The President held the second prime-time of his presidency after a difficult ten days in which he has been forced on the defensive after apparently failing to anticipate the public backlash over the bonuses paid out at the ailing AIG insurance giant.Well, he probably waited because he was frantically attempting to come up with a plausible reason why he rushed through a bill with an amendment that clearly stated that bonuses included in contracts signed before the bill passed were excluded. That wording was necessary to ensure the bill was constitutional.
In a press conference dominated by his handling of the recession, Obama was asked why, after being informed of the bonuses, he had waited several days to inform the public.
So it’s a little strange that he’s drumming up public anger about it now, isn’t it?
Perhaps someone might like to ask some awkward questions about that?
Some….journalist….perhaps?
The CNN White House correspondent, Ed Henry, who asked the question, also suggested that the New York attorney-general, Andrew Cuomo, was doing a better job of dealing with AIG than the White House.Pressure getting to you, is it, Mr Smooth…? Oh dear!
Obama gave a general answer and Henry asked again why he had taken a few days to inform the public. The normally cool and controlled president replied sharply: "It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak."
Even the ‘Guardian’ can’t deny the reality for much longer:
The exchange was unusual, both because it is rare to hear US journalists ask Obama hard questions and rare to see Obama in a testy mood. Much of the rest of the press conference was so carefully choreographed, with a long opening statement, it seemed at times like an extended political broadcast.Well, well, well.
It seems young female lawyers aren’t the only ones waking up to a horrifying sight on the pillow after throwing caution and principles to the wind and indulging themselves…
The mass public anger here in the US over these bonuses is widespread and spontaneous and doesn't need "whipping up" by Obama. If anything, he's trying to do the minimum he can get away with to appease public outrage, and is probably wishing the whole issue would go away. His own rating in the polls has suffered because he's perceived as not doing enough to squelch the bonuses.
ReplyDelete"It seems young female lawyers aren’t the only ones waking up to a horrifying sight on the pillow after throwing caution and principles to the wind and indulging themselves…"
ReplyDeleteThat was you, Julia? I'm ever so sorry!
"The mass public anger here in the US over these bonuses is widespread and spontaneous and doesn't need "whipping up" by Obama."
ReplyDeleteIs it, though? And if it is, is anyone explaining to those people professing anger at 'fat cats' exactly how the situation has come about?
And how that bill expressly permitted the awarding of the bonuses that Obama's administration is now trying to claw back?
"His own rating in the polls has suffered because he's perceived as not doing enough to squelch the bonuses."
If that's the real reason for his ratings taking a dive, I'll eat my hat!
"That was you, Julia? I'm ever so sorry!"
Lol!
This is what happens when he doesn't have his answers on the teleprompter.
ReplyDeleteIf that's the real reason for his ratings taking a dive, I'll eat my hat!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the MSNBC article I linked on my blog about this issue has expired now, but yes, people are holding this specific point against him, although there are other negatives for him as well, of course.
It's obvious that Obama, like the whole political and media establishment in the US, was blindsided by how much public anger has erupted over this issue. I'm still not sure that he, or the rest of them, really get it. In trying to "claw back" the bonuses and prevent any more of this kind of thing from happening (or at least trying to give the appearance of doing so), he's trying to catch up with public opinion. He certainly isn't leading it.
Believe me, this one I know about. I live here.