Mr. Sensitivity is at it again. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VNu9xjUwPEk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VNu9xjUwPEk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20339.html Kroft to Obama: Are you punch-drunk? By CRAIG GORDON & JONATHAN MARTIN | 3/22/09 6:55 PM EDT Updated: 3/23/09 10:10 AM EDT President Barack Obama said he believes the global financial system remains at risk of implosion with the failure of Citigroup or AIG, which could touch off “an even more destructive recession and potentially depression.” His remarks came in a“60 Minutes” interview in which he was pressed by Steve Kroft for laughing and chuckling several times while discussing the perilous state of the world’s economy. “You're sitting here. And you're— you are laughing. You are laughing about some of these problems. Are people going to look at this and say, ‘I mean, he's sitting there just making jokes about money—’ How do you deal with— I mean: explain. . .” Kroft asked at one point. “Are you punch-drunk?” Kroft said. “No, no. There's gotta be a little gallows humor to get you through the day,” Obama said, with a laugh. Obama tried to inject some optimistic notes into the interview, saying he sees “flickers of hope” that the economy is beginning to turn the corner. And he seemed intent on cooling the populist anger rising in the country, particularly over AIG’s $165 million in bonuses. He signaled that he would like to see changes in a House resolution that would tax the bonuses at 90 percent, saying “we can’t govern out of anger.” “Main Street has to understand, unless we get these banks moving again, then we can’t get this economy to recover. And we don’t want to cut off our nose to spite our face,” he said. The interview captured the balancing act that Obama must strike on the economy. He gave a nod to public anger at Wall Street while saying it could not dictate his response. He got in a few whacks of his own at Wall Street executives who contributed to the meltdown—referring to them ironically at one point as “the best and the brightest”—while being ever-mindful that he still needs their help to dig out of the crisis. His talk of depression could be viewed as alarmist—but it also seemed aimed at bracing Congress and the public for the unpopular prospect of spending even more taxpayer dollars to prop up Wall Street. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is set to roll out a plan Monday aimed at restoring the flow of credit that would back up private investments with government funds. Even his awkward laughter highlighted an issue Obama has faced dating back to the campaign, a sense that he sometimes is too “cool” and detached to fully grasp the public anxiety over mounting job losses and economic worries. Still, Obama made clear that he’s afraid the nation hasn’t seen the worst of the economic crisis. He said the recession deepened faster than he expected, particularly in terms of job losses. “If we did nothing, you could still have some big problems. There are certain institutions that are so big that if they fail, they bring a lot of other financial institutions down with them. And if all those financial institutions fail all at the same time, then you could see an even more destructive recession and potentially depression,” Obama said. “I'm optimistic about that not happening,” he quickly added, “because I think we did learn lessons from the Great Depression.” Obama also cited Wall Street’s high-risk, high-reward culture as a main cause of the economic meltdown. He took aim at traders and executives in personal terms—saying they need to leave New York for North Dakota or Iowa to appreciate how out-of-whack their pay looks to the average American. “I mean there were a whole bunch of folks who, on paper, if you looked at quarterly reports, were wildly successful, selling derivatives that turned out to be. . .completely worthless,” Obama said, with a chuckle.
the market is up 270 on the clarity in the new plan. but who cares, obama laughed during the 60 minutes interview, that's the real story.
ask basso and texxx, who start a thread everytime it goes down. maybe its up because obama laughed during a 60 minutes interview, thanks for posting this riveting story.
Let’s see will the fridge right appreciate Obama when the economy and markets actually turn around. There party has no power, so I guess negative threads to degrade Obama is the only thing they have left. Remember the “Obama is the antichrist,” a “terrorist”, a “Commie” “the 2nd coming of Hitler”? It didn’t work doing the election and it won’t work now! If you scared that Obama is actually reversing Bushes polices, there are plenty places you can move out the U.S that will accept you..
As has been mentioned on other boards, inappropriate affect, such as laughing while discussing the topic of an economic crisis, is a sign of narcissism and sociopathy. I don't think there is any question that Obama is a narcissist. He has a long list of celebrity-seeking stunts that he has pulled out (with the campaign tour of Europe highlighting the list). I truly hope, for the sake of the country, that he is not a sociopath. We do know that he is a fraud and has run a poorly organized Administration to date. He either doesn't take the economic crisis seriously, because it fits into his overarching goal of redistributing income, or he takes delight through schadenfreude as the socialists' natural enemy, Wall Street, suffers. Either way, 53% of voting Americans need to be reprimanded for electing this empty suit to an office that he is utterly unfit to hold.
The only sociopath I know who's recently been president sent over 160 Texans to thier death, killed over 4000 of America's bravest and no telling how many Iraqis. next
Going forward in the D&D, can we just assume that all critiques of Obama have the standard "Well Bush sucks worse" response? This will save the liberals from actually having to go to the trouble of typing it, creating a vast amount of time and productivity benefit to them. With this response already implied, and therefore no need of having to post it, we can dramatically reduce board clutter. mcmark's post count might be stuck at the same number for an extended period of time, but I could live with that as collateral damage.
Laughing on 60 minutes? Are you f'ing kidding me? Hey jackazz Obama, we've got serious problems with our economy that have been made worse by your bone-headed actions (or lack thereof...). Get to work - there's nothing funny here that merits laughter.
obama LOL at the faux outrage I think you even criticized him personally for being to negative on the economy, I know your little brother did
I get a chuckle out of those of you who have to use Bush to make Obama look better. Isn't that like playing down to your competition. LOL
While we're at it, why don't we also skip over your "Obama is at best incompetent and at worst out to intentionally destroy America" posts. Of course, you won't really have much else to say, but that is probably a good thing.
Its amazing that a few of you think Obama laughing at the question a reporter posed on '60 minutes' is a sign he is a sociopath and is a narcissist. Yet good old George can make fun of one of the biggest mistakes a President has ever made........that cost 4000+ American lives alone. Here is my deal. Knock Obama about his policies, his people (Trust me, I hate Reid and Pelosi as much as most do) or his intent. But the BS about so called laughing during the 60 minutes interview and the "teleprompter gate"......makes you people look stupid.
If TOTUS is not functioning properly, then poof, Obama morphs into a clothing model for Joseph A. Bank trying to do the job of President. But darn, he's good at mouthing words that someone else wrote!
I like said in the previous post......Hit Obama all you want on ISSUES that have an effect on this country. I voted for the man (I have no political party by the way) but I will go to town on his ass if he keeps the path he is heading in certain area's. His teleprompter miscue and his his interview on 60 minutes have nothing to do with anything. Name one President that was an amazing public speaker and I can name 40 that sucked. It is the issues that matter. Why dont you and your team of........as people here put it......"Wingnuts"......put forth arguments about the policies he is incorporating. Or are you like the rest of the the people in congress......left and right........ 'All style, no substance!'
