George Stephanopoulos Asks Valerie Jarrett If Barack Obama Is Responsible For Divisiveness in DC
By Nicole Belle Sunday Nov 01, 2009 4:00pm
Holy FSM. Is George Stephanopoulos auditioning for a spot on the Fox News Channel line up? It's the only thing I can account for this ridiculous and intelligence-insulting framing:
STEPHANOPOULOS: One year later, the president's economic plan has passed, but with no Republican votes in the House, only three in the Senate. It sure looks like right now no Republican support, the health care bills, as they are going forward in the Congress.
And our polling shows that this partisan divide persists on issue after issue after issue. Why has that core promise of the president's campaign, healing the divide, gone unfulfilled?
JARRETT: Well, you should ask that question to the Republican Party. I mean, frankly, just listening to the president's words again, it brought back terrific memories, and I think his message was a profound one. And he has stayed true to that message. He has reached out. He has listened. He has reached across the aisle.
Just recently meeting with both the Democrats -- the Republicans and the Democrats in both the House and in the Senate. His effort has been sustained throughout the year. And the fact...
STEPHANOPOULOS: So the president bears no responsibility for the failure to get Republican votes?
JARRETT: Well, I think -- I think what we look to the president to do is to lead by example. He has reached out. He has listened. He has included very helpful advice from the Republicans when it has been forthcoming. But the fact...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But not their ideas in the legislation..
JARRETT: Well, actually, that's not true. There have been examples of where he has included their ideas. And ultimately whether they vote for a piece of legislation or not, doesn't mean that it hasn't been an open and fruitful process.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So the president doesn't feel he needs to change the way he does business at all, to reach out more to Republicans, to get more Republicans buy-in?
JARRETT: Oh, George, listen. He is constantly reaching out to Republicans. Both he and his team. And he will continue to do that. But ultimately it's up to the Republicans to decide if they want to be a constructive force and come to the table and work with us in a positive way.
We want to hear good ideas. The president is known for listening most closely to those with whom he disagrees. So the door is always open.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Does that mean, for example, that Speaker Pelosi should give the Republicans a vote on an alternative in health care?
JARRETT: I'm not going to in any way comment on what the speaker should do. She is an extraordinary leader and she is going to continue to do that. And she is going to reach out in a way that she deems appropriate. But your question is what is the president's leadership about it, and hearkening back to the message from last year, and I think he has been consistent not just here, domestically, but also around the world in the way he has reached out.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, to follow through, shouldn't he ask the speaker then to give Republicans a vote?
JARRETT: To give them a vote and give them a voice. It gives them an opportunity to contribute constructively. That doesn't mean that you actually have to change what you think is in the best interests of the American people simply to get a Republican vote. What you do is you reach out, you listen, you collaborate, but ultimately, the president is accountable to the Republican people -- to the American people, sorry.
Head. Bangs. Desk. Normally, I criticize these bobbleheads for not asking follow up questions, but Jeebus, FIVE questions in a row framing the lack of bipartisanship on Obama from Stephanopoulos???? WTF is that?
George, is there something they give you in the Kool-aid you've so obviously been chugging that wipes out your memory? Most Democrats are frustrated by Obama's constant calls for bi-partisanship.
Because as Obama keeps extending his hand to the Republicans, let's look at what the Republicans give back:
Obama gave the WATB Republicans the tax breaks they insisted upon in the stimulus package (even though economists said they would hurt-not help-the stimulus). How many Republicans voted for the stimulus bill? Bupkis.
Obama has also had to deal with Republicans giving us Tea Parties, Obama = Nazi, Marxist, Communist, Stalinist, Socialist, Racist and/or a Totalitarian.
He has been accused of declaring War on the Rich, the Health Care industry, Banking industry, Mortgage industry, and the Auto Manufacturing industry.
He has been accused of being a liar, of having a Kenyan Birth Certificate, of wanting death panels and internment camps.
The Republicans have also put holds on the Surgeon General nominee in the face of the H1N1 pandemic, as well as blocking 19 of 22 appointees to the courts, as well as complaining about Obama not being a sufficient enough cheerleader for American exceptionalism abroad, not moving fast enough on Afghanistan, too fast on health care reform, and most pathetically, the number of pages in the health care reform bill.
So tell me again, George, who exactly is being divisive? Who exactly is smacking down the hand of bipartisanship? Who exactly is responsible for the culture of divisiveness in DC?
I've been sickened by ABC's bizarre attempts at equivalencies before, but this is ridiculous. Stephanopoulos owes Valerie Jarrett and the American people an apology for this series of questions.
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to G.E. and Disney. He is only a translucent misty image of the progressive advocate he used to be when working for Bill clinton.
Hope his fat pay check in this lifetime cools the cockles of his heart when he GOES TO HELL in the next.
George Stephanopoulos has become just
another extention of the anus on the
republican elephant
Geo. Step. is a whore.
Whoever said that there are no stupid questions was wrong.
Stephie: Why has that core promise of the president's campaign, healing the divide, gone unfulfilled?
Jarrett: Because the Republican leadership in Congress insisted that to vote for any administration proposal we had to adopt their ideas as if they won the election. They did not.
Stephie: So the president bears no responsibility for the failure to get Republican votes?
Jarrett: The President is responisble for winning the election. The Republicans are responsible for acting like they did not lose and for inisting on policies that caused the national didsaster which led to them to lose.
The time has come for Obama to can the get along crap. The Rescumlicans would have a hard time backing even a tax giveaway to the rich if it came from the brains of Dems. They are committed to just fucking things up and stalling anything that would appear to be a victory for Obama. They are useless asshole liars and Barack should give up on them and just ram it down their throats. They deserve nothing better anyways after the way they conducted themselves when in the majority. Bunch of no idea ,whining , obstructionist assholes.
Excellent!
Obama has tried to reach across the aisle. The only thing the Repigs are doing is trying to make Obama look bad at our cost. He needs to wake up and realize that if he was to outlaw the torture of cute little puppies they would be against it. Fuck bipartisanship. Do a Bush and ram everything down their throats. If they don't like it, tell them to start winning elections again. This is why we have elections. The winner makes the laws, the loser has to take it up the ass. We took it for eight years at the cost of nearly 10,000 American lives. Wake up Obama. Do you really think when Repigs come into power again they're going to say to themselves that you tried to work with them?
may as well be comfortable
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/PopularMe...
Obama has done more to include the Rotten Republicans in these ten months than President Ted Bundy did to work with Democrats in eight wretched years. What a fucking lie. The Republicans don't want to work with Obama. This Week is just another Republican vomit fest.
He really is one of the stupidest people on tv. The Republicans had their turn at governing and screwed this country but good. Now, after Obama has repeatedly extended his hand to this dicks, they smacked it away and it's somehow his fault? I've got news for you little, crazy man, the NBC/Walls Street Journal poll from last week showed that given the choice between a public option and bipartisanship and no public option, Americans overwhelming chose the public option. By the way, Last November 4th should have been a clue for the Republicans that this country is no longer interested in their way of governing. You lost! That's what losing means. Republicans are complete idiots and Stephanopoulos is drifting further into the abyss that is faux news. Perhaps he's made one appearance too many on Hannity's radio show.
Seems like GS was pretty hung up on the question of giving the Republicans an opportunity to present their plan on the floor of the House of Representatives. That question completely ignores exactly how parliamentary procedure works. The rules are there to protect the rights of the minority and give them a voice in the process -- not to allow the minority to overrun and overrule the majority.
So Pelosi may well ask her caucus on the floor to push forward any agenda item from the Republicans. Whether Obama agrees with that or not. But in the end, it isn't up to Pelosi entirely. It is up to the majority vote. She surely has a lot of power, but not the power to overrule the parlimentarian.
the afterlife.
I plan on going to Tìr nan Òg.
disneyland?
Better lookin' women who aren't virginal like Snow White.
If you lose the vote, you lose the voice. I think it was amazing that Obama lend the Republican the voice long enough, and most democrats feel that Obama didn't get liberal enough with the health care bill. If her get behind the health care issue the way the liberal want it, he would have a swell of support. No sense building resentment from both party, and just support the one that voted him in.
In spite of all the questions, he still couldn't get VJ to answer the question the way he wanted her to. I'm glad I'm not in VJ's shoes because after he asked the question for the second time, I'd have let loose with a stream of expletives and would never be asked to return for another interview.
I also notice that George is showing journalistic unity. I think he is showing he is po'ed about Dunn's earlier statement that the administration would go after any media outlet that was misinforming the people, so this is his way of "getting back at the WH." He'd never have asked Perino the same question repeatedly about W.
George know's who's responsible for the so called divide, it is He and the rest of the pretend journalists that let Fox News, the Cheneys.the neo-cons, the birthers,the deathers, the racists and the nazi followers, hijack the news. He is complicit in letting this demon out of the bottle and he will rue the day when he realizes that he can't put it back in the bottle!
The founding fathers were not conciliatory to their political adversaries.
There is nothing wrong, contrary, to dopes like Evan Bayh and Joe Lieberman to take adversarial political/economic positions. If both parties want to be "bipartisan" let them tell us that ONE PARTY RULE is now the case in America. If Mr. Obama and the economic wizards want to maintain GOP-Like Economic Policies than it is for all intent and purposes already a one-party government.
The problem is not that Obama is "divisive" here but, that he and the Democrats are AFRAID and CHICKEN to be PARTISAN in this political environment which by no means says that "bipartisanship" is a virtue.
In my mind, "bipartisanship" is literally a coward's way out of taking principled political stands. There is a time and place for being "bipartisan" in the spirit of laws but by no means should one give up their politcal/economic/social/cultural views just to get along if the "remedy" will only be more oppressive/repressive for the country and those who take the brunt of the legislation/executive/judicial decisions made.
In short, my problem with Obama is that he not "divisive" enough and that he does not state what he thinks clearly enough either. Perhaps some see virtue in ambiguity, which is what the Democratic Party seems to be preaching these days, but I differ on this one.
In sum, the Democrats need to be way more divisive and in doing so become decisive in their core beliefs. To date, the Democratic Party seems quite confused, henceforth, their party loyalists are even more alarmed and bewildered.
Wake Up People!
Obama and the Dem leadership are very concerned about keeping a majority of independents. Polls show that overall independents are hostile to "partisanship" and more concerned with "results" (not how ideologically pure or even good they are, just results..). I really think that the Dems are afraid of being the
ones to increase the partisan volume for fear they'll turn off independents.
Blame the Democrats and Obama for failing to take principled stands....
Screw the Independents!!! Those spoiled, childish, fickle Independents who simply want to remain apathetic and lazy in the political process yet want to yell the loudest. I have no use for these childlike Independents. And, I am tired of the media coverage these Independents receive as well. Independents may have a high voter registration but they are also less likely to vote in local, state and national elections. So, again, screw 'em!
There is nothing wrong whatsover with liberalism and liberal principles.....It is time the Democratic Party stop being so afraid of words like "liberal" and if need be "Democratic Socialism."
America has tried Reaganomics, Neoliberalism, supply-side economics and it has all FAILED!!!!!
I am sorry, but, the Independents need to be told for their own good too, that liberalism was working just fine until Right-Wing Loons came along to dismantle it.
Remember those good paying jobs and family vacations and career employment? It is gone now thanks to the right wing polices of Hayek and Friedman which were adopted by Reagan, the Clinton admininistration and the DLC as well as the GOP establishment.
See the results for yourselves-----See the economic environment out there? See how well people are doing now? For God's sake, these economic policies of Hayek and Friedman even bit the ass of the billionaires in America and you are concerned what these nimwit apolitical Independents think and say?
The penny has finally dropped in MSM land. Will they now connect the dots and work out that its Wall street that did the dirty.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investin...
.........................for O-bought-ma's 'stand-by' residency. Rahmie makes O-bought-ma a ONE TERMER!
I bet he's the type that double checks his window and door locks are secure at a red light when a homeless person walks up to the window asking for a spare buck.
that George Steph. was reading from a teleprompter. Be interesting to know who was dictating the "questions", which were just more insinuating propaganda. Tonight an ABC newscaster will say: Some people are saying that Obama should reach out to the republicans.
and so on.
Their names will be known.
Some people
These two words in that context obviously lacks clarity and it leaves room for far more questions than answers. It is lazy thinking and quite absurd to inject such words into that statement without clarification or clarity.
If someone was arguing that on a paper or argument of any sort, Some people would be circled in red with a BIG QUESTION MARK---??????
These days the men in the News/Cable News media have become the biggest airheads....You all know how they are....there are plenty of dumb men to pick from.....their hair is all in one place and nails manicured....these men are jokes and yes-airheads. That dumb brunette man over there doing the news, reading the news with all his fluff and puff....
Next time when asked, Ms Jarrett might want to explain what it means to be bipartisan when dealing with Republicans....
Determine what are the one or two essential core principles at the heart of the legislation
Announce that these are unacceptable and must be removed, totally emasculating the legislation
Then Republicans will throw in a few "ideas" and maybe vote for it
Hey IDIOT
You never heard of newt gingrich!
Were you in a coma during the month of August when all we were hearing all that shit about Death Panels, rationing, and government take-over of healthcare?
Remember his question to Obama during the Presidential debates:
"Senator Obama, does Rev. Wright love America as much as you do?!!!"
Anyone who has the bad taste and lack of good good judgement to ask a question like this...something is wrong...could be ego, could be just plain old stupidity.
Woody McBreairty,
It is called racism and white racist attitudes. I was not offended by anything Rev Wright said to be honest. I was less inclinded to criticize him after the media pounced all over him as well. I wonder how many people ever read or listened to Wright's entire sermon or know his theological background?
When are white politicians grilled about their crazy ass preachers and priests and ministers?
How many Catholic politicians like Sam Brownback and Rick Santorum are questioned why they stayed with a Roman Catholic Church which covered up for 30 years its pedophile clergy? Or ask the Mormon candidates of their legacy of RACISM which exists to this day.....And then there are those racist White Identity Churches which Trent Lott, John Ashcroft and Bob Barr all have ties to this day.
And that's why I don't go to church.
I get myself into enough trouble as it is.
REPUBLICAN SCOZZAFAVA ENDORSES DEMOCRAT OWENS IN NY CONGRESSIONAL RACE
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/tag/cnn-...
That gnashing of teeth you hear is from the GOP!
This is same old, same old George.
He's been like this for at least ten years.
Do you not remember the endless genital massages George gave to the Bush administration?
Why is anyone surprised at this point?
A smart, articulate man of color crashed the privledged old white morons party, and he wasn't there to shine their shoes. I just hope he's well-enough armed to make it back out alive.
Thanks for pointing this out Nicole.
I've never liked STEPHANOPOULOS. He always spinning the debate with a lying, annoying, worthless, Wingnut/Conservative twist. And it's obvious he still does...
"STEPHANOPOULOS: So the president bears no responsibility for the failure to get Republican votes? ... "
Stephie, seriously WTF...? makes me wish dwarf-tossing comes back in style ...
a news show?
Did they have a long drawn out police chase on the LA Freeways of a gang of low-riders?
teabaggers catching "teh crazy" and spreading it around like a bad disease?!?!
Lord above! *faceupondesk*
Edit - On second thought, I was relieved that no one was claiming last night that Prez. and Mrs. Obama prayed satanic prayers over the cookies and candy that they gave to the children they invited to the White House, and that the cookies and candies were posessed or anything like that. So it wasn't half bad...I think?
KKKlannity and dreck will let us know tomorrow...
You're so right. :(
http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/RMInnoASat...
last night had gotten a good long look at yer link. But then I am onery and like to provoke people sometimes... ;)
More my preference:
http://sacred-texts.com/pag/aradia/ara15.htm
More nobody's preference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuTbB-d12A0
I wonder if anyone prefers the Richie Valens Diana...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuTbB-d12A0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tKZJVhn7M4&fe...
If the repugs wanted a say in the way things get done they should have won the election. Obama doesn't owe them anything.
Republicans are rabid dogs resembling humans. What happens when you reach out to a rabid dog?
Sure Mr. Snufolopholus. Obama seem to have bent over backwards to include rethugs in everything much to the base's dissatisfaction and now somehow he's responsible for the division? What the F@#k?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTNQEd8D4pg
Indeed, why don't they ever ask the Republicans? It's the right wingers who create all the hostility and divisiveness, not Obama. Obama has bent over backwards to be decent. In fact, if anything, he's been little too conciliatory. David Gregory was pulling the same crap this morning, as if it's Obama who's responsible for the polarization. What's wrong with these retards in the media. What do they expect Obama to do? It's simply not possibly to play nice with the Republicans, and expect to get anything done.
The only problem is mental retardation has nothing do with it
Nor should the mentally retarded shoulder the blame.
they think being nice is for pussies. They play hard because they play to win. They will do what ever it takes to win. Every little dirty trick. Because they are a political party that caters to the few against a political party that caters to the many. They can't win if they play fair, so they simply don't.
GOP under Gingrich:
"No Compromising" with the evil Democrats because that is conceding and showing weakness.
Gingrich and Frank Luntz had those negative words to call and describe Democrats as. The impeachment and constant attacks on Clinton and the endless investigations.....
Tom DeLay--and other Repukes refused to go on CNN in the day calling it the "Communist News Network" run at the time by "Pinko and Commie" Ted Turner and his then anti-American-Traitor Wife "Hanoi Jane" Fonda. Oh yeah those days and more....
Bipartisanship my ass!
George Stephie must have been busy combing his hair.
oops
should just keep his turn-coat, sorry ass in the Green Room to begin with. I can recall very well how he turned on Clinton---after Clinton gave him a start as special advisor (I think)----in light of the Monica afair. Hadn't heard a peep out of the traitor until he got the Sunday morning bobblehead gig, back then with Brinkley, Donaldson, et.al. He's a little smurfy creep, trying to be relevant.
Someone please explain to me why these people in the so called mainstream media news so f@#king stupid. I'm being serious. How much clearer could it be that the GOP's sole mission right now is to screw over Obama by not letting him accomplish anything. Why aren't the putting this question to the Republican. They should be asking the Republicans why they hate Obama more then they love the country, so much so that they're more than willing to see the country fail?
I refuse the premise, that we even SHOULD have bipartisanship with Republicans. The GOP today, and for about the past 10-12 years is about thuggery. They are bullies. They want their way, period, or they will not cooperate.
It's unfortunate that Democrats can't learn from Republicans when it comes to halting or at least slowing policies they claim to not agree with. Like torture. FISA violations. Iraq war. But no, Democrats compromised and voted by and large with George Bush's bidding. And the Hill is so used to the minority party rolling over like a bunch of milquetoast saps, they forget that only Democrats behave that way. Republicans are thugs.
to the goopers, to tell them to get the hell out of the way, and if they don't, then run right over them (in the figurative sense)...
republicans would find something to hate about this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whM0sVNiq6U&fe...
Of course that wouldn't take much.
this trouble in the first place? I admit I'd quickly lose patience with Captain Nice if he didn't mean it up against the goopers... *sigh*
...and challenge the journalist/pundit to defend the argument buried in their loaded questions. For instance, when Stephanopoulos "asks" something like, "So the president bears no responsibility for the failure to get Republican votes?", why doesn't Jarrett say something like, "Well, no, I don't. Do you think he does, George? Can you explain why?"
Worse still (not necessarily in this particular exchange) is when someone like Stephanopoulos says, "Some people say such-and-such policy is bad for so-and-so reasons..." I wish the person being questioned would answer, "Well, since those people aren't here to debate the issue, and you are, George, I want to know, do YOU think such-and-such policy is bad, and can you explain why?"
I have no idea why people like Valerie Jarrett feel compelled to be so civil to rude and manipulative jerks like Stephanopoulos. The reason that Georgie boy and the other MSM corporate prostitutes ask those questions is that he knows nobody will dare turn the tables on him.
That needs to end---now. To hell with these fatuous and arrogant media goons, anyway. A little more Alan Grayson, please.
Little Georgie is the turncoat Judas Iscariot from Clinton's administration. Why is anyone surprised at his ridiculous questions? After all, he's working for the Mickey Mouse network. Turn the little bastard OFF. Except for Keith Olberman, Rachel Maddow, and Ed Schultz--turn 'em ALL off!! How many more times do we need to see evidence that most of TV "news"pundits/hosts/reporters are NOTHING more than prostitutes for their corporate media johns? The same sort of thing has also happened with David Gregory on MTP and Bob Scheiffer on FTN.
They are in the tank for corporatized/tabloidized TV bullshit media.
Turn them off!!! Permanently!
I'll ditto that . The only time I'll watch is when Krugman is a guest and spends the hour correcting them and making them look like idiots , he regularly knocks Will right off his high horse , it's hilarious .
of why I don't watch this buffoon's show any more.
As if Cookoo Roberts and George Will-say-anything-for-bucks weren't enough reason.
George Stephanopoulos is a hack...
george, you ignorant slut...
After eight years of secrecy, totalitarianism. and out and out conspiracy to negate and undermine the Democratic process and they are still doing it, the right is a party of Failure.
I am neither stupid or lack critical thinking, you can through in ignorant also so. I am a participant in a political process that does work, the failure of the above mouth piece of the right does nothing but reinforce my resolve to support this President.
The present talk from the main stream Entertainment media is to set this Country up for the assassination of this President.
Failure of the MSM to REPORT news and follow up on news and shutting down all and every possible area of reporting the TRUE facts is making me think the Main Stream Entertainment (news ha ha) Media is in a behind the scenes wink of the eye and nod of the head assassination attempt. Remember criticism is not offered on pass or fail it is being offered on his BLACKNESS.
The constant coverage of General McCHrystal and the dissatisfaction over the last month of and the involvement of the Pentagon in what the President does and doesn't say is a strong indication of a Military coup, remember this isn't about the President this is about the Military Industrial Complex (slowly being shut down).
The third but not the last is the constant misinformation, distortion of the truth and first and foremost mantra WE are WHITE SO WE ARE RIGHT being sung from every right wing wacko tv, radio show.
Yes I do believe the President is being setup for a assassination because everything on the airways says so.
Ding Dongs and Airheads, Racist and Clowns being given their 15 minutes of Fame, NEVER a opposing point of view unless it is 2 to one or the last 1 to 2 minutes of shout overs on any major show.
The Right wings endorsement of Racism, Hatred, Fascism Totalitarianism, Socialism, all being considered the New American Ideal.
Any change to these CLOWNS on the right is considered dangerous and scary, and if it is done by a person of COLOR it is Un American if if the People Duly elected the person.
I am no conspiracy theorist, I am just watching the political, Military Industrial Complex and the neocons, trying to absolve themselves of the up coming assassination. The Hand Writing is on the Wall.
I don't watch the sell out weasel anyway. I only know about him and his crappy show because of this site.
His latest interrogation indicates that he is now a Full Sized Media Whore. Fuck him.
Medical Diag, don't hold back....let it all out.
He was THO BETWAYED when he found out the Blow Job Heard "Round the World was for real, he became the biggest backstabber in the Clinton administration, and he's never gotten out of the habit. Like Sinatra going Repub after Kennedy snubbed him, except this wasn't even personal...except for Georgie Porgie.
Hey, if Al Gore's VP, Lieberman can go south, then nothing surprises me anymore. George has always been a closet conservative/moderate, so no big news there.
voted for McCain and I don't think he much cares for President Obama. That was so obvious when he and Gibson did that hit job on Obama. I can't stand to watch him anymore. I didn't think he was so bad in the Clinton WH, but is he one of those people that just cannot get over the fact that Hillary lost? There are still some of those around.
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