Kudos to blackwaterdog's blog (the only adult in the room) for bringing this video to my attention.
The President is indeed fascinating and a three minutes video sometimes is good enough to understand how the man thinks. Here is a civic lesson for all:
Transcribed by me:
...the President speaking:
If you are only talking to people who you agree with then politics is going to always going to disappoint you...Politics is going to disappoint you. You think about some of the issues we have worked on over the last couple of years, I think the college Republicans here would say that I was pretty liberal President. Right?...but if you read the HuffingtonPost (laughter from the students), you would think that I was some Right Wing tool of Wall Street...right?...Hummm, both things can't be true but I think that what it has to do is, this sense of we have a position and we can't compromise on it.
And so, one of the challenges of this generation is...I think...to understand the nature of our Democracy and the nature of our politics is to marry principle to a political process, that means you don't get a 100% of what you want. You don't get it if you are the majority, you don't get it if you are in the minority and you can be an honorable in politics understanding that you are not going to get 100% of what you want.
And that has been our history. You think about our greatest Presidents, I mean Abraham Lincoln, here is a guy who did not believe in slavery but his first priority was keeping the Union. I have got the emancipation proclamation hanging in my office and if you read through it turns out that most of the document is those states and areas where the emancipation does not apply because those folks were allies with the Union so they can keep their slaves. Think about that. That is the Emancipation Proclamation...right. So, here you have a war time President who is making a compromise around probably the greatest moral issue the country ever faced because he understood that right now my job is to win the war and maintain the Union. Well, can you imagine how the HuffingtonPost will report on that. It would have been blistering. Right. Think about it, "Lincoln sells out slaves"..right...(Laughter)...there is going to be protests, running a third party guy (more laughter)
...and so I think as you guys talk to your friends about getting involved civically, don't set up a situation where you are guaranteed to be disappointed. That is part of the process of growing up...and that does not mean you are not principled. It does not mean that you are not focused on, driving on a particular position or a particular issue. It means that you are sort of pushing it over at the hill and get it a certain way and other people are pushing and sometime you will slip back...Right?
How about that for a civic lesson?
One thing I have realized is that all the screaming and hollering we see in some progressive sites are not something that is new to the President. In fact he is very well aware of them and understand them. However, he is a realist and/or pragmatist in his thinking that such theater in his view are counter productive but it sure as hell doesn't get to him as he is really focused about doing what's important to move the country forward. More of a reason why I like my President.
How often have you taken the initiative to drop a word of encouragement to our President because you believe he is the right man for the job in this difficult times?
A couple of days ago, I wrote the President how much I appreciate what he has been doing in the last two and half years and encouraging him to fight the good fight for all Americans struggling to make ends meet.
I praised him for his amazing political astuteness in the face of huge opposition from the Republican party.
I could not help but let him also know that he was indeed brilliant in the way he took the Republican party to school in the current fight to increase the debt ceiling.
However, I also specifically requested that the Administration takes the hard line pushing against the craziness we see from the party of NO.
I expressed that the Administration keeps pushing back on the crazy talk of reducing entitlement programs except in the case where it will improve it.
I asked for the President to say it loud and louder that "ENOUGH is indeed ENOUGH" about the obstructions way of doing business.
Finally, I thanked him and his administration for their courage and hard work.
....and then yesterday I get this message from President Obama:
July 15, 2011
Dear Friend:
Thank you for your kind note. Your thoughtful words join a chorus of millions of Americans who are eager to lead our Nation towards a brighter tomorrow.
Each day, I am inspired by the encouraging messages of hope and determination I have received from people across the country. With the magnitude of challenges we face, we will only overcome them if our imagination is joined to common purpose.
The future we leave to our children and grandchildren will be determined by our willingness to shoulder each other's burdens, take great risks, and move forward as one people and one Nation. With your help, we will build on what we have already achieved and lay a new foundation for real and lasting progress.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama
If there is anyone who doubts that your letter to the White House doesn't mean anything, you will be surprised. Tell the President about what you like and don't like, which policies you advocate for and not, your word of encouragement or disappointment in the most humble and constructive ways. Convey your concern like a grownup because the White House does listen and has been listening and what you have to say does matter.
I encourage you to send a questions, comments, concerns, or well-wishes to the President via the contact page at the whitehouse.gov website or use this link below: