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The early frontrunner for worst question at tonight's Obama presser ...

March 24, 2009 4:13 pm ET by Jamison Foser

Marc Ambinder:

One Question I Might Ask Obama....

On politics and the economy: your administration has said that furor over the AIG bonuses is, while understandable, a quote-end-quote -- distraction - from the real issues. But weren't those embers stoked by your own administration...before the AIG issue.....attempting to shift the debate in Washington from fixing the economy to punishing Wall Street?

Are you concerned that your rhetoric about anger, and particularly, anger against Wall Street, helped enflame public anger and distract attention from the economy's real problems?

Wouldn't it be better to ask a question that focuses on "the economy's real problems" rather than one that distracts attention from them?

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    • Author by pros2pros2940 (March 24, 2009 4:51 pm ET)
         
      No they were not...........Helen ?
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    • Author by jamesB (March 24, 2009 6:29 pm ET)
         
      now this is too damn funny.  mmfa complains about Ambinder's great question, yet wants the whole economic mess distracted by talk of not enough blame is going to Bush.  amazing.
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      • Author by Max Credits (March 24, 2009 7:42 pm ET)
           
        What rhetoric about anger against Wall Street has the Obama Adminsitration used?
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    • Author by smarshall1432997 (March 24, 2009 7:12 pm ET)
         

      Mr. Ambinder's questions brings to mind Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) speaking on the House Floor 'proudly' of how the Republicans did "NOT" have time to read the 1,100 pages re: the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Bill) in 11 hours back in Feb.  Hmmm.

      Well, I wondered why the Republicans (total of 214) could "NOT" break up the Stimulus Bill's pages by dividing it up amongst the Members and get back with everyone to discuss the 1,100 pages as a Group once the pages were read.  1,100 pages divided by 214 equals "FIVE" whole pages that each Republican Member could have read within minutes.  This wouldn't have been hard, huh?

      Based on this Mr. President:  Would that have made sense to do the break-up of the Stimulus Bill's pages for the Republicans?  Is this a standard way on how Congress reads "every" page of "every" Bill?  I thought Members of each Party participated together as one when working on America's issues?  I'm happy to see the Democrats as a group "tackling" America's problems.  But I'm "confused" with what the Republicans are doing, are you?  Thanks Mr. President for your time.      

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    • Author by frankq2722 (March 24, 2009 7:57 pm ET)
         
      the question should be why are the democrats so concerned about 160mil in AIG bonuses while they have over 5 billion in earmarks on the next stimulus bill? that is over 40times what the bonuses were worth before some have rescinded them, If the dems were so concerned about cutting spending they could have easily trimmed 160mil form the earmarks. I will state that the AIG bosses should not recieve a single penny, however thehypocrisy on the left to make it seem it is about the "money" is funny. It is all about the blame game.
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      • Author by fawltylogic (March 24, 2009 11:50 pm ET)
           
        The bonus furor was never about the total amount of the bonuses. It was about the fact that they existed at all, and how they were distributed.
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    • Author by fawltylogic (March 24, 2009 11:48 pm ET)
         

      I seriously can not figure out what this question is supposed to mean. Is he asking whether the anger over bonuses at AIG is distracting from the "real problem"... part of which is that the government is buying stakes/giving money to AIG?

      These bonuses WERE part of the "real problem". Admittedly, they were a small part of it, but symbolically it was huge. What is the point of this question?

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