Obama: I’m No JFK
EmailJFK famously got his clock cleaned by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at their June 1961 summit meeting in Vienna.
He knew it too. Right after the meeting he confided to NYT columnist Scotty Reston that it was one of the "roughest" moments of his life. "He just beat the hell out of me," Kennedy admitted.
So I asked President Obama if there were any similar moments over the last eight months where he took a step back and told himself: "Man, I need to step up my game."
Here's what he said:
OBAMA: You know, it's an interesting question. I — I mean I don't mean to be immodest here, but I don't think I've had that moment with a — with a world leader, where I said gee, you know — you know, we've got to really tighten things up.
I think there have been times where I have said I've got to step up my game in terms of talking to the American people about issues like health care. I mean I think during this whole health care debate, I've – there have been times where I've said…
STEPHANOPOULOS: You lost control?
OBAMA: Well, not so much lost control, but where I've said to myself, somehow I'm not breaking through. And — and it's not — you know, I know my critics would just say well, it's because you — you know, the plan is just, you know, the — the wrong one.
But it's — it — that's not so much it. It's — this has been a sufficiently tough, complicated issue with so many moving parts that, you know, no matter how much I've — I've tried to keep it digestible, you know, it's very hard for people to get their — their whole arms around it. And that's been a case where I have been humbled and I just keep on trying harder, because I — I really think it's the right thing to do for the country.
Watch it HERE:
- George Stephanopoulos
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george who? haven’t taken his words seriously, no longer even watch abc news, since the presidential debates when he and charlie ambushed obama then led mccain down the garden path of questions.
Posted by: karen k | September 20, 2009, 9:12 am 9:12 am
Obama better ‘step up his game’ when he meets with Netanyahu and Abbas. Especially Netanyahu. Of course if Obama get’s his ‘clocked cleaned’, the media won’t paint it that way. I’m sincerely concerned about our foriegn policy and our allies.
Posted by: LongT | September 20, 2009, 9:23 am 9:23 am
When Obama pulled the fast one on our eastern European allies earlier this week, it showed a complete lack of diplomacy. Then they paraded Sec of State Hillary out for a ‘photo op’! This is really strange stuff folks.
Posted by: LongT | September 20, 2009, 9:27 am 9:27 am
I am disappoined George. You continually interrupted President Obama. I guess it was more important to get all your questions asked than allowed President Obama the time to respond to the questions. Not good.
Posted by: Pat | September 20, 2009, 9:57 am 9:57 am
BO Doesn’t need to step up, he needs to step back and go away!
Posted by: Ray | September 20, 2009, 10:12 am 10:12 am
I wonder if it is possible that the Pres could ever realize that maybe some of his ideas are not in line with what the people think.
Even if half of the people lean his way, it is not justification to damage the remaining Americans.
Posted by: James L. | September 20, 2009, 11:13 am 11:13 am
James L.,
The presidents ideas are in line with what I think.
Posted by: Nate | September 20, 2009, 12:10 pm 12:10 pm
“…I’m no JFK” Well that’s for sure, JFK cut taxes and fought our enemies; Obama has put us and our great grandchildren into debt and goes around the world kissing the butts of our nation’s enemies, indeed, he hires some of the worst America haters to work in his administration. It should also be noted that the Democrat Party of the JFK era bears little resemblance to the Democrat-Socialist Party today.
Posted by: Ron | September 20, 2009, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
Why are you so worried about George cutting off the President? It’s not like Obama is actually going to say anything that will clear anything up or ease anyone’s fears. Now that would be a revelation!
Posted by: Michael | September 20, 2009, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
Watched your interview with the president. I share your frustration. All he wants to do is talk talk talk. At this rate your next interview will consist of one question. Boring.
Posted by: bill kalter | September 20, 2009, 5:46 pm 5:46 pm
“I wonder if it is possible that the Pres could ever realize that maybe some of his ideas are not in line with what the people think. Even if half of the people lean his way, it is not justification to damage the remaining Americans.”
What about when it’s more than half? A majority rate Obama as someone who can manage the government effectively and shares their values, according to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll. Two-thirds of Americans say that he can get things done and that he understands the problems Americans face in their daily lives.
Posted by: Numeros | September 21, 2009, 12:06 am 12:06 am
Talk about category error, he’srepeating
every foreign policy mistake Kennedy did Bay of Pigs (Honduras)the Vienna summit(the Moscow summit,the pulling of Btheatre missile defense) yet he reserves his anger for his domestic opposition
Posted by: ian cormac | September 21, 2009, 10:30 am 10:30 am
Stephanopoulos is the best. Great job Sunday, George. Good to see you have not drunk the Your integrity left the Clinton White House intact with you. I love your objectivity—-one of the few.
Lifelong Republican.
Posted by: W. L. Kelly | September 21, 2009, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
Any President should be someone who can show leadership on key issues…otherwise, you wouldn’t need a President. By definition, a “leader” is going to be ahead of the pack, at least initially. Sometimes, that means that the leader will be as a “voice crying out in the wilderness”. Just because a policy is unpopular doesn’t mean it’s wrong, just as short-term popularity doesn’t mean it’s right. Regardless of whether the specific policies proposed by the President on health care or any other issue are totally correct, by at least pushing the envelope, he is showing true leadership.
Posted by: True Grit | September 22, 2009, 5:10 am 5:10 am
A true leader would be able to show why we need his proposed health insurance reforms. He can’t because everytime he tries (it will reduce costs – not; it will provide universal coverage – not; it will not increase the deficit – not) he is proven wrong by the CBO or someone else. The problem is, his proposed reforms are not for the good of the country, they are for the good of the Democrat Party. Therefore, he cannot demonstrate any benefit for the majority of the country, and most people oppose his reforms. Get a clue, buddy, you’ve explained your snake oil very well, it’s just no one is buying it.
Posted by: MBS | September 22, 2009, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm