Howard Dean schools Morning Joe on public option strategy
May 302010
Howard Dean concisely lays out the Obama Administration’s strategy for passing health care reform with a public option.
Duration : 0:7:22
The Backroom Democrats of 2009
May 212010
On September 23, 2009, Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) spoke to Congress about the Congressional Democrats’ and President Obama’s failed promise to include the public, and the Republican party, in open discussions about health care reform.
Duration : 0:1:22
Obama: Death Panels Are “A Lie, Plain And Simple”
May 162010
President Obama says during an address on health reform to Congress that death panels are “a lie,” abortions would not be funded under the plan, and illegal immigrants would not benefit, to which an audience member – identified as Rep. Joe Wilson – shouted back, “Lie!”
He also comments that he does not want to put insurance companies out of business. “I just want to hold them accountable.”
Duration : 0:4:47
8/12/09: White House Press Briefing
April 252010
White House Press Briefings are conducted most weekdays from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the West Wing. (public domain)
Duration : 0:45:45
Keith Olbermann Special Comment On Health Care Reform
April 162010
Keith Olbermann calls out Sen. John Thune, Sen. John McCain, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans – whom he argues “owns” the insurance industry – as well as a few Democrats, too – specifically the “Blue Dogs” – in a “Special Comment”.
Duration : 0:10:59
12/15/09: White House Press Briefing
April 162010
White House Press Briefings are conducted most weekdays from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the West Wing. (public domain)
Duration : 0:41:41
Meet Steve King: Face of the GOP
April 162010
DNC Video: Meet Steve King: Face of the GOP12/7/09: White House Press Briefing
April 132010
White House Press Briefings are conducted most weekdays from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the West Wing. (public domain)
Duration : 0:56:37
Obama on Health Reform to Congress: ‘No one should go broke because they got sick’ last part
April 102010
A Republican House member shouted “You lie” during President Obama’s health care speech to Congress on Wednesday, and members of both parties condemned the heckling. South Carolina Democratic Party chair says Wilson “embarrassed” state. The outburst came when Obama denied that proposed health care legislation would provide free health coverage for illegal immigrants. Immediately, Wilson shouted, “You lie!” . The outburst caused Obama to stop and look toward the heckler. “That’s not true,” the president responded. Behind him, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared shocked and turned toward the outburst as Vice President Joe Biden looked down and shook his head. Loud boos echoed through the chamber immediately after the outburst.
While it was the most attention-getting, Wilson’s shout wasn’t the only demonstration of displeasure made by Republicans during the speech.
Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, wore a sign around his neck that said, “WHAT BILL?” And when Obama asked Republicans to share their health reform ideas with him, a small group raised up a stack of papers above their heads.
After the speech, Republican Sen. John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate defeated by Obama last year, called Wilson’s outburst “totally disrespectful” and said he should apologize.
Appearing on CNN’s “Larry King Live,” he said there was “no place for it in that setting or any other and he should apologize immediately.”
Other Republicans also criticized Wilson, along with the expected Democratic condemnation.
“It was crude and disrespectful,” said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, a top Senate Democrat. “I think the person who said it will pay a price.”
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, called on Wilson to go to the floor Thursday and apologize. She said Wilson’s comment and other GOP tactics “strike me as odd. … The minority leader has to get control of his conference.” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, told CNN affiliate WIS-TV in Columbia that he, too, was disappointed.
“The president’s combative tone did not justify a member of Congress shouting out, ‘You lie,’ ” said Graham. “Our nation’s president deserves to be treated with respect. It was an inappropriate remark, and I am glad an apology has been made.”
South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler took it further.
“Once again a South Carolina Republican has embarrassed our state,” Fowler’s office said in a statement that referred to S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s extramarital affair.
“Never has any member of Congress shown such disrespect for the president during a speech,” Fowler wrote. “One would think that as a member of the military, Joe Wilson would have more respect and patriotism than he displayed tonight. When Congressman Wilson insulted President Obama, he also insulted the American public. Joe Wilson is a poor example of a statesman and an American. He owes an apology to the president and the American people.” The Democrat hoping to unseat Wilson in next year’s midterm elections also quickly seized on the Republican’s outburst.
“Rep. Wilson’s behavior tonight exemplifies everything that is wrong in Washington,” Democrat Rob Miller said in a statement provided to CNN. “Instead of engaging in childish name-calling and disrespecting our commander-in-chief, Joe Wilson should be working towards a bipartisan solution that makes quality, affordable health care available to each and every South Carolinian.”
After the speech, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, tweeted that it was the “biggest” disappointment of the evening. “Biggest disappointmnt of evening, the total lack of respect shown by one member for the President,” she wrote. “Never acceptable to behave like a jerk.”
Duration : 0:10:53
President-Elect Obama’s first press conference (Part 2)
April 102010
President-Elect Barack Obama held his first press conference yesterday, one that focused mainly on the current economic crisis. One detail that flew under the radar, however, was which networks and newpapers got to ask questions, or, rather, which one didn’t get to ask a question. As Media Bistro notes, one network who was not called upon sticks out: Fox News.
It will be interesting to see how the conservative network adjusts to a political reality in which the Democratic Party holds the White House and substantial majorities in both houses of Congress. Michael Wolff, a Vanity Fair columnist who is writing an authorized biography on Rupert Murdoch’s career and family, claims that even Murdoch is embarrassed by Fox News
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/08/fox-news-cut-out-of-quest_n_142404.html
CHICAGO — Inheriting an economy in peril, President-elect Obama warned on Friday that the nation faces the challenge of a lifetime and pledged he would act urgently to help Americans devastated by lost jobs, disappearing savings and homes seized in foreclosure. But the man who promised change cautioned against hopes of quick solutions.
“It is not going to be easy for us to dig ourselves out of the hole that we are in,” Obama said at his first news conference since winning the presidency on Tuesday.
The No. 1 priority, Obama said, is to get Congress to approve an economic stimulus plan that would extend jobless benefits, send food aid to the poor, dispatch Medicaid funds to states and spend tens of billions of dollars on public works projects. If the plan is not approved this month, in a special session of Congress, Obama said that “it will be the first thing I get done as president of the United States.”
In his first appearance since a jubilant election-night celebration, Obama sought to project an air of calm and reassurance to a deeply worried nation. He stood in a presidential-like setting with an array of eight American flags and a lectern showing a presidential seal above the words “The Office of the President Elect.” The stage behind him was lined with advisers he had summoned, his economic brain trust.
Almost 20 minutes late to his first meeting with reporters, Obama spoke for just 20 minutes and broke no ground with new policy announcements or disclosures of who would be in his Cabinet. In lighthearted moments, he joked about seances with dead presidents and the appeal of animal shelter dogs that are “mutts like me.”
A new jobless report offered no comfort. The unemployment rate climbed to a 14-year high in October,and 10.1 million people were out of work. In Detroit, General Motors reported a huge third-quarter loss and said it may run out of cash next year. Ford planned more job cuts after burning through billions of dollars of its own.
While standing back as long as Bush is president, Obama said his advisers would keep close watch on the administration’s efforts to unlock frozen credit and stabilize financial markets. Obama said he wanted to make sure the Bush administration was “protecting taxpayers, helping homeowners and not unduly rewarding the management of financial firms that are receiving government assistance.”
Obama spoke after he and Vice President-elect Joe Biden met privately with economic advisers to discuss ways to stabilize the economy.
“We are facing the greatest economic challenge of our lifetime, and we’re going to have to act swiftly to resolve it,” Obama said. He said he was confident that “a new president can have an enormous impact,” but he tempered that optimism by adding, “I do not underestimate the enormity of the task that lies ahead.”
“Immediately after I become president, I will confront this economic challenge head-on by taking all necessary steps to ease the credit crisis, help hardworking families, and restore growth and prosperity,” Obama said.
“Some of the choices that we’re going to make are going to be difficult,” he said. “It is not going to be quick. It’s not going to be easy for us to dig ourselves out of the hole that we are in.” But he said he was confident the country could do it.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/07/obamas-first-press-confer_n_142174.html
Duration : 0:10:50