Outside the Beltway

Obama: “Reporters Tell Me My Ideas Are Great”

Doug Mataconis
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One thing President Obama said yesterday during his speech in Galesburg, Ill. stood out to me:

President Obama said reporters praise his economic proposals as “great” and tell him they are “all good ideas.”

Obama made the remarks in a speech Wednesday in Galesburg, Ill., focused on the economy.

(…)

Obama said the news media often praises his ideas.

“It’s interesting, in the run-up to this speech, a lot of reporters say that, well, Mr. President, these are all good ideas, but some of you’ve said before; some of them sound great, but you can’t get those through Congress. Republicans won’t agree with you,” Obama said.

Maybe you shouldn’t be listening to the reporters so much, Mr. President. Just a thought.

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24 responses to “Obama: “Reporters Tell Me My Ideas Are Great””

  1. Tillman Avatar
    Tillman

    It’s not like a majority of economists also agree.

  2. edmondo Avatar
    edmondo

    you shouldn’t be listening to the reporters so much, Mr. President.

    He’s playing to his base.

  3. LaMont Avatar
    LaMont

    Rather than blog a cheap shot towards the President, try to understand the irony of his statement. The media controls the sway in conversation. If they did a better job of informing people the GOP would finding it tougher to obstruct! If Obama has good ideas why doesn’t the general public know about them from his perspective? Not only would it be harder to obstruct, but the GOP would be pressed to come out with viable alternatives. To date, the media has only made it easier for the GOP to obstruct. Who cares about jobs when jobs aren’t a hot topic?

  4. Jenos Idanian Avatar
    Jenos Idanian

    The media is telling Obama that his economic ideas are “great.”

    I’d be willing to wager that he was not including Fox News or any of Rupert Murdoch’s properties.

    And Murdoch’s properties are extremely profitable — quite possibly the most profitable media corporation.

    The reporters telling Obama his ideas are “great” are from media companies that are, generally, in the toilet.

    I would not be looking towards the New York Times, the Washington Post, MSNBC, CNN, or any of the other mainstream media for good economic judgment.

  5. wr Avatar
    wr

    @Jenos Idanian: “The media is telling Obama that his economic ideas are “great.” I’d be willing to wager that he was not including Fox News or any of Rupert Murdoch’s properties.”

    He didn’t say “the media.” He said “reporters.”

    Reporters collect facts and communicate them.

    Fox “personalities” repeat the lies the Roger Ailes orders them to say.

    All of which you repeat for free. And then add a little lie of your own, claiming that Obama said “the media” says his ideas are great, so you could spin this into yet another right-wing self-pity party.

  6. Jenos Idanian Avatar
    Jenos Idanian

    @wr: My, aren’t you a totally anal little a-hole.

    I thought any reasonable person would grasp that I was talking about reporters representing the media organizations, and that there was probably a very high correlation between 1) reporters telling Obama his economic ideas were great and 2) reporters from media organizations that are, economically, in the toilet.

    But I forgot that you tend to jump on such things, and “reasonable person” standards simply don’t apply to you.

  7. edmondo Avatar
    edmondo

    @wr:

    Apparently reading comprehension isn’t one of your strong points.

    Obama said the news media often praises his ideas.

  8. Jenos Idanian Avatar
    Jenos Idanian

    Also, reporters are supposed to report.

  9. Tillman Avatar
    Tillman

    @Jenos Idanian:

    My, aren’t you a totally anal little a-hole.

    Redundant. “Pedantic little a-hole” would’ve been better. If you’re gonna insult, at least be creative with your word choice.

    @edmondo: The article says:

    Obama said the news media often praises his ideas.

    “It’s interesting, in the run-up to this speech, a lot of reporters say that, well, Mr. President, these are all good ideas, but some of you’ve said before; some of them sound great, but you can’t get those through Congress. Republicans won’t agree with you,” Obama said.

    So, can we retire this semantic charade now before it goes from hilariously stupid to ludicrously stupid?

  10. David M Avatar
    David M

    Seems to me if one party has better ideas, it’s the reporter’s job to make that clear. Pretending that the GOP option of tire rims and anthrax is a valid dinner choice means they are failing their jobs every day. The sooner the mainstream media stop covering up for the GOP, the better.

  11. stonetools Avatar
    stonetools

    Yeah, Doug, maybe he should listen to the right wing hacks over at Heritage and at Reason.org-you know, the ones who have been wrong every single time since 2008, the ones that make Paul Krugman look like a genius?

    What should have said was that his ideas were right, and that the Republicans were buffoons or worse for opposing them.

  12. bill Avatar
    bill

    reminds me of a cross between “the emperors new clothes” and “it’s a good life” (the twilight zone episode)
    i’ve been trying to wish him into the cornfield for quite some time, doesn’t work.

  13. edmondo Avatar
    edmondo

    @Tillman:

    So, can we retire this semantic charade now before it goes from hilariously stupid to ludicrously stupid?

    well, when stupid erupted, we knew you would be there in the thick of it.

  14. Liberal Capitalist Avatar
    Liberal Capitalist

    Maybe you shouldn’t be listening to the reporters so much, Mr. President. Just a thought.

    So… maybe you think he should listen to elected Republicans in Washington?

    Hmmm…

    They would not know a good idea if it bit them on the ass.

    Even great (or semi-great) ideas like Romneycare… they would deny … in case the blah.. person liked the idea.

  15. Let's Be Free Avatar
    Let’s Be Free

    I’ve never talked with a reporter who was working me for access or information who didn’t lavishly praise me in one way or another. Their motives are transparent, unless, I guess you are the President of the United States. Obama and his supporters are falling for the suck ups. Enjoy!!!

  16. wr Avatar
    wr

    @bill: “i’ve been trying to wish him into the cornfield for quite some time, doesn’t work. ”

    Yes, to emulate a psychotic six year old with magic powers is definitely a worthwhile ambition for a grown man’s life. At least to a Republican.

  17. Tillman Avatar
    Tillman

    @Let’s Be Free: Why were they working you for access or information?

  18. Steve V Avatar
    Steve V

    He’s just using them as a variant of Tom Friedman’s taxi drivers, a “man on the street” type of thing, don’t you think? This post strikes me as a bit nit-picky.

  19. An Interested Party Avatar
    An Interested Party

    Maybe you shouldn’t be listening to the reporters so much, Mr. President.

    Indeed…perhaps he should be listening to libertarians, then the country would be in great shape…

    I would not be looking towards the New York Times, the Washington Post, MSNBC, CNN, or any of the other mainstream media for good economic judgment.

    Nor the GOP, for that matter…

    This post strikes me as a bit nit-picky.

    Well look who wrote it…

  20. Tillman Avatar
    Tillman

    @edmondo: Y’know, I was trying to be nice by highlighting the part of the article you cited and the part wr cited, and I figured we’d all chalk it up to ambiguous wording by the copy editor and move on with our lives. I wasn’t attacking you or your view per se, I was noting how wr wasn’t entirely off-track in saying Obama said the word “reporters.” You both saw something and latched on to it. The argument was stupid, neither of you were.

    But I guess you don’t care about that.

  21. Grewgills Avatar
    Grewgills

    Sounds like pretty generic ass kissing by people that want access.

  22. Let's Be Free Avatar
    Let’s Be Free

    @Tillman: Used to work for the government and had information/access that trade press, and occasionally, popular press was interested in. I was particularly interested in talking to the trade press since they sometimes could lead me to information that was important to my job, which involved economic and financial forecasting.

  23. aFloridian Avatar
    aFloridian

    Whatever my feelings toward the president, which are mixed, but he’s not THE WORST EVER or anything, I just want to say:

    As soon as I saw the headline to this blog post I KNEW it was Doug’s work, kind of a cheap, easy stab.

  24. fred Avatar
    fred

    I do not believe Pres Obama’s plans (what plans?) are great. As a major supporter and voter for Pres Obama I confess that his speeches now sound hollow and redundant on the economy. Where are the actions on getting jobs for us? His speeches do not include such information. I have a suggestion for the White House and Pres Obama. Tell the GOP that he will not sign any bills coming to him for signature unless it contains projections in it for jobs for Americans and the CBO certifies such numbers. That is action all of us can understand and will show “ACTION” in concrete terms on the part of the POTUS

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