Category Archives: Economy

A pithy analysis of the president’s response to Question 2 at the July 11, 2011 presidential press conference

By Chrissy the Hyphenated

At his July 11, 2011 presser, President Obama called on Chip Reid of CBS News to ask the second question. Chip threw him a nice soft ball:

Q:  “You said that everybody in the room is willing to do what they have to do, wants to get something done by August 2nd.  But isn’t the problem the people who aren’t in the room, and in particular Republican presidential candidates and Republican Tea Partiers on the Hill, and the American public?”

Oooh, those intransigent, self-centered Republicans, those RAACIST!!! Tea Partiers!!! and the STOOPID American public!

Then Chip cited an interesting statistic:

Q. “The latest CBS News poll showed that only 24 percent of Americans said you should raise the debt limit to avoid an economic catastrophe. There are still 69 percent who oppose raising the debt limit.”

That leaves 7% who answered “Don’t know” or “No opinion.”

Q. “So isn’t the problem that you and others have failed to convince the American people that we have a crisis here, and how are you going to change that?”

Is he SERIOUS?!  69% oppose what Obama wants to do, so the “problem” is that the Messiah has failed to communicate?!

Let me think how that would’ve gone with a Republican president. … hmmm …

“Mr. President, 7 out of 10 Americans think you’re wrong. Why do you persist in holding on to this unpopular position of yours?”

Now that we’ve watched CBS plump His O’liness’ pillow, let’s look at what Mr. Obtuse and Verbose had to say.

Or rather, let’s NOT look at the whole thing, because (ahem) he went ON and ON for about 7 minutes … speaking 938 words which, if typed double space would fill more than 3 pages.

Instead, we’ll do Chrissy’s Cliff Notes of Obama’s Answer.

• The 69% don’t matter, because the “public at large … is not paying close attention.” They’re too busy worrying about their petty little personal concerns. And that’s proper because us “professional politicians … are paid to worry about it.”

Uh … well, sir, I’ll grant you the 7% who neither agreed nor disagreed with you are clearly not paying attention. But 7% is not the public at large.  It’s just 7%.

The public at LARGE would be the 69% who disagree with you, some of whom, by the by, voted for you.  Do the math.

Basically, what I’m hearing you say, sir, is … and correct me if I’m wrong. You believe that the 7 out of 10 Americans  who disagree with you Do Not Matter because they are clearly way too stupid to understand stuff like “the ins and outs of how a Treasury option goes.” Is that about right?

• If I’d asked the poll question, I’d have worded it so I got a majority on my side.

I’m sorry, Mr. President, but this one won’t fly. CBS News did that poll. They’ve got a well-deserved reputation for skewing polls in your FAVOR. I mean … look at the question their reporter gave you?! Sheesh.

If the BEST they could swing for your side was 24 percent in favor and a bogus “the problem is your messaging” spin, that is truly pathetic.

• The professional politicians who disagree with me are irresponsible lying liars.  “And this is not something that I am making up.  This is not something that Tim Geithner is making up. We’re not out here trying to use this as a means of doing all these really tough political things.  I’d rather be talking about stuff that everybody welcomes — like new programs or the NFL season getting resolved.  Unfortunately, this is what’s on our plate.  It’s before us right now.  And we’ve got to deal with it.”

Oh. My. Goodness. Is he for real?  “I work my fingers to the bone.” “These people don’t appreciate me.”  Blah blah blah. Pay a shrink.  Or tell your bartender.

But please, Please, PLEASE … Don’t pretend to be leader of the free world and get up in front of millions and WHINE about how hard the job is. It’s demeaning.

At this point, Reid added an addendum to his question:

“Do you think he’ll come back to the $4 trillion deal?”  [He being Speaker Boehner of the lying-liar-who-is-keeping-me-from-doing-fun-NFL-stuff fame.]

• “I think Speaker Boehner has been very sincere about trying to do something big.”

This would be the same man you just said was being irresponsible and KNEW IT?

• “I think he’d like to do something big.”

Oooh, not like you, Mr. No-NFL-Nose-to-the-Grindstone.

• “His politics within his caucus are very difficult — you’re right.  And this is part of the problem with a political process where folks are rewarded for saying irresponsible things to win elections or obtain short-term political gain.”

Oh. My. Goodness. Did HE actually say that with a STRAIGHT FACE?!

• We all have to work on this, because Democrats and progressives really CARE about folks who are hurting and vulnerable, and families and seniors who are dependent on some of these programs. But we have to make these programs “sustainable over the long term” and get “our fiscal house in order.” … “So the argument I’m making to my party is, the values we care about — “ … [lists all those good things that OBVIOUSLY those lying liar Republicans don’t care about!] … “then you’ve got to be interested in figuring out how do we pay for that in a responsible way.  And so, yeah, we’re going to have a sales job; this is not pleasant.  It is hard to persuade people to do hard stuff that entails trimming benefits and increasing revenues. But the reason we’ve got a problem right now is people keep on avoiding hard things, and I think now is the time for us to go ahead and take it on.”

Strike up the violins, cuz Obama the Caring and Stoic is apparently the ONLY one on either side of the aisle who Understands The Big Picture Here and is willing to take time away from his busy sports schedule to Do Hard Things like gives sales talks to the Lazy People in his party and the Lying People in the other party and the “at large” Stupid People (aka, voters) into doing what He, Oz-bama the Wise and Wonderful, commands.

Click graphic to embiggen for easier reading.

Chrissy’s Site Bites:

http://news.webshots.com/photo/2457886210056011884BoDQPP

FULL TRANSCRIPT of presser is posted at

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/11/press-conference-president