Obama Press Conference | Iran, Healthcare and Stimulus II

The gloves almost came off

President Obama has a lot of things on his plate these days, what with an economy in shambles, multiple wars being fought and post-election rioting and death in Iran. What did he have to save in today’s press conference? Helene Cooper and Sheryl Gay Stolberg live blogged the Obama press conference for the New York Times. Click through and you’ll also find a transcript of the president’s opening remarks, too.

What I have here for you is highlights and comments. Considering that Cooper and Stolberg considered the president to have appeared “angrier” than he normally does, I’m sure you’ll want to know why. Perhaps coming to him right now with a bill that would remove restrictive caps on payday lending and same day loans. I’ll bide my time.

Iran dominated the opening statement

The president opened up with comments on what’s happening in Iran, saying that “The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings, and imprisonments of the last few days. I strongly condemn these unjust actions, and I join with the American people in mourning each and every innocent life that is lost.” That definitely makes his position clear, but he added that the U.S. respects Iran’s sovereignty, which seems to indicate that America isn’t going to swoop in and force them to do a recount. That is as it should be. But Obama calls Iran’s bluff when they say that the U.S. instigated the post-election protests: “This tired strategy of using old tensions to scapegoat other countries won’t work anymore in Iran.”

After addressing an upcoming clean energy bill, the president addressed healthcare. While he is “very optimistic about the progress” Congress is making, there’s still a long way to go. Responding to anti-socialized medicine critics, Obama reiterated he wants to hold on to what works in our current system, so people who like their current doctor or plan should be able to keep them.

Any questions?

• Iran

Jennifer Loven of the AP opened questions by inquiring as to whether we plan to engage Iran She asked him if he still plans to engage with Iran’s regime, given the crackdown on protesters. Obama focused on his desire to make sure they do not develop a nuclear weapon, but left what kind of response we make up to Iran. The president clearly wants them to sort the election mess out themselves.

Another Iran question from the press gallery challenged Obama on why it “took so long” for him to respond with comments. “I don’t think that’s accurate,” the president argued. “The United States will not be a foil” for the Iranian government to accuse of meddling.”

• Healthcare

David Jackson of USA Today asked Obama about a public health plan. The president sidestepped a bit, focusing his remarks on general reform. A bill that doesn’t control costs won’t get his signature, but providing insurance for those without it is still a high priority. How’s he going to make that work, I wonder? Will the government be keeping private insurers in check? Obama spoke of American being able to say “here’s a public option that’s not profit-driven, that can keep down administrative costs.” Many wonder how private insurers could compete with a subsidized government plan, as do I.

I say let’s ‘em crash. They couldn’t do the job on their own.

So will Obama make the public health plan mandatory? Jake Tapper of ABC wanted to know. Obama replied that “it is too early to say,” but I don’t see how he’ll be able to do anything else. A hybrid system seems to be on the way, one where insurers “can’t cherry-pick” healthy customers as they typically do now. Health will be the primary issue, not money.

Speaking of health, the new smoking ban was mentioned. Obama claims he has quit and is “95 percent cured.” He also claims the smoking bill wasn’t about him.

• Another stimulus?

Will the American economy require another stimulus package in order to keep the wheels of progress turning in the right direction?

“Not yet,” was Obama’s reply. That certainly isn’t a definitive “no,” is it? The president wants to wait and see how the economy evolves before re-scaling that mountain. “I’m not suggesting I have a crystal ball,” the president said.

Dark clouds continued to manifest. Unemployment rates will go over 10 percent, he claimed. April Ryan of American Urban Radio cited reports  that it will hit 20 for African-Americans, a troubling statistic. Will this bloodletting be allowed to continue?

It isn’t just a minority problem was President Obama’s response. The top priority is to “get the economy as a whole moving.” Proven jobs programs need more support from the government as opposed to building new ones. “Part of what we want to do is to find tools that will give people more opportunity, but the most important thing we can do is lift the economy overall,” he concluded.

• Concluded?

That’s right. The Obama press conference ended without one mention of Iraq or Afghanistan. As he was leaving the briefing room, one reporter tried to call the president on the omission, but there was no response. I do not like what this means for the men and women – many of them with families – who are in the field serving. Obama doesn’t come across as a warhawk, but these two wars have become a quagmire from which any president would have difficulty navigating out.

If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all. Payday lending and same day loans weren’t on Obama’s mind, either. Clearly we have a struggle ahead of us on that front.

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