Obama, Stephanopoulos Interview On ABC's This Week

Barack Obama gave an interview to George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week. The interview is set to air tomorrow morning, but here are some excerpts released by ABC.

On The Decision To Intervene On Behalf Of Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac

Intervention was necessary. I'm inclined to support some form of intervention to prevent a long-term, much bigger crisis...We are not bailing out shareholders and investors and management. They were making a lot of money because of the lack of regulation. All those profits were private. We don't want to make all those losses suddenly public and they get away without taking a haircut...We are going to have to take a look at how we regulate the financial markets and mortgages markets going forward.

On McCain's Choice Of Sarah Palin As His Running Mate

He chose somebody who may be even more aligned with George Bush - or Dick Cheney, or the politics we've seen over the last eight years - than john McCain himself is...She wouldn't be governor of Alaska is she wasn't a skilled politician, and I think her performance at the convention showed what a skilled politician she is.

Comments

[TN]

On CNN they are showing how Obama was President of the Harvard Law Review, it was a politically devisive atmosphere and he rose above the fray. He has done that, but the american public are no harvard students. I notice though that he will not personally attack palin on personal issues, but issues related to her performance are fair game. Joey needs to take on Palin on the trail, while barack focuses on McBush.

[keepemhonest]

Did I mention... Palin's speech writer IS Bush's 2004 campaign speech writer?

[drzoon]

barack wrote his own speech last week

[keepemhonest]

Obama is RIGHT ON!! Palin IS just like Bush & Cheney.

Palin's state has RACKED IN THE DOUGH DUE TO HIGH OIL PRICES.

Palin wants the price of Oil to remain high because HER STATE benefits from those HIGH GAS PRICES!!!!

Palin SLASHED funds for children with disabilities ..

Palin SLASHED funds for pregnant teens....

Palin wanted to BAN BOOKS in the public library

Palin's husband Todd is a 7 year member to a Hate-America group, AIP

Palin is gun-crazy & warmonger

Palin is in thick with the oil companies

[Sparty1]

I won't even bother to watch it. They'll just shaft him as usual. I'll read Jason Linkins wonderful roundup. I get some laughs with my coffee and I won't have to listen to the spin from the troll and his panel.

[firewmn]

Op-Ed Columnist
Palin and McCain’s Shotgun Marriage
By FRANK RICH

That ideological sellout, unfortunately, was not the worst leadership trait the last-minute vice presidential pick revealed about McCain. His speed-dating of Palin reaffirmed a more dangerous personality tic that has dogged his entire career. His decision-making process is impetuous and, in its Bush-like preference for gut instinct over facts, potentially reckless.

[Coinyer101]

i see it as stoopid, plain and simple. their party is infected with it.

[Sabreen60]

No, it's worst than stvpid, IMO. Boosh said he looked in Put!n's eyes and saw his s0ul. McBoosh talks to somebody one time and chooses her for the second highest position in the land. D@mn right it's reckless - it's past reckless

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Another gem by Rich I posted the link myself on another thread.

[thecanadian]

Post the link please.

[schers25]

I've posted this on other forums, but things move fast around here...

Just a thought; for those of us who love Bill and Hillary Clinton, and want them fighting on our side during this campaign, a great way to show them our support is to contribute to Hillary's campaign fund. They've been left with significant campaign debt and we can show them we really believe in a united Deomcratic party.

I know we've all sacrificed a lot already, and Obama needs our donations to be successfulm but I'm sure even 5 or 10 dollars would be appreciated.

[pjburns11]

I love Bill and Hill. But hey, you roll the dice, you pay the price. They gonna help me out of any financial crisis I get myself into. Don't feel too sorry for them. A summer on the lecture circuit will put them back on easy street, oh, excuse me Easy Boulevard. $125 million last year? I think they'll somehow get by.

[schers25]

By showing our support for them we keep our party unified. We need the Clinton's in our corner.

[rzan]

It was not easy for me, but I did contribute to paying off Hillary's debt. I did not support her, but she and bill did rise to the occasion at the convention. Bill in particular gave a great speech.

[UnknownSoldier]

I think she got her debt paid when she gave her convention speech. Not sure tho

[schers25]

The Obama campaign gave her some help, but have a long way to go to keep their own campaign moving.

[Charmed]

I actually donated $10 to Hillary when the report came out that she was going to campaign on Monday. I think if a money bomb group is started on Baracks website it will help a lot.

[keepemhonest]

scher25 - I voted for and supported, financially & volunteering, for Bill Clinton twice. He lost me when he lied under oath ... I did not support Hillary ...

That said, they both showed so much CLASS during the convention & I thought Hillary's speech was AWESOME!!! Bill's speech was also AWESOME!!! I did send money to bail out her campaign. Both Hill & Bill motivated me ... lets hope they can motivate even more people.

[suzukimom]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/business/31view.html?_r=1&em=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1220504528-2g5wNpdAyplcBTVOK2WMqg&oref=slogin

As soon as I read this linked article from last Sunday's NY Times I donated money to Hillary. It was my way of saying thank you to both Clinton's for making life better for Americans during their time in office. I have real problems with some of their policies and would never have imagined that I'd ever send her money, but the article (with data) makes it clear that Dem policies helped people much more that Republican policies. Maybe that should be obvious.

I hope the information in the article, as well as some truth about Obama's proposals, gets disseminated as far and wide as McSame's lies.

[cbates]

Barack you must own the economic issue like John McMock is trying to own the defence issue. Buck up, get sharper in your answers and begin to give sharp to the point answers. Leave a little sex appeal at home with Michelle. Get much more serious don't worry about the sex appeal. Now bend those knees and move like coach K is teaching. Get intense on the issues stop the hesistation firm up yoour answers. Currently your answers although nuanced come off a little too much so. You can clean your first response with the reporters second or followup question. Look and be sharp out there. The AMerican public is waiting.

[Daly]

it's a new world, get this out to everyone you know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4esYwM5VeI

[kellygrrrl]

That's Exactly Right!

just keep attaching MkKain/Palin to Bush/Cheney - exactly where they belong

and show them how you do it with class and dignity - rather than like a Middle School Bully

[Daly]

Kelly,
I took the liberty to pass the new world link along, thanks for the find

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4esYwM5VeI

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

Awesome video. Let's make a change in November.

Obama-Biden2008

[Coinyer101]

i love to relish in the honor of the 'high-road'. it was the way of abraham lincoln. 'honest abe". to win with honor, brings the greatest reward.

[abigail1]

I love the "she's a skilled politician" line. It's an insult that sounds like a compliment.

[Harleyquin37]

I think he's saying she's a "skilled politician" so that it raises expectations of her abilitiy at the debates. Harder to play the "poor me, they're picking on me" card if people expect her to handle herself well.

[CabaretArtist]

I think you're right. He always takes his time to get a strategy together; than hits the nail on the head. Or, in this case the lipstick-pitbull on the nose.

[Wilsonv]

with a rolled up newspaper.

[Call me Sweety]

You know that if any man or Dem would've said whats the difference between a Hockey mom and a pitbull....and said Lipstick....they would've been strung up and run out of town on a rail! The Repubs would've cried "sexism", but since she said it herself...it's ok. What a bulls***er this woman is.

[clearthinker2008]

What women in her right mind would call herself a dog? Just wondering... But I agree with your point, 0 thinks about stuff and makes sure he has a plan before moving forward. Unlike that 73 year old kid, Jmac.

[furioustruthtopower]

Foolishly, John McCain has anchored himself to the right by picking a far right wing extremist. The Republicans are trying to market a right wing extremist as a moderate simply because she is a female. Their problem is that she is not real. Sooner, rather than later, her views will be exposed and independents will be aghast.
It will be fun to see her explain her view that abortion should be banned in cases of rape and incest. Her Bushesque views on religion will be a hoot once they are exposed. The Right thinks that women will vote for her despite her views because they are too stupid to understand the importance of policy. They will simply say "hey, she looks like us" who cares if she is against every policy I have fought for my entire life.
Obama can't say hello without being accused "playing the race card" whatever that means, Yet Palin hadn't finished her speech before Republicans were claiming that any criticism of her, no matter how valid, was sexism.
This is sooo hilarious

[lippy33]

Furthermore, if she tries to distance herself from her extreme views, she risks alienated their "base" which they really cannot afford. The religious right has to believe that Palin will right every wrong as they see it. If she says that her views won't impact how she governs, they will feel cheated. That is why she's not doing interviews.....but not doing hard-hitting interviews makes her look like a gimmick whose not ready. So, yes, running to the right will turn out to be their undoing.

[clearthinker2008]

I've been reading a lot of blogs this weekend and I do get the "I'm voting for Jmac because I can relate to Pa*lin, she's a mom like me...."

We need better education in this Country, like right NOW. Oh and I read one post that said "Jmac deserves our vote because he was a POW."

That was one stupid comment right there. I can't believe this many Americans don't seem to get it.

[MOregon]

And the insinuation is then that Obama is unpatriotic. In doing some phone canvassing, I actually spoke to some Independents voting for McCain because Obama "does not love our country" !!!!! Absurdity and ignorance at its finest!

[lippy33]

Love that he mentioned Palin in the same breath with Cheney! LOL! That's right, Barack!!!

I like how level headed and cool he is while calling people out!!

[Coinyer101]

you dont become president of the harvard law review ,by bein' a dummy.

[tigerakabj]

Amen. By the time the repubs figure that out, he'll be in the White House.

[keepemhonest]

Obama is BRILLIANT!!! Palin is just a skilled politician, with a husband who is a 7 year member to a Hate-America Group, AIP

[sweetpea72]

This is our year. The Democrats are getting the same message out like the Repubs who will stick to the same script even if its a lie. We are getting those 'voted with george bush 90% of the time' phases out there that stick....skillful politician is great because is removes the outsider image the repubs are trying to portray.

[Coinyer101]

"something's stirring across america." barack obama-dnc convention speech.
"sometimes a leader picks the 'time' . and sometimes the 'times' pick the leader." dick durbin,sen. ill.
"change is coming"-john mccain-rnc convention speech 'theme'
"a change is a comin'"- the rev. wright's 'theme'- during interview with reporters, 3-4 months ago.

seems we're all in agreement on that. so, since obama brought it up ,first ,as his campaign 'theme' then he should be the one to unite us when he takes office on jan. 20th.

obama '08

[klo]

Don't get overconfident. There's a lot of work to do to make it happen. This is not going to be a cakewalk.
As much as I wish the country was filled with sane, common sense kind of people, I recognize that many of our citizens are fakes who vote on issues like looks or hair color or the ability to drink a beer without spilling it on themselves.. It has proven in recent history to be a popularity contest. Not a true contest about who has a plan for the pressing issues of the day.
And unfortunately, a man of color, raised by white people, is still a threat to many. It doesn't matter that he's smart or understands and defends the law. It doesn't matter that he is the epitome of what this country can create in its citizens. They don't recognize him as being like them. Some white people still see people of color as being lessor or not worthy of success. Some are fearful that Congress would let him institute policies that would enslave them as africans were 400 years ago. Some black people won't vote for a man of color because they believe what has been yelled at them through their lives and that is that black people are not worthy or capable of handling such important positions.
And though all these reasons are wrong, they do exist and in large numbers.

[MrHHusseinMA]

"and I think her PERFORMANCE at the convention showed what a SKILLED POLITICIAN she is."

O got her on on both ends of his stick! Gotta love this: PERFORMANCE by a SKILLED POLITICIAN. In other words, she was acting out politics as usual from the right wing. I wonder how many people are shrewd enough to catch what he is saying here.

[Coinyer101]

republicans wont,until the debate.that's when they'll get their taste of 'smart' politicians.

[eladora]

She is absentee because she is studying maps and leaders. She is trying to help her pastor duck and cover from his hateful sermons, She is getting it straight about the earmark she kept and the debt she has created. Got to keep those lies straight .

[Coinyer101]

she moose hunting ,out of season.