Obama Interested In Televised Question Time Rematch With GOP

[democracy1st]

President Obama wants a rematch.

After a rousing question-and-answer session between the president and Republican lawmakers last week, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is signaling this week that the president is open to Round Two -- and maybe more.

"I believe we have been invited to speak to the Senate Republicans, and we will do so," Gibbs told reporters on Monday.

"I think the President enjoyed the give and take on these issues of importance. You guys seemed to think it was a worthwhile endeavor," Gibbs said. "And I think opportunities like this for both sides are important to talk through our ideas."

Obama won praise for his exchange with GOP lawmakers at the House Republican retreat in Baltimore last week, and White House senior adviser David Axelrod suggested to Politico's Mike Allen on Tuesday that the president would be open to similar appearances in the future.

"One of the things we ran on, and one of the things that we've been reminded of lately, is the degree to which people want to see their business done in an open and transparent way," Axelrod said. "We're going to look for every opportunity we can to have constructive dialogue."

But Axelrod was not ready to commit to regular question time.

"The thing that made Friday interesting," he said, "was the spontaneity. If you slip into a kind of convention, then conventionality will overtake the freshness of that."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/02/obama-interested-in-telev_n_446270.html

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. How about televised question time with liberals?

I'd love to see that.

[prolesunited]

8. Yeah, but I don't think it would have the desired effect

You do realize taking the Dems out of power means the Republicans get back in?

[lumberjack_jeff]

9. I just think it would be kind of cool if liberals were given the credibility that the teabaggers are

[prolesunited]

12. He didn't do a Q&A with teabaggers

it was with the Republicans and they are not the same. Are all Dems liberals?

[sandnsea]

10. I think he should

It would show the country the genuine differences between left/Green policy and Democratic Party policy and that is important for a number of reasons, not the least of which is it would show some of these Republicans what real "socialists" (not that Greens are socialists) look like. If they got a group of half Green and half socialist, all the better. It annoyed me today when he said there are two parties. That's not true and personally I think we might be better off if Libertarians and Greens were hashing out a governing path. At least both of those parties come directly from the people.

[T Wolf]

2. Since speaking boldly seems to be the main strength of the administration, why don't they at least

propose doing this on a regular (monthly?) basis ala the British PM?

It couldn't hurt.

[Andy823]

3. I have an idea.

This time why not let the president ask the republicans questions? They got their chance to question him, now let him question them on TV!

[gkhouston]

4. It would take a lonnnng time for *that* format to lose its freshness.

Although I expect some Republicans might lose their "fresh" feeling rather quickly, while being grilled on live television. :rofl:

[sandnsea]

5. Eventually it will turn into "stump the President"

So I think they should tread carefully here. Maybe once a quarter, no more than that.

[JaneQPublic]

6. Yeah, the GOPers will come with earpieces and Rove on the other end. (nt)

[WI_DEM]

7. I wonder what gimmicks they will have next time? The GOP will be more prepared

but Obama can handle those clowns.

[Javaman]

11. Yes, they will be more prepared...

they will bring signs that read, "NO!".

LOL