Obama Summons CEOs to White House for Talks as He Seeks Change

[Purveyor]

By Julianna Goldman and Hans Nichols

Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) -- The president who promised change for a country that was brought to the brink of depression is seeking advice from business leaders two years later for what may be his own makeover as he tries to find jobs for 15 million unemployed Americans.

President Barack Obama has met with Michael Duke, chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Alan Lafley, a former CEO of Procter & Gamble Co., and Steven Reinemund, former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo Inc. He has also spoken with former President Bill Clinton. More discussions are on the way.

“Over the next several weeks I’m going to be meeting with my economic team, with business leaders and others to develop specific policies and budget recommendations for the coming year,” Obama, whose Democratic Party last month lost its U.S. House majority in its worst defeat since 1938, said yesterday during a speech in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

For all his achievements since he was inaugurated Jan. 20, 2009 -- reviving General Motors Co. from bankruptcy, moving to expand health coverage to some 30 million uninsured Americans, and creating or saving what the White House says are 3.3 million jobs with a stimulus program -- Obama still “has a jobs problem,” says Paul Begala, a Democratic strategist.

“The beginning of the recovery is when you stop pretending it’s merely a political problem or a messaging problem,” said Begala, who served as an aide to Clinton when Democrats lost the House and the Senate in 1994.

MORE...

http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ak_glVTgv0n4&pos=10

[somone]

1. Keyword: Change

Watch out!

[Better Believe It]

2. He's seeking budget recommendations from corporate America. Gee .... wonder how that will turn out

:)

[wtmusic]

16. You know, this trickle down thing is starting to make sense.

Tax breaks trickle up to robber barons; campaign funds trickle down to Obama 2012. Everyone wins..well, almost everyone.

[mdmc]

3. Don't bother, just

1. Cut the taxes for the rich
2. Cut social services
3. double down on Iraq / Afghanistan or invade Iran..
-----------

It is not rocket science..

[valerief]

7. Or just contaminate our food supply. We'll die off and the rich can play casino games

on Wall St.

[FiveGoodMen]

20. The rich don't want us dead

They want us working the plantations.

[valerief]

23. No, they want China, Russia, India, the Philippines, and Tunisia working their

plantations.

Well, maybe you're right. They want us to buy their drugs and die.

[FiveGoodMen]

24. They'll still want a local source of domestic slaves.

[valerief]

33. They import them at will now. Why wouldn't that continue to work for them? nt

[Larkspur]

4. So he's talking with the oursourcers

Why doesn't Obama invite Progressive economists to this meeting? They will tell him the Truth, but guess Obama prefers kissing CEO's a@@ than hearing the Truth.

[valerief]

6. Bet they can't wait to outsource to Korea and Tunisia. nt

[Newest Reality]

14. They are also "insourcing" via

prison labor, so it works against us both ways. Well, we can get, "Made in America" on those forced-labor products that many of us may already have purchased without knowing.

[valerief]

5. Change. Pocket change. Yeah, since all the DOLLARS are going to the RICH. nt

[laughingliberal]

8. Gee, I wonder what they'll talk about. Pssst...SS. nt

[angstlessk]

9. from corporate america....jobs to cheap labor contries..and cuts to american labor

[SaveAmerica]

10. Next he'll summons drug dealers to fix America's drug problems

[xultar]

11. The change is he can fall twice as hard for them. Then he'll give them a sample fall

maybe they will help him rehearse the falling to get it just right

Then he will end the show by begging forgiveness for helping them make the best profits ever while pretending to be anti wall street during 2k9 for the professional left?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

12. Hey, wowza bout talking to --

my small business owner boss, the one who lost his house, had to file for bankruptcy, and still is strugging to hold onto his business because he didn't qualify for a single one of your programs designed to save houses/businesses?

Is it my imagination or are all three of those companies on the record as RW?

Hey why don't you call in the guy who runs Costco -- he can show you how to create good jobs with a living wage and great benefits and still make a profit?

[Lorien]

28. No, not your imagination. And let's not forget; the CEO of Costco only takes a 350k

salary for himself, saying that 350k is a lot of money and he doesn't know why he should want more. The average Costco employee makes 45k a year with full benefits. But invite him to the talks? Nah, obviously his priorities aren't those of "most Americans" (in other words; Obama's crooked Billionaire cronies on the Far Right).

[suffragette]

29. The choice of meeting with Michael Duke (Walmart)

rather than Jim Sinegal (Costco) does speak volumes doesn't it, and not in a good way. Was the 1st thing I thought of as well.


Farther in the article, there's a paragraph about Judd Gregg offering to be part of Obama's team:
He’ll have to do that with a team that so far isn’t top tier, say observers such as New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg, a Republican who was once asked to serve as Obama’s first Commerce secretary.

“They’ve lost their first team,” Gregg said. “What they really need are people who understand how to communicate in the legislature effectively,” said Gregg, who added that he’d “be happy” to fill such a void.



I've been noticing Gregg's name popping up often lately in interesting places, from being in the middle of the whole mission to Spain to keep Bushies from being prosecuted to being part of the Fiscal Commission. And Obama nominated him to be Commerce Secretary before.

[DJ13]

13. I think he desperately needs a summit with ordinary people

Not a publicized town hall thing, but a quiet meeting with 20-30 average people from all walks of life.

He already knows what the business asshats want (more$$$!!!), its time to hear what the average person wants and needs without the filter of his staff.

[Lorien]

32. Nah, he needs some large unscripted town hall meetings

with people who aren't hand picked by the GOP and DLC. He'd get an earful.

[gratuitous]

15. I see that scene from Silver Streak

The bad guy is hosting Gene Wilder and Jill Clayburgh just before he kills them, unaware that the black porter serving them coffee is Richard Pryor, Gene's ad hoc accomplice. Except that in the current version, the black guy never confronts the rich guy. He just subserviently pours the coffee and flawlessly distributes the cups.

[Angry Dragon]

17. Here is snip from an AOL article

He said the American people agree with his position, but "I haven't persuaded the Republican Party." Reflecting the newly increased Republican clout in Congress, he said: "I haven't persuaded (Senate Republican leader) Mitch McConnell and I haven't persuaded (House GOP leader) John Boehner." the bold mine

I thought 64% of Americans were against a tax extension for the more wealthy??
He doesn't even listen to the people.

[gratuitous]

19. That's just political Tourette's

Republicans always claim that "the American people" think or agree or say or something that is totally consonant with whatever they're peddling. It doesn't mean anything, just like a Tourette's sufferer suddenly blurting out an expletive doesn't mean anything.

[msongs]

18. is he getting his marching orders from business? hmmm nt

[dflprincess]

34. Lining up what boards he'll serve on when he's out of office? n/t

[Hell Hath No Fury]

21. "Some people call you Corporate bloodsuckers --

I call you..."

[piratefish08]

22. he must be handing out their christmas bonuses personally......

[slay]

25. Yes, seek advice from your corporate masters

you little, little man. I have sadly lost all respect for Obama.

[Lorien]

26. Sure, Mr. President, get your economic advice from the CEO of WALMART

China's #1 client, killer of small towns and living wages. BRILLIANT!! :grr:

[Hassin Bin Sober]

30. They'll probably encourage him to pass card-check!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[ljm2002]

27. When are you meeting with Labor Leaders, Mr. President?

This is a Democratic president, right?

Right?

:shrug:

[somone]

31. As long as they're not sanctimonious purists

And please use the service entrance

[Rex]

35. And did he invite the working class to the table for talks too?

I know...I crack me up too. :rofl:

[Canuckistanian]

36. Yeah, corporate leaders! They'll get us out of this mess!

That's JUST what I was thinking!
:sarcasm: