Video: Obama Fields Questions From GOP

This was an amazing event-- Obama answering questions in a civil environment from opposition party members. It was a remarkable discussion between the two sides.

The transcript is here:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/01/obamas-qa-with-house-republica.html?wprss=44

I heard that it took the White House and the Repubs about 2 week of talks to arrange this. Kudos to them for being able to pull it off.

The House GOP is interested in the same thing, reportedly; but they may have changed their mind, after hearing so many Senate GOP members say that yeah - maybe getting into a debate with a law professor in front of cameras is not such a good idea.

Cycloptichron

Thank you! I was looking for the transcript (have seen the video a few places).

Law professor? Don't you mean a "community organizer"?

Well, maybe it doesn't look so good for members of Congress to get smacked around by a "community organizer".

It's amazing how fast Obama's people got the answers to those questions on the teleprompter.

I wonder how this exchange, and how it played out, could be news to anyone. Who is still surprised these days that Obama is a brilliant rhetorician? Who has ever questioned Obama's ability to talk? Nobody! Rather, it's two other things that are dubious about Obama's presidency:

1. His fuzziness on how his oratory is supposed to work out in terms of specific policy initiatives. (For example, does anybody know Obama's position on his own party's healthcare initiatives?)
   
   
2. His timidity in doing his job as a leader and getting behind specific initiatives. (For the same example, has anyone recently seen Obama encourage the House to just sign the Senate's healthcare bill, seeing that Senate Republicans will filibuster any improvements the House might suggest?)

Although Obama's exchange has affirmed the strengths I already knew he had, it hasn't done anything to relieve my concerns about his presidency.

The transcript is much faster...you don't have to put up with the mumbly parts.

there is something to be said for Lyndon Johnson.

... which, of course, was one of Hillary Clinton's points when she ran against Obama. It was a good point, even though it offended many Democrats at the time.

Thomas,

I think the word "dubious" is awfully strong. What other presidencies have you found dubious?

It seems to me that Obama is facing the challenges that any president faces. He has already (after just one year) had some successes. He has already run into some problems. There are different opinions on his policies.

I get the points you are making-- that, especially in the health care debate, he should have gotten behind and promoted specific policies. Although, his stimulus package and his foreign policy decisions (including Afghanistan where I wish he was more fuzzy and timid)... he has shown clarity and boldnes.

Phrases like "concern for his presidency" are a bit of hyperbole. Each president has some successes and some problems. Each president needs to balance values with political expediency and each president has to choose priorities with competing constituencies.

"Concerns about his presidency?" Come on. His presidency is secure for the next 4 years at least. What do you fear will happen to his presidency?

Do you have to ask? I always thought I'd been pretty clear about the dubiosity of George W. Bush.


I fear he will end up fumbling healthcare reform, thereby crippling himself into lame-duck status. And as a consequence of that, I fear that for the next three of his four years the country will passively slide further into the ditch.

Kind of like the Clinton presidency?

Similar to the Clinton presidency on healthcare. Worse than the Clinton presidency on the overall economic environment: In the nineties, the economy wasn't in a liquidity trap, so the gridlock from 1994-2000 arguably benefitted the country. Now, by contrast, the economy is on the brink of collapsing from the demand side in the short run, and needs a much more expansive stimulus package than Obama ever bothered to ask for. In other words, the need for energetic leadership is much greater, and the supply of it arguably lower, than it was under Clinton.

I am a little surprised. Are you inferring that a community organizer is somehow inferior to a law professor? I think the former is truly a hero, devoting his or her working hours to helping the poor and downtrodden with things like housing, employment, voting rights, legal aid, etc. CO's should be feted and accorded great respect.

It kills those on the right to admit that Obama is brilliant, and is taking the logical steps that will lead this nation to recovery.

I loved Obama's responses to questions pertaining to tort reform, having insurers freely compete in any state, etc. Obama pointed out that tort reform would save next to nothing in health cost, and would deny the public the right to sue for the negligence of those in the medical field, as they can for the negligence of others. He showed how allowing insurers to freely compete in any state would negate state protections, and would allow the companies to cherry-pick their customers (thereby raising the premiums of those less healthy).

Please see http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/01/30/obama-urged-to-keep-talking-to-political-rivals/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicsdaily.com%2F2010%2F01%2F30%2Fobama-urged-to-keep-talking-to-political-rivals%2F, which calls Obama's responses brilliant.

It is funny that the GOP didn't ask any questions about immigration (although this is a big way to rile up the conservative base). I think the GOP is much more frightened by the immigration issue (with reason) than Obama is.

It would have been bad strategy to ask. Although the Democrats are divided among themselves about immigration, so are the Republicans. Bringing it up would have been lose-lose.

Seems like a perfect time to make a joke about the messiah rising from the dead and being rejected by doubting Thomas. Maybe Thomas needs to see Obama's wounds before accepting that he has risen.

...

Amirite? Come on... it's kind of clever... anybody? heh.

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