Charlie Rose

Christopher  05/01/2009 01:58 PM Report

Can anyone deny that the last 100 days have been all Obama's? He is so on the ball and I disagree with other posts about his foreign policy positions. He clearly sees the Afghanistan/Pakistan situation correctly. I find that maybe a lot of people that think that Iran is the biggest problem, it isn't. The immediate regional threat is the Taliban getting the nukes in Pakistan.

So, in terms of the biggest problem in the region (and there are other problems like Iran and implementing the two state solution), clearly, it is the events unfolding in Pakistan. Period. I think the administration has more time in regards to Iran and North Korea. I mean, the Taliban getting nukes is the immediate problem. So Obama in foreign policy is, at least to me, very sharp and focused on problem solving. And I have to say, his position on torture is really a credibility booster. I think it is morally unacceptable, and his position really upgrades the profile of the US. So, in conclusion, Obama is a real credit to the US political system.

And one more thing, I don’t know about US liberals, but in Canada, we have forgotten Bush so fast. It is like, over with. So it is good that Obama does a lot of press conferences and demonstrates as much competence and knowledge as possible because he is re-branding the US. Anyways, I think he is great. Competence is king when it comes to executive power.

doodahdaze  05/01/2009 09:33 AM Report

One thing I can say for President Obama-lama-ding-dong, is that, for the average, common citizen (one who is not overly bright or completely stupid) is that, it's a whole lot easier to understand him; then it was Bill Clinton or both Bushs, all 3 of which, spoke in chopped-up abstractions that lost most people after the first 2 minutes.

ShalomFreedman  05/01/2009 09:27 AM Report

This was another lively, informative discussion on the present political reality. The high- marks and positive tone in regard to President Obama, it seems to me, are at this time, warranted. But the cautionary note of Jeff Greenfield in regard to what will be should the Economy not revive is also warranted.

I found the discussion of the foreign policy situation quite superficial. The Iranian threat was not considered in any real way. Secretary Gates did not do anything about this threat under the Bush Administration and he seems to believe it is for other departments of Government outside Defense to deal with this now. My own perhaps mistaken position is that the U.S. has no real business in Afghanistan and Pakistan except preventing nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists. And it should not pretend the Iranian Radical Islamic regime is capable of real partnership.

The panelists see President Obama's position as quite continuous on Afghanistan- Pakistan with the Bush Administration. But they do not address the more formidable threats presented by Iran, and in a lesser way, North Korea.

But once again, overall, an insightful discussion especially in regard to domestic matters.

tartufe  05/01/2009 12:27 AM Report

A press conference that omits any serious discourse on the life and death issue of our open conflicts doesn't qualify for the moniker.

jimhazelwood  04/30/2009 11:12 PM Report

Sometimes I watch these episodes, and then read the comments, and I wonder if we are all on the same channel. I thought this conversation was very fair and honest assessment of the president's 100 days. My only critique is that I believe Charlie should give more time to Jim Ellis, who seems to have a deeper understanding of the issues.

tartufe  04/30/2009 06:41 PM Report

The Fourth Estate is falling lock-step into the accepted orthodoxy of the pols. Particularly with the rapidly deteriorating and mindless ongoing Af-Pak quagmire.

Perhaps this reflects the consolidated ownership of the press. The lack of challenging by the press of this conflict, despite our embedded examples of Vietnam and Iraq, is very disappointing.

The M-I oligarchy is too powerful for Obama to buck even if he were inclined - which he is not - making the lack of an inquiring and challenging press all the more tragic in its abdication.

Our arrogance will assure more (not fewer) enemies when we finally depart. But sustaining the conflict for as much as the public tolerance will absorb is the only obvious goal. An orthodoxy going unchallenged by the media.

Venal whores all!

REMant  04/30/2009 01:23 PM Report

Much ado about nothing. The news conf was notable IMHO for the umpteenth pronouncement that the era of living off real estate appreciation and credit card debt is over, but that remains to be seen. Clinton could have been a transformational president anytime he actually felt like it, but it seems that as a son of the "New South" he had something else in mind.