The Obama Health Care Summit

[Wimbly]

Did anyone see it?

Obama came off as unprofessional and partisan. He called all the senators by their first names, accused anyone who disagreed with him of using "talking points", while campaigning told others to stop campaigning. The Democrats were all using the same tactic of reciting so called "personal stories", instead of hashing out ideas or policy. It was so ridiculous that all the networks but Fox cut coverage.

If the goal of this summit was to make Republicans look dumb, it seriously backfired.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTd6v3VQf5s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5eELcubGrY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6DRWeHUMxA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br2W2ImskjQ

[kimujnr]

Man it was a grindhouse in there, especially between McCain and Obama.

[JKD]

I doubt any common ground will come of this on health care...despite the fact that it sounds like there's at least some common ground to be had. Both sides are too dug in on this now. The Republicans are correct when they say that this sort of thing should have happened a year ago.

Despite at time being nothing more than partisan politicians hurling talking points at the other side, I think there were some substantive exchanges. I think this sort of public exchange should happen more often. It's at least slightly bettert having these clowns go on O'Reilly, Olbermann, or whichever infotainment show and tell a receptive audience what it wants to hear.

[Imp]

I think Obama had neither a net positive nor net negative appearance at the summit. Of course, the Dems were counting on his super awesome oratorical skills to win the day, so I guess that counts as a loss. But the real loss was all those retarded Democrats sitting around him. An endless parade of anecdotes. WTF? The Republicans managed to come off as informed and respectful. Dems just seemed to be reading letters from their constituents.
Of course, the entire thing was a sham as the Dems are gonna keep on trying to ram something through, just like before. On the whole, the summit hurt the Dems and Obama, and was a small win for the Republicans.

[seraosha]

I kept waiting for the rusty knives and morningstars to be carted out...lock the doors, only allow half the assembled number leave.

It ought to be a bloodsport again.
Waste of time.

[kimujnr]

I kept waiting for the rusty knives and morningstars to be carted out...lock the doors, only allow half the assembled number leave.

It ought to be a bloodsport again.
Waste of time.

That would be a one sided match, too many geriatric ninjas on the conservative side. Although according to Liberal mythos Obama and crew would probably throw bunnies and sun flowers back at them! :)

[Wimbly]

I think you expect more from the minority party than you do from the one in charge. Which is probably due to the media's constant focus on them as the reason everything bad happens.

Lets see how the media is spinning this!

MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell Bungles the Facts in 'Truth-squadding' Attempt (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/lachlan-markay/2010/02/26/msnbcs-norah-odonnell-bungles-facts-truth-squadding-attempt)



What good is the liberal media's "truth squadding" or "fact-checking" when it doesn't reveal any facts and is completely divorced from the truth?

MSNBC's Norah O'Donnell gave a stark answer to that question this morning, when she appeared on "Morning Joe" to discuss yesterday's health care summit. O'Donnell heaped praise on the President for being "in command of some of the facts", like the "fact" that premiums would decline 10-13 percent under his plan. If she had actually looked at the CBO report she was citing (http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10781/11-30-Premiums.pdf), however, she would know that the plan is expected to raise, not lower, premiums for individuals by 10-13 percent.

So for all her "truth-squadding" and "fact-checking", O'Donnell is still confused about the difference between up and down. Either that, or she didn't truth-squad or fact-check anything, but simply said what she wanted to believe. Maybe she should spend less time devising her awkward hyphenated verbs , and more actually examining the facts.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-1SFsURUgg



Chris Matthews, during a special post-health care summit two hour edition of Hardball on Thursday night, dissected the GOP strategy as one of keeping their "crazies" like Michele Bachman and Joe Wilson, "in the closet" and mocked that their "rehearsed" phrases made them sound like a "North Korean assembly" and exclaimed it was "an example of Pyongyang democracy, which is "What the Dear Leader told us to recite."




Matthews Sees Alinsky In Obama's Healthcare Summit Performance (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/02/26/matthews-obamas-healthcare-summit-thats-alinsky-him)




Chris Matthews on Thursday said President Obama was using a Saul Alinsky communication technique during the healthcare summit earlier that day.

Talking to NBC's Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie about the festivities at Blair House, the "Hardball" host couldn't help but notice community organization skills on display.

"By the way, that`s the Saul Alinsky in him -- that is the community organizer," Matthews said with a smile on his face.


"Because Saul Alinsky taught, understand both sides and all the nuances, but in the end, take a side"
Hilarious how he spins it as positive. These guys just aren't hiding it anymore.

WaPo Page One: 'Professor Obama' Schools 'Undisciplined Pupils' of GOP (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/25/AR2010022505919.html?sub=AR)



Republicans had been hesitant to accept President Obama's invitation to participate in Thursday's White House health-care summit. Their hesitance turned out to be justified.


An equal number of Democratic and Republican legislators assembled around the table....But members of the opposition party may not have fully understood that they were stepping into Prof. Obama's classroom, and that they were to be treated like his undisciplined pupils.





111840

Obama was reduced to looking like the card deal at a poker game, while Republicans looked serious and prepared, yet this is the way the WaPo sees it? What a surprise.

ABC's George Stephanopoulos Hypes Democratic Spin on Reconciliation (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2010/02/26/abcs-george-stephanopoulos-hypes-democratic-spin-reconciliation)


Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos on Friday offered liberal spin for the issue of using reconciliation to pass the health care bill, a process that would allow legislation to go through the Senate with only 51 votes: "Reconciliation has been used for President Bush's tax cuts, for welfare reform, for other health care bills in the past." [Audio available here (http://media.eyeblast.org/newsbusters/static/2010/02/2010-02-26-ABC-GMA-Steph.mp3).]


Stephanopoulos' guest, John McCain, quickly dismissed this obvious talking point: "George, it's not been used for one-sixth of the Gross National Product." The ex-Clinton aide turned journalist also promoted the idea that Barack Obama has been bipartisan on the health care divide. He challenged the Arizona Senator, "But, the President said you had a point there. He also said he was willing to work with Republicans on malpractice reform, on health savings.



Its amazing how these media people will continue to sell this policy for Obama, even given a vast majority of the public is against it. It just goes to show that there is more than just corporate media bias going on here. Its ideological.

[Mastermind]

I tried and then caught myself laughing so much at the Democrat personal little stories, I eventually drifted off to other things. It was a pure circus. Probably O picked up more constructive stuff to do at his little "Beer" summit. And, Republican Ryan was outstanding...inf act, his six minutes stole the entire show ...he basically called O and the Dems liars to their faces...he did this with the calm of a Marines radio operator in a fire fight and made his points stick. O looked very much like he was flipping Ryan the bird about 5"30 into Ryans time. You can also always tell when O is in a tight spot and is planning out his lies when he starts stuttering...and he was into major stutter mode as he tried to respond to Ryan's accusation of cooking the books on the Dem Health Care takeover.

But, today I am catching up on all the highlights...skipping out over all that "personal anecdote" crap Obama, the Dems and McCain flooded the conference with. Notice the Dems took up twice the amount of talk-time the Pubbies did....and that's not counting all the time Obama blathered over.

Basically, this was a disaster for the Dems...I notice O's rating are down another point this AM...which surprised me. Anytime a sitting US Prez gets this much exposure, his rating have always gone up a few the next day.....this time, was the first time ever a Prez's ratings fell after the event.

Dems are in ultra serious survival mode now...look for them to toss a big Dem under the bus to distract and make it look like they are trying to clean up their act...probably will be Rangal...he's the most expendable right now. They did Patterson...so I could be wrong...two black guys in a row would be a trend.

[okiebugg]

I tried and then caught myself laughing so much at the Democrat personal little stories, I eventually drifted off to other things. It was a pure circus. Probably O picked up more constructive stuff to do at his little "Beer" summit. And, Republican Ryan was outstanding...inf act, his six minutes stole the entire show ...he basically called O and the Dems liars to their faces...he did this with the calm of a Marines radio operator in a fire fight and made his points stick. O looked very much like he was flipping Ryan the bird about 5"30 into Ryans time. You can also always tell when O is in a tight spot and is planning out his lies when he starts stuttering...and he was into major stutter mode as he tried to respond to Ryan's accusation of cooking the books on the Dem Health Care takeover.

But, today I am catching up on all the highlights...skipping out over all that "personal anecdote" crap Obama, the Dems and McCain flooded the conference with. Notice the Dems took up twice the amount of talk-time the Pubbies did....and that's not counting all the time Obama blathered over.

Basically, this was a disaster for the Dems...I notice O's rating are down another point this AM...which surprised me. Anytime a sitting US Prez gets this much exposure, his rating have always gone up a few the next day.....this time, was the first time ever a Prez's ratings fell after the event.

Dems are in ultra serious survival mode now...look for them to toss a big Dem under the bus to distract and make it look like they are trying to clean up their act...probably will be Rangal...he's the most expendable right now. They did Patterson...so I could be wrong...two black guys in a row would be a trend.


I am never surprised at your thinking and how much we think alike. Old Marines never die, they just offer opinions to the younger folk

[vryhpyammoadded]

I saw it more as a test of the US national political will towards the bait and switch reform bill and others like it. Can the US public allow its collective financial future to be harnessed to float the world economy another few useless months while team O and the Hill finagles a massive cultural reorganization to forcefully swipe wealth from one culture (sure as hell won’t be the oligarchs leaving only the little guy) to underwrite loans to another, or is the jig up, the marks wise and it’s time to let serious inflation out of the box.

Reconciliation (the political act) for the so called Health Reform, Crap and Tax, and other scams is to simply get at more money that people increasingly refuse to give. It’s the drivers whip for Obama and his team to beat what they are not sure is a dead horse and the White house theater yesterday was to determine is the horse dead or kicking enough to whip into hauling this sorry ass planet another few miles. Do they take the chance flailing away at the beast and lose position next election or do they jump off, take their cut of the “thank you for your service” oligarch bonus loot and retire to the book writing circuit, speeches and hefty consulting fees to the tune of billions? (If there’s any left or war dosn't get them)

Speaking of Obama’s oligarch masters desiring rent seeking the Federal largess via Health Care, Crap and Tax and other “Reforms”… They must be going through a similar process of whipping their political dogs while their constituent minion voters cry out for entitlement or it’s your ass Barry, Nancy, Harry and so on. The theater serves a purpose here also in adding the illusion of attempting to get something done or blame shift away complaints onto those dirty, rotten, mean spirited, uncaring and un-giving, neocon Scrooges for their more easily manipulated constituents.

Meanwhile, the US public is each day growing more aware of the wealth redistribution trap that’s been set for their wallets making the public tax payer responsible for making up the financial losses that will incur. Someone has got to give, literally, or the whole sorry assed American Social Democrat, welfare state oligarchic system of deminishing returns implodes and a new, fiscally realistic replacment steps up to bat.

Be worried though as when most people get into a damned if you do, damned if you don’t corner, they typically go with whatever works best for their own survival and screw everyone else. The managerial elite are deciding this right now.

[budgie]

Did anyone see it?

Obama came off as unprofessional and partisan. He called all the senators by their first names, accused anyone who disagreed with him of using "talking points", while campaigning told others to stop campaigning. The Democrats were all using the same tactic of reciting so called "personal stories", instead of hashing out ideas or policy. It was so ridiculous that all the networks but Fox cut coverage.

If the goal of this summit was to make Republicans look dumb, it seriously backfired.



Oooh 'talking points'. What an insult. The horror, the horror.

The goal, stupidly I admit, was to try and reach cosensus. This move makes a good case for all that 'Messiah' bullshyt you lot keep spreading aroud a suggests Obama buys into the idea he can be some kind of conensus builder. Dumb idea: all he did was put a bunch of people who hate each other in the same room and then take sides. Don't pin it all on the Democrats in the room - neither side was going to play ball and both did indeed revert to simple 'talking points'.

[kimujnr]

Oooh 'talking points'. What an insult. The horror, the horror.

The goal, stupidly I admit, was to try and reach cosensus. This move makes a good case for all that 'Messiah' bullshyt you lot keep spreading aroud a suggests Obama buys into the idea he can be some kind of conensus builder. Dumb idea: all he did was put a bunch of people who hate each other in the same room and then take sides. Don't pin it all on the Democrats in the room - neither side was going to play ball and both did indeed revert to simple 'talking points'.

Indeed, and lets not try to play the repub's as some somber group looking for a middle ground, they've made it pretty clear that as long as the health care bill owes any credit to Obama they must kill it!

[Wimbly]

Oooh 'talking points'. What an insult. The horror, the horror.

The goal, stupidly I admit, was to try and reach cosensus. This move makes a good case for all that 'Messiah' bullshyt you lot keep spreading aroud

Us? Its his supporters and media that constantly refer to him in messianic, god like language. Where do you think the messiah stuff came from?


suggests Obama buys into the idea he can be some kind of conensus builder. Dumb idea: all he did was put a bunch of people who hate each other in the same room and then take sides. Don't pin it all on the Democrats in the room - neither side was going to play ball and both did indeed revert to simple 'talking points'.

Come on Budgie, this was a political play that blew up in Obama's face. He was hoping to stick one to the Republicans similar to his little speech at that Republican dinner. Unfortunately Republicans came prepared and all he and the Democrats had were sob stories. No doubt the Republicans were playing their own games, but to me its just funny that Obama (the president) spent so much time whining about things he was himself actively doing.

[FullMetalJackass]

Did anyone see it?

Obama came off as unprofessional and partisan. He called all the senators by their first names, accused anyone who disagreed with him of using "talking points", while campaigning told others to stop campaigning. The Democrats were all using the same tactic of reciting so called "personal stories", instead of hashing out ideas or policy. It was so ridiculous that all the networks but Fox cut coverage.

If the goal of this summit was to make Republicans look dumb, it seriously backfired.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTd6v3VQf5s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5eELcubGrY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6DRWeHUMxA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br2W2ImskjQ

What do you expect? He is the least experienced guy in the room wherever he goes.

[Laconian]

Somebody please tell me why these people had name cards/tents like they were at some stupid corporate conference. Did anybody not know who was in the f-ing room? And please stop these sad stories. Even if we insure every person on the planet, somebody is going to contract a horrible disease, people are going to be victims of malpractice/misdiagnosis and fate. Some huge government bureaucracy is not going to be looking out for the little guy, it's going to be looking out for itself; because that's what bureaucracy's do.
A nationally-funded. controlled health care system will be no different.

Yeah, we need to do some reform of the health insurance industry, but it doesn't need to be taken over by the G.

[JUNKHO]

[edit]

Yeah, we need to do some reform of the health insurance industry, but it doesn't need to be taken over by the G.

Careful there chief. A suspicious person might think there are forces purposely keeping this subject in turmoil so overt truth such as spoken by you gets no play or notice.

[Ought Six]

The purpose of this little farce was to provide some political cover for the Dems when use 'the nuclear option'; reconciliation; to ram the bill through and bypass a filibuster. They will say, "well, we tried to talk to the Repubs, but they were just interested in killing healthcare reform...." Obama and the Dem leadership desperately want this, and will do what they need to do to get it.

[11 Bravo]

Listening to NPR in the car... it was a slobbering propaganda love fest for them as far as NPR's cronie talkers were concerned.It was pathetic. So profoundly lame and obvious was the nature of the oblahma group Inc strategy here.... god only a nutter would see roses through the stink there !. The more that prez opens his jabberwocky the more I see people regretting for falling for him with their vote. And so it goes , so it goes.

[Geezah]

"I'm the President"
http://www.youtube.com/v/rfJzctAM_I0

[budgie]

Yeah that was classy. Straight out of the Bush Bully Pulpit Playbook. I guess the great persuader can lose his patients and sound like a ****.

[Geezah]

Yeah that was classy. Straight out of the Bush Bully Pulpit Playbook. I guess the great persuader can lose his patients and sound like a ****.

It has nothing to do with President Bush. It is Obama all the way, he's an elitist always has been and always will be, and it will be hopefully be this attitude that gets him out of office in a couple of years time.