Reaction will get ugly (Obama newser)

[Bragi]

The media and political reaction to this newser is not going to be pretty. It's just ended. I thought Obama was not at all at his best, and thought he dug himself in a few feet deep in several respects. I think the media and political reaction to this is going to be ugly.

Or maybe I'm wrong. Time will tell. Etc.,

[Bodhi BloodWave]

how about describing exactly how he dug himself deeper then just saying he did? nt

[Jennicut]

1. I thought he was entirely at his best. His answers were logical,

he took responsibility for some mistakes. The media is pathetic. Where were they during the Iraq War? Please.

[WI_DEM]

2. Could you explain your reasoning as to why you don't think he was at his best

and where he dug himself in?

[Dawgs]

3. You're wrong. He and Helen were the only two adults in the room.

Not sure what you saw.

[dionysus]

4. in what respect charlie?

[Uzybone]

5. of course you are wrong...but carry on

[eleny]

6. I think he did well becuse he answered every question without the bullshit we used to get with W

I didn't get the sense that he was backed to a wall by the press but more struggling with the weight of the disaster.

If anything, I wanted him to do this two weeks ago and then again today. If you're worried about his image, I think tomorrow's follow up visit is quite important as we'll surely hear from the people of the region.

[sandnsea]

17. Well he did 3 weeks ago

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-oil-spill

And there have been constant updates since. I think he should have been out there a couple of times a week. But then, if he had been, they'd just say he was using it as a photo op. Probably better to be clamored after than to be accused of exploiting the situation. The political climate is just sickening.

[eleny]

23. I would have liked him to go down there once a week

And a press conference before this one today.

I understand how you feel from your other replies to me. But he had the time to go to a fund raiser at the home of the oil baron, Gordon Getty. So I'm not cutting him slack on visiting the Gulf.

Let's accept the fact that we disagree deeply but also want the best for all concerned. Otherwise, this thread will get out of hand.

[sandnsea]

24. He was at fundraisers for Barbara Boxer

And Gordon Getty is a major philantrophist and supporter of Democrats.

What the hell actual good did that press conference do? Did you learn anything that hasn't been posted here by at least ten different people?

He should have addressed the spill publicly at least twice a week, but he sure as hell didn't need to go down there every week.

Shifting goal posts, that's all I see.

[lamp_shade]

7. Are you kidding? He was at his BEST.

[Cha]

8. Reaction is ugly from those who have nothing but ugliness lobbed

at the President.

[Phx_Dem]

9. Chuck Todd's biggest take away is . . . are you ready . . .

Malia Obama's question, "is the hole plugged yet, daddy?" He thinks that's what will appease Carville, which just goes to show what a whiny, empty piece of shit Carville truly is. Ditto for Chuck Todd.

All the the specifics about having 1,500 U.S. ships in the Gulf, more than 2 million feet of boom, the government has been calling the shots and approving BP's decision since day 2, and everything else . . . eh . . . who cares? What really matters is what 10-year old Malia thinks.

I love Malia too, but the media is RETARDED, in the true sense of the word ("limited in intellectual development").

Obama did a great job, but the media is lost in their utter incompetance.

[jenmito]

10. I think that's a GOOD thing...

that his last answer, which put a "human" face on the situation, which showed he's empathetic, will go a long way IMO.

[Phx_Dem]

15. I think it's good from the perspective average people, but not

the media who is supposed to deal in serious facts and news. Perceptions and feelings are for the public to form without the media telling us what to think (they report, we decide). It's perfectly fine for the media to report what the President said about Malia, but it should not be their main focus.

If this personal anecdote, answers the questions the media has been screetching about for days, then it's time for them to admit their questions were bullshit all along. I don't want to take away from the remark because I agree with you 100% that it was a great anecdote and it "humanized" the situation, but there were alot of facts reported that the media has not either been aware of (because they're stupid) or have choosen not to recogize for hte past few weeks, and that's what they should be focused on since they've been misleading the public for at least 2 weeks now.

[jenmito]

19. I agree...

Great post. You're right on about every point you made.

[sandnsea]

18. re: "all the specifics"

"All the the specifics about having 1,500 U.S. ships in the Gulf, more than 2 million feet of boom, the government has been calling the shots and approving BP's decision since day 2, and everything else . . . eh . . . who cares?"

Some of us have been posting those specifics on a daily basis. What does it mean that nobody cares until they see the President saying it on the teevee.

[LisaM]

22. He should have left the part about Malia out

I'm sorry, but it sounded corny, and it also sounded a little fake. It may have happened, I don't know if it did or didn't, but really, it did not belong.

[Bragi]

11. Okay, here's a few reasons

I thought it was not realistic for him to suggest, if not promise, that he will put in place a new oversight system that will "guarantee" no more accidents like this, "ever".

I simply do not think any reasonable person believes that there will be no oceanic oil accidents ever in the future. Accidents will be rare, but they will happen. And they will do harm. At no point in this newer does he even hint that he has any doubt whatsoever but that deepwater drilling and extraction should and will resume and likely be expanded, as was his earlier plan. But he implies it can be done painlessly, with no harm, in the future. That's disturbing.

Second area: He spent very little time saying anything about the horrible environmental disaster taking place, and the high stakes involved. Nimbleness gets more time than the environment, as do assertions that he's on the job, and commiseration for those immediately impacted, but they need to understand that its all quite complex. The environment, the coastline, the wildlife, the flora, they did not get much attention.

Third and finally: His inability to deal with the Elizabeth Birnbaum resignation was embarrassing.

All in all, not his best outing.

According to me.

- B

[lamp_shade]

13. LOL.

[DevonRex]

12. I accidentally the whole thing. Really. nt

[Jakes Progress]

14. It'll come two ways here too.

First will be the faithful who feel that every word the president says is golden. That he is the smartest, prettiest, most prefect person ever. That he was so smart and logical and wise that most people (commoners) won't recognize it.

Then will be the true opposition. Nothing he does is right. Never has been, Never will be. If he turns left or right or stands still, it is the wrong thing to do.

The whines and rants of both groups are self-canceling. In the newser, Obama did some nice things and he wavered on others. Probably would have been better to be shorter. He seems to handle trick press questions with lots and lots of words instead of turning their silly questions back on them. He was quite good at listing the closed drillings, the revoked permits. (Have to hope that no secret or back room permits and deals come to bite him on this. And did he say anything about halting Shell in ANWAR?. ) He was less good at describing why it was taking so long to coordinate efforts on the surface - lots of well there are preexisting contracts and old laws. Better would be to just say that we won't let silly commercial needs or political connections hamper the work. He was his usual calm self, so different from the inarticulate ass that would have been giving this pc three years ago.

It will come down to deeds. He makes me hopeful when he speaks. Less so in what actually gets done. As usual, most of us will wait and see.

[WeDidIt]

16. ANYTHING to tear Obama down

The AttOd crowd is out in force today.

[NJmaverick]

20. I am pretty sure the reactions of the Republican owned media

will prove much of anything, other than that they continue to hate President Obama and take every opportunity to try and put him down.

[LeftyAndProud60]

21. The media is full of sh1t. Of course Obama offered Sestak a job. But why the hell would he admit it

when the Repukes are out for blood. He's being punished for the same things that went on under Bush, Reagan and every other president in history. The media is the biggest problem this country has.