Obama pressed on failures at Univision forum
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – President Barack Obama on Thursday faced some of the toughest questioning of his reelection campaign to date, pressed repeatedly on his failure to achieve comprehensive immigration reform and other unmet promises from his 2008 run.
The Univision presidential forum at the University of Miami here kicked off with grilling on another topic which brought mounting criticism from Republicans Thursday: The government’s decision to label as a terrorist attack the violence at the consulate in Benghazi which killed American Christopher Stevens.
Asked why the United States was not better prepared, with better security at its embassies on the Sept. 11 anniversary, Obama responded by repeating the admonitions about not tolerating violence, but continued to discuss the incident in the context of the controversial video depicting scenes from the life of Mohammed.
“This is obviously something that is used as excuse by some to carry out inexcusable violent acts on westerners or Americans,” Obama said, “and my number one priority is to keep our diplomats safe and our embassies safe.”
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Later in the hourlong forum, Obama was asked what has been his biggest failure as president. He did not hesitate.
“As you remind me, my biggest failure is that we haven’t gotten comprehensive immigration reform done,” he said. “So we’re going to be continuing to work on that. But it’s not for lack of trying or desire.”
Obama also blamed Congress when reminded that he has presided over more deportations than any president in history.
“As the head of the executive branch, there’s a limit to what I can do,” he said. “Part of the reasons that deportations went up was Congress put a whole lot of money into it and when you have a lot of resources and a lot more agents involved, then there are going to be higher numbers.”
The biggest failure is immigration reform? Not to diminish the legitimate concerns of those Americans here undocumented. But, really? Deportations, Congresses fault because they over-funded it? What?
Let the Repug feeding frenzy begin.
Advantage poll-wise is fleeting...how does 6 weeks seem so long?
Re-elect. Re-elect. Re-elect.
3:54 PM PT: UPDATE:
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