Obama shoots back and scores

[babylonsister]

Obama shoots back and scores

With a sharp retort about AIG, the president was on his game with the press, weaving through questions and driving home his economic plan.

By Mike Madden

Reuters/Jason Reed

President Obama speaks during a prime-time news conference at the White House Tuesday night.


March 25, 2009 | WASHINGTON -- The defining moment in President Obama's prime-time news conference Tuesday night came about midway through. Nearly all the questions up to then had dealt with the ragged economy and the administration's plans to turn it around. So when a reporter asked Obama -- who, as you may have heard, is the nation's first black president -- to talk about how race has affected the first couple months of his time in office, it wasn't entirely clear how he would answer.

Unless, that is, you had been paying attention to the way Obama had focused his answers up to that point. Over and over again, he had been trying to drive home the message that he and his aides understand what the country is going through. So when ABC News' Ann Compton asked, "Has the last 64 days been a relatively color-blind time?" his answer fit right into the flow of the night. "I think that the last 64 days has been dominated by me trying to figure out how we're going to fix the economy, and that affects black, brown and white," Obama replied.

The press conference, Obama's second such formal East Room affair, revealed a president who realized the occasion was mostly about talking directly to voters watching at home. It followed a recent publicity blitz that included a stop on the "Tonight Show" to schmooze with Jay Leno and a "60 Minutes" interview directly after NCAA basketball; as one Republican strategist said, a little ruefully, Obama is his own best surrogate, and the White House isn't afraid to let him sell his own plans.

Compared to his first press conference, when Obama sometimes rambled through long answers, he was far more succinct Tuesday, getting from the question to his message in as few steps as possible. That message was straightforward. "We'll recover from this recession," Obama said during prepared remarks at the top of the press conference, reading from a teleprompter at the back of the room. "But it will take time, it will take patience, and it will take an understanding that when we all work together -- when each of us looks beyond our own short-term interest to the wider set of obligations we have toward each other -- that's when we succeed, that's when we prosper, and that's what is needed right now."


more...

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/03/25/obama_press_conference/

[rocktivity]

1. When he compared turning around a speedboat to turning around an ocean liner

I was hoping he'd say something about staying the course!

:evilgrin:
rocktivity

[nevergiveup]

2. He was at the top of his game

and it was very good timing.

[liberal N proud]

3. He handed a few reporters their asses last night

"I would like to know what I am talking about first"

[Clio the Leo]

4. It was a good question with an even better answer.

Every day comes a new assurance that we picked the right guy.

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. I liked the answer to the guy who was pestering him on 'why did it

take so long for you to get outraged over the bonuses'.

"Because I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak" he said.

SLAPDOWN.

[high density]

6. I still can't get over Chuck Todd's stupid sacrifice question

People have given up 50% of their 401k balances
Millions have lost their jobs and many more are working for less.
Hundreds of thousands have lost their homes

What world is this guy living in?

[babylonsister]

7. Not only that, but after soliciting so many questions publicly, that's

the best he could do? Floored me, too.

[Cha]

16. Wonder if he minded being the perfect

foil for Obama's answer?

[progressivebydesign]

9. I'm tired of them making political statements and NOT asking questions.

That's the problem.. they have these Rick Warren wannabees doing these political statements, disguised as questions. NO ONE that has their own show should be able to be part of the "press"

[alsame]

11. Chuckie T is one of the top 1%. He has no idea what

life is currently like for the rest of us.

[bdamomma]

12. he is just totally detached from the American people.

[Cha]

15. It may have been meant to be a

gotcha question but it was the perfect opportunity for Obama to state just how much Americans are sacrificing without requests from a President..and Prez Obama was able to ask the American People to "pay attention to what was going on in Washington DC and politics.

[progressivebydesign]

8. He absolutely kicked ass last night. I was so proud!

I loved that WEIRD silence on that one stupid question... (was it that CNN guy?) When the President was talking about growth vs. doing nothing. And he said something like .. we could just do nothing.... and it just hung there in the air for a moment, before he finished, the whole time giving that guy the wicked stare. I loved it!!!
Have to laugh at the fucking "teleprompter" comment on the end of the story here. Well duh.. when you read prepared remarks, you USE a telemprompter. Bush couldn't even get it straight when he had telemprompters AND index cards! The difference is that President Obama knows what he's talking about...

[Cha]

17. Prez Obama kicked total ass and I

take exception to the writer of the Salon piece who said "Obama lost his cool" with the reply to ed henry(here's the video.. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x288517) AND that "he needed to have a good press conference because the honeymoon was over"

I call bullshit..the American People are still on a honeymoon and we're the ones he's working for not the corporatemediawhores who never questioned bush but are rabid jackals crying "TELEPROMPTER" at Prez Obama.

[Hieronymus]

10. The guy from Fox [is it Major something?] question about one world

currency was specifically to suggest Socialism. Obama was kind to call on him, but shot him down quickly.

[Cha]

13. Yay, I got the 5th Rec'd~ This is priceless

and I just happened to have missed it last night..no telling why.

"Unless, that is, you had been paying attention to the way Obama had focused his answers up to that point. Over and over again, he had been trying to drive home the message that he and his aides understand what the country is going through. So when ABC News' Ann Compton asked, "Has the last 64 days been a relatively color-blind time?" his answer fit right into the flow of the night. "I think that the last 64 days has been dominated by me trying to figure out how we're going to fix the economy, and that affects black, brown and white," Obama replied."

[tavalon]

14. Reluctant populist that he is, he is the best communicator we've had since President Clinton

Now, that I think of it, he's even a bit better. Time will tell, but if he gets pushed into being another FDR-like Pres, he will go down as our best President or at least in the top 5. I've learned so quickly not to cringe at the sound of my President's voice.