You can ask THAT after a win like THIS? 😉 😉
Of course, because I love you and recognize you are tired, I won’t even ask if I’m up to December yet in first place finishes.:lol: 😆
Eyes off, you! I love you dearly, Lisa, BUT I don’t trust you completely so close to my picture. Eyes off! I remember you are the sibling who constantly dreams of being a fly on the wall when PBO is involved. I notice you never express the wish to be the fly ON HIS ARM.
I don’t mind sharing with you Pamela but Lisa makes me nervous, because from her expressed wish to be a fly near PBO, I’m just not convinced she’ll give back my pic when I ask. 😉 Also, Chips was supposed to cover the stick in case jealousy caused any sibling to act rashly, especially in light of quiet little me me getting SUCH A PICTURE!
Chips where did you hide the naughty mats? I’ve been looking high and low for and extra-large one for vitaminlover, vcprez and collegekay to occupy at the same time!
I’ve run out again Hopefruit, and the company that’s supplying them has run out too. They’ve just hired 10,000 more workers to try to keep up with the demand, hopefully there’ll be a new shipment soon.
Well it appears that you Chips (and the naughty TODers) are doing your part to help the jobs growth and economy! The 10K workers will be counted in this week’s jobs report. 🙂 🙂
To set the record straight Hf, **I** DO NOT NEED A MAT – THIS is my gift to gaze at droolingly and worshipfully [Why does the computer keep underlining my words??!!] AND I DON’T FEEL LIKE SHARING! Today is not a sharing day! We don’t always have to share, right Momma Chips?
Now, Now, ladies, please calm down. Let us keep peace in the family. But I must confess, Chips: I need the photo of POB in the Oval Office wearing that light grayish sweater. I do believe he is sitting down with one of his National Security speech writers. Just once is all I ask, Ms. Chips. Thanks.HZ
Merci, mon amie! Feels good being in the right place at the right time. 😆 Actually it feels more than good ’cause I know I’ll be getting a ‘prize’. 😆 😆 😆
You’re right, Bob, Jason’s essay was terrific and painted in stark terms exactly what the smarmy Castellanos was attempting to do to Maddow. Her push back was a thing of beauty. What people like Castellanos fail to realize is that their behavior fans the flames of anger among women and undermines the Romney campaign’s goal of shrinking the president’s advantage with women voters. Romney thinks he can distract women from the war because we are clueless twits who will follow any shiny object he sets out. He’s going to learn the hard way that his cause is lost.
Look at that President using the killing of Osama bin Laden for political reasons. That is what Romney and the Republicanuts. But I say, so what if he is. If G.W. Bush had kill Osama bin Laden, the Republicanuts would try to have a holiday name after Bush, so Bravo to the Obama campaign.
I can’t wait to watch it, Wednesday night at 9pm. I also have it written down for this week-end when the President will campaign with the First Lady Saturday May 5th in Ohio and Virginia.
I am happy that the administration is ignoring the rethuglian criticism of the Dems using OBL. They have absolutely nothing to run on except for fear and lies. Fear use to help them win elections, but a lot of folks have awakened and are paying attention. Gone are the days when people beileve everything from these pundits. I think most people watch just for curiosity to count the number of lies they tell. Thank God for social media.
The gopricks are soooo Jealous & Whiney. Their crappy strategist had to come up with some negative spin on the killing of bin laden since everyone in the gopropaganda pile o crap was too lazy to get him.
That is about right on it, Walking on Sunshine. Their souls live on fear and hatred. What nerves. Then they have the nerves to show up at the anniversary each year and give all of these speeches to the families who lost love ones. Sorry ass liars is all I have to say. I hate the thought of others feeding hate, and fear to make themselves look so important. It is shameful in my values system.HZ
President Obama has co-opted two very important issues that the Republican Party has used against the Democrats for years – National Security and Who Supports The Military.
1) President Obama made finding OBL a top priority. He gave specific directions to CIA Director Leon Panetta. Fast Forward and we have the riveting details of the OBL raid. The mission was dangerous and fraught with peril for PBO’s presidency. This action alone has neutralized any GOP criticism about PBO not being strong on national security. You can tell how effective this OBL operation was because so many Republicans tried to downplay it’s significance. And when they weren’t downplaying, they were trying to pretend that the credit should really be going to President George W. Bush.
2) From day one, President Obama has focused like laser on supporting our military personnel. He has focused on the homeless problem, education issues, PTSD, job training, and much much more. And FLOTUS and second lady Jill Biden launched “Joining Forces” to get the military families the support they need and deserve. The Republicans just don’t have much to criticize here.
The OBL ad has hit a nerve. But we all know that if the roles were reversed they would be demanding that President George W. Bush be carved into Mount Rushmore. The fact is that the GOP blatantly politicized 9/11 by using fear. And if anyone complained about it you would be accused of not supporting the troops and being unpatriotic. The ad simply states the facts and asks a very important question. What would Mitt Romney have done?
Ladyhawke, your comments are so well stated and so on point. I enjoy the intellect that we have on this beautiful site. You all are so knowledgable and your writing is so flowing and beautiful. Thank you so much, Ladyhawke.HZ
I don’t buy that nonsense of him politicizing it. It is his record. The republicans are always griping that he run on his record. So let him. Or is it run on your record Obama…but don’t mention OBL or Bush got him, and don’t mention Iraq… Bush ended that too,also don’t mention GM cause Bush did that one too plus it was Romney’s idea… Sounds kinda desperate to me.
From tonight’s fundraiser: President Obama jabs at Romney’s claim Russia, not al Qaeda, is the gravest threat to the US: “I didn’t know we were back in 1975.”
Willard the foreign policy dumbshite needs to be kept as far away as possible from the Oval. He and his bombmad tired old bush advisors would start World WAR 3 on Day 1.
Cha, that is another reason why they are so on edge because POB’s record is a great one, and we are going to help him make sure that Mitten does not get even close to the Oval Office. That much we know we can work our behinds off to get done.HZ
This was posted at Jason Easley’s website on 4/15. I have read the article, and it is a most read! DO YOU HAVE THE thirty Knute video of thesevCosby interviews. He takes no junk from Ms. Crowley.
@Boffr…Thanks for the link to politicususa.com. I was not aware of that site. That’s another reason I love TOD: The connections to like- minded thinkers and blogs are fabulous!
Some great comments here. I just signed on a little while ago and am looking at articles. Did anyone mention Gibb’s fabulous statement on Meet the Press?
“Well, I think sometimes you listen to the Romney campaign, and they do think a lot of people in this country are stupid. Because, David, their message is, ‘You didn’t clean up our mess fast enough.’ Okay? As I said, we’ve had 11 consecutive months of positive economic growth. 25 consecutive months of positive private sector job growth,” Obama reelection campaign adviser Robert Gibbs said on NBC’s “Meet The Press” this morning…..
The next president will have to deal with yet another crippling legacy of George W. Bush: the economy. A Nobel laureate, Joseph E. Stiglitz, sees a generation-long struggle to recoup.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the Daily Kos article:
….And perhaps the Republicans and Romney are right–he really did not clean up their mess fast enough. But as Mitt Romney recently pointed out, “it’s still about the economy, and we’re not stupid.”
No, Mr. Romney, we’re really not.
You can donate to President Obama’s re-election campaign here.
Chips, oh wow! If you have no clue what I said, blame me and the IPad keyboard.
ANYWAY, IT’s a thirty minute clip of Bill Cosby defending PBO to C.Crowley and D. Gregory. The transcript is printed, but I would love to see the video.
The Romney campaign and the Romney family investment company are deeply entwined. A recent Boston Globe investigation found that top donors to the Romney campaign have invested into Tagg’s firm, and that Romney’s star campaign fundraiser, Spencer Zwick, doubles as a managing partner for Solamere Capital. The Romney campaign has paid Zwick’s firm, SJZ LLC, over $2 million in fees this year alone. Mitt Romney’s brother Scott Romney is listed as a senior advisor to Solamere Capital.
This is from Nov. 2011…but…I haven’t heard anyone in the MSM ASK about this!!!
Romney will wish he never ran for President as his business dealings unwind before the public and no matter what the #NEWSTAINERS try to obscure, we’ve got Twitter, YouTube, blogs and vast connectivity ….
Former Bain Capital managing director said of Romney's tenure: "We had a scheme where the rich got richer." http://t.co/o49f3y9U#p2#p2b
Found them. Crowley’s in her archive at CNN. Gregory ‘s in YouTube. D.g.’s condescending laugh as he ends Bill Cosby’s monologue is infuriating. He did say that it can picked up at the website.
Hey, I’m not trying to start anything but, I just remembered that Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon appear to be good friends based on the interactions I’ve seen between him, Aflec and Damon. I’m just saying……
I don’t think you’re starting anything, Lisa. I didn’t like Kimmel’s jokes, and anyone who supports President Obama wouldn’t have told such hurtful jokes, especially knowing how they’d be used. I’m with you.
….We have been studying Washington politics and Congress for more than 40 years, and never have we seen them this dysfunctional. In our past writings, we have criticized both parties when we believed it was warranted. Today, however, we have no choice but to acknowledge that the core of the problem lies with the Republican Party….
ParkRanger, Isn’t that what we have been trying to tell those jerks for months. Maybe they read Robert Draper’s book. But we knew the Republicanuts had no intention of working with this President.
I hope next year it will be JIMMY FALLON!! Oh…yeah..he and my President can slow jam the WHCD speech in unison (alternate lines)!!! And PBO would have been re-elected making this an extra-special event…Oh yeah!
Not sure who put this Repub dude in my timeline, but I felt like sending him a ‘word’. I’m starting to see a part of MY PBO ‘mandate’ is to send a gentle message to the Repubs who come in my line of vision. You never know which one will have open ears, or when.
@RickWarren: Exactly why so many of us are enjoying the presidency of @BarackObama. Of course we also have faith in his ability to deliver.
Were Betsy trying to give Mark Knoller a message. Get up off your lazy ass and stop tweeting so much, and “Let’s Move” something beside your mouth or fingers Mark Knoller.
BTW, did you guys see the new peach T-shirt the campaign released? Just saw it on Facebook, and it’s awesome. I may have to buy it. Sigh. Life’s tough.
Robert Draper who wrote the book exposing the GOP’s plans against Pres. Obama is on C-SPAN Washington Journal tomorrow at 7:45AM ET. Heck yeah I’m watching!
Piers Morgan is now interviewing Dalai Lama on CNN — after the break Piers will “ask him what he thinks about America,” so you know exactly what is coming up in this segment!
He tried to go there but didn’t quite get to that point..First he went on and on about the US economic situation. Then he went in a roundabout fashion by asking which world leader he most admires..Lama mentioned Mandela and Dubbya (surprise), not for his policies but as a person. Then they needed to go for break.
LOL! Are we innocent this evening! If it’s not you then it’s someone who either lurks here or posts here regularly. Snark seems to very attuned to what’s being discussed on this blog! 🙂 🙂
He will not succeed in tricking HHDL. The man is the most compassionate being on Earth, perhaps even tied with President Obama! It does not do for some smart ass ‘journalist’ to think he can sway the Dalai Lama from his understanding of the 8 Fold Path.
Psssssssssssst!! Hopefruit, they probably are the same people!!. {{looks around to ensure privacy}} I think Chips and Snark are one and the same. Don’t tell anyone I said that!! Especially don’t tell Chips!
You may be right, Hf. Our Ms Chips is quite talented after all, AND she has a deft hand with photos.’Let’s you and I keeps an eye on them boths over the next little whiles.’
I noticd Norah McDonall at the shindig last night. She looked beautiful in a backless green dress. She has 3 little kids, nice husband, great job, beautiful home etc. What I don’t get is why she seems to have it out for President Obama. She just looks like she has a chip on her shoulder all the time. I read that she used to be on MSNBC–I think she is CBS now–but she sounds like faux. What’s her problem?
Lisa, me thinks you are right. He probably told little Miss Norah that he has NO interest in her at All, and for the record, Norah, First Lady Michelle does not play that crap. And you can quote me on that one, Norah. HZ
She gets paid to act like she has a chip on her shoulder regarding the President of the United States of America? Like Knoller is paid to Incessantly Whine on Twitter.
I took it to mean that he was responding to all of the repugs in a joking manner, because all of the repug candidates and Mittens said that they will repeal on day one of their presidency. That’s all I read into that comment. 🙂
BWD thinks it means that he knows the SCOTUS struck down HCR.
I think it’s the exact opposite. PBO is a very shrewd individual and right now he’s happy to go along with the RW Media meme that HCR will get struck down to not give away any clues about what he may or may not know. This joke was put in deliberately – he’s using it as a decoy.
Agree – moreover, I think he has zero insider knowledge of SCOTUS, but was sending THEM a direct message – ‘screw with it and I’m going to do it again and this time it’ll be Medicare for every American citizen irrespective of their age – eat it, Roberts, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas and Alito, and if you are dumb enough to mess with me on it, I’m going to campaign the hell out of it and you dudes are going to be in the minority in a heart beat or two after I’m sworn in to my 2nd term.’
I was wondering about that. I don’t know if he knows anything– meaning if something was leaked– but if he had to make a joke about ACA, I think this would be the most appropriate. Who can guess, maybe he knows, maybe he doesn’t. Either way, what’s done is done and we’ll have to wait till June to find out.
I took it as a signal that he is President who is NOT going to give up or give in. Challenge made. It reminded me of the old duals in which one man had to throw down a glove, or some other incident, to indicate a challenge to a dual.
VC: thank you for the towel (s). I have pulled myself together.
After watching all the events that led up to the Situation Room including Bill Clinton and GW pitiful attempts or non- attempts of trying to carptch or not to catch OBL that is being shown on the Smithsonian channel.
The contrast between what happened with President Obama is just remarkable. When you view the events leading up to the actual night before while attending the “WH prom”, it is just amazing, a miracle and sheer guts that this President displayed. And the worl should never forget especially the repugs. It even makes the first joke about Donal Frump even funnier.
“Justice Has Been Done.”
Let’s remember that Rudy Giuliani said that Mitt Romney is a man without a core. Whatever he has to do or say to try to win that is Mitt Romney. He doesn’t care if he is telling the truth or lying. That’s Mitt Romney. By the way what is he hiding about his tax returns?
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA
AND FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON
AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT
Private Residence
McLean, Virginia
5:57 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Hey! (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) First of all, I want to thank mostly Dorothy for having us here. (Laughter.) Terry actually likes it when there are hundreds of people in his back yard. (Laughter.) And I’m delighted that their — four of their five children are here — Jack, Mary, Sally and Peter. Dori, their other daughter, is off playing in a national tournament in lacrosse. Jack plays rugby for the Naval Academy, where he is in his first year — and I’m very proud of him for his service he’s doing. (Applause.)
I love poor Terry McAuliffe. He’s so laid back and repressed. (Laughter.) He just can’t express himself. (Laughter.) I worry about him. But I tell you what, we had a hundred more like him we wouldn’t lose as many elections — (laughter) — he is a — and I’m grateful. (Applause.)
My job is to introduce the President. I’m going to tell you a couple of things I hope you’ll remember and share with others. When you become President, your job is to explain where we are, say where you think we should go, have a strategy to get there, and execute it. By that standard, Barack Obama deserves to be reelected President of the United States. (Applause.) And I’m going to tell you the only reason we’re even meeting here. I mean, this is crazy — he’s got an opponent who basically wants to do what they did before, on steroids — (laughter) — which will get you the same consequences you got before, on steroids. (Laughter.)
So let’s be serious here. When then-Senator Obama was running for President, he laid out a forward-looking plan to restore broad-based prosperity with a 21st century economy in the United States, to advance the national security of America, and to build a world with more partners and fewer adversaries. And if he had taken office in that world and implemented those plans in energy, education, health care and across the board — which he has done — we’d be roaring.
But then what happened? September the 15th, 2008, we had a financial crash — only seven weeks before the election. And it didn’t bottom out till he he’d been President six months and before any of his policies had time to take effect. If you go back 500 years, whenever a country’s financial system collapses, it takes between 5 and 10 years to get back to full employment. If you go back for the last 200 years, when buildings had been widely owned by individuals and companies, if there’s a mortgage collapse it almost always takes 10 years. He’s beating the clock, not behind it. Don’t listen to those Republicans. We are beating the clock. (Applause.)
So if somebody says, well, but I don’t feel all that great yet, or not everything is back yet, or it’s still kind of slow yet, you just remind them we’ve gotten 4 million jobs since the recession bottomed out; the ones we lost in the crash have been restored. Thanks to the stimulus which kept unemployment one and a half to two points lower than it would have been. Thanks to his restructuring of the American automobile industry, which saved a million and a half jobs and created 84,000 more. (Applause.) Thanks to the astonishing agreement between labor and management and the environmental groups and the federal government to raise mileage standards on cars that will create 150,000 high-tech jobs and clean the environment for our future. These are the things that have been done.
Terry McAuliffe is moving two factories into America — one in Mississippi, one in Virginia — because of the manufacturing initiatives this President got the Congress to adopt to bring American manufacturing back to the forefront in the world. I’m telling you. (Applause.)
Why do I tell you this? Because somebody will say to you, maybe, but I don’t feel better. And you say, look, the man’s not Houdini; all he can do is beat the clock. (Laughter.) He’s beating the clock. It’s not going to take us 10 years to get back to full employment. When I was President, Japan went through a long real estate and financial collapse, and after 10 years they still weren’t back to full employment. We are moving this country forward. We are going in the right direction under President Obama’s leadership. And I’m telling you — (applause.)
My wife has a traveling job, so I’m home alone a lot. And I have more time to read this stuff than most people. (Laughter.) So I noticed yesterday that the American people are about to get — not counting California, our biggest state — $1.3 billion in refunds on their health insurance premiums because the health care law says that you have to spend 85 percent of your health care premium on health care and not profits and promotions. (Applause.) Then I noticed in the paper today that, for the last two years, inflation in health care costs has been 4 percent — the lowest two-year total in 50 years. And then I might say — (applause.)
Folks, I spoke to a big conglomerate group that was meeting last week in a convention; they asked me to come speak. There were insurers, there were health care providers, there were all these people that — in the health care industry. And I thought they might be hostile to me, and I just had — I said, look, folks, I have to tell you, I support what was done; we had to do something. We were spending almost 18 percent of our income on health care, and nobody else is spending more than 12. That’s a trillion dollars a year we’re giving up to our competitors. One of the reasons workers have not been getting pay raises in America is their employers wanted to give them pay raises but they had to spend it on their health insurance premiums. So we have to do this.
So after it was over, they said, you’re preaching to the saved — even those of us who don’t like certain provisions of the health care law would be mortified if it were repealed; we’ve got the train going down the tracks now. If there’s something wrong with it, let’s fix it; don’t start all over again. And I said — (applause.)
So whether it’s on energy, where America led the world in clean energy investment in the last year even though the Chinese government spent more than we did — our investments plus our private venture capital investment led the world. That’s because of President Obama’s policies — (applause) — or whether it’s on health care, on education.
I just have to mention one more thing. One of the things that I think 20 years from now will be among the most important things he’s accomplished as President that is never mentioned when I read about what’s going on, is the reform in the student loan law which will let every student pay back his or her loan for up to 20 years as a small percentage of their income so nobody ever has to drop out of college again. (Applause.) And I want to tell you why that’s important. (Applause.) When he took office, we had dropped — in a decade — from first to 15th in the world in the percentage of our young people with a college education, and we need that back. People need to be able to afford to go and afford to stay.
So I think he’s done a good job. (Laughter.) I think he is beating the historical standard for coming out of a financial collapse and a mortgage collapse. I think the last thing you want to do is to turn around and embrace the policies that got us into trouble in the first place. We need to keep going forward by reelecting Barack Obama President of the United States. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you so much. (Applause.) It’s always good to be in Virginia. (Applause.)
To Dorothy, most of all — (laughter) — but also to this guy here, Terry — (laughter) — I want to thank the McAuliffe family for this incredible hospitality. Jack, we could not be prouder of you. You look sharp in whites, man. (Laughter.) And to the whole family, it is a — I’m sure Terry and Dorothy feel the way Michelle and I feel about Malia and Sasha, and the way Bill feels about — Bill and Hillary feel about Chelsea. There’s nothing we do that’s more important than raising our kids. And when we see outstanding young people like this, it gives us a lot of satisfaction. (Applause.)
A couple of other people I want to mention. It was already noted that the next U.S. senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, Tim Kaine, is here. I love Tim Kaine. (Applause.) One of the finest men I know. And just a great friend and was a great governor here, obviously.
You also have an outstanding congressman in Jim Moran in the house. (Applause.) And I need to acknowledge, because some of you know I am a former state senator, so I never pass up the chance to introduce state senators, Barbara Favola is here, and this is her district, and we love state senators. Where’s Barbara? She’s over there somewhere. (Applause.) Good to see you, Barbara. (Applause.)
Well, you guys get two Presidents for one out of this event — (laughter) — which is a pretty good deal. (Laughter.) And I was — as I was listening to President Clinton speaking, I was just thinking about the remarkable record that he was able to create during his presidency, and his singular capacity — to be able to explain very difficult concepts in very understandable terms to the American people; a master communicator. But more importantly than his communication skills was — Bill Clinton understood at a time when, let’s face it, the Democratic Party was a little bit lost, he understood what it meant to refocus not on ideology, not on abstractions, but focus on where people live, what they’re going through day to day.
And early in our party in such a way that we were thinking about what has always been the central promise of America; the idea that if you work hard, if you play by the rules, if you’re responsible, then you can live out that basic American promise — the idea that you can find a job that pays a decent living; and buy a home; and send your kids to school; and not have to worry, if you get sick, that you might go bankrupt; and retire with dignity and respect.
And everything he did, all the years that he was in office, was designed to give people the tools to help fulfill that promise. And he did so to a remarkable degree. Terry mentioned the record.
And ever since that time, because of Bill Clinton’s leadership, I think that when you look at the Democratic Party and what we’ve stood for, it has been squarely at the center of how the American people think and what they believe, and is entirely consistent with some of our best traditions and our deepest values.
Now, as has been mentioned, when I came into office, obviously we were experiencing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The month I was sworn into office we lost 750,000 jobs, as I was taking the oath. We had lost 4 million jobs the six months prior, and we would lose another several million jobs before economic policies had a chance to take effect.
So a lot of what we’ve done over the last three and a half years has been designed just to right the ship to respond to crises, to make sure that Detroit didn’t go under, to make sure that the banking system was no longer locked up, to make sure that small businesses could get loans, and consumers could buy a home again or buy a car again; making sure that the system did not break down. And that took enormous amounts of energy and some pretty tough and difficult political decisions.
But I didn’t run for President simply to get back to where we were in 2007. I didn’t run for President simply to restore the status quo before the financial crisis. I ran for President because we had lost our way since Bill Clinton was done being President. And for almost a decade what we had seen — (applause) — for almost a decade what we had seen for ordinary families was a betrayal of that basic promise; that core American idea.
The economy in fits and starts grew between 2000 and 2008, but wages and incomes flat-lined. Corporations were profitable, but ordinary people felt like they were working harder and harder just to get by. That sense of middle-class security and the notion that successive generations would do better than the previous one — that felt like it was slipping away for too many people. That’s why I ran for President in 2008 — to restore that basic promise. (Applause.)
And that’s why over the last three and a half years, in addition to dealing with immediate crises, what we’ve tried to do is make sure that we were finally dealing with some of those issues that had been put off and put off and put off so that once again we could build an economy with a firm foundation; an economy built to last, an economy that would deliver for ordinary Americans — (applause) — regardless of where they came from, what they looked like, what their last names were; that idea that you could make it here if you try.
And that’s why we took on issues like health care reform — (applause) — because as President Clinton said, the single most important thing to liberate our businesses, to make sure workers are getting raises, and to free ourselves from crippling debt both at the federal level and at the state level was if we started having a more sensible health care system that provided better quality for lower cost. (Applause.)
And what we’ve been able to do as a consequence — if you look right now — 2.5 million young people able to get health insurance because they’re staying on their parents’ plan; millions of seniors getting discounts on their prescription drugs that they weren’t getting before; people being able to get preventive care, the best kind of care, instead of having to go to the emergency room; 30 million people who are going to be able to get health care who didn’t have it before — (applause); people not having to worry if they’ve got a preexisting condition; and now we’re seeing rebates all across the country — over a billion dollars in rebates to consumers, even as health care costs overall are going down.
On education, not only did we make college more affordable, taken $60 billion that was going to banks as middle men in the student loan program, and we were able to cut out the middle man and send that money directly to young people so that now millions more young people are either eligible for Pell Grants or getting higher Pell Grants than they were before and are able to access a college education, we put in place a $10,000 tax credit for young people — or for their parents. (Laughter.) I know you guys are sympathetic. (Laughter.)
But we also started focusing on K-12, and how we’re going to not just — (applause) — how we’re going to get past this debate about reform or more money, and say we need money and reform, and let’s reform those districts and those states and those schools that are doing the right thing, and retaining outstanding teachers, and developing them. And let’s stop just teaching to the test. Let’s make sure that teachers can teach with creativity and passion, but let’s hold them accountable. And so with the help of Arne Duncan and the Secretary of Education, we are on track. Over 40 states now have adopted unprecedented reforms that are going to help us win the 21st century. (Applause.)
We refocused on manufacturing. And everybody has noted the fact that we helped to save Detroit, but here’s the good news. Detroit is building better cars. (Laughter.) Cars that folks want to drive. We’re going to be getting 55 miles per gallon by the middle of the next decade, which will save the average driver $8,000 at the pump. And that’s part of the reason why, actually, we are now consuming — less than 50 percent of our energy is imported; less than 50 percent of our oil is important. So there is an economic benefit, there is a security benefit.
But not only have we helped Detroit produce better cars; we’ve also created entire new industries. Advanced battery manufacturing. The key to electric cars is going to be who wins the race to make the best battery. And when we came into office, it looked like maybe 2 percent of the market was going to go to U.S. companies. Now it looks like it’s going to be 40 percent, because of what we did. We are going to be winning the race for clean energy all across the board. (Applause.)
So whether it’s our investments in clean energy, whether it’s our reform of education, whether it’s our reform of the health care system, whether it’s making sure that Wall Street is operating by the same rules so we don’t go through the same cycle that we did before, whether it’s creating a Consumer Finance Protection Bureau that ensures people that aren’t getting cheated in their financial transactions — (applause) — what we’ve done is not just deal with crisis but also try to play the long game, and try to think what are the strategies, what are the investments that are going to help us grow over the long term, and what do we need to do to make sure that everybody gets a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same set of rules.
Now, I joke sometimes with my staff, a lot of what we’ve done, a lot of what President Clinton did — there was a time when Republicans thought these were pretty good ideas. (Laughter.) No, that’s the truth. (Laughter.) I mean, you can go back to the first Republican President who comes from my home state, a guy named Abraham Lincoln, who built the first — helped to create the Trans-Continental Railroad System, and in the midst of Civil War started the land grant colleges and the National Academy of Sciences; understood the need to make investments in the future. That was not a foreign idea to the Republican Party.
There’s Teddy Roosevelt who thought it was a good idea to have a progressive income tax because he understood that the market works best — Teddy Roosevelt was no socialist. (Laughter.) But what he understood was — is that if you’ve got basic rules of the road in place, and you’ve got equity in the tax system, then everybody can compete, and people win based on the best ideas, not who they can prevent from competing. And you create platforms in which everybody can succeed. That was part of Republican ideas.
As recently as when President Clinton was President, when he tried to tackle health care, he had partners in the United States Senate and in the House on the Republican side who said, you know what, this is an idea that has to be tackled. We may not agree with you on every detail, but we understand that we can’t keep on spending 18 percent of our GDP on health care, and leave 30, 40 million people uninsured. That doesn’t make sense.
And it used to be a guy like a Bob Dole or a Howard Baker, if they wanted to — you know, they were conservative, fiscal hawks — the idea was we were going to balance a budget, and they sure didn’t like tax increases, but they understood if we’re making cuts in spending, then we also need to pay for the kind of government we want. And we’re going to do a balanced approach to how we bring down deficits.
These were not just Democratic ideas. These were American ideas. (Applause.) And part of what’s happened — (applause) — so part of what’s happened is we now have a Republican Party that’s unrecognizable. I’ve said this and I meant it: Ronald Reagan could not get through a Republican primary in this election cycle. (Laughter.) Could not get through it. Here’s a guy who raised taxes. That in and of itself would have rendered him unelectable in a Republican primary.
So I want to — when you’re talking to your friends and your neighbors — I know everybody here knows some Republicans. (Laughter.) You might be married to some. (Laughter.) Might have a mom and dad and whoever. (Laughter.) And describe for them what it is that’s at stake in this election.
When you’ve got a House Republican budget that would, on top of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, initiate an additional $4 trillion or $5 trillion in tax cuts that would be paid for by decimating everything that Bill Clinton talked about, everything that Terry McAuliffe talked about, everything I’ve been talking about so that the non-defense side of the budget other than Social Security would amount to less than 1 percent — historically it’s never been under 8 percent, even under Republican Presidents. And they’re talking about taking this — everything — education, infrastructure, food safety, environmental protection, national parks — whatever it is that you conceive of as part of what we do together, because we can’t do it on our own, that would be reduced to less than 1 percent of the budget. It would basically be wiped out. That’s not my opinion. That’s what they’re proposing.
And so it is impossible taking their budget, taking their philosophy, taking their approach, to imagine how we compete with China on something like clean energy. It’s impossible to imagine us being able to rebuild our roads, our bridges, our ports, our broadband lines. It’s impossible for us to imagine being able to educate our kids effectively and to produce the number of engineers that we’re going to need, the number of scientists we’re going to need, the number of mathematicians that we’re going to need.
So every election Presidents will — or candidates will say this is the election that — this is a crossroads, this is the biggest election in history. (Laughter.) I’m sure back in 1988, 1989, every — you say this is — (laughter) — we need a bridge to the 21st century and all that. (Laughter.) Every election is the most important election in our history. (Laughter.)
But let me tell you — (laughter and applause) — this one matters. (Applause.) This one matters. (Applause.) This one matters. (Applause.)
And that’s before we start talking about foreign policy. (Applause.) Hillary and I — we’ve spent the last three and a half years cleaning up after other folks’ messes. (Applause.) And by the way, we’ve got them — we’re starting to get them pretty cleaned up. (Applause.) The war in Iraq is over. (Applause.) We’re transitioning in Afghanistan. We’ve got the strongest allies we’ve ever seen. And al Qaeda is on the ropes. (Applause.) So we’ve done what we said we’d do. (Applause.)
But when you’ve got the leading contender, the presumptive nominee, on the other side suddenly saying our number one enemy isn’t al Qaeda, it’s Russia — (laughter) — I don’t make that up. (Laughter.) I’m suddenly thinking what — maybe I didn’t check the calendar this morning. (Laughter.) I didn’t know we were back in 1975. (Laughter.)
That’s before I start talking about social issues that are at stake. You know something about that in Virginia; the kinds of nonsense that’s been going on. But that’s all across the country. When you have folks who talk about — want to repeal “don’t ask” — repeal the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” (Laughter.) When you have folks who are talking about not just constraining women’s reproductive health, but questioning things like contraception as part of our preventive care.
That’s before I start talking about the fact that there are going to be some Supreme Court appointments probably if you look actuarially for the next President. (Applause.) There’s so much at stake here.
So let me just close by saying this — I’ve overstayed my welcome. Dorothy is saying, golly, I’m — (applause) — I’m trying to get these people out of this house. (Applause.) My lawn is all messed up. (Laughter.)
Let me just say this — and I think Bill will agree with me. There’s nothing more humbling, actually, than being President. It’s a strange thing. Suddenly you’ve got all the pomp and the circumstance and you’ve got the helicopters and you’ve got the Air Force One and — and the plane is really nice. (Laughter.) It really is. I mean, Bill may not miss being President but he misses that plane. (Laughter.) Let’s face it, he does. It’s a great plane. (Applause.) And I’ll miss it, too. (Laughter.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: But not yet!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: But not yet. (Laughter and applause.)
But the reason it’s humbling is because you wake up every morning and you know there are folks out there still hurting, especially in what we’ve been going through over the last four years. Yes, you get letters or you talk to folks, and they’ve lost their job or they’ve lost their home, or they thought they were going to retire and suddenly they realize they can’t, or it’s a young person who has figured out, you know what, I’ve got to see if I can find work to help my family even though I was planning to go to college. And every day you know that there’s just some portion of the country that are good and decent and working really hard, and they’re still having a tough time. And you want to just be able to help each one of those people, one by one, because they’re deserving of it; because they represent what’s best in America. And you know that at the end of the day, no matter how hard you work, there’s still going to be some stuff left undone. And you also know that you’re going to make mistakes and there are going to be times where your team makes mistakes. And so your mind doesn’t rest because you’re constantly thinking, what else do I need to be doing?
But I’ll tell you two things that keep me going. The first is — and I’m sure President Clinton agrees with this — you get no better vantage point of how wonderful the American people are than when you’re President of the United States. And as you’re traveling around the country, the resilience and the strength and the core decency of the American people inspire you. And you say to yourself, you know what, no matter what we’re going through right now, we’re going to be okay. We’re going to figure this out because that’s who we are and that’s what we do. No matter how times — how tough times are — in fact, maybe especially when times are tough, we full together and we figure it out.
And the other thing that gets you through is — or at least gets me through is — I said back in 2008, I’m not a perfect man and I will not be a perfect President; Michelle will confirm that. (Laughter.) But I made a promise that I’d always tell people what I thought, I’d always tell people where I stood, and I’d always wake up every single day working as hard as I could on behalf of you. And that promise, I can say, I’ve kept. And I can look in the mirror and say that I’ve kept that promise. (Applause.)
And so if you’re willing to join us and finish what we started in 2008, and continue what Bill Clinton was doing when he was President of the United States, and if you are willing to share that vision of what America can be, I guarantee you we won’t just win this election, we’re going to make sure that we remind this world of ours just why it is America is the greatest nation on Earth. (Applause.)
Thank you, everybody. God bless you. God bless the United States of America.
Ronald Reagan and the 1993 Gingrich Contract on America urshered in these right wing nutjobs by demonizing democrats and liberalism as a dirty word. Prior to Gingrich Republicans and Democrats worked together for the benefit of all americans.
Thanks so much BWD. I especially liked the paragraphs below. I know we will be hearing more about the extreme and radical policies of todays GOP. There is no reasoning with them. They don’t believe in compromise. They just come off as unhinged and deranged. They relinquish their judgement to unelected Grover Norquist and his no tax pledge. And they are in bed with the Koch Brothers, Big Oil, Wall Street, Chamber of Commerce and ALEC. They have rendered the government dysfunctional with their tactics of obstruction and hostage taking. Add to that the Citizens United ruling and you have a toxic brew. This is no way to run a democracy in the 21st century.
A REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT’S UNRECOGNIZABLE
—————————————-
And it used to be a guy like a Bob Dole or a Howard Baker, if they wanted to — you know, they were conservative, fiscal hawks — the idea was we were going to balance a budget, and they sure didn’t like tax increases, but they understood if we’re making cuts in spending, then we also need to pay for the kind of government we want. And we’re going to do a balanced approach to how we bring down deficits.
These were not just Democratic ideas. These were American ideas. (Applause.) And part of what’s happened — (applause) — so part of what’s happened is we now have a Republican Party that’s unrecognizable. I’ve said this and I meant it: Ronald Reagan could not get through a Republican primary in this election cycle. (Laughter.) Could not get through it. Here’s a guy who raised taxes. That in and of itself would have rendered him unelectable in a Republican primary.
“I think the Republicans have to move out of that reactionary cul-de-sac that some of the more extreme members are pushing them,” Brown told host Bob Schieffer.
“There’s an enforcement of discipline that’s ideological and, as was mentioned today in The Washington Post, takes on the quality of a cult,” the California governor said.
Brown provided one example of Republican ideology, on immigration. The party largely opposes a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally.
“They’re so hostile to millions and millions of people in this country, and while they can’t vote, they have millions and millions of people who they’re related to or who identify with them. And you just can’t ignore 12 million people, particularly when they’re picking our food, they’re working in the hotels and restaurants, and now they’re increasingly in very important jobs,” Brown said.
But Brown, who is 74 years old and has been in the political realm for more than 40 years, criticized the entire political system, which he calls “more polarized” than he’s ever seen it.
“The great power can’t govern itself with this kind of dysfunction. It just won’t work,” Brown said.
snip/
However, Brown offered some praise of President Obama.
“I have to say this: I’ve never seen a cooler, more reasoned, intelligent candidate and leader than Obama. This man, under pressure, shows a lot of grace and a lot of thoughtfulness, and that’s going to serve him well,” Brown said.
DF, thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this. Wow, that interview with Governor Brown was fantastic. A breath of fresh air. This is the kind of common sense discussion that has been missing from the Sunday Shows for a long time. Governor Brown needs to be interviewed more often. What a pleasure. His critique of the GOP and his praise of President Obama was spot on.
Previous
Next
9:40 AM
Obama receives the presidential daily briefing.
10:45 AM
Obama delivers remarks at the Building and Construction Trades Department Legislative Conference.
11:40 AM
Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Noda of Japan.
12:45 PM
Obama holds a working lunch with Prime Minister Noda of Japan.
1:30 PM
Jill Biden and U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary Jane Oates visit Metropolitan Community College.
1:45 PM
Biden attends a campaign event in Kansas City, Missouri.
2:00 PM
Obama holds a press conference with Prime Minister Noda of Japan.
3:00 PM
Obama meets with Geithner.
3:20 PM
Michelle Obama speaks to Obama campaign volunteers and supporters in Colorado Springs.
4:00 PM
Michelle Obama will arrive in Albuquerque International Airport where she will be greeted by servicemembers and their families from New Mexico’s Kirtland Air Force Base.
4:30 PM
Michelle Obama will deliver remarks at a fundraiser in Albuquerque covered by a print pooler.
5:00 PM
Michelle Obama delivers remarks during the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Warrior Games.
6:00 PM
Biden attends a campaign event in Munster, Indiana.
Jill Biden and Oates visit Ivy Tech Community College.
8:40 PM
Michelle Obama will arrive at Tucson International Airport where she will be greeted by youth volunteers at Tucson Village Farm.
9:10 PM
Michelle Obama will deliver remarks at a campaign event in Tucson.
How is it not treason when congressional leaders meet to plot and bring down a president thus the USA when there are two wars, and the country is undergoing economic and financial collapse? Please, someone tell me??
Hyper partisan definitely. Not so sure about treason. There’s nothing really illegal about one party holding a meeting to bring down The President of another. I hate the way they voted but it was all within limits.
Good morning, Chips let me say that you are the best! Having the Forward video on the right side next to all of my other favorite videos is like a wide-eyed child in the candy sore for the first time.
You are helping to make my life so pleasant, I wake up joyful and go to sleep blissful. Can it get any better?
Obama White House.gov
The Obama Diary 
Yeah!
You’re back! 😆 😆 Did you have a productive day, Ms Chips?
Semi-productive VC! How are ya doing?
You can ask THAT after a win like THIS? 😉 😉
Of course, because I love you and recognize you are tired, I won’t even ask if I’m up to December yet in first place finishes.:lol: 😆
You’re on a rolllllllllllllllllllll! 😆 What happened? Are you using peformance-enhancing drugs??
Sssh! Sssh! Speak softly and leave out the big stick. You want to start a TOD riot?
Ok 😉
Oh my gosh, he’s so hot.
Eyes off, you! I love you dearly, Lisa, BUT I don’t trust you completely so close to my picture. Eyes off! I remember you are the sibling who constantly dreams of being a fly on the wall when PBO is involved. I notice you never express the wish to be the fly ON HIS ARM.
Oh, VC. PBO, Miche and I have an agreement. That’s all I can say to you. Better luck next time
/whisper/ Chipsticks! Chipsticks! Leave it OUT! Cover it up before TODobots start getting revenge ideas!
Too late, vc, you have not forgotten Pamela, have you? I happen to have big green eyes, and I am filling them up with YOUR PRIZE! 😉 😉
I don’t mind sharing with you Pamela but Lisa makes me nervous, because from her expressed wish to be a fly near PBO, I’m just not convinced she’ll give back my pic when I ask. 😉 Also, Chips was supposed to cover the stick in case jealousy caused any sibling to act rashly, especially in light of quiet little me me getting SUCH A PICTURE!
Wooooo Chile!!!!
😆 Feeling a little hot there Vitaminlover??
Chips where did you hide the naughty mats? I’ve been looking high and low for and extra-large one for vitaminlover, vcprez and collegekay to occupy at the same time!
I’ve run out again Hopefruit, and the company that’s supplying them has run out too. They’ve just hired 10,000 more workers to try to keep up with the demand, hopefully there’ll be a new shipment soon.
Well it appears that you Chips (and the naughty TODers) are doing your part to help the jobs growth and economy! The 10K workers will be counted in this week’s jobs report. 🙂 🙂
Sadly not Hopefruit, the jobs are in China. The naughty mats were costing so much I had to look for a better deal 😦
Willard’s fault!
Looking really cool in those shades of blue.
PBO with his big stick. heh.
As VP Biden said PBO does have a big stick a very big one!!!!!!!
what a photo! like all photos of the President, my heart skips a beat.
To set the record straight Hf, **I** DO NOT NEED A MAT – THIS is my gift to gaze at droolingly and worshipfully [Why does the computer keep underlining my words??!!] AND I DON’T FEEL LIKE SHARING! Today is not a sharing day! We don’t always have to share, right Momma Chips?
Except with certain types, see above reply! (it’s really coz I am old and not a real worry anyway!) (but at least I’m not a grandmother, yet!)
That’s a beautiful blue suit and President Obama looks down right yummy in blue. Heck he’d look down right yummy in a gunny sack.
Now, Now, ladies, please calm down. Let us keep peace in the family. But I must confess, Chips: I need the photo of POB in the Oval Office wearing that light grayish sweater. I do believe he is sitting down with one of his National Security speech writers. Just once is all I ask, Ms. Chips. Thanks.HZ
Congrats on #1 vcprezofan!
😳 Thanks, Hf.
Winner!!!!!
😳 😳 Hello, Mr President, Sir! Looking sharp, and happy, …and …and may I fix you tie …it’s a wee bit…just-a-tiny-bit-twisted.. Sir. Gulp! 😳 😳
Thanks, Chips ahoy! All PBO’s pictures are kewl. 😆
Congrats VC!
TY, S! I might share with YOU, …if you ask nicely.
I Ain’t Too Proud To Beg!!!
😛 That, I understand!. Will share freely next time. I’m now over my greedy-pouty-it’s MINE phase. 😉 Enjoy your Monday!
Me??
Hello
Triple Play!! LOL
Hi, photo finish pals! Nice to have company on the trip. 😉
Congrats VC
Merci, mon amie! Feels good being in the right place at the right time. 😆 Actually it feels more than good ’cause I know I’ll be getting a ‘prize’. 😆 😆 😆
Harry’s Law is freaking awesome this week. Kathy Bates is such a talented actress.
They’ll probably block me, if they haven’t already, but folk whom they’re following will still see the tweets:
And, Jason has a very important essay at Politicususa:
#PRESSON
You’re right, Bob, Jason’s essay was terrific and painted in stark terms exactly what the smarmy Castellanos was attempting to do to Maddow. Her push back was a thing of beauty. What people like Castellanos fail to realize is that their behavior fans the flames of anger among women and undermines the Romney campaign’s goal of shrinking the president’s advantage with women voters. Romney thinks he can distract women from the war because we are clueless twits who will follow any shiny object he sets out. He’s going to learn the hard way that his cause is lost.
So very true, Jackie!
#PRESSON
Can hardly wait until Wednesday. This special is a BFD!
THANKS CHIPS 🙂
Look at that President using the killing of Osama bin Laden for political reasons. That is what Romney and the Republicanuts. But I say, so what if he is. If G.W. Bush had kill Osama bin Laden, the Republicanuts would try to have a holiday name after Bush, so Bravo to the Obama campaign.
I can’t wait to watch it, Wednesday night at 9pm. I also have it written down for this week-end when the President will campaign with the First Lady Saturday May 5th in Ohio and Virginia.
As others have noted …
#PRESSON
I am happy that the administration is ignoring the rethuglian criticism of the Dems using OBL. They have absolutely nothing to run on except for fear and lies. Fear use to help them win elections, but a lot of folks have awakened and are paying attention. Gone are the days when people beileve everything from these pundits. I think most people watch just for curiosity to count the number of lies they tell. Thank God for social media.
The gopricks are soooo Jealous & Whiney. Their crappy strategist had to come up with some negative spin on the killing of bin laden since everyone in the gopropaganda pile o crap was too lazy to get him.
I would love for some Democrat to ask,”Was the W. administration too incompetent to get Bin Laden or was he just more useful alive?”
They needed a boogeyman.
That is about right on it, Walking on Sunshine. Their souls live on fear and hatred. What nerves. Then they have the nerves to show up at the anniversary each year and give all of these speeches to the families who lost love ones. Sorry ass liars is all I have to say. I hate the thought of others feeding hate, and fear to make themselves look so important. It is shameful in my values system.HZ
President Obama has co-opted two very important issues that the Republican Party has used against the Democrats for years – National Security and Who Supports The Military.
1) President Obama made finding OBL a top priority. He gave specific directions to CIA Director Leon Panetta. Fast Forward and we have the riveting details of the OBL raid. The mission was dangerous and fraught with peril for PBO’s presidency. This action alone has neutralized any GOP criticism about PBO not being strong on national security. You can tell how effective this OBL operation was because so many Republicans tried to downplay it’s significance. And when they weren’t downplaying, they were trying to pretend that the credit should really be going to President George W. Bush.
2) From day one, President Obama has focused like laser on supporting our military personnel. He has focused on the homeless problem, education issues, PTSD, job training, and much much more. And FLOTUS and second lady Jill Biden launched “Joining Forces” to get the military families the support they need and deserve. The Republicans just don’t have much to criticize here.
The OBL ad has hit a nerve. But we all know that if the roles were reversed they would be demanding that President George W. Bush be carved into Mount Rushmore. The fact is that the GOP blatantly politicized 9/11 by using fear. And if anyone complained about it you would be accused of not supporting the troops and being unpatriotic. The ad simply states the facts and asks a very important question. What would Mitt Romney have done?
Ladyhawke, your comments are so well stated and so on point. I enjoy the intellect that we have on this beautiful site. You all are so knowledgable and your writing is so flowing and beautiful. Thank you so much, Ladyhawke.HZ
I don’t buy that nonsense of him politicizing it. It is his record. The republicans are always griping that he run on his record. So let him. Or is it run on your record Obama…but don’t mention OBL or Bush got him, and don’t mention Iraq… Bush ended that too,also don’t mention GM cause Bush did that one too plus it was Romney’s idea… Sounds kinda desperate to me.
Primise accomplish get over it GOP , and yes PBO sholud use his Foreign Policies as accomplishments.
From tonight’s fundraiser: President Obama jabs at Romney’s claim Russia, not al Qaeda, is the gravest threat to the US: “I didn’t know we were back in 1975.”
Sweet!
Gotta love him. 🙂 I love that he can officially call out and respond to this lying vile human being.
Willard the foreign policy dumbshite needs to be kept as far away as possible from the Oval. He and his bombmad tired old bush advisors would start World WAR 3 on Day 1.
Cha, that is another reason why they are so on edge because POB’s record is a great one, and we are going to help him make sure that Mitten does not get even close to the Oval Office. That much we know we can work our behinds off to get done.HZ
Chips,
This was posted at Jason Easley’s website on 4/15. I have read the article, and it is a most read! DO YOU HAVE THE thirty Knute video of thesevCosby interviews. He takes no junk from Ms. Crowley.
@Boffr…Thanks for the link to politicususa.com. I was not aware of that site. That’s another reason I love TOD: The connections to like- minded thinkers and blogs are fabulous!
Some great comments here. I just signed on a little while ago and am looking at articles. Did anyone mention Gibb’s fabulous statement on Meet the Press?
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/04/29/gibbs_republican_message_is_you_didnt_clean_up_our_mess_fast_enough.html
Gibbs: GOP Message Is “You Didn’t Clean Up Our Mess Fast Enough”
“Well, I think sometimes you listen to the Romney campaign, and they do think a lot of people in this country are stupid. Because, David, their message is, ‘You didn’t clean up our mess fast enough.’ Okay? As I said, we’ve had 11 consecutive months of positive economic growth. 25 consecutive months of positive private sector job growth,” Obama reelection campaign adviser Robert Gibbs said on NBC’s “Meet The Press” this morning…..
I’m reading an article at Daily Kos. Very supportive ~~ cites the Gibbs article as well as Vanity Fair:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/12/bush200712
The Economic Consequences of Mr. Bush
The next president will have to deal with yet another crippling legacy of George W. Bush: the economy. A Nobel laureate, Joseph E. Stiglitz, sees a generation-long struggle to recoup.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the Daily Kos article:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/29/1087377/-Gibbs-GOP-Slogan-is-You-Didn-t-Clean-up-Our-Mess-Fast-Enough-
….And perhaps the Republicans and Romney are right–he really did not clean up their mess fast enough. But as Mitt Romney recently pointed out, “it’s still about the economy, and we’re not stupid.”
No, Mr. Romney, we’re really not.
You can donate to President Obama’s re-election campaign here.
Did he misspeak with the 11 months ? I thought it was more.
Chips, oh wow! If you have no clue what I said, blame me and the IPad keyboard.
ANYWAY, IT’s a thirty minute clip of Bill Cosby defending PBO to C.Crowley and D. Gregory. The transcript is printed, but I would love to see the video.
Hiya Eve, I missed that interview, will see if I can find it. Thank you!
Here’s the link Eve:
http://presspass.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/11/11147293-press-pass-bill-cosby-and-bernard-demczuk
Thanks, CHIPSTICKS. really appreciate it. 🙂
I hope that’s the right link Eve, have a look and let me know. Bill Cosby talks about PBO near the end of the interview.
No, Chips, this is a different one. I read the transcript in this article : http://www.politicususa.com/bill-cosby-obama.html
I’ll look for it. It just occurred to me that I have a working hand, a keyboard, a few working brain cells and Teh Google.
You make me lazy, Chips. If I find it, I’ll let you know how it is.
I would not know how to post it here if it is as good as I think it will be.
Ah, sorry Eve, will see if I can find it.
The Romney campaign and the Romney family investment company are deeply entwined. A recent Boston Globe investigation found that top donors to the Romney campaign have invested into Tagg’s firm, and that Romney’s star campaign fundraiser, Spencer Zwick, doubles as a managing partner for Solamere Capital. The Romney campaign has paid Zwick’s firm, SJZ LLC, over $2 million in fees this year alone. Mitt Romney’s brother Scott Romney is listed as a senior advisor to Solamere Capital.
This is from Nov. 2011…but…I haven’t heard anyone in the MSM ASK about this!!!
Will the MSM pretend to not know about this?
Hint: Am I hopefruit2?
🙂 Why yes! Yes they will!
Romney will wish he never ran for President as his business dealings unwind before the public and no matter what the #NEWSTAINERS try to obscure, we’ve got Twitter, YouTube, blogs and vast connectivity ….
https://twitter.com/#!/Al_BryanNoTea/status/196776960087695360
#AmericaThisIsNotATest
Found them. Crowley’s in her archive at CNN. Gregory ‘s in YouTube. D.g.’s condescending laugh as he ends Bill Cosby’s monologue is infuriating. He did say that it can picked up at the website.
Cosby really speaks my mind.
Women Vote – in ‘Raging Red’ …. a little fashion statement many of you may enjoy 🙂
And, I love #RememberinNovemenber as folk preparing to crush Party of Koch & Norquist #WarOnWoment
#AmericaThisIsNotATest
Hey, I’m not trying to start anything but, I just remembered that Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon appear to be good friends based on the interactions I’ve seen between him, Aflec and Damon. I’m just saying……
I don’t think you’re starting anything, Lisa. I didn’t like Kimmel’s jokes, and anyone who supports President Obama wouldn’t have told such hurtful jokes, especially knowing how they’d be used. I’m with you.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Snark Knoller is the best thing on Twitter now. Love him. 😉
He’s highly snarky, BWD!
I Know!!
Hee.
HA! That looks like a beach concert..spring break party. Oh how Willard and the GOPMedia wishes that were the case 🙂
Remind you of anyone?
I like this shirt. . http://pinterest.com/pin/196469602464211972/
Love it Marlz!
Let’s just say it: The Republicans are the problem.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/lets-just-say-it-the-republicans-are-the-problem/2012/04/27/gIQAxCVUlT_story.html
….We have been studying Washington politics and Congress for more than 40 years, and never have we seen them this dysfunctional. In our past writings, we have criticized both parties when we believed it was warranted. Today, however, we have no choice but to acknowledge that the core of the problem lies with the Republican Party….
ParkRanger, Isn’t that what we have been trying to tell those jerks for months. Maybe they read Robert Draper’s book. But we knew the Republicanuts had no intention of working with this President.
I hope next year it will be JIMMY FALLON!! Oh…yeah..he and my President can slow jam the WHCD speech in unison (alternate lines)!!! And PBO would have been re-elected making this an extra-special event…Oh yeah!
If the WHCD titular heads are brave or can get a big catch; they should totally get Chris Rock. He is H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S.
Yes he is VERY funny! But with Ed Henry as President..something tells me that we won’t be seeing Rock next year. Perhaps Jon Stewart 😦
And we will light Twitter on both of their butts.HZ
That should be: light up Twitter on ….HZ
No, No, No, not Chris Rock.
I smile:)
Not sure who put this Repub dude in my timeline, but I felt like sending him a ‘word’. I’m starting to see a part of MY PBO ‘mandate’ is to send a gentle message to the Repubs who come in my line of vision. You never know which one will have open ears, or when.
Beautiful, Vick.
TY – You have been missing for a bit so it’s nice to see you today.
Let’s use Betsy’s example – when Knoller tweets any snarky BS towards our President – respond with a thank you and some nice words!
Betsy this is wonderful! Akido. Thank you.
Were Betsy trying to give Mark Knoller a message. Get up off your lazy ass and stop tweeting so much, and “Let’s Move” something beside your mouth or fingers Mark Knoller.
Indeed..this response worked on so many levels!!!
Jabba the Hutt!
🙂 Nice!
Oooooo! Me likey. Me likey very, very much. To show how much, I intend to try and emulate Betsy’s fine example. 😆 😆
@Hopefruot:Love this idea. Will do.
H.o.p.e.f.r.u.I.t., for Pete’s sake- I do know how to spell. I really do.
‘sall good eve..it’s all good. 🙂 🙂 🙂
OMG. Wingnuts will die. Awesome.
Oh yeah. . . (imitating Jimmy Fallon)!
I am totally looking forward to this!
BTW, did you guys see the new peach T-shirt the campaign released? Just saw it on Facebook, and it’s awesome. I may have to buy it. Sigh. Life’s tough.
I love the color. I might buy it.
Robert Draper who wrote the book exposing the GOP’s plans against Pres. Obama is on C-SPAN Washington Journal tomorrow at 7:45AM ET. Heck yeah I’m watching!
Me too. Thanks for the heads up. Let’s see the MSM try to ignore it.
Look at this dress on our beautiful First Lady! A work of art…she makes this dress look good!
DF, that is one of my favorites of favorites. Thanks. Hope all is well with you. ((((((((Hugs to you))))))))HZ
The man is getting warmer and warmer. Poor Romney.
That’s my favorite, so far.
Quagmire: Snuggling is a basic human need. Who says the body lying next to you has to be male or female…..or alive? 😆 😆 😆
You had me up until “or alive” – lol! 🙂
uhm..I’m not snuggling next to no cold stiff corpse. Sorry…LOL!
I am watching Book TV.
Lobbyists pay homeless people in DC $18-20 an hour to stand in line for them so they can get good seats at Congressional hearings.
Piers Morgan is now interviewing Dalai Lama on CNN — after the break Piers will “ask him what he thinks about America,” so you know exactly what is coming up in this segment!
Let me guess?
“So Mr Lama, are you disappointed in Obama?”
🙄
He tried to go there but didn’t quite get to that point..First he went on and on about the US economic situation. Then he went in a roundabout fashion by asking which world leader he most admires..Lama mentioned Mandela and Dubbya (surprise), not for his policies but as a person. Then they needed to go for break.
Thanks Hopefruit. So Snark got it wrong?
Wait a minute…Chipsticks are YOU Snark? Hmmm……:) 🙂 🙂
😯
LOL! Are we innocent this evening! If it’s not you then it’s someone who either lurks here or posts here regularly. Snark seems to very attuned to what’s being discussed on this blog! 🙂 🙂
He will not succeed in tricking HHDL. The man is the most compassionate being on Earth, perhaps even tied with President Obama! It does not do for some smart ass ‘journalist’ to think he can sway the Dalai Lama from his understanding of the 8 Fold Path.
ROTFLMAO!!! So funny!! That photograph of “Miss Ann in her kitchen” is HILARIOUS!!!
I’m beginning to think that Snark & Chips are the same!
😀
Hmmm….Okay, now I’m beginning to feel like Dr. Bellows on “I Dream of Jeannie!”
Psssssssssssst!! Hopefruit, they probably are the same people!!. {{looks around to ensure privacy}} I think Chips and Snark are one and the same. Don’t tell anyone I said that!! Especially don’t tell Chips!
😀 😀 😀
You may be right, Hf. Our Ms Chips is quite talented after all, AND she has a deft hand with photos.’Let’s you and I keeps an eye on them boths over the next little whiles.’
I noticd Norah McDonall at the shindig last night. She looked beautiful in a backless green dress. She has 3 little kids, nice husband, great job, beautiful home etc. What I don’t get is why she seems to have it out for President Obama. She just looks like she has a chip on her shoulder all the time. I read that she used to be on MSNBC–I think she is CBS now–but she sounds like faux. What’s her problem?
She may have a appearance of an idyllic life, but the reality may be something completely different.
She probably hit on PBO and he told her to go stuff it.
OMG, lisa, I was thinking the very same thing! A woman scorned. Our Beloved President don’t play like that.
Lisa, me thinks you are right. He probably told little Miss Norah that he has NO interest in her at All, and for the record, Norah, First Lady Michelle does not play that crap. And you can quote me on that one, Norah. HZ
She gets paid to act like she has a chip on her shoulder regarding the President of the United States of America? Like Knoller is paid to Incessantly Whine on Twitter.
What did you all make of the President’s comment that he will pass health care reform again in his second term?
I took this to mean he will not give up on Health Care Reform even if you make him do it again.
I took it to mean that he was responding to all of the repugs in a joking manner, because all of the repug candidates and Mittens said that they will repeal on day one of their presidency. That’s all I read into that comment. 🙂
BWD thinks it means that he knows the SCOTUS struck down HCR.
I think it’s the exact opposite. PBO is a very shrewd individual and right now he’s happy to go along with the RW Media meme that HCR will get struck down to not give away any clues about what he may or may not know. This joke was put in deliberately – he’s using it as a decoy.
Hope you are right HF. The comment really stood out for me.
I agree..and I believe it was intended to do just that. 🙂
Agree – moreover, I think he has zero insider knowledge of SCOTUS, but was sending THEM a direct message – ‘screw with it and I’m going to do it again and this time it’ll be Medicare for every American citizen irrespective of their age – eat it, Roberts, Kennedy, Scalia, Thomas and Alito, and if you are dumb enough to mess with me on it, I’m going to campaign the hell out of it and you dudes are going to be in the minority in a heart beat or two after I’m sworn in to my 2nd term.’
Just say’n ….
#AmericaThisIsNotATest
I was wondering about that. I don’t know if he knows anything– meaning if something was leaked– but if he had to make a joke about ACA, I think this would be the most appropriate. Who can guess, maybe he knows, maybe he doesn’t. Either way, what’s done is done and we’ll have to wait till June to find out.
I took it as a signal that he is President who is NOT going to give up or give in. Challenge made. It reminded me of the old duals in which one man had to throw down a glove, or some other incident, to indicate a challenge to a dual.
I still take him at his word; “I am a persistent person.”HZ
FL Michelle Obama’s fundraiser in Iowa will be aired on C-SPAN One at 9:55PM ET. In the next few minutes.
Has it started yet?
Off to change the channel!
Yes it has started and folks are cheering and responding to everything our FLOTUS is saying!!!
Trying to watch Miche and GCB at the same time.
That’s alright lisa because Ms. Ann is watching CSPAN with her full attention, taking notes, studying up. “How to Be Michelle Obama 101”
Although, being Ms. Ann, I’m thinkin’ she’s having somebody else take the notes. Like a hired hand.
WOW – The crowd is fired up and erupts in spontaneous chants of “YES WE CAN!” at the conclusion of FLOTUS’s speech!!
Dam, I missed FLOTUS speaking at a fundraiser. I am piss off. 😦 MAD
VC: thank you for the towel (s). I have pulled myself together.
After watching all the events that led up to the Situation Room including Bill Clinton and GW pitiful attempts or non- attempts of trying to carptch or not to catch OBL that is being shown on the Smithsonian channel.
The contrast between what happened with President Obama is just remarkable. When you view the events leading up to the actual night before while attending the “WH prom”, it is just amazing, a miracle and sheer guts that this President displayed. And the worl should never forget especially the repugs. It even makes the first joke about Donal Frump even funnier.
“Justice Has Been Done.”
Ive been reading but unable to post. Hopefully Ive fixed this
You have fixed it. Hiya, Snow!
The crowd loves Miche!!!
The woman is amazing! She has her own cadence. I love her.
Just watched FLOTUS’s speech on c-span and holy smokes she is FANTASTIC!!!!!
Let’s remember that Rudy Giuliani said that Mitt Romney is a man without a core. Whatever he has to do or say to try to win that is Mitt Romney. He doesn’t care if he is telling the truth or lying. That’s Mitt Romney. By the way what is he hiding about his tax returns?
Any video of FLOTUS speech in Iowa? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!
Try here:
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Windso
Thanks alot hopefruit2, I just finish listening to our wonderful First Lady.
April 29, 2012
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA
AND FORMER PRESIDENT CLINTON
AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT
Private Residence
McLean, Virginia
5:57 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Hey! (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) First of all, I want to thank mostly Dorothy for having us here. (Laughter.) Terry actually likes it when there are hundreds of people in his back yard. (Laughter.) And I’m delighted that their — four of their five children are here — Jack, Mary, Sally and Peter. Dori, their other daughter, is off playing in a national tournament in lacrosse. Jack plays rugby for the Naval Academy, where he is in his first year — and I’m very proud of him for his service he’s doing. (Applause.)
I love poor Terry McAuliffe. He’s so laid back and repressed. (Laughter.) He just can’t express himself. (Laughter.) I worry about him. But I tell you what, we had a hundred more like him we wouldn’t lose as many elections — (laughter) — he is a — and I’m grateful. (Applause.)
My job is to introduce the President. I’m going to tell you a couple of things I hope you’ll remember and share with others. When you become President, your job is to explain where we are, say where you think we should go, have a strategy to get there, and execute it. By that standard, Barack Obama deserves to be reelected President of the United States. (Applause.) And I’m going to tell you the only reason we’re even meeting here. I mean, this is crazy — he’s got an opponent who basically wants to do what they did before, on steroids — (laughter) — which will get you the same consequences you got before, on steroids. (Laughter.)
So let’s be serious here. When then-Senator Obama was running for President, he laid out a forward-looking plan to restore broad-based prosperity with a 21st century economy in the United States, to advance the national security of America, and to build a world with more partners and fewer adversaries. And if he had taken office in that world and implemented those plans in energy, education, health care and across the board — which he has done — we’d be roaring.
But then what happened? September the 15th, 2008, we had a financial crash — only seven weeks before the election. And it didn’t bottom out till he he’d been President six months and before any of his policies had time to take effect. If you go back 500 years, whenever a country’s financial system collapses, it takes between 5 and 10 years to get back to full employment. If you go back for the last 200 years, when buildings had been widely owned by individuals and companies, if there’s a mortgage collapse it almost always takes 10 years. He’s beating the clock, not behind it. Don’t listen to those Republicans. We are beating the clock. (Applause.)
So if somebody says, well, but I don’t feel all that great yet, or not everything is back yet, or it’s still kind of slow yet, you just remind them we’ve gotten 4 million jobs since the recession bottomed out; the ones we lost in the crash have been restored. Thanks to the stimulus which kept unemployment one and a half to two points lower than it would have been. Thanks to his restructuring of the American automobile industry, which saved a million and a half jobs and created 84,000 more. (Applause.) Thanks to the astonishing agreement between labor and management and the environmental groups and the federal government to raise mileage standards on cars that will create 150,000 high-tech jobs and clean the environment for our future. These are the things that have been done.
Terry McAuliffe is moving two factories into America — one in Mississippi, one in Virginia — because of the manufacturing initiatives this President got the Congress to adopt to bring American manufacturing back to the forefront in the world. I’m telling you. (Applause.)
Why do I tell you this? Because somebody will say to you, maybe, but I don’t feel better. And you say, look, the man’s not Houdini; all he can do is beat the clock. (Laughter.) He’s beating the clock. It’s not going to take us 10 years to get back to full employment. When I was President, Japan went through a long real estate and financial collapse, and after 10 years they still weren’t back to full employment. We are moving this country forward. We are going in the right direction under President Obama’s leadership. And I’m telling you — (applause.)
My wife has a traveling job, so I’m home alone a lot. And I have more time to read this stuff than most people. (Laughter.) So I noticed yesterday that the American people are about to get — not counting California, our biggest state — $1.3 billion in refunds on their health insurance premiums because the health care law says that you have to spend 85 percent of your health care premium on health care and not profits and promotions. (Applause.) Then I noticed in the paper today that, for the last two years, inflation in health care costs has been 4 percent — the lowest two-year total in 50 years. And then I might say — (applause.)
Folks, I spoke to a big conglomerate group that was meeting last week in a convention; they asked me to come speak. There were insurers, there were health care providers, there were all these people that — in the health care industry. And I thought they might be hostile to me, and I just had — I said, look, folks, I have to tell you, I support what was done; we had to do something. We were spending almost 18 percent of our income on health care, and nobody else is spending more than 12. That’s a trillion dollars a year we’re giving up to our competitors. One of the reasons workers have not been getting pay raises in America is their employers wanted to give them pay raises but they had to spend it on their health insurance premiums. So we have to do this.
So after it was over, they said, you’re preaching to the saved — even those of us who don’t like certain provisions of the health care law would be mortified if it were repealed; we’ve got the train going down the tracks now. If there’s something wrong with it, let’s fix it; don’t start all over again. And I said — (applause.)
So whether it’s on energy, where America led the world in clean energy investment in the last year even though the Chinese government spent more than we did — our investments plus our private venture capital investment led the world. That’s because of President Obama’s policies — (applause) — or whether it’s on health care, on education.
I just have to mention one more thing. One of the things that I think 20 years from now will be among the most important things he’s accomplished as President that is never mentioned when I read about what’s going on, is the reform in the student loan law which will let every student pay back his or her loan for up to 20 years as a small percentage of their income so nobody ever has to drop out of college again. (Applause.) And I want to tell you why that’s important. (Applause.) When he took office, we had dropped — in a decade — from first to 15th in the world in the percentage of our young people with a college education, and we need that back. People need to be able to afford to go and afford to stay.
So I think he’s done a good job. (Laughter.) I think he is beating the historical standard for coming out of a financial collapse and a mortgage collapse. I think the last thing you want to do is to turn around and embrace the policies that got us into trouble in the first place. We need to keep going forward by reelecting Barack Obama President of the United States. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you so much. (Applause.) It’s always good to be in Virginia. (Applause.)
To Dorothy, most of all — (laughter) — but also to this guy here, Terry — (laughter) — I want to thank the McAuliffe family for this incredible hospitality. Jack, we could not be prouder of you. You look sharp in whites, man. (Laughter.) And to the whole family, it is a — I’m sure Terry and Dorothy feel the way Michelle and I feel about Malia and Sasha, and the way Bill feels about — Bill and Hillary feel about Chelsea. There’s nothing we do that’s more important than raising our kids. And when we see outstanding young people like this, it gives us a lot of satisfaction. (Applause.)
A couple of other people I want to mention. It was already noted that the next U.S. senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia, Tim Kaine, is here. I love Tim Kaine. (Applause.) One of the finest men I know. And just a great friend and was a great governor here, obviously.
You also have an outstanding congressman in Jim Moran in the house. (Applause.) And I need to acknowledge, because some of you know I am a former state senator, so I never pass up the chance to introduce state senators, Barbara Favola is here, and this is her district, and we love state senators. Where’s Barbara? She’s over there somewhere. (Applause.) Good to see you, Barbara. (Applause.)
Well, you guys get two Presidents for one out of this event — (laughter) — which is a pretty good deal. (Laughter.) And I was — as I was listening to President Clinton speaking, I was just thinking about the remarkable record that he was able to create during his presidency, and his singular capacity — to be able to explain very difficult concepts in very understandable terms to the American people; a master communicator. But more importantly than his communication skills was — Bill Clinton understood at a time when, let’s face it, the Democratic Party was a little bit lost, he understood what it meant to refocus not on ideology, not on abstractions, but focus on where people live, what they’re going through day to day.
And early in our party in such a way that we were thinking about what has always been the central promise of America; the idea that if you work hard, if you play by the rules, if you’re responsible, then you can live out that basic American promise — the idea that you can find a job that pays a decent living; and buy a home; and send your kids to school; and not have to worry, if you get sick, that you might go bankrupt; and retire with dignity and respect.
And everything he did, all the years that he was in office, was designed to give people the tools to help fulfill that promise. And he did so to a remarkable degree. Terry mentioned the record.
And ever since that time, because of Bill Clinton’s leadership, I think that when you look at the Democratic Party and what we’ve stood for, it has been squarely at the center of how the American people think and what they believe, and is entirely consistent with some of our best traditions and our deepest values.
Now, as has been mentioned, when I came into office, obviously we were experiencing the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The month I was sworn into office we lost 750,000 jobs, as I was taking the oath. We had lost 4 million jobs the six months prior, and we would lose another several million jobs before economic policies had a chance to take effect.
So a lot of what we’ve done over the last three and a half years has been designed just to right the ship to respond to crises, to make sure that Detroit didn’t go under, to make sure that the banking system was no longer locked up, to make sure that small businesses could get loans, and consumers could buy a home again or buy a car again; making sure that the system did not break down. And that took enormous amounts of energy and some pretty tough and difficult political decisions.
But I didn’t run for President simply to get back to where we were in 2007. I didn’t run for President simply to restore the status quo before the financial crisis. I ran for President because we had lost our way since Bill Clinton was done being President. And for almost a decade what we had seen — (applause) — for almost a decade what we had seen for ordinary families was a betrayal of that basic promise; that core American idea.
The economy in fits and starts grew between 2000 and 2008, but wages and incomes flat-lined. Corporations were profitable, but ordinary people felt like they were working harder and harder just to get by. That sense of middle-class security and the notion that successive generations would do better than the previous one — that felt like it was slipping away for too many people. That’s why I ran for President in 2008 — to restore that basic promise. (Applause.)
And that’s why over the last three and a half years, in addition to dealing with immediate crises, what we’ve tried to do is make sure that we were finally dealing with some of those issues that had been put off and put off and put off so that once again we could build an economy with a firm foundation; an economy built to last, an economy that would deliver for ordinary Americans — (applause) — regardless of where they came from, what they looked like, what their last names were; that idea that you could make it here if you try.
And that’s why we took on issues like health care reform — (applause) — because as President Clinton said, the single most important thing to liberate our businesses, to make sure workers are getting raises, and to free ourselves from crippling debt both at the federal level and at the state level was if we started having a more sensible health care system that provided better quality for lower cost. (Applause.)
And what we’ve been able to do as a consequence — if you look right now — 2.5 million young people able to get health insurance because they’re staying on their parents’ plan; millions of seniors getting discounts on their prescription drugs that they weren’t getting before; people being able to get preventive care, the best kind of care, instead of having to go to the emergency room; 30 million people who are going to be able to get health care who didn’t have it before — (applause); people not having to worry if they’ve got a preexisting condition; and now we’re seeing rebates all across the country — over a billion dollars in rebates to consumers, even as health care costs overall are going down.
On education, not only did we make college more affordable, taken $60 billion that was going to banks as middle men in the student loan program, and we were able to cut out the middle man and send that money directly to young people so that now millions more young people are either eligible for Pell Grants or getting higher Pell Grants than they were before and are able to access a college education, we put in place a $10,000 tax credit for young people — or for their parents. (Laughter.) I know you guys are sympathetic. (Laughter.)
But we also started focusing on K-12, and how we’re going to not just — (applause) — how we’re going to get past this debate about reform or more money, and say we need money and reform, and let’s reform those districts and those states and those schools that are doing the right thing, and retaining outstanding teachers, and developing them. And let’s stop just teaching to the test. Let’s make sure that teachers can teach with creativity and passion, but let’s hold them accountable. And so with the help of Arne Duncan and the Secretary of Education, we are on track. Over 40 states now have adopted unprecedented reforms that are going to help us win the 21st century. (Applause.)
We refocused on manufacturing. And everybody has noted the fact that we helped to save Detroit, but here’s the good news. Detroit is building better cars. (Laughter.) Cars that folks want to drive. We’re going to be getting 55 miles per gallon by the middle of the next decade, which will save the average driver $8,000 at the pump. And that’s part of the reason why, actually, we are now consuming — less than 50 percent of our energy is imported; less than 50 percent of our oil is important. So there is an economic benefit, there is a security benefit.
But not only have we helped Detroit produce better cars; we’ve also created entire new industries. Advanced battery manufacturing. The key to electric cars is going to be who wins the race to make the best battery. And when we came into office, it looked like maybe 2 percent of the market was going to go to U.S. companies. Now it looks like it’s going to be 40 percent, because of what we did. We are going to be winning the race for clean energy all across the board. (Applause.)
So whether it’s our investments in clean energy, whether it’s our reform of education, whether it’s our reform of the health care system, whether it’s making sure that Wall Street is operating by the same rules so we don’t go through the same cycle that we did before, whether it’s creating a Consumer Finance Protection Bureau that ensures people that aren’t getting cheated in their financial transactions — (applause) — what we’ve done is not just deal with crisis but also try to play the long game, and try to think what are the strategies, what are the investments that are going to help us grow over the long term, and what do we need to do to make sure that everybody gets a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same set of rules.
Now, I joke sometimes with my staff, a lot of what we’ve done, a lot of what President Clinton did — there was a time when Republicans thought these were pretty good ideas. (Laughter.) No, that’s the truth. (Laughter.) I mean, you can go back to the first Republican President who comes from my home state, a guy named Abraham Lincoln, who built the first — helped to create the Trans-Continental Railroad System, and in the midst of Civil War started the land grant colleges and the National Academy of Sciences; understood the need to make investments in the future. That was not a foreign idea to the Republican Party.
There’s Teddy Roosevelt who thought it was a good idea to have a progressive income tax because he understood that the market works best — Teddy Roosevelt was no socialist. (Laughter.) But what he understood was — is that if you’ve got basic rules of the road in place, and you’ve got equity in the tax system, then everybody can compete, and people win based on the best ideas, not who they can prevent from competing. And you create platforms in which everybody can succeed. That was part of Republican ideas.
As recently as when President Clinton was President, when he tried to tackle health care, he had partners in the United States Senate and in the House on the Republican side who said, you know what, this is an idea that has to be tackled. We may not agree with you on every detail, but we understand that we can’t keep on spending 18 percent of our GDP on health care, and leave 30, 40 million people uninsured. That doesn’t make sense.
And it used to be a guy like a Bob Dole or a Howard Baker, if they wanted to — you know, they were conservative, fiscal hawks — the idea was we were going to balance a budget, and they sure didn’t like tax increases, but they understood if we’re making cuts in spending, then we also need to pay for the kind of government we want. And we’re going to do a balanced approach to how we bring down deficits.
These were not just Democratic ideas. These were American ideas. (Applause.) And part of what’s happened — (applause) — so part of what’s happened is we now have a Republican Party that’s unrecognizable. I’ve said this and I meant it: Ronald Reagan could not get through a Republican primary in this election cycle. (Laughter.) Could not get through it. Here’s a guy who raised taxes. That in and of itself would have rendered him unelectable in a Republican primary.
So I want to — when you’re talking to your friends and your neighbors — I know everybody here knows some Republicans. (Laughter.) You might be married to some. (Laughter.) Might have a mom and dad and whoever. (Laughter.) And describe for them what it is that’s at stake in this election.
When you’ve got a House Republican budget that would, on top of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, initiate an additional $4 trillion or $5 trillion in tax cuts that would be paid for by decimating everything that Bill Clinton talked about, everything that Terry McAuliffe talked about, everything I’ve been talking about so that the non-defense side of the budget other than Social Security would amount to less than 1 percent — historically it’s never been under 8 percent, even under Republican Presidents. And they’re talking about taking this — everything — education, infrastructure, food safety, environmental protection, national parks — whatever it is that you conceive of as part of what we do together, because we can’t do it on our own, that would be reduced to less than 1 percent of the budget. It would basically be wiped out. That’s not my opinion. That’s what they’re proposing.
And so it is impossible taking their budget, taking their philosophy, taking their approach, to imagine how we compete with China on something like clean energy. It’s impossible to imagine us being able to rebuild our roads, our bridges, our ports, our broadband lines. It’s impossible for us to imagine being able to educate our kids effectively and to produce the number of engineers that we’re going to need, the number of scientists we’re going to need, the number of mathematicians that we’re going to need.
So every election Presidents will — or candidates will say this is the election that — this is a crossroads, this is the biggest election in history. (Laughter.) I’m sure back in 1988, 1989, every — you say this is — (laughter) — we need a bridge to the 21st century and all that. (Laughter.) Every election is the most important election in our history. (Laughter.)
But let me tell you — (laughter and applause) — this one matters. (Applause.) This one matters. (Applause.) This one matters. (Applause.)
And that’s before we start talking about foreign policy. (Applause.) Hillary and I — we’ve spent the last three and a half years cleaning up after other folks’ messes. (Applause.) And by the way, we’ve got them — we’re starting to get them pretty cleaned up. (Applause.) The war in Iraq is over. (Applause.) We’re transitioning in Afghanistan. We’ve got the strongest allies we’ve ever seen. And al Qaeda is on the ropes. (Applause.) So we’ve done what we said we’d do. (Applause.)
But when you’ve got the leading contender, the presumptive nominee, on the other side suddenly saying our number one enemy isn’t al Qaeda, it’s Russia — (laughter) — I don’t make that up. (Laughter.) I’m suddenly thinking what — maybe I didn’t check the calendar this morning. (Laughter.) I didn’t know we were back in 1975. (Laughter.)
That’s before I start talking about social issues that are at stake. You know something about that in Virginia; the kinds of nonsense that’s been going on. But that’s all across the country. When you have folks who talk about — want to repeal “don’t ask” — repeal the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.” (Laughter.) When you have folks who are talking about not just constraining women’s reproductive health, but questioning things like contraception as part of our preventive care.
That’s before I start talking about the fact that there are going to be some Supreme Court appointments probably if you look actuarially for the next President. (Applause.) There’s so much at stake here.
So let me just close by saying this — I’ve overstayed my welcome. Dorothy is saying, golly, I’m — (applause) — I’m trying to get these people out of this house. (Applause.) My lawn is all messed up. (Laughter.)
Let me just say this — and I think Bill will agree with me. There’s nothing more humbling, actually, than being President. It’s a strange thing. Suddenly you’ve got all the pomp and the circumstance and you’ve got the helicopters and you’ve got the Air Force One and — and the plane is really nice. (Laughter.) It really is. I mean, Bill may not miss being President but he misses that plane. (Laughter.) Let’s face it, he does. It’s a great plane. (Applause.) And I’ll miss it, too. (Laughter.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: But not yet!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: But not yet. (Laughter and applause.)
But the reason it’s humbling is because you wake up every morning and you know there are folks out there still hurting, especially in what we’ve been going through over the last four years. Yes, you get letters or you talk to folks, and they’ve lost their job or they’ve lost their home, or they thought they were going to retire and suddenly they realize they can’t, or it’s a young person who has figured out, you know what, I’ve got to see if I can find work to help my family even though I was planning to go to college. And every day you know that there’s just some portion of the country that are good and decent and working really hard, and they’re still having a tough time. And you want to just be able to help each one of those people, one by one, because they’re deserving of it; because they represent what’s best in America. And you know that at the end of the day, no matter how hard you work, there’s still going to be some stuff left undone. And you also know that you’re going to make mistakes and there are going to be times where your team makes mistakes. And so your mind doesn’t rest because you’re constantly thinking, what else do I need to be doing?
But I’ll tell you two things that keep me going. The first is — and I’m sure President Clinton agrees with this — you get no better vantage point of how wonderful the American people are than when you’re President of the United States. And as you’re traveling around the country, the resilience and the strength and the core decency of the American people inspire you. And you say to yourself, you know what, no matter what we’re going through right now, we’re going to be okay. We’re going to figure this out because that’s who we are and that’s what we do. No matter how times — how tough times are — in fact, maybe especially when times are tough, we full together and we figure it out.
And the other thing that gets you through is — or at least gets me through is — I said back in 2008, I’m not a perfect man and I will not be a perfect President; Michelle will confirm that. (Laughter.) But I made a promise that I’d always tell people what I thought, I’d always tell people where I stood, and I’d always wake up every single day working as hard as I could on behalf of you. And that promise, I can say, I’ve kept. And I can look in the mirror and say that I’ve kept that promise. (Applause.)
And so if you’re willing to join us and finish what we started in 2008, and continue what Bill Clinton was doing when he was President of the United States, and if you are willing to share that vision of what America can be, I guarantee you we won’t just win this election, we’re going to make sure that we remind this world of ours just why it is America is the greatest nation on Earth. (Applause.)
Thank you, everybody. God bless you. God bless the United States of America.
Thank you so much, bwd!!!
#PRESSON
Beautiful. Thank you so much for posting this here, BWD.
Thank you, sweet water, this is a terrific read!
Ronald Reagan and the 1993 Gingrich Contract on America urshered in these right wing nutjobs by demonizing democrats and liberalism as a dirty word. Prior to Gingrich Republicans and Democrats worked together for the benefit of all americans.
Thanks so much BWD. I especially liked the paragraphs below. I know we will be hearing more about the extreme and radical policies of todays GOP. There is no reasoning with them. They don’t believe in compromise. They just come off as unhinged and deranged. They relinquish their judgement to unelected Grover Norquist and his no tax pledge. And they are in bed with the Koch Brothers, Big Oil, Wall Street, Chamber of Commerce and ALEC. They have rendered the government dysfunctional with their tactics of obstruction and hostage taking. Add to that the Citizens United ruling and you have a toxic brew. This is no way to run a democracy in the 21st century.
A REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT’S UNRECOGNIZABLE
—————————————-
And it used to be a guy like a Bob Dole or a Howard Baker, if they wanted to — you know, they were conservative, fiscal hawks — the idea was we were going to balance a budget, and they sure didn’t like tax increases, but they understood if we’re making cuts in spending, then we also need to pay for the kind of government we want. And we’re going to do a balanced approach to how we bring down deficits.
These were not just Democratic ideas. These were American ideas. (Applause.) And part of what’s happened — (applause) — so part of what’s happened is we now have a Republican Party that’s unrecognizable. I’ve said this and I meant it: Ronald Reagan could not get through a Republican primary in this election cycle. (Laughter.) Could not get through it. Here’s a guy who raised taxes. That in and of itself would have rendered him unelectable in a Republican primary.
—————————————–
Gov. Jerry Brown describes the GOP as being in a “reactionary cul de sac”
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3460_162-57423835/jerry-brown-gop-must-move-out-of-their-reactionary-cul-de-sac/?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.4
“I think the Republicans have to move out of that reactionary cul-de-sac that some of the more extreme members are pushing them,” Brown told host Bob Schieffer.
“There’s an enforcement of discipline that’s ideological and, as was mentioned today in The Washington Post, takes on the quality of a cult,” the California governor said.
Brown provided one example of Republican ideology, on immigration. The party largely opposes a path to citizenship for those in the country illegally.
“They’re so hostile to millions and millions of people in this country, and while they can’t vote, they have millions and millions of people who they’re related to or who identify with them. And you just can’t ignore 12 million people, particularly when they’re picking our food, they’re working in the hotels and restaurants, and now they’re increasingly in very important jobs,” Brown said.
But Brown, who is 74 years old and has been in the political realm for more than 40 years, criticized the entire political system, which he calls “more polarized” than he’s ever seen it.
“The great power can’t govern itself with this kind of dysfunction. It just won’t work,” Brown said.
snip/
However, Brown offered some praise of President Obama.
“I have to say this: I’ve never seen a cooler, more reasoned, intelligent candidate and leader than Obama. This man, under pressure, shows a lot of grace and a lot of thoughtfulness, and that’s going to serve him well,” Brown said.
Tweeeted that last graf, df.
And they are getting retweeted like crazy. You should get in the game, df. You post excellent stuff here. Spread it around.
Thanks, amk….for now, I will just find all the useful nuggets that I can and share them with all of you….
DF, thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this. Wow, that interview with Governor Brown was fantastic. A breath of fresh air. This is the kind of common sense discussion that has been missing from the Sunday Shows for a long time. Governor Brown needs to be interviewed more often. What a pleasure. His critique of the GOP and his praise of President Obama was spot on.
Thank you.
You should tweet that linky, bwd.
VERY VERY NICE!
There it is. The case for PBO’s re-election. It’s gonna be a great campaign!
Excellent Team. Thanks for posting the transcript BWD!
Thank you so much for bringing this here.
Not sure if y’all have seen this:
Some of the replies he got to that … er … first sentence were pretty funny.
Previous
Next
9:40 AM
Obama receives the presidential daily briefing.
10:45 AM
Obama delivers remarks at the Building and Construction Trades Department Legislative Conference.
11:40 AM
Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Noda of Japan.
12:45 PM
Obama holds a working lunch with Prime Minister Noda of Japan.
1:30 PM
Jill Biden and U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary Jane Oates visit Metropolitan Community College.
1:45 PM
Biden attends a campaign event in Kansas City, Missouri.
2:00 PM
Obama holds a press conference with Prime Minister Noda of Japan.
3:00 PM
Obama meets with Geithner.
3:20 PM
Michelle Obama speaks to Obama campaign volunteers and supporters in Colorado Springs.
4:00 PM
Michelle Obama will arrive in Albuquerque International Airport where she will be greeted by servicemembers and their families from New Mexico’s Kirtland Air Force Base.
4:30 PM
Michelle Obama will deliver remarks at a fundraiser in Albuquerque covered by a print pooler.
5:00 PM
Michelle Obama delivers remarks during the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Warrior Games.
6:00 PM
Biden attends a campaign event in Munster, Indiana.
Jill Biden and Oates visit Ivy Tech Community College.
8:40 PM
Michelle Obama will arrive at Tucson International Airport where she will be greeted by youth volunteers at Tucson Village Farm.
9:10 PM
Michelle Obama will deliver remarks at a campaign event in Tucson.
Man, are they busy!
Didn’t want to leave Mitt out of the loop ….
Or, Tweety ….
#PRESSON
Good Night All.
testing
Nice photo! But is the guy in background Christie’s cousin?
Good evening hf,
I hope these will ‘leave a mark’ … expect further tweets to those who need to be informed, tomorrow 🙂
#AmericaThisIsNotATest
i saw the photo and i immediately asked myself: what is pompus chrisitie doing standing behind these two presidents
Thank you President Obama!
X2
How is it not treason when congressional leaders meet to plot and bring down a president thus the USA when there are two wars, and the country is undergoing economic and financial collapse? Please, someone tell me??
RanMan@ranman09
Close
@Morning_Joe Is This Not News Worthy: Congressional Leaders Meet & Plot To Bring Down President Obama & Thus the Country? Treason or what?
Hyper partisan definitely. Not so sure about treason. There’s nothing really illegal about one party holding a meeting to bring down The President of another. I hate the way they voted but it was all within limits.
“I had a lot more prepared for tonight, but, unfortunately, I have to get the Secret Service home in time for their new curfew.”
BWAHAHAHAHAH !
– Let’s see, how can I finish this stupid right wing talking point off –
Well done, Mr. President !
Morning everyone 😉
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/04/30/forward/
Good morning, Chips let me say that you are the best! Having the Forward video on the right side next to all of my other favorite videos is like a wide-eyed child in the candy sore for the first time.
You are helping to make my life so pleasant, I wake up joyful and go to sleep blissful. Can it get any better?
Yes, it can. Yes, we can!