Jake Tapper grovels for GOP approval accusing Obama of "playing the victim" of GOP obstruction.

[Bill USA]

Jake Tapper interviewed President Obama for Nightline, Oct 18, and he was 'doing his bit' for his GOP masters saying President Obama has been playing the victim, in blaming the Republicans for obstruction:

"...it seems as though sometimes your pitch, or the White House pitch, is you're almost a victim in this.".

The President gave an effective rebuttal to Tapper's accusation but while it was professorial, accurate and beautifully articulated it also was rather lengthy. I wish Obama had been a bit more direct than that.

Jake Tapper was performing for the GOP. Using their tactic of attempting to deprecate everything the President does. The charge of 'playing the victim' would make sense only if Tapper, supposedly someone involved in gathering and reporting on events in Washington, missed the fact that the Republicans "filibustered a stunning 80% of major legislation " in Obama's first year in office. It only has a chance of being legitimate if Tapper was unaware that the Republicans have voted - virtually en masse - against every effort the President and the Democrats have made to repair the damage done to the economy by the Republican's Trickle Down - Deregulation Disaster ( GOP promises two more years of no compromise, For GOP, Media obstructionism is the new normal, GOP set filibuster record). It only makes sense if Tapper has forgotten that, almost before Obama walked into the White House, Republicans were proclaiming their intention to pursue a "Scorched Earth" strategy of total opposition to anything Obama tried to do. ....It only makes sense if Tapper missed the part where the GOP said their sole objective over the next four years was to make Obama a one term president.


Of course, Tapper didn't miss these events. He's just grovelling for GOP approval (assuming 'the position' to recieve GOP 'input').

President Obama's answer was beautifully articulated but it was rather drawn out and wordy. It seems like Obama thinks it's necessary to cushion his citing of the GOP's destructive political machinations. In my opinion, his wordy response blunted his rebuttal of Tapper's offensive GOP propaganda effort.


Transcript: ABC News' Jake Tapper's Exclusive Interview With President Obama

Obama: Well what we've gotten done I'm enormously proud of and it's making a difference, and in some cases we've had a chance to actually work with the Republicans. When they show themselves willing to actually engage to try and get stuff done, then we can do a lot of good for the country.

We just signed a series of trade agreements that potentially can create tens of thousands of jobs throughout this country so that we're starting to sell cars in South Korea and not just buy cars from South Korea. We just passed a bill to reform our patent system so our entrepreneurs are able to make sure that they're rewarded for the great ideas that they have and get them to market quicker. So wherever we can find areas of common cause, I'm ready and willing to work with them right away. But I don't say that we're victimized, I say that we got too little of the kind of "let's work together" attitude in Washington that we need, and that has been true since I came into office.

And that's just a fact, that the truth of the matter is that on a series of very important measures that could make a big difference, the most prominent being right now is putting people back to work, rebuilding our infrastructure, getting teachers back in the classroom, we haven't seen that attitude of cooperation that's necessary. The fact of the matter is, in the absence of some Republican support, they are able to block proposals even if they have gotten the support of the majority of American people. Sixty-three percent of the American people support the elements of my jobs plan, they support the idea that we should have the best infrastructure in the world. They support the idea that we shouldn't be firing teachers at time when we know education is the most important thing we can do to make sure our kids can compete in this economy. And yet, even though we've gotten a majority of senators in the Senate willing to move forward on this, because of the filibuster, because of the rules that are set up in the Senate, those things are blocked.

And most prominently on the debt ceiling debacle that we just went through, everybody knows that we are going to have to get our deficit under control, but we have to do it in a way that allows us still to invest. What I've said is I'm willing to go beyond the one trillion dollars in cuts that we've already made, we can cut programs that don't make sense, curb government spending but in order to close the deficit, people like myself should also pay a little more in taxes. People who are making a million dollars or more can afford to do a little bit more, and that ideological stubbornness that's unwilling to compromise and create a balanced approach to deficit reduction is another example of why people are so frustrated.

[Maccagirl]

1. Obama must be good at playing cards

He's been accused of playing "the race card", and now it's "the victim card". Wow, the man is political genius!!! :sarcasm:

STFU Jake.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. President Obama is not so much the victim of the GOP's massive obstructionism

as the American public is. Dedicating all of your time, energy, and resources to ensuring that your political opponent "fails" also ensures that the country suffers as a result. It would be sickening beyond comprehension if voters choose to reward the GOP at the polls next year. I'm sure most Democrats in Congress were disgusted by George W. Bush's (s)election and subsequent election as POTUS but they believed that "the show must go on" and they had no desire to see the country become ungovernable, particularly right after 9/11.

[JohnWxy]

3. Good point. It would have been interesting if the President had just taken your paragraph

enumerating GOP obstruction into a series of questions:

" Well, Jake, you say I'm playing the victim?

Well, what about the GOP filibustering 80% of major legislation in my first year? What's your take on that Mr. Tapper?

and, what about the GOP proclaiming a 'Scorched Earth' policy towards me? How do you spin that Jake?

... and what about the GOP stating their Priority is to make me a one term president? Does that sound just a little partisan to the point of losing sight of getting something done for the good of the nation here in Washington?.... What about that Jake? "


..... would have been interesting.

[Ship of Fools]

4. This has been my BIGGEST frustration with him.

I voted for his brain & nuance, but I've also felt the man needs to take some drama classes. He needs to nail it more quickly, as
this country has the attention span of a gnat.

[Kall]

5. Fucking awesome

"Work together" to pass free trade, patent and "entitlement" reforms that the GOP support.