E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSObama’s promises kept… And promises broken… President pins the debt-ceiling responsibility on Congress… Executive recommendations on guns… Keeping track of the cabinet shuffle… Boxer backs Hagel… And a deeper look at Hagel’s “openly aggressive gay” comment.
Alex Wong / Getty Images
President Barack Obama speaks during his final news conference of his first term at the East Room of the White House Jan. 14, 2013.
*** Promises kept… : With President Obama’s second inaugural address now less than a week away, we took a look at his biggest three speeches over the past five years -- the 2007 presidential announcement speech in Springfield, IL, the 2008 convention acceptance speech in Denver, and the 2009 inaugural -- to checklist what he promised. And, by and large, he accomplished many of his big objectives. Or he mostly accomplished them. He promised ending the war in Iraq. (“America, it's time to start bringing our troops home,” he said in his ’07 announcement speech.) He promised health care reform. (“Let's be the generation that says right here, right now, that we will have universal health care in America by the end of the next president's first term,” he said in that same ’07 address.) And he promised quick action in dealing with the financial collapse of 2008. (“The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth,” he said in his ’09 inaugural.) Of course, there is still debate about whether his fixes will work, but the point is: He made a promise and got his vision of a fix.
Chuck takes a deep dive look into the promises President Obama made before his first term – during his campaign speeches and first inaugural address – and compares them to the things the President did accomplish in his first term.
*** … and promises broken: But he also didn’t accomplish some of his other goals -- like changing the country’s politics, a huge recurring theme in all three speeches. (“On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics,” he said in his ’09 inaugural.) Or recruiting more teachers when it turns out that about 212,000 teacher jobs have been cut between 2009 and 2011. (“Let's recruit a new army of teachers, and give them better pay and more support in exchange for more accountability,” he said in that ’07 speech.) And then there are the issues that barely got mentioned in those three big speeches, issues that ironically will make up the bulk of Obama’s second term agenda. Guns only received one mention. (“Don't tell me we can't uphold the 2nd Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals,” he said in ’08 acceptance speech.) Ditto immigration. (“Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.”) And if you believe the increased burden on the government for natural disaster cleanup is related to climate change and global warming, you’ll also be disappointed. Looking back at those most important Obama speeches from ’07, ’08 and ’09, the issue BARELY got a mention. Indeed, it’s remarkable what was in those speeches and what wasn’t.
*** Pinning the debt-ceiling responsibility on Congress: It appears that the chief goal of Obama’s press conference yesterday was to pin the responsibility -- and potential blame -- on Congress for raising (or not raising) the debt ceiling. “There's one way to get around this. There's one way to deal with it. And that is for Congress to authorize me to pay for those items of spending that they have already authorized,” Obama said. And there’s also a reason why the White House decided to abandon the idea of any Plan B (like the $1 trillion platinum coin or the 14th Amendment): They will own part of the chaos if they pursue a Plan B. But by having no Plan B, the Obama White House is trying to ensure that raising the debt ceiling is all on Congress. What’s more, Obama seemed to accept that a government shutdown -- and not the debt ceiling -- is the better place to have a fiscal fight. “Well, ultimately, Congress makes the decisions about whether or not we spend money and whether or not we keep this government open… I think [a government shutdown] would be a mistake. I think it would be profoundly damaging to our economy… But they’re elected representatives, and folks put them into those positions and they’re going to have to make a decision about that.”
*** Executive recommendations on guns: Per NBC’s Frank Thorp, House Democrats were told yesterday that Vice President Joe Biden and his task force have developed 19 areas where President Obama could use executive orders to institute new gun control policy. The New York Times has more: “Actions the president could take on his own are likely to include imposing new limits on guns imported from overseas, compelling federal agencies to improve sharing of mental health records and directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct research on gun violence, according to those briefed on the effort.”
*** The cabinet shuffle: Yesterday, we learned that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will remain in their jobs during President Obama's second term. So to recap, here are the cabinet secretaries who are remaining:
Napolitano (DHS)
Duncan (Education)
Vilsack (Agriculture)
Holder (Justice)
Sebelius (HHS)
Shinseki (Veterans Affairs)
And here are the cabinet members leaving, plus their nominated replacements if applicable:
Clinton at State (John Kerry nominated)
Panetta at Defense (Chuck Hagel nominated)
Geithner at Treasury (Jack Lew nominated)
Solis at Labor
Jackson at EPA
*** Boxer backs Hagel: Yesterday, Sen. Barbara Boxer -- who is Jewish -- came out in support of Hagel. “After speaking extensively with Sen. Hagel by phone last week and after receiving a detailed written response to my questions late today, I will support Senator Hagel’s nomination as Secretary of Defense,” Boxer said. “First and foremost, he has pledged without reservation to support President Obama’s polices – policies that I believe have made our world safer and our alliances stronger.” More: “I asked him about a number of issues – including America’s special relationship with Israel, the threats posed by Iran to the world and the treatment of women and gay and lesbian members of our military – and his answers were reassuring and show a sensitivity and understanding of these issues. In addition, Sen. Hagel has pledged to meet with me once he has been confirmed for a more detailed discussion about the Defense Department’s efforts to combat sexual assault in the military.”
*** “Openly aggressive gay”: Yesterday, we took an in-depth look at Chuck Hagel’s controversial “Jewish lobby” remark. Today, we examine his nearly 15-year-old description of James Hormel, nominated to be ambassador to Luxembourg, as an “openly aggressive gay.” Explaining his opposition to Hormel in a 1998 interview with the Omaha World-Herald, Hagel said: “They are representing America. They are representing our lifestyle, our values, our standards. And I think it is an inhibiting factor to be gay -- openly aggressive gay like Mr. Hormel -- to do an effective job.” Later, the Omaha World-Herald noted that Hagel said “he has seen another video clip that showed Hormel at what Hagel called an anti-Catholic event in San Francisco, featuring the ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,’ a group of male drag queens.” Luxembourg is mostly Catholic.
*** Apology accepted -- but not by all: Hagel has apologized for the 1998 remarks on Hormel. "They do not reflect my views or the totality of my public record, and I apologize to Ambassador Hormel and any LGBT Americans who may question my commitment to their civil rights. I am fully supportive of ‘open service’ and committed to LGBT military families.” Hormel accepted the apology, and so did the Human Rights Campaign. "Sen. Hagel's apology and his statement of support for LGBT equality is appreciated and shows just how far as a country we have come when a conservative former senator from Nebraska can have a change of heart on LGBT issues,” the organization said. But the Log Cabin Republicans took out a full-page ad in the Washington Post hitting Hagel’s record on gay rights. “Chuck Hagel’s Apology: Too Little, Too Late,” the ad said.
Click here to sign up for First Read emails.
Text FIRST to 622639, to sign up for First Read alerts to your mobile phone.
Check us out on Facebook and also on Twitter. Follow us @chucktodd, @mmurraypolitics, @DomenicoNBC, @brookebrower
Leave a Comment:
He lied when he said he was committed to strengthening social security when he looted it with his 2% payroll tax credits for 2 years.
He lied when he said he'd veto any health care bill that didn't have a public option included, when he signed his 2,700 page monstrosity, known as Obamacare.
He lied when he said he'd show us any future pictures or videos of torture that occurred at Abughraib prison in Iraq if they should surface after he took office, and when some new ones surfaced he changed his mind and said they were just more of the same.
He lied when he told us after the killing of Osama Bin Laden (or the alleged killing) that he'd show us pictures of the deceased Osama, which he changed his mind about by saying they were too gruesome.
He lied when he said he'd cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term in office.
As the American Indian used to say about the white settlers - "He speak with forked tongue."
Not only will he not cut the deficit in half, but he is proposing to continue record pace deficit spending and increase the national debt to $26 trillion. If there is one way to characterize the Obama presidency it is the presidency of lies. And when we finally get done with him the nation will be told by the media hacks, like Chuck Todd, how wonderful it has all been while the nation sinks into the abyss.
Ask the middle class about how much smaller their pay roll checks are now. Ask employers how much more it costs to hire people and run a business. Ask retired people how much more it cost to live now a days. Guess the national debt. the amount of food stamps and give aways doesn't mean anything any more. Just keep spending more than you take in. Just wait till obamacare kicks in full bore and see what that will cost all of us. Where are the jobs?
more like name a promise he hasn't broken?
Bingo
But, in reality, he never had any intention of keeping any of his "promises". Let's face it, it was all just lies to dupe people into voting for him, while the media stood by and cheered him on.
I can sum up this article easily: Obama lied about a lot of things and on the things he was honest about his solutions failed and he wrecked a once great country. Worst President ever. Time for Affirmative Action to disappear from politics.
ski, I'll agree that the country certainly hasn't made great strides during his tenure, but his watch did not start in the best of states either. I voted for Dubya and OB, but neither have been anything to write home about. When it comes down to worst though, I don't know. I think I might have to go with Dubya on that one. I think he was clueless as to what affects anything his administration did had on our nation. Of course, people will label others the worst in history in future years too. It's only what we have front and center that we seem to focus on. We forget all the past presidents, or we never have fully understood their decisions in the past. Oh well, we continue down our path of arguing things online here that we have little control over. Have a nice day!
Real...you are the clueless one...not GWB.
Moderate, I guess you're not very moderate. You can call me clueless and I can call you clueless. Neither one of us left the country in shambles though - LOL.
we arn't a dead beat nation?? uh obozo we borrow or print over a trillion a year just to make ends meet
Face the facts, the problem in Washington is no leadership, by any body, but what really sticks out is the presidents Inability to get anything positive done. All Obama plays is the blame game, and that excuse is already old. The baggage that Obama drags behind him won't let him go.
Eagle, that's exactly what the problem is. Obama is a sheep trying to be a shepherd. He doesn't have a clue about what leadership is all about. All he does is talk, compromise, negotiate, and form committees and sub-committees to make recommendations because he can't make a decision himself.
Agree with much that you said. One of Obama's promises was to bridge the party gap (which was huge already and is now even wider), but all he has done is point the finger. Of course, he's not alone in that. They all do it. But it's one of the things he said he would not do, and it was one of the reasons I voted for him the first time around.
the question should be, does anyone wonder why the founders tried to prevent the growth of the federal government?
Keeping it real
It constantly amazes me that people hearken back to the founding fathers for all wisdom about the modern world. I happen to think that the founding fathers were heroic and far sighted men, but they weren't perfect and they couldn't see the future. Don't forget, they also managed to preserve slavery, continue to treat women as non-voting chattel, and believed that this country would always be an agrarian nation.
They were, for their time, not just liberal, but extremists and radicals of the left. They challenged the centuries old doctrine that kings were rulers by divine right. They dared to believe that the common people were capable of governing themselves. It was an extremely radical view which turned out to be true. The conservatives of that time were called Tories. They excoriated the founding fathers for their radical beliefs and wanted to continue the rule of the British king simply because that was the way things had always been done in the past.
Today, the world in which we live is vastly different. We no longer have slaves. We have universal suffrage. We are no longer an agrarian nation. The problems of our world are vastly more complex. Our founding fathers didn't have to worry about terrorism or concern themselves with what was going on in the Middle East, China or Russia. There were very few urban areas. There was a vast land to the West that offered opportunity to those brave enough to venture into the wilderness. Do not expect the wisdom of the founding fathers to provide answers to questions they never imagined.
How about Obama's failed leadership over Congress:
"I think that I've learned some lessons over the last four years and the most important lesson I've learned is that you can't change Washington from the inside."
-- President Obama in an interview with Spanish-language broadcaster Univision.
John P @ #35: You can't change Congress from the outside either as long as too many voters are infatuated with a bunch of liars who have already proven, as this forum shows, that they are on a mission to push us into a socialistic government.
Remember when Obama told us that he would simply sit down, face to face, with the Iranian leadership and our problems with them would all be resolved. He didn't even attempt it. Instead, he sent Hillary on a year and a half wild goose chase of trying to negotiate with Iran. While the Iranians used the "negotiations "as a stall tactic. During that time frame they increased the number of centrifuges making enriched uranium, beefed up their conventional arsenal and worked on missile delivery systems. At the end of that year and a half we didn't even have the outline of an agreement. The "talks" utterly failed. And no progress towards an agreement has been made since then. Zero, Instead Iran is now engaging in cyber warfare attacks on our financial institutions, aiding Assad in Syria, assisting terrorist throughout the region, etc...
FAILURE. OBAMA FAILURE.
If Obama crapped on the carpet in the oval office Chuck Todd would report it as "President boosts American fertilizer production".
Just a question.
Where's that big MSDNC story about New York Democrats doing just like Congressional Democrats did and shutting the doors to the people they are supposed to represent and writing their OWN law without any input, negotiation, discussion, or even debate from either the other party or the PEOPLE themselves?
New York is pulling a Pelosi/Reid action and writing laws in the State of New York behind closed locked doors. Laws that seem to hint at actually being willing to go into people's homes to see what kind of magazines gun owners have. You know, the NAZI agenda of taking the Constritutional RIGHTS away from the people and taking over everyone's lives in the name of the "State".
But then again Cuomo wants to be the next President of the United States, and obviously you libs are willing to give up YOUR rights to the State in order to get your "free" stuff, so I'm sure we'll see you all supporting and celebrating his calls to TAKE from you, "for the good of the people" of course, what the Constitution guarantees.
Lets not forget "FAST AND FURIOUS" AND "BENGHAZI"
On January 20, 2009 the Teabeggers 'promised' to destroy the US Economy at all costs. Thsy took their "Blood Oath" to do so. The 14 Teabeggers attending their "Caucus Conspiracy 'promised' to 'blame' President Obama for everything that goes wrong. The "Caucus Conspiracy Goal" has been their 'promise' to impeach this President at all costs. This means that the Teabeggers need to lie, deny, and hide behind their "Goofy Grover Tax Pledge." Read Draper's book America! If the President puts forth a budget? The GOP/Teabegger reaction has been to just say no. Then deny the fact that the President even developed a Financial Budget. All of the Job Legislation presented by the President. Is still hidden under the piles of "Crazy Conservative Crap" being piled up in the "Teabegger House Of Hoodlum's." It is very clear that "Mickey Mouse Mitch McConnell made a 'promise' to make President a one term President. He 'promised' the only political/economic goal of the GOP/RNC is to destroy an American President. His "Mickey Mouse Mitch McConnell Club" were hoping to make this 'promise' come true. Yes America. They love running around the US Senate wearing their Mickey Mouse hats, and singing their club song. Then there is the "Bonehead Boehner Bunch" that 'promised' to never compromise, and attack the President at every opportunity. Old "Bonehead Boehner" has 'promised the Koch Brothers that there will be no taxes on the top 1%. Then there is "Crazy Cantor" who loves to politically run around Capital Hill with rotten tea bags hanging off his ears. "Crazy Cantor's Cronies" have 'promised' to say "NO!" The "Teabegger Congress" continues to say no to Gun Control at any level. The Teabegger Congress has 'promised' to say no to Sandy Storm Relief. At the state level. The Teabeggers 'promised' to suppress the vote of some Americans. Their 'promise' was clear during this last election. It is not so mucn what the President 'promised' to do or not. It is more of what the GOP/Teabeggers 'promised' to do in destroying the US Economy, and an American President.
The current crop of GOPukes and the lies they spread are the biggest threat our nation has ever seen.
Progressive toasted.....Ignorance becomes both of you. And there is NOTHING indicating "Forward" with Barrys' leadership...unless you want to include OVER THE CLIFF. See you 2 azzholes at the Bottom.....
Enacting s law to stop a mentlaly ill person from killing their mother and steal her weapons to commit another crime is not possible. The Govenor of that state closed down the state mental hospitals three years ago and where did those people go ? Did they magically get better ? In my county the same thing was done. the mental hospital was closed and torn down. Twelve years later that land is still vacant and unused. Some families got calls from the county to make arrangements for their relatives treatment. Where did those 500 people go ? Back on the streets of course. Some were shipped to another county and their taxpayers are paying for these people care. If the POTUS wants to with hold payments to veterans and people on social insecurity to prove a point these people should form a power group and get the POTUS removed from office. This entire fiscal cliff in a smoke screen for more serious problems like Bengazzi deaths being swept under the rug and the ATF fast and furious program to provide Mexican Cartel criminals with firearms to make Arizona and New Mexico not safe places to be and raise a family safely.
That is something that should be in Biden's report to the president, facts from a true investigation, not talking points from lobbyist.
Are you kidding me???
How about "Being transparent?" How about his bypassing the Courts to pay off the UAW that put him in power. He called it the GM bailout. GM and the UAW flushe 50 Billion of taxpayer money period. Then came back for another 22 Billion and now say they can only pay back 10 billion of this. He's telling the biggest lies now..."Trying to help out the "Middle-class"... BS!... I am the middle class. I pay more now than ever before (I make less than 100,000) All working class americans with 401's or IRA's have been taking a hit since this idiot came in office. He's spent 8 Trillion all by himself and we have fewer jobs in this country than when he took offfice. He has not created one job that did not add to the debt. Now he wants to gut the military and increase the debt further. He will go down in history as the President who collapsed the USA and it's economy. The president that can sell an ice cube to an eskimo... and you all are buying it.....
Lee Iacoca didn't need a dime of government money to bail out Chrysler and nobody says a word about it from the left
About the only thing he hasn't lied about is raising taxes on those making $250k or more. He raised taxes on everyone who works.
What I know to be true is that if the congress does not reach an agreement on the debt ceiling, our government still has the same income as if they did reach an agreement. So can someone tell me, why it is being said that America will not be able to pay our bills. Every tax that is collected today will still be collected in July, so how is the debt ceiling stopping payments.
And with the tax increases America now has more money to pay its bills--he just wants more to spend!
It is because our bills exceed our revenue. We must borrow money to pay the bills. Congress approved that spending, but now it refuses to borrow the money to cover that spending. So why are you blaming the President? Congress added to defense spending. One of the line items they added was an order for more tanks, a line item that cost millions of dollars, tanks the military doesn't want, tanks that are sitting and rusting. That is how Congress is responsible with spending. And you blame the President?
Hello Underemployed, that is exactly the point, we should not be spending 10 times more than we have coming in; your call sign tells me that you can only spend what you have coming in, why shouldn't our government operate like we have to. I never blamed the president for anything, but I do fault him for not going to the public and bad mouthing Harry Reid for not the senate to vote on budget proposals from the House.
The fact is no budget means no guide to spending of tax dollars, and the president that does not demand a budget is setting himself up to have a bad economy during his/her presidency.
notice which list is bigger? pretty obvious to me even before this idiot was in office
the bigger fool... which is it? the one in the white house or the people who voted for him?
Pizza...2 topping combination!!!!
The Administration leads by fear. The stimulus had to done immediately to save all the jobs. The healthcare take over was needed to save the 50 million who were denied care. It had to be signed now, before anybody could even read it. The debt ceiling has to be increased now or the economy will crash. The fiscal cliff compromise had to be signed now or a new recession would set in. 2nd Amendment rights must be denied immediately to save the children before more are shot dead.
It is all a load of BS. Anybody who is still falling for the Administration's fearmongering and lies needs to get a grip. None of Obama's solutions are solutions at all. Every one of these ploys are intended to increase is power and prestige. That is it. The economy is plunging into recession. Growth is near zero. Nobody with any sense could think that increasing your debt will fix your financial problems. The healthcare bill, bailouts, stimulus, cash for clunkers, are all failures. History will document that fact. And now gun control will be the newest failure.
Obama's legacy will be that he was the President who was so arrogant and naive that he pushed the country into total collapse for his own grandeur.
The media has become nothing more than a bad score keeper, just read the headline. They can't even keep the score straight.
The media does nothing but tabloid reporting. Take a story add a little misinformation here and there to make it controversial, have your talking heads add infuses on the misinformation parts and you got a gripping story.
Feisty was wright in post #1, The media finds what they think is a controversial story, and that's all they want to talk about. The American media is getting more pathetic every day. They just keep following each other down that same old dead end road.
MO......Liberals have no complaints when it comes to biased reporting......the MSM has been the largest FLOCK of Sheep this President has been able to "round up" in his "Happy trails" bull caca term(s) of office. Whorelywood falls right in behind MSM, and the liberal DimoCRAP sheeple / lemmings fall in behind the Whorleywooders...sniffing their butts, and walking thru their crap on the way to ta da UTOPIA!!!!! Birds will sing and chirp and then promptly crap right on your heads. So it looks like the Liberal sheeple / lemmings are standing in the the LIBERAL ELITISTS Crap up to their heads and think the ELITISTS are their saviours. ROFLMFAO....Keep reading and listening to the MSM , DONKEY, but nothing will change for you . You will be just as affected by the results of BHO's LIES and sorry azzed "Leadership" as the rest of us.....VOTING FOR HIM GAINED YOU Nothing!!
Moderate, I am a moderate myself. And I have good friends who are moderates as well. You sir/madam are no moderate.
Yeah... Yeah... They should be more in the middle like your buddy, Moderate! LOL
There are two definitions to cutting your debt in half. The first is paying off half of the amount. The second is to put it on two different accounts.
What a fear monger. Telling seniors, military, air traffic controllers etc. that they will not get checks but nothing about his and congresses checks. He is a president that has divided this country more than any other. The debt ceiling debate has to have massive spending cuts or it will be as usual, the more he taxes the more he spends and the only happy ending will be in four years he will be gone and we will have a debt that will never be paid off.
Impeach obama
I agree 100%
Because of our leaders in Washington our country has become takes instead of makers. It's all because they only think of them selves. What working person in this country get's the benefits they do. I can tell you. NONE
Lying sack of ......
Let me finish that for you......PIG CACA!!!!
Guantanamo bay was another promise that was not kept it is still up and running.
Yes, a bone head promise most Americans do not agree with, so thank God he hasn't made good on that one either.