Today’s Qs for O’s WH – 8/19/2009
EmailTAPPER: On July 19 in his weekly address, President Obama said that health care legislation must include a health care exchange with a public plan as part of that exchange. Are we all wrong in — in assuming that the word "must" also applies to public plan or did it only apply to the exchange?
GIBBS: I'd have to go back and look at the exact phrasing.
TAPPER: I can't believe that you haven't looked at the exact phrasing of that phrase. I mean, it's one of the most — it's one of the oft most cited quotes in terms of people saying, "This is why people think that President Obama is backing off a public plan.”
GIBBS: I haven't looked at it in the last few days.
BILL PLANTE, CBS NEWS: We've all got it cued up, ready to go.
GIBBS: I will pop popcorn and watch your newscast.
No, again, we can quibble about whether he phrased it one way that time. We can quibble about the way he phrased it when he stood here in front of you all in June and talked about not drawing lines in the sand. Again, I think the president has stated his position on that.
TAPPER: OK. And in terms of comments made recently by Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee whether — over — in negotiations, not necessarily in the Finance Committee, whether Senator Enzi in USA Today talking about the public plan, Senator Grassley's recent comments, it is still the intention and hope of this White House to have a bipartisan bill in the Senate?
GIBBS: Absolutely. The president believes strongly in working with Republicans and Democrats, independents, any that seek to reform health care, that want to see costs cut, coverage increased, insurance reforms implemented that no longer discriminate against families and individuals. The president strongly believes that we're making progress, had — has had conversations with members of the Finance Committee, as I said, in — Friday in Montana and others, and our preference is to work through — work through this process and hopefully come out with a bill that has agreement among both parties on that committee.
TAPPER: Are you expecting any Republican votes for this bill in the Senate or the House?
GIBBS: I think there are many that would like to see some health care reform. And I trust that the three Republicans that are working in the Senate Finance Committee are doing so in good faith. I have no reason to believe they're not.
TAPPER: The question is, how is it that you think you can achieve a bipartisan bill when it seems you're having trouble achieving a partisan bill, with the divisions between the Democratic Party right now, between the Blue Dogs and — and the progressives in the House, between the…
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: I think that sort of — you know, there are Blue Dogs on the Energy and Commerce Committee that voted out a bill on the House side before we left for recess. So I think this notion that — that there — there — it's impossible even to get agreement on our side on what a health care plan looks like belies the notion that this is a piece of legislation that went through not one, not two, but three committees on the House side. I think the notion that we can't get something done like that just isn't true.
TAPPER: Well, I guess I mean more of the divisions between the House and the Senate, what can make it through the Senate, according to some Senate Democrats, such as Conrad, and what's getting through the House?
GIBBS: I think the president has talked about that's what we're going to spend the fall doing. That's what — and, look, I think part of that progress is going to be what — what progress the Senate Finance Committee itself can make, working — Democrats and Republicans working together to come up with what we hope is a bipartisan solution.
-jpt
Obama: 'Now Is the Time For Common Sense Action' 
Romney Takes Aim at Conservatives
Did someone tell Gibberish to stop using the word “obviously”?
He doesn’t use it as much anymore.
Quibble, glib, Gibberish… I don’t know why, but I think the bloom is coming off the PS’s rose.
Posted by: Skittles | August 19, 2009, 2:51 pm 2:51 pm
Jake: Could you please ask Mr. Gibbs why the US government is investing $2 billion dollars to Petrobrazil to drill offshore the coast of Brazil while California teeters on the brink of bankruptcy?
Could you also find out if that decision would have something to do with George Soros converting his common shares into preferred shares in advance of the boondoggle?
Please the American public has the right to a straight answer on this….
Thanks
Posted by: JAZ | August 19, 2009, 2:56 pm 2:56 pm
In other words Jake… Gibbs is saying sit down… shut up and just tell people what he wants you to tell them
Calling Major Garrett, calling Major Garrett, Gibbs is getting out of line again..use your questions to bring down Gibbs and Obama, like you did on the email scams and illegal data collection
Posted by: stardate: 2731.9 | August 19, 2009, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
this stonewalling is scary–
Posted by: chris | August 19, 2009, 3:41 pm 3:41 pm
“We can quibble about the way he phrased it when he stood here in front of you all in June and talked about not drawing lines in the sand.”
You have to admit, it’s tough to make a charge of ‘you made a big change in your position!’ stick when just a few days ago you yourself (Jake Tapper) reported with several citations how Obama has been giving consistently wishy-washy and conflicting assessments of what he wants (sometimes in the same day).
I would think the more productive line of questioning would be to hammer on the President to actually say what his real position is, but seeing as how he’s refused to do so up to this point (perhaps a good tactic when buying a car, but starting to look like a big PR mistake as he let lies take center stage) I doubt you’ll get anywhere.
Obama still has not committed to a firm position on the health care details.
Posted by: jhw539 | August 19, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
chris:”this stonewalling is scary–”
Seriously? You are honestly scared that the President has stated his concrete opinion on the specifics of legislation that exists in multiple different and conflicting forms (and in the Senate case, hasn’t even made it out of committee)?
Republicans must really work hard to find something to fear every morning. A press secretary dodging questions, or Obama playing it (too, in my opinion) conservative on keeping his policy recommendations vague is about as scary as a humming bird.
Posted by: jhw539 | August 19, 2009, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm
Ooops, should have been: “You are honestly scared that the President HASN’T”
Obviously…
Posted by: jhw539 | August 19, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
jhw539 says: “Obama still has not committed to a firm position on the health care details.”
After you trash Tapper for asking questions that show Gibbs to be the fool we all think he is, you go and make a statement that shows what a fool Obama and his supporters are. He does not care about the details if he has not committed to a firm position on them. How in the heck can you tell the public that this “reform” is necessary if you don’t care about the details. The devil is in the details and that is what the American public is realizing.
Posted by: Jason | August 19, 2009, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
I’d like to see a question that is designed to elicit any information at all about the substance of health care reform. Is it a lack of imagination that leads to all these questions, or a lack of knowledge of health care policy? Is it a fear that your listeners aren’t interested in the policy details?
As long as you are playing this insider Washington game though Jake, I’ll throw you a freebie:
“Mr. Gibbs, why is the President using the words “health insurance reform” instead of speaking to the issue of “health care reform”?
Posted by: Flash Override | August 19, 2009, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
jhw539 says: “A press secretary dodging questions, or Obama playing it (too, in my opinion) conservative on keeping his policy recommendations vague is about as scary as a humming bird.”
Change Obama to Bush and I bet you would be yelling to the heavens about your concern with the lack of detail.
Posted by: Jason | August 19, 2009, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
Jason:”He does not care about the details if he has not committed to a firm position on them. How in the heck can you tell the public that this “reform” is necessary if you don’t care about the details. ”
That’s some… interesting Right wing logic there, straight from ‘everything’s black and white, just shoot from the gut and stay the course’ land.
As I thought I made clear, I don’t think Obama’s using the best tactic here, but your bizarre assertion that him not charging in and bullying Congress – the tactic that failed miserably for Clinton – means he can’t even know reform is necessary is hilarious.
Posted by: jhw539 | August 19, 2009, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
Jason:”jhw539 says: “A press secretary dodging questions, or Obama playing it (too, in my opinion) conservative on keeping his policy recommendations vague is about as scary as a humming bird.”
Change Obama to Bush and I bet you would be yelling to the heavens about your concern with the lack of detail.”
? I have never been annoyed by a press secretary refusing to comment on the administration’s position on a piece of legislation that doesn’t exist.
I yelled at Bush’s apparent lack of an exit strategy and such, but Commander in Chief is actually the President’s job. Working out the finest detail of legislation is not, that’s Congress’s Constitutional duty. Seriously – read the Constitution, it’s pretty clear about it.
Posted by: jhw539 | August 19, 2009, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
“How in the heck can you tell the public that this “reform” is necessary if you don’t care about the details. The devil is in the details and that is what the American public is realizing
People of ALL stripes are realizing that Oblabla doesn’t care WHAT the legislation is … as long as He can count it as a personal “win”.
Too bad there’s no poll on how many Democrats wish this fraud would Just Resign, and take His collapsed personality cult with Him.
Dr. Dean in 2012.
Posted by: Bet Noir | August 19, 2009, 4:28 pm 4:28 pm
“Too bad there’s no poll on how many Democrats wish this fraud would Just Resign, and take His collapsed personality cult with Him.”
There is a such a poll.
Its called job approval.
Obama’s job approval among Democrats according to the latest poll with party affiliation breakdowns is Pew at 85%. A FoxNews poll from a few days earlier had Obama’s approval among Democrats at 89%
But Belle Starr the fake lefty thinks Democrats are clamoring for Howard Dean after months of claiming they were clamoring for Hillary Clinton.
Posted by: Ryan C | August 19, 2009, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm
Did someone tell Gibberish to stop using the word “obviously”?
He doesn’t use it as much anymore.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yes, this week he’s over using the word, “notion”.
Posted by: jennifert7 | August 19, 2009, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
According to the recent Marist Poll:
But, is President Obama on a slippery slope with Independent voters?
Currently, 47% of Independents nationwide say they approve of the job the president is doing while 37% disapprove.
This is the first time Obama has lost a majority of Independents since taking office.
Posted by: O'Really | August 19, 2009, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
Well we know he knows some of the details as the so-called “end of life” provisions are now supposedly out of most of the proposed legislation. The question now is what will happen to the “beginning of life” legislation. We already know where Obama stands on that…it is still above his pay grade.
Posted by: Mike in Costa Mesa | August 19, 2009, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
It’s clear as mud. POTUS was against the public option (“I happen to favor a single payer system”) before he was for the public option before he was ambivalent about the public option.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | August 19, 2009, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
“Well we know he knows some of the details as the so-called “end of life” provisions are now supposedly out of most of the proposed legislation. The question now is what will happen to the “beginning of life” legislation. We already know where Obama stands on that…it is still above his pay grade.”
Its amusing to me how many right wingers care so deeply about a fetus and force a woman to carry one to term against her wishes and quite possibly her health yet are adamantly against SCHIP, public schools,etc.
Posted by: Ryan C | August 19, 2009, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm
When does human life begin Ryan? Why should ALL taxpayers be forced to pay for abortions when more than half (according to Gallup) believe it is murder? This isn’t a right wing, left wing issue…this is an issue about protecting human life. Clearly neither you nor Obama, nor his HSS Sebelius value human life as much as the majority of the population does. Legalizing abortion and the murder of children is one thing…asking me to pay for it by using my tax dollars to subsidize it is quite another.
You want to kill babies? Use your own money.
Posted by: Mike in Costa Mesa | August 19, 2009, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm
“When does human life begin Ryan?”
Are you against birth control pills then?
Posted by: Ryan C | August 19, 2009, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
“Clearly neither you nor Obama, nor his HSS Sebelius value human life as much as the majority of the population does”
This from a guy who think 100,000 innocent dead Iraqis is a good thing.
Posted by: Ryan C | August 19, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
“Ryan, in all honesty when was the last time you sat in a public school classroom for a day or had children in public schools?”
NCLB has certainly done its job at making a tough situation all the more miserable.
Perhaps only the wealthy should receive an education via private school
Wouldn’t that do wonders for our economy…
Posted by: Ryan C | August 19, 2009, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
Another lib that cannot answer the simple question of when human life begins. Because as soon as it begins, he or she has certain rights, including the right not to be murdered. If you say you don’t know, then you should recuse yourself from having any opinion on when it is okay to kill a baby, much less who should pay for it.
Posted by: Mike in Costa Mesa | August 19, 2009, 5:50 pm 5:50 pm
“Another lib that cannot answer the simple question of when human life begins.”
Its not a simple question.
Is it conception? Brain activity? a heart beat?
I think all those are suitable answers for someone to give.
But the question itself is irrelevant to my position on abortion as I don’t think forcing women to take a baby to term is anything more than fascism.
“Because as soon as it begins, he or she has certain rights, including the right not to be murdered.”
I would argue the health of the mother takes precedence over the health of the fetus always.
But once born the child has every right attributed to other human beings.
Posted by: Ryan C | August 19, 2009, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
I will ask you a third time: RYAN, when do YOU think human life begins?
For me it begins at conception.
Heart beat begins 21 days after conception.
Brain activity begins after 40 days.
Posted by: Mike in Costa Mesa | August 19, 2009, 6:39 pm 6:39 pm
“I would argue the health of the mother takes precedence over the health of the fetus always.”
________________________________________
So it sounds like you are saying you believe some lives are more important than others, including the most innocent. The irony here is that this line of thinking runs completely contrary to hypocritical notion that the left somehow looks out for the little guy first. Why doesn’t a human fetus with beating heart and functioning brain have the same right to life as every other human being?
Fascism is making me pay for that mother to kill her baby…not making her take responsibility for her actions.
Posted by: Mike in Costa Mesa | August 19, 2009, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
“I will ask you a third time: RYAN, when do YOU think human life begins?”
Probably brain activity for myself.
But like I said I think any of the 3 most common answers are suitable for someone to offer.
Posted by: Ryan Cr | August 19, 2009, 6:59 pm 6:59 pm
“So it sounds like you are saying you believe some lives are more important than others, including the most innocent.”
Yes the mother’s life is more important than that of a fetus.
Sorry if that is difficult for you to accept.
Would you allow your daughter to die so you grandchild could live?
“The irony here is that this line of thinking runs completely contrary to hypocritical notion that the left somehow looks out for the little guy first.”
Stopping rigt wing nuts from forcing women to carry fetus to term regardless of their wishes or health is looking out for the “little guy”.
Especially since the right wing could care less about that child once it is born.
Its about controlling women.
Posted by: Ryan C | August 19, 2009, 7:35 pm 7:35 pm
Mike in Costa Mesa wrote: “Well we know he knows some of the details as the so-called “end of life” provisions are now supposedly out of most of the proposed legislation.”
The only removal I read about was in the Senate Finance Committee’s version. Have there been any official announcements about HR 3200 or any of the other bills?
Posted by: WWW | August 20, 2009, 3:28 am 3:28 am