Obama Jokes About Tax Day Protests At Miami Fundraiser

MIAMI - President Barack Obama said Thursday he's amused by the anti-tax tea party protests that have been taking place around Tax Day.

Obama told a fundraiser in Miami that he's cut taxes, contrary to the claims of protesters.
"You would think they'd be saying thank you," he said.

At that, many in the crowd at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts stood and yelled, "Thank you!"

The fundraiser was one of two Obama held after a speech at Cape Canaveral on his administration's space policy. The other was hosted by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, a $30,400-per-couple fete that stirred some controversy in the traditionally Republican Cuban-American community.

Together, the events raised $2.5 million for the Democratic National Committee.

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine spoke before Obama and delivered a sobering assessment of the party's chances in the November midterm elections, noting that the party in power traditionally sustains losses in the midterms.

"There are a lot of prognosticators who are saying this is going to be a very tough year for the Democrats," Kaine said.

"We sort of have to assume that we're running into a headwind," Kaine said, but he contended Democrats were accustomed to being underdogs.

Referencing his speech at Cape Canaveral, Obama told the crowd that he was just visiting NASA and thought he'd "beam down and visit my friends in Miami."

Obama called on Republicans and Democrats to come together to pass strong financial regulation legislation. He said every member of Congress would have to decide "between special interests and the American people."

He said lobbyists are already gearing up for a fight.

"It's like throwing a piece of meat in a piranha tank," he said. "They're going to race to see how fast they can tear it apart."

Obama cheered the special-election victory of Florida Democratic state Sen. Ted Deutch in Tuesday's special election to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler. It was the first House election since passage of his controversial health care bill and Obama noted that commentators viewed the election as a referendum on that legislation or on Obama himself.
"And it was!" he said.

Comments

[justplainfedup]

02:19 AM on 05/11/2010

Man! $30,400 per couple!

I used to know Gloria and Emilio, back in the day.

I'da liked to have wheedled a feebie to that one!

[conservo]

08:44 PM on 05/10/2010

The Tea Parties are for one thing--Fiscal responsibility. So when he mocks the Tea parties he is mocking fiscal responsibility. One can say that he has cut taxes but he hasn't cut taxes enough and he has actually RAISED taxes on a majority of our job producers. Not to mention his spending has been out of control. Bush's spending was bad enough but Obama spent more in his first year of office than Bush spent in his entire eight.

[sarabono]

07:44 PM on 04/17/2010

He still doesn't understand the Tea Party Movement. One would think he would catch on by now. It's been over a year.

[justplainfedup]

02:21 AM on 05/11/2010

What's to understand?

That they complain about taxation without representation?

Or that they are a bunch of racists?

[TxAggie]

07:31 PM on 04/17/2010

Those words will haunt him whe he runs for reelection.

[justplainfedup]

02:23 AM on 05/11/2010

What words are those?

That he cut taxes?

[TxAggie]

12:06 PM on 05/11/2010

That people should thank him for "cutting taxes" such that medicare taxes do up, capital gains taxes go up, tax on dividends go up, income taxes go up and that half of the population pays zero income tax and our country is going broke. I hope he enjoys his one term.

[Rooster Coburn]

05:58 PM on 04/17/2010

He's got a lot of nerve coming to Florida, alright. I wouldn't walk across the street to see him. Heck, I wouldn't even look out the window if he were standing right outside.

[justplainfedup]

02:22 AM on 05/11/2010

Yet 70 million fine, upstanding American patriots voted for him.

That has just got to burn.

[Aprama]

01:51 AM on 04/17/2010

I hear republicans are whining about the presidents comments. We have lots to thank them for, so too be fair let's all thank the republicans and especially GW for all they gave us for 8 solid years:

1) Two terrorist attacks on American soil & the loss of over three thousand lives.

2) The failure of protecting American cities during a major natural disaster.

3) A collapse of our country's financial system leading us to a near second great depression.

4) Two wars that should never have been waged.

Please let me thank all of you republicans for your 8 years of butterflies and rainbows with my size 12's anytime.

[gs-425]

12:01 PM on 04/16/2010

Amused? Amused at trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see after excoriating the previous administration on its deficits? Amused that the health care plan is one of the most unpopular pieces of major legislation in American history? Amused that our enemies in Iran and North Korea continually mock and laugh at the United States under his leadership? Amused at the utter, complete, and total failure of his economic policies to create jobs.

Yea, hiliarious.

[unite4change]

10:51 AM on 04/16/2010

Check this out:

http://thefiresidepost.com/2010/04/12/personal-experience-with-tea-bag-mentality/

[konkyboy]

07:46 AM on 04/16/2010

I can only hope that the Pres. got to meet with Rep. Grayson.

[sarabono]

07:57 PM on 04/17/2010

He best do it soon cause Grayson-- FL 8th -- will be toast by Thanksgiving --- If the local polls are any indication. ( I live in Grayson's district.)

[kuhler]

07:43 AM on 04/16/2010

I made less than $50,000 last year and received a $399 refund. I was satisfied with that and happy I didn't have to pay more. Yet I overheard a co-worker trashing President Obama because he only got a $3500 refund instead of $5000+ like he usually gets. He was whining because he wasn't going to be able to afford the big vacation he was planning to blow it all on. This person also happens to be a Coulter/Limbaugh/Palin loving conservative republican with a combined marital income of around $175,000 who spends every penny of it. The fact that he makes more and should perhaps pay more is incomprehensible to people like that.

[beebster]

10:25 AM on 04/16/2010

And thats the difference between the conservatives and libs. they only think on themselves, me me me me me me me me......................
We tend to think of those around us and the country as a whole.

[sarabono]

07:47 PM on 04/17/2010

BS

[leemiles]

07:09 AM on 04/16/2010

I am a middle class and my taxes went down by 17%. Tea party is a fraud and consist of people who just cannot tolerate an African American President.

[sarabono]

07:49 PM on 04/17/2010

BS. The issue is debt not taxes. The issue is excessive government spending which will turn us into another Greece in as short as 10 years.

[mlr710]

07:03 AM on 04/16/2010

I certainly appreciate the fact that my taxes are lower than before. The teabaggers can go kick rocks.

[sarabono]

07:51 PM on 04/17/2010

How are your gas prices doing. Up a buck here over the last year -- almost $3.00 for regular this week -- heading to $4.00 as our dollar gets weaker in world markets --

[PinkOne]

06:50 AM on 04/16/2010

Dear Mr. President,

Thank you for my middle class tax cut!

Thank you for all the great work you are doing on behalf of the American people!

You have my vote in 2012, Sir!

Sincerely,
Pink One

[Pandaforum]

06:49 AM on 04/16/2010

obama displays his typical contempt for Americans. he raises taxes and expects everyone to worship him for it. and of course his sheep were all bleating thank you! thank you! may I have another?

[beebster]

10:26 AM on 04/16/2010

Sorry, keep wearing your tin foil hat!

[LatteLiberals]

04:36 AM on 04/16/2010

What controversy was stirred in the Cuban American community by hosting an Obama fundraiser? There are tons of Cuban American Democrats! That's complete baloney. Obama won easily in South Florida.

[Pandaforum]

06:54 AM on 04/16/2010

most cuban obama supporters are still in cuba. that's because obama's policies makes america more like cuba.

[sarabono]

07:52 PM on 04/17/2010

He won in the Jewish areas only.