The high point was that, at the White House's request, they had agreed last night to let the cameras continue to roll during the question and answer period. MSNBC reporter called it "A brilliant political move" and said: "For an hour and a half, Obama refuted every single Republican talking point used against him on the major issues of the day." And he did it to their faces, on live TV -- and he did it without notes or an earpiece feeding him the answers.
I guess he was just warming up Wednesday night when he scolded the Supreme Court justices to their faces at the SOTUS.
In fact, it was so effective, someone observed, that FOX News cut away from it 20 minutes before the end. And Republicans have been quoted as saying he scored a lot of political points and saying it was a mistake to have allowed it to be televised.
Here's some more from Sam Stein's account:
[Obama] delivered a performance that was at once defiant, substantive and engaging. For roughly an hour and a half, Obama lectured GOP leaders and, in a protracted, nationally-televised question-and-answer session, deflected their policy critiques, corrected their misstatements and scolded them for playing petty politics. White House officials told the Huffington Post they were absolutely ecstatic. . . .HE'S BACK !!!!! YEAH !!!!!
What resulted was what one Democratic strategist described as "amazing theater" -- certainly for cable news. Standing on a stage, looking down at his Republican questioners, Obama assumed the role of responsible adult to the GOP children, or, at the very least, of a college professor teaching and lecturing a room full of students. . . .
He rebuked a questioner who insisted that the monthly deficit is higher now than Bush's annual deficit. "That's factually just not true," he said. "And you know it's not true." He lampooned Republican lawmakers seated in front of him for portraying his health care legislation as "some Bolshevik plot." He mocked Republicans for railing against the stimulus package and then showing up at "the ribbon-cuttings for some of these important projects in your communities." And he did it all while calling for "a tone of civility instead of slash and burn will be helpful. . . ."
Whether it was chutzpah, political savvy, or both, it certainly was refreshing. Reporters were thrilled with the British Parliament-style exchange between president and lawmakers. . . Ezra Klein of the Washington Post labeled it "the most compelling political television I've seen...maybe ever. NBC's Chuck Todd added: "The president should hold Congressional 'town halls' more often. Public needs to see this if they'll ever trust Washington again."
Ralph
You're right, he did great. I even heard a local conservative talk show host grdugingly admit he had a point when he said Republicans who agreed with 70% of a bill wouldn't say so for fear they'd be hounded out of the GOP.
ReplyDeleteIt was refreshing, it was hopeful. But until he actually accomplishes something, I'm not jumping back on the bandwagon, although I will applaud from the sidelines.
richard
It was delicious, if overdue. Maybe even his timing will turn out to be the right thing in the end. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteI wish I were a 'real pundit.' I have the fantasy that they actually know how it's all going to play out [I also still wonder if the tooth fairy might be real].