Still Bitter: White House Goes After Santelli Again, but Santelli Fires Back

Still Bitter: White House Goes After Santelli Again, but Santelli Fires Back

By Jeff Poor (Bio | Archive)
September 4, 2009 - 15:52 ET

It's been nearly seven months since CNBC reporter Rick Santelli took a stand against the Obama administration, which inspired the tea party movement - and the White House hasn't forgotten.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked by CNBC Washington correspondent John Harwood why the administration decided to go after Santelli after his Feb. 19 call for a metaphorical revolt over President Barack Obama's economic policies.

"Truthfully, one primary reason," Gibbs said in comments aired on CNBC's Sept. 4 "Squawk on the Street." "And that was - I thought the argument that he was making was both disingenuous and not based on the facts. It was clear that Rick was very passionate about the issue. And look, we have differing opinions from both sides of the political aisle. It was clear to me that the argument that he was making wasn't based on him having actually read our plan."

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Gibbs had previously invited Santelli to the White House for coffee to discuss the plan, but Gibbs said the Secret Service probably wouldn't have allowed Santelli now.

"You know what, almost seven months have passed since Feb. 19 and a couple of things," Santelli said in response to Gibbs comments on CNBC's Sept. 4 "Power Lunch." "You know what - I will come if they invite me for a cup of coffee. I was a little surprised that he said the Secret Service wouldn't allow it. I don't understand that."

However, Santelli also explained Gibbs himself wasn't grounded in the facts, which he accused Santelli of not being. Santelli told viewers he had read Obama's so-called housing plan. But the Chicago Mercantile Exchange floor reporter said that regardless of Gibbs' disposition on Santelli's remarks, the fact that a movement was inspired was something praiseworthy.

"But there's two points that I want to clarify," Santelli continued. "He once again continues, Mr. Gibbs, to say that I was disingenuous and didn't read the home modification plan. Just for the record, not that it really matters - I did. But what's even more important is the part of the conversation with John Harwood and Mr. Gibbs that was missing and that is something magical and uniquely American happened on the 19th and 20th of February."

Although many of the lefty media outlets had gone out of their way to disparage what his remarks inspired, Santelli said he was still glad people were taking up the cause, as he did on Tea Party Day, April 15.

"The American people want to be heard," Santelli said. "And unlike many countries, if you don't agree with your government, it's OK in this country - to get together, to have tea parties, to have bus rides of tea parties and to challenge in town hall meetings."

He added that was one of the more redeeming outcomes of his remarks, regardless whether the White House approved or not.

"I think we should all be proud that we are living in a country where we can question those we put in power because at the end of the day they work for every citizen," Santelli said. "And I think that is a great aspect that came out and I think that it needed to be said."

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Hear! Hear! I love ya

September 4, 2009 - 16:03 ET by bigtimer

Hear! Hear!

I love ya Santelli...more than that... I thank YOU!

'Go Green...Recycle Congress'

The politburo of the walled

September 4, 2009 - 16:04 ET by 10ksnooker

The politburo of the walled city of WDC doesn't appear to be too happy that the American people are excercising their Constitutional free speech rights.

Our politburo has transistioned to thinking they are rules instead of representatives of the people.

Did you see the protests in Venezuela today, as the Tea Party movement for freedom goes International?

This is a rather fascist admission by the White House...

September 4, 2009 - 16:23 ET by c5then

"White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked by CNBC Washington
correspondent John Harwood why the administration decided to go after
Santelli..."

"Truthfully, one primary reason," Gibbs said...

This is an admission that the administration did indeed "go after" a journalist who simply voiced concern about and his personal oposition to and administration proposal. This is confirmation of what others have feared and what anecdotally has been suspected. If you disagree with this administration, they will come after you.

It begs the question of what is next?

Throw 'da bums out!!!

no incumbent re-elected, with very few exceptions!

www.loyaltoliberty.com

Go After

September 4, 2009 - 16:36 ET by rockyracoon

That is the exact take I had on this c5then. Answering the way he did after hearing the question about why the admin. decided to "go after Santelli." Speaks volumes as to where the present admin. is and what it does.

A tad frightening, no??

GO DOWN SWINGING...

September 4, 2009 - 16:52 ET by danybhoy

Santelli is doing EXACTLY what he should do, punch back. Beck is not backing down with his czar reports, Rush does'nt back off, Hannity as well. Obama has never been told no, his thugs do what they do by gooning it up. Most of the MSM has bowed down to the great Obama, but we need Santelli & the others standing up to this White House. It is clear they don't understand how to deal with opposing views, whether it's the teaparties, or Santelli, Beck, Rush, Hannity, & company.

"...How blind can you be, don't you see...

...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."

Nightwish

It's too bad we don't have

September 4, 2009 - 17:37 ET by 10ksnooker

It's too bad we don't have reset button for Congress. We sure need it.

Reset?

September 4, 2009 - 20:24 ET by Kat Outta the Bag

I'd rather have a DELETE button for Congress.

truthfully...

September 4, 2009 - 22:56 ET by traderjames

I commend you for noticing the above. Very telling indeed...let's take a look at what's happened to poor Mr. Santelli since the White House 'went after' him...

* catapulted from CME reporter to household name (reluctantly, I might add)

* started a 'tea party' opposition movement, which is growing by leaps and bounds to this day (unknowingly that it would come to this, I'm sure, and unwilling to take credit for it)

* has remained outspoken, undeterred by White House disgust for him

* has sub-hosted Fast Money several times, and has done an outstanding job

* kept the job he loves so much, speaking incomprehensible (to me) gibberish about commodities and interest rates, many times a day, for CNBC

Rick Santelli: regular guy, family man, excellent-at-what-he-does, unabashed, unafraid of left-wing vitriol,...my hero.

"No incumbent re-elected"

September 5, 2009 - 21:17 ET by ptson

I agree, as you said with a few exceptions. ALL of the politicians in this country need to be sent a single message by the voters: YOU WORK FOR US! (not the other way around you tax hungry, pompous jerks) OUT! DAMN SPOT OUT!

"Secret Service probably

September 4, 2009 - 17:02 ET by Dan Diego

"Secret Service probably wouldn't have allowed Santelli".

Van Jones? No problem, probably has a gov't car w/ driver, I wonder if Billy & Bernie Ayers have had a private tour yet?

since they aren't releasing

September 4, 2009 - 17:04 ET by katainkent

the first 8 months of visitor records... who knows?

With all the "transparency",

September 4, 2009 - 17:16 ET by Dan Diego

With all the "transparency", I doubt there would be any record if they did/do visit.

No records of....

September 4, 2009 - 17:39 ET by Willis_Leon_Johnson

A. Who went in.

B. How long they stayed.

C. Who they saw.

D. What they took out when they left.

http://gjresult.com

Add Michael Klonsky

September 5, 2009 - 16:11 ET by Norto

to the limo list. Former chair of the MaoUS party that O shuffled money from the Annennberg foundation to for his small schools workshops.

It was clear to me that the

September 4, 2009 - 17:25 ET by motherbelt

It was clear to me that the argument that he was making wasn't based on him having actually read our plan." - Gibbs

The first line of counterattack for the Obama administration: the one who disagrees is ignorant; doesn't know what he is talking about. If he only knew the wonders that Obama has in store, he would be out there advocating the plan.

But what's even more important is the part of the conversation with
John Harwood and Mr. Gibbs that was missing and that is something
magical and uniquely American happened on the 19th and 20th of
February." - Santelli

And that's what drives them nuts, Rick! The fact that you stirred up the peasants! Therefore, you must be discredited!

Gibbs use of word

September 4, 2009 - 17:52 ET by KevindF

Gibbs use of word "truthfully" is very telling!

Great catch! Why would a

September 4, 2009 - 21:59 ET by RescuedByRush

Great catch! Why would a press secretary have to precede his remark with that qualifier? Love it; you folks on NB catch a lot of stuff like this.

Along with "clearly,"

September 5, 2009 - 06:16 ET by motherbelt

Along with "clearly," "plainly," "it's clear that," and "the fact is," that's another liberal signal that they're about to offload a heap o' nonsense.

my kids

September 5, 2009 - 08:01 ET by Franksam

I always knew that I was about to receive a load of BS from my kids when they started an answer with "To be honest...". I think Gibbs mouth is too small for his face, and the truth just has a hard time getting out.

Its too bad

September 4, 2009 - 18:44 ET by Cho Yi Fan

Its to bad that Santelli doesn't cover theWhite House. It would be interesting to see him in action at a Presidental news conference.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have".

Thomas Jefferson

Are you kidding? There

September 4, 2009 - 20:50 ET by Scuba Dude

Are you kidding? There would be a HUGE post-it on the seating chart Bambi uses saying "NEVER call on this reporter!!!!" Poor Rick would just be warming the seat.

The Obama Administration: THE most fiscally irresponsible Administration EVER

Gibbs

September 5, 2009 - 00:17 ET by BigVoo

I seriously do not know how Gibbs even sleeps at night. The guy is paid to lie to "reporters" every day and makes an absolute fool out of himself every day. Has there ever been a worse press secretary in the history of press secretaries?

Has there ever been a worse

September 5, 2009 - 00:18 ET by Free Stinker

Has there ever been a worse press secretary in the history of press secretaries?

Hmmmmn.

Dee Dee Myers? Naw. She wasn't *this* bad.

"Gov. Palin has been subjected to one of the most massive and dishonest pile-on smear attacks in the history of liberal media." -- Lowell Ponte

Aren't we forgetting

September 5, 2009 - 00:25 ET by NL207

Aren't we forgetting 'Baghdad Bob', Gibbs' older brother?

One "primary" reason?

September 5, 2009 - 00:52 ET by CobraMan

"Truthfully, one primary reason..."

And what were the secondary reasons, Mr. Gibbs? By "truthfully" admitting there was a PRIMARY reason, you also, unknowingly, admit there were other, secondary, reasons as well. What were those reasons? Will we ever know?

The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution

Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court

Good Man

September 5, 2009 - 03:25 ET by OldJoe

Keep Speaking out Rick!!!

The Light

September 5, 2009 - 04:00 ET by Chattychito

of the truth lay in the fact that the MSM will spin Obama's administration and his congress and senate cronies lies as truth, and spin the Ameircan peoples, the GOP and the conservative truths as lies.

he who has the Media has the power, unless we gain back the control over the free press and our right to freedom of speach we will continue to loose the battles. Even as we speak the health plan even though is rejected by many of us is still going to be passed dispite our pleas that it not be.

this is no longer a country run by the people for the people.

"A man who doesn't borrow from the brains of others proves he has no brains of his own." CH Spurgeon

Just love Santelli still

September 5, 2009 - 07:47 ET by Peg C.

Santelli is a hero to the Tea Party movement. That week in February gave a lot of us hope after a truly dreadful, awful, hideous month. The spirit of the country started to turn when we saw and heard him.

His name and pic will be on at least 1 of my signs in D.C. this coming week.

If you really want to see

September 5, 2009 - 08:22 ET by billb

If you really want to see the s*** hit the fan, ask Rick what he thinks about "Cash for Clunkers!" He's a collector and repairs old American cars! I think I've heard him speak fondly of his '60's something Lincoln.

Read The Freaking Bill

September 5, 2009 - 09:01 ET by Reagan Patriot

Gibbs: "It was clear to me that the argument that he was making wasn't based on him having actually read our plan."

Funny, that's what they're trying to say about people opposed to the Oblamacare bill too! And yes, we have read it!

"When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat."

- Ronald Reagan

The targets of this administration are not

September 5, 2009 - 10:00 ET by Ole_Sarge

the "big guys." No, "we" are.

The folks that would never before attend a political rally, now are attending.

The guy that (dared to) asked a question of a candidate, was investigated by bureaucrats outside of their jursition just to find "dirt" on an "average Joe." then it's "HIS" scandal because his name is not really "Joseph?"

A small business owner is beaten-up by thugs at a rally, and it's "his" fault?

BO already HAS his civilian "enforcers" many are the criminal elements in the criminal/mob run "unions."

Interesting that those that "claim" freedom of speech and "endorse" diversity, allow neither. In turn they use term to objectify their oposition. We are not citizens exercising our Rights, we're "nuts" and "wet tea bags."

I am neither, and I am angry.

All this for one

September 5, 2009 - 10:56 ET by Chris Norman

All this for one reporter/analyst who dared question the Great Obama? If the Bush White House had focused this much on criticism, it would've required another 365 days in a year to keep up. Sheesh - not everyone worships you - get over it.

The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.

It was clear to me that

September 6, 2009 - 05:42 ET by Jack Bauer

It was clear to me that the argument that he was making wasn't based on him having actually read our plan."

Oh you mean like the argument President Obama was making for blowing up US healthcare wasn't based on him having actually read the House plan? (As he admitted on a conference call to a loony left blogger)

Those type of arguments.

"Ask not what you can do for your country; ask what you can do for your President..."

Gibbs is probably lying

September 6, 2009 - 09:37 ET by sara123

If the Secret Service permitted Van Jones, an self avowed communist, exposed racist, arrested race rioter and proud enemy of the US, into the White House, they would let Santelli in.

Come to think of it, if they would let Obama, who is not constitutionally qualifed to even be in the Oval Office and who has a long association with communist terrorists, into the White House, they would let any enemy of the US and the constitution, foreign and domestic, into the White House.

It is Obama's merry band of US haters and Marxists who won't permit the "capitalist pig" into the Secret Service's new and improved Red House.

reset

September 6, 2009 - 11:48 ET by dogwonthunt

give us our money back. what we all lost in 401's, stocks, bonds. can't do that of course. but what could have been done is a check from the government, which is us, the taxpayers, instead of to the banks and insurers. i put the money in my bank account, bank has money. i pay off debt, creditor has money. i am out of debt, bank and creditor has money we lent them and we are out of debt and can purchase or save with cash from the jobs we might still have had if not for this tarptrap.