Robert Gibbs Says His Remarks Attacking Liberals Were Not Made In Error!

[Better Believe It]

Gibbs Says Remarks Were Not Made In Error
By Geoff Holtzman
August 11, 2010


White House press secretary Robert Gibbs admitted Wednesday that he was frustrated by criticism from liberal pundits over the Obama administration’s legislative achievements, but stopped short of calling a remark he made earlier in the week a mistake.

“I think it was born out of frustration,” Gibbs told CBS’ Chip Reid during today’s briefing.

Reid asked him, “Did you put your foot in your mouth?”

“I think I have both my feet planted firmly on the floor,” Gibbs responded.

At least two Democratic lawmakers have called on the press secretary to resign over his comments, but Gibbs brushed aside those requests today, telling reporters that he has no plans to step down…

http://www.talkradionews.com/quicknews/2010/8/11/gibbs-says-remarks-were-not-made-in-error.html


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Gibbs: I Don’t Plan on Leaving in Wake of Uproar, Jabs at Left
By Kimberly Schwandt
August 11, 2010

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs responded for the first time on-camera Wednesday saying he wouldn't resign amidst the backlash over comments he made about what he called "the professional left" not being happy enough with Obama administration.

Gibbs said, "I don't plan on leaving" when questioned about charges he should resign.

He also said he hasn't made apology calls, and did not speak about the issue with the president.

The press secretary was under a political firestorm from those within his own party and for the second time this summer has had to defend comments he made about Democrats.

Gibbs initially told "The Hill" magazine that the "professional left" wasn't recognizing accomplishments the Obama administration has made. He said, "They will be satisfied when we have Canadian healthcare and we've eliminated the Pentagon. That's not reality."

He was absent from Tuesday's White House briefing because he said he was suffering from a cold.

Wednesday he was peppered with questions from reporters asking if he had any regret. Gibbs largely stood by the interview, but noted again he watches a lot of cable TV and that the comments came from frustration.

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/08/11/gibbs-i-don%E2%80%99t-plan-leaving-wake-uproar-jabs-left


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Robert Gibbs: 'I don't plan on leaving'
By MATT NEGRIN
August 11, 2010

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs on Wednesday revisited a newspaper interview, in which he blasted liberal critics of President Barack Obama, saying his disparaging remarks about “the professional left” were expressions of frustration, and brushing off calls for his resignation.

"I don’t plan on leaving, and there's no truth to the rumor that I've added an inflatable exit to my office," he quipped to reporters in a reference to the frustrated Jet Blue flight attendant who quit his job by jumping down the jetliner’s emergency slide. Asked about his comments that some liberals are too difficult to please, Gibbs answered that he "could’ve said things slightly differently."

At Wednesday’s briefing, when a reporter asked him if he’d slipped up in his interview with The Hill, Gibbs playfully opened his mouth and sticked out his tongue. He restated that his comments were "born out of frustration" and declined to say specifically whom he considers to be among the "professional left."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40966.html

[MrModerate]

1. We have to presume that he's speaking for the president . . .

Which is both sad and unsettling. Unsettling because it's politically damaging with no discernable upside.

Olbermann's comment hits the mark: (paraphrase) "This week the administration looks like the amateur left."

[glitch]

6. Scapegoating the Left has a very discernable upside when appealing to the Right.

They require it as a sign of allegience.

[MrModerate]

7. I seriously doubt the administration is demonstrating "allegiance" to the right.

More like a ham-handed and foolish attempt to woo them. And when you parse out the results: no upside.

[EFerrari]

11. Agreed. n/t

[glitch]

16. From their perspective I do believe they think there is.

Agreed they won't get the results they appear to want.

[WI_DEM]

8. Where does it say anything that he was speaking for the president?

[EFerrari]

15. Yesterday another spokesman from that office, Burton,

told the WaHo that the administration shared Gibb's views. (To be fair, today in the WH briefing, the same person walked that back and said Gibbs' comments were only his opinion.)

[frylock]

20. on his business card

[Individualist]

21. in his job description.

[Bluebear]

28. On his business card.

[MrModerate]

37. Because he's the president's press secretary? n/t

[PufPuf23]

29. "politically damaging with no discernable upside"

I have been posting more than usual today because of this media event. You summed up my sinking feeling much better and in few words.

[Whisp]

30. the President has also called out cable news and pundits.

and good for him.

if you think the left ones are automatically squeaky clean and honest then take a sniff at this fetid team:

[MrModerate]

39. I doubt Carville qualifies as "professional left" under Gibbs' definition . . .

And this picture doesn't seem to relate to the subject under discussion. Not to mention that "calling out cable news and pundits" seems a non sequiter. Please explain.

[txlibdem]

49. Snake-man may have been left 3 or 4 pay raises ago...

But lately he's been careening toward the right. I don't trust anything Carville says because he is one and the same with the rich satan-worshipers we all should hate.

Down with the rich. Rise up, zombies! Rise! Bwa hahaha haha hahaha ha... ahem. haha.

[moksha]

2. Keep up the pressure. Stating no plan to leave always preceeds leaving.

If this story gets another news cycle or two, he'll be gone. Keep up the pressure, Professional Left.

[jefferson_dem]

32. Fuck that.

Gibbs should go nowhere.

Sorry.

[defendandprotect]

36. Gibbs should be fired -- !!

[unblock]

3. "sticked" out his tongue? "born out of frustration"?

stuck.
borne.
sheesh.

[libnnc]

4. If he's so frustrated, perhaps he should find another profession. n/t

[myrna minx]

5. Well, there you go - we learned everything we need to know about this admin

and our President. :-( This makes me so horribly sad.

[sui generis]

9. fine. This is Obama's White House

Obama, if you want my vote you better support liberals, and that means Gibbs has to either profusely apologize or else get the fuck out of town.

YOU are in charge here, in case you forgot, and by remaining silent, you're telling me you don't want or need my vote in the next election.

[Lorien]

46. I think that he's already been extremely clear about that

They will damn well keep pushing the party to the Right and they expect us to fall in line and follow. If we don't, they won't give a fuck. They don't think that we are important; not our votes, not our issues, nothing about us is of any value to them. They seem to believe that they would have won without our help in 2008. Fine. They can count me out. I'll write in a selection before I vote for the "we don't suck quite as badly as the other guy" candidate again.

[closeupready]

10. Yeah, He said what he meant, and he meant what he said.

Meet the new boss.

[closeupready]

12. Unless he wants to continue embarrassing this administration, he should resign if he's

decided he's not going to start getting with the program. Bashing liberals is NOT the way to go. :mad:

[Individualist]

14. He wouldn't have made those statements today if he didn't have the administration's backing.

He's not embarrassing this administration, he's speaking for them.

:puke:

[emilyg]

38. Oh please. He speaks for the adminstration.

[dflprincess]

13. He's frustrated

but can't figure out the left is not only frustrated but disappointed & with more reason to be than he has.

[olegramps]

17. He will be living after a decent interval to spend more time with his family.

[gratuitous]

18. Refreshing

Although I can't help but wish that the administration had shown even one-tenth this tenacity and stubbornness in fighting for single payer. But they clearly needed to conserve their strength for punching hippies.

[frylock]

19. feet on the floor, head up your ass

[blindpig]

22. The honesty is refreshing.

People need to know where they stand.

'Now shut up and carry that water.'

[PBS Poll-435]

23. Nice source selection!

:eyes:

[Better Believe It]

25. I hope the next source has your approval. Oh .... it's the crazy leftist Sam Stein!

Would you prefer something from the White House press office?

[Better Believe It]

24. Gibbs Stands By His 'Professional Left' Critique, Expects Liberals To Vote In 2010

Gibbs Stands By His 'Professional Left' Critique, Expects Liberals To Vote In 2010
By Sam Stein
August 11, 2010

Speaking publicly for the first time since he disparaged the "professional left," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he stands by his comments, has no plans to resign and that he fully expects progressive voters to go to the polls in 2010.

"I don't plan on leaving and there is no truth to the rumor that I've added an inflatable exit to my office," the press secretary said during Wednesday's briefing, referencing the recent incident in which a Jet Blue flight attendant bolted his plane in frustration.

Taking the podium after a day off to tend to a sore throat, Gibbs said he has not reached out to any Democrats to discuss his remarks, in which he chastised liberals for wanting to "eliminate the Pentagon" and pursue Canadian-style health care reform. Nor, he added, has he talked to the president about the matter.

Does he stand by the comments? "Yes," he replied.

"I doubt I said anything you haven't already heard before," said Gibbs.

Read the full article at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/11/gibbs-stands-by-his-profe_n_678811.html

[Bluenorthwest]

26. Has he actually said yet who said the things he claims he

hears all the time, or does he hear this the same way Obama hears God tell him to oppose equal rights? I mean, he made claims, and yet he can not prove his own words were even true at all.
He has always sucked at his job, because he is all about Gibbs.

[bvar22]

27. Wow.

Can you hear that sucking sound?

That is the Democratic Party Leadership creating a HUGE Vacuum on The Left.


Is this by design?
I can't believe they are THAT stupid.
Big Losses in 2010 will give them even MORE cover for enacting MORE Republican Policy?

[DeSwiss]

31. Of course they weren't!

And he's even more of a prick today than he was yesterday for it!

K&R

[politicalmajority]

33. Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, and Robert Gibbs Are Petulent Brats

And their unprofessional leftist behaviors reflect how Barack Obama looks down on American people.

[sam kane]

34. Embarrassing!

We haven't heard this before, since we worked like crazy to get you your job. Some people's kids, sheesh.

[defendandprotect]

35. Obviously, this was an attempt to try to subdue any left wing TV anchors from

energizing the base any further --

by denying that what we have of a liberal press doesn't represent the liberal/

progressive base --

Frustration? We should give them a damn load more of it!!

[cliffordu]

40. When did he attack liberals?

I thought it was just the extreme left.

[Better Believe It]

42. In his statements. Read it.

[cliffordu]

45. Really? He called liberals out??

This is the first I've heard about it.

Maybe you are overstating the case a little.

[Better Believe It]

43. Duplicate deleted

Deleted

[felix_numinous]

41. aiiiight

I was giving him a benefit of the doubt, coming down with a cold and all. Now I changed my mind. fire his ass. He will divide the party further unless the people he insulted are vindicated.

[Jefferson23]

44. My, he still won't name anyone, and I won't hold my breath waiting

for him to take direct questions about Obama's policies from one of these "professional" lefties.

Cowardly once again Gibbs.

[Joey Liberal]

47. Gibbs has to go! nt

[maryf]

48. knr...

[Fruittree]

50. He shouldn't apologize and shouldn't resign...

First, he has a right to an opinion and to state that opinion. Second, if anyone stops to think, it has to be frustrating to be working hard, accomplishing much and have such a constant drumbeat of negative comments coming your way. If they have a victory, it's not enough...If they compromise, they were weak...If they lose on something, it's their fault. I don't think governing is easy particularly with how polarized things are. I think rather than focus on Gibbs and what he may think about his comments maybe a little introspection and self-evaluation is in order plus maybe a bit less time spent looking for reasons to be offended.

[LostinVA]

52. (you forgot to mention Palin)

[Fruittree]

53. Palin?

I don't understand...

[NuttyFluffers]

51. fascinating disobedience to the first rule of holes.

rule: when stuck down deep in one, stop digging.

well, that's another "thing that makes you go 'hmm'."