Serious Obama Defends His Policies on "The Daily Show"

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Serious Obama defends his policies on "The Daily Show"

By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON | Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:37pm EDT

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama targeted young voters on Wednesday with a robust defense of his policies and promises in an appearance on the popular comedy program "The Daily Show."

- snip -

Stewart, one of the most influential comedians in the United States, pressed Obama over the gap between his promises and his accomplishments and described the White House's legislative achievements as "timid at times." That did not sit well with a visibly frustrated president.

- snip -

Stewart needled Obama for promising change but hiring people with long Washington careers such as Larry Summers, his top economic adviser, who served as secretary of the Treasury under former President Bill Clinton.

- snip -

"In fairness, Larry Summers did a heck of a job," he continued, using the same infamous phrase his predecessor, Republican President George W. Bush, used to describe the discredited former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Michael Brown, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. "You don't want to use that phrase, dude," Stewart said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69R04Z20101028

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[GreenPartyVoter]

2. And Jon Stewart is a part of this? :^(

[ixion]

3. As an enabler, sure...

He's providing the platform.

I know this won't be a popular opinion, but I don't think it's funny that we're still building bases in Afghanistan, and I don't think the president should be on a comedy show making jokes about it. It's not the least bit funny.

[Name removed]

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[emilyg]

5. Agree.

[ixion]

9. Thanks, emilyg

Glad to know I'm not alone on this. :toast:

[mzmolly]

39. What joke did he make about

Afghanistan?

[Lost4words]

64. +1! nt

[NanceGreggs]

7. If you seriously believe ...

... that nothing, absolutely nothing, has changed under the Obama administration, I can only assume you (a) are joking, or (b) have been in a coma for the last year and a half.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[NanceGreggs]

15. "I don't see it."

Apparently, you don't.

When someone says this administration has been too slow to act, too timid in their approach, have not accomplished as much as could have been expected, et cetera - they are raising arguably valid arguments.

To opine that you see absolutely no difference between this president and the last, absolutely no progress towards progressive goals, absolutely no achievements worth acknowledging, is to admit that you are being willfully blind.

As I've said before, to say this president has not done enough is an honest perception by some - not all, but some - and many have backed-up that assessment with fair criticism and level-headed reasons for holding that opinion.

Obama may not have done what you wanted, what you thought was necessary, what you believe was politically correct under the circumstances. But to say he has done nothing that distinguishes his presidency from the previous one is - well, quite frankly, the mindless ranting of the politically comatose.

[DFW]

41. Some of us see it.

I knew, too, that Obama would be blasted for not curing cancer and bringing universal prosperity and eversing global warming
within two weeks of taking office.

But to say that nothing has changed since the Cheneybush days is, to be, charitable, a rather narrow view of things.

[No Elephants]

50. And the second sentence of your post does not reflect a narrow view?

[DFW]

71. Plenty has changed fo me, so I say, no, it does not

So, anyone who says nothing has changed may be speaking for themselves, but do not speak for all, therefore, no,
I do not consider it narrow. Two Supreme Court Justices have been seated. If you see no difference between the
philosophies and opinions of Roberts/Alito vs. those of Sotomayor/Kagan in the few that have already been rendered,
then I'm sorry, but if that is not a dramatic break from the previous administration, then nothing is.

[rpannier]

61. Good call

I have had my qualms with the administration on some topics: education and environment
However, this administration has stepped up food quality inspection, has shown a greater understanding of foreign policy and has stopped the economy from its free-fall.
I think the problem is, no one notices these things until there is a crisis, so the due credit is sometimes lost -- in this case often lost in the dynne of the idiocracy that gets front-row center coverage

on note: Because this was such a thoughtful post your black-balling from the wine and cauliflower social has been lifted

[NanceGreggs]

70. Yay! Cauliflower & Wine!!!

Count me in!

BTW, is dunking allowed? :shrug:

[stuckinarut]

79. Stewart put it best when he described POTUS' legislation as 'patchwork'

Whether President Obama meant to or not, he has turned what could have been truly game-changing legislation (Hcare) into a handout to the private insurance company. I was and still am a avid supporter of Universal Health Care for all. This plan does nothing of the sort. I wish this bill had half the substance opponents argue it does. It simply isn't there. Instead, in the interests of "bipartisanship" we surrendered what made the bill good to begin with. Who ends up holding the bag? Average Americans.

I found myself defending this bill and the President for a year, everywhere I went. And then to get the carpet pulled out from under me when the public option got chopped in order to gain a couple of votes that didn't end up being there in the end anyways... I couldn't have been more let down. This is the same with any other substantial part of legislation passed this year. It sounds good, but none of it has any real teeth.

You can't build a house on a rotten foundation...well you can, but it doesn't last long and will always have problems.

I understand POTUS is facing alot...but appeasement is not the answer. It didn't work before WW2, and it won't work with international corporate interests. They don't have to answer to us. Just look at BP.

I understand you see him as providing change, but there is no change here. Im hoping that this is all political pandering because he is nervous about losing his second term. But I would rather have a Bulldog 1 term president and get a lot done no matter the back-lash, than have a poodle lap dog for special interests for 8 more years.

Peace

[mzmolly]

31. I'll tell you about the change that has effected my family personally.

1. We qualified for a loan modification saving our family nearly 300 monthly and enabling us to keep our home.
2. Veterans affairs - my Dad no longer has to fight the VA for proper compensation for his PTSD.
3. Health care - my diabetic family member will no longer be denied access - unless republicans gain control (with your help) and overturn the legislation.
4. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act - effects all women in the work place.
5. Fought Republicans to extend unemployment benefits - this helped Republican family members who will surely vote against their own best interest next Tuesday.

More on Obama's accomplishments here: http://www.daily-jeff.com/news/simple_article/4857392

[Bette Noir]

42. I'm glad you're doing better under Obama.

I have to sell my house and move out of state, because I can't afford both health insurance and a mortgage. The health insurance costs more than the mortgage, and still leaves thousands of dollars annually in uncovered medical expenses, so I was mortally insulted when Mr. President said that we had gotten "90% of what we wanted."

No, he hasn't "done nothing," but he sure hasn't done enough.

[mzmolly]

84. So pay the tax penatly

for not having health insurance. It's about 25 a month. I'm glad health insurance will be there when you need it.

I forgot to add, my credit card company can only raise rates on new purchases vs. existing ones.

[HDPaulG]

10. Ditto Nance

[mzmolly]

27. Or, C.) Helping Sharon Angle by working on suppressing the vote.

;) :hi:

[Lost4words]

65. fail,......

[mzmolly]

26. Nothing has changed?

:eyes:

[yurbud]

6. if that pun about Larry Summers was intended, its the most promising sign

since he crushed our hope by filling his cabinet with DLC tools of Wall Street (as well as actual Wall Street sociopaths).

[w4rma]

11. That's what he said. Obama intended to use that pun.

"Pun intended," Obama replied.

Summers is due to leave the Obama administration at the end of this year to return to teaching at Harvard.

[No Elephants]

45. For the record: Repeating something Dummya said does not equal a pun.

Irony or sarcasm, probably. Pun, no.

[burning rain]

52. Which begs the question, why President Obama brought Summers aboard in the first place.

.

[yurbud]

77. maybe that was the price of being allowed to win

[burning rain]

86. That sounds rather conspiratorial to me.

I'd more likely attribute it to personal inclination, President Obama's notorious aversion to conflict, etc.

[yurbud]

87. things like that have happened on the record, like to Bill Clinton

although in his case it was AFTER he was in office. In meetings with top congressional leaders and Rubin and Greenspan, they told him he could NOT do a lot of the domestic things he promised in the campaign and to scale back his ambitions, which he largely did.

[elleng]

18. It was intended; he said so. Please watch the show.

[Doctor_J]

12. He is still unwilling or unable to reach out to the people who rallied for

him 2 years ago. It appears that either he or the people who tell him what to do are completely clueless about what we throught we were voting for in 2008. The other possibility is that he's hoping that with a Repuke congress for the next two years, he can hold off a few of the worst abuses and thereby declare "victory". That's probably a lot easier than actually trying to make real progress.

[dogfacedboy]

40. During that fight, Progress will be made--

IF the Dems and President Obama use all that they have at their disposal.

[Hekate]

59. What would it take for you to feel "reached out to"? Seriously, what would that look like to you?

President Obama is getting things done in the face of all-out GOP obstructionism.

A great deal LESS will get done if the GOP retakes the House next week -- Nancy Pelosi has been a tiger in getting Obama's legislative agenda passed in the House. The bills die in the SENATE. So -- if the GOP retakes the Senate, expect government to grind to a halt and then go in reverse.

The Executive cannot overturn LAWS he doesn't like. All he can do is urge the process through the Congress, which makes the laws in the first place -- and that is where Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi comes in. She's the one in the back rooms and on the floor. Do you think for a moment that Speaker of the House Boehner and Senate Majority Leader McConnell are going to spend one second on the issues we care so much about?

The Executive can't push anything through the courts, either. Laws that need to be overturned have to go up the chain of the courts until they get to the SCOTUS.

The President is "reaching out" by getting away from his desk and getting out in public. His speeches are as enthusiastically-received as ever, despite the lies of the media. He's getting television exposure on popular programs, which seems to be totally necessary these days.

John Stewart is not a funny-man with a rubber chicken. He's a satirist, which is different. Stewart is also politically savvy, liberal, incisive, and very bright. During the Bush admin he talked about things that no one else in the media would touch. He has a remarkable array of people on for interviews.

I don't know what else a busy president is supposed to do to "reach out" --but it's disheartening to know how many DUers are among those who are perversely looking forward to the GOP retaking the Congress.

Hekate

[intaglio]

13. "Nothing has changed" self righteous, self pitying claptrap

People saying that are well aware that change has occurred, it is just that it is not the extent of change they wanted. What is wanted for that sort of change is a President ruling by fiat, ignoring the Constitution and trampling on those who don't agree with him or the"Changeless" critics; more precisely they want a left-wing Dubya with the same disrespect for human rights.

[Doctor_J]

14. Well, his approach has earned the party an historic trouncing this year

so whatever he's doing, it's not what 60 million people voted for two years ago

[NanceGreggs]

17. Speak for yourself, as you've every right to ...

... but don't deign to speak for the 60 million, whose opinions (clutch pearls, fall on fainting couch) obviously do not mirror your own.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

24. FDR got trounced too. Lost 72 seats in 38. Why did FDR betray America?

[MannyGoldstein]

28. FDR got hurt after he tried to cut the deficit too early

In 1937, he abandoned the New Deal to cut deficits. The economy tumbled, and the Dems took a hit.

In the 1934 elections, the Dems crushed the Repubs. Only 17 Republican Senators remained!

[SemiCharmedQuark]

30. IOW, despite all the good FDR did, voters turned their backs on him at the first opportunity

They thought he didn't go far enough so they voted to kill the New Deal? That was an asinine thought process

[MannyGoldstein]

32. I tend to agree except...

FDR got the message and became a Democrat again. So it all worked out in the end.

Interesting strategy, moving left after a drubbing instead of going far right. Perhaps that FDR was on to something...

[Hekate]

60. Revisionist history

oy

[No Elephants]

47. Huh? Voters never turned their backs on FDR. They re-elected him until he died. So many times, we

adopted a Constitutional amendment. However, people in trouble do seem prefer to prefer liberal policies to Pub Lite.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

83. They elected Republicans over Democrats which resulted in the end of his New Deal.

You don't give the guy you support enemies to work with.

[No Elephants]

46. +1 Not to mention how long Democrats held Congress.

[MannyGoldstein]

29. It's the DLC. DLC = Democrats Lose Congress.

In all 6 elections to date when the DLC has ruled the Party, we've either lost Congress or maintained a minority. The only hope for try #7 is that the opponents are so staggeringly awful.

[No Elephants]

54. Agree-and love your characterization, but have some comments.

You have to say "DLC types" or something like that now. Center-right types now go by so many aliases: DLC, "moderate" Democrats, New Democrats, "centrists," Third WAy and on and on. It'sBetween them, the Blue Dogs, the DINOs and the conservadems, you probably also could say, "the DNC, excepot for an ever-dwindling number of liberals."

Of course, the Rethugs call all of them "Socialist" or "hard left" and some Democrats call all but Republicans "progressive" or even "Liberal." However, IMO, all those are lies or denial. Hell, even Hillary, a DLC co-founder, uses "progressive" very freely; and Marshall, another DLC co-founder and later signer of the 2003 PNAC memo, heads the Progressive Policy Institute (reason enough for me to deem "progressive" an almost meaningless word).

Anyhoo, some are very literal and will not accept the term "DLC" unless the person in question is literally on the current membership roll of the DLC.


Finally when people are unhappy, all most of them know to do is throw out incumbents and people are unhappy with Pub or Pub Lite policies.

[aquart]

56. Uh, we ain't trounced YET.

[Lost4words]

66. totally agree!

[No Elephants]

53. Liberals have no respect for human rights or the Constitution? LOL!

[treestar]

58. Yes, exactly.

How many posts have I seen on DU in the past 2 years ranting on as if Obama could have just made a fiat ruling for this or that? Thousands.

[Schema Thing]

62. Thank you. This should be a thread title.

I'm so fucking tired of our Lefty-versions-of-Freepers.

[XemaSab]

67. I *DO* want a left-wing Dubya

Dubya was an absolute tool, but he was able to push forward several things at a time, and leave the liberals playing whack-a-mole.

(A random, trivial example that comes to mind is when Dubya starting talking about switchgrass in some speech or debate. Switchgrass. But the blogosphere lit up like a Christmas tree discussing whether this was actually a worthwhile suggestion or whether he was off his meds again. Every day that dude busted out something different. Every day. If he wasn't such an evil, stupid sonofabitch I would salute the man for being SO CRAFTY.)

Obama could easily go on the offensive and leave these republicans holding their dicks, but he IS being too cautious.

In this day and age, "cautious" and $5 will get you a super value meal at Burger King. :P

His appearance on Stewart was good, and his campaigning in the last few weeks has been good, but the American people want to be wooed by their president. Obama should have been using his verbal gifts for the last few YEARS, instead of switching it on in the 11th hour.

And it's not just that he wasn't given a platform.

His speech after the oil spill? It was so flat and lacking in charm or vision that I felt like Obama had just announced that my pony was getting shipped off to the glue factory. :(

I voted for a visionary, and Obama's just not bringing it for me.

[iandhr]

16. I am sorry

What has been said about the President is despicable. This president has done more then any other first term President in modern history. He prevented a depression. Passed healthcare reform which no other president was able to do. PAssed a credit card reform law.


The fact was that people thought change would be instant and he would fix everything at once.The type of change that this president seeks takes a lifetime. YOU NEED TO FIGHT. Stop surrendering like the French and GOTV

[grantcart]

19. Don't take it seriously. Some folks have been waiting all week to

be first in line to tag the President.

[HughMoran]

20. I'm with you

The naivety or deliberate viciousness is something to behold. I just shake my head a lot.

[awoke_in_2003]

33. "Passed healthcare reform"...

otherwise know as the health insurance bailout act. He was against mandates before he was for them.

[countrydad58]

55. 47 million uninsured

me included are still so!

[Name removed]

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[Matariki]

21. That would be Mr President, Dude.

[Name removed]

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[Number23]

23. Preach it, brother!

:headbang:

[goclark]

34. Ditto!

[MannyGoldstein]

25. Yes, Obama is better than Bush

I don't recall Obama running on "I'll be better than Bush". By that standard, I grant you he'd be a success. So would Nixon and Reagan.

I do recall a long list of specific promises, and I believe almost all the major ones have either been broken or are yet to be fulfilled - ranging from a Public Option to fighting for the middle class to a transparent administration to getting rid of DADT.

[Name removed]

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[MineralMan]

73. Same as the old boss, huh? Well, the old boss was

George W. Bush. No thank you. That's not even close to being an acceptable statement.

[truthisfreedom]

36. I'm with you. Obama's done a hell of a job, a job nobody in this forum would want to be responsible

for. And he's done it against the most obstinate racist hateful opposition party in the history of the country.

[Bette Noir]

43. "Malcontent fucking morons"? I have to sell my house because insurance is so expensive,

I tell Mr. President that his "health care reform" isn't good enough, and I'm a "malcontent fucking moron"?

Mirror spell... Engaged!

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

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[Bette Noir]

44. Isn't that pony reference specifically forbidden under DU rules?

[Aristophrenia]

48. You are wrong -

Sorry but the facts stand - Obama has already made PLENTY of decisions which could have genuine and meaningful change that would clearly signal his
position as a progressive - instead he chose the opposite path. A path which clearly and EXPLICITLY fingers him as middle of the road at the very best.

His choice to NOT even investigate any of the previous Governments activities were profoundly, deeply aligned to protecting government from scrutiny -
blatant corruption of the highest order - who cares if he calls it moving on - its his RESPONSIBILITY !

His decision to escalate private mercenary numbers in iraq to well above pre-surge enlisted numbers is obscene. It has merely turned the country into a
private war zone. Any President in history would have been howled from office for that - disgusting - but since its 'better than Bush' your ok with what
stands as the afront to modern civil society in every manner - thats plain wrong.

His position on hit lists - to implement and extend them is just puerile. Imagine if Nixon had condoned hit squads who were sanctioned to assassinate American
civilians - just think about that. But because he is Obama - not Bush - its all fine - we are over reacting.

His extension of the war in Afghanistan and directly engaging in large parts of Pakistan and escalating the war wildly out of control is just disgusting. Seriously the most
wrong thing I can imagine. His excuses are - worryingly - accepted by you. Chomsky long ago observed that progressive media is the most dangerous because its readers do not
question it - its progressive - like Obama - where has your questioning gone ? He is the President - not just Obama.

Israel has simply gone into over drive since Obama took office, - Obama - nothing, zip.

What is the the American position on Muslims today compared to pre Obama - far, far, far worse. The truth is Bush was at war with terrorists - Obama is our there
defending Muslims - really ? How so - escalating wars against Muslim nations and simply handing over the Iraq war to a private military to have there way entirely.

Palestine is being destroyed - Iran is being destroyed , nothing. Silence.

The stimulus was an absolute joke - nothing better can be said - total and utter failure where the only real beneficiaries were banks. My God - what a joke.

The only thing Obama has done positively - apart from sprouting unending niceties which you have fallen HOOK LINE AND SINKER FOR - was the health insurance - and this according to
most left leaning progressive pundits was the biggest corporate handout in history .....

I am far more progressive than you can imagine, far more left leaning than possible, I several degrees including masters in international relations, potical theory, economics and more - I KNOW
what I'm talking about - this guy is a centrist - he absolutely admits it and has been very clear about it in his words and actions. And when you are a centrist in a country
like America with Tea Parties and far right corrupt republican extremists that is NOT SAYING MUCH.

Get the hell over Obama and start looking at the President of the United States - sanction death squads are the darkest chapter in American history - and they are his to own.

[Name removed]

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[Hissyspit]

51. Nobody kicked anyone's ass.

Good grief.

[No Elephants]

49. As far as the narrow issue of Wednesday's Daily Show, I thought both Obama and Stewart did

their jobs well, the President's job on that show being, as head of our Party to gain votes for Democrats on Tuesday--for which I am very grateful (don't want more Rethugs in office)-- and Stewart's job being to press as hard as possible, without being disrespectful of the POTUS or too anti-Democratic, Stewart being anti-Rethug.


This thread is a heckuva flamefest, though.

[treestar]

57. If Stewart is so influential, why isn't this country full of progressives?

Why does it have so many right wingers in it?

Why isn't Stewart President then? WTF?

I don't get the worship of Stewart (or the other comedians/pundits). Why is it any better than the right wingers' worship of Glenn Beck?

[harun]

63. Non sequitur

[Name removed]

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[MineralMan]

72. The old boss was George W. Bush. So you're saying

that President Obama is the same as George W. Bush? Really?

[Enrique]

74. yeah, DU is just loaded with Jon Stewart picture threads

people don't worship Jon Stewart, they just see that he has a really good show that's consistently funny and occasionally brilliant.

And in constrast to Glenn Beck, Jon Stewart makes sense. He's not insane.

[Lorien]

75. It IS full of progressives. The MSM and Diebold is full of corporate conservatives

though, so you've bought into their spin.

[jaxx]

76. I'm glad I was at work last night when this thread went down.

DU couldn't even make it a whole week before one of the most important elections to ever happen in this country without ripping the Democratic President to shreds. The utter contempt for him posted here is nothing to be proud of at all. There is no going back now on the words that came spewing out, one started and it was like the dam broke. No more nicey-nice pretense. There is, without a doubt, real hatred here for the President, the Congress and the wide variety of people who make up the Democratic Party. It makes DU impotent in it's meaning, a most undemocratic place.

I just have one question, was it worth it?

[Coventina]

78. This thread highlights the current identity crisis that DU has

Is it Democratic (Party) Underground?

Or democratic (as in philosophy-defined by each individual) Underground?

That's something that ultimately only the Admins can decide. But there are large groups of DUers on both sides of the crisis.

Just my .02, but I think the time is swiftly approaching (actually I think it is here) where the Admins are going to have to make a firm decision which stance is going to become official.
If not, these types of "wars" will only increase in frequency and bitterness.

I took the recent member survey, and it seemed to me, based on the questions, that the Admins are pondering these issues deeply at the moment. I wish them luck. I am glad I am not in their shoes.

on edit: typo

[jaxx]

80. The crisis?

I don't see a crisis, I see the all encompassing Democratic ideals being squandered purposely. That isn't a crisis, it's a damn shame.

[Coventina]

81. Personally, I agree with you. I think it is a shame.

I see the problems. I can understand why people are frustrated with Obama. I have frustrations with him as well. But I also see that he is working hard to fix things. And I also know that it's a lot easier to destroy (Bushco) than it is to rebuild (Obama).

The crisis I'm referring to is the current divide between what DUers believe Democratic Underground should be: a place where ALL Democrats (that is, members and elected representatives of the Democratic Party) are supported, or at least treated with respect.

Or, if Democratic Underground should be a place where ideological purity is held as an absolute standard that any Democrat, president on down, can be castigated for failing to uphold.

I myself, waver between the two viewpoints.

But, come Tuesday I am voting all "D" because the alternative is to give this country to the crazies.

Once again, just my two cents....

[jaxx]

82. Thanks for a meaningful reply, I appreciate it.

We aren't perfect, but we are Democrats. I think that matters a lot.

I voted straight D too. It was the only thing to do, as you stated the alternative is the crazies.

[Hekate]

85. Yeah--Was it worth it? It's so much easier to destroy than build...

... and all I see here is destruction, and dancing on the anticipated ruins.

I have a feeling that the ruins aren't just going to be the Obama agenda in Congress, but the final crumbling of DU. That is sad beyond words. All of it.

Hekate

>>> DU couldn't even make it a whole week before one of the most important elections to ever happen in this country without ripping the Democratic President to shreds. The utter contempt for him posted here is nothing to be proud of at all. There is no going back now on the words that came spewing out, one started and it was like the dam broke. No more nicey-nice pretense. There is, without a doubt, real hatred here for the President, the Congress and the wide variety of people who make up the Democratic Party. It makes DU impotent in it's meaning, a most undemocratic place.
I just have one question, was it worth it? <<<