Obama: I Am 'Absolutely' The Underdog In 2012 (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said he considers himself the underdog in the 2012 presidential election. And he has no problem with that.

In a Monday interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, Obama said he is "absolutely" the underdog in his upcoming race, due in large part to the dismal economy playing out on his watch. His comment came in response to Stephanopoulos indicating that a new ABC poll coming out later Monday found that 55 percent of Americans think Obama will be a one-term president.

"I don't mind," Obama said of the poll's results. "I'm used to being an underdog."

Ultimately, however, he predicted that voters will pick their next president based on who presents a vision for the future that can help ordinary families recapture the American Dream. And that, he said, is something he knows just how to do.

"When I ran in 2008, the basic idea was that ordinary folks who are working hard, doing everything right, just weren't getting ahead," Obama said, citing people's frustrations with the rising costs of health care and college education. "The whole approach of everything I've tried to do over the last three years is to say, 'What are those big changes that we have to make so that our kids are getting the best education? [So that] we've got the best infrastructure in the world? [So that] we've got the tools that allow us to succeed again?'"

Comments

[Jimbo2001]

12:42 AM on 10/05/2011

When you paid posters keep posting, STANDING BY OBAMA IN 2012, you just show your foolishness.

[Ann Starke]

02:25 AM on 10/05/2011

Jimbo is confused. it is the cons who are paid. We just post for the love of it. No one is wealthy enough to pay libs.

[Jimbo2001]

08:56 AM on 10/05/2011

If that were true, it would be conservatives who are lying. I used to wonder, if liberals really believed conservatives were so bad, why don't they just tell the truth. The only answer is that it would not be good enough to please those who are paying the bill. If you're sincere, you just tell the truth. If you're paid to hurt someone, you'll say anything. There's plenty of stuff to say about liberals, without having to make anything up.

[Coyote50]

08:31 PM on 10/04/2011

Just come out swinging Mr. Prez. Step up to the plate and continue to fight for JOBS and those of us who care about the middle class will still be there for you!

[ATLJunBug]

11:12 PM on 10/04/2011

I agree with you.

STANDING BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012

[Coyote50]

11:16 PM on 10/04/2011

Fanned! Yes We Can!

[Jimbo2001]

12:02 AM on 10/05/2011

So you're still sticking with this pathetic, incapable little man. I can say one thing: You're loyal, even if it's blind loyalty.

[Harbinger08]

07:17 PM on 10/05/2011

When the GOP nominee loses next year the rest of the party will turn to cannibalism. That'll pretty much be it, unless the tiny part of right wing fringe really goes off the deep end and starts getting violent, then it will be clean-up time.

[The Common Village]

07:26 PM on 10/04/2011

Sorry Commander in Chief, the 18% of unemployed African-American adults, 50% of African-American high school dropouts and 46% of unemployed African-American teenagers are the UNDERDOGS.

[ATLJunBug]

11:13 PM on 10/04/2011

And President Obama.

STANDING BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012

[The Common Village]

04:13 PM on 10/05/2011

The boat is sinking fast and the African-American community doesn't have any life vests. Do I really care what political party or what color of the person is who is throwing me a life jacket?

[Jimbo2001]

12:28 AM on 10/05/2011

Great point. As long as the pathetic little man is prez, all the rest of us are underdogs. Fanned & Faved.

[carolinindy]

05:50 PM on 10/04/2011

At least he knows it. maybe he has finally gotten it.
Underdog sounds exactly right.
arrogant MOF

[Jimbo2001]

03:45 PM on 10/04/2011

Obama could shoot Herman Cain on national tv, and the ex-mainstream media would still support him. Given that fact, he will never be the underdog. He has no idea what an underdog is, because everything has always been handed to him. He has never had to work for anything in his life.

[ATLJunBug]

11:16 PM on 10/04/2011

What is the source of your information?

STANDING BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012

[Jimbo2001]

12:04 AM on 10/05/2011

Source of my information? It is watching Obama since he first was dragged into the public eye by his handlers. And it is seeing how the ex-mainstream media has behaved for the past 40 years, since I was 22.

[BarryChaLaque]

03:21 PM on 10/04/2011

You remember the Reagan era, when Ronald Reagan was President, and Bob Hope and Johnny Cash were still with us?

Well, now we have obama, and there is no hope, and there is no cash.

[ATLJunBug]

11:18 PM on 10/04/2011

LOL

STANDING BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012

[The Common Village]

04:05 PM on 10/05/2011

Do you remember the Reagan Era?

Republicans went along with tax increases from Reagan in 1982 on business, higher payroll taxes in 1983, and higher energy taxes in 1984. The first President Bush, seeing that the country was still in financial despair raise them again in 1991. During the Balanced budget presidency of Bill Clinton in 1993, the President and Republican majority doubled down on more tax increases and the country prospered.

I deal in facts and not ideology. If the current, stated Republican agenda is established in 2012, America as a prosperous nation will be extinct. Tax cuts don't do anything but make wealthy people rich. That is it. It is proven in the numbers.

Republicans now are on a financial suicide watch and the President Barack Obama has been an enabler giving them the gun to shoot themselves and us.

[rronshouse79]

03:06 PM on 10/04/2011

Don't let yourselves be fool, he said the same thing in the last election. He can't wait to take on the light weights that GOP has to offer. He has the money and the drive and the votes. The media was wrong before and the Koch brothers are not only throwing money to the GOPTeaParty but they will hedge their bets and give money to the Presidents campaign. Corporate America knows that business has been good with revenues up 33% since the Pres. took office. They trying skim as much money as they can out the current economic situation before 2012 when they have to really deal with the President and his policies.

[angelinthevi]

02:34 PM on 10/04/2011

Calm yourselves! Why can't we have an intelligent conversation w/out the name calling? Can't we talk to each other ,expressing our differing views w/out being nasty or name calling, or acting like a bunch of kids on the playground complete; with the resident bullys?

I get that there are some people who don't like President Obama? Did you ever ask yourself 'Why?" What makes you dislike him so much? What has he done, ever, to warrant this unprecedented amount of hatred that spews from you?

Take away all the talking points and media chatter; and ask yourself what is it that you really hate? We've had other Democratic presidents - did you hate them as much as you do him? Does the very idea of his Presidency upset you?

Could it be, that you know the truth? - His accomplishments are many (look it up, if you dare!). You just can't stand it, can you? It's so easy to fool people who are willing to be fooled - give them information (true or false) that supports what they already believe.

Whether we want to admit it or not; this country has been taught to mistrust and mistreat African Americans - bcause he's the President changes nothing in the minds of some; which means that as a country we miss out on what has always made us great - our diversity - because we hate.

Think about it; and at least be honest with yourself.

[BarryChaLaque]

02:53 PM on 10/04/2011

My comment isn't meant to be along the lines of any sort of tit for tat analysis, but did you ever wonder why the left expressed such vitriol for President George W. Bush. I have many web sites that I can provide to show the posters that spewed such animosity toward Bush.

That being said, I don't hate the man. I can say that it looks like he is a loving father and husband. It is his POLITICS that I do not like. I did not like Bill Clinton's politics nor Carter's. As for obama accomplishments, I can list is first 100 days of failures along with specifics lies.

And it has nothing to do with the color of his skin, but the content of his character. And obama lacks character, leadership and knowledge of the office to perform it according to the Constitution. And to use his skin color as an excuse for those who dislike this man, PROVES to me that you liberals love to pull the race card. If the Republicans were so bent out of shape about skin color then tell me why so many of us Tea Partier's like Herman Cain.

I'll give you a clue. We like him because he talks from experience, how he lifted himself up out of poverty, with the help of his hard working mother and father, rather than bemoan his race and the cards he was dealt.

[Jimbo2001]

06:48 PM on 10/04/2011

I never wondered why they expressed such hatred toward President Bush. Because, in my 62 years, I have never known liberal to NOT be hate-filled toward anyone they disagree with, politically. Virtually every political assassination in American history has been by a liberal. Liberals constantly wish death on conservatives. They operate from emotion, with a mob mentality. No I haven't wondered at all. That's just who they are.

[BarryChaLaque]

03:05 PM on 10/04/2011

And it has nothing to do with the color of his skin, but the content of his character. And obama lacks character, leadership and knowledge of the office to perform it according to the Constituti­on. And to use his skin color as an excuse for those who dislike this man, PROVES to me that you liberals love to pull the race card. If the Republican­s were so bent out of shape about skin color then tell me why so many of us Tea Partier's like Herman Cain.

[Ann Starke]

05:42 PM on 10/04/2011

Your first post said it all. No need to repeat everything.

[Di Gray]

07:54 PM on 10/04/2011

And Dubya was just BRIMMING with character, integrity and leadership. LOL. Not.

And no one has to use the color of his skin as an excuse...those that DO use the color of his skin as an excuse are some of his biggest naysayers.

Check the headlines:

http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2008/02/20/racist-attacks-on-obama-growing-more-heated/

(Even former POTUS Jimmy Carter has said so, 2009): http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/16/jimmy-carter-racism-barack-obama

Racist cartoons:

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/02/19/the-five-most-racist-obama-cartoons/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/4724866/New-York-Post-apologises-over-racist-Barack-Obama-cartoon.html

http://www.michelleobamawatch.com/michelle-obama-watch/2011/2/16/another-racist-cartoon-attack-on-michelle-obama-just-in-time.html

See? There's plenty out there. And that's not nearly all of it. Between the T-Pers, the Repubs and different radio personalities like Rush, there's plenty of racism to go around. Acting like YOU don't see it doesn't make it invisible to everyone else.

[BarryChaLaque]

02:30 PM on 10/04/2011

Hey! I am throwing a party this Friday to celebrate the fact that each passing day brings us closer to knowing which Republican candidate has defeated obama by a landslide. I have a huge giant tear-off-a-sheet calendar, marking each day as a "Countdown to the end of the obama administration." It is day 398 and counting...

[ATLJunBug]

11:23 PM on 10/04/2011

Where is the party?

STANDING BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012

[floodberg]

01:30 PM on 10/04/2011

OBAMA BROKE RECORDS BY RAISING $745 Mn in 2008.

His 'bundlers' were recordbreaking. He's already raised $80 Mn (about 4x as much as the next candidate).  http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/summary.php

Obama's top 20 contributors 2008 certainly got their money's worth:
University of California
Goldman Sachs
Harvard University Microsoft Corp
Google Inc
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Citigroup Inc
Time Warner
Sidley Austin LLP
Stanford University
National Amusements Inc
Wilmerhale Llp
Skadden, Arps et al 
Columbia University
UBS AG
IBM Corp
General Electric
US Government
Morgan Stanley
Latham & Watkins
http://www­.opensecre­ts.org/PRE­S08/contri­b.php?cycl­e=2008&cid­=N00009638

OBAMA INTENDS TO RAISE A $1 BN WAR CHEST FOR 2012. 
In a recession.  He really shares the pain of the formerly middle/working classes. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/07/13/obama_flexes_fundraising_muscles.html   

I'm one of those evil Indy Progressive Socialists (the largest voting bloc in the US) which gave him the election in 2008; couldn't win without us.

[Muse1876]

04:42 PM on 10/04/2011

I wonder how much he will get from the banks that he trashed.

[floodberg]

04:58 PM on 10/04/2011

'Trashed'?  Did he really hurt any  of them; or is what you're referring to spin without teeth?  All I've heard is spin; I've been waiting for some teeth; and the lack of any significant penalty against those folks tells me it's just spin.

[Di Gray]

07:57 PM on 10/04/2011

Why is this so important? Jealous much?

Aren't they ALL trying to raise funds for their campaigns? Isn't that what politicians running for office DO?

[ATLJunBug]

11:25 PM on 10/04/2011

Thank You.

STANDING BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012

[madashell38]

01:30 PM on 10/04/2011

Gee I wonder why!! Could it be because he is such a poor leader? YUP

[maxom]

01:14 PM on 10/04/2011

Well....he finally got something right....and he will still be talking when he goes out the door....Talking is the one thing he is good at....

[madashell38]

01:30 PM on 10/04/2011

I wonder how long it will take to get the stench out of the WH when he leaves!

[jt11115]

01:54 PM on 10/04/2011

Seems his smokeless ashtray still isn't hiding it very well, lol...and people say Christie is the undisciplined one.

[Jimbo2001]

12:33 AM on 10/05/2011

I would suggest that that is a personal attack. But, I realize you're talking about him being a chain smoker. You're right, it will be a stench. I believe the last chain smoker in the oval office was JFK.

[Cakey4814]

12:26 PM on 10/04/2011

HPAOL..your bias is showing so well. On the Perry, Bachmann and Limbaugh articles the comments are moderated heavily but on President Obama you let people call him dogs, etc. and yet people on this board still think this is a pro-Obama site..

[RobbieB]

12:29 PM on 10/04/2011

Fanned for calling out the truth.

[madashell38]

01:32 PM on 10/04/2011

You can't handle the truth, Obama stinks

[brt929]

12:44 PM on 10/04/2011

Yes you have point.  I didn't realize it until you pointed it out.

[The Right is Wrong]

12:25 PM on 10/04/2011

I'm with you Mr President.

The opposition has been an embarrassment to the US of A.

[swimmer1957]

12:56 PM on 10/04/2011

yes he is an embarrassment to this great country

[angelinthevi]

01:46 PM on 10/04/2011

Hahahahaha!! U r so funny!

[madashell38]

01:34 PM on 10/04/2011

No accounting for you. All the market crashes, all the Unemployment, all the High Food and Gas Prices are all Obamasons fault. The housing market went under as soon as he got in office.

[Muse1876]

04:44 PM on 10/04/2011

I think that Fannie and Freddie had a hand in that.

[Di Gray]

08:00 PM on 10/04/2011

Did you get high before you posted? Because your post is out of this world. You need to rewind back to Dubya...and then try again.

[MinneMike]

12:24 PM on 10/04/2011

Underdog or lame duck? Quack Quack

[madashell38]

01:34 PM on 10/04/2011

The later

[ATLJunBug]

11:33 PM on 10/04/2011

Nope! Underdog.

STANDING BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012

[ATLJunBug]

11:37 PM on 10/04/2011

UNDERDOG!!!! And you know it.

STANDING BY PRESIDENT OBAMA IN 2012