Obama Presser

Update 3: You can rate the Presser yourself via The Conservative Underground. (link here)

Update 2: Video of the tonsils I comment I reacted to below. WTF? (link here)

Update: Overall grade - an E. Mostly unresponsive. More selling than it was informing. A waste of time. Here is a response from Mike Pence:

“The last thing this country needs during the worst recession in a generation is a trillion dollar co-pay that will kill jobs, raise taxes, and force millions of hard-working Americans to lose their current health care plan. The American people simply cannot afford the president’s health care proposal.

"The President of the United States may 'mean it' when he says a government takeover of health care won't add to the deficit but every American knows that a government-run health insurance plan will mean more deficits and more debt.

“House Republicans, like all Americans, want to improve our nation’s health care system.  Unfortunately, the president would rather engage in straw man tactics than tackle the challenges facing our nation in a bipartisan manner.

###

The first question from the AP was why doesn't Obama take a stand on his policy preferences, given that it is his deadline.

He responded with a long rambling speech on the problems before saying he wanted to limit deductions for coverage on the "wealthy". He continued to play the class card by saying he didn't want the middle class taxed. That sounds good, but is it realistic? He then tossed it back to Congress without a firm commitment to any strategy. He said it's his job, but doesn't want his name on a specific proposal. I thought this ws about leadership? Evidently, not from him. He's content to follow and won't truly step up.

He then ate up significant question time by rambling on the problems, again.

First answer grade: F- the minus for wasting so much question time.

Second question: Why the rush?

He's rushing because of familes - het gets letters. Let's inject more stories personal here. His 2nd point: If you don't set deadlines, nothing happens. People have time to think and decide things are working for them. He wants to take advantage of the stars being aligned by rushing.

Will not sign a bill that increases the debt, or doesn't solve health care cost inflation. He claims health care is cheaper with a better result elsewhere according to experts, but gives no example. WHy not talk about Canada, or Britain? This is just talk.

Answer grade: D

Chuck Todd - must everyone be covered, perhaps with a mandate?

Talks about Single Payer - oh great! He claims proposed plans will cover 97 - 98 percent. If we re-design certain elements of system, everything will be paid for. No specifics. This is the typical pie in the sky government rhetoric.

Answer grade: D

Next question about opposition:

I am not bashing Republicans. Yeah, right. Credits Grassley and others, maybe he should check with Nancy Pelosi on this question. Some Democrats have different ideas and concerns, medicare cost in certain communities, but resolution can add cost. Doesn't that mean there will still be problems?

Answer Grade E

Next Question: What about sacrifices required?

They will give up paying for things that don't make them healthier. Who says? Obama and some panel, I guess. Dances around defensive medicine issues due to lawsuits. Doesn't address it. People need to ask themselves if they want the government telling them what "works". Clearly choices will go away. Everyone will need to be more discriminating consumers. I guess because the government dictates it?

Talks again of deficit and debt. Not on topic. More wsting of question time for debateable sales points without rebuttal. Blames Bush, talks economy, yadda, yadda. non-responsive.

Talks about need for massive government reform and spending cuts. WHy not concentrate on those first? That would make the most sense.

Answer grade: E

Q from Chip Reid on Medicare: Cuts in Medicare without specifics. Be specific. Congress must accept or reject outside board recommendations - up or down vote on package. Drugs cmpanies are only stepping up because there's more than $80 billion dollars of waste. Wow, bash your own support for the program?? Provides no specifics.

Answer Grade F

Next Q - no openess, no CPAN debate. Are you being transparent?

Oh, you were there taking pictures. We sent out a letter naming visiting executives. Too many meetings for public airing. Says he's been more transparent than Bush. Bush wasn't around long enough after TARP passed to say that.

Next Q: Off into financial regulatory reform. I thought we were here to discuss health care? Way to feed him a softball question in this sense.

Next Q on plan leading to reduced benefits: WIll government deny coverage, will Congress abide by same rules?

It will match up with Federal Plan. What nonsense! Wants a public plan to keep insurance companies honest. More BS - competition oes that, or would with less regulation across state lines. Insurance are making record profts - where's the constraint on that? SO Obama will dictate profits? That isn't competition. WOn't guaratee there won't be changes. It just gets better with this guy. Says doctors may be making money based on profit. Why take tonsils out for allergies???? Whaaat?? Such gibberish.

Says he would be happy to abide by same coverage but he's the President. Doh!

Answer grade: F

Next Q: cited Mayo and others but they have issues with plan? Doesn't expect an endorsement, some are just role models. Says Mayo clinic is now satisfied by Medicare options.

Grade: C

Lynn Sweet: Gates arrested at Harvard huh?

Doesn't know all the facts, says Gates showed his ID. That disputes the police report. He doesn't have all the facts. Cambridge police acted stupidly. There's a long History of Afro-americans and Latinops being stopped disproportionally. I guess he doesn't have the cops back. Too bad no question on Philadelphia voter intimidation by black panthers.

Comments

[Slide]

"He responded with a long rambling speech. . . "

I guess if you are used to the simplistic platitudes that the former president gave us on every issue, this might seem like a long rambling speech. I call it explaining the situation to us like we are adults. Foreign concept I know but what a relief.

[jaime]

"The last thing this country needs during the worst recession in a generation"

I thought Obama was exaggerating the recession and we were all a nation of whiners? What a difference 6 months makes.

[Xerocky]

"I guess if you are used to the simplistic platitudes that the former president gave us on every issue, this might seem like a long rambling speech. I call it explaining the situation to us like we are adults. Foreign concept I know but what a relief."

He never gets to the point. He never answers the question at hand. Call it whatever you want.

[Anon]

He didn't give ONE SINGLE SPECIFIC.

Platitudes. That's it.

Nothing about "how" he is going to get to his universal health care utopia.

This speech was no different than Bush saying we would get Osama dead or alive.

Same tactic, different message.

[Anon]

PS....I think its fair to say he just lost the law enforcement vote, all of it, black, white, asian and latino, and rightly so.

How sickening that the president of the United States would stoop to calling the Cambridge Police stupid while admitting he doesn't have the facts. Jesus Christ, no wonder cops hate everyone but other cops if this is how the president views them.

[Xerocky]

"Jesus Christ, no wonder cops hate everyone but other cops if this is how the president views them."

Making friends for all the world to see.

[jaime]

ZOMG!!! Can you believe David Letterman said that he can't wait to rape Trip Palin?!?!?!

What Obama said:

"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that [Gates case]. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home;"

The purposefully dishonest lie Anon knowingly wishes to perpetuate:

"How sickening that the president of the United States would stoop to calling the Cambridge Police stupid"

[Jay David]

In one press conference Obama manages to insult "greedy doctors" and "stupid police" . What a jerk this man is. A real American President would have admitted he didn't know enough about the Cambridge case to make a comment and leave it at that but no, the community organizer has to smear the cops in a desperate attempt to placate his hard-Left cult followers.

[Xerocky]

"that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home;"

He's clearly not in the know of the basic facts of the case. So saying that they acted stupidly is kind of out of line.

[O!]

Knowing only the races of the parties involved and none of the facts, the President confidently claimed that the Cambridge police were in the wrong.

[MarkJ]

Once upon a time, a talent agent assessed Fred Astaire as follows:

"Can't sing. Can't dance. Balding. Can act a little."

I think that sums up my evaluation of Lord Zero at tonight's presser.

Something tells me a lot of MSM'ers who were at the "event" are now staring into their vodka martinis and muttering, "S***, that was several hours out of my life that I'll never get back."

[WileECoyote]

Is this really something that a president should be talking about in a national news conference-----what the Cambridge cops did in investigating a call on a possible home invasion?????
If the guy hadnt been Black, is there any doubt that O'Negro Potus would have been talking about it----Hell No. What a Racist he is. And he has peaked; and is headed down down with his socialist health plan tied around his ankles like a cemcnt boot.......

[jaime]

"Is this really something that a president should be talking about in a national news conference"

He was asked the question in a press conference! I guarantee you, you'd be the first one to criticize him for being "evasive" if he gave no comment.

"he has peaked; and is headed down down"

No one ever got rich betting against Barack Obama or banking on the failure of the United States.

[jaime]

"Knowing only the races of the parties involved and none of the facts,"

Obama said in perfectly clear English that Professor Gates was a friend of his and admitted his bias for him. Did you people see the press conference? Morans!

[WileECoyote]

Jay-me:
Thats the only F-ing question O'Buckwheat answered all night and it was a softball to take some heat off the lack of specifics that were NOT forthcoming on his socialism health insurance plan.

The shine is off the shoes of EL Bamo. Sad thing is the GOP doesnt have a viable answer to him at this point......our nation deserves better than what we have on both sides in DC......

[jaime]

"the lack of specifics"

I would imagine a health reform plan still being negotiated in their respective house committees are quite short on specific details.

"O'Buckwheat" "O'Negro"

It must kill you that you can't shout out "Nigger!" in polite company anymore. A black man as president, the inevitability of a majority minority country, and the Permanent Republican Majority laid in ruins in less than 2 election cycle; Like the batshit MORAN birther at that Town Hall cried hysterically "I want my country back"

Well you lost it...permanently and I couldn't be happier.

[Lala]

Gates refused to produce his ID.

[North Dallas Thirty]

"I would imagine a health reform plan still being negotiated in their respective house committees are quite short on specific details."

Which is why Obama swore that you wouldn't lose this, that you wouldn't lose that, and so forth.

Since he doesn't have the details, he can't know that, and therefore he's lying through his teeth.

It must kill you that you can't shout out "Nigger!" in polite company anymore.

Ha. That "polite company" is the same that supports Black Panthers calling white people "crackers", who supports calling Jews "hymies" and "yids", and who demonstrates racial enlightenment of this order:

"White and Kinney both testified Kilpatrick used the F-word in describing them while urging his security detail to get them off the porch. They said the mayor also made racial remarks about her and White.

"You're a black woman,'' Kinney quoted the mayor as telling her. ``You should be ashamed of yourself being with a man with the last name white. You should not be a part of this."

White is white. Kinney and Kilpatrick are black."

http://www.wwj.com/pages/2788316.php?

Which Barack Obama fully supports and endorses, by the way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZNvC_-RW2Q

So tell us, jaime; what would you call a black man like Barack Obama who believes that a black woman should be ashamed to ride in a car with a white man, and who is self-loathing because she dares to investigate another black person who commits a crime?

We call them Democrats. And racists. Glad to know you're a racist too.

[Bob]

"O'Buckwheat" "O'Negro"

Isn't it rich that Riehl was only just trying to claim that liberals are MUCH MORE racist than conservatives? And, somewhat hilariously, IMHO, anon speculated that, "I can only think that the reason why blacks embrace this condescending attitude [of 'paternalistic' liberals] is that it provides significant material benefit to them in the form of government subsidies . . ." Right. It has nothing at all to do with the fact that lots of conservative Republicans actually ARE racists, and have no inhibitions at all about expressing it publicly -- at least not while posting anonymously as "WilECoyote." LOL.

[web development]

Health care is so troubled because it's too expensive.

[Logan 6]

"Isn't it rich that Riehl was only just trying to claim that liberals are MUCH MORE racist than conservatives? "

Liberals ARE more racist than conservatives. One post in a thread doesn't disprove that. Most conservatives tend to see people as people, Liberals see people as ethnic blocs to be either pampered, patronized or sneered at. Look at any Daily Kos thread dealing with Israel to see the anti-semitic venom that pours out of the Left. Look at the racial abuse that Michelle Malkin gets on a daily basis from the Left. Oh, and which party does former Klansman Byrd happily belong to ? Yep, the Democrats.

[Logan 6]

"Obama said in perfectly clear English that Professor Gates was a friend of his and admitted his bias for him."

So without knowing all the facts, Obama supports his "friend" against the "stupid" police. Great example to set for the youth of America.

[Logan 6]

This is from another site but it's so good it's worth sharing...

"Obama takes 6 months to find a puppy for his daughters but wants to pass healthcare in 2 weeks…"

Classic !!!!

[Bob]

"Most conservatives tend to see people as people, Liberals see people as ethnic blocs to be either pampered, patronized or sneered at."

Yes, and if a conservative happens to see people as racist caricatures whom they refer to as "Buckwheat," they're just doing it to express their disdain for political correctness. Do you people really believe your own bullshit? LOL.

[jaime]

"but wants to pass healthcare in 2 weeks…"

How many months has Congress been working on this bill? How much longer before the bill gets to the floor? The USAPatriot Act was written, passed through committee, debated, and voted on (in the middle of the night) in 24 days.

"One post in a thread doesn't disprove that."

Here's a little homework for you...Please find and link to ONE positive story about African Americans on Riehl World View. I guarantee you won't find any.

[Old Trooper]

I watched the Obama lecture. Absolutely no specifics or anything of substance offered.
Dumb ass is not governing because he does know how. He is still campaigning. He can either
make a sincere effort to give it fair debate and discussion or the American public will be further
alienated and disillusioned. So far this administration and congress have done nothing but betray the public trust, overspend and have been acting outside of the 10th Amendment limits to federal authority. The obama agenda and appointment of non-vetted czars and commissars is un-constitutional as hell. Funding of organizations like acorn is clearly un-constitutional as hell with taxpayer funds.

The 2010 elections will no doubt break the choke hold in congress and effectively bring this sham of a presidency under control. 2012 will be the end of the intimidation, class warfare and chicago thuggery.

Now jaime, the patriot act was in response to the terrorist attacks and death of 3,000 Americans.
It was bi-partisan enacted so get off your soapbox and you are not authorized to give me homework assignments so get off of that crap. I am conservative but not a bigot or ignorant. I am 1/4 native american by genetics but consider myself to be all american, not a hyphenated one. Although my ancestors destroyed the 7th us cavalry, I spent 28 years in the military defending the nation I love. I do not intend to allow this band of punk politicians and tyrants to destroy mt country. If you do not like the tone of this website just go away. No one put a gun to your head to come here or post here. The color of your skin is always trumped by the color of your character, a lesson for you here.

[PA]

Obama has lost the Associated Press. They "fact checked" his claims and found them wanting. Losing the AP means the avalanche is about to start.

[xerocky]

"Yes, and if a conservative happens to see people as racist caricatures whom they refer to as "Buckwheat," they're just doing it to express their disdain for political correctness. Do you people really believe your own bullshit? LOL."

What did the left call Bush? The smirking chimp was one, right? Was that racist? How many times did they make fun of him for being a redneck? Every day for 8 years? It doesn't impugn the entire left side of the spectrum.

On the other hand the president was on TV last night, and what does "Bob" horn in on? A "racist" comment.
Nothing to say about the presidents performance last night?

[Ran]

Heh. Now wouldn't it be interesting if our ignorant pal WileE has the identical IP as, oh, Bob or Jaime?

Seriously, Dan, I'd suggest tagging comments with source IP. The Internet has seen too many faux "wingnut" posts from leftards thinking they're Alinsky. [And I'd start by blocking WileE's crap, and Slide's.]

Oh, and by the way, Jammie, Boob... Riehl hates - HATES - the Irish. Sure. Find just *one* post here that has ever been "positive" about the Irish. Right. What high-school do you morons [nominally] attend?

[Philip McDaniel]

The police acted correctly and within their mandate. The man was not arrested for breaking and entering, he was arrested for disorderly conduct. Try mouthing off to a policeman who stops you on the highway--try shouting at him and see what happens. The color of his or your skin will have no bearing on the issue. Nevertheless, in this case the race card was played: both by the man arrested and then by his friend, the President of the United States.

[WileECoyote]

I am not a racist. All are equal. No more no less. And my characterizations of our POTUS were to express my disdain for political correctness, and to get the lefties to confirm their double standard. You can call white people any name you want and nobody says anything but call a black man, well, a black man, and you are a racist.
Okay how's this------Obama is a narcissist, big-eared, jughead!! And I dont care what color he is.
No free passes.

[bandit]

Obamas new title - racebaiter in chief. Correct newspaper headling for Gates arrest - Cambridge PD arrest another Harvard asshole.

[Jay David]

"Please find and link to ONE positive story about African Americans on Riehl World View."

Please find and link to ONE positive story about specifically WHITE Americans at Riehl World....from what I've seen this site is not about judging people by their race unlike the racist liberals who infest the comments section.

[Jaime]

"I am not a racist. All are equal. No more no less."

Oh I see. You can call a black man "Buckwheat" and "Negro" because you are so NOT racist. I mean you are so enlightened and colorblind that you have absolutely no idea why calling a black person a "chimp" is any more insulting than if you called a white man a chimp. I get it.

I applaud your true racial even handedness.

[Bob]

Jaime, as if on cue: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/conservative_activist_forwards_racist_pic_showing.php?ref=fpa

It's so hilarious that conservatives keep disproving their own lame claims. They've become their own worst enemies. Does ANYBODY take you fools seriously anymore, other than yourselves, of course?

[Philip McDaniel]

OK, I'll bite, Jaime, why is "calling a black person a 'chimp'" more insulting than calling "a white man a chimp?"

[Bob]

Jaime, as if on cue: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/conservative_activist_forwards_racist_pic_showing.php?ref=fpa

Conservatives keep disproving their own lame claims. They've become their own worst enemies. Does anybody take you fools seriously any more, other than yourselves, of course?

[Ad rem]

Jaime......your baby boy is goin' down........heh!

[Logan 6]

"I applaud your true racial even handedness."

Do you applaud the "true racial even handedness" of your Messiah ? After all he spent 20 years attending a church filled with hatred of white people and Jews. Do you agree with your Messiah that only white people are "greedy"?

[Bob]

"Seriously, Dan, I'd suggest tagging comments with source IP. The Internet has seen too many faux "wingnut" posts from leftards thinking they're Alinsky. [And I'd start by blocking WileE's crap, and Slide's.]"

Some wing nuts just hate it when liberals get to have their say. Apparently, if you can't beat 'em, you can always whine about blocking their IP addresses. LOL. And actually, Ran, this entire site is a ruse from liberals who've set it up just so wing nuts have a forum in which they can damn themselves with their own stupidity. It's working BRILLIANTLY so far. In fact, we're constantly giving each other high-fives when we read your posts. Keep up the good work!

[Bob]

"O'Buckwheat" "O'Negro"

Right on cue, yet another pearl of wing nut "humor" that totally confirms what they're trying so hard to deny:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/conservative_activist_forwards_racist_pic_showing.php?ref=fpa

But sure, in what passes for "introspection" in wing-nut world, let's have another round of questioning why liberals are so much more racist than conservatives.

[Logan 6]

"Some wing nuts just hate it when liberals get to have their say."

Yeah, that's what it is...you go on believing that.
As for racism, all one has to do is read the hate-filled anti-semitic ravings of Daily Kos and the comments they made about Thomas and Rice to see where the real racism lies these days. From the vile misogyny thrown at Sarah Palin to the sight of Leftist students marching in lockstep with university Islamists calling for another Holocaust it's obvious that Liberals are the new sexists and racists.

[Logan 6]

"Please find and link to ONE positive story about African Americans on Riehl World View. "

"And actually, Ran, this entire site is a ruse from liberals who've set it up"

So Bob admits that liberals have set up a site that has apparently never run a positive story on African Americans ! Further proof that liberals are the new racists !!

[Bob]

"So Bob admits that liberals have set up a site that has apparently never run a positive story on African Americans ! Further proof that liberals are the new racists !!"

Logan, you fool. If our co-conspirator Dan (who's actually a hard-left socialist who used to be Bill Ayers' best friend when they were in the Weathermen together) were to post too many positive stories about African Americans, the wing nuts' bullshit detectors would immediately go off. The ruse depends on an absolutely credible wing-nut blog site to lure you all into letting your guard down and showing the horrible heart of darkness that lies just below the surface of every wing nut. I'm only telling you this because you're not such a bad guy yourself, but you have to promise not to let the cat out of the bag.

[Morley]

As my dad said, there are black people and there are Niggers;
Just as there are white people and there are white trash.....

[Bob]

Just a question: do you guys give up yet on the issue of who's the most racist? All we'd need now is for the Grand Wizard of the KKK to write a post endorsing Sarah Palin for President, fer chrissakes. I'm telling you, our wing nut roach motel is working better than we ever could have dreamed.

[Morley]

How are you and Barney doin these days Bob?