Synopsis of Obama's interview with Smerconish

[scheming daemons]

THE SMERCONISH INTERVIEW:
President Obama is sitting down with radio host Michael Smerconish for what's expected to be about a 30-minute interview.

Before the radio interview, Obama signed a picture of Smerconish's son, Wilson.

Asked how his son Wilson is doing, Smerconish responded, "Nervous for Dad."

"Everytime we've been on your show. We've had a great time," Obama said.

And POTUS provides a glimpse into how the First Family adjusted to the WH: "The good thing is that the family settled in quicker than I expected," POTUS added. And first daughters, Malia and Sasha, settled into school "better than I expected," Obama said.

Obama also urged Smerconish to take a tour of the White House after the interview ends.

Asked if HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius misspoke on the public option, Obama replied, "She really didn't mispeak," Obama says, adding that she's been saying this all along.

Obama says "The press got a little excited and some folks on the left got a little excited…our position hasn’t changed."

On administration intervention: "The intervention in the banks wasn't started by me. It was started by a conservative Republican administration. I know that there's perception that somehow we have engaged in these extraordinary interventions."

On Cash for Clunkers: "It has been successful beyond anybody's imagination. The thing happened so quick...We have hired three times as many people to process this stuff as we already had. This is a good news story. They have seen sales that they have not seen in years. I think this is actually a high class problem to have that we're selling too many cars too quickly."

More Obama on the public option: “I want to make something clear, nobody would be obligated to chose the public option.”

He says Americans getting “misinformation” on coverage for illegal immigrants.“This has been an example of pure misinformation out there,” he said. “None of the bills proposed by the White House and none of the bills coming out of the Congress includes coverage for illegal immigration.”

Asked about concerns that the health care bill would cover illegal immigrants, Obama: "Nobody has talked about providing health insurance to illegal immigrants."

What's Obama looking for in the bill: "It's gotta be deficit neutral. It's gotta be paid for...It has to bend the cost curve. We've got to create a plan that experts credibly say will reduce health care inflation. We've gotta get control of our costs...We've gotta have the insurance reforms... for people who already have insurance. Making sure there are basic insurance protections. I want to make sure we have a health exhange where you will have a set of options."

"Choice, competition, reducing costs," Obama said.

The Pledge: “We are going to get health care reform done,” Obama said.

Also, says he expected some blowback from trying to overhaul health care. “FDR was called a socialist when he passed social security,” he pointed out “This is the process we go through, because understandably the American people have a long history of mistrust of their government.”

Obama, on Lockerbie bomber release: "We thought it was a mistake." He says the administration has been talking to the Libyan government to ensure that "he's not welcomed back." Obama said the bomber "should be under house arrest."

Obama says "States would be empowered to to expand Medicaid."

"Nobody is talking about the government administering all of health care," Obama says on the public option.

http://www.politico.com/politico44/

[me b zola]

1. K&R

[quiet.american]

2. Thanks for the post, scheming daemons nt