९ फेब्रुवारी, २००९

Live-blogging Obama's first press conference.

6:38: Starting soon. Think he'll get the hard questions? Think he'll use his boring professorial mode or his testy exasperated mode or might he attain true presidentiality?

7:02: He begins. If you don't believe we're in a crisis, you should talk to one person who's lost his job. Why would that be convincing? Only government can solve this problem. Money should go to the people most likely to spend it — not the wealthiest people, supposedly.

7:08: Failure to act "will only deepen" the crisis. That's less inflammatory that some of his recent statements.

7:10: Jennifer Loven asks him about his stronger earlier statement, that without action we may never recover. Do you think you risk losing credibility? No no no no no no. "You potentially create a negative spiral."

7:14: "That wasn't just some random number that I plucked out of.... uh" — he's thinking: can't say my ass — "out of a hat."

7:17: Iran. He's looking into it. "In the coming months, we will be looking for... openings...."

7:20: He's filibustering — using the boring professor mode.

7:23: "Everyone needs to be possessed with a sense of urgency." Let's be bipartisan: You must agree with me.

7:25: This isn't pork. There are no earmarks.

7:28: Is it so terrible to have a schoolhouse built in the 1850s? Let's see the school! You have to stop teaching when a train goes by. You get to hear a train go by. [ADDED: Don't liberals care about historical architecture?]

7:37: Jake Tapper asks how people are supposed to know if this economic plan is working — considering that earlier efforts haven't seemed to work. Obama talks about "creating or saving" 4 million jobs — huge difference between those 2 things! He talks a lot, but I don't feel that we got an answer (or that we could).

7:41: Will Obama let the press come photograph soldiers' coffins? He's looking into it. He'll get back to you later.

7:44: He's not going to let al Qaeda "act with impunity," but he has no details right now.

7:45: A reporter totally repeats Jake's question and Obama points it out. Embarrassing!

7:46: "I don't remember exactly what Joe was referring to." Laughter. "Not surprisingly."

7:47: "I have no idea" what Biden was talking about. "I really don't."

7:51: Helen Thomas gets her first shot at him. Does he know of anyone in the Middle East who's got nuclear weapons?

7:52: Huffington Post gets a question. What about Patrick Leahy's "truth and reconciliation commission" to investigate the "crimes" of the Bush administration? Will you rule out prosecutions? Come on, Barack. Just give us a nice upstanding "yes." [Sorry, I had "no" before, based on misreading the phrasing of the question.] Instead, we get the usual bullshit about how he hasn't "seen the proposals" and can't really "express an opinion" and he's got to look into it. Ugh! But his administration will do everything right. Fine. Good. Perfect. But the question is whether you will go in for this retribution against the prior administration? He does end with: "But my general orientation is let's get it right moving forward." Now, that is the right answer, and I think he knows it. It would have been presidential to take a stand against the Leahy effort. But that was not to be. A sadly missed opportunity.

7:58: "There's some ideological blockage there that needs to be cleared up." That's the characterization of the opposition to the stimulus. Makes those of us who are hesitant sound like some kind of disease. "But I am the eternal optimist... People respond to civility and rational argument... and that's the kind of leadership that I'm going to provide. Thank you guys!" Well, I respond to civility and rational argument, but I believe you just talked about me like I was some kind of disease!

8:00: He ends exactly on the button. We hear a stomp as he steps off the podium, and his walk back into the White House is noticeably different from Bush's. How can I describe the different feeling I get from that walk? You can object to this if you want. It's just my feeling. I think Bush would walk away in a ritual fashion that said: I am the President and I have accomplished what the President must do. Obama's walk said: I'm a man who has this job and now I've done it and I'm out of here.

३२३ टिप्पण्या:

323 पैकी 1 – 200   नवीन›   नवीनतम»
BJM म्हणाले...

Perhaps someone will ask about this and how it impacts the unemployed in Elkhart.

chickelit म्हणाले...

NPR expects Obama to ask for "a second tranche of TARP funding", whatever that is.
link.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

I'm only watching to see if anyone throws a shoe.

Simon म्हणाले...

Someone should ask: "President Obama, who the hell do you think you are that you're so important as to displace House?"

Simon म्हणाले...

If House was President, he'd have already fixed the problem and made his staff look like dimwits for the viewer's pleasure. Obama hasn't even made it to the crdits yet.

Darcy म्हणाले...

Hee, Simon. I'd feel that way if it were W in the past as well! House? Are you kidding me?

Simon म्हणाले...

I've been sick all day and now I have to watch a "reelect Barack Obama" campaign commercial? Interrupting programming that doesn't suck? Pfft.

XWL म्हणाले...

Michelle Malkin tweeted this drinking game:

Obama press conference coming up. Drinking game buzz words: "Bipartisan," "crisis," "get economy moving again."

That sounds dangerously inebriating

XWL म्हणाले...

Also, I think there should be a betting pool as to when this will wrap up. One might expect it to be around 30 minutes as promised, but he may cut it short if it goes poorly, or go long if they serve up big long sloppy mash notes of questions.

My guess, it ends at 8:42PM, EST

Leland म्हणाले...

Oh look, Discovery Channel is showing "Destroyed in Seconds". What did you say you were watching?

Leland म्हणाले...

I agree with Simon.

Darcy म्हणाले...

Oh...that beagle is so cute! (Sorry...checking out the dog show...)

Franco म्हणाले...

Are there going to be any jobs Americans won't do?

al म्हणाले...

Is it 2, 3, or 4 million jobs? The number keeps changing...

No more hurricanes - wheee!

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Stop moving your head so much Obama! (Probably on the look out for shoes.)

Godot म्हणाले...

I think he will try to instill fear in the American viewing audience. Will the press call him on it?

Leland म्हणाले...

Heh, they just showed this highway infrastructure burning and falling after a tanker truck exploded. I didn't know fire could cause steel to do that, so much for Rosie.

26 days and $6 million to fix the double decker overpass. Not in Obama's stimulus package in won't.

chickelit म्हणाले...

No money for ACORN-hooray!

joewxman म्हणाले...

He keeps reminding republicans that he won. Maybe he needs to remind himself..stop campaigning already. ugh!

Simon म्हणाले...

He says the plan has to be big enough, but if it's too big, surely it's going to be uncomfortable for those whose throats it's rammed down?

Simon म्हणाले...

Simplified version of that last paragraph: "we can't afford to do nothing." Prove it.

sg म्हणाले...

PBO isn't worried about pre-empting House.

But he does know that if goes past 9PM EST, Jack Bauer will come out and threaten to gouge his eye out with a ballpoint pen if he doesn't stop talking.

Franco म्हणाले...

Men and women who call this nation "home" !! WTF???

Sam Brazys म्हणाले...

Why doesn't someone put a teleprompter in front of the podium so he can look at the American people and talk to them instead of to the people hiding in the corners of my living room?

Simon म्हणाले...

"We can't afford to do nothing" - floor speech by advocates of Smoot-Hawley, June 1930.

"We can't afford to do nothing" - Barack Obama, February 2009.

Leland म्हणाले...

Commercial...

"If you don't believe we're in a crisis, you should talk to one person who's lost his job."

My wife's Aunt and Uncle lost there job. Talked to them, they don't think there is a crisis. They paid off their home long ago, and just sold off their boat, which is the only debt. What they don't want is more debt transferred to them as taxpayers. That's the crisis that concerns them.

Simon म्हणाले...

Franco said...
"Men and women who call this nation 'home' !! WTF???"

It's a locution designed to include illegal immigants in the sweep of the remark.

Franco म्हणाले...

This tone of authority is not ringing true.

Elkheart BTW is where a huge RV factory closed.

Sam Brazys म्हणाले...

Just remember, they didn't lose their jobs through any fault of their own... it's not like the writing has been on the wall of the US auto industry to the past 15 years...but hey... who needs personal responsibility?

Leland म्हणाले...

Failure to act "will only deepen" the crisis.

There's that Hope!

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

He didn't answer the AP lady's question, went on to a pre-prepared speech. Just like Palin!

XWL म्हणाले...

How long is he going to ramble on this first answer?

reader_iam म्हणाले...

I can see talking to a family in which multiple members have lost jobs due the closing of a plant in specific community--though whether that local crisis translates to a national one is yet another argument to be made. But just one person? I don't get that either, as an analysis or argument. Also, it implies that if you're concerned about the details/scope/etc. of the stimulus plan, you must not be taking the economic problems seriously, and this, in turn, must be because you've never talked to someone who's lost his or her job due to recent economic events. None of that automatically follows.

अनामित म्हणाले...

Where exactly are all these under-staffed food banks he speaks of?

Chennaul म्हणाले...

Now is the winter of our hardship?

My gawd-

Now is the winter of our discontent.

Richard III

He's waxing Shakespeare.

Franco म्हणाले...

We have a gaping hole in the White House I think.

BJM म्हणाले...

We've gone from timely, targeted and temporary to boldly and quickly?

Oh noes! a gaping hole.

XWL म्हणाले...

I'm putting a stopwatch on the next answer, can he exceed 5 minutes on two answers in a row?

Deborah M. म्हणाले...

He just said Tim Geitner with a straight face. I get the feeling he's really struggling NOT to "uh" too much. No Southern accent, either. Whoops, he's slipping.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Can he please stop answering the question. I hope someone times how long he's been "answering" this.

sg म्हणाले...

Would University of Chicago Senior Lecturer Obama have tolerated such a rambling answer to question #1?

Franco म्हणाले...

Is this a Senate filibuster or what?

अनामित म्हणाले...

"It's not a number I pulled out of [insert 3-letter word]"

LonewackoDotCom म्हणाले...

He's stumbling enough that even those who didn't notice that before the election (hint: Althouse, Sully, etc.) can see it.

If anyone wants to actually prevent this train wreck, help me push this plan. Or, come up with an effective alternative.

Under my plan, people will go out and embarrass nationally-known political leaders who support the plan on video, and then upload that to Youtube. They'll do that by asking them difficult questions designed to reveal the flaws in the plan and designed to reveal that its promoters haven't thought through all of its impacts.

Simply stating that plan won't bring it about. I need others to promote it, such as by getting major bloggers to urge their readers to ask questions.

If anyone isn't pushing that plan or an effective alternative, they're just wasting your time by putting on a show.

Godot म्हणाले...

God help us. I am scared.

Chennaul म्हणाले...

Innkay?

Hey! I think he watches South Park

Franco म्हणाले...

Valentines Day is coming how are we going to engage Iran and how big will the ring be?

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Looks like Obama picked Biden for his brevity.

Franco म्हणाले...

Nukular! The word is Nukular!

Simon म्हणाले...

madawaskan, if he is, he's doing so in a particularly illiterate fashion. Richard gave that speech at the conclusion of the metaphorical winter. The winter had been made glorious summer by the sun of York - when "all the clouds that lour'd upon our house, In the deep bosom of the ocean buried."

chickelit म्हणाले...

The longer he talks to answer a question, the fewer he will get.

Franco म्हणाले...

Boy is this guy smart! He knows everything!

BJM म्हणाले...

Bellicose? Bibi best get it done or Israel is toast.

XWL म्हणाले...

Iran question, times out at 3:33, that's in concise by Obama terms, I guess.

(also what he really wants to say, when in engaging in 'direct diplomacy' I'm hoping they kidnap and keep Hillary there at least through the 2012 election cycle, just in case . . .)

RLB_IV म्हणाले...

OMG...drinking game ... the scotch will be gone by morning. Four people, three bottles...

garage mahal म्हणाले...

yea what about Iran. That's what I want to know.

Simon म्हणाले...

Leland said...
"[Failure to act 'will only deepen' the crisis?] There's that Hope!"

Prior to the speech, David Gregory said that Obama's goal was to amp up the "fear factor." Someone didn't get his hymn sheet!

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

I timed answer # 1 at 7 minutes. He basically gave a speech.

It's planned and formulaic in advannce I bet. The questions and sequence of questioners was decided beforehand.

There will be no news in this press conference.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Voting against Obama's plans is a bad habit? I hope Congress keeps it up!

Leland म्हणाले...

Iran. He's looking into it. "In the coming months, we will be looking for... openings...."

I hope openings in the air defense system.

Deb म्हणाले...

Do you think he believes this bullshit? God, shut up already.

Rae म्हणाले...

he's talking in circles...like any other politician

He's also talking out of his hat in terms of Iran

His comments of refusing to follow "the past 8 years" is his out and out rejection of revamping the stimulus act...pray, how is his stubborness any different from W?

अनामित म्हणाले...

Who are these anonymous people in Congress who think we should do nothing? I haven't heard a single member of Congress say that. Some may have said nothing would be better than the current plan, but Obama is misleading with that statement.

DaLawGiver म्हणाले...

Concerning why bipartisanship isn't working so far---"It's gonna take time to break those bad habits."


Good luck with that, maybe try some Nicorette.

Leland म्हणाले...

Prior to the speech, David Gregory said that Obama's goal was to amp up the "fear factor." Someone didn't get his hymn sheet!


Maybe it was the order. Hope and Change. The Hope was him getting elected. As President, he changed.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Rule of speaking: Never say "number one." Numbers go on forever and people will stop listening because they'll think your speech will too.

The Dude म्हणाले...

Good, the local commie station is going with Antiques Roadshow - no MAObama douchebaggery here...

Franco म्हणाले...

Straw man - talk about ACORN 4 billion!

Frieda म्हणाले...

OBAMA: I inherited the deficit...

well, then why do you want to increase it.


HE CAN NOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS

al म्हणाले...

Drilling in Alaska would lower our dependence on Mideast oil...

BJM म्हणाले...

"It wasn't my fault! I ran out of gas, had a flat tie, didn't have cab fare...it's not my fauuuult and I won, so there. Phhhffft!

Phil Bowermaster म्हणाले...

My wife is seven months pregnant and says she finds the professorial mode very relaxing. He just about managed to lull her to sleep. Don't know if it works on any other demographic, though.

Frieda म्हणाले...

funny! he wants reduce our energy dependence but he does not want to drill at home.

EH म्हणाले...

Is it just me, or does he sound like William Shatner?

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

See how he smiles when he talks about people who disagree with him? They're SO stupid they're funny.

Godot म्हणाले...

God he is a liar.

अनामित म्हणाले...

Did anyone else hear 'Jennifer Loven' and think 'McLovin' from Superbad?


We elected a tiresome scold.

sg म्हणाले...

I'm shamed: I admit it, I still use paper!

Franco म्हणाले...

Jesus before you tackle health care paperwork, how bout the Federal Government? And Obama is asking HIMSELF questions and then answering them.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Something bad is better than nothing?

Chennaul म्हणाले...

Simon-

Na he changed it just enough so that Wils can't sue.

Change!

Obama:Now is the winter of our hardship.

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

"School was built in 1850. Kids are still learning in that school".

So what's the problem then?

XWL म्हणाले...

Bipartisan answer, times out to 7:42

(a lot of athletes could have run a mile in the time he took to answer this question, hell even I could run a sub 7:30 minute mile back in high school)

(hell, this answer was longer than most sex acts between married couples)

(what he means: Republicans are evil, though some are less evil than others, and in 2010 you better give me nothing but loyal Democrats or else we'll all suffer)

(dude, I think he's losing it, this ain't how you answer questions)

BJM म्हणाले...

Bor-ing, I'm outta here.

Althouse, thanks for the laugh at 7:14.

अनामित म्हणाले...

"Uh, Chuck Todd. Where are you Chuck and did you bring your kneepads?"

DaLawGiver म्हणाले...

Nurses can't read prescriptions so we need to computerize!

Or maybe doctors can learn to write.

Leland म्हणाले...

"Everyone needs to be possessed with a sense of urgency."

Said by a man that takes 3 minutes to answer one question. Can we take 3 days to look at the Senate Bill?

chickelit म्हणाले...

Banks taking risks on people who should have had loans--that what I saw.

Simon म्हणाले...

Oh my Lord what a tool! He just whined about a schoolhouse that was built in the 19th century that is still in use today. You live in a house built in the 18th century, you dipshit! In your last job - when you actually showed up - you were working in a section constructed in the 1860s! That a building is old doesn't say a damn thing about its soundness.

Rae म्हणाले...

I was thinking "Woodrow Wilson and the League of Nations" moment, but then again I think Woody had some success

Steph म्हणाले...

Why doesn't he explain why his worthy projects have to happen outside the normal appropriations process?

al म्हणाले...

EH @ 7:26

He's got the same mannerism. The halting speech. Good call.

अनामित म्हणाले...

I bet those South Carolina school children love the 'break' they get when the train rumbles by.

And WTF does this dude know about public school?

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Too much spending caused the problem and is unsustainable. The solution is to give consumers more money so they can spend more?

Caroline म्हणाले...

I had college classes in a building built in the 18th century. We were thrilled to have classes there.

अनामित म्हणाले...

7:25: This isn't pork. There are no earmarks.

It's his Muslim background. They don't like pork.

HelenParr said...Did anyone else hear 'Jennifer Loven' and think 'McLovin' from Superbad?

I thought of Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Leland म्हणाले...

Is it so terrible to have a schoolhouse built in the 1850s?

Europe is laughing.

Deb म्हणाले...

We are in deep, deep shit. He has no idea what he's talking about. What *is* he talking about.

He just said "no such thing as a free lunch" with a straight face.

I can't believe how bad this is.

Simon म्हणाले...

"This notion that I came in here ginned up to spend 800 billion dollars, that wasn't my plan" - nonesense. You may not have planned to spend that precise amount on this project, but you can't ask to be taken seriously that you aren't a believer in federal spending half an hour into a reelection commercial wherein you've constantly emphasized that you do.

chickelit म्हणाले...

Buying votes with money for bling, flat screen TVs and granite counter tops!

al म्हणाले...

Chuck Schumer is an expert? hahahahahaha

XWL म्हणाले...

Chuck Todd question about personal debt, times in at 4:16

(also, Barack is repeating much the same crap he's already said, Coolidge would have answered twenty questions in the time that Obama's answered 3)

(actually, I think Coolidge spoke less in an entire month than Obama has in these answers so far)

Unknown म्हणाले...

That was a very revisionist history he gave of the Japanese Lost Decade. My understanding is the Japanese spent hugely on public works projects and propped up their favored banks and companies (which really blur together in the Japanese system). The O claimed that the Japanese didn't do enough.

Simon म्हणाले...

Interesting, by the way, that he's clearly calling on people in a predefined order. I suppose if he just picked them at random, it would be tough to remember his precleared answer to each question.

Unknown म्हणाले...

That was a very revisionist history he gave of the Japanese Lost Decade. My understanding is the Japanese spent hugely on public works projects and propped up their favored banks and companies (which really blur together in the Japanese system). The O claimed that the Japanese didn't do enough.

XWL म्हणाले...

Answering another question now, and another ramble, looks like my guess of 8:42 EST to wrap this crap up is going to be way off, or he's only going to take one more question.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

I love a lot of these questions, some of them are very critical of Obama's policies. And I bet a lot of people watching this press conference are hearing these criticisms for the first time. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to make this prime time.

Simon म्हणाले...

This is easily as bad as Palin's Couric interview.

Dody Jane म्हणाले...

Why are we kidding ourselves? It will pass - let's just pass it and get the coupon book. What are the payments on a 200 year mortgage? I want to know so I can figure out what to economize on.

Franco म्हणाले...

He's talking as if he runs everything.

michael edelman म्हणाले...

He seems to think it's last November- he keeps blaming the Bush administration for everything, and giving campaign speeches in reply to every question.

BTW, in my Obama drinking game, you take a drink every time he begins an answer with "No", and every time he says "And I have always said so."

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Deb:
He just said "no such thing as a free lunch" with a straight face.


I thought of TANSTAAFL when he said that and wonder if he every read THAT book.

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

So what will it be maybe a total of 8-10 questions at most?

He is starting to drift and is now making it up when it comes to his grasp of economics and markets.

Zachary Sire म्हणाले...

What's with those menorahs behind him?

I love that the public is overwhelmingly against the Republicans and their handling of the stimulus, and yet the media is still worrying about Obama losing credibility on his bipartisan efforts. Hello, everyone is over the Republicans and even when Obama tried to work with them, they acted like children. They're done.

Leland म्हणाले...

10 minutes gone by, haven't seen an update from the Professor. Did Obama put her to sleep? A little urgency here!

अनामित म्हणाले...

"Creating or saving 4 million jobs." So as long as there are at least 4 million people still working Obama can claim victory. Brilliant!

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

Yeah I bet there are a lot of people wanting to buy a new RV these days. NOT.

Dody Jane म्हणाले...

Churchill said: "That was a very revisionist history he gave of the Japanese Lost Decade. My understanding is the Japanese spent hugely on public works projects and propped up their favored banks and companies"

Yes! They started to recover when the gov't finally threw up their hands and quit throwing money at the problem!

Godot म्हणाले...

Going on long enough for you?

chickelit म्हणाले...

The present decline in home values in SoCal is good for affordability.

XWL म्हणाले...

Last answer a succinct (for Obama) 2:42, now he answers a Jack Tapper follow up to Julianna's previous question, let's see how long he takes. Even shorter 2:39

Now RVs are good? What about global warming fella (I thought we had to change our habits and maybe drive different kinds of vehicles, wasn't that his mantra from before?)

Grrr Argggghhh.

Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...

He is doing his Ralph Cramden imitation when Alice caught him with his pants down...so to speak

Humina humina humina. um.

Sound bite after sound bite strung together with no real message.

Where's the beef?

अनामित म्हणाले...

EH said...Is it just me, or does he sound like William Shatner?

I don't know who you sound like but I'm betting Maxine/Titus sounds like George Takei.

Zachary Paul Sire said...What's with those menorahs behind him?

Rahm Emmanuel sending a message to Netanyahu.

DaLawGiver म्हणाले...

People with good credit can't get a loan for an RV if they want one?

Outrageous!

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

I am tired already of hearing the word "transparency".

He won't change the policy regarding flag-draped coffins.

sg म्हणाले...

The contrast between today's townhall and this press conference is astounding.

His opening remarks in the townhall were uplifting and his answers well delivered, lively and generally on topic.

This press conference is a train wreck.

He seems to be much too tense and scripted tonight.

Franco म्हणाले...

And if they did buy an RV that would accelerate global warming which would require more billions of study AND and make us more dependent on foreign oil at the same time.

chickelit म्हणाले...

Afghanistan--it's over!

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Oh god, they are reviewing policies again. Does "review" mean "sitting on it until the next president can deal with it"?

Leland म्हणाले...

Obama talks about "creating or saving" 4 million jobs — huge difference between those 2 things!

Even if both, that's $100,000 per job.

Simon म्हणाले...

Come to think of it, Obama was President of the Harvard Law Review, which is and was based in Gannet House, built in the 1830s. Unsound, Barack? What kind of traditionalist is so skeptical of buildings because of their age? Tony Blair was outed - if any outing was needed - by his infatuation with Norman Foster, so perhaps this will do the same for the "Obama's really a traditionalist" defense.

Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...

I bet the press is steamed. Is he ever going to shut up and let more than 2 people ask questions??

How can a reporter get face time if all Obama does is blather on and on and on?

Keep this up and the ankle bitting chihuahuas are going to turn on him.

I smell blood.

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

WTF is the Tollybon?

XWL म्हणाले...

Can we see the coffins question, let's see him dance around this...

I expect short shrift on this answer, I predict less than 2 minutes.

Oops, nevermind, he's conflating in talking points regarding what he wants to do in Afghanistan, so let's sit back and listen to the ramble.

Also, he's just blown past 8:42 EST, bastard, good thing there was no actual betting pool (at least for me).

Time for this answer 3:45

Simon म्हणाले...

Zachary Paul Sire said...
"I love that the public is overwhelmingly against the Republicans and their handling of the stimulus"

What polls are you reading? The ones here on planet earth are showing public suppor for the "stimulus" dropping like a stone.

Kansas City म्हणाले...

He is doing okay, and all politicians provide us with BS, but his deceptive claim that he will "create or save" four million jobs drives me nuts. It obviously is no standard whatsoever, because no matter what the job numbers are, he will claim that he "saved" four million jobs.

XWL म्हणाले...

Helena Cooper asks what restrictions on next tranche.

It's Tim's job to answer, Obama only took 54 seconds to say that.

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

Very curious that he has a pre-determined list of people to call on!

How clever- did they learn that from the old Kremlin or has it always been done that way?

Palladian म्हणाले...

You can say a lot of negative things about George W. Bush's speaking ability. But at least he wasn't boring. God, we have to listen to this tiresome drone for the next 8-10 years?

Darcy म्हणाले...

AJ Lynch said... WTF is the Tollybon?

LOL, AJ.

Leland म्हणाले...

Will Obama let the press come photograph soldiers coffins? He's looking into it. He'll get back to you later.

If we go by the Army manual, I think the answer is "no". Heck if I recall, photographing dead for the purposes of propaganda is prohibited by the Geneva Conventions.

अनामित म्हणाले...

Major Garrett is comic relief.

George Grady म्हणाले...

How often is he going to call this "an unprecedented problem"? It shows a complete lack of historical awareness.

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

The MSM will give him rave reviews!

XWL म्हणाले...

Major Garrett (of boo-hiss FNC) asks the Biden suggested a 70/30 success to failure ratio question:

Obama answers, yes, Joe is an idiot.

(OK, he didn't say that, but he meant it)

And #44 took a relatively concise 1:58 to answer.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

An A-rod question? What the hell is wrong with the Washington Post?

Michael Haz म्हणाले...

Meanwhile in other countries, leaders are saying "I can roll zees guy".

Oh good, a hard hitting question about baseball.

XWL म्हणाले...

Now an Alex Rodriguez question, OK, I'm done, I just don't care anymore, nothing to see here, move along...

Susan म्हणाले...

He just basically laughed at Joe Biden and said he had no idea what he was talking about when Joe said we had a 30% chance of getting this wrong. If Obama was dumb enough to pick someone he openly laughs at for VP, why in the world would we trust him to spend 900 billion.

"I have no idea, I really don't." Barak Obama

George Grady म्हणाले...

Why is he taking the baseball question seriously?

Chennaul म्हणाले...

I swear he was boring during the debates.

OH a baseball question FINALLY!

[I am being sarcastic.]

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

Helen is looking slim & hungry!

Michael Haz म्हणाले...

Are the Tollybon in Paahkastan?

joewxman म्हणाले...

helen thomas just made reference to so callled terrorists. Can someone please put her out of our misery?

Dody Jane म्हणाले...

SO CALLED terrorists...

chickelit म्हणाले...

Didn't Maureen Dowd suggest sending in a few dozen special ops to take out bin Laden?

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

Michael H:

Gets the comment of the night and it's a twofer!

Dody Jane म्हणाले...

yes - the Tal-EEEE- bon in is Pahk---eeee---sthan

Michael Haz म्हणाले...

Why is Helen Thomas dressed as Jabba The Hut?

Franco म्हणाले...

Helen is a so-called journalist so it all evens out.

Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...

This is embarrassing. The man is a random generating talking point machine.

Thank God I'm not participating in the drinking game. My liver couldn't stand it.

Seriously. He keeps this shit up....he's gonna piss of even the mostly tingly legged reporter.

Palladian म्हणाले...

Helen Thomas? That nasty little homunculus is still sitting on her gargoyle perch in the press room?

Dody Jane म्हणाले...

HELEN WAS SNUBBED

al म्हणाले...

How does reducing our arsenal affect nuclear proliferation in the mideast?

Chennaul म्हणाले...

Wow they know how to yank the mike from Helen.

Order people!

We must have order!

Simon म्हणाले...

Nicely done on ignoring Helen's attempt to get a follow-up question. You could hear her trying to interrupt him several times - who the hell does she think she is to interrupt a guy important enough to interrupt House?

The Huffpo is allowed to send a reporter to a press conference? wtf?

Dody Jane म्हणाले...

By reducing our arsenal - they won't have as much to blow up!

Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...

Obama is making Goober Pyle look like a statesman.

Michael Haz म्हणाले...

I think I saw a Tollybon working at the Cinnabon shop in the mall. Damn sugar and fat terrorists.

Simon म्हणाले...

If huffpo is a allowed a question, is redstate?

al म्हणाले...

From Andy Levy(Red Eye) on Twitter:

"Does anyone know who's been operating Helen Thomas since Jim Henson died?"

Godot म्हणाले...

Oh dear. So you ARE ok with prosecuting Bush admin officials?

chickelit म्हणाले...

Good--that witch hunting Bush in the past is a waste of time.

Darcy म्हणाले...

*off to look up homunculus*

Chennaul म्हणाले...

Leahy...

Where's Cheney when you need him?

Oh Obama is interested in prosecuting people like ordinary citizens-

Ghee can we start with NOT paying taxes by your nouveau Treasury Secretary Geithner?

Daschle?

Dody Jane म्हणाले...

Helen is a Skechtsie (sp?) from The Dark Crystal

Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...

*off to look up homunculus*

I know. Great vocabulary on this comments section.

/bow to Palladian

Simon म्हणाले...

Glen said...
"Oh dear. So you ARE ok with prosecuting Bush admin officials?"

Was there ever any doubt? As soon as he needs something to buy some support from the left, he'll throw that out.

Donna Pence म्हणाले...

Hilarious! No one's above the law (excepting members of his cabinet)

XWL म्हणाले...

Just picked up on the BETATRON 3000 mind reading device that I pointed at Obama:

(I could use a Michael Phelps sized bong hit right about now...)

By the way, was he blinking this much at the beginning of the press conference and I just didn't notice.

Frequent blinking can be a sign of anger, or lying, or frustration, or in his case, probably all three.

अनामित म्हणाले...

Doesn't Israel have nuclear weapons? I could have sworn they were in the Middle East.

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

"Republicans were brought in early".

This is the lie of the night. Pelosi wrote the package two months ago but Obama was too disengaged to even glance at it until a week or so ago. Obama saw it before any Republicans did.

Chennaul म्हणाले...

Oh bull a lot of this Stimulus bill was written in closed committee.

The Dude म्हणाले...

SHUT YOUR BIG FAT YAPPER! We have important things to watch.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

Does he know of anyone in the Middle East who's got nuclear weapons?

Other than Isreal.

Michael Haz म्हणाले...

Must not resist reform! Glorious Leader says Do Not Resist!

Stephen म्हणाले...

But what would happen if the government did nothing? What it is the worst it could get? Could it equal or surpass the the Carter 70s? Could it equal or surpass the Depression? Is that too great a price to pay for liberty?

Anthony म्हणाले...

As someone who was born and raised in Elkhart, I decided to take a shot every time he said "Elkhart". Needless to say, I'm plowed.

Leland म्हणाले...

Frequent blinking can be a sign of anger, or lying, or frustration, or in his case, probably all three.

Well at least he didn't preempt "Lie to Me".

Chennaul म्हणाले...

Cripes Pelosi has had this shopping list up her sleeve for years..

Now she's loose and buying so much that half of it will rot before it sees the light of day.

Jason (the commenter) म्हणाले...

He SAYS he's against torture but he kept people who were tortured from suing and he refuses to stop it.

XWL म्हणाले...

And comedians on the Daily Show and SNL will still claim, even after this debacle of a press conference, that there are no good hooks for parody with regards to the wonderful and practically perfect 44th President.

Jen Bradford म्हणाले...

Helen referring to "so-called terorists" made me want a throw-down. He was a wuss not to call her on it.

Godot म्हणाले...

Good luck getting that past The Teacher's Union BHO.

Dody Jane म्हणाले...

It is time for 24! Shut Up.

I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...

"Some politicians arguing we don't need a stimulus".

2nd lie of the night unless he is referring to Ron Paul.

cf म्हणाले...

aRghh! I turned the Talker off and came downstairs and found some relief right here, haha. So, off the top of my head:
* Elkhardt, Indiana, stunt for the purposes of this press conference, confirms my suspicions of how unserious Obama sees this crisis if he can fussy-butt around with such theater.
* This economic problem being the fault of the (everybody sing along) "failed policies of the last 8 years". Sigh. Actually, it's the failed policies of the last 20 at least, of which many of those who have been a part of it (Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, etc. I mean you) are more empowered and unexamined than ever.
* The Straw Man choice of No action or this clumsy barge of a bill demeans authentic discussion: The real problem is that it is clear this bill is more about "we won" and Rahm's "don't waste a crisis" mentality and MUCH LESS about putting out an economic firestorm. Let's keep it lean. Let's make this bill a fist aimed at the threatening recession beast instead of an open hand of payola out to every interest Rahm can check-off. Obama insults us all.

al म्हणाले...

Can roto-rooter clear ideological blockage?

Michael Haz म्हणाले...

Must clear ideologic blockage! Beloved Leader says Clear Your Ideologic Blockage!

Franco म्हणाले...

Serious recovery package - this is NOT a serious recovery package.

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