What would you say to President Obama if you had 30 seconds?

[MineralMan]

and were talking to him face to face? Think about it, and write something down in this thread. Here's mine:

"I'm very glad to meet you, Mr. President. I hope the next two years will be more productive in making progress on the Democratic goals that I know you support. We're all counting on your steadfastness and hard work. If there is any way I can be of help, I will be happy to do whatever I can."

That's my thirty seconds worth, and that's about all there would be time to say. Let's hear yours.

[RandomThoughts]

1. I would know in that hour what to say.

[Evasporque]

60. WE HAVE YOUR BACK! WE ARE WITH YOU...FOR 8 YEARS!!!

It is a long fight to turn this nation around from the damage and bigotry of the right....we know people can't change instantly...but we will keep moving forward....

[rainlillie]

79. ITA!

[dkf]

2. It's all about energy....

If that is the one thing he can accomplish in office it will be noted for generations to come.

[old mark]

3. Go left, young man....nt

[Orrex]

4. I'd say "Dude, your wife is totally hot."

"And, by the way, how about making an occasional policy decision with an eye to the Left?"

[bobbolink]

5. Why do you consistently leave out poor people? I really want to know.

I want to understand your thinking on this.

Why do you forget us?

[mike_c]

6. your administration no longer represents me or my best interests...

...so it's entirely unclear to me why I should ever support it again. Perhaps if you use your remaining time in office to champion liberal, progressive solutions to the nation's problems instead of fighting to maintain the status quo I might have better reason to support you in the future. Start by ending the wars, IMMEDIATELY, WITH ALL POSSIBLE DISPATCH.

/30s

[readmoreoften]

69. +1

[BrklynLiberal]

7. "WHAT were you thinking?" and then hold up a copy of this...

[Orrex]

8. I'd also ask how long we have to hear that Lucy vs. Charlie Brown joke before he outlaws it.

[AlinPA]

9. I would tell how much I admire him, then say that the republicans are out to destroy you, so why do

you continuously try to reason with them?

[HipChick]

10. Mr. President..I know this might be considered inappropiate

but I think you have a great rear end..:puke:

[hedgehog]

11. Thank you!

[immoderate]

12. My question is about education.

Mr. President, how can we compete against the world leaders in education if we do the opposite of what they do to beat us?

--imm

[jaxx]

13. Thanks for sticking up for the 98% of us who struggle to make it.

Try to get us out of Afghanistan without a train wreck. And get the congress busy on equality for all.
One last thing, thanks for never forgetting Galesburg, IL and the good people who live there. We still have that hope and are betting on change.

[RagAss]

14. You're our last hope...when you're gone they will kill us !

Protect us.

[BeFree]

35. Mr. President, Obama, son...

What RagAss said!!

I had hope that what I voted for, campaigned for and expected, was that you knew WTF was going down and you were gonna stop it. But it seems I and you were wrong. We're still going down.

[chaska]

15. 1) If you alienate your base, you will have no one to fight your enemies....

2) The middle (so-called Independents) are like a flag. Depending on which direction the wind blows is how they will vote. Their "beliefs" are malleable. Your job is to convince them to vote with the people you represent (hint: your base voters - hint: liberals/progressives/whatever the hell we call ourselves these days). You don't do this by imitating Republicans.

[rhett o rick]

41. Maybe his base has shifted now that the GOP has self destructed. nm

[Pisces]

16. Thank you. Keep working for the long view and not short term applause.

[lame54]

17. STOP the bipartisanship

[Zax2me]

18. Words of gratitude and encouragement...

30 seconds is just too short to get into anything of substance. Maybe slip in something like 'progressives are counting on you'...

[MineralMan]

19. 30 seconds is about all you'd get, to be frank. If an opportunity

arose, you'd have just about that to say what you wanted to say. You don't get a conversation. You get a very brief statement or question.

[Zax2me]

21. That is what I would miss...

Even with just 30 seconds, I want a response out of him, some give and take even if it is just polite BS.
My answer would probably be the same. Some encouraging words, let him know he has my support, but also let him know he has my support as a progressive. Just a face-to-face wink from a voter that might be a brief lift to his day.

[WillyT]

20. "What... The... Fuck... Are... You... DOING ???"

:shrug:

[MineralMan]

23. I do not believe that you would say that. Have you ever met

a sitting President?

[WillyT]

30. Oh... I Guess That's What I'd LIKE To Say Given The Chance... But Probably Wouldn't...

Sitting President... no. Ronald Reagan as a sitting Governor later to become President, yes. Jerry Brown as a former Governor running for President, yes. Barbara Boxer running for Senate, yes.

But sitting President, no.

:shrug:

[apocalypsehow]

22. "You have my gratitude and respect, Mr. President. Keep working for the things we believe in." n/t.

[Urban Prairie]

24. Domestic economic, social services, and healthcare terrorism, racism, and homophobia

that is being perpetrated upon most US citizens by the monopolistic global corporate capitalists and their Republican and RW voters/enablers over the past 30 years, is far, far more important to address than the threat of Islamic terrorism. If it continues and accelerates, there may someday soon be little reason left to "defend" this country, because it may have been successfully destroyed and undermined from within, perhaps leaving only four types of US citizens, which would be the unemployed or underemployed, peasant "Wal*Mart-ized" wage/benefit poor, the active military, the imprisoned, and the wealthy.

Defending the US is necessary, but not while or at the expense of continuing to outsource and off-shore the future jobs and career opportunities of the ever-shrinking shrinking middle class and threatening the very survival of those who are amongst the disabled, elderly, and poor. Help to rescind all the free (faux) trade legislation, and publicly demand that Congress enact new and additional fair trade laws.

[lunatica]

25. I'm about to go into foreclosure. Can you help me and others like me now?

[treestar]

26. I'm still behind you and lots of us are

We are not giving up!

[louis-t]

27. Please stop caring what Republicans think.

I'd only need 3 seconds.

[FredStembottom]

49. I love it!

I hope you get your 3 seconds!:patriot:

[CBR]

28. I am proud to have you as my President. We have made steps towards our goals as a naton.

Now please end mountaintop removal!

[Hepburn]

29. MEDICARE FOR ALL...

...and repeate that for the 30 seconds over and over.

[datasuspect]

31. "What's up homie?

don't you know me?"

[bvar22]

32. I would simply hand him THIS and say,

"This is what it used to mean to be a "DEMOCRAT".
Use it, or lose it."

"In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.

Among these are:

*The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;

*The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

*The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

*The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

*The right of every family to a decent home;

*The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

*The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

*The right to a good education.

All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.

For unless there is security here at home there cannot be lasting peace in the world."---FDR

I would also hand him this quote from Paul Wellstone:
"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[OneGrassRoot]

43. Very nice...

I'd come up behind you and simply say, "What she said."

And give him a hug.

:hi:

:hug:

[rug]

33. Get out of Afghanistan.

You can keep the other 25 seconds.

[Name removed]

34. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[proud patriot]

36. " thank you for everything , what more should I be doing to help

get a more progressive agenda passed?"

[Touchdown]

37. I'd point to an internet pic, and ask if that guy can be extraordinarily renditioned.

[B Calm]

38. REPEAL NAFTA and go back to fair trade tariffs!

[AnnieBW]

39. Use Your Executive Power to Stop DADT Investigations

Immediately.

[mdmc]

40. look left my friend. Courage..

[Egnever]

42. Thnak you Mr. President for plodding forward

despite all of the garbage you get from both sides of the isle.

[dkofos]

44. You had the chance to be the greatest President since FDR. But you decided

it was in YOUR best interest to play nice with the republicans.
Look where it got you.

[kentuck]

45. Barry, you gotta minute?

Thanks! They tried to tell me I only had 30 seconds. :-)

I can't wait for the hoop season. The KY Wildcat football team sucks.

[Golden Raisin]

46. "Thanks for the 2 Supreme Court

Justices. Now go back to being Obama the Candidate."

[FredStembottom]

47. I would bring a laptop and show him....

....the film of the throngs of people that lined nearly every mile of the tracks along the route of FDR's funeral train from Warm Springs Geogia.

I would ask if he saw who these people were - the plainest and the poorest.

I would then ask him if any campaign contribution had ever voted.

I would then quietly note: but every single one of these plain Americans did.

How do you think that happened?

[Hekate]

66. I'd say, Can you somehow get 4 presidential terms like FDR did? Could make some progress then.

[FredStembottom]

74. Most of the programs that directly helped those people

were istituted in the first 100 days.

Jonathon's Alter's The Defining Moment spells it all out.

[sandnsea]

76. Except that just isn't true

Social Security wasn't passed until 1935 and the first check didn't go out until 1939. WPA was passed in 1935. Minimum wage was set in 1938. Some programs were passed in 1933, but the ones that had a lasting effect came in later, when it was clear more help was needed.

There is just a whole lot of stupid in this country, in all walks of life.

[FredStembottom]

83. I understood it differently

..and wrongly, it seems.

Thanks for pointing that out.

Still, I don't think 4 terms are required.

[proteus_lives]

48. Several things.

"What comics are you reading now?"

"Please work on HCR."

"Please work to end DADT."

"Please bring back our jobs sir. Americans want to work."

[Generic Brad]

50. I've lived on the same block you grew up on

Now that you know we're from the same hood - how about ending DADT and endorsing gay marriage? It is a civil rights issue.

[LWolf]

51. "Mr. President, if you ever decide to get off the neoliberal bandwagon

and do what's right for ALL the citizens of this nation, I'll be right there with you. Start with education. Fire Duncan, dump your privatization and union-busting 'reforms,' and appoint a real educator to school you on authentic, HELPFUL, education reform. Linda Darling-Hammond was on your short list. Give her a call. This teacher will thank you for it, and might just get behind your administration."

[Terra Alta]

52. "You're doing a good job, but

please quit trying to please the Republicans. They want nothing but to destroy you and this country."

[Diane R]

53. You're doing a wonderful job. Thank you.

[JackRiddler]

54. Thirty seconds? You might as well ask what's your prayer to God, for all the effect it will have.

[MineralMan]

55. Well, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that you might

actually have a chance to meet and speak to President Obama. That's the reason for my question. I greeted and spoke to President Nixon once. I was on duty in the USAF during an exercise and he came up to my workstation and asked how I was doing. I said, "Hello Mr. President. When will the Vietnam War end?" He said, "On my watch, son."

Now, that wasn't thirty seconds, but it was one of those situations. They happen. It's worth thinking about how you would use that opportunity.

[Hekate]

67. Very cool story

:thumbsup:

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MyNameGoesHere]

57. Don't think i would waste my time.

He isn't going to listen or care anyway.

[readmoreoften]

68. +1

[kgnu_fan]

58. Stop the war and everything will work out for America

[ProudDad]

59. I wouldn't bother

it would be like talking to a brick wall... :shrug:

I'd probably say, "How'zit hangin' Prez?"

[Horse with no Name]

61. Universal healthcare, bring the troops home, repeal DADT and DOMA,

election finance reform, reinstitute the Glass Steagall Act, remove corporate personhood, Civil Rights for ALL Americans regardless of race, creed, color, sexual orientation, fund public schools--get rid of the Charters, make my womb my business once and for all.
Did I leave anything out?

[donco6]

62. I'd say, "My oh my, but flypaper is awful sticky these days!" n/t

[MineralMan]

73. I doubt if there's much of a problem with flies at the White House.

You still have about 20 seconds left to say something meaningful to him.

[Hekate]

86. Especially if you've seen the video of him smacking that pesky fly during an interview

:rofl:

[Jefferson23]

63. What a incredible honor and opportunity it would be to even have 20 seconds

to speak with him face to face.

Here is what I would say: You'll likely remain president for 8 years, before leaving office campaign and fight
hard for public funded elections, without it not much will ever change. Write about it and it's importance in
your memoirs too and speeches..educate the public, this is a bi-partisan issue.

[Raine]

64. STOP demonizing your liberal base and tell your

people to STOP IT too! :argh: :mad:

[OregonBlue]

65. I am so thrilled to meet you in person and by the way, you have the most amazing wife and such

beautiful and well mannered children. I am very proud to have you as America's First Family.

[Hekate]

70. I have a feeling that I would know what to say in the moment. Beyond that...

"It's an honor to meet you, and I still have a hard time believing that someone from my little tiny home state actually got elected President. I'm so glad it was you, because you are doing a good job against a lot of opposition."

Hekate

[Xicano]

71. Take that (D) off next to your name......because you ain't one!

n/t

[TBF]

72. "Please end the wars" -

there are quite a few other things, but that would be what I could say that's meaningful in 30 seconds.

[sandnsea]

75. Thank You

There isn't one person in my family who hasn't been helped by one of your policies. Thank you and just keep moving forward.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

77. About that "necessary" war....we lost.

[rainlillie]

78. Great question.

I would tell him to not forget the needs of the people who voted for him, to stop reaching out to republicans and that my support for him is still as strong as it was when I voted for in 2008. Of course I'd have to talk really fast.

[Initech]

80. I want to know why he doesn't show some balls and stand up to the teabaggers/Beck crowd.

Really, you're the leader of the god damned free world now! Why are you letting a bunch of fucking idiots, whining douchebags, and sore losers create false information and slander about you? Show them who's the fucking boss!

[laughingliberal]

81. "Supply side economics don't work, Mr. President. Consider studying FDR's journey." nt

[Iggo]

82. Prosecute pot smokers but not war criminals?

I'm still voting for you, but that's some bullshit right there.

[Lucian]

84. "What a waste of two years. You've let us down. What are you going to do...

your next two years that will be productive and move America forward, instead of backward?"

[Whisp]

85. I would probably stumble and fumble something like this:

Thank you President Obama for being strong and wise against our weakness and stupidities. Thank you for standing up for what you believe and giving so much of yourself and of your family to help us whining idiots.

[Number23]

87. This is such a good question

I'd probably start by saying how glad I am to see him in office and that I think that he has passed some incredible legislation that will improve things.

I'd then ask if he any particular plans on addressing unemployment in minority areas. I'd also thank him for his foreign policy work, particularly nuclear proliferation and his work on the Middle East peace, and then thank him again for health care legislation which every black person I know (and that's a HELL of alot of black people) is everywhere from mildly pleased to openly thrilled about. I'd then end it by saying that every member of my family, and that includes the white Australians, think that he is an amazing man with an inspiring history and life story. That'd be it for me. :)

[AndrewP]

88. Thanks for your work so far, and please quit expecting....

Republicant's to help you in any way, shape or form.

[KoKo]

89. That's very kind and reasoned of you "Mineral Man." I'll let it stand with what you say...

The dark side of me might not be so charitable. But, it's election season, once again, so I would probably have been as charitable as you were....given that this is our last Dem Chance to make that difference in voting.

(I might have added, though...that getting folks out this time was harder...and in two more years, it might be even harder if what we see going on keeps going on.)...But, that's just me...