Obama's 100 day mark was somewhat overshadowed as the media went rabid over swine flu, but he still managed to get in a major primetime conference. For the past week or so commentary on Obama's first 100 days in office have been generally positive, he's still polling high nationwide, and he managed to get the sweetest anniversary gift ever - the 60 seat senate majority.
Perhaps most importantly, Americans seem to understand that Obama's got a lot on his plate. With so many problems looming (2 wars, a major economic depression, a financial crisis, a collapsing auto industry, major healthcare reform, finding energy alternatives, a global pandemic (!), and pirate attacks (wtf?)), Obama needs the public to continue to place their confidence in him and it looks like they are.
So what's in for Obama's next 100 days? Will he make enough progress to keep Americans' faith in him going? Will he still be polling high on Day 200? We'll be watching. We'll let you know..
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
What kind of shareholder will Obama be?
Obama's last question asks him now that he is the majority shareholder in two major housing companies, several banks, and probably 2 car companies, what does he think that his responsibility should be now that he has this responsibility.
Obama responds by saying he wants to get out, he doesn't want to run companies, he has enough to deal with running two wars but that the government was forced to intervene given the hand he was dealt and that not responding would've "decimated" the economy.
He stresses responsibility and prudence and once again says that "tough choices" are going to have to made for these companies and the troubled industries overall to recover. Jokes about his critics saying he wants to grow government and says if he had a choice he'd much rather deal with Iran and a pandemic flu then nationalizing banks and rescuing the auto industry.
Overall a very wide ranging news conference that caps Obama's 100 days well, Obama was in charge of the issues and kept a sober, slow pace.
The Washington Post will be miffed though, they still didn't get a question. Aw schucks.
Obama responds by saying he wants to get out, he doesn't want to run companies, he has enough to deal with running two wars but that the government was forced to intervene given the hand he was dealt and that not responding would've "decimated" the economy.
He stresses responsibility and prudence and once again says that "tough choices" are going to have to made for these companies and the troubled industries overall to recover. Jokes about his critics saying he wants to grow government and says if he had a choice he'd much rather deal with Iran and a pandemic flu then nationalizing banks and rescuing the auto industry.
Overall a very wide ranging news conference that caps Obama's 100 days well, Obama was in charge of the issues and kept a sober, slow pace.
The Washington Post will be miffed though, they still didn't get a question. Aw schucks.
Immigration and disproportianate unemployment for people of color
Immigration comes up and Obama says he hopes to convene a working group of hispanic legislators in conjunction with Homeland Security to start working on new immigration policy hopefully this year.
Obama has largely skirted the issue publicly, and doesn't necessarily offer any news here. But seeing as how Obama rarely confronts issues he doesn't feel he can win on, it may give hope to immigration reform proponents that they have the confidence of the new president, and may bode ill for those on the right that are also girding themselves for a fight.
Obama is then asked about how he is going to approach dealing with unemployment that has hit areas with high minorities moreso than it has more rural, white areas, Obama responds by saying that a return to prosperity would mean prosperity shared by all and stresses the importance of the recovery package to help get the country back on track and bring recovery to people of all colors and promises "bottom up" economic growth.
Obama has largely skirted the issue publicly, and doesn't necessarily offer any news here. But seeing as how Obama rarely confronts issues he doesn't feel he can win on, it may give hope to immigration reform proponents that they have the confidence of the new president, and may bode ill for those on the right that are also girding themselves for a fight.
Obama is then asked about how he is going to approach dealing with unemployment that has hit areas with high minorities moreso than it has more rural, white areas, Obama responds by saying that a return to prosperity would mean prosperity shared by all and stresses the importance of the recovery package to help get the country back on track and bring recovery to people of all colors and promises "bottom up" economic growth.
Surprised, troubled, enchanted, humbled
The New York Times finally get's a question (for those that have been following these press conferences, there were some conclusions drawn that major newspapers were being shut out of the process)
Jeff Zeleny asks what has surprised, troubled, enchanted, and humbled the president. (Which Obama has to write down to laughs.)
He says he was surprised by how bad things got from when he first started running, but also how good his staff is. He's troubled by how slowly change comes to Washington. He's enchanted by how profoundly good our nations troops are (he admits enchanted wasn't the right word) and he's humbled by how powerful the president is, but also how restrained the job can be and how much responsibility there is that comes with the office. Also gives a shout out to the American people and how he's "humbled" by their patience.
Jeff Zeleny asks what has surprised, troubled, enchanted, and humbled the president. (Which Obama has to write down to laughs.)
He says he was surprised by how bad things got from when he first started running, but also how good his staff is. He's troubled by how slowly change comes to Washington. He's enchanted by how profoundly good our nations troops are (he admits enchanted wasn't the right word) and he's humbled by how powerful the president is, but also how restrained the job can be and how much responsibility there is that comes with the office. Also gives a shout out to the American people and how he's "humbled" by their patience.
There it is
Chip Reid finally asks about Sen. Specter's switch to the Democratic Party and what Obama's legislative agenda will be, given his closeness to a 60 member Democratic "supermajority" in congress. He also asks what he thinks about the current state of the Republican party.
Obama praises Specters legislative legacy and "independent streak."
He says he doesn't want congress to be a rubber stamp for his agenda, gives a bit of a civics lesson and says that congress is a "coequal branch of government," (whoda thunk?)
He reaches out to Republicans again and says he wants to get everyone together on health care and see where they agree.
Obama praises Specters legislative legacy and "independent streak."
He says he doesn't want congress to be a rubber stamp for his agenda, gives a bit of a civics lesson and says that congress is a "coequal branch of government," (whoda thunk?)
He reaches out to Republicans again and says he wants to get everyone together on health care and see where they agree.
Turning to national security
Chuck Todd asks about Pakistan and Reuters asks about Iraq, Obama says he's "confident" nuclear weapons won't fall into the hands of militants in Pakistan despite eroding security there and refuses to go into a worse case scenario on what might happen if extremists get a hold of nuclear weapons.
On Iraq he downplays the recent violence there and says the US needs to work on making more political concessions to the Iraqs leaders instead of military ones and says the US needs to focus on helping them create a better government as opposed to a better military.
On Iraq he downplays the recent violence there and says the US needs to work on making more political concessions to the Iraqs leaders instead of military ones and says the US needs to focus on helping them create a better government as opposed to a better military.
TORTURE!
The torture question comes up, Obama reiterates that banning torture was the right thing to do.
He says torture is not consistent with American ideals, but dodges the issue as to whether he condones prosecuting the Bush administration or whether the Bush administration sanctioned torture. He may make some news and excite liberal groups by saying that whatever legal rationales were used may have been a mistake.
Compares America to Churchill England in the 1940's detaining German pilots during the blitz, He says banning torture is a decision he's very comfortable with.
Mark Knoller from CBS follows up again, pressing the torture issue and whether Obama would torture if they knew they could get valuable information, he presses hom his previous points and saying that America is a safer place when it doesn't torture, calls torture "shortcuts that undermine who we are." Says there have been no circumstances within the first 100 days that would make him second guess his decisions on torture.
He says torture is not consistent with American ideals, but dodges the issue as to whether he condones prosecuting the Bush administration or whether the Bush administration sanctioned torture. He may make some news and excite liberal groups by saying that whatever legal rationales were used may have been a mistake.
Compares America to Churchill England in the 1940's detaining German pilots during the blitz, He says banning torture is a decision he's very comfortable with.
Mark Knoller from CBS follows up again, pressing the torture issue and whether Obama would torture if they knew they could get valuable information, he presses hom his previous points and saying that America is a safer place when it doesn't torture, calls torture "shortcuts that undermine who we are." Says there have been no circumstances within the first 100 days that would make him second guess his decisions on torture.
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