CNN UPDATE: OBAMA SAYS ELIZABETH WARREN 'ABSOLUTELY WRONG' ON TRADE, 4:13 PM ET, Sat. May 9, 2015

[appalachiablue]

"OBAMA SAYS ELIZABETH WARREN 'ABSOLUTELY WRONG' ON TRADE."

CNN POLITICS

By Kevin Bohn, CNN Supervising Producer

UPDATED 4:13 PM ET, Saturday May 9, 2015

Washington (CNN)- President Barack Obama is personally challenging some of the assertions being made by his fellow Democratic Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren over his push for greater free trade authority.

In an interview with Yahoo, released on SATURDAY, the President said "she's absolutely wrong" when talking about possible implications if Congress grants him more authority to negotiate trade pacts.

Warren has become one of the fiercest critics against the proposal for fast-track authority for trade agreements which would mean the Senate could only vote up or down on them but not approve any amendments.

Earlier this week, Warren said in a speech that SUCH AUTHORITY COULD MEAN A FUTURE PRESIDENT COULD UNDO SOME OF THE BANKING REFORMS PUT IN AFTER THE 2008 ECONOMIC MELTDOWN.


MORE...http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/09/politics/barack-obama-elizabeth-warren-trade/

[appalachiablue]

1. Among many concerns with TPP, the Trans Pacific Partnership is the potential roll back

of banking reforms enacted with Dodd-Frank after the 2008 economic meltdown. The EU component of this TPP trade agreement- T-TIP, has been heavily protested in Europe for some time.

[appalachiablue]

18. Note: This CNN UPDATE article in the OP contains LINKS Inside the Main Article to three other

Last edited Sun May 10, 2015, 06:23 PM - Edit history (1)

worthwhile news pieces on the TPP topic if you haven't taken a look:
"Democrats work against Obama on trade"; Video: &quot World Map), Here's why the TPP is such a big deal";
and "Related: Obama sells trade deal to house Democrats".

Also *YAHOO POLITICS released news about the TPP and Pres. Obama on Saturday, May 9. There are several other Threads about this circulating on DU now.

PHOTO, Yahoo, *Recommend: VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH PRES. OBAMA ON THE TPP, (*SEE BELOW).
https://s1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/4kRCTi3_t7N9vqnPnU8MiA--/dz0xMDI0O2g9NTIzO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNu/

ARTICLE & VIDEO, "Columnist Matt Bai Interviews PRESIDENT OBAMA on the TPP", Yahoo, Sat. May 9, 2015
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/why-obama-is-happy-to-fight-elizabeth-warren-on-118537612596.html

[DJ13]

2. Its absolutely wrong for THIS issue to be the one thing Obama shows any passion about

Then to praise Republicans while using one of the most popular Democrats in all of DC (Warren) as a foil in arguing for it is just idiotic, and a slap at his own party's historic ideals.

[appalachiablue]

7. TPP is a huge deal, negotiated in secret since c. 2005 during Bush by 600 corporate trade reps.

behind closed doors. The TPP's EU part, the T-TIP, has been actively protested by Europeans for some time.

This wide reaching corporate coup d'état will capture the neoliberal economic global Jewel in the Crown. Lobbying and pressure on TPP-opposed Dems., and increased news coverage now are to finalize Fast -Track passage of the Trade Agreement very soon.

Perennial WH financial figure, Larry Summers, Clinton's Treasury Secy. and Obama economic advisor cautioned Eliz. Warren in 2009 that there are only two kinds of people: insiders and outsiders. The one rule that insiders never break is talking against other insiders he said. Summers also recently told Warren to tone down criticism of proposed changes favoring banks in budget negotiations.

Marginalizing Warren serves several purposes for corporate centrists who view her as an annoyance or threat especially in obtaining the green light for the TPP. Obama said he was closer to a moderate Republican years back and so to some his fight for this trade deal is no surprise, for others it's puzzling and out of character.

[DJ13]

8. You explained that very well

Thank you!

[appalachiablue]

9. No problem, it's the Monster of Trade Deals I'm afraid, esp. after NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO.

There have been many great OPs, posts and videos about the TPP here for months, along with info. from independent journalists, labor and consumer groups, and WikiLeaks- all trying to find out about it, to understand the complexity and its impacts. And if it's so great, why is it a secret? The folks in charge have the answers to that too.

[tularetom]

28. "Summers…told Warren to tone down criticism…of banks…"

WTF is he telling her anything for? He's not the boss of her.

I'm sure it didn't bother her but the fact that he thinks he can talk to her like that bothers me.

[appalachiablue]

29. Yep, tone down criticism of banks or we'll break your kneecaps- I mean withhold

$ for Dem. candidates, what I understood. Ownership by the Mob. As I was just reading Summers does the blocking, is the muscle man of the group as opposed to fmr. Citibank Exec. Robt. Rubin, Clinton's Treasurer (1995-1999) who is non-confrontational.
Rubin got out of the Treasury post just in the nick of time- after Glass Steagall was reversed (their dream) and when new high risk derivatives and commodities futures were rolling- but before the Crash of 2008.

When Summers was Harvard Pres. (mid 90s?) he said women didn't have the smarts for the sciences, and he harassed Dr. Cornell West who left for Princeton. He's a real gem they say.

Warren is exemplary, doesn't let them get to her. Many high level women in fiancé have sense and integrity like federal regulator Brooksley Born, Sheila Bair and Christina Romer who was on Obama's economic team initially, but parted ways mainly because she wanted more TARP $ to help the people I think.

[GoneFishin]

3. See that bully pulpit thing he is doing right there? THAT is what he could have done for all of

the liberal causes for which we were told that "he is not a dictator", and "he is powerless against the Republican obstruction", and "he tried, but it is not his fault because REPUBLICANS".

I never had a problem with the progressive goals or campaign promises which he was unable to accomplish. But I positively do blame him for those promises for which he pretended to pursue, but actually had no intention of pursuing wholeheartedly.

To the question "What else can he do? He is the President, not a dictator."
My answer is this : See that stuff he is doing to push that piece of shit TPP? THAT.

[appalachiablue]

10. +5

[lunatica]

12. but Elizabeth Warren has put him on the defensive

That's the way I see it. And to me it shows that Warren is rising in stature as the voice against corporatism because even the President has to acknowledge her statements and is in a position where he must explain himself publicly.

And obviously, she has the attention of the media who have access to President Obama, and that's also a very good thing for us, the citizens and 'consumers'.

I don't see a down side, but then one must see the positive side of what only appears to be bad criticism from high places. Anytime power has to explain itself is a good time for the rest of us.

Elizabeth Warren is doing exactly what she promised and was elected to do. She has the attention of the world now. She's up there confronting the biggest of the Big Boys and getting name recognition outside her own state and even her country. She's turning out to be more awesome than I thought she could be.

[CharlotteVale]

14. +1

[GoneFishin]

19. You make some good observations. nt

[GoneFishin]

4. Mr. President, on TPP you are absolutely wrong. It will seriously harm working americans.

[BillZBubb]

5. It is really sad that Obama, like Clinton before him is selling out ordinary Americans.

Near the end of his term, Clinton went along with the repeal of Glass-Steagall along with several other blunders that have cost average Americans dearly. Now Obama is getting on the big money bus near the end of his run. It is amazing how wrong he is on this issue and how detrimental it will be to the Democratic base.

[INdemo]

11. If Obama continues his stand on this TPP he will lose

a large portion of the Democratic base on this issue.

President Obama backtracked on his commitment of not allowing cheap Chinese subsidized steel into this country while American Steel is charged extremely higher tariff on their imports. (Just one example)
Putting current American Steel production in a downhill slide. The TPP will put American Steel in jeopardy.

Unions are strongly against this and if Obama is able to get this through and Hillary is the nominee she will not get union support because of this.
This is making Bernie Sanders a much stronger candidate

President Obama is acting like a Republican on this. His corporatist values are coming to the fore front.

If Hillary wins the Democratic nomination, I don't think she will because of this issue, but if she does she just lost because of the verbal spanking he just gave Elizabeth Warren,

Elizabeth Warren is the Liberal's dream candidate and Obama was Wrong on this one

[davidpdx]

6. I absolutely support Senator Warren on this one

This is why we need someone bold to run as a Democrat who will listen to the voices of the people on trade.

[CharlotteVale]

13. I'm with Warren. He sounds desperate to silence her.

[elzenmahn]

15. Agreed...

...he's getting increasing desperate as the weeks pass and the TPP and TPA aren't.

[admonish]

16. What needs to happen is a global union which can follow these corporations everywhere /nt

[appalachiablue]

17. That's a very interesting novel idea!

[admonish]

20. I can't take credit for it, but am a huge supporter /nt

[Sunlei]

21. I support them both, they work very well together. I'm so happy Sen. Warren won the Kennedy chair.

[MuttLikeMe]

23. I agree

[dmosh42]

22. This is from the same president who didn't want any indictments of Wall St Corp. officers.....

after the biggest collapse since the Great depression, and allowed for bonuses! Yeah, he's trustworthy!

[Robbins]

24. No

She is absoletly right on trade.

[appalachiablue]

25. Warren is absolutely right, like many others as we saw today with the vote. But the TPP

will be tried again and again, it's a huge, global deal.

I thought this TPP Interview with the President last weekend was uncomfortable & unconvincing. Post #18.

https://www.yahoo.com/politics/why-obama-is-happy-to-fight-elizabeth-warren-on-118537612596.html

[villager]

26. So, Mr. President, what have actual *Republicans* been "absolutely wrong on," if I might ask?

Or is all their corporate fawning just so gee-willikers cool?

[appalachiablue]

27. It's a very complicated Presidency IMHO. Stressful for him & sometimes hard

to watch. I didn't hear the remark about being a moderate Republican but I recall hearing that he took books on Reagan to read while travelling years ago. That really did a number on my head. I hope it's untrue. The most bizarre US politics and Dem. Party that I've ever seen.