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KoKo

(84,711 posts)
Sat May 9, 2015, 08:57 PM May 2015

Obama fires back at Warren over trade-deal criticism--Here We Go!

Obama fires back at Warren over trade-deal criticism

VIDEO INTERVIEW HERE if you have Bandwidth to Watch:

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

“She’s absolutely wrong,” Barack Obama said, before I could even get the question out of my mouth.

He was talking about Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts senator and populist crusader whom Obama helped elevate to national prominence. Warren generally reserves her more acid critiques for Republicans and Wall Street, but in recent weeks she’s been leading a vocal coalition of leftist groups and lawmakers who oppose the president’s free-trade pact with 12 Asian countries.


This past week, as I had just reminded Obama, Warren launched her heaviest torpedo yet against the trade deal, alleging that some future president might use it as an excuse to undo the reregulation of Wall Street that Obama signed into law in 2010. In fact, as the White House quickly pointed out, language in the pact would expressly prevent that unless Congress voted to allow it.

Three days after that broadside, when we sat down at Nike’s headquarters outside Portland, Ore., Obama still seemed unusually irritated:

“Think about the logic of that, right?” he went on. “The notion that I had this massive fight with Wall Street to make sure that we don’t repeat what happened in 2007, 2008. And then I sign a provision that would unravel it?
“I’d have to be pretty stupid,” Obama said, laughing. “This is pure speculation. She and I both taught law school, and you know, one of the things you do as a law professor is you spin out hypotheticals. And this is all hypothetical, speculative.”

Obama wasn’t through. He wanted me to know, in pointed terms, that for all the talk about her populist convictions, Warren had a personal brand she was trying to promote, too.

“The truth of the matter is that Elizabeth is, you know, a politician like everybody else,” he said. “And you know, she’s got a voice that she wants to get out there. And I understand that. And on most issues, she and I deeply agree. On this one, though, her arguments don’t stand the test of fact and scrutiny.”

This is remarkable stuff for Obama. All presidents are forged, in a sense, by the moments at which they come to public life. Obama entered politics during Bill Clinton’s presidency, when urban liberals were growing disgusted with the president’s strategy of “triangulation,” popularly interpreted as the idea that you can win broad support by picking fights with the ideologues in your own party. Obama has always been reflexively averse to anything that might be construed as him pushing back against his friends to score political points with everyone else.

---snip

But like a marriage in which the spouses pretend to be happier than they really are, Obama’s polite alliance with the populist left appears to be suddenly crumbling under the weight of free trade. The more Warren and Senate colleagues like Bernie Sanders and Sherrod Brown attack the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership, joined by big unions and environmental groups, the more

MORE of an INTERESTING READ/WATCH for Obama SELL OUT.. AT...

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

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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djean111

(14,255 posts)
1. The "Up to 10,000 jobs in ten years" from Nike prevent me from taking his umbrage or irritation
Sat May 9, 2015, 09:03 PM
May 2015

or whatever very seriously.

Phlem

(6,323 posts)
2. “The notion that I had this massive fight with Wall Street....
Sat May 9, 2015, 09:19 PM
May 2015

says the fake populist turned Third Way in one speech.

That's a politician.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
11. I think it's clear he was always the choice of the Third Way, not sure where he
Mon May 11, 2015, 01:32 AM
May 2015

actually stands on anything anymore, he has changed his positions so drastically so often, it's hard to tell.

But his fighting so hard, and so dirty in fact, to suggest that Warren isn't sincere, is like a spoiled a child who isn't getting his way.

Very low point in his presidency.

And to attack someone like Warren? His Third Way buddies tried it in the WSJ a few months ago and got their heads handed to them so badly they began to refuse to discuss it anymore.

If only he had fought this hard for a Public Option.

Not helping himself at all by attacking so many members of his own party.

JeffHead

(1,186 posts)
4. If it's such a good deal then let's see it.
Sat May 9, 2015, 09:19 PM
May 2015

This country has been burned by these so called free trade deals before. I would hope the president understands that the American people have a reason to be skeptical. At the very least our representatives and their staff should have full access to the text. Why the secrecy? Put it out there and let us actually see what's in it and debate the damn thing.

Nite Owl

(11,303 posts)
6. We never get
Sat May 9, 2015, 10:50 PM
May 2015

an answer to the secrecy. What is he so afraid of?
He might be arguing with the left but it seems that he doesn't want the people to see it for fear that it is even worse than we think.

JeffHead

(1,186 posts)
8. A little late to the party on this one but I hope this gets a listen.
Sun May 10, 2015, 01:22 AM
May 2015

I found a podcast about a month ago called Congressional Dish. The last 2 episodes have been about the TPP and the TPA . The host Jennifer Briney actually reads the bills that are in the congressional record watches C-SPAN and produces this show to inform people about what's actually in the things.


http://www.congressionaldish.com/cd095-secret-international-regulations-tpa-tpp/#more-1737


http://www.congressionaldish.com/cd096-fast-tracking-fast-track-trade-promotion-authority/

I would recommend if you listen to podcasts, go back and listen to the archive of this one. I'm on episode 20 and you would not believe the shit that is in these bills that you never hear anywhere else.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)
9. Thanks for posting....looks like a good resource
Sun May 10, 2015, 10:22 AM
May 2015

and easy access for those with little time to read.

Posting this from your Link:



whereisjustice

(2,941 posts)
10. What isn't hypothetical/speculative is the devistating impact these rotten corporate deals have on
Sun May 10, 2015, 12:34 PM
May 2015

American communities and families.

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