Obama and Republicans debate for over an hour

[Riot]

Originally Posted by timmgirvan

some of it

Maybe watch the whole thing, if you have the chance. The fun part is how both sides didn't pull any punches. It was far more sharp-edged than the endless debates candidates usually have with each other. The GOP went after the guy on their home ground, prepared, and he had to defend himself.

We rarely get to see that in American politics. It would be better for we voters if we did, I think.

But Obama owned them. Even the GOP admits, afterwards, it was a huge mistake (politically, in retrospect) to let the cameras roll live. They read off their campaign points right to his face, using their best and brightest (Budget members from House, House leadership, etc). and he owned them.

Especially in the end, when he was double-teamed from the audience and the stage, and make them both walk away with their tails between their legs.

The guy knows his stuff, and he objectively deserves the big win for this one.

[Smooth Operator]

Didn't catch any of it … but it sure sounds like BO took the pathetic con obstructionists behind the wood shed … again.


Would be great to see him sit down some time and school those two gabby uneducated blowhards (Limbaugh, Hannity) that show up on my radio everyday. lol

[Riot]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/

Yes, this has accompanying comment from "the liberal left wing".

But I looked on FoxNews page, they don't have a link to it

[Danzig]

Yay they debated......but our problems remain. Deeds not words and all that rot. I just wish both sides would quit worrying about sound bites and what side came up with what and move us forward. We're increasingly becoming victims of our two party system

[Riot]

The uniqueness of this event was that it wasn't about "sound bites" (the President destroyed any chance the GOP would get any out of this).

It was about truth. It was about moving forward. It was bringing together a two-party system, making each side - yeah, Obama included the Dems - responsible for what they say, and DO, or do not do, in Congress. In public.

The GOP Congressional elite stood up and read prepared context, directly to the Prez's face, all the nonsense we've been hearing for the past year - the Prez didn't do this, he didn't listen to them, he didn't read their plans, they have a healthcare plan that will do this, tax cuts, the economy, yak, yak, yak.

He destroyed them with the truth and reality. There were 140 of them, and they were free to publically call him out on anything that he said that wasn't true. They couldn't do it. He knew more about their plans and talking points than they did. He pointed out exactly where they were lying to their constituents, where GOP stuff has indeed been adopted in the past year (tax cuts, health care, etc) . He called them out for boxing themselves into a corner politically, making it impossible for them to be bipartisan in the least.

The last thing this was, was another tepid "political talking points political" redeux.

[Riot]

From WSJ:

At least half a dozen leaders of the Republican Party have joined forces to create a new political group with the goal of organizing grass-roots support and raising funds ahead of the 2010 midterm elections, according to people familiar with the effort.

The organizational details of the group, expected to be called the American Action Network, are still being worked out, but it is expected to contain both a 501(c)3 and a 501(c)4 component. In simpler terms, a 501(c)3 can advocate on policy matters while a 501(c)4 is an election arm.

Republican leaders expected to be affiliated with the group include former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Bush adviser Karl Rove, Republican strategist Ed Gillespie, and Republican donor Fred Malek.

A House leadership aide told Washington Wire today that Rob Collins, a political operative and senior aide to House Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia, is leaving Capitol Hill to be the executive director of the 501(c)4.

People familiar with the group said the American Action Network sprung in part out of an unsuccessful effort last year by Republicans called the National Council for a New America which was intended to help redefine the tarnished party brand after the 2008 elections.

Party leaders have found renewed buoyancy following a series of recent election victories and as Republicans stand poised to make further gains in the 2010 elections.

However, Republicans have faced difficulties in recent years to create outside groups to compete with Democratic counterparts like MoveOn. A recent example of those unsuccessful efforts was Freedom’s Watch, a group operated by former Bush administration aides, which sought to be a major player in the 2008 campaign cycle but failed to make a significant impact. It also faced financial and organizational difficulties and closed its doors after the 2008 elections.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Riot

The uniqueness of this event was that it wasn't about "sound bites" (the President destroyed any chance the GOP would get any out of this).

It was about truth. It was about moving forward. It was bringing together a two-party system, making each side - yeah, Obama included the Dems - responsible for what they say, and DO, or do not do, in Congress. In public.

The GOP Congressional elite stood up and read prepared context, directly to the Prez's face, all the nonsense we've been hearing for the past year - the Prez didn't do this, he didn't listen to them, he didn't read their plans, they have a healthcare plan that will do this, tax cuts, the economy, yak, yak, yak.

He destroyed them with the truth and reality. There were 140 of them, and they were free to publically call him out on anything that he said that wasn't true. They couldn't do it. He knew more about their plans and talking points than they did. He pointed out exactly where they were lying to their constituents, where GOP stuff has indeed been adopted in the past year (tax cuts, health care, etc) . He called them out for boxing themselves into a corner politically, making it impossible for them to be bipartisan in the least.

The last thing this was, was another tepid "political talking points political" redeux.

LOL!! this is the typical Riot post. We all know he can talk his way out of ANYTHING.. truth & reality??? LOL coming from a Chicago politician.

He has been the opposite of bipartisan. Remember "we won you guys have to deal with it"?? and the Dem's had a super majority, still couldnt pass their crap healthcare plan, and its the Republicans fault that the dems cant get anything done.

[ArlJim78]

Obama wants to be bi-partisan now? how come last fall he quipped that he didn't want to hear anything from the other side because they created the mess?

how come he didn't encourage congress to work with or consult Republicans instead of slamming the door on them literally and figuratively? only now that it is clear that even with any number of bribes he still cannot even get his own party on board with his major initiatives, does he reach out to Republicans. actually it wasn't a reaching out, it was a scolding where he came across like a pompous ass again.

for you groupies who still haven't caught on to this scam, Obama takes every charge against him and runs with it, says he's against it when he actually does the opposite. He's a walking contradiction and the biggest liar ever in that office.

He ran against earmarks, lambasting McCain about it. Said he would go line by line through the budget and eliminate waste. The reality is of course that he passed and will pass everything single earmark that comes his way.

He runs against the Bush record of high debt (lol) and irresponsible budgets. The reality is there has never been a bigger spender than Obama and he has put on on a course for debt like we have never seen. As a senator he voted for every spending measure that he now claims were irresponsible for Bush to sign

He said that lobbyists would have no role in his administration, and yet they're everywhere in his adminsitration.

He railed against the recent supreme court ruling because it would allow money to come in from big business and foreign governments (which as a constitutional professor he should have known was false) when he was the first presidential candidate ever to forego public financing exactly for the reason that he was able to reel in so much money from big business and foreign entities.

he repeatedly lied about the healthcare bill saying that, "If you like your insurance, nobody is going to take it away, you can keep it". He knew this was false all along as the plan they created would force insurers and employers to drop the current plans, and only during this heart-felt "debate" did he finally let it slip that this was true. He said that some things got slipped in that might cause you to lose your current plan. of course maybe none of you caught that little nugget.

he has issued deadline after deadline for Iran but they pass by one after another with no action.

He opposed the troop surge in Iraq and didn't support the war, and now in the SOTU address has the gall to say that as a candidate he promised to end the war in Iraq and he has done so. The fact is the war had ended before he became president, the troop pullback was scheduled before he was in office, and this only occured because Bush did not take his advice. This was the one part of his speech that he didn't blame on Bush and that he had nothing to do with. So of course he pats himself on the back and doesn't mention Bush at all.

and on and on. I challenge anyone to come up with anything he says that is factual. There are no examples of Obama telling the truth that I'm aware of.

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Danzig

Yay they debated......but our problems remain. Deeds not words and all that rot. I just wish both sides would quit worrying about sound bites and what side came up with what and move us forward. We're increasingly becoming victims of our two party system

Exactly, actions speak louder than words. Everyone knows that Obama is the best with words.. but the actions, or inactions are what actually matters, and so far Obama has shown he's not much, other than more of Bush on steriods.

[SCUDSBROTHER]

What came through clearly is that Oba respects their concerns, but often doesn't agree with their solutions. Then, you see the Republicans standing up, and making attacks on him (which he mainly showed to be incorrect.) He explained the economic theory involved with the stimulus plan. Only 1 person said they respected the view. I think he comes across as willing to try anything that has a good chance of actually working for the country. They certainly didn't seem to be the same way.