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

[Coinyer101]

this is why obama has my vote. no hate. not tearing the Gov. down. not taking EVERY opportunity to bash his opponent. instead, answers the question. directly, with thought, and a plan to move quickly forward ,without doing more damage by playing politics with serious issues. THIS is why he will be president. after george bush, people recognize dumb, and people recognize leadership thru intelligence. it's a simple question to me. we've had dumb for 7 1/2 years. we dont need dumb for another day!

redn*ck for obama/biden '08

[NotFooledByDistractions]

I agree - I admire the dignity Obama has brought to this process. It was actually embarrassing to watch the speakers at the gop convention. The thought that it was broadcast and on the internet for the world to see such sniveling juvenile actions and outright nastiness - all from those claiming to be Christians. That's not the type of Chrisitianity I was raised with. Sticking with the issues will win - the issues are hitting too close to home to make this a beauty contest.

[michlamb]

NotFooledByDistractions - You are so right about the hypocritical nature that the so called Christian conservatives display. It is beyond me how they justify there claim of Christian faith and then spew the most hateful venomous attacks toward Sen. Obama.

[Coinyer101]

i agree completely with my other 'me'. so do ' i'. 'me' too.

there- all of my 'personalities' are in agreement ,so it must be true.

[KiwisCanFly]

"without doing more damage by playing politics with serious issues"

Very good point.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

I agree completely. All McBush is doing with Palin is playing politics. The politics of lies, fear and division. I think the skilled politician line by Obama did stick the knife in Palin a bit by implying she is the politics of the past in a new wrapper.

[nyhfrog]

I think Palin is the definition of what used to be called a "punk bully". She talks tough and makes her attacks, which are all lies, and then she runs and hides.

Come out and fight if you believe in your ability to be president, pit bull.

[Coinyer101]

is it lying if she's being forced to say what she says? maybe she just easily 'MAN'ipulated. i don't believe we've heard her OWN words, yet. her history appears radically right-wing, tho. them people are the scary ones.

[LynndaMaree]

http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/09/05/alaskans-speak-in-a-frightened-whisper-palin-is-%e2%80%9cracist-sexist-vindictive-and-mean%e2%80%9d/

[klo]

Lord forbid...don't overshoot...She's not running for president. She's running for VP. As long as John McSain is alive, that is.

[Reed210]

Can anyone explain to me what he's doing in a tractor barn?

[realtalk]

He had a town hall meeting there earlier.

[Coinyer101]

damn! and i thought i guessed it right! ok, you scored.

[Coinyer101]

he's learning techniques for removing manure from the whitehouse. they will show him how to operate a bobcat with a front-end loader..i s'pect it'll be a 3-4 day job.

[saun8934]

I bet your one of those ignorant, uneducated and hateful racist, that is so jealous of Obama you can't even see straight!

[lisak2008]

I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

[RStone]

it is called the Farm Bill. Pork? A bit inflationary don't you think? But hey, good for the horse racing industry. When are people going to take a look at this. Anywany, register to vote! @ http://www.boppoll.com.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Obviously they are interviewing him near where Obama was campaigning. The man is a little busy these days.

[USAPresidentialPoll]

Lets see, Obama's on "This Week", McCain's on "Face the Nation", and I believe Biden's on "Meet the Press".

Hmmm. Where's Palin?

Oh yeh. She's still learning what the hell to say.

How long will it take for Palin to remember what Bush's people want her to say? Oh, I mean McCain's.

[nomoreofthesame]

What is Palin afraid of? The fear is palpable.

[negogato]

Stealth needs control

[Coinyer101]

she a pitbull. she out diggin up 'dirt.' i say, let her dig. she'll get tired and head back to the porch eventually.

[Ged2012]

Apparently, Joe Lieberman and the other GOP strategists are still coaching her on a lot of things. We could just speculate that they are telling her:

1. Never talk about trooper-gate... more of 'moose-gate' the way i see it (One of the charges against the trooper is killing a moose using the wrong license).

2. Smile a lot, hug a lot, drive in all the LOVE to negate anything negative about you. Anyway no one would care since Alaska is up there near the North Pole and Russia.

3. There is no such thing as the Iraq-Pakistani border.

4. The Sunni and Shia hate each other's guts, but they hate the U.S. even more.

5. People would vote for McCain because they love you, Sarah!

[dhertzfe]

She's still waiting for someone to explain what the VP does.

[saun8934]

LOL!

[majorteddy]

She's getting Lasik surgery so she can be even purdier. Too bad they don't install a working brain and a heart while they've got her under sedation.When will Americans take control of America from these crazy Republicans. This is not anywhere near moderate. This woman is insane and going even more George W. Bush than George W. Bush.

[Coinyer101]

pit bulls have a tendency to run away from 'owners' , with a down-right stubborn mentality. she'll be missing in action ,until they can get a leash back on her.

[obamasOHangel]

"and I think her PERFORMANCE at the convention showed what a skilled politician she is."

Clever clever...that's exactly what she gave - a performance. She put on a show for the Good Ole Boys network. Gotta love O!

[mmelodee]

Exactly! Hit the nail on the head on this one!

Obama/Biden '08

[KiwisCanFly]

YUP

[Ged2012]

It's obvious that she didn't even thought about the implications of the words in her speech, other than to rev up the Christian base.

She never thought that her statement about 'community organizers' would hurt many Americans out there. She and the GOP are truly OUT OF TOUCH with the American people.

[smark]

It's funny how the Christian base is singing the praises for her having an unwed daughter. If the shoe was on the other foot, there would be hell to pay. HYPOCRITES!!!

[neenj]

I saw that too, and this is the second time I've heard him refer to Palin as a "skilled politician". Yes, it is very effective and "skillful"

[BabsfromKansas]

Must see and pass it on

John McCain: Portrait of a Maverick

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

[dagnew]

Loved it!

[RStone]

Team Obama, pass this on!

http://www.boppoll.com

Get the bops out!!!! We are way behind!

[Mojane]

Wonderful. I've sent it on to some folks. Thanks.

[KiwisCanFly]

Excellent, socking it to the maverick myth.

Follow Obama's acceptance speech stratagem. Hit them on their perceived strengths.

[JerseyGirl4Obama]

Love the video. This is who he is. Add the pitbull and we will be doomed.

Get out and vote in November! Obama-Biden2008

[BlueOnBlue]

I hope Barack remembered to ask George why he doesn't wear a flag lapel pin.

[Naajoa]

LOL

[lisak2008]

Or whether Sufflelupagus loves America as much as Sen. Obama does.

[UrbanElitist]

All the Dems have to do is stick to the three big issues: Iraq, Energy, the Economy. Treat the American people like adults, let Faux News fuel the Palin soap opera, and the Republicans will be calling him President Obama in just a few short months.

I wonder, when he's president will they still feel the need to repeat his middle name?

[moxieme]

There are so many well-qualified females who support Barack Obama's candidacy who are more than capable of responding to Gov. Palin. It seems Hillary Clinton is the most logical choice. I hope she is up to task. Nicole Walace, Mary Matalin, Carly Fiorinna, and the Pfhaugety(?) person are repping for Palin. I know several local Dem females who could eat Palin for lunch. I have all but unsubscribed to ABC because they are so biased against Obama. George should have thrown his hat in the ring. Obviously he prefers campaigns and candadicies to journalism. Billary must have threown him under the bus farther than we have heard about.

[xargaw]

Also Claire McCaskill, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Barbara Boxer and others. I can't wait to read Anna Quinlins back page in Newsweek this week. I suspect it will be terrific as usual. Patti Davis has a good piece in Newsweek on Palin. Palin is not friend of women. Most of what she stands for is even offensive to a lot of Conservative women. She is a coarse woman, which is very different from a strong woman. Her two oldest kids have slid off the road to adulthood which makes you wonder about life at home. Is she a present parent or is she an absent parent? It looks like the littlest one that needs a mom most of all will fall through the cracks too.

[KiwisCanFly]

I have a problem with the narrative that the female politicans go after Palin.

Regardless of gender, Obama supporters should go after Palin on her record inconsistencies, her distortions, her knowledge on issues.

Scrutinise her as Sen Obama has been, thoroughly.

To do otherwise would be sexism.

I would hate for any Obama/Biden supporters to be accused of gender bias!!

Lets not allow Gov Palin to play both the agressor and the victim.

[DragonMama]

"Lets not allow Gov Palin to play both the agressor and the victim."

Of course she does - that's how girls do bullying.

[evgolightly]

Ever notice how many African Americans Fox News dug up since Obama became a force in the election?

Seems like every other attack dog pitted against Obama's black.

Fox would have used 90% women to attack Hillary if she had won.

Fight fire with fire. Because if we ask, 'what time is it?', we're accused of sexism.

Let Sebelius and McCaskill attack -- no one's going to bother them.

[Mattie]

I wonder if George will ask him why he voted for FISA and the Cheney Energy bill. I wonder if he will ask him why he now thinks faith based initiatives are a good idea, or why he praised the overturning of the DC Gun Law. I wonder if George will ask him about public financing, or why he now wants to drill off of our coasts. I wonder if he will bring up his recent praise of a decision that will limit a woman's right to choose. In other words, will he ask Obama why he says one thing, but constantly does another. I wonder if they will ask Obama about playing the race card with Clinton, and now the working woman card or sexism with Palin. I doubt it, the media loves their Obama!

Anyone but Obamo 08

[msemper]

oh boy i see you are still at it...lol. stop it and just go back under the rock you came from....

[IslandGyal]

Blah, blah, blah Hillary L-O-S-T get to f*uck over it!

[wedgie]

The great myth of the left wing media.

Tooth fairy time.

**

[MM216]

I am soooo tired of the sexism cr*p.
You wanna be in poilitics?
Then, step up to the plate and take the cr*p
I don't care if you're male or female.
And, as a female, I say take off the gloves and hit Palin as hard as you would a male candidate.
Grow a pair of steel balls and or boobs, IMO.

It's a tough world out there and it's place for wimps or wimpettes!

[michlamb]

Anyone but Mattie 08

[Naajoa]

why should Obama give that snot nosed stephanopolous an interview?

George is a complete an utter disgrace! what a hopeless fraud!

[MM216]

He's as much of the MSM as any....and I don't see Palin talking to them right now

[KiwisCanFly]

I think its a good idea for Obama to be interviewed by the likes of GS and ORielly.
I can't watch them personally,l their bias is palpable.

But if Obama can be viewed by the regular watchers of these shows, perhaps some may see that he has a new kind of political intelligence and they may start to think about what government may be like under his leadership.

[Gib]

The best you can say about GS is that he's not as repulsive as those other ex-Clintonites, Dick(!) Morris and Susan Estrich. Here's a good question: which is more repulsive, DM or SE?

[MMJones]

Every time I hear a question about Palin's appearance out of nowhere as No. 2 and I am ready to shout my sharp retort, I shall practice Obama's restraint and answer in such a wise and political way as he is so able to. That man is the whole package -- and we just might regain the respect of the world with him (and Biden) at the helm.

[DoTheMath]

You know what, you're not the only one she infuriates. Think about it. Isn't that great? She's a polarizing figure. That means we're fired up!

Are we fired up?

[wedgie]

FIRED UP!

The woman IS George Bush. SHE IS THE WORST POSSIBLE candidate.

**

[mairs]

Hey, if Obama got 10 million in donations the first 24 hours after Palin's speech, you're darn right we're fired up.

[DAPTMMA]

Ready to go!!!!!!

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Obama , it will never happen.
Parts of white American was born and raise hate the black people. the other parts of American have an education. Not enough of them live in those states that make up those electoral votes for winner to take all.

[jeg]

Doesn't matter. Sen. Obama doesn't need the Bush states from 2004, he needs the Kerry states from 2004. And he's got most of those (actually, I think he's got all, plus CO and a few others).

Check out the electoral maps on http://fivethirtyeight.com and http://electoral-vote.com

Then, if you're really ambitious, compare the polling now vs. how Bush performed in 2004. There are a lot of red states that are going to be close this year.

[dhertzfe]

Alot has happened to America the last 8 years. I believe America has grown a bit more to look beyond color and listen to the individual and then make judgments.

If a man of color was an excellent auto mechanic and charged fairly for his services, would you still take your car to a white man who over charged you every time you brought your car to him and it seemed that your car needed more work after he worked on it?

Grow up!

[neenj]

Yes, you're right. The racists (such as yourself) are among us. But, you know what, I'm gonna have to hope and pray that there is not enough of you to stop much-needed change and progress.

[omaro]

Hey, other commenters below. Take a look at MadeinAmericaProud's profile. You'll see s/he's on the side of the angels, i.e., Obama. it's hard to make both sarcasm and discouragement come across in print sometimes.

[proveit2me]

I would love to hear someone ask McCain what he sees Sarah Palin's role in his administration. Barack has said he chose Joe for his council or foreign policy issues and because he doesn't want a yes man. So what about Sarah? McCain will be seeking her advice and council on what? If this wasn't simply a crass political stunt, what, exactly does the Vice president do on a day to day basis, john?

[leaningIndy]

Sarah's job is done. That's why she's been put under wraps now. Her job was to excite the evangelicals - and according to the Republican spokesmen she did a great job. I personally have a hard time believing that evangelicals can be bought with such obviously cheap politics. Most evangelicals that I know are morally unable to vote any way but Republican no matter how bad their party's performance, so I don't think Palin changes anyone's mind on the candidates- only possibly gets some more of them to the voting booth in November. By then they may have had enough of her.

[neenj]

You are joking right! Evangelicals are like sheep, they have to be told what to do, and right now Palin is telling them "JUMP" - to which they are uniformly replying: "How high?"

[Citizen08]

Great question - I hope they ask good questions debates

[michlamb]

proveit2me - Don't you mean what role McCain will play in Sarah's administration? LOL

[mairs]

McCain would say he chose her for her executive experience which he himself doesn't have. Haha.

[laocoon]

And of which she has only a little. If 'executive " experience was the criteria why not pick someone with some like Romney or Ridge? It wasnt and that argument is disingenuous.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

mccain will be seeking her council on the what he forgot in any meetings stuff. with cindy 's approval.

cindy did give her husband approval on her as VP pick, It was on the local news

[08Barack08]

If you believe John McCain exercised poor judgment in choosing Sarah Palin (or if you believe Sarah Palin was simply a HORRIBLE choice all around), please join the movement.

www.imPALIN.com
It's worth a minute of your time!

[JaneEyrez]

I keep trying to go to this site, but it doesn't link to anything.

[NamelessGenXer]

Try it with the protocol: http://www.imPALIN.com

[msemper]

You have to type www.imPALIN.com in to your address bar.

[genia]

Obama.....don't get me wrong, I love him...But...he's just not savvy sometimes. His choice of words....Palin is a skilled politician......well to the undecided...or uneducated dim wit...that sounds like he's admitting that yes...she is very good.
He should have said something like...she's a good speaker..or motivator...or has a presence but that doesn't make her a good politician.
Just my opinion.......

[deb123]

But she IS a good politician. Look how she's flip-flopped her way to the governorship and now VP choice. She has sniffed out what she thinks people want to hear and she spits it back to them. She's shrewd, calculating and she reads a speech well. I still think she's McCain's Viagra and will fade in four hours or so -- but in the meantime, we should take her seriously and show no signs of condescension or hostility. She's ready to pounce so don't give her a target.

[JaneEyrez]

It's a tactic to build her up as really skillful so that her expectations in the debate or other potential appareances will be high enough to let her actual performace look really bad.

[cnobody]

calling her a skilled politician is very savvy, considering that she's promoting herself as the "non-politician" the "outsider" the "mother of five children." he's using the right words.

[goldnchyl]

well if you understand the meaning of being skilled in politics, its basically knowing how to make it look good. That's what politics has boiled down to. Obama manages to look good and bring substance and integrity to the table.

[swift goat pet for truth]

Political Science: Who gets what and how.

SP gets what she wants. By that definition, very skilled.

[LynndaMaree]

Amen to that.

[deb813]

Yes she is very good, at being a slimey nasty Republican that is. If you take out the lies she told about her experience all she did was be an attack dog. Attack dogs are quite popular with the Reps since they don't have a plan or a clue.

[smark]

Yup, she DEFINITELY DOES NOT HAVE A CLUE!!!