By Maya

Sep 21, 2010 8:58am

President Obama’s Message to ‘Griping and Groaning’ Democrats

ABC News' Jake Tapper reports: Last night at the Pyramid Club in Philadelphia, President Obama said “when I hear Democrats griping and groaning and saying, ‘Well, you know, the health care plan didn’t have a public option;’ and I don’t know, ‘The financial reform — there was a provision here that I think we should have gotten better’; or, ‘You know what, yes, you ended the war in Iraq, the combat mission there, but you haven’t completely finished the Afghan war yet’; or this or that or the other — I say, folks, wake up.” Continued the president: “This is not some academic exercise.  As Joe Biden put it, don’t compare us to the Almighty; compare us to the alternative.” Our GMA report:     -Jake Tapper

User Comments

Continued the president: “This is not some academic exercise. As Joe Biden put it, don’t compare us to the Almighty; compare us to the alternative.”
Correct..only the radical left wing Media compares him to the Almighty
The rest of us knows who and what he is…
Obama VS America

Posted by: Yep I said that | September 21, 2010, 9:09 am 9:09 am

“Democrats griping and groaning”…lol
It’s not only the Democrat politicians doing that, Democrats everywhere are doing that, especially those in states like Nevada with 14% unemployment and California with 12.5% unemployment and…well, pick any state and any constituency – griping and groaning is bipartisan under Obama…

Posted by: Sigmonde | September 21, 2010, 9:11 am 9:11 am

‘What’s this griping and groaning about a little ice? This ship is fantastic and unsinkable.Look at all of the great work we have done since we left port.Full Speed Ahead”-Capt. Barry Obama Smith,1912.

Posted by: Nephron | September 21, 2010, 9:13 am 9:13 am

Mr. Obama when I compare you to the alternative I find any alternative to look refreshing!
When bleeding was considered sound medical practice patients were often subjected to another round of bleeding when they failed to perk up and get their color back. Why don’t you just bleed us some more?

Posted by: Ed Taylor | September 21, 2010, 9:53 am 9:53 am

A miracle would be welcome about now. When the Repubs would not join in to help create fair Wall Street control or Health Care reform that we all know was needed, the country was lost. The Repubs will likely lie and distort their way back into power and Drug makers will still steal us blind. Health Care costs will continue to rise. Wall street will get fatter. Our economy will get worse… I hope that voters are smart enough to not believe the lies of those most responsible for the mess we are in. You can’t have government without fair taxation. You can not give to the rich and expect them to share it with the poor. Turning around the problems with our great country will take time. We do not need more of the same failed policies.

Posted by: Ed Reynolds | September 21, 2010, 10:23 am 10:23 am

All this “Intra-party anger” among the Democrats is dangerous for America.

Posted by: Obama: Of Me I Sing | September 21, 2010, 10:27 am 10:27 am

“This is not some academic exercise. As Joe Biden put it, don’t compare us to the Almighty; compare us to the alternative.”
———
I agree with this, Mr. President.
My brother-in-law, a former Navy man, who used to like McCain, prior to his run for President, came over yesterday and wanted to talk about what I thought about the Republicans and the tea party Is it me, he asked, or have the Republicans really lost their minds, and don’t just give me the partisan response, he said, and are the tea partiers a separate party or what? so we engaged a bit… and he said, okay,so you say this isn’t new, it has just expanded and been mainstreamed and they’re mostly just Republicans and a few anti-everything peeps who join up with every new movement that shakes a fist at the government, though personally I think its worse and more insane than anything I remember in my lifetime. How can anyone vote for them?
And if Dems look at their record, how can they even consider not getting out there and voting this November.
I have no idea, I answered, no idea on either. We all must exercise our right to vote, and we should take that right seriously, not throw it away on goofbombs without a clue.
This is what the real world looks like, off line, btw. The alternative isn’t appealing. They are wrong on every important issue, including tax cuts. Its just more of the same b.s. that got us here. Once elected, Republicans have never been fiscally responsible or on the side of smaller or more limited government. They extend spending, executive power and military power. They ignore domestic issues.
Don’t go backwards.
And, Mr. President, press Congress to vote on the middle class tax cuts.

Posted by: Cara | September 21, 2010, 10:34 am 10:34 am

“Don’t compare us to the Almighty, compare us to the alternative.” – Prez Obama
OK. Nanny State Liberalism vs Constitutional Conservatism.
Check, done that as have millions of Americans.
We prefer the alternative and we will tell you so this November.

Posted by: Noz | September 21, 2010, 10:45 am 10:45 am

Cara, if your brother-in-law wanted to find out about the Tea Party, what they are doing, and how America views them, he should have come here. If he was expecting a non-partisan response from you he doesn’t know you very well.

Posted by: Noz | September 21, 2010, 10:54 am 10:54 am

Some of you don’t know what the alternative really is. You just can’t handle Obama as President. “lead, follow, or get out of the way!”

Posted by: Gerald | September 21, 2010, 10:59 am 10:59 am

If he was expecting a non-partisan response from you he doesn’t know you very well.
Posted by: Noz | Sep 21, 2010 10:54:15 AM
He knows me better than you do– I wouldn’t confuse real life with commenting online with political purpose.

Posted by: Cara | September 21, 2010, 11:02 am 11:02 am

Jonathan Chait had a good line about the current situation:
“Conservatives often find it natural to muster enthusiasm on behalf of a party in power. Liberals seem to do so only on behalf of an idealistic alternative, which inevitably falls short of their dreams(TNR)
The alternative that we’ll get in reality, folks, falls even further from our various dreams. We’ve seen how it all sorts out. Its not good.

Posted by: Cara | September 21, 2010, 11:08 am 11:08 am

I don’t care how you look at it…President Obama came to office with this country in the worst economic shape it has been in history except for the great depression. At least his policies stopped the bleeding. Also, whatever additional spending that the congress authorized was due to the drought in social spending when President Bush was in office. So I urge all of you faithful Democrats, don’t give up on Obama now…stay the course so that the Repubs won’t take credit for what good is to come. Finally, the same people who fought against civil rights are the same people who are against Obama today. The right wing conservatives are basicly the same old southern led racist of yester-year. Don’t be fooled. Stay on board and vote for the Democrats wherever they are running.

Posted by: Bill Wilkins | September 21, 2010, 11:46 am 11:46 am

don’t give up on Obama now…stay the course so that the Repubs won’t take credit for what good is to come. Finally, the same people who fought against civil rights are the same people who are against Obama today. The right wing conservatives are basicly the same old southern led racist of yester-year. Don’t be fooled. Stay on board and vote for the Democrats wherever they are running.
Posted by: Bill Wilkins
—————————————-
Republicans and Civil Rights
Even though those Democrats were Southern segregationists, without Republicans the bill would have failed. Republicans were the other much-needed leg of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Kind of makes you feel stupid now doesn’t it. do your homework next time.. you can also “BING” Who the low life democrats were that voted against Civil Rights…..
just more lies from the radical left wing extremist
Obama——-Verses——America

Posted by: Yep I said that | September 21, 2010, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm

IS Obama about to appoint a “therapy czar”
to handle his radical left wing extremist followers, disillusion problems?
Obama VS America

Posted by: Yep I said that | September 21, 2010, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm

Don’t give up on the Detroit Lions. They’re doing amazing things. They started to turn the franchise around a decade ago and, by golly, just hang in with them for another decade and I’m sure they’ll be a great team.

Posted by: Dave | September 21, 2010, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm

Democrats, dont give up on Obama yet, wait until the bus goes over the cliff before you jump out. Opps sorry, it has already left the ground, your screwed.

Posted by: billy bob | September 21, 2010, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm

What he doesn’t want to be God anymore?

Posted by: Freedom | September 21, 2010, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm

to get back in office the repubs all wealthy in bussiness had job layoffs the bullets even if it cost them untill they get back in office

Posted by: tom henry | September 21, 2010, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm

Bill Wilkins; Bill I totally agree with your comment,but on must wonder do Democrates have the stomach to stay the course, endurances is the key word,I too believe that the best years of the Democrates plan is yet ahead or just around the corner, can we stay the course? because the republican are relentless in there resolve to cause failure or the illusion of failure.

Posted by: gman | September 21, 2010, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm

With all the changes and stopping the economy from totally collapsing as far as Republicans had hoped and predicted it would, you’d think that the voters would give both Obama and the Democrats some credit.
BUT NOOO! Since today’s voters are brainwashed by the Conservative Republican Tea Party right winged nut cases, they have turned into the gullible believing everything positive as a negative.

Posted by: Angie | September 21, 2010, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm

You know what? I listened to an interview ABC had w/Ahmadinejad over the weekend — and Obamma is beginning to sound more and more like that guy all the time — dillusional & w a y
off the wall.

Posted by: WBGSJ | September 21, 2010, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm

Continued the president: “This is not some academic exercise. As Joe Biden put it, don’t compare us to the Almighty; compare us to the alternative.”
Don’t ‘compare’ you to the Almighty? The way the MSM put you out there during the campaign and the first few months of your presidency, I thought you WERE the Almighty. But, then I remembered part of one of my favorite passages in the Bible: …”but God, who cannot lie…” and realized that, no, you couldn’t be the Almighty. Like a dump truck, your mouth opens and lies fall out.

Posted by: Shoe | September 21, 2010, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm

I thought you WERE the Almighty.
Posted by: Shoe | Sep 21, 2010 1:33:06 PM
Sounds like you were delusional. Most people recognized a politician with policies and direction – most of which he’s begun to implement.
Where are the Republican policies? Like on Afghanistan, immigration, the economy?

Posted by: Jim | September 21, 2010, 1:37 pm 1:37 pm

Wow! Obama is not above using God Almighty Himself as a strawman when it come to evading responsibility.

Posted by: Quite frankly, I'm exhausted of defending you | September 21, 2010, 1:45 pm 1:45 pm

Oh my gosh! Does this man ever stop? He ended the war? Really? He is such a little man! I only have one question, why?

Posted by: whatsgoingonhere? | September 21, 2010, 2:11 pm 2:11 pm

Well, you know. We still have people in Iraq both military and mercenary so the war ain’t ended. Yet another lie.

Posted by: jan | September 21, 2010, 2:21 pm 2:21 pm

We still have people in Iraq both military and mercenary so the war ain’t ended. Yet another lie.
Posted by: jan | Sep 21, 2010 2:21:45 PM
Military was kept in Germany after WWII – does that mean the war hadn’t ended?

Posted by: Jim | September 21, 2010, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm

By the way. You’ll get the rest of my message when I go to the polls in November and vote for every third party candidate I can find on the ballot and write in where there isn’t a third party candidate. Then I’m going to sit back and watch you flail and flounder in earnest with your new, probably republican, Congress, Mr. Obama. You haven’t represented my interests any more than they have.

Posted by: jan | September 21, 2010, 2:26 pm 2:26 pm

“Republicans and Civil Rights
Even though those Democrats were Southern segregationists, without Republicans the bill would have failed. Republicans were the other much-needed leg of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
That is true. The tiny minority of Republican that were in Congress joined with Democrats against Southern Democrats to overcome a fillbuster and pass the Civil Rights Act. When Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, he stated that this act would cost the Democrats the South for a generation or more.
Then we had the Southern Strategy employed first by Nixon then by other Southern Republicans aimed as exploiting racial tensions to bring white working class voters to the GOP.
How telling that right wingers have to reach back 45 years to a time when they joined with Democrats to do something right about civil rights.

Posted by: Ryan C | September 21, 2010, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm

Comparing this administration to the alternative gives me the chills. I can’t imagine McCain and Palin dealing with all the problems this administration has dealt with, most of them the result of the Repubs controlling things for many years.
McCain admitted he knew little about the economy and Palin seemed to know little about most topics in every interview with questions she wasn’t coached for.
It is vitally important that the Repubs don’t get a majority in the House or Senate this fall. They have demonstrated again and again, that they have no answers to our country’s problems except for cutting taxes for the rich, (even though that didn’t work in the past to boost the economy), they only care about the profits of corporations, not the workers who actually ‘make it happen’.

Posted by: Lydia | September 21, 2010, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm

Democrats have been passing what have been proved to be republican goals and policies for them and I’m supposed to see a difference between democrats and republicans at this point? Even better, I’m supposed to be afraid of returning republicans to office because they’re going to pass their own policies instead of us passing them? If it wasn’t so sad and pathetic I’d be rofl at the ridiculousness of it all.

Posted by: jan | September 21, 2010, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm

“Comparing this administration to the alternative gives me the chills. I can’t imagine McCain and Palin dealing with all the problems this administration has dealt with,” – Lydia
Well they wouldn’t have had to Lydia because a whole boat load of the problems are self induced.

Posted by: Noz | September 21, 2010, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm

“Comparing this administration to the alternative gives me the chills. I can’t imagine McCain and Palin dealing with all the problems this administration has dealt with,” – Lydia
Well they wouldn’t have had to Lydia because a whole boat load of the problems are self induced.”
I think Sarah Palin quitting a year and a half in would have caused problems with a McCain Administration.
True the country would have been served by Palin no longer being in line for the Presidency but mid term replacement of a VP would have to be difficult.

Posted by: Ryan C | September 21, 2010, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm

The President seems to think it is appropriate to respond to any type of criticism with a stern reprimand. People are still grappling with serious issues. Forgive them if their problems happen to offend the President’s delicate sensibilities.
If he is expecting a daily affirmation (or fist pump)from all of us- Who really needs to “wake up”, the President or his constituents?

Posted by: Virtus2021 | September 21, 2010, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm

Posted by: Virtus2021 | Sep 21, 2010 5:08:31 PM
The President seems to have to remind people of what kind of alternative the Repubicans were, and would be . .. which is understandable.

Posted by: John | September 21, 2010, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm

Obama is an arrogant fool and a national disgrace.

Posted by: Chief Tuscaloosa | September 21, 2010, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm

When one party controls the House, the Senate, and the Bully Pulpit, there’s no such thing as “bi-partisanship”! It’s always “It’s my way or the highway”. So lets stop with the partisan rhetoric for once. Sick of it

Posted by: LongT | September 21, 2010, 7:36 pm 7:36 pm

True the country would have been served by Palin no longer being in line for the Presidency but mid term replacement of a VP would have to be difficult.
Posted by: Ryan C | Sep 21, 2010 4:46:07 PM
But instead we have a VP who despite spending 30+ years in DC believes he is “second in line to the presidency”… And the person who actually is second in line to the presidency is a far, far left “progressive” radical who is even more out of touch with reality than The Boy King.
Dunno about the rest of y’all, but 6 weeks from tonight I’ll be sitting on my sofa with a six pack of beer, popcorn, and a list of incumbent Democrats whose names I will check-off as their defeats are announced.

Posted by: tjp612 | September 21, 2010, 9:38 pm 9:38 pm

tjp612 Said: “…6 weeks from tonight I’ll be sitting on my sofa with a six pack of beer, popcorn…”
======================================
LMAO!, just add in “…trailer home, dog(s), MEDICARE Card, and the “I Don’t Want Socialized Medicne” sign and you fit the Tea Partier image PERFECTLY!

Posted by: Georgie_Bushie | September 21, 2010, 10:21 pm 10:21 pm

So Obama thinks the Iraq war is over? OMG!

Posted by: LongT | September 22, 2010, 8:30 am 8:30 am

Posted by: Georgie_Bushie | Sep 21, 2010 10:21:25 PM
Gutless move changing names there, Ryan.

Posted by: Obama: Of Me I Sing | September 22, 2010, 9:16 am 9:16 am

Long T…as far as we are concerned and the people in charge in Iraq…it is. We had to leave…they gave us a deadline and we had to adhere to it. We are not in charge there ….they have some form of government and guess what…they have made a decision…we don’t have to like it or agree with it. A pact was made we would get out at a certain date and Obama lived up to it…yes, there are soldiers there but that also was in the agreement so when the time comes..they will come home also. If the Iraqi government cannot take charge…it is too bad…we did all we could for them and now it is up to them what kind of life they want to live. Their people will have to choose..not us.

Posted by: talmag | September 22, 2010, 9:37 am 9:37 am

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