by Mark Silva
President Barack Obama, in office little over two weeks, plans to hold his first news conference on Monday -- a prime-time evening event.
Obama, attempting to push an economic stimulus bill through Congress amid growing criticism that his $800-billion-plus plan contains too much spending and not enough job-creation, will take his case to the public. The president enjoys strong public job-approval, polling shows, though many question the shape of the package he is promoting.
The White House also has been drowned out lately by the volume of criticism from Capitol Hill, with members of the president's own party questioning the contents of a bill that has now exceeded $900 billion with Senate additions. Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) said today that his staff has found $100 billion worth of provisions that create no jobs.
Is the White House letting Capitol Hill do too much of the talking for them?
No, says Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary - reminding everyone that Obama has "traded'' the Senate for the White House.
"We traded gigs,'' Gibbs said today.
"He's not a senator,'' the press secretary said of his boss. "He's not a member of the House. He's president of the United States.''
As he will well remind everyone Monday evening, in prime time.
(Photo of Robert Gibbs by Ron Edmonds / AP)
Comments
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The President should try to sqeeze some of the stinking pork fat out of the bill before he goes prime time.
Posted by: Inky | February 5, 2009 2:51 PM
The President should try to sqeeze some of the stinking pork fat out of the bill before he goes prime time.
Posted by: Inky | February 5, 2009 2:51 PM
Please let us know what pork you speak of. The std and anti-smoking have been taken out but quite frankly, I haven't heard what is or isn't in the bill since it sarted transformation in the senate....please let us know what you know.
Posted by: bill r. | February 5, 2009 3:17 PM
I hope every American sees the video from this press conference of Jake Tapper totally DESTROYING Gibbs on the issue of government openness and transparency. The anger and smugness that worked so well for Gibbs on the campaign trail are failing him miserably when dealing with the White House press corps. The poor man is in WAY over his head.
Gibbs’ stuttering and stumbling is already becoming the stuff of legend. They're getting hammered on things that they claim as their sovereign ground, like transparency, bipartisanship, lobbyists.
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DWY0wI-dhU
Posted by: Jeff | February 5, 2009 4:13 PM
As for Hussein's question, the answer is simple, anything that doesn't create jobs in the next year and-a-half should be excised from the bill. The economic situation we're in does not afford us the ability to pay for new STD programs or large handouts to unions and other democratic party lobbying interests.
It's obvious that the $2.25 billion for David Obey's son needs to go immediately.
The $26 billion in "clean coal" funding for King Porker Robert Byrd needs to go, too.
The House bill includes an amendment authored by Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley setting aside $500 million for biofuel makers, which he says, would bring jobs home to Iowa. Ethanol is and has been a huge failure and it takes a gallon of gas to create a gallon of ethanol. Obama stubbornly supports it. Cut the money or put it toward electric or hybrid automotive technology.
Posted by: Jeff | February 5, 2009 4:23 PM
A new USA Today/Gallup polls finds that "Americans overwhelmingly want Congress to pass an economic stimulus bill." Two-thirds say the package will boost the economy but regarding personal finances, half "say it either would have no effect or even make things worse." Nevertheless, only 17 percent say "Congress should reject a stimulus bill altogether."
Posted by: cap | February 5, 2009 4:24 PM
Oh and that's not even getting into the "transportation" pork this ball is littered with.
Posted by: Jeff | February 5, 2009 4:25 PM
He is very condescending toward the reporters in general and has a stupid sense of humor that should grow old real fast. Plus he never answers their questions.
The other day someone - I want to say Helen Thomas - asked when Obama was going to have a press conference. He tap-danced about how busy Obama’s schedule was and he’d try to find time and blah blah blah and then in his usual flip manner says, “Can you be here at 2am?” I was waiting for someone to yell out, “Sure I can be here at 2am!”
Posted by: Jeff | February 5, 2009 4:43 PM
Jeff...Last I heard the std was removed and you keep talking about the house bill. It is now in the senate and has been changed and we don't even know what changes have been made yet you still harp about std.
Posted by: bill r. | February 5, 2009 5:16 PM
$500 million for a dog park in Chula Vista.
Yup....no pork in this bill at all.
Keep spinning lefties.
Posted by: Warden | February 5, 2009 8:48 PM
A new CBS poll finds much different support than the one quoted above:
Eighty-one percent of Americans say the stimulus bill should be a bipartisan effort. Just 13 percent think it is okay for a bill to be passed with only the backing of the Democratic majority.
There are signs that Americans are receptive to Republicans’ push to increase the proportion of tax cuts in the stimulus bill: Asked whether higher government spending or tax cuts for business would be more effective in ending the recession, 59 percent choose the tax cuts. Just 22 percent prefer more government spending…
The public is not optimistic about the impact of the economic stimulus bill: Just 21 percent believe it will significantly shorten the recession. An additional 18 percent believe it will shorten the recession slightly. Forty-five percent say it will not shorten the recession at all.
Posted by: beth | February 5, 2009 9:26 PM
This guy says uh almost as much as the Pres does especially when there he's not reading from a script.
Posted by: Paul | February 6, 2009 11:18 AM