Suddenly Rolling Stone has gained a reputation for getting the most interesting, news-generating interviews in politics. Earlier this year the magazine essentially got General McChrystal fired after it released a too-candid interview with the military leader. Now Rolling Stone is set to release an interview with President Obama, and the President does not hold back in addressing a number of controversial issues like the Tea Party, Fox News, and the upcoming elections.
In discussing the Tea Party, the president started by saying that the movement is an "amalgam" of "different strains in politics that have existed for a long time." He notes that the Tea Party includes people who would call themselves libertarians and oppose almost all government, but also includes hard-core social conservatives who envision a very active role for government in regulating morality. Obama then stated that there is also a "little darker" aspect of the Tea Party which fuels itself off of anti-immigrant sentiments and opposition to what he "represents as the president." The last comment was carefully crafted. It is the closest the President can come to calling to some aspects of the Tea Party racist without actually calling some aspects of the Tea Party racist.
When asked about Fox News, the president immediately laughed. He then was careful to note that he believes in the freedom of the press and the right of Fox News to broadcast how they wish. Having gotten that statement out, the President quickly criticized the network for having an agenda, which he believes is destructive to America:
"The golden age of an objective press was a pretty narrow span of time in our history. Before that, you had folks like the Hearsts who used their newspapers very intentionally to promote their viewpoints. I think Fox is part of that tradition — it is part of the tradition that has a very clear, undeniable point of view. It's a point of view that I disagree with. It's a point of view that I think is ultimately destructive for the long-term growth of a country that has a vibrant middle class and is competitive in the world. But as an economic enterprise, it's been wildly successful. And I suspect that if you ask Mr. Murdoch what his number-one concern is, it's that Fox is very successful."
The president clearly accused the "news" organization of promoting the interests of the wealthy at the expense of the middle-class. In addition, he argued that Fox News' number one concern is not properly informing viewers - but profit.
Finally, the President's harshest words may have been saved for his own base voters. The President spent much of the interview defending his administration's work over the past year-and-a-half. For example, President Obama defended his decision to drop the public option from the health care reform package. He noted that his insistence on the public option would have made liberals and people at the "Huffington Post" happy, but also would have doomed the overall bill. Essentially, the President argued that the compromises, which have greatly angered liberals, were necessary to get anything done. At the very end of the interview, the President then addressed the current mood of Democrats heading into the 2010 midterm elections, saying:
"One closing remark that I want to make: It is inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive right now to stand on the sidelines in this midterm election. There may be complaints about us not having gotten certain things done, not fast enough, making certain legislative compromises. But right now, we've got a choice between a Republican Party that has moved to the right of George Bush and is looking to lock in the same policies that got us into these disasters in the first place, versus an administration that, with some admitted warts, has been the most successful administration in a generation in moving progressive agendas forward.
The idea that we've got a lack of enthusiasm in the Democratic base, that people are sitting on their hands complaining, is just irresponsible...It has been hard, and we've got some lumps to show for it. But if people now want to take their ball and go home, that tells me folks weren't serious in the first place."
Those are some pointed words for anyone's most loyal supporters. Vice President Joe Biden was quoted as making the same kind of remarks earlier this week. Right now it appears the administration's strategy is to tell their base to buck up, stop complaining, and get out there to vote or face the consequences of more Republican power. It has yet to be seen whether that message can prevent massive Democratic losses this November.
Comments
Poor thin skinned Muslim terrorist supporter!
Oh FOAD. Everything cited above is the absolute truth.
The only future worse for the Untied States than two more years of Dems in power would be two years of Republican'ts in power.
WE will see in January, when all those new Republican Tea Party candidates take their seats in congress and the senate just how dangerous it will be.
"new Republican Tea Party candidates"
you don't even realize that that used to be an oxymoron (before republicans tore the Tea Party out by their grassroots)
Hey! If Obummer don't want to go on the most watched most trusted cable news outlet then that is his loss.
If he wants to go on Ralph Madcow's show and have all 398 viewers then that too is his loss.
When will Obummer use the power of his office to strip FNC of their license if they are so dangerous to the country?
They are not as dangerous as his comrades in THE NEW PARTY and the SEIU unions that are now all under federal investigations.
And exactly what "license" does Faux Gnus have that can be stripped?
Don't know much about cable news after all, do you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6weDMH-SCOE&feature=player_embedded
A group of 47 House Democrats are telling party leaders they want to continue Bush-era tax cuts on investment income, breaking ranks with President Barack Obama and exposing divisions among Democrats over their party's pre-election message about taxes.
The lawmakers, led by Rep. John Adler, D-N.J., have sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying they strongly support extending the current tax rates on capital gains and dividends.
Yeah, Rolling Stone; they got McChrystal fired alright. How's that working out for the administration. It's his war now. Opps!
Hey I thought you were for Obama?
Boo-who, poor Barry. He is still blaming everyone else for his woes and worries. Barack Obama is turning into a rather pathetic figure, a joke, and it is all his own fault. He has to attack wall street, the banks, republicans, the media, the tea party and now our Thug-in-chief has to attack his own party. Who next Barry, need to kick an old lady to make yourself feel better? Hey Barry, if the job is so tough, resign, let Biden sit at the big desk.
Every policy put forth by this administration seems to be long-term in nature. The very nature of trickle-down and the belief that the job creators should be given complete freedom to create jobs and wealth was born in the Reagan Era. It was not achieved by one single act of Congress but by years of promoting that concept thereby creating the Bush Administration that pulled out all the stops and put Trickle Down on Steroids.
While I appreciate that Bill Clinton's Administration saw a balanced budget, he did nothing to reverse our full out goal of a totally free enterprise system. Regardless of who has been in the white house, we have seen the expansion of de-regulation, outsourcing, diminishing of employee wealth with no attempt at addressing the inherent problems. That is why so many people are disgusted with politicians.
Trickle down and its success for a few took many years to achieve. Any legislation to combat will have to take it a piece at a time to fix - thus long-term goals. Twenty-two months is only long term to a 3 year old - thus the president's frustration with his base.-lg
Poor Baby. So when is the truth destructive? The Answer is when you engage in a Left wing Socialistic Boarder line Communist Manifesto. The meaning of Narcissism is the personality trait of egotism, vanity, conceit, or simple selfishness. Applied to a social group, it is sometimes used to denote elitism or an indifference to the plight of others. This Narcissistic President is suppose to represent all Americans and their freedoms not just a few nut jobs.
Narcissistic?
Compared to the Smirking Chimp we had for 8 years??? the guy who went to war for no reason other than to impress his Daddy - the Daddy who thought invading Iraq was a dumb idea??
Smirking chimp still got elected president, was a governor and is about to release what will be a best selling book. What are you doing with your life?
Taking care of my family and actually helping Wounded Warriors who paid the price of Bush's vanity.
It is amazing how this administration and this congress continue to blame Bush. How the Blind faith Obama followers have nothing to claim for Obama’s success. Indeed this orgy of the walking dead continues to try and defend a failed administration with its experimental policies. The only defense left is to respond by blaming Bush or by using the race card and class warfare. These lies are failures in themselves. For the past 5 years Congress has been controlled by the Democrats (Nancy Palosi) ;and the last 2 years by a Progressive President. The Democrats presently still have full control and they are the ones that are in a gridlock to vote on fiscal responsibilities. Only social party agendas , big unions and government bailouts have been their focus and montra’. And it has cost us plenty. Fanny , Freddie, Barny's Frank Chris Dud, Mega Hedge Funds with their Derivatives along with the thugs in the Unions are the true culprits to this economy. But the truth is that this Congress and President have exacerbated the failed confidence of America’s economy by not allowing a cyclical market to transform naturally. In the progressives mind “the rule of law is subject to the welfare of the Union and not the individual’s rights”. The bailouts have miserable failed by prolonging the bleeding. Some of these failed and bloated companies and banks and government agencies are still doomed and should have been allowed to go through their metamorphosis with a new lean, mean competitive operation and spin off. But of coarse most of these present geniuses have never held a real job or governed a business of their own. Including the Pres. To date these talking heads can’t even write a budget. It is time for these insane socialistic failed policies to stop. We must allow businesses and taxpayers to keep more of their own earnings to reinvest at their own will and their own risk without handcuffs and with less government.
FIVE years? Your math is as bad as your political accumen.
2006 election; Democrats took over Congress in January 2007. That's 3 years, 8 months.
Obama has been in office 1 year, 8 months.
And you obviously are clueless as to how federal fiscal years and fiscal year budgets work: Obama took office in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2009 - the last BUSH budget. Obama's first real budget began Oct. 1, 2009.
The bailouts were bipartisan, and started by the same Republicans who glorified the deregulation that allowed the derivatives and other economic debacles to occur in the first place.
How much MORE "of their own earnings" do you suggest we allow them to keep? Already, half the individuals pay no income taxes and most corporations pay in the single-digit percentages.
"Trickle down" did NEITHER - it has been an utter disaster.
To previous Anon. commenter:
Are you sure we are not the same person? Agree completely!!! - lg
A sad excuse for a man and a president who could have made a difference.
You said it; Barack Obama had everything, the stars had aligned just right, the wind was at his back, he majorities in both houses of Congress and, I truly believe this, a republican party that was willing to go along with him on some things and a nation looking for new leadership. What did our little Barry do? He took the ship of states helm, grabbed the wheel and turned as hard to left as he could and dashed the nation of the rocks of partisanship and ideology.
Barack Obama had the greatest opportunity ever given a man and he threw it away and he can only blame himself but that takes real courage, something this President does not have.
"I truly believe this, a republican party that was willing to go along with him on some things and a nation looking for new leadership."
A belief at obvious conflict with reality. Republicans immediately turned into Republi-can'ts, even opposing their own proposals when they were included as part of Democratic ones.
The McCain-Palin-induced lies about Obama being a "terrorist supporter," "closet Muslim," and "not natrual-born" destroyed any chance for bi-partisanship.
It's the same tactics the Republi-can'ts used against Clinton after he took office. And Clinton was about as Centrist as any president since Ike.
Okay, I see it another way, but for 18 months Obama had everything he needed and he still threw it all away, can you deny that. You can not refute the facts, he had Congress and the people behind him and now look, two years later the public is rejecting him and his party. Explain that, tell me that is all republicans fault, tell me how Obama went from being Mr. Wonderful to the next Jimmy Carter? Or maybe it is the sad simple fact the Obama misread his mandate for change and he and his party over reached?
Where is the change and the new day that was promised or can any of you who worship at his feet have the courage to admit he made any mistakes. What is it, is Obama just so perfect and the rest of us such dullards we can't understand how wonderful he is and only through the lens you look at him can we dare to understand?
For such an agent of change and how good it is, he certianly seems very fearful of the fall elections and it seems for such a pillar of good he has no problem turning to the very tactics he condems his opponents for using.
Do you understand the difference between a majority and a super majority. Any party in the Senate must have at least 60 votes to over-ride a filibuster. The Democrats do not have 60 votes, in order to move forward some Republican Senators have to stand with them and all Democrats have to stand with them. We have unprecedented filibustering going on in this congress. The Democrats have had VERY limited success getting ANY Republicans to stand up for legislation already passed in the admittedly Democrat controlled House even when the policies have previously been supported by Republicans.
To understand why legislation is not being moved forward - you have to understand some of the laws of Congress that have been in place for many years. You have to understand the difference between a majority and a super majority. When you have a thorough understanding, take a look at all the legislation passed by the House - then look at the position of the Republican Party. Then using evidence support the notion that Republicans have tried to cooperate.
Just saying that all majorities are not created equal - lg
"Change" is an election slogan.
Reality is, Obama started by attempting to govern from just left of center - he lost many of his own party and especially his most fanatic supporters because he was he focused more on ratioonal decision making than ideology.
Health care? Left slammed him for not demanding a single payer public system.
Wars? He did EXACTLY what he said he would: Start the disengagement from Iraq and put the focus where it belonged all along, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Economy? Stumbled along like every administration that ever has faced a serious recession - something they can influence only on the margins.
Take an honest look at what the administration has proposed and done - it's barely to the left of G.H.W. Bush and, in a few ways, near-Reaganesque.
The left has been as critical of Obama as the right - but their criticisms at least are based on substance, instead of idiotic claims that supporters consider Obama some kind of messiah - or socialist marxist terrorist Kenyan.
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