How do you feel about the President after watching his press conference today? (With link to video)

[Poll_Blind]

Three groups:
You are either a supporter, critic or neutral. Decide which of those three groups you fall into and vote accordingly.

Three options each for either supporters, critics or neutrals:
More Favorable, Unchanged, Less Favorable.

PLEASE do not vote unless you have seen the President's press conference in full.

You may view it in its entirety (32 min) here at YouTube or here at DU.

What say you?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. I say we are fucked for the next 2 yrs.

Watch environmental protections be eradicated, "because the GOP is unified against them."
Watch finance rules and protections be tossed, "because the GOP is holding them hostage for more billionaire bennies."
Global climate change? dead
Finance reform? dead
fair tax reform? dead
Getting out of Afghanistan and Iraq? dead
Keeping out of Iran? dead
Cutting military spending? dead
Fair access to the net? dead
Fairness doctrine? you have to be kidding me.
equal pay for equal work? dead
Immigration reform? dead
START treaty with Russia? dead
fixing trade problems with China? dead

They have measured Mr. Obama, and they have found him lacking. They know him for what he is, and what he is is a conciliator, someone afraid of a fight, timid in turmoil, fearful of unified opposition, even when the majority of America is behind him. They also know he disdains his base. Which is HUGE. That means he can be played again and again, and he will jump over to them rather than protect his base. Even worse, I think he really dislikes his base from a position of arrogance. He knows better than we, therefore anything we do or say is suspect.

[Lucky 13]

3. Don't forget DADT. dead

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. A B S O L U T E L Y dead

To think that thousands, many thousands are sacrificing their safety, their health, their futures for two Bushleague wars, and all they have to look forward to is being kicked out if they tell the truth, that sucketh.

[Tx4obama]

30. DADT is NOT dead. Stop listening to McConnell. n/t

[Lucky 13]

31. I know when someone is jerking my chain.

And I been jerked. DADT is going nowhere.

[Tx4obama]

32. Possible senate vote on DADT on Friday.

Excerpt:

A vote on the DREAM Act is still scheduled for Wednesday and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said he was "hopeful" Reid would file cloture on the defense bill the same day, meaning a vote could come as early as Friday. "We've got the time," said Levin. "Just take it."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/07/senate-gop-leaders-not-re_n_793394.html

[Lucky 13]

38. Ok. I'll believe it when I see it. Let's talk again next week.

I know the history of gay people being strung along by politicians just long enough to get our vote, only to be forgotten about entirely after an election... or worse... stabbed in the back.

I will be a happy happy girl if it happens. And downright flabbergasted. I've learned not to hold my breath waiting for some politician to stand up for my rights. We're not nearly popular or numerous enough to make the political risk of doing the right thing worth it for them.

Kinda like in high school... Most kids knew it was wrong to bully the queers. But better not speak up, lest you be called a fag yourself. Just turn away and tell yourself that it's not your problem.

So we'll see.

[Lucky 13]

41. Key vote just failed.... I'd say "I told you so" but I can't relish this

I told you they would fail us... and they did. Big fucking surprise.

[chimpymustgo]

4. "They have measured Mr. Obama, and they have found him lacking." GREAT OP - please post!!

"They know him for what he is, and what he is is a conciliator, someone afraid of a fight, timid in turmoil, fearful of unified opposition, even when the majority of America is behind him. They also know he disdains his base. Which is HUGE. That means he can be played again and again, and he will jump over to them rather than protect his base. Even worse, I think he really dislikes his base from a position of arrogance. He knows better than we, therefore anything we do or say is suspect."

You have summed it up!

[Lorien]

5. He's not too timid to fight. If Dems were united against the tax cuts for billionaires

you damn well better believe that he'd fight against them.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. he would. He would fight against the dems, I agree.

[XemaSab]

17. You're right

Only 80% of us are against tax cuts for billionaires. Maybe when it's 100% Obama will finally be able to fight, knowing we are all behind him. x(

[ChairmanAgnostic]

19. heh.

heh heh ha ha ha HEE HEE!

Well said

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. I figured out a long time ago

that I could not believe or rely on what Obama says. I rarely waste my time listening to him. I prefer to skim through the transcripts after the fact. Far more time efficient.

Here's a link to the transcript:
http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/transcript-of-obamas-remarks-on-tax-cut-deal.php

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. thanks for the link.

It reads as badly as I heard it the first time.

[XemaSab]

18. Here's the denoument:

Q Where is your line in the sand?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, I've got a whole bunch of lines in the sand.

I suspect those were all made from gulls and kids dragging sticks. :P

[Poll_Blind]

37. .

:rofl:

PB

[B Calm]

6. I feel sick!

[Catherina]

10. It's worse than I thought. If I wrote what I wanted, my comment would get deleted

so let's just leave it at "incredibly lame and shame on you, Barack".

[Poll_Blind]

11. You watched the whole thing, hopefully? I may have never seen a more interesting press conference..

..., especially in regards to a president laying out his political philosophy so clearly. Whether one is happy with him, angry with him or somewhere in between, that 32 minutes of video is (IMO) must-see viewing for all Democrats.

PB

[Catherina]

12. Yes. It left me even more depressed.

I don't believe a word coming out of his mouth anymore, especially not after hearing how he takes John Boehner at his word. Woohoo! Supply side neoliberal.

My overall impression is that some of this was scripted in advance for damage control but he only made things worse.

[Poll_Blind]

13. I was looking for this piece posted at TPM a short while ago for you- just found it:

Seminal Moment

It's very short- just a few paragraphs. I hear you about not believing him but take a look at that piece I link to and let me know how your perception jives with it- or doesn't.

Right now, still more than a little shell-shocked, I'm looking over that TPM piece and find myself nodding in agreement.

PB

[XemaSab]

21. Thanks for this

Not to invoke Godwin's law so soon, but Chamberlain was a pragmatist too. :P

[Dappleganger]

24. Several times today I've self-edited...

knowing it would probably be deleted.

[nichomachus]

14. On January 20, 2009

I was happy because I figured I would no longer have to avoid presidential press conferences or turn off the TV if the president's face came on.

I was wrong. Now, I'm back to where I was on January 19, 2009. I don't watch him for fear of damaging my TV.

Damn.

[XemaSab]

15. When did "yes we can"

become "well, we don't have the votes in the senate right now and there isn't time for a protracted political fight and I had to push something through before the new congress takes over because I believe in tax cuts for the middle class and there wasn't time to get anything else done before the end of the year because the new congress will be less favorable towards pushing forward this kind of legislation and in the current congress we didn't have the 60 votes needed in the senate?" :(

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. wow, you just caught this administration better than

any cartoonist, satirist, or even satyrist.

[XemaSab]

22. Satyrist?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

25. LOL, thanks for the smile.

[XemaSab]

27. .

:pals:

[Individualist]

23. He didn't finish the sentence...

DLC: "Yes, we can collaborate."

http://www.dlc.org/
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45020.html

:puke:

[Scurrilous]

16. I'm ready to snuff it!

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[Number23]

29. LOL! Pull back, Scurrilous! You're blending in so well you might get SUCKED in!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Scurrilous]

34. LOL

:P

[Ichingcarpenter]

26. Thanks for the link of the speech

As a Psychologist and having seen Obama over the years and
in the last year not really watching his speeches ...... like you asked me to

I have to say this

Notice his eye movement
Notice when he says he will fight and then after that stumble
and stutter, I thought that was revealing.

Also when he read the speech... it was read and not remembered
like he use to do.... which means to me
He didn't believe this shit.

Well you asked

You know if McCain got elected
how fucked up that would have been and how soon the destruction would happen?

Maybe this farce would be over

Hey..... that's a joke.

But I really did look at Obama tonight
and I think you should turn the sound off

then look.

[Poll_Blind]

28. Huh! Didn't think about that. I'll take you up on that and I'd also suggest...

...just listening to the audio. Near the end of his speech, in my thread which covered the speech when it was live, someone accurately commented that they felt on that last answer he was rambling because he didn't really have a good answer, knew it, and kept tacking on things.

PB

[Ichingcarpenter]

35. Well, I think the Cantor and Cadence is still there with him but.

He is still a great one on that.

But then compare it, to the old school Obama speeches we knew and loved
the confidence is broken.... I don't believe, he even believed what he said
after really looking at the speech like I was asked to look at.

He read it and look where he stumbled on it


BTW.... How should I vote on this poll?

[Poll_Blind]

36. Your call. Standard self-selected internet poll.

PB

[Tx4obama]

39. I don't think that him not 'remembering' has anything to do with 'what he believes or not believes'

You said: "Also when he read the speech... it was read and not remembered
like he use to do.... which means to me He didn't believe this shit. "

President Obama doesn't have as much time to memorize his speeches nowadays like he did in the past when he had a less demanding schedule, his daily schedule is very hectic - he has a lot on his plate.

[ellie]

33. I am not angry anymore

Now I am just tired.

[Poll_Blind]

40. Bump for those who missed it yesterday and/or haven't seen the press conference yet.

Watch it! Link to video is in the OP!

PB