Pres. Obama: Fake balance is "one of the biggest problems we've got in how folks report . . ."

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tweeted by, daveweigel ‏@daveweigel

Obama: Fake balance is "one of the biggest problems we've got in how folks report about Washington right now." http://on.tnr.com/TGG9pM


FF: When you talk about Washington, oftentimes you use it as a way to describe this type of dysfunction. But it's a very broad brush. It can seem as if you're apportioning blame not just to one party, but to both parties—

PRESIDENT: Well, no, let me be clear. There's not a—there's no equivalence there. In fact, that's one of the biggest problems we've got in how folks report about Washington right now, because I think journalists rightly value the appearance of impartiality and objectivity. And so the default position for reporting is to say, "A plague on both their houses." On almost every issue, it's, "Well, Democrats and Republicans can't agree"—as opposed to looking at why is it that they can't agree. Who exactly is preventing us from agreeing?

And I want to be very clear here that Democrats, we've got a lot of warts, and some of the bad habits here in Washington when it comes to lobbyists and money and access really goes to the political system generally. It's not unique to one party. But when it comes to certain positions on issues, when it comes to trying to do what's best for the country, when it comes to really trying to make decisions based on fact as opposed to ideology, when it comes to being willing to compromise, the Democrats, not just here in this White House, but I would say in Congress also, have shown themselves consistently to be willing to do tough things even when it's not convenient, because it's the right thing to do. And we haven't seen that same kind of attitude on the other side.

Until Republicans feel that there's a real price to pay for them just saying no and being obstructionist, you'll probably see at least a number of them arguing that we should keep on doing it. It worked for them in the 2010 election cycle, and I think there are those who believe that it can work again. I disagree with them, and I think the cost to the country has been enormous.

But if you look at the most recent fiscal deal, I presented to Speaker Boehner a package that would have called for $1.2 trillion in new revenue—less than I actually think we need, but in the spirit of compromise—and over nine hundred billion dollars in spending cuts, some of which are very difficult. And yet, I'm confident we could have gotten Democratic votes for that package, despite the fact that we were going after some Democratic sacred cows. And had we gotten that done, it would have been good for the economy, and I think it would have changed the political environment in this town.

Democrats, as painful as it was, as much as we got attacked by some of our core constituencies, were willing to step up because it was the right thing to do. And the other side could not do that . . .


read interview with President Obama: http://www.newrepublic.com/article/112190/obama-interview-2013-sit-down-president


The White House Map Room, January 16, 2013

[Ian David]

1. One day, as an asteroid hurtles towards the Earth, the MSM will provide balance..

... by always having someone give the pro-extinction perspective.

[Nye Bevan]

3. Boehner: "this incoming asteroid gives us leverage in discussions about wider fiscal issues".

"There is a price for everything", Boehner told the President during a meeting to discuss ways to prevent the incoming asteroid from devastating the Earth.

[snot]

2. Meanwhile, the FCC plans to allow further media consolidation in the hands of Rupert Murdoch et al.

[woo me with science]

4. Yep, more evidence of rhetoric versus actions.

MORE Media Consolidation on the Table before Christmas
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021896902

Moyers: FCC moves toward more media consolidation
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021924578

http://billmoyers.com/2012/12/03/fcc-moves-towards-more-media-consolidation/

Moyers: But the chairman of the FCC is President Obama’s own appointee, his own choice to head it. Why would the president be wanting to approve a greater concentration of media?

Aaron: Well, that’s the $64 million question. Barack Obama as a senator was one of the leading voices against the exact same rules that his FCC chairman is pushing forward now. He wrote op-eds, he co-sponsored legislation to throw out these exact same rules, legislation that passed in the Senate. And yet, his own FCC chairman, his appointee, is suddenly in a huge rush to get this deal done....
....
Aaron: "....I don’t think the public’s opinion on this has changed at all — 99 percent are against it. I don’t think the Congress’s opinion has changed. We just saw ten or eleven senators send letters to the FCC saying don’t go forward. And I honestly believe the court’s opinion hasn’t changed. They rejected these same rules twice before, and if the FCC continues down this path they will reject them again. But we shouldn’t have to get to that point. We have an opportunity here to stop the runaway push toward media consolidation. How will this impact diversity of ownership? How will this impact local news? Let’s have a conversation about it — a public conversation — and stop trying to just push through favors for a small handful of moguls.

Moyers: What does it say to you that the chairman of the FCC is running a secret process that would, in effect, gut media ownership limits?

Aaron: Well, I think he’s forgotten who he’s supposed to actually work for. I think the chairman of the FCC thinks it’s his job to just negotiate between companies. And this is an opportunity to remind him that this is actually not his job. His job is to promote diversity. His job is to promote competition. His job is to promote consumer choice. That is not something he has always seen as part of his job, but this is really the time for him to learn that lesson. The Federal Communications Commission is a very captured agency. The big companies have a lot of power there. A lot of people who used to work in the building now work in industry; a lot of people who used to work in industry now work in that building. But at its core, what the FCC is supposed to do is represent the American public. And that’s something unfortunately this chairman is having to find out the hard way.

[rhett o rick]

5. Well put Mr. President. As long as we are talking about the right thing to do,

please repeal the Patriot Act, stop illegal domestic spying, and clear up the issue on indefinite detention.

[Arkana]

6. I really hope this is emblematic of an Obama who is going

to just call 'em how he sees 'em for the next four years.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

8. He'll call em as he sees em but do little about it.

Well, except for drilling off shore, drilling in Alaska, exterminating wolves... He got right on those.

[Jamaal510]

13. And ended the war in Iraq.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

15. Which was already ending.

[JDPriestly]

7. Translation: Isn't it wonderful how Democrats were willing to abandon and betray

seniors when the Republicans weren't? For shame. We seniors will not benefit from future improvements in the economy. Nor will people in their late 40s and 50s.

Young people will. It's very, very hard for young people now, and I do not understand why there isn't a movement to make education pay-as-you-go and not borrow-as-you-go, but those who are unemployed and in their 50s and those who are already retired paid the pre-Bush higher tax rates and should not now have to sacrifice because of Bush's big mistakes.

[woo me with science]

9. Yup.

I just made the mistake of turning on the Sunday shows for a moment. Face the Nation, I think, was pontificating on what type of President Obama will be during his second term...an "embracing" President, or a ...I think the word was "confrontational" ...one.

But how much more infuriating to hear this type of spin defending the impoverishment of millions coming from our Democratic President's own mouth.

[Enrique]

11. he calls it "bucking absolutist-wing elements"

Who is he talking about? Who is in our absolutist-wing? Raul Grijalva?

I think John Boehner genuinely wanted to get a deal done, but it was hard to do in part because his caucus is more conservative probably than most Republican leaders are, and partly because he is vulnerable to attack for compromising Republican principles and working with Obama.

The same dynamic happens on the Democratic side. I think the difference is just that the more left-leaning media outlets recognize that compromise is not a dirty word. And I think at least leaders like myself—and I include Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in this—are willing to buck the more absolutist-wing elements in our party to try to get stuff done.

[mountain grammy]

14. Seriously!! you hit it!

[woo me with science]

16. +1

[woo me with science]

17. Remember this?

I wonder what the numbers are today.


One in Six Seniors Lives in Poverty, New Analysis Finds
http://www.ncoa.org/press-room/press-release/one-in-six-seniors-lives-in.html

January 24, 2011
[e-mail]

Washington, DC – One in six older Americans lives below the federal poverty line, according to a new government analysis which almost doubles the number of very poor seniors compared to the standard estimate.

At 16%, the proportion of seniors living in poverty is also higher than the proportion of all Americans in poverty. The plight of poor women is particularly striking: 43% of Hispanic women who live alone, and 34% of black women who live alone, live in poverty, according to Supplemental Poverty Measure Research, an alternative calculation from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Supplemental Poverty Measure is a U.S. Census research tool that considers previously overlooked costs like out-of-pocket medical expenses and taxes that can create economic stress for seniors on fixed incomes.

“Too often, the struggles of elder poverty are invisible to policymakers and the public, yet millions are suffering and millions more are living on the edge of a financial crisis,” said Sandra Nathan, PhD, Senior Vice President of Economic Security at the National Council on Aging (NCOA), the leading nonprofit service and advocacy organization for older Americans. “Many seniors desperately need help assessing and navigating the options available to assist them in getting on a pathway to economic security, to meet their basic needs, survive an emergency, and afford medical care,” Nathan added.

With the first Boomers turning 65 this year, and savings, investments, and housing values still reeling from the economic downturn, the number of seniors who are struggling to make ends meet is likely to continue to grow.

[JDPriestly]

19. Cutting Medicare = killing old people.

[Vietnameravet]

10. Good point

I have noticed how Democrats want to bring the budget into balance with a combination of tax increases and spending cuts. Republicans only want spending cuts. Media then reports both sides "unwilling to compromise" !???

I guess that way they seem like they are "fair and balanced" when in reality they are fearful of alienating the right wing who thinks "fair and balanced" means only reporting what is favorable to them and "compromise" means Repubs offering sixteen different ways for Democrats to give them all they want..

About time someone called them out on it!

[MotherPetrie]

12. IOW, he's willing to cave, why aren't repugs???

[bigtree]

18. .