On the Issues
As a student at Columbia University, Obama worked for three months as an environmental activist to promote recycling in Harlem. As a community organizer, he fought against environmental racism by helping public housing residents demand to have their apartments tested for asbestos and repaired. He noted, “Environmentalism is not an upper-income issue, it’s not a black issue, it’s not a South or a North or an East or a West issue. It’s an issue that all of us have a stake in.“
Meet the Press Excerpt:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
David Gregory: This week you had former President Jimmy Carter most, not just a little, but most of this Republican opposition against you is motivated by racism. Do you agree with that?
Obama: No...It's an argument that's gone on as long as the history of this republic, and that is, what's the right role of government, how do we balance freedom with our need to look after one another. I talked about this in the joint sessions speech. This is not a new argument and it always invokes passions.
ABC News video
"Iraqis are better off without tyranny of Saddam Hussein."
[Obama's speech in Cairo]
The Nation
The Administration also decided to provide Gaza with $900 million of aid.
Recognizing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, President Obama has released $21.3 million from the U.S. Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA) Fund for use in the Palestinian region. The money will go to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA),the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). According to the U.S. State Department, "These organizations are distributing emergency food assistance, providing medical assistance and temporary shelter, creating temporary employment, and restoring access to electricity and potable water to the people of Gaza."
And that, finally, opened the door to one of the final questions of the day, which was reminiscent of the famous line asked of Bill Clinton in the 1992 campaign: “Did you inhale?” “I did. It’s not something I’m proud of. It was a mistake as a young man. But I never understood that line,” Mr. Obama said, pausing to recall Mr. Clinton’s insistence that he didn’t inhale. “The point was to inhale. That was the point.” NY Times
Fox News
President Obama said Wednesday he "absolutely" believes health care reform will be passed by the end of the year, arguing the country will be "worse off" without a dramatic overhaul of the nation's system.
"We're going to get it done," Obama said in an interview aired Wednesday on ABC's "Good Morning America."
ChiTrib
WASHINGTON -- As a Chicagoan, President Barack Obama had little choice when asked who is the better basketball player between Los Angeles star Kobe Bryant and Bulls legend Michael Jordan. "Oh, Michael," the lifelong basketball fan told The Associated Press on Thursday. "I mean, Kobe's terrific. Don't get me wrong," Obama said of the four-time NBA champion. "But I haven't seen anybody match up with Jordan yet."
WASHINGTON -- As a Chicagoan, President Barack Obama had little choice when asked who is the better basketball player between Los Angeles star Kobe Bryant and Bulls legend Michael Jordan.
"Oh, Michael," the lifelong basketball fan told The Associated Press on Thursday.
"I mean, Kobe's terrific. Don't get me wrong," Obama said of the four-time NBA champion. "But I haven't seen anybody match up with Jordan yet."
From BBC
Barack Obama: "I gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police department"
Mr Obama said he should have chosen his words more carefully at his Wednesday news conference.
"Because this has been ratcheting up and I obviously helped to contribute ratcheting it up, I wanted to make clear in my choice of words I think I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department or Sgt Crowley specifically," Mr Obama said.
"I could have calibrated those words differently," he added.
Mr Obama also revealed that he had spoken to Sgt Crowley on the telephone, and described him as an "outstanding police officer and a good man".
resident Obama today stood by his comments that the Cambridge, Mass., police department acted "stupidly" in its arrest of Henry Louis Gates, telling ABC News that the Harvard University professor should not have been arrested. President says he doesn't regret his criticism of Cambridge police department. "I have to say I am surprised by the controversy surrounding my statement, because I think it was a pretty straightforward commentary that you probably don't need to handcuff a guy, a middle-aged man who uses a cane, who's in his own home," Obama said. In an exclusive interview with ABC's Terry Moran to air on "Nightline" tonight, Obama said it doesn't make sense to him that the situation escalated to the point that Gates was arrested.
resident Obama today stood by his comments that the Cambridge, Mass., police department acted "stupidly" in its arrest of Henry Louis Gates, telling ABC News that the Harvard University professor should not have been arrested. President says he doesn't regret his criticism of Cambridge police department.
"I have to say I am surprised by the controversy surrounding my statement, because I think it was a pretty straightforward commentary that you probably don't need to handcuff a guy, a middle-aged man who uses a cane, who's in his own home," Obama said.
In an exclusive interview with ABC's Terry Moran to air on "Nightline" tonight, Obama said it doesn't make sense to him that the situation escalated to the point that Gates was arrested.
abcnews
Mr Obama said federal officials should work with local police to "improve policing techniques so that we're eliminating potential bias". He said that when he was in the Illinois state legislature, he had worked towards a racial profiling bill because there was indisputable evidence that African-Americans and Hispanics were being stopped disproportionately. "And that is a sign, an example of how race remains a factor in the society," he said.
Mr Obama said federal officials should work with local police to "improve policing techniques so that we're eliminating potential bias".
He said that when he was in the Illinois state legislature, he had worked towards a racial profiling bill because there was indisputable evidence that African-Americans and Hispanics were being stopped disproportionately.
"And that is a sign, an example of how race remains a factor in the society," he said.
President Barack Obama has concluded that Israel and the Palestinians are unlikely to achieve peace unless they're under external pressure to make the requisite compromises. Believing that a two-state solution is in the best interests of both parties and that time is running out for such a solution, the President is stepping up the pressure on both sides. That was Obama's message at a White House meeting on July 13 with representatives of leading Jewish-American organizations, some of whom have lately complained that the President is unfairly pressuring Israel to make concessions on West Bank settlements, while going easy on the Palestinians. "He said, 'The United States and Israel were very, very close for eight years, and it produced very little,' " Anti-Defamation League president Abraham Foxman told the Los Angeles Times. In order to generate momentum toward a solution, Obama explained, the U.S. was pressuring Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab states to make concessions.
Time The administration has made it very clear since they took office that they are going to play an active role and pressure both sides to find peace.
TalkLeft
You know, we -- some of our greatest presidents haven't always been terrific husbands. And some who have been wonderful husbands have been rotten presidents.
So, you know, I think that other countries have typically taken a little more casual on approach when it comes to the personal lives ... of elected officials. And I think that there has to be some space for privacy. I will say this.
If you don’t like your health coverage or don’t have any insurance, you will have a chance to take part in what we’re calling a Health Insurance Exchange. … And one of these options needs to be a public option that will give people a broader range of choices and inject competition into the health care market so that force waste out of the system and keep the insurance companies honest.
Think Progress
From Real Clear Politics:
OBAMA: I'm not advocating caps on malpractice awards, which I believe -- I personally believe can be unfair to people who've been wrongfully harmed.
Time
Obviously all of us have been watching the news from Iran. And I want to start off by being very clear that it is up to Iranians to make decisions about who Iran's leaders will be; that we respect Iranian sovereignty and want to avoid the United States being the issue inside of Iran, which sometimes the United States can be a handy political football -- or discussions with the United States. Having said all that, I am deeply troubled by the violence that I've been seeing on television. I think that the democratic process -- free speech, the ability of people to peacefully dissent -- all those are universal values and need to be respected. And whenever I see violence perpetrated on people who are peacefully dissenting, and whenever the American people see that, I think they're, rightfully, troubled. ... And particularly to the youth of Iran, I want them to know that we in the United States do not want to make any decisions for the Iranians, but we do believe that the Iranian people and their voices should be heard and respected.
Obviously all of us have been watching the news from Iran. And I want to start off by being very clear that it is up to Iranians to make decisions about who Iran's leaders will be; that we respect Iranian sovereignty and want to avoid the United States being the issue inside of Iran, which sometimes the United States can be a handy political football -- or discussions with the United States. Having said all that, I am deeply troubled by the violence that I've been seeing on television. I think that the democratic process -- free speech, the ability of people to peacefully dissent -- all those are universal values and need to be respected. And whenever I see violence perpetrated on people who are peacefully dissenting, and whenever the American people see that, I think they're, rightfully, troubled.
...
And particularly to the youth of Iran, I want them to know that we in the United States do not want to make any decisions for the Iranians, but we do believe that the Iranian people and their voices should be heard and respected.
New York Times
Despite stiff resistance from Congress, President Obama said Thursday that he intended to transfer some detainees from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to highly secure facilities inside the United States. He also proposed “prolonged detention” for terrorism suspects who cannot be tried, a problem he called “the toughest issue we face.”
CNN:
President Obama on Tuesday proposed making "pay-as-you-go" rules for federal spending into law. The so-called PAYGO proposal requires Congress to balance any increased spending by equal savings elsewhere, Obama said in announcing the measure that now goes to Congress. A previous PAYGO mandate helped erase federal budget deficits in the 1990s, and subsequent ineffective rules contributed to the current budget deficits, Obama said. Now the PAYGO rules should be the law, he said. "Paying for what you spend is basic common sense," Obama said. "Perhaps that's why, here in Washington, it's been so elusive."
Washington Times
President Obama picked the Los Angeles Lakers to defeat the Orlando Magic for the NBA Championship, moments before leaving for Saudi Arabia. Obama, who is a big basketball fan, was asked who he expects to win as he walked out of the White House on his way to the Marine One helicopter. Over the loud whine of the chopper, Obama stopped, took a few steps back toward reporters, and said, "Lakers in six." Obama will arrive in Riyadh Wednesday for meetings with King Abdullah before heading to Egypt Thursday for a much anticipated speech to the Muslim world.
President Obama picked the Los Angeles Lakers to defeat the Orlando Magic for the NBA Championship, moments before leaving for Saudi Arabia.
Obama, who is a big basketball fan, was asked who he expects to win as he walked out of the White House on his way to the Marine One helicopter.
Over the loud whine of the chopper, Obama stopped, took a few steps back toward reporters, and said, "Lakers in six."
Obama will arrive in Riyadh Wednesday for meetings with King Abdullah before heading to Egypt Thursday for a much anticipated speech to the Muslim world.
Game one of the finals, in Los Angeles, will tip off at 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday night.
Obama Moves to Bar Release of Detainee Abuse Photos
President Obama said Wednesday that he would fight to prevent the release of photographs documenting abuse of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan by United States military personnel, reversing his position on the issue after commanders warned that the images could set off a deadly backlash against American troops.
In his introduction of the general, Mr. Obama praised him as someone who "has always stood on principle because he has always stood with our troops." He also specified in his NBC interview, which was conducted Saturday, that he timed the announcement to coincide with Sunday's anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks.
Sounds like he's for it, but not willing to spend political capital on it at the moment:
Dems put assault weapons ban on back burner
In Mexico last week, Obama insisted he had "not backed off" his campaign promise to make the expired ban permanent. But he bowed to political reality, nonetheless. "None of us are under any illusion that reinstating that ban would be easy," Obama said. "And so, what we've focused on is how we can improve our enforcement of existing laws."
In Mexico last week, Obama insisted he had "not backed off" his campaign promise to make the expired ban permanent. But he bowed to political reality, nonetheless.
"None of us are under any illusion that reinstating that ban would be easy," Obama said. "And so, what we've focused on is how we can improve our enforcement of existing laws."
Al Jazeera
Barack Obama has said his first 100 days in office were a "good start" but warned that the US faced further economic challenges. The US president said the US needed a "new foundation" to strengthen the economy and praised congress for passing his $3.4 trillion budget. "I am proud of what we have achieved, but I am not content. I am pleased with our progress, but I am not satisfied," he said at a news conference in Washington DC on Wednesday.
Barack Obama has said his first 100 days in office were a "good start" but warned that the US faced further economic challenges.
The US president said the US needed a "new foundation" to strengthen the economy and praised congress for passing his $3.4 trillion budget.
"I am proud of what we have achieved, but I am not content. I am pleased with our progress, but I am not satisfied," he said at a news conference in Washington DC on Wednesday.
Half-full or half-empty? It sounds like Obama is concerned, but confident that the government will be prepared to respond appropriately.
Obama on Swine Flu: Urges 'Utmost Precautions' And Advises Schools with Cases to Close
Speaking in the Diplomatic Room this morning President Obama called the H1N1 flu virus a “serious situation” that is “serious enough to take the utmost precautions.” . . . The president made reference to the work his administration is doing and the requested $1.5 billion in emergency funding from Congress to provide an adequate supply of vaccines and the equipment to handle a potential outbreak. “Every American should know that the federal government is prepared to do whatever necessary to control the impact of this virus,” he said.
Speaking in the Diplomatic Room this morning President Obama called the H1N1 flu virus a “serious situation” that is “serious enough to take the utmost precautions.”
. . .
The president made reference to the work his administration is doing and the requested $1.5 billion in emergency funding from Congress to provide an adequate supply of vaccines and the equipment to handle a potential outbreak.
“Every American should know that the federal government is prepared to do whatever necessary to control the impact of this virus,” he said.
President Obama declared in an interview that the United States was not winning the war in Afghanistan and opened the door to a reconciliation process in which the American military would reach out to moderate elements of the Taliban, much as it did with Sunni militias in Iraq. Mr. Obama pointed to the success in peeling Iraqi insurgents away from more hard-core elements of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, a strategy that many credit as much as the increase of American forces with turning the war around in the last two years. “There may be some comparable opportunities in Afghanistan and in the Pakistani region,” he said, while cautioning that solutions in Afghanistan will be complicated.
President Obama declared in an interview that the United States was not winning the war in Afghanistan and opened the door to a reconciliation process in which the American military would reach out to moderate elements of the Taliban, much as it did with Sunni militias in Iraq.
Mr. Obama pointed to the success in peeling Iraqi insurgents away from more hard-core elements of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, a strategy that many credit as much as the increase of American forces with turning the war around in the last two years. “There may be some comparable opportunities in Afghanistan and in the Pakistani region,” he said, while cautioning that solutions in Afghanistan will be complicated.
Times
The Caucus
Senate Democratic leaders, joining forces with the Obama White House, said they would resist efforts by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other prominent Democrats to create a special commission to investigate the harsh interrogation methods that the Bush administration approved for terrorism suspects. At a meeting of top Democrats at the White House Wednesday night, President Obama told Congressional leaders that he did not want a special inquiry, which he said would potentially steal time and energy from his ambitious policy priorities, and could mushroom into a wider distraction by looking back at other aspects of the Bush years.
Senate Democratic leaders, joining forces with the Obama White House, said they would resist efforts by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other prominent Democrats to create a special commission to investigate the harsh interrogation methods that the Bush administration approved for terrorism suspects.
At a meeting of top Democrats at the White House Wednesday night, President Obama told Congressional leaders that he did not want a special inquiry, which he said would potentially steal time and energy from his ambitious policy priorities, and could mushroom into a wider distraction by looking back at other aspects of the Bush years.
In CIA visit, Obama defends interrogation memo release
Obama added that he ended the controversial interrogation techniques mentioned in the memos because the United States "is stronger and more secure" when it can deploy both power and the "power of our values, including the rule of law." "What makes the United States special ... is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and our ideals even when it's hard, not just when it's easy, even when we are afraid and under threat, not just when it's expedient to do so," he said. Although abiding by the rule of law can make battling groups such as al Qaeda more difficult, he added, it is ultimately why "we'll defeat our enemies. We're on the better side of history."
Obama added that he ended the controversial interrogation techniques mentioned in the memos because the United States "is stronger and more secure" when it can deploy both power and the "power of our values, including the rule of law."
"What makes the United States special ... is precisely the fact that we are willing to uphold our values and our ideals even when it's hard, not just when it's easy, even when we are afraid and under threat, not just when it's expedient to do so," he said.
Although abiding by the rule of law can make battling groups such as al Qaeda more difficult, he added, it is ultimately why "we'll defeat our enemies. We're on the better side of history."
He's the one who decided to release them:
President Obama, visiting CIA headquarters Monday, defended his decision to release Bush-era memos on interrogation tactics, saying the country will ultimately be stronger as a result.
WASHINGTON - In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, CIA operatives were allowed to shackle, strip and waterboard terror suspects. Now, President Barack Obama has assured these operatives that they will not be prosecuted for their rough interrogation tactics. At the same time, Obama's attorney general offered the operatives legal help if anyone else takes them to court over the harsh interrogation methods that were approved by the Bush administration.
WASHINGTON - In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, CIA operatives were allowed to shackle, strip and waterboard terror suspects. Now, President Barack Obama has assured these operatives that they will not be prosecuted for their rough interrogation tactics.
At the same time, Obama's attorney general offered the operatives legal help if anyone else takes them to court over the harsh interrogation methods that were approved by the Bush administration.
MSNBC
BARACK OBAMA WILL RESTORE WORKERS’ FREEDOM TO FORM UNIONS AND BARGAIN
Obama Voted for Employee Free Choice Act. Obama co-sponsored and voted for the Employee Free Choice Act, which would restore workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions without employer harassment. (H.R. 800, Vote 227, 6/26/07) Obama Promises to Sign the Employee Free Choice Act into Law. Obama says, “We will pass the Employee Free Choice Act. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.” (Chicago Tribune, 3/4/07)
Obama Voted for Employee Free Choice Act. Obama co-sponsored and voted for the Employee Free Choice Act, which would restore workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions without employer harassment. (H.R. 800, Vote 227, 6/26/07)
Obama Promises to Sign the Employee Free Choice Act into Law. Obama says, “We will pass the Employee Free Choice Act. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.” (Chicago Tribune, 3/4/07)
"As long as the threat from Iran persists, we will go forward with a missile defence system that is cost-effective and proven," he told a crowd of about 20,000 gathered in Hradcany Square, next to Prague Castle. "Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile activity poses a real threat, not just to the United States, but to Iran's neighbours and our allies."
"As long as the threat from Iran persists, we will go forward with a missile defence system that is cost-effective and proven," he told a crowd of about 20,000 gathered in Hradcany Square, next to Prague Castle.
"Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile activity poses a real threat, not just to the United States, but to Iran's neighbours and our allies."
Telegraph
Oregonian
"Some argue that the spread of these weapons cannot be checked -- that we are destined to live in a world where more nations and more people possess the ultimate tools of destruction," Obama said. "This fatalism is a deadly adversary. For if we believe that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable, then we are admitting to ourselves that the use of nuclear weapons is inevitable." Obama added, "As the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it, we can start it ... I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."
"Some argue that the spread of these weapons cannot be checked -- that we are destined to live in a world where more nations and more people possess the ultimate tools of destruction," Obama said. "This fatalism is a deadly adversary. For if we believe that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable, then we are admitting to ourselves that the use of nuclear weapons is inevitable."
Obama added, "As the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it, we can start it ... I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons."
London Times
Barack Obama is to pursue an ambitious peace plan in the Middle East involving the recognition of Israel by the Arab world in exchange for its withdrawal to pre-1967 borders, according to sources close to America’s president-elect.
Obama intends to throw his support behind a 2002 Saudi peace initiative endorsed by the Arab League and backed by Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister and leader of the ruling Kadima party.
The proposal gives Israel an effective veto on the return of Arab refugees expelled in 1948 while requiring it to restore the Golan Heights to Syria and allow the Palestinians to establish a state capital in east Jerusalem.
On a visit to the Middle East last July, the president-elect said privately it would be “crazy” for Israel to refuse a deal that could “give them peace with the Muslim world”, according to a senior Obama adviser.
AP
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — President Barack Obama says Turkish membership in the European Union would "broaden and strengthen" Europe's foundation. Speaking Monday to the Turkish Parliament, Obama reiterated U.S. support of Turkey's bid to be a member of the economic alliance.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — President Barack Obama says Turkish membership in the European Union would "broaden and strengthen" Europe's foundation.
Speaking Monday to the Turkish Parliament, Obama reiterated U.S. support of Turkey's bid to be a member of the economic alliance.
Obama Says GM, Chrysler Have Last Chance to Survive
Obama rejected the companies’ recovery plans and forced GM Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner to resign. He gave GM, the biggest U.S. automaker, 60 days to develop a new strategy. Obama said No. 3 Chrysler can’t survive on its own and gave it 30 days to complete a partnership with Italy’s Fiat SpA.
Mr. Obama, speaking on the CBS program “Face the Nation,” discussed both his plan, announced in the last week, to send more troops to Afghanistan but scale back American ambitions there, and the likely announcement on Monday of a new plan to bail out the nation’s struggling auto manufacturers — and lamented that he did not have the luxury of taking on such issues one at a time.
The findings of the president’s task force on the auto industry, expected on Monday, are expected to back increasing short-term aid to the two weakest of the Big Three automakers, General Motors and Chrysler, in return for concessions that would help the ailing companies become viable and avert bankruptcy.
Mr. Obama stressed that he intended to maintain an American auto industry. “But it’s got to be one that’s realistically designed to weather this storm, and to emerge at the other end much more lean, mean and competitive than it currently is,” he said. “And that’s going to mean a set of sacrifices from all parties involved — management, labor, shareholders, creditors, suppliers, dealers. Everybody is going to have to come to the table and say it’s important for us to take serious restructuring steps now, in order to preserve a brighter future down the road.”
China View
Early this week, U.S. President Barack Obama also expressed his confidence in the U.S. dollar, responding to a recent call by China's central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan. "As far as confidence in the U.S. economy or the dollar, I would just point out that the dollar is extraordinarily strong right now," Obama said. "I don't believe that there's a need for global currency."
Early this week, U.S. President Barack Obama also expressed his confidence in the U.S. dollar, responding to a recent call by China's central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan.
"As far as confidence in the U.S. economy or the dollar, I would just point out that the dollar is extraordinarily strong right now," Obama said. "I don't believe that there's a need for global currency."
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Friday ordered 4,000 more military troops into Afghanistan, vowing to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat" the terrorist al-Qaida network in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan.
In a war that still has no end in sight, Obama said the fresh infusion of U.S. forces is designed to bolster the Afghan army and turn up the heat on terrorists that he said are plotting new attacks against Americans. The plan takes aim at terrorist havens in Pakistan and challenges the government there and in Afghanistan to show more results.
"So I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future," the president said.
"That is the goal that must be achieved," Obama added. "That is a cause that could not be more just. And to the terrorists who oppose us, my message is the same: we will defeat you."
Obama's plan will put more U.S. troops and money on the line. He said Pakistan and Afghanistan will be held to account, using benchmarks for progress.
On Monday, the president offered a number of explanations as to why Sebelius is his health and human services nominee.
"As a governor, she's been on the front lines of our health care crisis," President Obama said. "She has deep knowledge of what the burden of crushing costs does to our families and businesses. That's why she fought to give Kansans access to quality, affordable health care."
President Barack Obama met with Felipe Calderon on January 12, a week before his inauguration, to declare his continued support for the “war on drugs.” Although media coverage revealed very little about the meeting, Obama’s defense secretary, Robert Gates, recently summed up the foreign policy trajectory of the new administration in Foreign Affairs: Continuation of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; maintenance of conventional US military dominance over potential adversaries, including China and Russia; and preparation for further occupations and “counter-insurgency operations,” with Mexico, it now appears, as a prime target.
Link
Citing A.I.G., Geithner Seeks Wider Power for Takeovers
The crisis surrounding the American International Group was a near-tragedy that underlines the need for broad new government authority to regulate or even take control of financial institutions other than banks, the government’s top fiscal officials told lawmakers on Tuesday. . . . President Obama said on Tuesday he hopes “it doesn’t take too long to convince Congress” to approve the kind of authority Mr. Geithner and Mr. Bernanke were talking about.
The crisis surrounding the American International Group was a near-tragedy that underlines the need for broad new government authority to regulate or even take control of financial institutions other than banks, the government’s top fiscal officials told lawmakers on Tuesday.
President Obama said on Tuesday he hopes “it doesn’t take too long to convince Congress” to approve the kind of authority Mr. Geithner and Mr. Bernanke were talking about.
He's trying to temper expectations, but he obviously supports it.
Geithner Attempts To Tackle Toxic Debt
After suffering an embarrassing week with the AIG bonus scandal, Mr. Obama attempted to change headlines by aggressively lobbying for the new program. But the president was careful not to build expectations. “It’s not going to happen overnight,” Mr. Obama told a reporter yesterday. “There’s still great fragility in the financial systems. So the good news is that we have one more critical element in our recovery. But we’ve still got a long way to go, and we’ve got a lot of work to do. But I’m very confident that, with the team that we’ve got assembled, we’re going to be able to make it happen.”
After suffering an embarrassing week with the AIG bonus scandal, Mr. Obama attempted to change headlines by aggressively lobbying for the new program. But the president was careful not to build expectations.
“It’s not going to happen overnight,” Mr. Obama told a reporter yesterday. “There’s still great fragility in the financial systems. So the good news is that we have one more critical element in our recovery. But we’ve still got a long way to go, and we’ve got a lot of work to do. But I’m very confident that, with the team that we’ve got assembled, we’re going to be able to make it happen.”
President Obama declared the beginning of the end of one of the longest and most divisive wars in American history on Friday as he announced that he would withdraw combat forces from Iraq by August 2010 and all remaining troops by December 2011.
CNN
"Under these circumstances, it's hard to understand how derivative traders at AIG warranted any bonuses, much less $165 million in extra pay. I mean, how do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?" Obama was referring to the bonuses paid to traders in AIG's financial products division, the tiny group of people who crafted complicated deals that contributed to the shaking of the world's economic foundations. The president said he has asked Geithner to "pursue every single legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole."
"Under these circumstances, it's hard to understand how derivative traders at AIG warranted any bonuses, much less $165 million in extra pay. I mean, how do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?"
Obama was referring to the bonuses paid to traders in AIG's financial products division, the tiny group of people who crafted complicated deals that contributed to the shaking of the world's economic foundations.
The president said he has asked Geithner to "pursue every single legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole."
He was so far from thinking that it tilted toward socialism that he didn't originally think the question was serious!
Obama makes Oval Office call to reporters
President Obama was so concerned that he had appeared to dismiss a question from New York Times reporters about whether he was a socialist that he called the newspaper from the Oval Office to clarify his policies. "It was hard for me to believe that you were entirely serious about that socialist question," he told reporters, who had interviewed the president aboard Air Force One on Friday. . . . "I did think it might be useful to point out that it wasn’t under me that we started buying a bunch of shares of banks. It wasn’t on my watch. And it wasn’t on my watch that we passed a massive new entitlement -– the prescription drug plan -- without a source of funding. And so I think it’s important just to note when you start hearing folks throw these words around that we’ve actually been operating in a way that has been entirely consistent with free-market principles and that some of the same folks who are throwing the word 'socialist' around can’t say the same."
President Obama was so concerned that he had appeared to dismiss a question from New York Times reporters about whether he was a socialist that he called the newspaper from the Oval Office to clarify his policies.
"It was hard for me to believe that you were entirely serious about that socialist question," he told reporters, who had interviewed the president aboard Air Force One on Friday.
"I did think it might be useful to point out that it wasn’t under me that we started buying a bunch of shares of banks. It wasn’t on my watch. And it wasn’t on my watch that we passed a massive new entitlement -– the prescription drug plan -- without a source of funding. And so I think it’s important just to note when you start hearing folks throw these words around that we’ve actually been operating in a way that has been entirely consistent with free-market principles and that some of the same folks who are throwing the word 'socialist' around can’t say the same."
CBC.ca
"On the AIG thing, all these contracts were written well before I took office, but ultimately, I'm now the guy who's responsible to fix it. And one of the things that I'm trying to break is a pattern in Washington where everybody is always looking for somebody else to blame. And I think Geithner is doing an outstanding job," said Obama. "He is a smart guy and he's a calm and steady guy. I don't think people fully appreciate the plate that was handed him."
"On the AIG thing, all these contracts were written well before I took office, but ultimately, I'm now the guy who's responsible to fix it. And one of the things that I'm trying to break is a pattern in Washington where everybody is always looking for somebody else to blame. And I think Geithner is doing an outstanding job," said Obama.
"He is a smart guy and he's a calm and steady guy. I don't think people fully appreciate the plate that was handed him."
ESPN: Obama's NCAA Tournament Bracket - count em up. Big East gets like 17 wins.
WhiteHouse.gov
The President released his 2009 NCAA College Basketball Tournament bracket today. President Obama played it safe for the most part, picking Louisville (1 seed), Memphis (2), Pittsburgh (1), and North Carolina (1) as his Final Four to meet in Detroit. After some deliberation, the First Hoops Fan is calling the Tar Heels as this year's national champs.
ThinkProgress
You know, the scale of the U.S. economy and the capital markets are so vast and the problems in terms of managing and overseeing anything of that scale, I think, would — our assessment was that it wouldn’t make sense. And we also have different traditions in this country. Obviously, Sweden has a different set of cultures in terms of how the government relates to markets and America’s different. And we want to retain a strong sense of that private capital fulfilling the core — core investment needs of this country. And so, what we’ve tried to do is to apply some of the tough love that’s going to be necessary, but do it in a way that’s also recognizing we’ve got big private capital markets and ultimately that’s going to be the key to getting credit flowing again.
You know, the scale of the U.S. economy and the capital markets are so vast and the problems in terms of managing and overseeing anything of that scale, I think, would — our assessment was that it wouldn’t make sense. And we also have different traditions in this country.
Obviously, Sweden has a different set of cultures in terms of how the government relates to markets and America’s different. And we want to retain a strong sense of that private capital fulfilling the core — core investment needs of this country.
And so, what we’ve tried to do is to apply some of the tough love that’s going to be necessary, but do it in a way that’s also recognizing we’ve got big private capital markets and ultimately that’s going to be the key to getting credit flowing again.
Obama steps back on 'Buy America'
The US Senate has watered down the wording – a version of which was previously approved by the lower chamber, the House of Representatives – after President Barack Obama warned it could begin a trade war. . . . The new wording says that the US will comply with existing world trade deals. A White House spokesman said the President would ensure any bill he signs is consistent with trade commitments.
The US Senate has watered down the wording – a version of which was previously approved by the lower chamber, the House of Representatives – after President Barack Obama warned it could begin a trade war.
The new wording says that the US will comply with existing world trade deals. A White House spokesman said the President would ensure any bill he signs is consistent with trade commitments.