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American Morning viewers eagerly expressed their opinions about President Obama’s second press conference in office. Most were very supportive of the president’s agenda, given his limited time in office:
- Sheldon – I am no economist, but President Obama has been in office for a little over two months tackling a problem eight years in the making. The least Republicans can do is put their heads together to help find solutions to the problems that they created. If they have better ideas then it is their duty as Americans to make them known instead of silently hoping that the "other guy" loses.
Others expressed deep concern about the president’s proposed budget:
- Vivi – When did educating our children and taking care of our sick become wasteful spending? We play rescue country to every other place on earth BUT GOD forbid us to help ourselves!!!!!
- Sherry – The budget is: There is no budget, only a blank check backed by the full faith & credit of our children & grandchildren. America wanted him, America got him.
What are your thoughts on President Obama’s news conference? Do you think we’re headed in the right direction or are we on a course for disaster? Tell us your thoughts about the record budget.
Thompson: I want some of Obama's policies to fail
The President came into last night's news conference with the specific point that his giant budget plan is vital to fixing the economy.
And to his Republican critics he said, "Got any better ideas?"
Former GOP Presidential Candidate Fred Thompson joined us live with his reaction.
Is Thompson right in wanting some of President Obama's policies to fail? Tell us what you think.
Bring on the budget!
We survived the TARP debate. Then the stimulus fight. Bring on the budget!
The political wrangling over the president's $3.6 trillion budget is set to explode this week on the Hill. The president is pitching the budget as an investment initiative, not a bunch of typical big government spending. He says investments in energy, healthcare, and education will seed a recovery and grow a more efficient economy. All the while, he promises, with an eye firmly on fiscal responsibility. He pledges to cut the budget deficit in half by 2013.
It'll be tough. His growth assumptions are slightly more optimistic than some economists. I asked noted economist (and AM regular) Jeff Sachs this morning about the president's statement in his press conference, that his budget's assumptions are "consistent with what blue-chip forecasters are saying."
"That's just wrong," Sachs said. Sachs and many others worry that a recovery when it comes will be weak. A UCLA Anderson School of Management survey released this morning is more pessimistic than the White House assumptions on unemployment (UCLA forecasts unemployment will hit 10.5% in the middle of 2010 and will still be above 9% in 2011, even as a recovery takes hold.)
Frank defends calling Scalia a "homophobe"
Congressman Barney Frank is taking some heat for referring to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia as a "homophobe".
The Massachusetts congressman joined us live to defend his comments.
What do you think about Frank's comments? Is Justice Scalia a "homophobe" for his dissent of Lawrence v. Texas?
Small business owners make big sacrifices
While some of Wall Street's richest are getting paid handsomely for their failures – many small business owners are making huge sacrifices – cutting their own salaries so they can keep others on the payroll.
What sacrifices are you making during this current economy? Share your story.
Look who's asking
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/03/25/obama.conf.getty.art.jpg caption=" President Barack Obama answers questions during a prime time news conference."]
The New York Times: No. Washington Post: No. No. Ebony Magazine: Yes.
When the President was asked about the drug war in Mexico and homelessness, the questions didn't come from the mainstream media. And last night's news conference seems to indicate a trend for this president... reaching out to voters wherever they get their news.
A correspondent from Univision asked the President whether the drug cartel violence on the Mexican border posed a national security threat to the United States. The plight of the poor was raised by a correspondent with Ebony magazine. Spending on national defense and veterans care came up in a question from a correspondent with the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.
The President took questions from niche reporters at his first news conference when he called on a correspondent from the Huffington post. That reporter wasn't called on this time. But a correspondent from new media newcomer Politico was.
Political observers say this is a savvy way for the President to sell his message by going over the heads of the mainstream news media. Tomorrow, the President has plans to take questions on the economy directly from Americans on the White House web site.
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