Obama: 'I screwed up' on Daschle appointment

slayer, you asked some good questions. Ones I've asked, myself.

Originally posted by 44soulslayer
Why did Obama claim to totally, 100% back Daschle even after the allegations came out?

He shouldn't have. He should have asked Daschle (and Geithner) to step down, IMO. I can only say he probably didn't think the infraction was "that bad". But he's wrong. He set himself up to be the transparency and integrity president and now he's going to have to live up to it or face serious criticism.

Why did he push through the nomination of Geithner?

I think Obama thinks that Geithner is the best person for the job. I'm not so sure.

Is he really sorry that he made a mistake when only 24 hours ago, he was denying that anything was untowards?

I suspect he's really sorry. Sorry that the vetting process was apparently insufficient to catch these issues and that he set such high standards that he's now going to have to live up to. I don't think he knew about Daschle's problems before the appointment, but once he found out about them, he should have taken action instead of 100% supporting the appointment.

Then again, if he asked Daschle to step down, he's accused of "throwing him under the bus". He really can't win here.

I do think he's learning a valuable lesson about how suspicious and diligent the American people are these days. He's living in the post-Bush era. People are WATCHING. Because we don't want to be fooled again. Your know what they say... Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.

Just my thoughts.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Those are all possibilities of course, but we will never know the truth/ correct answer.

I think more than anything this episode shows how absurd and convoluted the tax laws are. There should just be a low, flat tax.

Even the despised "elite" would start paying taxes if its a low rate like 20%... its a small price to pay to have a legitimized capital base as opposed to an offshore one. They only squirrel it away offshore because of the ridiculously high tax rates on the top bracket 35% in the US and 45% in the UK I believe?

Originally posted by loam
reply to post by Mynaeris

 

I remain baffled why so many did not see any of this as foreseeable.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not gloating. In fact, I'm horrified at the apparent tail spin we seem to be in.

I just wish we had done better...

Some of us foresaw disasters like these. We knew it was just a matter of time. But do you realize that the hypocracy remains?

Obama says he's sorry about the situation, admits he screwed up, yet NO action has been taken to do anything about Geithner yet. To me, that makes his apology null and void. Until he removed Geithner, that apology is about as real as crocodile tears.

And as for gloating? Screw the high road - I'm gloating! Ever since this tax disaster started happening I've had the biggest eat-**** grin on my face. And just think - just under 4 years left of this kind of political disaster waiting to happen.

So, Obama supporters, now you know how it feels when fate gives you the middle finger. I guess that shine from the inauguration has worn off by now. You're all getting exactly what you deserve for buying into the media propaganda, hook, line and sinker. Bet you guys are thinking Ron Paul might not have been so bad after all now.

[edit on 4-2-2009 by sos37]

reply to post by Xtrozero


At the moment, that's what I'm seeing as well. 'course that job is enough to make anyone a little timid right out of the block. Every job has a break in period...this one's a bit shorter than most, however. He needs to step it up, or the rabid supporters are going to turn on him. Still and all, I still think he's going to be ok, but his start is certainly shakey.

We'll see...

Originally posted by seagull
I still think he's going to be ok, but his start is certainly shakey.

Yeah. The phrase "off to a rocky start" comes to mind. But considering what he stepped into when he took this office, I think he's doing pretty good for his first couple of weeks. There are certainly going to be missteps, mistakes and mess-ups, especially considering the high standards and expectations he has set. But I think he'll do fine. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


It is clearly due to the fact that "H & R Barack" has even less experience than Palin - who so many of you denigrated so often.

He's out of his league and it's showing up quickly - even with all the clintonistas brought in to help him.

And if what is being discussed in this thread:

thread

starts to gain momentum, obama is toast.


[edit on 2/4/2009 by centurion1211]

Originally posted by BluegrassRevolutionary
Personally, I find it quite refreshing. I mean, Obama is willing to apologize for a relatively minor mistake that quite frankly will impact none of our lives.

However, our last disgrace of a president never once apologized for any of the plethora of major mistakes he made that have clearly affected the lives of millions of people around the world.

Please, back off Obama and give him a chance. When he makes a mistake that is even in the same league as Bush's non-action to the Al Queda threat, his non-action after the Katrina calamity, or his lies in the run up to the invasion of Iraq...You guys let me know.

No we cannot back off of Obama. He is controlled by the international bankers, and the Israel lobby. The buck stops with him last time I checked, so he is to be held accountable for his appointments, Rahm included.

BTW, Katrina was not a result of inaction. It was a deliberate attempt to set up a pitre dish for experimenting with Martial Law and Al Queda is a CIA connect network of rebels, armed and trained by USA. CNN and MSNBC lie to you man...

Hang on folks I think we're in for a bumpy ride.

But what can you say? The scaredy-pant soccer moms re-elected Bush and we knew what his agenda was.

America freely elected a "community-organizer" to run this country so just sit back and shut up.




[edit on 4-2-2009 by Bombeni]

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


He's only been in office for not even three weeks...it's much too early to start the nay saying. I'm not impressed so far...but that break in time hasn't quite run out yet. Any one stepping into the White House, no matter the circumstance has got to have the "deer in the headlights" thing going on. If they don't, I'd worry for their sanity...

Originally posted by seagull
reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

 

He's only been in office for not even three weeks...it's much too early to start the nay saying.

Sorry, but they jumped on Bush after the 2000 election before he took office, and there seems to be even more to be concerned about with Obama.

Face it, obama's 'honeymoon' is already over - no matter how much some would wish that not to be true. Has anyone noticed that even his hollywood backers seem to have disappeared?

Originally posted by Bombeni
Hang on folks I think we're in for a bumpy ride.

But what can you say? The scaredy-pant soccer moms re-elected Bush and we knew what his agenda was.

America freely elected a "community-organizer" to run this country so just sit back and shut up.




[edit on 4-2-2009 by Bombeni]

Yeah, and we all know how effective those community organizers are.. They can't even clean up their own communities much less the entire country.

Originally posted by seagull
reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

 

He's only been in office for not even three weeks...it's much too early to start the nay saying. I'm not impressed so far...but that break in time hasn't quite run out yet. Any one stepping into the White House, no matter the circumstance has got to have the "deer in the headlights" thing going on. If they don't, I'd worry for their sanity...

I agree. He's only been in office a short two weeks, but now isn't the time to become a deer caught in the headlights. Our economy is tanking, millions are unemployed or under-employed, we have a war in the Middle East that continues to escalate daily, and the national debt is at it's highest level in the history of the country with no end in sight.

It's not like he was completely unaware of these matters either. He was a US Senator, and had access to more information than the majority of us here on the ATS forum. Somehow we were aware of the seriousness of the situation our country was facing, why wasn't Obama? Now isn't the time for him to make excuses or rest on his laurels. He promised us REAL change, so where is it?


[edit on 4-2-2009 by LLoyd45]

Atleast we have a president now who can admit to having a mistake, remember not so long ago when Bush thought almost everything he did was right, even when it obviously wasn't, and waited till the end to even say anything about it.

Originally posted by Uniceft17
At least we have a president now who can admit to having a mistake

Right.



3 weeks into his administration and 4 of his appointments turn out to be tax dodgers. Dems live and die by opinion polls, so what else would you expect obama to do but cave in and apologize? Please take note that he only did so after the 4th one, and after promising to stand by Daschle until he didn't. There was no new information in between.

reply to post by LLoyd45


It's easy to say that there's no time for a "deer in the headlights", quite another to be in his shoes. Though I agree with you in most respects. His grace period is shrinking fast.

Just a moment of humor for this thread...

Daschle's Car - Moment of Zen

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I don't care who you are, that's funny, too!

2nd verse same as the first ...



[edit on 2/4/2009 by centurion1211]

Originally posted by sos37

Originally posted by loam
reply to post by Mynaeris

 

I remain baffled why so many did not see any of this as foreseeable.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not gloating. In fact, I'm horrified at the apparent tail spin we seem to be in.

I just wish we had done better...

Some of us foresaw disasters like these. We knew it was just a matter of time. But do you realize that the hypocracy remains?

[edit on 4-2-2009 by sos37]

DQ - this is a disaster?

Your homeboy left the biggest disaster to date... Provide you were on the bucket brigade
, it was kind of hard to take your judgment seriously.

So what did you predict, seriously???

The hypocracy remains in you... PAB

Originally posted by bigvig316
I don't understand how he doesn't do his homework when it comes to these issues like these. They should have known about his issues.

Government's main goal is to pretend to fail.

reply to post by Uniceft17

Atleast we have a president now who can admit to having a mistake

It is a good thing. However, if you look at the time that the news came out about Daschle's tax problem and the time he withdrew, one has to wonder if Obama was sincere about admitting his mistake or did he do it because he got burnt by the fire.

IMO, if Daschle had not withdrawn and got confirmed, we would have never heard Obama say it was a mistake.