Obama's presser

The essence of President Obama's press conference this morning was the same, imperturbable essence as always: the long game.

He emphasized again and again, in differing words, that his goal as president "is to actually solve the problem," to "be practical," to defer the "good headline," and to pursue a "serious conversation" with opponents within "a spirit of cooperation."

He won't seethe and entrench with the left or faint from the right's malevolent vapors; he'll negotiate, he'll wait, he'll compromise.

In short, he'll be presidential, which is what drives the excitable extremes so crazy. For independent voters, advantage Obama.

His presser went on for nearly an hour, but that's the nut of it.

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Comments

[Marc McKenzie]

Spot on, PM.

Unfortunately, well...as usual, the moaning and groaning has begun:

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/14/future_schlock/#more

Personally, I could only get through two paragraphs before I gave up. They just don't get it. Somehow, this President, who is trying to clean up the mess that's been dropped into his lap by his predecessor, is getting it from all sides...who refuse to see that it was the previous President that brought this on us.

But no...as usual, Obama gets blamed, and then the whipback to Clinton, with zero focus on Bush II.

Sorry for being negative, but I'm just fed up. I really am.

[Robert Lipscomb]

It is fascinating to note the minimal discussion of taxes and the military. A consensus has emerged that discretionary spending is a side show. Now follows the discussion of entitlements.

Of course Social Security is a straw man because it is NOT bankrupt and because of the politics. That leaves Medicare and Medicaid. The end game there are the so called Death panels, also known as best management practices, as used in all other industries.

The military remains something of a sacred cow, but I believe the two wars will be effectively over by the end of 2012. I look for even more cuts there, once Obama corners the Republicans this year and next.

The final discussion, the real discussion, is taxes and and the most fundamental lie of Reaganism. Tax cuts do not pay for themselves. By the time the discussion turns to taxes, the negotiations will have taken their pounds of flesh from discretionary spending, entitlements and to some extent the military. Something tells me the electorate will be in no mood for exempting the rich, or middle class from pain by then.

If Obama pulls this off, combined with the accomplishments of the first two years, he will go down as one of the very best presidents in history.

[eevelynlio]

I was so disapppointed in Andrew Sullivan's vicious attack against Obama's budget on yesterday.
Unfortunately, I do not have Mr. Sullivan's analytical intelligence, but I do have strong mother-wit. And the latter tells me that he went way too far.
It was one of the most vicious verbal assaults I have ever seen him deliver.
It was very disppointing, because I really admire Mr.Sullivan.
After all, he is the reason I learned about this commentary.
Oh well, I am still grateful to him for that.

[Eclectablog]

It really does drive them crazy. I love that he has his strategic plan in place and playing out. For those of us that didn't waver in our support, it's been very gratifying.