate from the Democrats. - Reply to this comment
- OBAMA IS A FAILURE
OBAMA IS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN 100 YEARS
IT IS NOW OBAMA'S WATCH
OBAMA IS TO BLAME. - Reply to this comment
- Of course Obama is concerned. If the employment numbers don't go up his approval rating will just go down.... Other than a few jobs in construction and extending unemployment benefits, what does this stimulus really do to turn the economy around? Obama and McCain were virtually tied in opinion polls until the large drop in the economy last fall. Obama was pushed passed that magic 50% barrier to fix the economy.... He can't be serious if he expects that green technology development are going to the defacto turn around in our economy. Where in the history of economic development do any of these policies he is developing actually turn the economy around? And in return we have a republican party saying stop the madness without providing what they would provide as alternatives ; and then we have these Obama fanboys like skyk-2009 making moronic comments because they are afraid of critisism of their beloved leader... honestly the democrats don't exactly have a stellar history with the economy either skyk. Look at the fabulous tech-bubble that crashed in 2000 under Clinton, and don't even start about Carter in the 70s....
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- He expresses "concern." He "bears witness." He waits "to see how things will play out." Yep. Just like I have been saying. He is our Golden Calf. Passive. Won't move unless he is moved. Silent. Says nothing unless he is reading somebody else's words. Dumb. Dumb like an idol. Moses. Where is our Moses?
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- You are wishing so hard for his and our failure aren't you? LOL It's going to be so nice watching you people sweat when we finally do get out of this mess. The one thing we can NOT do, after we finally dig our way out THIS time, is NEVER let another Republican in charge of ANYTHING again. While these clowns were debating the Marriage Amendment and putting more money in Iraq, the Banks were going NUTS with bad loans and bad business!
- Kiss the economy world wide Good Bye
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- Deeply concerned my a$$. Let me put it in perspective. My car has a flat tire,a leaking radiator,a slipping transmission and the engine needs an overhaul.I have $50.00 and need the car to go to work.What should I do? I know ,I'll ask Obama.He is deeply concerned and recommends I go and get a pay day loan and immediately tear down the whole car and repair it .Since this will take two weeks I'll just have to miss work. I get fired,can't repay the loan,finance company takes my car.Now I have no job,no car and bad credit,viola problem solved Obama is deeply concerned about my unemployment.
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- It has been reported that Obama is "deeply concerned" about rising unemployment.
Perhaps Obama should ACTUALLY BREAK A TABOO and VISIT AN UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE OR TWO, talk to those standing in line to get benefits, and really get close to the suffering and fear that George W. Bush and his neocon Fascist Nazi GOP thugs "blessed" us with! Maybe its time he stopped listening to all his "airhead, pie-in-the-sky, light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel" advisors and get back to the people who REALLY put him in the Oval Office!
After all, the unemployed pay taxes too AND THEY VOTE!!!!
AND THEIR RANKS ARE GROWING!!!!!!!!!!
AND the 2010 Congressional elections are only 18 months away!!!!!!
THINK ABOUT THAT ONE BARACK!!!!!
HAIL OBAMA???????????? - Reply to this comment
- I am so tired of this global economy New World Order c r a p !
We need to take care of things in the USA ! - Reply to this comment
- He is busy going all around the world running for president of the New World Order.
At home we are digging our stuff out for the yard sales. - Reply to this comment
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- Well you do KNOW that the Worst in our History and the Party of De-Regulation left him TWO Wars and a World totally turned against us as well. Aren't you carrying this "Hope for failure" thing just a little to far when you look at the post from the fringe right in the past week... I mean you freaks were attacking him with all the vile of people who hope for the failure of our country because of Iran and Korea. The FAILURE of BUSH and the Party of De-Regulation WAS massive and it WAS worldwide.
- I see the "hate brigade" is out again, looking for any way they can to lay something at Obama's feet. I didn't vote for Obama, nor did I vote for McCain, so I don't have a dog in this hunt. This mess was created by the Bush administration and handed off to Obama to solve. I'm not saying I agree with every move he's made, but know what? He's doing something, which is a hell of a lot more then you can say about our previous "do nothing" leader. I'm willing to bet that sometime next year, or maybe even last quarter this year, things will turn around. I do know that we're in better hands with a smart president, then we were with "the chimp".
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- I,on the otherhand, totally disagree with your comment.However it really depends on who your listening to as to whether or not thing are better.Obama said today that things are better so I guess 9.5% unemployment is better than 8%
- Now this MESS started in December of 2007... that's a full YEAR before the Elections! Now IF Bush and the Party of De-Regulation are NOT responsible, just who is. They took over a BALANCED BUDGET and SURPLUS for crying out loud. They handed THIS President a Nation in a TOTAL MELTDOWN and IF you will look at their 2004 Election Propaganda there is little doubt about who brought about the MELTDOWN... they boasted about De-Regulating EVERYTHING.
- by skyk-2009 July 2, 2009 4:25 PM PDT
Now this MESS started in December of 2007... that's a full YEAR before the Elections! Now IF Bush and the Party of De-Regulation are NOT responsible, just who is.
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You just deny all facts and history.
The Democrats are the party of deregulation. Clinton signed NAFTA.
It is now Obama's watch. No matter who "started it," it's Obama's turn to take responsibility for it.
It is Obama's watch. Obama is to blame.
It's that simple.
- Obonics translation: "Deeply Concerned" = "I wont do squat".
This guy has destroyed 2 million jobs so far. Now he has to create 4.5 million to fulfill the job creation he promised. - Reply to this comment
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- Sorry, you're wrong. This mess started long before President Obama took office, but it's his responsibility to fix things now that he's there. It's also up to Congress and the business community to some up with ways to stop the job bleeding. Once that happens, we can worry about job creation.
When Bush and McCain lied to the country about the strength of the U.S. economy, we should have realized how bad things acutally were. We knew the previous administration would be bad for the country. We just had no idea how long the effects would last.
- His stimulus bill must have saved a few million jobs because it sure hasn't created many. Little Barak needs to wake up and understand the campaign is over and it is time for performance not rhetoric.
I know he inherited this from George Bush because he keeps reminding us of that every chance he gets. Maybe George should call him and apoligize. That seems to be the way to be successful in politics these days.
- by jxknowles July 2, 2009 10:55 AM PDT
Sorry, you're wrong. This mess started long before President Obama took office, but it's his responsibility to fix things now that he's there. It's also up to Congress and the business community to some up with ways to stop the job bleeding. Once that happens, we can worry about job creation.
When Bush and McCain lied to the country about the strength of the U.S. economy, we should have realized how bad things acutally were. We knew the previous administration would be bad for the country. We just had no idea how long the effects would last.
What about when Dodd lied to the country? You know when he said our banks were in great condition? Why is it you only bring up half of the story? Why??
Who was the chairman of the Banking and Finance Committee? Who said the banks were stable and that there were no needs to issue regulations on the banks? That was Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut. A Democrat. You know if your going to blame people blame everyone involved.
- Let us all remember: The Democrats took control of Congress in 07, Now you show us, what bills the tried to pass. No excuses show us what bills they tried to pass to prevent this.
- Have you ditto heads ever though about what it means if this man fails? I know you simple minded losers think, if he fails, American's will turn back to You and YOUR failed Policies. History has shown that to be WRONG. You think Obama is radical? LOL You ain't seen NOTHING if he and the Democrats fail to pull us out of the mess the Party of De-Regulation created.
- by skyk-2009 July 2, 2009 4:20 PM PDT
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So what's YOU solution? MORE FREE TRADE?
Obama says he WANTS FREE TRADE. Free trade is what's destroying our jobs.
Obama is destroying our economy with his actions, while his words say he is "deeply concerned."
Action speak louder than words.
- Sorry, you're wrong. This mess started long before President Obama took office, but it's his responsibility to fix things now that he's there. It's also up to Congress and the business community to some up with ways to stop the job bleeding. Once that happens, we can worry about job creation.
- Obama is a coporate puppet of the British Empire.
He is not 'deeply concerned' about unemployment.
He only cares about Goldman Sucks and JP Morgan.
He could give a damn about what happens to this country as long as we bailout trillions of absolutely worthless derivatives and credit-default swaps @Goldman Sucks and JP Morgan. - Reply to this comment
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