This was some of the most compelling political television I've seen. Video is 1 hour & 20 minutes but worth the watch. More below the fold. Update [2010-1-29 16:40:45 by D Wreck]: CSPAN servers overloaded, link may be down 4:40PM EST
Taking a page out of Question Time with the Prime Minister, President Obama addressed the House GOP conference in Baltimore earlier today. He delivered a speech that pulled few punches at the recalcitrant stances taken by the Republicans in Congress since Obama took office.
But what was even more compelling was the Q&A session after the speech. It represented the type of interaction between a sitting President and the opposition party that we NEVER get to see.
I suspect that the President did not persuade many in the GOP conference of his positions, but the wider audience of actual voters, especially independents, heard his point loud and clear.
Obama called out the GOP for party-line opposition to proposals that originated out of their own caucus. He pointed out many members were all too happy to get their photos taken at ribbon cutting ceremonies funded by the stimulus bill they voted against. When questions came out that were merely talking points, Obama swatted them down, called them out for the distortions they are, and gave his perspective of the facts of the matter.
I urge you to watch and share this video with friends and family. I'm sure some enterprising souls will pull the choice soundbites from today, but it is the totality of the performance that was inspiring.
From the New York Times The Caucus blog:
“I don’t believe the American people want us to focus on our job security. They want us to focus on their job security,” he said, drawing applause from the Republicans. “I don’t think they want more gridlock. I don’t think they want more partisanship. I don’t think they want more obstruction. They didn’t send us to Washington to fight each other in some sort of steel-cage match to see who comes out alive.”
Mr. Obama complained to the Republicans about their opposition to his economic stimulus plan last year, noting that it included hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks as well as spending for infrastructure and other programs. He chided them in particular for, in some cases, showing up for ribbon-cutting ceremonies for projects funded by the stimulus package that they had voted against. And he complained that a bipartisan budget commission was killed in the Senate.
************************
I was told that Fox cut away from the Q&A while MSNBC and CNN (and obviously CSPAN) stuck with it. I guess Fox was afraid their viewers might hear the truth for once.
************************
Full transcript courtesy of the Washington Post (h/t seesmithrun)