ABC Roundtable: "Is Obama Tough Enough?" (VIDEO)

George Stephanopoulos asked Sunday's ABC News Roundtable if President Obama was being "tough enough."

Former speechwriter Peggy Noonan argued that Obama's policy judgments, not his political skills, are behind decisions that upset some of his progressive supporters. Economist Paul Krugman responded that it was a strange time to call Obama weak, when he's about to pass health care reform: "He's actually getting stuff done now." Jake Tapper, the network's White House correspondent, said that what people want is for Obama to be clearer about what he wants from health care reform -- not tougher.

Watch:

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Comments

[Elbrando]

Speak softly but carry a big stick. Just because we don't see the stick he is carrying doesn't mean it isn't big. Obama could do Roosevelt proud.

[bigben1986]

Tough as a bull in a china store? Thank God No!! He is doing just fine.

[BabblingBrooks]

Getting "stuff done?" The question is, is it GOOD STUFF? Is it going to help the economy or further weaken it? Will it produce more jobs or fewer? Will it make people more dependent upon a government or less?

Is it GOOD STUFF?

[kcmookie]

and ther babbling brook falls silent (-).

[BabblingBrooks]

Say what?

[motherfather]

Is he strong? Is he clear? Will he pass the test? Will he pass this test? is this yet another test for his presidency? Can he recover? What about his poll numbers? Is he black enough? Is he white enough? Is he articulate enough? Is he not articulate? Is he a good dancer? Is he not a good dancer? I swear if you folllow the headlines of the mainstream media and huffp one would go mad!

[fya]

lmfao. So true.

[VeryFairMOR]

He may be stong enough, but he sure likes to whine about his critics, and he has a very quick temper if anyone presses him on an issue at all.

[fya]

Yeah, he's an angry black man.

[Elbrando]

GIVE ME A BREAK.

First the complaint is that Obama doesn't stand up for himself and his policies. Then he stands and speaks and he is accused of being a socialist that wants government to take over. THEN they start asking is Obama tough enough, but when he pushes back he is considered whining.

The man could create loaves and fishes and the only thing you would hear from the right is that Obama is putting farmers and fishermen out of business.

[Maddox01a]

Make up your minds ppl??? Do want want W back or not??? If you haven't gotten the Tweet yet, "that one.." ain't Bush. And I'm glad 'bout it!!!

[brt929]

False dichotomy. If he can't get any Democratic policies done to undo the far-right policies of the last 8 years with a majority in the House and Senate, then he is in effectual.

There should be no reason that Republicans have a chance to win two governorships.

[fya]

CONGRESS is the problem. Spineless Democrats that can't get anything done.

Republicans = BLIND LOYALTY
Democrats = CIRCLING FIRING SQUAD.

[brt929]

I meant to type ineffectual or uneffective.

[CaliGrown78]

I don't think people want him to be more clear it's obvious he's well spoken enough to make himself clear what I want is for him to get tougher

[freelyb]

Obama is finally getting that people actually expect the changes he promised.

[Chesher]

Please TV people - get rid of Peggy Noonan - she is so effected in her brain, it is hard to listen to her.

[leafericson]

She seems full of herself

[rzan1]

If you mean "affected," I agree with you. Her demeanor is of someone with a st**k up their a$$.

[GregJL]

"Economist Paul Krugman responded that it was a strange time to call Obama weak, when he's about to pass health care reform:"

No he's not. What is going to ha[ppen is a bill will be passed. What that bill will introduce into law is the following:

[kdublya]

"Jake Tapper, the network's White House correspondent, said that what people want is for Obama to be clearer about what he wants from health care reform -- not tougher."

=-=-=

Thank you for proving this point.

[Sandeep V Bahl]

I agree. People are stupid who think that Obama is not doing enough. Come on folks, it's not even a year and he is starting to turn things around. Remember what you gave him? A economic recession, two wars, highest ever trade deficit and sick health care plan.

[brt929]

Yes, and what do we still have? Recession, two wars, banks still not lending, and possibly health care reform that will most likely be nothing but a big giveaway to insurance. We will actually be worse off if the Baucus bill passes.

Obama ISN'T doing enough. Unless he turns things around, he won't get a second term.

[BritishAmerican]

It's cold in Florida - I blame Obama for the weather. He should have made sure the weather remains warm here.

[psbintl]

LOL!

[motherfather]

Yup, Yup!

[mikerobjohn]

Your bloggers are instant gratification generation. Why don't you start researching all that Obama has done through executive orders and bills that he signed??

People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm. Proverbs 14:17

[ExpatDane]

Or just read one of his books. Dreams from My Father provides great insight and illustrates well how Barack Obama makes dreams into reality. You've got a great person in the White House, work with him and you will also have a great presidency.

[LBaby]

Oh. please, are you expecting some of this lot to actually look into things? Facts ruin their narrative...

[Sandeep V Bahl]

I totally second your comment mikerobjohn. Please realize he is doing the best he can!

[rzan1]

Well said! If he loses the next election to the Republicans, people will really have something to complain about.

[sonoffestus]

If another republican administration is elected, then Canadian immigration services are going to be really busy. Glad we got here before the rush.

[SangZe]

I keep waiting and waiting for some evidence that Obama's working on my behalf, yet my income hasn't increased, I'm not getting any bonuses, my health insurance has become more expensive, I'm not safer than I was under Bush or any other president, food costs me more than it did under Bush, I can't afford a new car and probably never will, my taxes have increased . . . What's the use? Krugman lives in a different world than I do, and so does Obama.

[JMBrodie]

Respectfully: This is not a sitcom. It took us more than 10 months to get into this fix, and will take a little more than 10 months to get out of it.

At some point, you and I may be on the same side of this issue. But for now, I still feel it is too early to make sweeping judgments.

Your thoughts?

[WANSU]

My thoughts exactly..he was not supposed to defeat Clinton, ..he was not supposed to defeat MCcain, White people would NOT vote for him in the voting booth,..he is communist, , heis foreigner, only give good speeches..Feel free to add to the list!. He is doing too much too fast, he is not doing anything, the stock markets hates him, he is paying too much attention to the stock market, he is not fit to win Nble peace prize, His health care bill will not pass, he will not pull the troops out of Iraq, will not close GItmo, he wwill not add troops to Afghan. Wll this President ever do anything right let alot being TOUGH ENOUGH????­??????????­????.

[psbintl]

Right!

[markytex]

you should work harder and accept responsibility for your problems. i am very fortunate and haven't experienced what you are talking about.

[Passenger57]

How could you possibly know that you aren't safer under Obama than you were under Bush?
If you could afford a new car before (as your post implies) , then why didn't you get it then?
Your health insurance costing more isn't Obama's fault ; it's your insurance company's doing.
Is it possible to blame the higher cost of food on Obama?
Hmmm...it's raining...that frickin' Obama...!

[Camel54]

That's just not true unless you make more than $250K, which you must not since you said you can't afford a new car. Your taxes have not increased. If you take your paycheck from now and compare it to your paycheck from January, determine the percentage of federal withholdings, you'll see that those withholdings have gone done.

You're not safer? So the multiple terrorist plots that were broken up in the past month are imaginary? Your insurance premiums have increased because of private health insurance companies...the ones Obama is trying to prevent from doing that.

[Haitians4Obama]

Don't blame Obama just bc you thought he was gonna come in and fix all your problems in 10 months.

Be thankful you have a job, instead of complaining about getting a BONUS??

And obviously healthcare is a priority right now, so be patient.

I told the same thing to my mom who is getting frustrated about his lack of focus on immigration, he did not say it'll be easy and done within the first year, so we have to wait.

Can you also share with us why do you think your taxes went up? It sure wasn't your federal tax since he gave a tax cut to 95% of Americans (unless you make over $250K), so if it's your state tax that went up, which is the case in many states for their budget problems, do you want Obama to go in each state and lower them? (-)

[brt929]

I can't recall Obama ever saying that immigration was on his agenda. He did say he favored a new policy, but no details really. I don't know what kind of focus your mother is looking for, but it is too hot button an issue for him (or for that matter anybody else.)

This country is definitely too divided on that issue.

[journey80]

It's a little early to be patting Obama on the back for healthcare reform.

Anyone besides me want to see what Rahm's final bill looks like? I can guess, and I sure hope I'm wrong.

[nancytheragingliberal]

J, Yes, we are all waiting for Rahm's final health care bill. He made a deal months ago with Big Pharma and of course, price negotiation is off of the table. Millions of dollars are being spent daily to squash the Public Option, which was a stupid presentation. Surely, they could have found a better name than this foolishness. Frank Luntz is a good word smith, so Dems should find someone like him. 45 thousand Americans are dying each year, due to no health care access, but Congress dithers, takes vacations and blathers incessantly. If O. comes out strongly for the American people and pays attention to the Ed Schultz Playbook, then maybe I would be more encouraged. So far, he has shown weakness and this is not a good thing. Is he an advocate for the American people or beholding to the corporations? Time will tell.

[DonRoberto]

If Big Pharma had been actively fighting against healthcare reform, we wouldn't have had a chance. The Big Pharma deal split the opposition, and took the pharmaceutical industry out of the healthcare reform fight. This is what made it possible to even address healthcare reform this year; there was no chance without the deal.

The President is fighting for us. Don't believe the talking heads, and don't think what you see on the news everyday is the reality. The real work of legislation, as always, occurs behind the scenes; you need to read between the lines to understand what's really going on.

[Mark Kraft]

What a stupid roundtable. At least three of the panel members are well-known Republicans.

[Grunty1]

That's the way our media works these days. And Krugman was probably only invited because he is more liberal and has been attacking Obama great deal over the last year.