It was simply amazing. The fog the mainstream media’s infatuation with President Obama is obviously beginning to wear off.
At today’s press conference, reporters finally asked Obama some tough questions. Obama was taken aback by the change in tone. As a result, we did not see the smooth articulate teleprompter-reader we normally see. Obama was on the defensive as soon as his opening remarks were done and the questions began.
Obama took questions from 13 reporters. Six questions concerned the aftermath of the Iranian election, two concerned health care reform, two concerned the economy and the other three questions concerned Obama’s smoking, Latin America and financial regulation reform.
Despite Obama’s assertions to the contrary, his answers about Iran, were not consistent with what he has said previously.
Obama’s performance was not terrible, but was clearly his worst effort so far. Next time Obama should do more preparation. The honeymoon is ending.
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
I found it rather "interesting" when he put distance between himself and the Congress.
USNJIMRET (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:21PM EST (link)That is, how he declared that Congress has it’s “Constitutional” duty, and he had his.
The question seemed to be how to reconcile the signals being sent when Congress passes a non binding Resolution that was, and remains, much more strongly worded then the “we’re watching you” pabble that has passed for a statement from the Oval Office.
Funny, for me anyway, was watching him and his minions after the presser, trying to convince people that the message has been consistent and strong. Hahahahaha
I think maybe they don’t understand what those words mean.
I would have asked Obama this question
izoneguy (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:22PM EST (link)Many top traders and bankers have left Citi and BofA for rivals. Do you think this trend will continue as long as these financial institutions remain under the government’s thumb?
And do you think the same thing will happen with GM & Chrysler?
http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/23/news/companies/banks_talent/index.htm?cnn=yes
The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.
Who challenged Obama besides Major Garrett?
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:25PM EST (link)n/t
Yeah
djemi (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:31PM EST (link)and BOs tone in the answer is something to be noted
“If I can’t shoot rabbits,then I can’t shoot fascist”
“With age, comes Wisdom, but only if you are paying Attention, son” my ‘Old Man’
RS Help files (h/t JLenardDetroit) Grassroots in Michigan
Moes Strategy
And the expression on his face.
TNJim (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:55PM EST (link)It was like “This guy’s from Fox. Therefore he doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him”
But I thought another place he was challenged was the health care exchange when one reporter followed up on another’s question. It was about people maintaining policies they had now in lieu of the public plan. He clearly didn’t expect that, and it showed. He thought he had answered the question, case closed, and dang! Here it is again!
Good point. Jake Tapper was tough on Obama:
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 4:13PM EST (link)http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2009/06/23/abcs-jake-tapper-hits-obama-specifics-health-care-plan
Of course, it will still take more than Jake Tapper and Major Garrett to indicate a change in the attitude of reporters toward Obama. I think the title of this post is premature, as much as I wish it were true. Most of the articles I see in the press do everything they can to hide inconvenient facts, make the opposition look bad, and remind us just how virtuous Obama is.
The Huffington Post was actually tough on Obama!
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 7:44PM EST (link)Holy Smokes
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/06/023881.php
Heh, see if they get invited back
izoneguy (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 8:07PM EST (link)I would love it if a rep from Redstate could ask Obama a question…
What question would someone from Redstate ask Obama????
The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.
great "open thread" topic: what question would you ask obama?
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 9:17PM EST (link)i like the idea, izoneguy
I thought he did really well
leftylurker (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:29PM EST (link)n/t
because....?
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:31PM EST (link)and do you believe that he has been “consistent”?
He seemed in command
leftylurker (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:35PM EST (link)And I do think he has been consistent. I’ve been following the discussions about Iran on the other threads, and I’ve been purposefully silent because I don’t think I have anything to add, but overall I think he has been pretty consistently hesitant to say too much.
Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is clearly a subject of disagreement.
'Hesitant' is NOT a word I would EVER associate with Leader.
USNJIMRET (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 2:45PM EST (link)But then, I’ve followed some damned good leaders, in dangerous times, and believe I proved to be a good leader myself when the opportunity was there.
But I never saw “Hesitation” from a leader as impressive, and strove to be prepared as much as possible for my own challenges as a leader.
So we now have a “Consistently hesitant” Leader of the Free World?
Wow, I’m comforted now…………….not.
Still wrestling with that style over substance thing, eh Lefty?
stang (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 3:12PM EST (link)“He seemed in command.”? Are you still allowing yourself to be fooled by Obama’s obvious masquerade as a leader?
“Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast.”
Jane Austen
“Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any farther obedience, and are left to the common refuge which God hath provided for all men against force and violence.”
John Locke
Interesting
leftylurker (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 3:25PM EST (link)i’ll think on both your comments.
OK, think all you want, so long as you avoid the old, and WRONG, concept of
USNJIMRET (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 3:36PM EST (link)Leadership being some subset of “Management”.
Leaders lead people.
Managers manage systems, concepts, things.
Confusing the two is generally a mistake.
From my own personal experience, You cannot “manage” a leader, but you CAN Lead a manager.
There is a huge difference.
And, do be sure and get back to us once you're done thinking
smagar (Diary) Wednesday, June 24th at 9:38AM EST (link)We can’t wait to hear what you have to say!
“Who will stand/On either hand/And guard this bridge with me?” (Macaulay)
Consistantly hesistant because his ideology is being exposed as pure fantasy when confronted with the real world. nt
Vaughn Harold (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 3:31PM EST (link)Obama hasn't been consistent in his substantive position on Iran
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 3:52PM EST (link)I wasn’t asking about consistency in his attitude. I agree he has been consistently hesitant to say anything – extremely hesitant.
As you think about it, consider these two statements by obama:
Last week, Obama said:
“We are excited to see what appears to be a robust debate taking place in Iran. Whoever ends up winning the election in Iran, the fact there has been a robust debate hopefully will advance our ability to engage them in new ways.”
After the protests began, he said:
Well, I think first of all, it’s important to understand that although there is amazing ferment taking place in Iran, that the difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi in terms of their actual policies may not be as great as has been advertised. Either way, we were going to be dealing with an Iranian regime that has historically been hostile to the United States, that has caused some problems in the neighborhood and is pursuing nuclear weapons.
So was there a “robust debate” or not? Did the election represent anything significant? Does Obama know that the elections are not free, since almost everyone who tries to run is disqualified?
First, he says the election was important. Then he says it wasn’t so important. For a week he was nearly silent on the Iranian protests. Now he tells the Iranian rulers that they must govern by consent, not cercion. Does he have any idea that the Iranian rulers CANNOT rule by consent and that they ONLY rule by coercion?
He wants to broker his big nuclear deal with the Iranian rulers and all these protests for liberty are getting in the way.
He’s one confused boy.
The crux of Obama's problem
dkunz (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 4:33PM EST (link)“He wants to broker his big nuclear deal with the Iranian rulers and all these protests for liberty are getting in the way.”
I think you’ve hit on the crux of Obama’s problem with the protests. If the current government of Iran is working feverishly just to stay in power, they won’t have time to be inticed into a nuclear deal (fat chance, anyway). Also, if there is regime change, Obama’s back to square one with a new government. Of course, he fails to realize that he has yet to reach square one with the current government.
Thanks. (But I was borrowing from Robert Kagan.)
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 5:27PM EST (link)I wish I could take credit.
He wrote a penetrating Washington Post op-ed recently explaining Obama’s otherwise strange behavior regarding Iran:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/16/AR2009061601753.html
And Obama fails to recognize that a democratic Iran
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 5:28PM EST (link)will almost certainly pose no threat, even if it acquires nuclear weapons.
Hence the seriousness of the lost opportunity this past week as Obama stayed quiet or nearly quiet.
That's what happens when you react
Rich Tandler (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 9:42PM EST (link)Obama has been behind the curve all along here, calling it a “vigorous debate” when heads were being bashed in the streets and now expressing “outrage” when that was appropriate a week ago.
If you have courage and state your preferred outcome you won’t have such problems.
The tree of liberty must be refreshed with the tears of defeated politicians of BOTH parties and at ALL levels over the next few election cycles.
The Three T’s of reform–Term Limits, Tax Reform, and the Tenth Amendment
GWB stated it over and over again, that
gekster (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 10:04PM EST (link)a democratic country will not threaten it’s nieghbors.
He was meaning Iraq and it’s nieghbors, but it does applies to all.
They say Republicans are for the rich, Democrats are for the poor.
If they need more voters,
then they have to make more of who they are for.
We are there in the various Tea Party groups, leaderless, but not rudderless.
We steer always toward the Constitutional principles this nation was founded upon.
Erick Brockway
Ok folks, 2012 is here. Get involved
yup. even bill clinton understood that.
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 10:42PM EST (link)he used to say “democracies don’t fight each other.”
but it looks more and more as if bill clinton’s center-left leadership was a detour for an otherwise hard-left party – both before and after bill clinton.
yup. even bill clinton understood that.
icbm (Diary) Tuesday, June 23rd at 10:42PM EST (link)he used to say “democracies don’t fight each other.”
but it looks more and more as if bill clinton’s center-left leadership was a detour for an otherwise hard-left party – both before and after bill clinton.
We'll see if Obama's honeymoon with the press is ending
smagar (Diary) Wednesday, June 24th at 9:36AM EST (link)The MSM comes from a section of American society where Obama is wildly popular. If MSMers start critcizing The One, it may become frosty for them and their spouses at parties, or soccer gatherings, or when they run into friends at Whole Foods.
“Who will stand/On either hand/And guard this bridge with me?” (Macaulay)