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kentuck

(110,950 posts)
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 07:49 PM Dec 2016

Obama: I handled the Russian hacks properly. Its the media that didnt.

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/12/16/13988114/obama-russia-hacking-election

<snip>
When President Obama was asked at his year-end press conference Friday about a “perception” that he was “letting President Putin get away with interfering with the US election,” he responded with a condemnation of the media’s coverage of Democrats’ leaked emails.

Obama argued that once his administration had “clarity and certainty about what in fact had happened, we publicly announced that Russia had hacked into the DNC” during the campaign — making sure the public was informed of Russia’s culpability before the election.

But he argued that complaints from the media that he should have done more fall short of the mark — and neglected media’s own role in amplifying the damage to Clinton. “The truth is that there was nobody here who didn’t have some sense about what kind of effect it might have,” Obama said. “I’m finding it a little curious that everybody’s suddenly acting surprised that this looked like it was disadvantaging Hillary Clinton — because you guys wrote about it every day! Every single week!”

As his voice dripped with disdain, Obama said the press covered “every little juicy tidbit of political gossip. Including John Podesta’s risotto recipe. This was an obsession that dominated the news coverage. So I do think it’s worth us reflecting how it is that a presidential election of such importance, of such moment, with so many big issues at stake and such a contrast between the candidates, came to be dominated by a bunch of these leaks.”

....more
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Obama: I handled the Russian hacks properly. Its the media that didnt. (Original Post) kentuck Dec 2016 OP
Pretty much summarized it exboyfil Dec 2016 #1
Nobody thought Hillary was going to lose. kentuck Dec 2016 #2
Which will be etched on our tombstones exboyfil Dec 2016 #3
You dont want to know but we will be seeing it in a month. libtodeath Dec 2016 #4
Oh, this is just a side show elmac Dec 2016 #12
the same media would have reported it as Obama helping her JI7 Dec 2016 #6
so true nt iluvtennis Dec 2016 #11
Mr.Obama was protecting the Wellstone ruled Dec 2016 #5
He is clearly a very smat man triron Dec 2016 #7
Understand you concern. Wellstone ruled Dec 2016 #8
I look at it this way, Mr.Bill Dec 2016 #10
protecting the Voting process elmac Dec 2016 #14
Understand where you are coming from. Wellstone ruled Dec 2016 #15
Now that he's pointed this out I'm sure the media will be more careful with leaks which harm Trump. jalan48 Dec 2016 #9
I can't wait for his books! yallerdawg Dec 2016 #13
and the electorate. triron Dec 2016 #16
He's right, "the media was obsessed" please read the entire text, LINK He covered it very well. Sunlei Dec 2016 #17
It's not like we weren't screaming at the top of our lungs Dem2 Dec 2016 #18
Hate to say it, but Obama is right DFW Dec 2016 #19
The media is a for profit business HoneyBadger Dec 2016 #23
seriously? he's the PRESIDENT! who is running this country??!! nt TheFrenchRazor Dec 2016 #20
If you want a king or strongman, one is about to be installed. Hekate Dec 2016 #22
Amen, Sir Hekate Dec 2016 #21

exboyfil

(17,857 posts)
1. Pretty much summarized it
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 07:54 PM
Dec 2016

In hindsight maybe he should have politicized it more, but he was trying to protect the office of the Presidency. Lots of good that did the country as a whole since nearly half of the voters in this country are f***ing insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

exboyfil

(17,857 posts)
3. Which will be etched on our tombstones
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 08:01 PM
Dec 2016

as a nation.

I wasn't being critical of President Obama. I am not sure what he could have done differently. If he had tried to politicize it, it may have blown up in his face.

I am just seeing the last gasp of a functioning Executive branch. What comes next?

 

elmac

(4,642 posts)
12. Oh, this is just a side show
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 10:09 PM
Dec 2016

In a year the book 1984 will look like a Holiday vacation brochure.

JI7

(89,173 posts)
6. the same media would have reported it as Obama helping her
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 08:25 PM
Dec 2016

And proof of the corrupt system.

It Would have hurt her even more.

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
5. Mr.Obama was protecting the
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 08:25 PM
Dec 2016

Voting process. He is,no matter how ugly it gets,the voting ideal needs to be protected and without that,there is no Democracy. Read some of his writings,any one who had him as a Law Professor,had one of the best and most astute. And now we will have some Clown as his replacement.

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
8. Understand you concern.
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 08:59 PM
Dec 2016

Hunch is,he parsed his responses knowing Trump will fail miserable. Obama is protecting the Office of the President and what it stands for. The world is on edge as we speak,and any nuanced response would create a major issue. This is the end of the line for some time for the free world. We are in for one crises after the other with the Clown Elect coming into the White House. There is known one in his incoming Administration capable of Governance.

Mr.Bill

(24,103 posts)
10. I look at it this way,
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 10:05 PM
Dec 2016

if something was being done behind the scenes right now to prevent the catastrophe our country may be about to experience, It would not make things better if it looked like Obama was out in front of it.

I guess I still have some hope, but it is waning.

 

elmac

(4,642 posts)
14. protecting the Voting process
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 10:27 PM
Dec 2016

the voting process has been destroyed for years by the fascist, gerrymandering, voter suppression, funny voting machines. His response to their actions over the years has been lukewarm and like Lincoln, should have used his immense power to shut them down at every turn. Taking the high road cost us more then an election, it cost us our future.

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
15. Understand where you are coming from.
Fri Dec 16, 2016, 10:57 PM
Dec 2016

Poly Sci teaches this tidbit,in Politics the usually make up of our Nation is 40% Dems and Repthugs,leaving that middle of 20%,and the trick is to convince those people to join your group to form a majority. Now that is under normal conditions.

We still have to protect the right to vote other wise we become total Plutocracy or a Oligarchy. Once the vote goes away,baby it is all over.

triron

(21,915 posts)
16. and the electorate.
Sat Dec 17, 2016, 12:23 AM
Dec 2016

But not him. I thought one of POTUS main responsibilities was to protect America against invasion by a foreign adversary. Putin got his prize.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
17. He's right, "the media was obsessed" please read the entire text, LINK He covered it very well.
Sat Dec 17, 2016, 01:04 AM
Dec 2016
“The truth is that there was nobody here who didn’t have some sense about what kind of effect it might have,” Obama said. “I’m finding it a little curious that everybody’s suddenly acting surprised that this looked like it was disadvantaging Hillary Clinton — because you guys wrote about it every day Every single week”

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/12/16/press-conference-president

He personally got in Putins face to tell him to stop. He did stop, but to late, WikiLeaks already had the stolen files. This is the last time in our lifetimes we will EVER see a president be this transparent, this honest with the American people.

Dem2

(8,166 posts)
18. It's not like we weren't screaming at the top of our lungs
Sat Dec 17, 2016, 01:12 AM
Dec 2016

...and then changing the channel in disgust.

Thanks media - sieg heil

DFW

(54,050 posts)
19. Hate to say it, but Obama is right
Sat Dec 17, 2016, 04:38 AM
Dec 2016

Hillary's a Democrat, Obama's a Democrat. It's not like his preferences weren't public knowledge.

But the media played this election as if it were cable entertainment, subsisting on money from commercials as opposed to a responsibility to inform. What they did NOT do is report the election campaign as if the future of the world depended on the country being as fully informed as it needed to be.

Now we all reap the reward of their refusal to do their jobs. The Fourth Estate is a poor shadow of themselves when a TV show like "The Newsroom" is populated by better journalists than the real ones. But then, again, the White House of "The West Wing" was a better place than the Cheneybush White House, and the Trumppence White House is looking to turn into everything it was never intended to be.

 

HoneyBadger

(2,297 posts)
23. The media is a for profit business
Sat Dec 17, 2016, 06:57 AM
Dec 2016

Trump actually hurt them with very low ad buys. They would much have preferred a traditional ad buyer like Jeb.

Hekate

(90,189 posts)
22. If you want a king or strongman, one is about to be installed.
Sat Dec 17, 2016, 05:38 AM
Dec 2016

Barack Obama is POTUS, which is a different job description.

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