Was The CNBC Town Hall A Wake-Up Call For The White House? - Dan Balz/WaPo

[WillyT]

Was the CNBC town hall a wake-up call for the White House?
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 21, 2010; 1:58 PM

<snip>

Anyone wondering what ails President Obama found the answers during CNBC's economic town hall meeting on Monday.

From start to finish, the hour-long telecast underscored the public's frustrations and the White House's challenge. The questions illuminated the deep dissatisfaction the president's allies and opponents feel about his performance. The president's answers raised anew the issue of how effectively he communicates on the economy.

Will the town hall provide a wake-up call to the White House? Administration officials may believe that their policies are correct, but even voters disposed to be with the president have their doubts. The president may believe that he has set the foundation for long-lasting growth and prosperity. But he hasn't found a way to provide the short-term reassurances people are looking for as the economy struggles.

The opening questioner set the tone for the event. She described herself as a middle-class mother of two and the chief financial officer for a veterans organization. What she said cut to the heart of the president's problems.

"I'm exhausted of defending you, defending your administration, defending the mantle of change that I voted for and deeply disappointed with where we are right now," she said. "I have been told that I voted for a man who said he was going to change things in a meaningful way for the middle class. I'm one of those people, and I'm waiting, sir. I'm waiting. I don't feel it yet."

A 30-year-old recent law school graduate said he had made use of student loans to go back to school in order to pursue a career in public service. Now he can't even pay the interest payment on those loans now.

"Like a lot of people in my generation, I was really inspired by you and by your campaign and message that you brought, and that inspiration is dying away," he said. "It feels like the American dream is not attainable to a lot of us."

<snip>

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/21/AR2010092103354.html

:shrug:

:kick:

[tabatha]

1. You could hardly call these people

the "Professional Left".

[WillyT]

3. Exactly...

:hi:

[AlinPA]

2. That was bullshit CNBC attack job. The introduction was over the top negative.

[butterfly77]

4. What in hell is she waiting for..

she is doing better than most. She says she is waiting to get her car fixed and she and her husband still have jobs WTF is she complaining about. Chris matthews asked her what she would do no answer..

[griffi94]

5. do you have info on their personal finances

i've seen it posted here a couple of times that she is a CFO....i thought she was a CFO at a non profit. my wife was the head of the legal dept at a non profit it paid about 78k a year. now that's a decent middle class salary but it's hardly considered being wealthy.

i also read the "she has 2 kids in private schools" my response to that is so what.

i drive a used car but if someone is down on their luck i'm not going to point out that buying a new car is what caused all their woes.

the fact that she and her family may be doing better than most in your opinion doesn't change her reality even a little bit.
she seemed to be as you put it complaining, because she thought that when she voted for democrats and they won, she would see some of that change that was promised.

[RBInMaine]

9. Her kids are in private school. C'mon. You are NOT suffering. Sheesh.

[griffi94]

11. like i already posted

you don't know that. that's speculation on your part unless you know how much they make and what their financial obligations are.
and even then you don't get to prioritze other peoples financial concerns.

[RBInMaine]

12. I believe she said they were in private school. If she can afford that, then c'mon.

[griffi94]

14. she did say that

but it's not up to anyone but her and her husband how they prioritize their money.
are they paying for the private school or are there scholarships involved.
do you know...or are you just kneejerking. you heard the words CFO & privare school and assumed they're doing fine.

how much is their housenote....has their house lost value in the current market.

do they have any health issues that are costing them extra.

my point is that you don't have any idea....she called obama out and that ticked you off so you wee looking for ways to diminish her statements.

[opihimoimoi]

6. Prolly Staged for nefarious reasons...either way, smells of selfishness

[AngryOldDem]

7. I have to say that I was momentarily put off by Obama's reaction to the woman...

..who said she was getting tired of constantly defending him, as well as barely getting by.

Nothing funny about that, unintended grin or not. A lot of us are in the same boat with her. This is your base, Mr. President, as powerless and voiceless as we are.

[maxsolomon]

8. in 2 years she expects him to fix a trench it took the GOP 30 years to dig?

the problem with this country (not liberals) is that they expect fucking magic. those miracles in the torah, the bible, and the koran? consider that they may be embellished. it's possible.

to the CEO: exhausted FROM defending. direct your ire at the GOP senators, and glioblastoma for taking Ted Kennedy.

to the 30 year old: dreams aren't real. they never were. YOU took out all those loans - maybe you should have looked into the expected monthly payment. consolidate them with the dept. of education. and stop taking more out.

[RBInMaine]

10. We have an instant gratification society. It is pathetic.

[MrTriumph]

13. What's worse? CRAZY or LAZY

Is anyone else tired of Obama and Biden slapping around those of us that voted for him?

Biden may wish to lecture us that this election is a choice between underperforming Democratic leadership (LAZY) and CRAZY Republicans.

Hey, Joe, that kind of talk isn't going to fire up the base. In fact, it may very well backfire.