HuffPost's Howard Fineman Discusses Obama's Past Week On 'Hardball With Chris Matthews' (VIDEO)

HuffPost's Howard Fineman appeared Monday on MSNBC's 'Hardball with Chris Matthews' to discuss President Obama's past week.

Regarding the death of Osama bin Laden, Fineman remarked of the president, "here's a guy who sometimes is criticized for being too close on the details. This was a case where that characteristic, being close on the details, really mattered. This was a beautifully operated and executed maneuver here that he was closely involved in. Cool customer, focused, those are the things people will remember."

Fineman also explained that in many states, falling housing prices are a "big concern" to many Americans and could have an effect on Obama's chances of reelection. "For the last generation," said Fineman, "stable if not increasing home prices have given people confidence to borrow and also, just confidence, it's your wealth, it's the future of the economy. When that's going down, that drags everything down in terms of people's view of the future."

Comparing Obama's projection of leadership in the bin Laden situation with his leadership in terms of the economy, Fineman stated, "it's a much more difficult thing to have a dramatic moment of leadership on the economy. The economy is a long slow slog."

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Comments

[jlab]

09:39 AM on 05/10/2011

I'm not one of those rare people who cry over the death of OBL. That said, I do find the choice of the word "beautiful" for the maneuver a little ... odd.

[maab76]

10:16 AM on 05/10/2011

When describing the action as "beautiful" one is defining the planning and execution of an act designed to bring a mass murderer to justice. I noticed in particular that since OBL was shot in two body areas which would have caused death in most instances, that neither of those "shooters" could have been held accountable for the death. I cannot help but wonder, however, what would have been the outcome if capture had been a viable option. Could be the subject of a book or two.

[jlab]

11:34 AM on 05/10/2011

In keeping with the eye-thing, killing him was indeed a short-sighted thing to do. In only seven short months, department stores will be hiring Santa Clauses.

[Carnivore44]

09:16 AM on 05/10/2011

It will be a wipeout for Obama next year.

[ruthtruth]

08:51 AM on 05/10/2011

I like Howard and he is right. Obama has some hurdles to get over but the other option is scary to say the least. There are no good candidates on the right/bag party.

[The Albany Kid]

10:30 AM on 05/10/2011

I like Howard too...he seems like an extremely sharp and objective guy.

[bridgeman]

08:12 AM on 05/10/2011

Refreshingly objective...

[420]

08:01 AM on 05/10/2011

Obama was great on 60 minutes, that was the guy I VOTED FOR. The GOP has nothing to go against him. He thought this operation through and through. Why I do trust him to get us out of this economic mess. For me to think it could be done in 4 years is insanity. When you have the opposition party hell bent trying to throw Obama under the bus only makes it worst. The GOP hates the idea it was Obama not one of theirs that GOT BIN LADEN. You got my Vote O

[1Troubles]

09:03 AM on 05/10/2011

not only the opposition party but the blue dogs also-it will take a long time to turn the economy around after the mess Bush left it in-but the American people want instant!!

[ladyoftheisland]

09:29 AM on 05/10/2011

I've posted this a few times but one of the local right leaning talk show hosts finally said to a caller last week "this is killing you, isn't it, just killing you?" She didn't even try to deny it. When asked if she'd rather not get bin Laden if it happened under the current administration she wouldn't answer. Perhaps my favorite is the five year bin Laden is already dead cover up under Obama, which, of course, would have started under Bush. These people can't even count!!

[modus operandi]

07:49 AM on 05/10/2011

Chris Mathews is Obama's #1 cheer leader!

[wildwmmn]

08:10 AM on 05/10/2011

guess that makes me second in a long, long, long, line of cheerleader for the POTUS! O-BAMA 2012!!!!

[Lizzy28]

08:39 AM on 05/10/2011

Count me in!

*Obama 2012*

[Imzadi]

07:28 AM on 05/10/2011

David Schuster is substituting for Bill Press this morning and just said he has it on good authority that the Bush family is trying to get Jeb to run.

[bridgeman]

08:06 AM on 05/10/2011

That would be a nice gift....for OBAMA:)

[sandals]

08:07 AM on 05/10/2011

I am listening to Bill Press's show too, and thought why would we want another Bush in office, but
hey America is pretty STUPID so nothing surprises me.

[John Kelley]

07:19 AM on 05/10/2011

Barack Obama has a 70% chance of reelection as it stands. Keep in mind that his ability to get elected is only half of the equation for 2012. The GOP has to offer a viable challenger to defeat him, and taking into account the parade of clowns in the current Republican line-up, the President's chances are closer to 90%. However, no matter what the odds are, we have to work to make that happen. We have to volunteer and lend a hand with the campaign. The stakes are far too high, if we don't. A GOP Presidency would lead to the dismantling of our nation's social safety net and a degradation of laws protecting our health and personal finances. Just remember that if you don't work to reelect the Presidenct, you're inviting one of the GOP's parade of clowns to ruin your life along with that of your children.

[jobscabin]

07:11 AM on 05/10/2011

The failed Bush administration left such a terrible legacy that it will take years of additional time before the country recovers. Robert Reich estimates that we have to add 300,000 jobs per month for three years just to get back to the point of employment where the country was before those policies brought us to the Bush Recession of 2007. With Wall Street Banks refusing to lend to small employers and the Party of "NO" only interested in not allowing a recovery to take place under President Obama where does that leave us? Exactly where we are.

[BadIdeas]

06:53 AM on 05/10/2011

Sadly, the election wasn't last week.

In fact, Obama needs to invade a few more countries before we don't notice gas prices, unemployment, increasing debt, etc., etc., and etc....

[robertdaniel]

07:03 AM on 05/10/2011

All he needs to do is turn up the terror alert just before the election, like Bush did, eh?

[Lizzy28]

08:40 AM on 05/10/2011

Actually, gas prices are going down...is that because of him, too?

[MInchau]

06:53 AM on 05/10/2011

OBAMA 2012!

[NoboyukiMasaki]

04:43 AM on 05/10/2011

When we get rid of Republicans:

1. The super rich and corporations will pay taxes.
2. We'll have a jobs bill.
3. We will have regulation in Wall Street.
4. We will have projects that distribute the wealth.
5. Oil companies will pay their share.

[goingstrong]

06:26 AM on 05/10/2011

fanned for the truth

[chloebe]

07:03 AM on 05/10/2011

or get a Democrat with a spine who can put up a fight...

[thinking4]

03:23 AM on 05/10/2011

There will be no real economic recovery until there are systemic changes for the manner in which banks operate. Since they are "too big to fail" and continue to give whopping bonuses to some of the very people that caused or hand a hand in the mess, nothing changes. The GOP House will not put forward any employment bill other than the same old "trickle down" economics that got us to the state we are in today. The President does not control the economy but that will not stop the accusations. Note the Boehner story on the front page

[greyK]

02:53 AM on 05/10/2011

love the way GOP refuses to give President Obama the credit for catching bin laden.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x670217

"A plus, plus, plus. You cheated off of George." HA!

[sanddc]

08:21 AM on 05/10/2011

Gops did not have to give Presidnt Obama credit or the victory but the master who gave him the courage to call the shot on this gave him credit.G-O-D. When the master give you validation who needs man phony credit?

[BeVeryAfraid]

08:34 AM on 05/10/2011

Ha!  That is great!

[conscioushope]

01:31 PM on 05/10/2011

Oh, BeVeryAfraid, I just love your word "epistemophobia"! Ha! The polar oposite of "epistemophilia"! fanned because I love words too!!

[breakingpoint]

01:32 AM on 05/10/2011

Nixon Was More Liberal Than Obama

[thinking4]

03:18 AM on 05/10/2011

Secret war in Cambodia was a liberal idea?

[breakingpoint]

04:04 AM on 05/10/2011

not domestically

foreign policywise you can weigh Cambodia against LBJ's Gulf Of Tonkin & Vietnam

I don't have Obama's body count - do you?
rendition gitmo children in gitmo - American being tortured
heck let's just add Libya and all the Bush policies continued