NYT Reporter Warns Of One-Term Obama

Politico reports on a Sunday New York Times panel (part of the paper's Arts & Leisure Weekend), where reporters had nothing but bad news for President-elect Barack Obama:

White House reporters for The New York Times predict that the market collapse will force President-elect Barack Obama to abandon for now many of his campaign promises.

If his stimulus plan "doesn't work out, he may very well be a one-term president," said Jeff Zeleny, who covered Obama's campaign. "It's hard to imagine that he could be reelected if the economy's in the exact same position four years from now."

Another reporter, Peter Baker, went on to say that Obama would have to give up fulfilling promises of universal health care and carbon emissions caps this year because of the economy.

Media Matters questions the dire predictions:

Funny, we don't recall any Times reporters suggesting Bush would be a one-term president days before his inauguration. But of course we do remember lots of reporters and pundits announcing that Bill Clinton had failed in his first month in office.

Note the double standard?

Comments

[PerryLogan]

This is the often-seen right-wing activity of compensatory prognostication--their way of dealing with crushing humiliation.

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

[Helzapoppin]

Sorry Obama Zombies, the NYT have this one right. There are many forces at work that can critically damage Obama in the next 4 yrs, some even self-inflicted, and you would be wise to take note of them. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him not win a 2nd term - in fact I'd say the odds are stacking up against it, barring a monumental economic turnaround.

[harriscrl3]

Actually I disagree first of all only is Obama is a leader that can inspire but have you forgotten that the Dems control congress that means it will be easier for him to push his agenda through. If anything the odds are that he IS going to get a second term. Think about this how long was it before Bush lifted a hand to help ordinary Americans the only thing he did was to give that stimuls check for them to spend. Has he spend money to create jobs no, Did he help with foreclosures no? He stood by and did nothing after the mess that happened on his watch and what has Obama been doing before he is even sworn in he is trying to get his stimulus past a stimuls that is designed to help not wallstreet but mostly ordinary Americans and you think that a republican is going to come around in 4 years and pose a serious challenge to Obama? my odds say NO Way and I dont have to be an Obama zombie to see that.

Carol

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

Let's be honest, Carol. If it hadn't been for Sept. 11th, Bush wouldn't have stood a snow balls chance in hell for a second term. And they only got that by scaring the BeJesus out of their ignorant base, and the rest of them that failed to read anything but the Enquirer. You're absolutely correct. He NEVER did anything for the middle class, because he is in no way able to relate to them. At least President Obama has the life experience to know what we are suffering in this economy. I see two terms for him. And hopefully S.O.S. Clinton will follow up with at least one term of her own.

[slytot7]

You under estimate the perverse stupidity of the "average" white male "joe six pack" They voted for McCain/Palin this last election in spite of EVERYTHING. All it will take is a few disgruntled women and latinos and Obama is toast come 2012!!

[Beca]

It is not a surprise that many so called "journalists" have chosen to continue with the negativism and "he will fail" statements even before Obama starts office! What these idiots don't realize is that the majority of American people voted for Obama because he was the only candidate who provided us with realistic and doable plans to begin to fix the enormous mess Bush left us on all ends. Obama never promised us it would be easy or a smooth ride, he was very clear that given the situation (economy, health care, education, foreign afairs, etc.) it will take time to be able to not only reverse the damage of Bush but to then make the necessary changes that will be sustainable through the years.
These supposed journalists are the same ones who demanded much higher standards of Obama than of the other candidates during the election period. Others who made small or huge mistakes were given pass after pass, however, anythying that was not beyond perfect in Obama, his statements, comments, etc. it was hammered upon and beaten to death. Now it seems that they are going to demand higher than perfect standards from Obama as our President, and nothing he does and accomplishes will be good enough. These same idiots are the ones who were happy to have zero standards for Bush during his past 8 years. President Obama will prevail despite all these naysayers.

[gr8abz]

Beautifully put, Becca. I totally agree. A vast segment of the media loves to go super negative on the Democrats when they win. The media was so critical of Bill Clinton during his first two years in office that the running joke was; If Clinton walked on water, they'd say, 'What's wrong, Bill? Can't you swim?' Meanwhile he was doing a really good job on all fronts. Overall, I believe Obama will be a successful President.

[HMDMSR]

He might outlast the NYT.

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

Are they telling me that Sarah Palin or Jeb Bush could beat our Barack in 2012, if Obama screwed up badly enough? No way, not even if Jesus Christ filmed campaign endorsements for the Republican!

[naijaman]

Jeff Zeleny? This guy took every opportunity presented to him during the primaries to trash Obama in his articles for the NYT, so why is this a shocker? These are the same folks who said Obama would not win the nomination, so now they predict Obama will be a one-term president? Funny how Zeleny did not point out that Obama is inheriting an absolute mess from Bush, and that Americans know this and would most likely give him enough time, a la two terms, to clean up the mess.

[ThePeacemakers]

If he improves the economy (will still need more work for certain) and no one but some guards are left in Iraq for the sure-to-be-a-budget drain embassy - at least hold him to that standard, then let's talk about 2 terms.

[older2wiser]

As usual, the repo's are hating once again.........

[212RLamas]

no way he loses...
who and what do the republicans have to offer?
NOTHING!!! so obama wins second term in an even bigger landslide!!!
obama 2012

[Helzapoppin]

Overconfidence and a refusal to admit areas of vulnerability are typically things that contribute heavily to a President losing a re-election bid.

[rogerze]

nytimes is wrong, if Obama doesn't implement health care he most certainly should get a second term.

[billw8017]

Rogerze put in a word too many. Statement should read "...if Obama does implement health care, he most certainly should get a second term."

Health care has been the secret issue that carries elections. This is particularly true now as the existing system has been failing. A young doctor I know complained that as he began his practice, he was working the hardest he had ever worked in his life and earning nothing: The older doctors knew who the deadbeats were, and the contemporary system turns a lot of decent people into medical deadbeats.

[Beca]

No rogerze was correct in his first statement, if Obama can't fully implement the health care reform during his first term, then he should get the second term in order to be able to implement it. Given that Obama has to fix so many gravely broken things immediately--economy, Iraq, Afghanistan, Housing, and health care, it stands to reason that he would need at least two terms to be able to tackle all of these broken parts successfully. He is not a magician, and no other President has had to tackle so many huge and major broken parts of America at one time. President-elect is brilliant and has a brilliant mind, now we need to give him the trust, support, and time to be able to fulfill his plan for America.
Failing to re-elect President Obama if he does not implement the health care reform in his first term will only hurt America and the American people because we know that another President will have to once again start from scratch, and will be even less likely to get a reform passed on his/her watch either.

[DrDemon]

In other words; reporters turned Nostradamus...Interesting!

[RIGHTWING31]

The Man shouldn't even been in the white house to begin with. He should have never been a Senator. Do any of you even know how his little goonies found docs. that weren't signed in the right spots causing the other senators to not qualify to run. The first time obama ran he only had 4% vote. He is a snake in the grass and this county is foolish. If we are to be so lucky he will serve less then 4 years. Get ready for some really big spending and even more foolish government. I hope you all like to flush money down the toliet cause that's what's getting ready to happen!

[2wit]

Your comment:
"Get ready for some really big spending and even more foolish government. I hope you all like to flush money down the toliet cause that's what's getting ready to happen!"

- accurately describes the G. W. Bush Presidency - you don't get it do you? Have you been in a coma these past 8 years? - Or simply unable to get a grip with W's failed presidency. . . the same denial he displayed in his last news conference today?

Poor dear - take 2 asprin and call someone who might actually buy that story in the morning.

[postman606]

That's not what happened. Alice Palmer put a hurried campaign together with false nominating petitions. I could go into detail, but it's obvious you read from Freepers.com why bother.

[IndyGirl19]

Glad you spared yourself. I could tell immediately he was wearing tin foil. He's the type who's got reams of paper strewn about his living room detailing the Clinton Body Count and other such cover-ups.

[Beca]

President-elect Obama is a person with not only great integrity, but is brilliant and brilliant legally and politically. He did nothing wrong or improper when running for either State or US Senate, simply because his opponents were less organized, not legally savvy, and changed their mind about running at the last minute is not the fault of Obama. He won fair and square.
The brilliant and fiscally responsible manner in which Obama ran his Presidential campaign shows where his priorities are, and I am certain that he will run and equally efficient and cost effective government, and will indeed save us money in the end.
You seems to be blind to the rampant and out of control spending of the Bush Administration. He grew the government exponentially, creating three new offices with hundreds of staff. You forget the incredible deficit and debt Bush is leaving us? Something that we not there before he took office, so don't even try to pin excess spending or out of control spending on the Obama administration! We are in such a whole finaincially that it will take us decades to recover from what Bush did. OUR MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET BY BUSH!

[anastomosis]

I bet that this guy gets a real warm sensation below his belly when he writes such sewer speak.

[shimown]

Dear Friends,

It cracks me up how much credence people are willing to extend to reporters and pundits who are so regularly wrong. If the future were so easy to predict, we would have no surprises. Yet we still give these self-appointed diviners of political trends our attention. Stop listening to them and think for yourselves. Discover primary sources of information and rely less on the pablum meted out by the network, cable, and other conduits of disinformation.

Make up your own minds, and don't be fooled by the silliness that passes for news and analysis.

[deeblk07]

OBAMA WILL HAVE 2 TERMS FOR SURE. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE GOP CANT FIND A DECENT FRONTRUNNER THESE DAYS. Futhermore, Americans know Obama will need another term to continue to clean up this mess and possibly give us the healthcare.

[Nonpartay]

I agree, and if we're lucky, Michelle will be President after Mr. Obama had his two terms! :)

[NCRedhead]

Well, I agree with those who said that the NYT must just rail against whoever is "in office." Clearly, Obama has already demonstrated some major changes in course over Bush Administration, but apparently not enough to suit them. Of course, maybe the deal is that no matter what, they would find something to whine about. So much for the Sunday subscription I was thinking about, they sound like Campbell Brown on CNN and I can get her negative rantings free.

[KeepMeLearning]

They just WISH he would only have one term.

Call me psychic, but I think they will be proven WRONG.