Obama Conducts First Sit-Down With Progressive Bloggers

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama has gone on a veritable media blitz as the election has approached, speaking to reporters in off-record settings, doing sit-down interviews with traditional (National Journal) and alternative (Rolling Stone) publications, and appearing on radio programs with varying audiences (Al Sharpton and Michael Smerconish's shows just this week).

The reach extends deep into the entrails of the new media world as well. On Wednesday, the president conducted what appears to be the first ever in-person sit-down with political bloggers, hosting a group of five in the White House.

The invitees fall more under the rubric of ideological or issue-oriented activists as opposed to online reporters, though the names are familiar to most political junkies. An administration official confirmed that Joe Sudbay of AMERICABlog; Duncan Black ("Atrios"), who runs the site Eschaton; Barbara Morrill, who writes for the DailyKos; Jon Amato, who is the founder of Crooks and Liars; and Oliver Willis, who runs an eponymous site, spoke with the president on Wednesday.

What was discussed will, undoubtedly, find its way to their respective sites -- all of which are worth a read. But the meta-news is noteworthy too. Obama has tried his hand at outreach to liberal pundits before. He's also had discussions with bloggers (Andrew Sullivan was invited to a pundit briefing and, just recently, the president stopped by an African American Online Summit at the White House.) But a sit-down with a group of them hasn't happened, despite the repeated howls that the administration has ignored if not marginalized its progressive base.

Obama's outreach on Wednesday could be about ginning up enthusiasm in the closing days of the election. But it also seems likely to be an effort at pre-scripting the online narrative about the election's fallout.

Comments

[RTIII]

01:32 PM on 11/01/2010

"But a sit-down with a group of them hasn't happened, despite the repeated howls that the administration has ignored if not marginalized its progressive base. "

...But Obama doesn't HAVE a progressive base!

Oh, we progressives would LIKE to think we're Obama's base, but he doesn't think so, and it's obvious from his behavior.

[Samuel Perry]

05:39 PM on 10/28/2010

"The invitees fall more under the rubric of ideological or issue-oriented activists" ahhh so that's why they're different. I thought it was the journalistic fetishizing of "objectivity" and crowing about their "integrity" and "lack of opinion" that made the media so special. Now I see it's their inability to separate BS from truth, and since all truth is subjective, they just spray us with 2nd hand information, misdirection, lies and all and leave it up to us to sort it out. Now I see.

[JoeLeland]

01:56 PM on 10/28/2010

Your President has 48 ex Goldman Sachs employees that make up his Administration. One sits on the USSC, several sit on the Federal Reserve Bank of NY board. Some are installed on the NSA, and are members of the NSC. Many were installed as ambassadors of the nation they were heads of Goldman Sachs in Germany, Japan, China, France, and the UK.

So wall street has bought and paid for your President.

[Samuel Perry]

05:41 PM on 10/28/2010

I take it that your GOP gives it up for free then? I'm not buying it.

[JoeLeland]

03:02 PM on 10/29/2010

THERE IS ONE PROBLEM>Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution states that Congress shall have the power to coin (create) money and regulate the value thereof. Today however, the FED, which is a privately owned company, controls and profits by printing money through the Treasury, and regulating its value.
The FED began with approximately 300 people or banks that became owners (stockholders purchasing stock at $100 per share - the stock is not publicly traded) in the Federal Reserve Banking System. They make up an international banking cartel of wealth beyond comparison. The FED banking system collects billions of dollars in interest annually and distributes the profits to its shareholders. The Congress illegally gave the FED the right to print money (through the Treasury) at no interest to the FED. The FED creates money from nothing, and loans it back to us through banks, and charges interest on our currency. The FED also buys Government debt with money printed on a printing press and charges U.S. taxpayers interest. Many Congressmen and Presidents say this is fraud.
Who actually owns the Federal Reserve Central Banks? The ownership of the 12 Central banks, a very well kept secret, has been revealed:
Rothschild Bank of London Warburg Bank of Hamburg Rothschild Bank of Berlin Lehman Brothers of New York Lazard Brothers of Paris Kuhn Loeb Bank of New York Israel Moses Seif Banks of Italy Goldman Sachs. Jefferson,Lincoln and JFK AGREED.

[ChasG]

02:53 PM on 10/29/2010

Are any of these employees guilty of crimes? No? So, you would prefer people with no banking or financial experience in those jobs? I nominate Joe the Plumber as next Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

[JoeLeland]

03:01 PM on 10/29/2010

THERE IS ONE PROBLEM>Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution states that Congress shall have the power to coin (create) money and regulate the value thereof. Today however, the FED, which is a privately owned company, controls and profits by printing money through the Treasury, and regulating its value.
The FED began with approximately 300 people or banks that became owners (stockholders purchasing stock at $100 per share - the stock is not publicly traded) in the Federal Reserve Banking System. They make up an international banking cartel of wealth beyond comparison. The FED banking system collects billions of dollars in interest annually and distributes the profits to its shareholders. The Congress illegally gave the FED the right to print money (through the Treasury) at no interest to the FED. The FED creates money from nothing, and loans it back to us through banks, and charges interest on our currency. The FED also buys Government debt with money printed on a printing press and charges U.S. taxpayers interest. Many Congressmen and Presidents say this is fraud.
Who actually owns the Federal Reserve Central Banks? The ownership of the 12 Central banks, a very well kept secret, has been revealed:
Rothschild Bank of London Warburg Bank of Hamburg Rothschild Bank of Berlin Lehman Brothers of New York Lazard Brothers of Paris Kuhn Loeb Bank of New York Israel Moses Seif Banks of Italy Goldman Sachs. Jefferson,Lincoln and JFK AGREED.

[Arashi]

08:02 AM on 10/28/2010

Gee Mr. Prez I detect a pattern here: I'll bet, back when you were dating, you never called in the morning either.

[justalurker]

05:41 AM on 10/28/2010

I can easily imagine a McCain or a bush being too cowardly to do a sit-down with bloggers.
Obama has guts and courage.
A later article shows the transcript. Obama's answers are honest, thoughtful, and smart.
Best president since Kennedy.

[Reio2288]

12:47 AM on 10/28/2010

whop-te-do, Mr big shot president gunna sit down and divert attention from the terrible economy continued lack of job growth and general business disaster for another placating photo op. WHAT A PHONIE man am I growing more and more dissatisfied with being a democrat. WHAT reverse universe is this guy from? Does he even "know" what troubles there are? Another 2 years of listening to everyone cry and whine about filibustering.

[AtheistUS]

04:21 AM on 10/28/2010

Write more, keep showing your level...

[mamapower]

11:28 AM on 10/28/2010

Get lost teabagger!

[MatthewWeaver]

12:19 AM on 10/28/2010

Propagandists planning strategies to undermine America.

[poeticjustice4all]

11:44 PM on 10/27/2010

Obama lost me when he lied and claimed he never said he supported a public option. I heard him say it IN PERSON at a rally in Minneapolis.

I would never have supported the idea of mandating we all give our money to the insurance companies.

[ChasG]

12:27 AM on 10/28/2010

Obama never "claimed he never said he supported a public option." In fact, Obama was campaigning for it long after being elected and taking office (try September of last year for example) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32718713/ns/politics-white_house/

Obama never lied about the public option.

Obama never supported "single payor" which is quite a different plan.

And as for mandating giving all our money to insurance companies, the health care plan also requires that insurance companies either use a minimum percentage of premiums on actual care, or refund the excess premiums they collect. That's a bit different than giving "all our money" to them, I'd say.

Hopefully, you will verify this information with a little web search, and you will re-think your support for Obama and the Dems next Tuesday.

[Joann Vallo]

12:34 AM on 10/28/2010

Go to "What does early voting tell us about the election". Everybody there is so positive and they are all voting dem straight through the ticket. I posted on here that progress takes time and got about 8 replies from different posters complaining and each one was about something different! As though Obama is a wizard and can 'fix' everything in 18 months. Seriously, if you want a breath of fresh air; go read some posts from 'real progressives' on that other thread.

[poeticjustice4all]

01:01 AM on 10/28/2010

Of course I'll vote Dem. But only because I hate Republicans.

I'm not saying I won't vote my party. I'm saying my party sucks.

[maxwelldog]

11:09 AM on 10/28/2010

the map of the health care reform is one major doozie.
The points in jeopardy should it be broken down and cast off are that HHR will be back to picking up the tab on poverty stricken folk who need emergency care. That would be the many hospitals who are under mandate to take critical patients that arrive at their doors even without insurance. Federal government guarantees payment.
oops...too many?
Yes. WAY too many.
Now the largest chunk of federal deficit (keeps trading places with defense budget depending on how many new death toys come down the pike) and not stable at all. Taxpayers ARE the income for it, period.
Which, I might add, also affects public schools, high schools, colleges, universities. Do you have any diplomas? Then you got a little help from taxpayers. And that's OK, because we need intelligent citizens.
But HHR is not sustainable without an immediate boost.
Say, drop the tax cut on income over a quarter million dollars.
If Democrats get hold of the House, Senate, and they repair the health care package, HHR can be relieved of hospitalization duties (other than some poverty stricken folk) and can concentrate on education. And, if the tax cuts can be removed from incomes over $250K, then some major repair work can be done to the economy with Jobs Programs. Then, ending the war and legalizing marijuana, the whole country will be absolutely Moving and Grooving!

Well, in my opinion, that is.

[Charlie Seattle]

11:04 PM on 10/27/2010

3. China is an unfair trading partner that has manipulated its currency for the last 40 years and created the trade deficit that threatens to bankrupt our nation. Clinton's administration worked to bring China into the newly created World Trade Organization and to put unconditional MFN treatment for China on a permanent basis. This culminated in an agreement of 15 November 1999 to make China a full member of the WTO.

/>>>>Mr. Obama, will you revoke MFN trade status with China with executive action and Kill Bill's error?

4. Mr. Obama, will you repeal the H1B wavier law that allows 65,000 Indians in to the country to take Tech jobs during this ONGOING recession with executive action?

5. Mr. Obama, will you seal the borders and deport the 18,000,000 illegal aliens taking jobs from REAL AMERICANS during this ONGOING recession with executive action?

6. Why did you, Mr. Obama delay and then undercut Gen Stanley McChrystal's request by 25% for enough troops to win in Afganistan?

No marsh mellow questions from me. I doubt if there will be a reply. My 3 post have been removed once already 10 minutes after posting.

[ChasG]

12:31 AM on 10/28/2010

No marshmallow questions from you alright. Cotton candy is more like it.

[maxwelldog]

11:25 AM on 10/28/2010

Charlie Seattle, #3 China has an advantage that we cannot control. That's the reason it is an advantage. Given their presence in the WTO, one would think they would have more interst in Afghanistan than us.
#4 I have no idea what this is, so, I'll move on.
#5...interesting that you would say "real Americans" actually. North America is a group of twenty three (23) nations, plus three territories. So, should I consider yours to be a mistaken statement, then, as Mexicans are Americans, as well as many of those "illegal aliens" you speak of.
All part of a tense political step which includes, among other things, NAFTA. And the purpose of NAFTA? Originally, prior to Bush junior, it was a way to break the monopoly of Asian markets in our country.
So, you're suggesting we break away from the Asian markets and break away from Nafta which lets us break away from Asian markets?
(That's too confusing. Maybe rewrite your question. I'm assuming these are sent to the White House e-mail center, right?)
#6, General McChrystal's mistake was in crossing the Commander in Chief. General Petreaus also made a bid for the same, and was told flat out...LEAVE by the Summer of 2011. Period.
It is about the hardest piece of transition we've ever made from any war, and they don't need armchair "generals" with no intelligence adding salt to the stew.
We're leaving, and that's all, brother!
No reason to be there.

[formerroadie]

10:36 PM on 10/27/2010

I think Obama has realized that the Repuglicans don't want to be civil. If America thinks straight and does what is best, we will keep majorities in congress for the dems and Obama can start with a far more aggressive stance against the conservatives both on the red and blue sides of the aisle. It's time to start putting pressure on the blue dogs for sure. But, I have little faith in this country given its track record over my lifetime. They like to put their heads in the sand and vote for the people they are told to vote for.... Read, Think, Learn, Apply the Knowledge, Vote.

[maxwelldog]

11:52 AM on 10/28/2010

Well put except for
"I have little faith in this country given its track record over my lifetime."

Don't put your "faith" in the government at all, sir.
Put it in where it counts. WE the People of the United States of America.

We lead this country, and fakers need not apply. You're right in that we need pressure on blue dogs (my state is one stepping down, and possibly his replacement stepping in) but, also those who are in it for the free ride of benefits and free health care on the taxpayer's dollar for life...and I don't really give a flying rat's behind whether they call themselves Republicans, Democrats, or little green people from the center of the Earth.
They need to be reined in.

[morphyous]

10:02 PM on 10/27/2010

salty too. Your comment to me was absolutely useless! Bitter bitter man.

[brwnizofmine]

09:49 PM on 10/27/2010

Whine Whine Whine, want some cheese to go with that whine?

[steve11407]

09:48 PM on 10/27/2010

He's pulling out all the stops now.

[chumt1]

09:07 PM on 10/27/2010

Wow, 5 days before the election isn't bad. It's too bad that there wasn't a way to hear about the enthusiasm gap any earlier than today. Oh well.

[ChasG]

12:36 AM on 10/28/2010

First rule of elections, same as first rule of long-distance running---

Don't peak too soon.

Timing is everything.

[DuPageDem]

08:51 PM on 10/27/2010

Gee, and only 23 months after his election! Those are some reflexes. Notice there wasn't room at the table for Jane Hamsher.

[wonketteRAWKS]

09:13 PM on 10/27/2010

LOL!

[BKFactor]

10:16 PM on 10/27/2010

Right, ... and where was Laura Flanders (GritTV/Firedoglake)?