President Obama Remarks Live Thread:

[MineralMan]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/live

The remarks are about to begin. You can use this thread to comment on what is actually being said.

If you're not watching or listening to the speech, I have to wonder why not.

[MineralMan]

1. Note: A transcript will be available shortly after the speech.

At www.whitehouse.gov.

[lapislzi]

2. Even though I yawned in another thread, I am going to watch

Hope dies last.

[MineralMan]

4. Good.

[MineralMan]

3. The remarks are slightly late.

A few minutes late, as usual.

A press briefing with Jay Carney is scheduled for 12:30 PM as well, and will also be live at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live

[L. Coyote]

5. You forgot the official ***** five stars

:rofl:

[MineralMan]

7. Nothing I do on DU is official in any way.

[Scurrilous]

6. Thanks.

:thumbsup:

[RT Atlanta]

8. any alternate live feeds available?

Whitehouse.gov isn't working from my computer at work.

[MineralMan]

10. I don't know. No doubt CNN and MSNBC will have a feed.

I always use the White House feed.

[MineralMan]

9. Remarks delayed by last-minute Oval Office meeting still

ongoing. Perhaps there's some word coming in from Congress...

[Bonobo]

11. Why wonder? What is the need to watch it live for?

I'm not watching. Is that really such a mystery?

I happen to be be busy watching a documentary called "Zoo" about a man who died after getting fucked by a horse.

I think it is an apt metaphor for what is happening to the American bottom 50%.

[MineralMan]

Thanks for your irrelevant comment.

Much appreciated

[Bonobo]

22. Lighten up, MM. nt

[MineralMan]

27. Thanks for your advice. I'll ignore it if you don't mind.

I'm feeling really serious today, and am not in the mood for irrelevant bantering. Good luck to you.

[Bonobo]

32. Then here is my really serious question...

When the best possible outcome is a clean debt ceiling increase and...

in order to arrive there you had to sacrifice your position by completely undermining the greatest achievement of Democratic principles, what is the justification for calling it a victory?

[MineralMan]

42. What victory. Preventing default is not a victory.

I'm sure the clean debt ceiling idea has been thoroughly explored, and that they found that it could not get passed in Congress. Reality is reality.

The President cannot do anything without it passing through Congress on this issue. The 14th Amendment thing is a false lead. The only thing that would do would be to create a Constitutional crisis that would cripple the country even further.

I deal with real situations and hope for real solutions. I don't deal in fantasy at all.

[Bluenorthwest]

37. "Zoo" is a remarkable film, Bonobo

And not in the run of the mill Netflix cue, either!

[MineralMan]

12. Remarks imminent. Feed cam now on.

[Poll_Blind]

13. President on NOW

PB

[malaise]

14. Let's go

Obama

[Logical]

15. It Amazes me these never start on time!

[Poll_Blind]

21. They usually do- apparently there was some sort of last-minute Oval office meeting.

Not sure what that was about, though.

PB

[w8liftinglady]

16. must be bipartisan..

[MineralMan]

17. No chance for House bill.

Solution must be bi-partisan.

[MineralMan]

18. Wants a plan I can sign by Tuesday.

[Poll_Blind]

19. LOL, +LOVED+ his comment about the US not having a AAA government.

SO TRUE.

PB

[lonestarnot]

46. +25K

[brooklynite]

20. This speech is a wasted opportunity...

...that makes the President looks out of the loop. Using the bully pulpit to nag the Congress to get its act together doesn't work if you do it time after time without a result, AND you don't back it up with your own power and leadership.

[malaise]

24. So what would you have done? n/t

[brooklynite]

35. Not make a speech...

...unless I was prepared to advocate a SPECIFIC policy and focus public pressure in support of it, OR was prepared to take specific action (invoke 14th Amendment; round up Congressional leaders and lock them in a room until they come to an agreement, etc).

Continual speeches that simply chide the Congress for not doing its job don't show leadership, and will be tuned out by the public and eventually by the media.

[Renew Deal]

30. What exactly should Obama do with his power to force congress to pass a bill?

[Recursion]

43. "your own power and leadership"?

I love how increasingly vague the disappointment with Obama gets...

[Justpat]

23. He will not let go ot the bipartisan bullshit.

How has bipartisianship worked for him so far??

How about some leadership from YOU, Mr. President?

[HipChick]

26. Sounds like the RW meme for the day...

[Justpat]

45. Bullshit.

Politicians are gladiators in suits. So far in his political career, Obama has only been willing to fight Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail.

He lacks to political instincts of someone like LBJ who would have twisted arms and cajoled opponents until they came around to seeing
things his way.

And don't ever make the mistake of even hinting that my frustration with Obama's lack of leadership skills is a right wing talking point.

I have been a liberal Democrat for over forty years.

[BuelahWitch]

28. +1

It's very frustrating. What is it they say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?

[MineralMan]

29. Well, since the GOP has a majority in the House,

anything that passes is going to be bi-partisan. There is no option. Right now, the GOP can't pass any damn thing on its own and the Senate will kill anything that the President won't sign. What's your suggestion, other than something that can pass and get signed?

[lapislzi]

41. Straight-up debt ceiling only bill.

The baggers can vote no, which everyone expects, and the business of the country can proceed. Deficit issues can and should be dealt with separately, and on the merits. Quit negotiating with the damned terrorists.

[Renew Deal]

33. The way this is working out, he's turned out to be correct.

Both parties need to work together to find a solution. The republicans don't have the votes.

[MineralMan]

25. That's it.

Stressed bi-partisan bill that can pass both houses and that he can sign.

[flamingdem]

31. He's asking for support: Call, email, tweet on this -- did you reach your representative yet? nt

[MineralMan]

34. Just sent my emai to Betty McCollum, although she's solidly on

our side, and to Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar. I wrote it while I was waiting for the speech to start and sent it immediately thereafter. I didn't need to edit it, since the President said the only things he could say.

[flamingdem]

38. [phone]

[Bluenorthwest]

40. It was very predictable, in fact, you wrote your comments in

advance! See, this is why many of us do not tune in with breathless anticipation. Nor do we affect anticipation of that which we already know will be said. Any show that you can review prior to seeing is a predictable outing, no argument there.

[MineralMan]

44. And I was ready to edit them, if necessary.

You're right. The situation is predictable. There is no way a progressive package is making it through the House. There is no way the President can force anything at all through the House. So, this speech was a call for Congress to quick fucking around and do something that would end the crisis, and that Obama could sign. It's not Obama's call here. That's how it works. You can't change the legislative process. We have a Constitution.

[w8liftinglady]

39. Sigh. yes, I wrote Joe Barton,John Cornyn and KB Hutchison.

we'll see what kind of influence I have ;)

[w8liftinglady]

36. you should check out the Facebook thread...it's fantastic!

http://apps.facebook.com/whitehouselive/