President Obama will appear on 60 Minutes tonight. Taking up the full hour, the president discusses the economy, the bonus tax, healthcare, automakers' bailouts, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
(AARON TOMLINSON/CBS NEWS/AP)Photos (1 of 1)
Obama on 60 Minutes: Geithner good, Cheney bad
By Jimmy Orr | 03.22.09
Just like movie studios release excerpts of upcoming films to generate excitement and hopefully a big audience, that’s what 60 minutes is doing to preview President Obama’s appearance on the news show tonight.
And as disgruntled moviegoers know, half the time the trailers are better than the actual movies. Here’s hoping that tonight’s show fares better than this dog, this flop, or this disaster.
It should do well. To make sure it was interesting, they interviewed him for over 90 minutes (and the teleprompter wasn’t invited).
Based on the excerpts they released, if it were a movie, it could be called, “Geithner good, Cheney bad.”
Roll the tape
Now to the excerpts:
If Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner were to offer his resignation, Obama wouldn’t take it.
“Sorry Buddy, you’ve still got the job.”
There’s been no discussion of any resignations, Obama said.
“It’s going to take a little bit more time than we would like to make sure that we get this plan just right. Of course, then we’d still be subject to criticism. What’s taken so long? You’ve been in office a whole 40 days and you haven’t solved the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression?”
The more the president stands by Geithner, the more conservatives salivate. Remember President Bush’s “Brownie, you’re doing a heckuva job” comment? They hope Geithner is the sequel.
Darth Vader
How about Dick Cheney’s candid comments last week on CNN’s State of the Union?
You remember when asked if he thought Obama’s policies have made the U.S. less safe, Cheney curtly replied, “I do.”
It would be a real surprise ending if the president agreed with him. He didn’t.
“How many terrorists have actually been brought to justice under the philosophy that is being promoted by Vice President Cheney? It hasn’t made us safer. What it has been is a great advertisement for anti-American sentiment.”
What about the released prisoners who have rejoined terrorist groups?
“There is no doubt that we have not done a particularly effective job in sorting through who are truly dangerous individuals … to make sure [they] are not a threat to us.”
New swing set
CBS says Obama and 60 Minutes host Steve Kroft discussed a wide range of issues including the economy, the bonus tax, healthcare, automakers’ bailouts, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Plus, you get to see President Obama’s new swing set. Now sure, Obama may want to tell Joe Biden to go sit and spin sometimes, but this was a present for daughters Sasha and Malia.
We told you about it a couple weeks ago and many of you told us (in all caps) that this WASN’T NEWS! and asked, DON’T YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO WRITE ABOUT?
So we won’t talk about it again. But you can click here to see it.
——
You get to see us all the time if you follow us on Twitter.
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2. Jason | 03.22.09
It does get pointed out often but not in the brain beating way that I would prefer at this point. The man has been in office for an impossibly small amount of time. The critics who pile out of the woodwork purely want to create a sentiment that this President is no different then the previous. It certainly would help the Republican Party. Give him a full year and then voice your criticism. Voicing everything under the sun now makes you look petty and uncaring.
3. DK | 03.22.09
I can’t believe people expect this much from newly elected president. We allowed previous president and vice president take us to bottom in economy and international relations. Now we expect this president to change it overnight without giving him fair chance. Shame on us.
6. Stephen | 03.22.09
To Jason
“Cheny competent, Geitner not”. as usually, can’t debate the point, Ad hominem attack….
7. Mat | 03.22.09
Mr. Baustion I never responds to comments such as yours however I must point out incompetence when I see it. Your comment of Cheney competent, Geitner not, is amazing. Secretary Geitner and President Obama inherited a mess from the previous Republican Administration. Vice President Cheney was very competent if you feel encouraging President Bush to attack a country with out any provocation, and have young men and women die for absolutely nothing. The United States should not be in the Regime Change business unless provoked. It is time that people like you should allow the President of the United States, who by the way won with a majority, do his job. Vice President Cheney was a danger to the world when he was in office! Look how our relationships with countries have deteriorated over the past eight years and now we have years and years of rebuilding these relationships ahead of us. What is your reason for Geitner being incompetent? Prove to me he is and I will listen, would you want to talk about the failed financial policies of the Bush Administration instead? That is a conversation you really need to have!
9. Paul | 03.22.09
Is it just me, or is there a subtext in the republican party line that says, “Bush was lame, but so is Obama. All presidents are lame! (Except for McCain, who was way too centrist for our taste.) I’m waiting for some Republican to make a salient statement to the press.
10. Kwame | 03.22.09
Teleprompter or not, Obama is an excellent communicator. What I find interesting is that the GOP won’t offer any substantial plan, and all they are doing is waiting for the new administration to make the slightest mistake for them to pounce on.
Both Chris Dodd and Geithner have accepted responsibility for what happened. And Obama is saying the guy is doing an outstanding job on finding solutions to the economic mess that Bush/GOP created. Obama never complimented Geithner on the AIG decision. How is this similar to the “Brownie heck of a job” comment.
The GOP is very scared that Obama is going to lead America to solve the major problems (healthcare cost, education, energy) that we are facing.
11. David Maack | 03.22.09
Why should anyone in his/her right mind want to give a hard-left socialist any kind of a chance to wreck our economy. Comrade Obama has not been able to disguise his true leanings from people who have an above average IQ and a good healthy dash of common sense. Anyone who supports Obama has a serious problem with reality. How often does he have to stick his foot in his mouth (Special Olympics comment) before the average person figures out he does not like people of any race/color.
Obama, according to his “Dreams of my Father”, is concerned only about himself. He has a low level of self esteem (obvious) and a significant lack of maturity (even more obvious).
In the end, the level of ignorance and disconnect from reality, means most people will blindly follow him, like lemmings.
12. David | 03.22.09
It’s not that people expect President Obama to have accomplished more, it’s that people are starting to wonder whether his dogged pursuit of a political agenda in the midst of a financial crisis of this magnitude is good for the country. Instead of focusing on our most serious central problem, he is spending money and committing us to future expenditures we can’t make without bankrupting our country. We’ve already seen some results from “fast action” in the AIG bailout.
13. Tom Pondysh | 03.22.09
There are still people out there who do not assign blame where it so obviously lies. These people who still blindly follow the bush/ cheney dogma are a very real threat to our national security. In short, ignorance is dangerous!
14. Red Rabid | 03.22.09
Yes, our relationship with Iran really went down the tubes with Bush/Cheney. We need the good old appeaser days of Carter.
Instead of building a sham relationship with Iran or Cuba, how about building a relationship with the USA. Take some economic measures that will truly help all of us in the USA rather than just a favored few contributors like AIG, Goldman, Acorn, etc.
Obama’s new brownshirt corp is more reminiscent of the Nazi regime than anything Cheney did. Stacking enemy combatents up naked to tweak at their self esteem isn’t quite the same as cutting off heads is it?
15. sean | 03.22.09
A known tax evader/cheat into the treasury?
Geithner also filed a resignation but Obama wouldn’t accept it.
I don’t see why Cheney is continuously brought up, (depending how far from reality you are) he could be Hitler reborn or Mother Teresa, it doesn’t matter he isn’t in power anymore, and attacks on him at this point, are to distract from the real issues.
Basic concern:
If Geithner himself doubts his own abilities in such a position, coupled with his history, we should be concerned if he is competent or not.
16. joe | 03.22.09
Cheney is loved by KKKonservatives, you know , the ones that get their cookies playing with guns and drinking Limbaugh/Hannity kool aid.
17. Repugnicant Not | 03.22.09
As I understadn it, the Republcan party and all it’s zelots now hold Obama’s responsbible for the nightmare caused by long standing GOP control. WOW. How screwed up is it to be them. LOL.
18. Golly! | 03.22.09
Red Rabid is all over the place in his comment. Does he remember the fun the U.S. had in Iran with Operation Ajax during Ike’s presidency? No? He should look it up. Perhaps the U.S. should go back to those good old days. I’m sure the SAVAK would be a wonderful means of improving our relationship with Persia.
Red Rabid see a structural relationship between the well-fed financiers of Wall Street and the street organizers of ACORN? Where did he get those weird glasses?
19. George | 03.22.09
Understand this, Obama and Geithner are not just the president and secretary of the treasury department for the United States. These guys hold the these positions for the whole world, if you ask people from other countries how they will get out of their own recessions, what do they always say? They say Obama will help us, seriously this man has the whole world on his shoulders, Mccain would have had a stroke already. They are doing a good job.
20. publius | 03.22.09
I think that as Americans we should stop the blame game. It allows those who got us here to continue. The new tax on AIG is a bad law a bad precedent. It allows those who got us here to manipulate the events to to take more from us. Had Congress done their job read the bill and followed the constitution’s rules. None of this would be happening. When you accuse Republicans or Democrats of evil blah blah blah. We are distracted from the truth;that we are getting screwed again.
21. Red Rabid | 03.22.09
I can tell by the attacks on other posters which side of the argument fears the voices of others.
What would Cheney do? Would he try to shout me down? I think he would try to protect both you and me to be able to voice an opinion. The problem Bush/Cheney had was that they didn’t listen enough.
Should the citizen just shut up if they believe the course is wrong? I’m doing my part. I just do not believe the advertised course is best for all.
22. Bon Ami | 03.22.09
Blame bush, blame Cheney. Blame, blame, blame. I wonder how long it will take for these two pinatas to be forgotten? How about positive ideas, responsible spending, living within our means as a country in an accountable way? Truth be told, Cheney and Bush were bit players in the problems we have now. Both parties should accept responsibility and move on with well thought out solutions. It is unfair to completely attack our President, but as an independent, I’m very suspect of what he’s done thus far. Let’s see our economy is suffering from a debt hangover so lets borrow more? Kind of odd. The most disturbing thing thus far is how much money has been spent with so little thought, many of our elected officials don’t even read the legislation before a vote.
23. Morgan Gale | 03.22.09
Isn’t the economy bad enough for all of us to work towards a recovery? If comments like those above came from Democrats after 9/11, there would be a political war going on.
The problem with dialogue like this is that it leaves no room for serious debate about the future and a correct course of action. I didn’t like Reagan’s policy, but the debate that resulted did reform welfare and made some good strides toward changes that were necessary. I did’nt like Clinton’s philandering, but the deficits were reversed and he did lead us to prosperity.
No-one is perfect and not all policies are worth supporting, but dialogue that creates serious reform is worth the effort. Wishing someone failure because you disagree is more than unproductive. It’s un-American.
24. NC Pulozi | 03.22.09
The thing I loved and truly miss about Cheney (& Bush, for that matter) is the fantastic job they have both done (as well as Rove and Rumsfeld) of opening the US public’s eyes to what a bunch of boot-licking sheep the republicans are. If it wasn’t for the 8 year cancer known as the ‘Bush Administration’ people would still be laboring under the illusion that republicans actually want anything other than total control of this country and decimation of the middle class. For that I says ‘Thanks Dick - Oh, and by the way, that has got to be THE most appropriate nickname in the history of the world!
25. rickhb | 03.22.09
Repugnicant:
Funny how the Dems now lament the need for 60 votes to control the Senate isnt it… Especially after six years of asserting Repugs had control…
They all have their hands in the perverbial cookie jar. Get your mind out of the fog of propaganda and talking points.
27. David | 03.22.09
Can’t any of you guys see past your party partisanship? Bush didn’t cause the problems any more than Obama or Wall Street. The problems were caused by congressional democrats and republicans who passed laws making the whole mess possible. They created the laws that eliminated the barriers between banks, insurance companies, and brokerage companies and made derivatives possible. The “law of unintended consequences” took over, as it always does when the people making the decisions write laws and then turn away. Now “everybody” says they saw it coming and “tried to warn us.” Fine. Show me just one of these guys standing daily at the podium screaming at the top of his lungs. Instead, they took the money and enoyed the power. Both parties. These are the same guys we trust to fix the mess? Time to wake up. We need real change. Throw all of them out of office, 1/3 every two years. That’s the kind of change we need.
28. Ricky A | 03.22.09
Repugnicant Not. ….Are you saying Obama’s irresponsible? I thought he campaigned pretty aggressively to be given the responsibility ….said he was gonna fix it all (”YES WE CAN!”). ….I’m a lifetime democrat looking for real party leadership when all the lemmings voting for rock stars make it to the beach and take a good swim to sober up. Time is our friend.
29. Rob | 03.22.09
“How many terrorists have actually been brought to justice under the philosophy that is being promoted by Vice President Cheney? It hasn’t made us safer.”
—
Why don’t you ask them… oh wait they’re dead.
30. rickhb | 03.22.09
NCpulozi:
Just wait till the government grows into the huge proportion of the economy currently proposed and then you will see “total control of this country and decimationof the middle class” like nothing before.
I know that since you’re so anti “boot licking sheep” you’ll lament that end and assign blame objectively. To wit, all that embrace more government and thus control…
32. Leo | 03.22.09
Actions speak better than words. Cheney has proven himself to be a false believer who, along with his whole bunch of false believers, brought this country to the gates of hell. I don’t trust a word from that man. Obama to me is an unknown, but to his credit, he has not engaged in godless acts … yet.
33. Mark | 03.22.09
Republicans are strange homosapiens. These were the very people who have supported crazy corporate bonuses for decades and have opposed any talk of regulation and had been cheer-leaders of an unneccesary Iraq war. Now they apparently turned 180 degrees on what happened at AIG. Their greedy philosophy brought us to this point and they should SHUT UP for Obama to fix the mess they created.
34. shader51 | 03.22.09
Isn’t Geithner the guy who didn’t pay his taxes for 4 years and now runs the IRS? Oh and he’s the guy who hasn’t appointed anyone to the Treasury Department yet. He prefers to screw this up all on his own.
36. Grandpappybear | 03.22.09
Cheney is just a mean bitter old man. Competent, I think not! He is not very safe with a weapon that is well known. Given time, President Obama will do as he says. Republicans are obstructionist and offer no support to him because they are too bitter about thier political position these days. Some Demoncrats also are not very supportive and thier time to be removed will come. Geithner, well, I will give my support to the President. I trust that he will do the right thing. He must see something that I am not in a position to see.
37. Chewey | 03.22.09
Take a good look my fellow Americans. The magnitude to which this financial crisis could end our freedom to debate our own government openly without any recourse or censureship. The EU is urging Obama to stand with them on bailng out the Word Bankig system before any national relief can take place in any country. Sarkozy promsied 100 billion to the IMP towards this endeavour. Complete Financial Globalization would change America as we know her.
38. rickhb | 03.22.09
Mark:
You really need to lay off the kool aid and leave Alice at once.
Is it your position that the Dems proposed reforms to the financial system that the Repubs blocked? They are both responsible for petty bickering instead of working to keep regulations in pace with financial instruments and by inflicting desired outcomes on the financial sector. Its easy to blame “greed” and let Wall St be the boogey man, but that expalnation screams impish and rightly so…
40. Justagal | 03.22.09
Perhaps a bit cliche, but true nonetheless: I voted for a hero, not a handout.
42. Carl Justus | 03.22.09
Does not any news interviewer know that Bush and the republicans borrow six (6) trillion dollars the last eight years or are they afraid to ask one of them when start talking about the debt the stimulus will run up. Bush and the republicans did not and do not talk about the interest on the 6 trillion dollars of debt he gave this country either. I sure am not the only one to know about the debt and am mad as can be about it including the 5.7 trillion that was there when Bush took office.
Why do we need to give those who have proved they do not need any help massive tax cut? How much does a person need to live? Bush and the republicans like to make us Americans believe they have a monoply on believing in God. What does the Bible say about wealth. Who was suppose to help the poor and less fortunate? Who was suppose to give
Who was suppose to leave the edges of the field when harvesting. Who was not to go back and get a shieve when it was missed in harvesting?
Who wants medical care, who wants a good education for their children? Who wants good water and sewer systems, who clean lakes, rivers and creeks?
Who wants to clean air to breathe?
Who wants to be treated like a human being with feelings and the ability to defend himself or herself? Who wants to talk on the telephone without someone listening in and say it is to catch terrorists?
43. Duke | 03.22.09
Good, bad only history will be able to tell us which was which. BTW - who watches 60 minutes (CBS) anyway for news (or anything else). ZZZZZZZZ…zzzzz…
44. ROGER lehnert | 03.22.09
What hero is Cheney or Bush? Ever look at their military records? Cheney is a liar, and consorted with the Justice Department to twist the constitution. Not to mention Haliburton and all of the other. That he is mad over Libby says it all!
45. Red Rabid | 03.22.09
Justagal - I voted for McCain too!
Octomom $135K per month > Limit - Uterus
Bush In Iraq $10Billion per month > Limit - Term
Obama $2500 Billion per month > Limit - You
46. dom youngross | 03.22.09
Obama makes the talk. But he doesn’t live up to it. He looked the other way when Pelosi & Co. loaded up the 787 with goodies. He decried earmarks but signed the 410. He pledged withdrawal from Iraq, but leaves 50,000 in place — plus sends 17,000 to start the whole thing all over in Afghanistan. And he makes the talk about ‘halving’ the annual deficit. That’s after he pegs its needle with his 2010 budget proposal.
That’s only in his first two months.
You’d think after 8 long years of Bush, one of the worst presidents ever, and 8 long years of co-dependent Congressional blundering, most would have had enough of the talk-talk, and focused on the actions. But Obama supporters want only the talk. Actions that live up to the talk are too demanding for them. Talk-talk makes them feel good about themselves, with no need to take action. So they will gather around tonight to watch Obama talk. And they will nod their heads in agreement over everything he says. And they will convey their agreement to one another, by talking about what Obama said.
That is all I have to say.
47. Doug | 03.22.09
Hey Kwame, Obama the “great communicator”? Making fun of disabled kids is “great” to you? How can BO voter’s possibly support everything that comes out of his mouth? Bush was a disaster, but BO is a complete amateur who’s making America look ridiculous, AS did Bush.
48. ColumbusLee | 03.22.09
Thanks for the info on the swing set. But, what about the new dog? Don’t forget the new garden.
I hate to bring this up but he still has <50% favorable rating from the American public.
49. hawkize | 03.22.09
We all must be grateful that President George W. Bush will able to complete both terms of office sparing this nation the warmonger Cheney.
50. Theo | 03.22.09
The media is all over the AIG bonuses. But not a word about why Freddy and Fanny accepted all those sub prime mortgages, and why Freddy and Fanny encouraged mortgage lenders to sell sub prime mortgages in the first place.
51. Jim | 03.22.09
Obama treats Cheney’s comments in precisely the same manner with which Cheney treated the country as VP. With contempt. Imagine an ex-VP who is still so bloodthirsty that he has nothing better to do than perpetuate the same old Republican scare tactics. It actually makes sense though, since Dick Cheney is and always has been a spokesman for the Military Industrial Complex, and it’s inevitable beneficiaries, Big Oil and Big Reconstruction.
52. Ken Freedom | 03.22.09
hey David Maack, I fixed your comment:
“President Obama has not been able to overcome the suspicion of people who have a below average IQ and a unhealthy amount of rampant paranoia. Anyone who think Obama is a communist has a serious problem with reality.”
54. Gregg G | 03.22.09
First of all, our relations with Iran have been bad since the hostage crisis of 1979. Which, by the way was under Carter’s watch. Second,the war in Iraq was faught by volunteers,unlike the Vietnam war,witch the government used the draft. Give Bush a break,we have not been attacked since 9-11. He has been proactive and many Americans appriciate his efforts to make our country safer. I am getting a sense that the current administration is going down the road of appeasement. That foreign policy is dangerous.Just ask Neville Chamberlain, he gave away Europe to Hitler before WWII.Obama needs to be firm,but fair in his foreign policy,especially in dealing with Iran.They have their best interest in mind,not ours.
55. Shine | 03.22.09
“Geithner good, Cheney bad.”
Gee! Who would have expected that from 60 Minutes? /sarc off
7. Mat | 03.22.09
“President Obama inherited a mess from the previous Republican Administration.”
May I point out that much, if not most, of the financial mess this nation is in is because of the incompetence and meddling by such luminaries as Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Nancy Pelosi and their cohorts in bad government.
56. sil | 03.22.09
At this point I would just love to hear some really sound and defined ideas from the Obama haters as to how to fix the economy. Throwing the “lets cut taxes” line out isn’t even slightly convincing nor does it touch on so many of the deeper economic problems. Hating the democrats is just wasting time.
57. Paul Stewart | 03.22.09
It is amazing how some people just want to attack Obama and Geithner and anything about their heroic efforts to save a fast failing America. It took Cheney and Bush 8 years of incompetence and blind stupid thinking such as in many of the supporters here and the anti-Obama tyrants. Well, its an open country so you can say what you want. But saying it won’t make it true. Bush has cried wolf and patriotism and snidely defile and destroyed too many with nothing to show for it but a catastrophe. Get a life you people. Get on board the bus and help move this country back to something that is not so shameful and depressing to look at. Attack those AIG executives and those that enabled them to destroy their company, the back bone of the country’s economy and bring on a devastating global recession. They might actually deserve it. Otherwise, I submit you are wasting time and energy you might better put to positive use by supporting and enabling the salvation of this country.
58. bill | 03.22.09
Obama is smart to play the media field. He realizes the importance of selling his solutions to wider audiences. The old days of radio are no longer the way to talk to us.
I hope that what he says is what he does.
59. Jimmy | 03.22.09
This guy Hussein is dangerous to this country and we are headed for a disaster if something is not done to stop the childish way he is trying to govern.
He is impressed with himself and has the ego of a dictator. As long as he has the news media drinking his koolaid he will continue to have enough idiots believing this garbage he spreads is the best thing happening.
PEOPLE,WAKE UP BEFORE ITS TO LATE !!!!
60. kelly | 03.22.09
Cheney = Hitler? That is disrespectful to the memories of all the deaths at Hitler’s hands in WW2. Im sick of people belittling Hitler’s evil heart to make some kinda political point. Hitler killed millions of jews and christians with freaking ovens, gas chambers, and starvation. Women and children, civilians….on a huge mass scale!! Think what you will of Cheney , but any rational minded person would never see him come close to a status like Hitler.
People have this mob mentality, this hatred for Dick Cheney that is soo irrational. Most people regurgitate these hateful slogans or viewpoints without any real reason behind it.
62. SEC fan | 03.22.09
“Bush/GOP started” - sorry this financial mess was started by good ole Billy Clinton and Senator Schummer when they both made the banks ease their requirements and lend money to people to poor liberals so they could all buy houses. Now the majority of those houses have been repossessed and the banks are all failing - Thank God Billy is gone but Schummer is still around - helping the poor have something. Can you imagine getting a tax refund, even though you didn’t pay any tax? I can’t wait to see what this administraton pulls out of it’s hat next.
63. bill | 03.22.09
Obama shows his inexperience when he sides with Pelosi on Guantanimo.
He has no clue on what he is saying about the dangerous people that are housed there.
He is worried about alienating the arab community instead of the American community for the sake of his political gain.
He is pretty uneducated when it comes to the battle we face.
Unfortunately he was elected our president now we must hope that he does not have the capitol to advance his agenda within the next two years.
Hopefully the American people will wake up during the 2011 elections to tip the balance in the House and Senate.
64. ANNAH | 03.22.09
32. Leo | 03.22.09
Actions speak better than words. Cheney has proven himself to be a false believer who, along with his whole bunch of false believers, brought this country to the gates of ****. I don’t trust a word from that man. Obama to me is an unknown, but to his credit, he has not engaged in godless acts … yet.
————————–>
Obama not engaged in goddless acts yet…??? Didn’t even take him a week to make AMERICAN taxpayers PAY for abortion services ALL OVER THE WORLD, by getting rid of the Mexico City Policy. ( We do not have the money to feed, clothe and house our OWN in this Country.. but Obama find plenty of money to abort babies all over the globe, Then he decides that Taxpayers has to fund Embryonic Sten Cell research.. Again.. Where is that money coming from?? { Science has proven that ADULT STEM CELLS work much better anyway} For some reason, this President cannot get his admins on board fixing the housing mess that Obama and ACORN helped in making a bad thing worse. Lets see, Signing an EO to shut down the detention center in Gitmo. Talk about you get outta jail free cards….
Then we have this GIVE ACT, If this works like some say it will, Obama will make Hitler look like a benign old geezer. And Obama thinks he will be able to sit with the Iranian leaders and have High Tea and scones and “talk” about “stuff”. Since I don’t have the space for a WAR AND PEACE in this forum, I will close. However, since you brought up God… Might wanna read Daniel 5, Matt 24, and any chapter in Rev.
65. Joanne | 03.22.09
46. dom youngross | 03.22.09
“Obama makes the talk. But he doesn’t live up to it. He looked the other way when Pelosi & Co. loaded up the 787 with goodies.”
This kind of remark is useless. What do you define as “goodies”? Education? Infrastructure? Everyone in Congress contributes to spending bills. It is obvious that you are not concerned about anything but an excuse to slam Obama and blame everything on Democrats.
“He decried earmarks but signed the 410.”
He pledged to reform the earmark process. The Omnibus bill was under the last President, and 40% of those earmarks were sponsered by Republicans. If you look at the actual projects, there is a lot of building, roads, education and infrastructure spending. The process as it is currently used needs to be reformed, but earmarks will not go away.
“He pledged withdrawal from Iraq, but leaves 50,000 in place — plus sends 17,000 to start the whole thing all over in Afghanistan. ”
He has proposed a plan to withdraw that has the approval of military leaders. I suspect if he suddenly pulled out and violence erupted, Dom Youngross would be screaming about that.
Truth is, Afghanistan was the original target, and it was the base of the Taliban and Osama. If we had done the job in Afghanistan first, we could have stabilized the middle east. Instead we took on Iraq for Bush’s own ego trip. It is absurd to expect Obama to undue the mismanagement in the middle east in two months. If McCain had one, there would be no move to withdraw, and no plan to get back on track.
“And he makes the talk about ‘halving’ the annual deficit. That’s after he pegs its needle with his 2010 budget proposal.”
At least shows that he is aware of the need to pay attention and take action on the deficit. Every single Republican has talked conservative spending, and not one single Republican has ever done it. We have neglected our domestic infrastructure for a long time, and now it is time to pay the piper. Instead of pouring money into Iraq, we need to fix our roads, schools and railroads. He has also put forth plans to begin decreasing the deficits. None of this can happen in two months.
“How can BO voter’s possibly support everything that comes out of his mouth?”
We don’t. He screwed up, that was a bad mistake. But he is the President that was elected by a large majority and we respect him. He is human. Regardless of your insults, the world thinks very highly of Obama. I don’t like Geithner, but it wasn’t my choice. I suspect Obama knows him better than me, and so far, he has shown that he is a thoughtful person.
Some people need to lighten up and quit trying to find excuses to insult the president. You only show yourselves as the sore losers you are.
66. SS | 03.22.09
We tried to cure over zealousness with inexperience/incompetence. We keep oscillating from once end to the other.When are we ever going to elect a moderate competent president? We need a third party.
67. TellasisPatel | 03.22.09
It is astonishing that so many “experts” [or “fools”?] have voiced their opinions before watching 60 Minutes interview of President Obama personnaly.
68. PulSamsara | 03.22.09
7. Mat | 03.22.09
“President Obama inherited a mess from the previous Republican Administration.”
May I point out that much, if not most, of the financial mess this nation is in is because of the incompetence and meddling by such luminaries as Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Nancy Pelosi and their cohorts in bad government.
———————————————————————
You may point it out but you would just be pointing down a blind alley.
It’s understandable why you would want to deflect the blame that the leaders of supporters like you helped create.
Everyone likes to feel good about themselves.
No matter how complacent they’ve been in getting America to this point in time.
So feel good about yourself if it helps you…
but it wont help us.
thanks.
69. PulSamsara | 03.22.09
Remember - It wasn’t Bush and Cheney that got America into this MESS.
It’s their ignorant supporters.
Yeah YOU.
70. KarenT | 03.22.09
Sean…Geithner never tendered his resignation and the reason Cheney is brought up is due to his ridiculous interview last weekend where he stated that Obama’s policies are making the country less safe.
71. jo puschek | 03.22.09
My God,
Did anyone realize that he blundered through the questions with double-talk & NO substance & only quit stuttering when asked about the swing set?
72. Jan | 03.23.09
With a friend like Cheney, Bush didn’t need enemies. Geithner is Obama’s Cheney.
As Cheney was the principal author of Bush’s self-destructive foreign policy, so Geithner is the author of Obama’s self-destructive financial policy. Trying to prop up Citi and BofA (and other insolvent banks still in hiding?) will abort any chance for economic recovery.
Corruption? Perhaps. Haliburton is to Cheney as Citi is to Geithner. Or perhaps not. Idiocy instead.
But idiocy and corruption do have a certain affinity. As in the last administratio, so in this one.
What did this country do to deserve such leaders?
Plenty.
73. outvoted | 03.23.09
the real problem with this country is lack of moral responsibility. It’s always easier to lay the blame at the feet of the government, the one we elected, than to put our own house in order. Ya’ll wanted a chicken in every pot with a granite countertop in a shack that was twice what you could afford, with a payment you couldn’t make. Economic revitalization has become a slow death to our country. We won’t recover till we start paying for what we want, when we want it, with money that we have. If you don’t have the money you can’t afford it. If it’s your home mortgage try paying it instead of borrowing against it’s speculative value. When you sow seeds into the wind, you reap the whirlwind
74. Robert McDonald | 03.23.09
How can the citizens be so hard on Obama and his first days in office? How soon we forgot that George Bush took off for a month in Texas when he first got in office (and never returned!) Second, How soon we forget that Cheney had us ALL fooled. He was not Darth Vader. He was Dr. Strangelove! And where does HE get off being critical of Obama? Wasn’t it Cheney who harped on “to criticize the President was to be un-patriotic?”
75. frank burns | 03.23.09
What about Cheney, GOP, losers, Obama elected president (mandate given by the American people who overwhelmingly rejected the Bush/Cheney approach).
77. The truth | 03.23.09
You libtards make me sick. Always blaiming others (republicans,Bush,God) for your sorry life. Try some personal responsibility, like getting a job and supporting yourself instead of bringing others down to your sad lifestyle.
When your socalism fails yet again, the right will bail you out like always, because we really deep down feel sorry for you because you don’t know any better, like childern.
Keep pushing us however and you will feel our wrath. Besides who do you think the military sides with? Libtard like you? Sorry traitors. We don’t forget. Good luck taking our guns away ^_^
78. AdamG | 03.23.09
Dick Cheney gave no bid contracts to his former company, which transplanted itself to Dubai to avoid paying taxes. He and his cronies at KBR and Halliburton owe the American people more money than Geithner could make in 100 lifetimes.
79. Shediac | 03.23.09
Wow!I’m sorry I missed your ‘Bush right’ rest of the world wrong! I believe Mr. “77.the truth”, tends to express the true Christian faith which seems to be the wonderful survival of the fittest…hmm.. Jesus would have cried….
80. Jayne | 03.24.09
From the interview, Obama said: “How many terrorists have actually been brought to justice under the philosophy that is being promoted by Vice President Cheney? It hasn’t made us safer. What it has been is a great advertisement for anti-American sentiment.”
Couldn’t the interviewer have called him on that? Surely he remembers quite a number of high profile terrorists that have been killed or captured. And the anti-American sentiment has been from the dictators that never liked us in the first place. This is what is wrong with the press, they let Obama make statements like this without challenging him.
81. fightinback | 03.25.09
Cheney scares me- there’s this feeling he isn’t quite so nice. I get the same feeling from Obama. He has mood swings….did you see the giggling he did when he was asked about the auto bailouts?! Then he turns and stares at other reporters and makes curt remarks.He has lot’s of charm, and is an eloquent speaker…..but I think he’s in over his head. I’m afraid to wait a year to see if all this works. I’m afraid I won’t have anything left. No house, job, school, car or food, no free speech, or freedom to voice my opposition on the internet. I sure hope I am wrong about him.
82. Shine | 04.03.09
“68. PulSamsara | 03.22.09
You may point it out but you would just be pointing down a blind alley.
It’s understandable why you would want to deflect the blame …”
Aaah! did I touch a raw nerve? So sorry!
83. Brett Baldwin | 04.04.09
All this bitter partisan debate is sicking.
Time for the USA to split into 2 Countries.
One country for people who believe in a small limited government with low taxes that is defined in the the US Constitution.
Another country for people who want a big nanny federal government with unlimited powers and high taxes.
We can have elections in each State to vote for which federal government that State wants to belong to.
This would help to minimize all this bitter partisan comments on blogs.
Time for the divorce.
84. KenF | 04.05.09
People who continually lambast Bush/Cheney as the cause of ALL our national ills—forgetting Clinton ignoring the gathering Muslim menace for 8 years, or that the Democrats in office since ‘06 had primary roles in the banking debacle) are as ignorant of the truth as Comrade Obama is of the foundational truths of our Republic. People who clamor to believe in such ineptitude as our only hope for the the future of this country are proof that propaganda works best on those who cannot think for themselves. They would’ve followed Hitler without blinking an eye…
85. KenF | 04.06.09
That’s ’cause Obama thinks “justice” is only meted out in Courtrooms full of liberal lawyers and liberal judges.
86. Ken F | 04.06.09
People who continually lambast Bush/Cheney as the cause of ALL our national ills—forget that Clinton ignored the gathering Muslim menace for 8 years, or that the Democrats in office since ‘06 had primary roles in the banking debacle, aka October Surprise) are as ignorant of the truth as Comrade Obama is of the foundational truths of our Republic. People who clamor to believe in such ineptitude as our only hope for the the future of this country are proof that propaganda works best on those who cannot think for themselves.
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. J Baustian | 03.22.09
“Geitner good, Cheney bad”? How about, Cheney competent, Geitner not.