By Kristina Wong

Jan 25, 2010 9:01pm

In Interview with Diane Sawyer, President Obama Calls Not Living Up to Transparency Promise “A Mistake”

In Diane Sawyer's interview with President Obama today, she asked him if going forward all the conversations should be on C-SPAN.

"I think your question points out to a legitimate mistake that I made during the course of the year," the president said, "and that is that we had to make so many decisions quickly in a very difficult set of circumstances that after awhile, we started worrying more about getting the policy right than getting the process right.

"But I had campaigned on process," the president continued. "Part of what I had campaigned on was changing how Washington works, opening up transparency and I think it is — I think the health care debate as it unfolded legitimately raised concerns not just among my opponents, but also amongst supporters that we just don't know what's going on. And it's an ugly process and it looks like there are a bunch of back room deals.

Mr. Obama said, "I think it's my responsibility — and I'll be speaking to this at the State of the Union — to own up to the fact that the process didn't run the way I ideally would like it to and that we have to move forward in a way that recaptures that sense of opening things up more."

This was a remarkable admission considering how much others in the White House have acted as if President Obama kept his promise to — as he pledged as a candidate — "have the (health care reform) negotiations televised on C-SPAN, so the people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents and who is making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies."

Diane today said to the president, "a lot of people think you must say at the end of the day, this is not who I was in 2008, these deals with Nebraska, with Florida… "

"Let's hold on a second, Diane," the president cut in. "I mean, I think that this gets into a big mush. So let's just clarify. I didn't make a bunch of deals. There is a legislative process that is taking place in Congress and I am happy to own up to the fact that I have not changed Congress and how it operates the way I would have liked."

In a way, the president's admission today that he campaigned on process, and didn't live up to his words from the campaign trail, were the only honest answer he could give. Politifact had labeled it a broken promise, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., seemed to take a jab at the president earlier this month, joking, "there are a number of things that he swore on the campaign trail."

Still, in December, when I asked if the president would keep his campaign promise and have the last round of negotiations televised by C-SPAN, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said "this is a process legislatively that has played out over the course of nine months. There have been a countless number of public hearings. The Senate did a lot of their voting at 1:00 and 2:00 in the morning on C-SPAN. A lot of this debate — I think what the president promised and pledged was so that you could see who was fighting for their constituents and who was fighting for drug and insurance companies…"

But he was talking about negotiations, not voting, I interrupted. About the bill being put together.

"Well, but the bill gets put together on the floor of the Senate," Gibbs said. "That's where the bill got augmented."

Gibbs was asked about this earlier this month — on January 5 and January 6 — once other details of the negotiations were made public after hours and hours of closed door negotiations in the West Wing. Gibbs argued that since the media had written and broadcast many stories on the subject, obviously there were no serious transparency issues.

"We've filled your newspaper and many others with the back-and-forth and the details of what's in these bills," Gibbs told a reporter. "I don't want to keep that from continuing to happen. I don't think there's anybody that would say that we haven't had a thorough, robust, now spanning two calendar years' debate on health care."

- jpt

User Comments

I don’t believe it, it’s all smoke and mirrors.
I will believe it once he stops all the White House Parties and Mrs Obama starts wearing normal clothes, not $3000 coats, $700 shoes and $8000 purses with those stupid Heavyweight Champion belts.

Posted by: Windsor | January 25, 2010, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm

I don’t believe anyone is going for Obama’s revisionist history.The best is their attempt to spin Brown’s election as support of Obama.I believe the curtain has been pulled back on OZ.

Posted by: bobmac | January 25, 2010, 9:30 pm 9:30 pm

What a joke, so he admits his presidency is based on lies…. this snakeoil salesman, and the media have lied to this country endlessly

Posted by: another crisis, another photo-op | January 25, 2010, 9:30 pm 9:30 pm

Not being transparent a mistake ???
Well what is it ? You promised when
you campaigned for president, did not
do it when he had the chance and now
that he is campaigning again, sounds
like a good promise. I don’t think he
believes a word he says. Oh, did you
see he had to have a teleprompter when
addressing 6th graders? Can this guy
speak from the heart not even with kids?
Good grief what a robot we have for
a president.

Posted by: wis134 | January 25, 2010, 9:31 pm 9:31 pm

Diane Sawyer are you with OBAMA and his lies or are you with the American people who watch your show?
OBAMA calls it ‘..transparency…’ but this is a man who has been secretive about his whole life. Honesty is involved here and if you are not honest with those that voted you into office you are ‘…nothing…’!
We have reached the point where we know now that we have ‘…nothing in tis president…’, he has lied and lied so much that he is just a joke.
The people did not tell him this week or last week that they did not like him telling us about the ‘transparency’ and then ignoring it when he had meetings and was paying bribes to politicians. We told him many months ago….IS HE SO THICK THAT HE THINKS WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THAT?

Posted by: tess | January 25, 2010, 9:34 pm 9:34 pm

Obama’s Chicago roots are showing. His words in this interview are a classic example of (Chicago Mayor Richard M.)Daley-speak. The more he talks, the less I understand him.

Posted by: off_leash | January 25, 2010, 9:36 pm 9:36 pm

Diane Sawyer are you with OBAMA and his lies or are you with the American people who watch your show?
___________________________________
You mean why isn’t she a right-wing hack?

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 9:39 pm 9:39 pm

Funny how we’re still hearing from Osama bin Laden wanting to blow up Americans. Maybe if Bush and Co. had finished the job in Afghan. and went after Bin Laden instead of turning their back and heading to Iraq for that good ole oil, we might be rid of the guy by now. The repubs have done ZERO in the past year except to try to make the dim-witted American public believe it’s all Obama’s fault. Funny, I haven’t forgotten the Bush years. Actually, it’s all the repubs fault. And are they trying to right their wrongs. No, they’re trying to win elections. Disgusting bunch of traitors.
Posted by: pamp205 | Jan 25, 2010 8:28:05 PM
————————————

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 9:42 pm 9:42 pm

I am thinking that maybe the President meant to say that his mistake was claiming that he would be transparent in the process.
Thing is if I make mistake then I stop doing that.
So, how about this, Mr. President.
Let’s take this whole health care bill and drop kick it and start over. My bet is that you still have enough pull to convince the guys at C-Span to set up the cameras at the Capital and we can start over. Let’s find the things we all agree on and put them out there as starting points and go from there.
Its probably not a good idea to start this right away – the economy is still wobbling. I know this is going to be tough to admit after a weekend of your guys going around to all the talk shows and making unsubstantiated claims about the jobs y’all have saved but we need to get the economy charged up so we can all pay real close attention to what is happening on health care.
You know what, Mr. President? You could even give this whole transparency business a dry run with the economy.
Either way, its all great that you are ‘fessing on up that you have not delivered on your promise of transparency; what is not OK is to keep on not delivering.

Posted by: Lone Star Rules | January 25, 2010, 9:44 pm 9:44 pm

He can’t be transparent.It would destroy the myth created by the media;the myth that he is an intellectually brilliant man.The myth that he was postpartisan.The myth that he had any executive abilities.The myth that wrote his book.The reality is that he is an empty suit affirmative action candidate who up until now was never told “no”.He can’t release his college transcripts because they stink. He can’t explain why he couldn’t cut it at Occidental.He can’t explain why he lost his law license.He can’t explain why he lied on his Bar exam.Unfortunately the media can no longer cover up his incompetence and ignorance.

Posted by: Nephron | January 25, 2010, 9:45 pm 9:45 pm

“But I had campaigned on process,” the president continued.
Does this also count as a “Change You, Mr. Prez., Believe In”?
You only campaigned on “process”. Now, we see, you were not selling lies on “policy”.

Posted by: fat duh | January 25, 2010, 9:47 pm 9:47 pm

“So let’s just clarify. I didn’t make a bunch of deals. There is a legislative process that is taking place in Congress and I am happy to own up to the fact that I have not changed Congress and how it operates the way I would have liked.”
Tough to argue with that. Obama doesn’t control Congress (nor should he – or any President). Although personally I’ve been quite satisfied with the changes he’s made in the Executive branch. And no one has been able to cite for me a piece of major legislation that has had the same transparency as health care – hundreds of hours of televised debate and amendment, markups released from committee, months of public debate, town halls in almost every district, etc. I’m willing to settle for most transparent ever, and will be impressed if Obama continues pushing for perfect (a stupid move politically since he’ll be blamed for a Congress he has no power over, but not a bad windmill to tilt at).

Posted by: jhw539 | January 25, 2010, 9:49 pm 9:49 pm

Obama slinks back from every promise
he made in 2008. The press can only cover his backtracks for so long. He’s
becoming a parody of his campaign.
Unfortunately, he is the PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES! ….and his
attitude is….screw ‘em!

Posted by: Sir Toby Belch | January 25, 2010, 9:53 pm 9:53 pm

Then who did make the deal with the unions, Nebraska and Louisanna? I didn’t see any of that debated on either floor of congress.

Posted by: jennifert7 | January 25, 2010, 9:54 pm 9:54 pm

So he admitted to making a mistake by not following through with the promise of letting CSPAN film the process…
Without going so far as to say that NOW he will follow through with his promise of letting CSPAN film the process.
DOUBLESPEAK. AGAIN. Whoever you are reading this, your President thinks you’re an IDIOT. Prove him wrong.

Posted by: Ken M | January 25, 2010, 10:00 pm 10:00 pm

You mean why isn’t she a right-wing hack?
_______________
I think the real question is why is she poised on either side? She is a journalist, a reporter. Her job is to provide an unbiased report and take no prisoners in this quest. She provides an important check in our political system and we all want her to do it.
You can stoop to name calling and undue characterizations but we – the listening public – hold her to a higher standard of being fair, being direct and not holding back because she personally agrees with the President or anyone else in her interview seat.

Posted by: Lone Star Rules | January 25, 2010, 10:02 pm 10:02 pm

Obama made the deal with the unions. And his attack dog, Rhambo, was pushing Reid and Pelosi. Obama can’t distance himself from the fiasco he has created. If Brown hadn’t won in Massachusetts, you wouldn’t be seeing Obama regretting anything.

Posted by: Axey | January 25, 2010, 10:04 pm 10:04 pm

Obama has no credibility.

Posted by: Michelle | January 25, 2010, 10:07 pm 10:07 pm

Obama indicated today that he would “rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president” Does “really good” mean 10% unemployment? Is “really good” worthy of a B+ as Obama said last month? Obama is already worried about a worthless first term and thus not even winning the Dem nomination in 2012. Thus enters the president’s political guru David Plouffe to help him get back his 2008 hope and change winning campaign….
Obama, please just be a leader and stop the latest campaign of hope and change.
The State of the Union speech this week will be a joke. Will someone like Senator Brown have the courage to say again “you lie”!!

Posted by: BL | January 25, 2010, 10:10 pm 10:10 pm

===I am happy to own up to the fact that I have not changed Congress and how it operates the way I would have liked.”===
So, does this mean he would like to take back his “I won” comment and actually work with republicans? I doubt it.

Posted by: Axey | January 25, 2010, 10:12 pm 10:12 pm

So, Diane Sawyer and President Obama kissed before the interview? That’s kinda weird for an “objective” news anchor to do.

Posted by: jennifert7 | January 25, 2010, 10:12 pm 10:12 pm

In the same exclusive interview, “I’d rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president,” he told ABC’s “World News” anchor Diane Sawyer in an exclusive interview today.
Well, Mr. Obama, I have something to tell you. I’d rather be a minimum-waged earning citizen than a lying, golf-playing, basketball throwing, expensive dinner-dating, seaside resorting vacationing President.

Posted by: young_voter | January 25, 2010, 10:16 pm 10:16 pm

“it’s an ugly process and it looks like there are a bunch of back room deals.”
it’s an ugly process and there are a bunch of back room deals
Fixed it for ya’ Mr. President.

Posted by: For The Record | January 25, 2010, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm

He sold democrats a load of promises he has not delivered on, and they were dumb enough to drink the Kool-aid! We told you so………….

Posted by: HH | January 25, 2010, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm

So this makes hiring tax cheats OK?

Posted by: TurboTax | January 25, 2010, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm

Posted by: Nephron | Jan 25, 2010 9:45:52 PM
You forgot the myth that he’s a natural born citizen.

Posted by: For The Record | January 25, 2010, 10:23 pm 10:23 pm

Her job is to provide an unbiased report and take no prisoners in this quest.
Like Chris Matthews!

Posted by: Pins and Needles | January 25, 2010, 10:24 pm 10:24 pm

Re: “He sold democrats a load of promises he has not delivered on, and they were dumb enough to drink the Kool-aid! We told you so………….”
It would have been worse with McCain/Palin. Hillary should have won!
Our government is being taken over by corporations. It’s sad. Our Founding Fathers warned aginst this, but once thd corprations took over the media, they started to blare their anti-government, pro-corporation propaganda 24/7. Corporations are not democraitc institutions.

Posted by: Bubbles | January 25, 2010, 10:26 pm 10:26 pm

Diane Sawyer and Obama exchanged kisses upon greeting.
I’ll bet Chris Matthews wished he were there . . . and that he had boobs, too.

Posted by: BL | January 25, 2010, 10:28 pm 10:28 pm

Posted by: Nephron | Jan 25, 2010 9:45:52 PM
You forgot the myth that he’s a natural born citizen.
Posted by: For The Record | Jan 25, 2010 10:23:36 PM
_____________________________________
No wonder you don’t appear to have very good reading comprehension skills. You’re a duped birther!

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 10:32 pm 10:32 pm

No wonder you don’t appear to have very good reading comprehension skills. You’re a duped birther!
Posted by: tierra | Jan 25, 2010 10:32:35 PM
Ahh, poor baby. Where’s your sense of humor?
Are you still trying to figure out why there were so many no-bid contracts in 2003? Keep noodling. It will come to you soon.

Posted by: For The Record | January 25, 2010, 10:36 pm 10:36 pm

Diane today said to the president, “a lot of people think you must say at the end of the day, this is not who I was in 2008, these deals with Nebraska, with Florida… ”
___________________________________
Good strong questions. You don’t have to be ignorant to people in power to get across the good questions.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm

Posted by: For The Record | Jan 25, 2010 10:36:57 PM
I’m far beyond 2003, that was just Bush doing non-competivie contracts worth $107 Billion. Now, we’re on to 2005
Aug 24, 2006
WASHINGTON – The government awarded 70 percent of its contracts for Hurricane Katrina work without full competition, wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in the process, says a House study released Thursday by Democrats.
The report, a comprehensive overview of government audits on Katrina contracting, found that out of $10.6 billion in contracts awarded after the storm last year, more than $7.4 billion were handed out with limited or no competitive bidding.
In addition, 19 contracts worth $8.75 billion were found to have wasted taxpayer money at least in part, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the report.
ABC News.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 10:39 pm 10:39 pm

Obama should take a hint from Scott Brown! He is in trouble and is campaigning again. That’s all he does well; however, we can’t believe what he says. He’s an empty suit. We need jobs, better economy, transparency, homeland security, stop protecting terrorists, and stop blaming President Bush. This admin did inherit a bad economy and have made it MUCH worse! This is the most corrupt administration in American history. We need to replace the liberals in Congress. They are destroying America.

Posted by: TOO LITTLE --- TOO LATE! | January 25, 2010, 10:41 pm 10:41 pm

“So let’s just clarify. I didn’t make a bunch of deals. There is a legislative process that is taking place in Congress and I am happy to own up to the fact that I have not changed Congress and how it operates the way I would have liked.”
So this is tacit acknowledgment that those deals stink and he’s not going to sign any bill that includes them?
Not a chance.

Posted by: PD | January 25, 2010, 10:45 pm 10:45 pm

Posted by: For The Record | Jan 25, 2010 10:36:57 PM
We could try 2005 . …
Non-competitive federal contracts skyrocket under Bush.
$145 billion in federal contracts were awarded without competitive bidding in fiscal 2005, more than double the $67 billion in fiscal 2000.
This is the ABUSE Obama is bringing under control.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 10:46 pm 10:46 pm

This is the most corrupt administration in American history.
____________________________________
Not by indictment – that would be Reagan’s administration.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 10:49 pm 10:49 pm

a House study released Thursday by Democrats.
Posted by: tierra | Jan 25, 2010 10:39:35 PM
Katrina. Democrats. “the government”. No red flags there. I’ll dig a little deeper and see what I find. You have already proven to willfully mislead…
Having said that, it was a mess. No doubt about it. It is interesting though that Mississippi with a Republican governor had far fewer recovery issues than Louisiana with a Democratic governor. And Louisiana is doing much better now that they have Republican governor. But hey – could just be me.

Posted by: For The Record | January 25, 2010, 10:52 pm 10:52 pm

We could try 2005 . …
Non-competitive federal contracts skyrocket under Bush.
$145 billion in federal contracts were awarded without competitive bidding in fiscal 2005, more than double the $67 billion in fiscal 2000.
This is the ABUSE Obama is bringing under control.
Posted by: For The Record | Jan 25, 2010 10:52:10 PM
Until you find some proof otherwise, we can use the ABC news reporting.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 10:55 pm 10:55 pm

This is the ABUSE Obama is bringing under control.
Posted by: tierra | Jan 25, 2010 10:46:57 PM
I never said he wasn’t. And you have yet to show me the total number of no-bid contracts under Obama’s administration. I did say Obama stated there would be no more sweetheart deals like Halliburton and now we find out there are. That’s when you refused to respond to that statement and went into your Bush was worse tirade which really had nothing to do with my statement. So let’s be clear – I NEVER said he wasn’t bringing it under control.

Posted by: For The Record | January 25, 2010, 10:57 pm 10:57 pm

This is the ABUSE Obama is bringing under control.
—-
Like AIG, Big Pharma, Fannie and Freddie, Geithner’s behavior…Under control, for sure! Too funny.

Posted by: Hysterical | January 25, 2010, 10:58 pm 10:58 pm

Bush didn’t campaign on no-bid contracts. What does Bush have to do with Obama breaking his campaign promise? Just one of many campaign promises he has broken, btw.

Posted by: jennifert7 | January 25, 2010, 11:02 pm 11:02 pm

Double/triple down on stupid!
Democrats and the drive by media kept bashing President Bush about how he increased the deficit, only for President Obama to triple down on the deficit.

Posted by: BL | January 25, 2010, 11:04 pm 11:04 pm

Bush didn’t campaign on no-bid contracts. What does Bush have to do with Obama breaking his campaign promise?
Posted by: jennifert7 | Jan 25, 2010 11:02:49 PM
Ooh! Ooh! I know this one!
NOTHING!

Posted by: For The Record | January 25, 2010, 11:07 pm 11:07 pm

Bush didn’t campaign on no-bid contracts.
Posted by: jennifert7 | Jan 25, 2010 11:02:49 PM
____________________________________
No, Bush and the Republicans campaigned on ‘smaller government’ and the elimination of the deficit. How did that work out for you?
And in bankrupting the country, he awarded untold billions in non-competitive contracts to his Republican cronies.
You forget so soon what it was like . .

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:08 pm 11:08 pm

“only for President Obama to triple down on the deficit.”
Death panels and pain pills ain’t cheap! What could go wrong with borrowing more money or printing more while unemployment rises? As if China won’t lend us the cash…

Posted by: Komrade Krugman | January 25, 2010, 11:09 pm 11:09 pm

And in bankrupting the country, he awarded untold billions in non-competitive contracts to his Republican cronies.
Keep the bonuses coming!

Posted by: Fannie | January 25, 2010, 11:13 pm 11:13 pm

I love the way Obama shifts the blame of backdoor deals to Congress. He doesn’t have to sign a bill that has sweetheart deals.
But Obamacare stinks so bad his own party has to be bribed to vote for it.
Obama has no principles when it comes to his legacy. He would sign absolutely anything that is labeled Health Care.

Posted by: larry | January 25, 2010, 11:14 pm 11:14 pm

He’s the one in office now. He pledged to do it differently in Washington. What happened to “change you can believe in”? How’s that working for you?
____________________________________
Just fine thanks, he’s only one year into his term and if you think Washington can be changed in a matter of months – you’re pretty out of touch.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:22 pm 11:22 pm

No, Bush and the Republicans campaigned on ‘smaller government’ and the elimination of the deficit. How did that work out for you?
Posted by: tierra
Wow but that ‘smaller government’ argument is quaint. Wanna compare gov’t size again? Yours is bigger.

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | January 25, 2010, 11:23 pm 11:23 pm

No, Bush and the Republicans campaigned on ‘smaller government’ and the elimination of the deficit. How did that work out for you?
Posted by: tierra
_______________________________
Let me answer that for you foggie, since you’re having such trouble.
The Republicans promised smaller government and eliminating the deficit – and FAILED miserably.
If Republicans run on their campaign promises and their record – they fail miserably.
Always worth remembering that.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm

Just fine thanks, he’s only one year into his term and if you think Washington can be changed in a matter of months – you’re pretty out of touch.
—
No it can be changed for the worse. Like unemployment. Or hiring tax cheats or giving bonuses to Fannie and Freddie or continuing wars and not closing that place that starts with a G. Or meeting with Big Pharma behind closed doors. Or AIG behind closed doors. Or claiming youre concerned about the climate but stomping around and leaving a huge carbon footprint.

Posted by: Descend | January 25, 2010, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm

The change was suppose to start with him. These are HIS broken promises. He throws anyone and everyone under the bus the more he is exposed. He has a long history of doing this. He hasn’t changed a thing.

Posted by: jennifert7 | January 25, 2010, 11:32 pm 11:32 pm

Another failed promise.
‘We gonna get Bin Laden dead or alive’.
In fact, Bush and Cheney let Bin Laden and al Qaeda escape in Afghanistan and turned their focus away to Iraq.
We’re still apparently dealing with the consequences of their failure – as recently as the Christmas bomber. Still more deaths in Iraq.
A citizen has to put the failures of each of the political parties in perspective.
When that happens, the failures of the last administration stagger the imagination.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:35 pm 11:35 pm

The Republicans promised smaller government and eliminating the deficit – and FAILED miserably.
Posted by: tierra |
And now it is FAILED more miserably. It’s like neither party can control spending. Creepy, huh?

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | January 25, 2010, 11:36 pm 11:36 pm

A citizen has to put the failures of each of the political parties in perspective.
When that happens, the failures of the last administration stagger the imagination.
———-
The unemployment rate staggers indeed…

Posted by: % | January 25, 2010, 11:37 pm 11:37 pm

===The Republicans promised smaller government and eliminating the deficit – and FAILED miserably. ===
Well hells bells, what happened to them? The same thing that is going to happen to Democrats who are doing the same thing. Just blaming Republicans won’t get it for you next election.

Posted by: Axey | January 25, 2010, 11:38 pm 11:38 pm

And now it is FAILED more miserably. It’s like neither party can control spending. Creepy, huh?
Here’s the new commercial: “When Goldman Sachs call, Barry listens…”

Posted by: Lloyd B. | January 25, 2010, 11:39 pm 11:39 pm

Big difference when the Republicans promised ‘smaller government’ and the elimination of the deficit – and then added as much to the national debt as almost all the previous administrations in history combined . ..

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:41 pm 11:41 pm

Well….looks like he’s shifting the blame to Congress. I’ll give him credit for “Change”–the Bush mantra is so last year.

Posted by: Max | January 25, 2010, 11:41 pm 11:41 pm

Sounds like you’re determined to waste time trying to deflect from what a very high, and growing percentage of Americans realize are disaterous policies from this administration. You can go off the cliff with them if you want to, but the rest of us will vote ‘em out. The repetitive Bush bashing shows the desperation. That’s all you have and it’s not working.

Posted by: jennifert7 | January 25, 2010, 11:45 pm 11:45 pm

===Big difference when the Republicans promised ‘smaller government’ and the elimination of the deficit===
Keep telling yourself that while democrat after democrat decides not to run for re-election and you have just seen the Kennedy’s seat in bluest of blue Massachusetts fall to a republican.

Posted by: Axey | January 25, 2010, 11:46 pm 11:46 pm

Just blaming Republicans won’t get it for you next election.
_______________________________________
Everybody understands why the Republicans would like to distance themselves from their record under Bush – I’m not sure it will work. Many people still have functioning memory retention. And many people are aware of the negative smear campaign of the Republicans and the right.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:47 pm 11:47 pm

And many people are aware of the negative smear campaign of the Republicans and the right.
Look how well it worked in NJ, VA and Mass!

Posted by: Coakley Croaks | January 25, 2010, 11:49 pm 11:49 pm

Posted by: News for You | Jan 25, 2010 11:47:26 PM
Unlike the Republicans who came in promising smaller government (and then exploding the national debt), the Democrats came in promising they’d do their best to rescue people from the disaster unleashed on them at the end of the Bush administration – stock markets crashing, hundreds of thousands losing their jobs every month, foreclosures and bankruptcies through the roof, unemployment claims on their way to running out, major banks and financial institutions failing . . . and so on.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:51 pm 11:51 pm

Everybody understands why the Republicans would like to distance themselves from their record under Bush – I’m not sure it will work
Ah yes, the ‘Publican playbook being used this season too!
TPMDC
The Democrats Begin The Blame Game
Laura Colarusso | January 19, 2010, 11:34PM
It didn’t take long for the Dems to start the finger pointing in the wake of Martha Coakley’s loss in the Massachusetts special Senate election.

Posted by: Blue 54 | January 25, 2010, 11:52 pm 11:52 pm

And many people are aware of the negative smear campaign of the Republicans and the right.
Look how well it worked in NJ, VA and Mass!
_______________________________________
Let’s hope people see through this sleaze.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:54 pm 11:54 pm

Unlike the Republicans who came in promising smaller government (and then exploding the national debt), the Democrats came in promising they’d do their best to rescue people from the disaster unleashed on them at the end of the Bush administration – stock markets crashing, hundreds of thousands losing their jobs every month, foreclosures and bankruptcies through the roof, unemployment claims on their way to running out, major banks and financial institutions failing . . .

Posted by: News for You | January 25, 2010, 11:54 pm 11:54 pm

And in bankrupting the country, he awarded untold billions in non-competitive contracts to his Republican cronies.
Posted by: tierra | Jan 25, 2010 11:08:54 PM
And you have a documented list of these contract and can prove that they were Bush’s cronies?
Or do we just take your word for it?

Posted by: For The Record | January 25, 2010, 11:56 pm 11:56 pm

The thing I find amusing is the attempt by the right wing to frame the corporately owned media as ‘leftist’.
Even a child can see media outlets are owned by corporations. Their lean is corporate and right.
You may not be able to see their agenda, but its there. They had little choice during last election, Obama was going to win after Bush and Cheney. They couldn’t play their hand in the open – it would be too obvious. (Well, except for Fox).
But their corporate agenda remains intact.

Posted by: tierra | January 25, 2010, 11:59 pm 11:59 pm

Obama has still has a chance to be the greatest one-term President ever – he can self-resigned, recognizing the fact that if he stayed on any longer, irreversible damage will be done to our country, our history, and our heritage.

Posted by: Politicoli | January 26, 2010, 12:01 am 12:01 am

But their corporate agenda remains intact.
That makes my leg tingle!

Posted by: Chris | January 26, 2010, 12:01 am 12:01 am

“Even a child can see media outlets are owned by corporations. Their lean is corporate and right.”
Tierra, you are the gift that keeps on giving!

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 12:10 am 12:10 am

he ain’t answered any question he has been asked. he is a dancer and a VERY good one. better watch the backdoor while he is charming the front. not the first time he has done it.

Posted by: prissie k | January 26, 2010, 12:14 am 12:14 am

Posted by: For The Record | Jan 26, 2010 12:10:09 AM
Don’t you think Chris Matthews is actually a scape goat? Set up to appear to be a Democratic supporter – when really he’s set up to be an embarassment – rude, talks over and is dismissive of guests, is obnoxious. I don’t think he’s a good journalist at all – he’s just like the right-wing millionaire media stooges?
He sets no good example for America or journalism.
I think he’s a phony.

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 12:16 am 12:16 am

Democrats came in promising they’d do their best to rescue people from the disaster unleashed on them at the end of the Bush administration
Posted by: tierra | Jan 25, 2010 11:51:19 PM
“America will run its first ever trillion-dollar budget deficit this year. Even worse, the President’s budget would borrow an additional $9 trillion over the next decade, more than doubling the national debt. By 2019, America will be spending nearly $800 billion on net interest to service this large debt.” – Heritage, August 08

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 12:21 am 12:21 am

Posted by: For The Record | Jan 26, 2010 12:21:13 AM
The Republicans came in under Bush promising smaller government and an eliminated deficit.
Did they deliver this? No.
They delivered a double national debt and an economic disaster.
The Republicans had no answers how to stop the economic disaster on their shift.
The Republicans have no answers how to get out of it.

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 12:26 am 12:26 am

Don’t you think Chris Matthews is actually a scape goat? Set up to appear to be a Democratic supporter – when really he’s set up to be an embarassment
Posted by: tierra | Jan 26, 2010 12:16:33 AM
Oh absolutely! He couldn’t possibly be an embarassment AND a liberal! [rolls eyes] He must be a Republican plant! He’s been working “undercover” all these years and no one has caught on yet!
It’s tin foil hat time folks!

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 12:30 am 12:30 am

Chris Matthews
He’s rude, talks over and is dismissive of guests, is obnoxious. I don’t think he’s a good journalist at all – he’s just like the right-wing millionaire media stooges?
He sets no good example for America or journalism.
I think he’s a phony.

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 12:35 am 12:35 am

Posted by: tierra | Jan 26, 2010 12:26:40 AM
I’m sorry. What does Obama’s overspending have to do with Bush’s overspending?

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 12:36 am 12:36 am

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 12:39 am 12:39 am

the ‘joke’ is on all of us, both parties claim to have fiscal and business sensibilities, neither is able to get anything accomplished, we keep voting the same people in year after year, ..
the clinical definition of insanity.. we vote the same people in and expect different results.
was Bush/Cheney a failure for most of their time in office, yes…… has Obama accomplished much in his first year, no, ..
are we all fools for arguing nonsense and not hold these people accountable… YES

Posted by: Ratso Rizzo | January 26, 2010, 12:41 am 12:41 am

Posted by: For The Record | Jan 26, 2010 12:30:16 AM
And come on – you know the media is owned by corporations. You really naive enough to think they don’t have an agenda to serve their own interests? Especially in news.
Posted by: tierra | Jan 26, 2010 12:39:18 AM
of course they have an agenda but they have always leaned liberal, except for Fox which kills everyone in the ratings. Besides now that the MSM is owned by real corporations like GE they can afford to not be too worried about making money in their news divisions. Their sports divisions usually make up the difference anyway.

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 12:46 am 12:46 am

I’m sorry. What does Obama’s overspending have to do with Bush’s overspending?
Posted by: For The Record | Jan 26, 2010 12:36:01 AM
______________________________________
Let me try to make it clear for you.
The Republicans are running against Obama. The Republicans have no ideas how to get the country out of the financial disaster.
In fact, the last time we saw the Republicans, they were coming into office promising smaller government and eliminated deficits. At this they failed miserably.
In fact, neither did the Republicans forecast or put measures in place to meet the oncoming financial disaster – in truth they’d grossly increased the national debt and left the country in terrible shape.
The Republicans are the alternative to the Democrats. Examine their record.
Every western industrialized country has instituted stimulus plans, deficit funding and tax cuts in order to stave off the complete collapse of the economies.
The Republicans bankrupted the country and are bankrupt of ideas.

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 12:48 am 12:48 am

What does Obama’s overspending have to do with Bush’s overspending?
Posted by: For The Record
some economic theory states that you may have to spend your way out of a severe recession/depression… so if Bush economics left America in an almost calamitous economic state, theory suggests that the new govt has to spend.

Posted by: TJ | January 26, 2010, 12:49 am 12:49 am

of course they have an agenda but they have always leaned liberal, except for Fox which kills everyone in the ratings.
____________________________________
You are naive enough to think the corporate agenda in news is liberal?
The corporate agenda in news is corporate.

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 12:51 am 12:51 am

they have always leaned liberal,
Posted by: For The Record
seems to me the ‘media’ went, hook line and sinker for Iraq, and absolutely supported and believed whatever Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rumsfeld said….. it was only after years had gone by where the ‘media’ began investigating all the lies by the republicans about Iraq.

Posted by: OOP's | January 26, 2010, 12:54 am 12:54 am

Did you want a list of the names I’ve used? I can probably remember most of them.
___________________________________
Sure, list them out – I think I can guess most of them.

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 12:56 am 12:56 am

Barry..you lie about everything..even your name and heritage!
Posted by: GaryT123456 | Jan 26, 2010 12:56:22 AM
_________________________________
Yawn . . . those sad right wing smear tactics.

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 12:59 am 12:59 am

Did you want a list of the names I’ve used? I can probably remember most of them.
___________________________________
Sure, list them out – I think I can guess most of them.
Posted by: tierra | Jan 26, 2010 12:56:47 AM
Be more fun if you guessed ;-)

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 1:02 am 1:02 am

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 1:04 am 1:04 am

Tierra, I’ve really lost the point you are trying to make about the media as corporate. I’m sure you can look up yourself about the arguments for the different types of media bias. But whatever you’re trying to say I just don’t get it.
I like the idea of Matthews being a conservative plant, thought. How about Olbermann? Is he a plant too?

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 1:07 am 1:07 am

Posted by: OOP’s | Jan 26, 2010 12:54:45 AM
You may have a point about that. I think they thought it was going to like the first Gulf War. Lots of embedded reporters and fun stuff to boost their ratings. That’s probably why they turned on him.
I guess I didn’t mean they always take the liberal point of view but that they are overwhelmingly Democrat as opposed to Republican and it falls under the “bias” discussion.

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 1:13 am 1:13 am

Posted by: tierra | Jan 26, 2010 1:04:50 AM
So you don’t care that Obama is overspending – you’re just mad that the Republicans are hypocrites? How does that help anyone?
I’m not defending Bush. I just don’t think that pointing out the hypocrisy let’s Obama off the hook. If Obama overspends as well as Bush, we’re still in a big mess.
“Every western industrialized country has instituted stimulus plans, deficit funding and tax cuts in order to stave off the complete collapse of the economies.”
What will be the long term affects of this? Massive debt? Higher taxes? Do we know?

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 1:26 am 1:26 am

So you don’t care that Obama is overspending – you’re just mad that the Republicans are hypocrites?
_______________________________
First I’m pointing out how inept the Republicans were at small government and eliminating the deficit.
Second I’m pointing out the hypocrisy.
Third, the long term prospects for the United States are baffling to me. I think Obama has some excellent ideas – position the country for the new energy economies of the future.
One might also say – attempt to position the country for the economies of reduced natural resources and reduced material goods of the future.
I simply do not see world resources supporting the glut of mass consumer society for all that long – especially with the developing countries beginning to also consume at extraordinary rates.
How do you see the future?

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 1:32 am 1:32 am

Posted by: tierra | Jan 26, 2010 1:16:42 AM
None of these guys are “journalists” but are simply political commentators.

Posted by: For The Record | January 26, 2010, 1:32 am 1:32 am

Have to call it quits for tonight. Reading a Vince Flynn novel and Mitch Rapp is about to torture some terrorists. Don’t want to be distracted for that!
Until tomorrow, this is For The Record signing off… ;-)

Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | January 26, 2010, 1:36 am 1:36 am

Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | Jan 26, 2010 1:36:10 AM
Before you go – just answer the one question about the future . .. important

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 1:37 am 1:37 am

Who is Ellie Light ????

Posted by: pecanpii | January 26, 2010, 1:48 am 1:48 am

Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | Jan 26, 2010 1:36:10 AM
Before you go – just answer the one question about the future . .. important
Posted by: tierra | Jan 26, 2010 1:37:32 AM
Future?
Higher taxes
Politics continuing to drive any real change in alternative energy sources which is wrong
We’ve been worried about oil for 40 years. Technology now allows safe drilling. Let’s do it but keep working on alternatives. Long term yes we need to replace it. I would love to drive an electric car but we are still years away from affordability on main street. It was dangled as a carrot long before it was really feasible. Technology is finally starting to catch up.
I’m not well read on the global energy stuff so I’ll pass on that. I’m not a Jetsons kind of guy. I like grass, trees and flower!
Obama did not bring us back from the brink. We are still there. We could slip over at any moment. Until we reduce the deficit we will always be at risk.
Sorry this wasn’t better. I’m typing on my iPod and not thinking very clearly.

Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | January 26, 2010, 2:08 am 2:08 am

“One might also say – attempt to position the country for the economies of reduced natural resources and reduced material goods of the future.”
Posted by: tierra | Jan 26, 2010 1:32:08 AM
Socialism? No thanks.

Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | January 26, 2010, 2:25 am 2:25 am

Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | Jan 26, 2010 2:25:31 AM
I just mean I think we really do have to visualize how people are going to get by and thrive after gross consumer consumption is no longer feasible .. . we’ve been very fortunate for a long time

Posted by: tierra | January 26, 2010, 2:36 am 2:36 am

That’s probably why they turned on him
Posted by: For The Record
not sure if I understand your point..
are you saying that the press ‘turned’ on Bush because their story on the war was no longer a good one, and the media was exacting some kind of revenge for that?
re: ‘they are overwhelmingly Democrat as opposed to Republican ‘
maybe, depending on which party is in power, the ‘bias’ is generated based on the current reality, ie: good or bad progress for the country,
quality of policies… for example:
Bush was nailed about WMD’s and the need to invade Iraq.
Obama is being nailed on his campaign promises of ‘change and transparency’ and his use of deficit spending to correct a terrible economy.
‘Most people’ see and hear what they want.
Fox has a point of view, as does MSNBC, CNN and even ABC. Some are more subtle than others, but all are used to generate business for their respective corporations. Want to generate ratings, have Ann Coulter, Janeane
Garofolo, or Liz Cheney on your show….

Posted by: OOP's | January 26, 2010, 3:05 am 3:05 am

thank you

Posted by: umuts | January 26, 2010, 4:02 am 4:02 am

Ugh… you make me sick Obama.
Act like you are for the first time in your life admitting that you lied, and then turn around and say “Wo wo wo, I, ME, THIS GOD ON EARTH didn’t break promises… I didn’t negotiate behind closed doors… it was congress!!”
Such lies… although I’m sure sometimes he wasn’t there he was out playing golf or tossing the football around in the oval office.
What a chump.

Posted by: David | January 26, 2010, 9:49 am 9:49 am

Not necessarily a mistake, but given that he has ignored the wishes of the people, it certainly looks like a mistake.
If, on the other hand, he was attending to the concerns of the people, and not his own personal agenda, that probably wouldn’t matter much.

Posted by: Rick McDaniel | January 26, 2010, 9:52 am 9:52 am

the concerns of the people,
Posted by: Rick McDaniel
but, ‘most people’ do want want health care reform, the sad part is that the Dems can’t speak plain english and explain what it is they plan to do….
add in the Republican misinformation and paranoia choir, and the inept Dems making last minute deals with other Dems that seem crazy, and you have a recipe for nothing happening and public disenchantment and angst.

Posted by: OOP's | January 26, 2010, 10:04 am 10:04 am

ALL of Obama’s promises come with an expiration date.

Posted by: Obama, YOU LIE! | January 26, 2010, 11:13 am 11:13 am

BHO: My constant lying and deceit is actually Bush’s fault…

Posted by: brodave | January 26, 2010, 11:32 am 11:32 am

His blaming congress for the process was equivalent to knocking over over those still willing to walk the plank for his policies and agenda…

Posted by: cooperscopy | January 26, 2010, 11:36 am 11:36 am

Obama has an excuse for everything. So the boy genius thinks that lying, bribing, cheating were wrong… to late! So Obama lies about being sorry for the deceptive administration ever… lies to cover lies to cover lies.

Posted by: tobias2012 | January 26, 2010, 11:48 am 11:48 am

Obama lies about being sorry for the deceptive administration ever… lies to cover lies to cover lies.
Posted by: tobias2012
so, you’re realizing this after 12 months, but you never realized it after 8 years of Bush & Cheney.
methinks you doth protest too much

Posted by: Not | January 26, 2010, 12:02 pm 12:02 pm

@NOT
So you join BHO in blaming Bush for his deceit and lying? This is too good!

Posted by: brodave | January 26, 2010, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm

brodave:
you need to brush up on your reading and comprehension skills…. what I said was that it is a strange thing to see such ‘concern’ about the veracity of Obama’s claims when Republicans were silent for 8 years of Bush and Cheney,
if Republicans like yourself would have been expressing that vociferous concern from 2001 until Jan 20, 2009, you would have a point to make, but you did not.

Posted by: NOT | January 26, 2010, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm

Please note that when the President ‘clarified’ his ‘apology’ it turns out that what he is saying is “I’m sorry this is all Congress’ fault, not mine:”
So let’s just clarify. I didn’t make a bunch of deals. There is a legislative process that is taking place in Congress and I am happy to own up to the fact that I have not changed Congress and how it operates the way I would have liked.”
He lied here, btw, because a number of deals were indeed made in and by the White House.
I think it’s interesting that his apology here isn’t at all about him. He’s plainly says here that he is sorry that CONGRESS is behaving badly, and he makes it perfectly clear that this is only his fault insofar as he was unable to make Congress listen to him and change their nasty ways.
What astonishes me is that the press has never bothered to point out that the oft repeated campaign promises to air all Congressional debates on Health Care over C-Span was not a promise the President ever had the authority to make or keep. The Executive branch of government does not get to tell the Legislative branch when, where, and how to have their discussions.
It’s a real shame that there were no press watch-dogs who noticed this or thought it important enough to bring it to the public’s attention.

Posted by: deputyheadmistress | January 26, 2010, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm

Republicans always make the most stupid comments, then the usual ‘that’s not what I meant to say’…
‘A Republican candidate for the U.S. House from Illinois has apologized for sending out a mailer that suggests his primary opponent condones human trafficking,’
‘State Rep. Alfred Baldasaro to resign after claiming that the state of New Hampshire is selling children to gay couples for $10,000 a piece.’
‘South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer has compared those on government assistance to “stray animals,” saying that the reason you stop feeding animals is that “they breed.”

Posted by: Sasquatch | January 26, 2010, 12:38 pm 12:38 pm

Obama voted ‘Present’ again.
‘It wasn’t me. It was Congress. They didn’t open up and be transparent like I promised.’
Of course Obama was never going to be able to make the Senate open it’s process. He was a rookie Senator who didn’t even finish his term. He has zero clout with most members while he was there.
He had even less influence with the House.
Come 2012 these guys are gonna let him twist in the wind like they did Jimmy Carter.

Posted by: Joe White | January 26, 2010, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm

It’s a real shame that there were no press watch-dogs who noticed this or thought it important enough to bring it to the public’s attention.
Posted by: deputyheadmistress
you could say the same about Iraq

Posted by: Ho-Down | January 26, 2010, 1:05 pm 1:05 pm

Wanna compare gov’t size again? Yours is bigger.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn
But Dems are much, much, much less hypocritical about it. Dems don’t pretend to be ant-govt’ libertarian populists for small government, spouting all the rhetoric that involves, and then doing the exact opposite at every turn– and in my lifetime Dems have a much, much better record of actually reducing the deficit. (How many Republicans increased the deficit again… and said deficits aren’t a worry…See Reagan, Cheney, etc. )

Posted by: progressive mama | January 26, 2010, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm

It was a mistake for Obama to admit
he made a mistake He is worthy no more
of his throne on Olymous.

Posted by: Sir Toby Belch | January 26, 2010, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm

The Opaque Mistake.

Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | January 26, 2010, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm

in my lifetime Dems have a much, much better record of actually reducing the deficit.
Posted by: progressive mama | Jan 26, 2010 2:48:14 PM
Are you talking about Clinton and the Republican congress of the 90′s? If so that makes no sense.

Posted by: 'Un-American' | January 26, 2010, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm

I am a democrat. But I must praise Bush. For not uttering a word about Obama’s blaming him all the time and saying other nasty things. ….So BRAVO to you Bush for keeping silent.
..

Posted by: betty11 | January 26, 2010, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm

Betty – very nice comment. Good of you to notice. Turns out that the classy thing to do is for ex Presidents to remain silent on the actions of the sitting President.
A lot of people don’t like George Bush – (this blog is the Bush whipping post for many posters) and tend to blame him for every evil known to man since – umm – oh – genesis.
Bush may have this Texan, laid back demeanor but he comes from a background of gentlemen. They remain silent and poised – he simply will not weigh in on President Obama’s performance, policies or propensity to blame him. His Father never did that and he won’t either.
Whatever else, Bush will always be a gentleman.

Posted by: Lone Star Rules | January 26, 2010, 9:51 pm 9:51 pm

O’Bama is the biggest liar but at least he now tactily admits he has no control over his party’s leadership. There is no one at the helm.
One year and a lame duck. At least we have that to be thankful for.

Posted by: TrueConservative | January 27, 2010, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm

All of you are holding things against Obama prematurely. Yes he’s been in office for a year, but look at the things that has changed in that time. I can say, I’ve had a better chance of getting a job all because of some critical changes he made, as well as witnessing my peers get health insurance or funding for school. He’s fighting a hard battle and you all want it be right over night?! Ha! You are a fool if you think one person can change decades of mess in one year. He’s trying to make history here. Did it take Washington and the others to change ‘the new America’ over night? We surely didn’t gain our independence because one man said we needed it. It was a long hard fight our ancestors put up to gain solitude from those overbearing leaders we once faced. Changing this country for the better is something I take very seriously, and if I expect one man to change it in a short period of time, then my confidence in this country is weakened. It’s weakened by a feeling of distrust and a fear of failure. No smart decision is made quickly and unthoughtfully. Obama gets four years, I’ll give him four to turn around this old, stuck in its ways, traditional habitat of a country.
Also, give him a break on what he says. Anyone in their right mind would never take a mans (human being) word for worth. Its the actions and changes we see that makes ‘his word his bond.’
I will admit, I’m young and I’ve never been more aware of the politics in this country; but I know my history, recent and earlier. We as Americans are not as strong as our ancestors, nor are we as involved. Change doesn’t just come from the president, change starts in the mirror.

Posted by: YoungBlackFemale | January 29, 2010, 6:23 pm 6:23 pm

How can I get the viedo of the interview? I saw part of it on FNC so I assume its available. Great Job Diane!!!!

Posted by: Ed | February 1, 2010, 9:34 pm 9:34 pm

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