Fox interviews Obama

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
What question did you specifically have in mind?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704207504575130081383279888.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

Originally posted by zeeblebot
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704207504575130081383279888.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

That's an extremely long article in which are a lot of questions Obama has been asked. It's not an appropriate answer to my question. However I will look at the first question asked in it.

Mr. Baier's first question was whether the president supports the so-called Slaughter rule, alternatively known as "deem and pass," which would avoid a straight up-or-down House vote on the Senate bill...

...Mr. Obama, in his response, made the usual case for ObamaCare. Mr. Baier pressed him. The president said, "The vote that's taken in the House will be a vote for health-care reform." We shouldn't, he added, concern ourselves with "the procedural issues."

This seems to be the interview in question.

YouTube

The so-called "Slaughter Rule" according to one hostile article:

to “deem” passage of the Senate Health Care bill when in fact the bill has never been actually “passed”

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/03/17/slaughter-solution-still-the-senate-bill/

Ah, here's a transcript of the relevant part:

BAIER: You have said at least four times in the past two weeks: “the United States Congress owes the American people a final up or down vote on health care.” So do you support the use of this Slaughter rule? The deem and pass rule, so that Democrats avoid a straight up or down vote on the Senate bill?

OBAMA: Here’s what I think is going to happen and what should happen. You now have a proposal from me that will be in legislation, that has the toughest insurance reforms in history, makes sure that people are able to get insurance even if they’ve got preexisting conditions, makes sure that we are reducing costs for families and small businesses, by allowing them to buy into a pool, the same kind of pool that members of Congress have.


//
We know that this is going to reduce the deficit by over a trillion dollars. So you’ve got a good package, in terms of substance. I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedural rules are in the House or the Senate.

(CROSS TALK)

OBAMA: What I can tell you is that the vote that’s taken in the House will be a vote for health care reform. And if people vote yes, whatever form that takes, that is going to be a vote for health care reform. And I don’t think we should pretend otherwise.

(CROSS TALK)

OBAMA: Bret, let me finish. If they don’t, if they vote against, then they’re going to be voting against health care reform and they’re going to be voting in favor of the status quo. So Washington gets very concerned about these procedural issues in Congress. This is always an issue that’s — whether Republicans are in charge or Democrats in charge — when Republicans are in charge, Democrats constantly complain that the majority was not giving them an opportunity, et cetera.

What the American people care about is the fact that their premiums are going up 25, 40, 60 percent, and I’m going to do something about it.

http://emptysuit.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/bret-baier-interview-with-president-obama-transcript/

The critical part of Obama's reply:

I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedural rules are in the House or the Senate.

In other words, he feels it is not his place to weigh in on how the House does it's business. That is his answer, of course with a lot of politcal padding all around it. It's not a dodge.

Originally posted by Hugh Glass
He didn't really wiggle, it was more of,, I'll talk and talk, until time runs out... hopefully someone will realize how important I am.

That's a better description of his answer I think. except that it wasn't about him being important, it was about keeping positive imagery associated with his policies - typical politician talk.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
The critical part of Obama's reply:

I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what the procedural rules are in the House or the Senate.

In other words, he feels it is not his place to weigh in on how the House does it's business. That is his answer, of course with a lot of politcal padding all around it. It's not a dodge.

he's an ex-Senator!

he didn't mind castigation the Supreme Court to their face, when they didn't go his way!

it's a dodge!

Originally posted by zeeblebot
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704207504575130081383279888.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

Now for the Slaughter

On the road to Demon Pass, our leader encounters a Baier.

By PEGGY NOONAN

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704207504575130081383279888.html?mod=rss_opinion_main#articleTabs%3Dcomments

* 18 hours ago ...[text shortened]... eping on point--but not without looking totally evasive and/or uninformed.

Kudos to Baier!

Is Obama on crack? I thought he banned Fox News from the White House? I guess that will teach him. At least Obama did not try the bit about premiums coming down 3000% if Obamacare is inacted.

I think this will be the last of such interviews. It is shocking that he let someone interview him that actually insisted that he answer questions. This is just mind boggling. I think he is really starting to lose it.

Originally posted by zeeblebot
he's an ex-Senator!

he didn't mind castigation the Supreme Court to their face, when they didn't go his way!

it's a dodge!

When he was a Senator what the House did was still none of his business.

Originally posted by whodey
Is Obama on crack? I thought he banned Fox News from the White House? I guess that will teach him. At least Obama did not try the bit about premiums coming down 3000% if Obamacare is inacted.

I think this will be the last of such interviews. It is shocking that he let someone interview him that actually insisted that he answer questions. This is just mind boggling. I think he is really starting to lose it.

Amazing how Fox could be banned from the White House yet have interviews with Obama...

I have to say that my favority line was getting Obama so acknowledge that Obamacare does nothing to fix the "structural" problems with Medicare. In effect, Obama is acknowledging the need to "fix" things again down the road. Hello national health care!! I just wish Bret had then asked Obama why he was not looking to fix the structural problems now. Basically all Obama was saying is that his plan buys a little bit more time for a system that is doomed to fail.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Amazing how Fox could be banned from the White House yet have interviews with Obama...

As I'm sure you well know, they were banned from White House interviews. It then begs the question as to why now? I suppose it is an illustration of just how desperate they are to pass this. I would think after this difficult interview it will be the last.

Originally posted by whodey
As I'm sure you well know, they were banned from White House interviews. It then begs the question as to why now? I suppose it is an illustration of just how desperate they are to pass this. I would think after this difficult interview it will be the last.

No, actually, I don't know that. I looked into it and it turns out that Obama decided not to send an aide to be interviewed by Fox. If that's not true, please, offer up some articles I can read.

Obama doesn't send an aide to be interviewed - sinister!
Obama interviews with Fox - sinister!

It seems you just need Obama to be a bad guy and will accept any events that happen as evidence of his evilness. It's similar to No True Scotsman - illogical due to the ad hoc fallacy.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
It seems you just need Obama to be a bad guy and will accept any events that happen as evidence of his evilness.

whodey's blithering responses to the rather calm and collected analysis of parts of the interview you laid out, was very instructive.

Here's a Fox interview about this. You can see obviously it was a minor mistake that was immediately rectified and then blown out of proportion for partisan reasons.

http://tpmtv.talkingpointsmemo.com/?id=3722114