In her Tuesday interview with President Obama, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric wondered: "You're so confident, Mr. President, and so focused. Is your confidence ever shaken? Do you ever wake up and say, ‘Damn, this is hard. Damn, I'm not going to get the things done I want to get done and it’s just too politicized to really get accomplished the big things I want to accomplish’?" [audio available here]
In her last interview with Obama, during the debate over the stimulus package in February, Couric also portrayed Obama as a victim of Washington: "You campaigned to change the culture in Washington, to change the politics as usual culture here. Are you frustrated? Do you think it is much, much harder to do that than you ever anticipated?"
Most of Couric’s latest presidential interview was aired on Tuesday’s Evening News, however, the question about Obama’s confidence was saved for Wednesday’s Early Show. At the top of the CBS morning show, co-host Maggie Rodriguez informed viewers about the President’s press conference scheduled for Wednesday night: "President Obama goes prime time tonight, taking the battle for health care reform directly to the American people."
Correspondent Bill Plante followed soon after by reporting on the President’s latest public appeal: "The President tonight will give what the staff is calling a six-month report card. But opposition to his health care reform is continuing to build, so the President tonight will tie up the recovery of the health care reform to the recovery of the economy. He'll continue trying to convince Congress and the public that things will work out, even if it's not as quickly as he had hoped."
Plante concluded his report by explaining: "The White House doesn't dispute that the health care bill now won't be finished by the August recess of Congress, as the President had wanted. But they say that he'll continue to press and press hard, even against the Democrats, who oppose it."
Tuesday’s Early Show similarly depicted Obama on offense, despite falling support for his health care plan.
Here is an excerpt of Couric’s interview aired on the Early Show:
COURIC: You're so confident, Mr. President, and so focused. Is your confidence ever shaken? Do you ever wake up and say, ‘Damn, this is hard. Damn, I'm not going to get the things done I want to get done and it’s just too politicized to really get accomplished the big things I want to accomplish’?
OBAMA: Are there days where I say, ‘boy, you know, this – this is – this is a big dose,’ absolutely. Are there days where I think that, you know, we've suffered setbacks and I've got to continually question and reexamine how I'm approaching problems, all the time. I mean, you know, there is a constant process of reevaluation and self reflection that the job forces on you. But this country just makes me confident. I – I have faith that in the end, we will do what's right for the next generation.
Here is the full transcript of Plante’s Early Show report:
7:00AM TEASE:
MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: President Obama goes prime time tonight, taking the battle for health care reform directly to the American people.
KATIE COURIC: Do you ever wake up and say, ‘damn, this is hard’? ‘Damn, I'm not going to get the things done I want to get done and it's just too politicized’?
RODRIGUEZ: We'll have more of Katie Couric's interview.
7:02AM SEGMENT:
MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ: But first, President Obama goes prime time tonight, pushing his controversial health care plan. CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante has details for us this morning. Good morning, Bill.
BILL PLANTE: Good morning, Maggie. The President tonight will give what the staff is calling a six-month report card. But opposition to his health care reform is continuing to build, so the President tonight will tie up the recovery of the health care reform to the recovery of the economy. He'll continue trying to convince Congress and the public that things will work out, even if it's not as quickly as he had hoped. In an exclusive White House interview, the President insisted to CBS’s Katie Couric that the reforms he wants are on track.
BARACK OBAMA: I think that we're moving in the direction where at the end of the day by the time we have a bill on the floor, we will be able to say unequivocally that this is going to bend the cost curve.
PLANTE: Republicans continue to charge that the health care bills now in Congress are too expensive and are moving too fast.
MITCH MCCONNELL: Health care reform is too important to rush through and get it wrong.
PLANTE: But President Reagan's last chief of staff says the longer it takes, the harder it’ll be.
KEN DUBERSTEIN: The first hundred days are the easy days of any administration. You get to the third hundred days, which is after the August recess, and people start saying, show me the beef.
PLANTE: The White House doesn't dispute that the health care bill now won't be finished by the August recess of Congress, as the President had wanted. But they say that he'll continue to press and press hard, even against the Democrats, who oppose it. Maggie.
RODRIGUEZ: CBS's Bill Plante. Bill, thank you.
—Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.





















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Wow. Verbal fellatio.
July 22, 2009 - 12:40 ET by jazboWWWD
(What Would Walter Do? ;-)
Those who believe in nothing will believe anything.
After the interview, Obama
July 22, 2009 - 13:40 ET by WhoIsJohnGaltturned to Katie and said, "Here's a towel sweetheart...clean yourself up before you get outta here."
Now
July 22, 2009 - 13:48 ET by MES41067thats funny right there.
(Lenin called them "useful idiots" I for one have no use for them.)
but Katie said "Gulp, no thanks".
July 22, 2009 - 14:17 ET by jazboThose who believe in nothing will believe anything.
There's $50 on the
July 22, 2009 - 17:33 ET by ex buff e-dubThere's $50 on the dresser.
All kinds...
July 22, 2009 - 12:28 ET by jdlybrand...of innuendo in this particular Q&A. I bet Chris Matthews is jealous of Katie after this!
"What a revoltin' development this is!"
Chester Riley
Intrepid Katie
July 22, 2009 - 12:40 ET by Paul Atreidescouldn't seem to get around to asking Odrama what sort of legislation he does read.
Ms. Couric,
July 22, 2009 - 12:38 ET by Paul Atreidesis looking at yourself in the mirror ever difficult?
Sickening
July 22, 2009 - 12:54 ET by cvgbuckeyeIf these media people can't make you puke with all this fawning, then you might very well be immortal.
I would think that some years from now these people will look back, reflect upon how they behaved with this Marxist and be eternally ashamed of how they sold their supposedly honorable professions down the river for thirty pieces of silver but I have come to really doubt it.
I truly believe that they have lost all semblance of shame, just like the cheap whores that they really are.
Thank You Katy!!!!
July 22, 2009 - 12:55 ET by BourbeauYou keep asking him those kinds of questions and he's going to continue to believe he's infallible. The Main Stream Media is so caught up in the Obama euphoria, they can't help themselves from trying to help him. However, there's a backlash building. All the hype; all the promises; all the happy talk without details; all the apologies; all the air time; all the broken promises; all the rewritings of history; all the coverups of his past; all the disdain he's shown for his country's history; all his pandering; and all of his pontificating will have a price. And that price comes in the form of reality - Stimulus Bills, Cap and Trade, Health Care, Guantanamo, Gays in the Military, Transparency, Czars Infinitum, etc. are all easy to talk about, but not so easy to deliver on. It's my belief he's set himself up for a potential self-inflicted poll shaker tonite when he holds his press conference. With the mood of the country shifting dramatically on healthcare, the deficit and Cap and Trade, and rightfully so, we may find the White House Press Corp a tad punchy. If Mr. Perfect isn't careful, he may find himself in deep trouble before the night is out and another town hall or press conference are not going to help. Again, thank you MSM for abdicating your responsibilty for reporting the news to support your hero, unfortunately for you, the electorate is opting to keep informed elsewhere.
A better question posed to
July 22, 2009 - 12:55 ET by celatorA better question posed to the Bamster might have been: "Is your arrogance ever shaken?"
No citizen's right to life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, or property is safe as long as Obama is President of the United States.
Obama just ...
July 22, 2009 - 12:58 ET by SentryDanObama just doesn't have a clue, not about the economy, not about national security, and not about healthcare. I will agree (even though I can't stand saying it) with Obama that healthcare needs to be reformed. I know why it does, but Obama doesn't.
There are 4 reasons for the reform that need to be address; first, all the sweetheart deals made with the health industry lobbists; second, the number of frivilous lawsuits and the monies awarded (yes, there is negligence that must be addressed but there are a lot of unnecessary lawsuits that need to be stopped); third, the lack of qualified doctors and nurses (unless you are the first person to see the doctor in the morning, how long do you have to wait to be seen?); and forth, the number of people in this country illegally who put a burden on the medical system.
Remember folks, Freedom isn't Free. It was bought with the blood and sacrifice of the men and women who are serving and who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
For those who fought for it, Freedom has a flavor that the protected will never know.
Also remember folks, that the way to SUPPORT THE TROOPS is to support their mission. Anyone who says that they support the troops but don't support their mission is lying about supporting the troops. And if you want to know, yes I do have a dog in the fight, he is a United States Marine.
I have an excellent doctor and I never have to wait.
July 22, 2009 - 13:07 ET by jazboI want nothing changed except tort reform. That alone would result in a 15% instant reduction in health care costs.
Those who believe in nothing will believe anything.
I've always wondered.....
July 22, 2009 - 14:15 ET by Prester John.....why the AMA and company never mention anything about how much doctors in private practice have to pay in malpractice premiums, not to mention the time they waste away from their patients in frivilous malpractice suits.
I think most people would be appalled if they knew the truth.
That's because the AMA is a bunch of dirty sellout bastards.
July 23, 2009 - 13:40 ET by Lord ErondHere's the top 3 reasons health care costs so much
1) Lawsuits by filthy pig ambulance chasing lawyers
2) Lawsuits by filthy pig ambulance chasing lawyers
3) Lawsuits by filthy pig ambulance chasing lawyers
I agree with the other poster that there are legitimate cases of malpractice but tort reform is an absolute must. EVERYONE who operates in the medical field is TERRIFIED of lawsuits and this affects hospitals, pharmacies, home health organizations all who pay drastically higher premiums for the privilege of opening their doors.
There is no other reason for the high cost of medical care. Oh sure, new technologies are not cheap but the climate of 'sue them dry' is the motor of it all.
If the AMA would get some balls and actually represent doctors instead of being a bunch of microcephalic political opportunists, we might actually effect change.
"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates
"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po
Katie Couric?
July 22, 2009 - 13:06 ET by FlatlinerDidn't she used to be on The Today Show? (Is that still on TV??)
Exploiting ambiguity - slippery references
July 22, 2009 - 13:15 ET by KC MulvilleSee how the reference of [it] changes in this sequence:
McConnell's comment sets it up. [it] = health care reform.
Plante is trying to use Duberstein to reinforce his point that delaying [it] will just make it harder ...
Whoa there. Duberstein isn't speaking about healthcare; he's making a general point about any policy after the honeymoon. But Plante uses the quote to suggest that Ronald Reagan's own advisers believe we must address the healthcare problem as soon as possible!
A little sneaky there ...
It all sounds quite Freudian to me.
July 22, 2009 - 13:20 ET by jazboThose who believe in nothing will believe anything.
Agreed. I'm sure that a
July 22, 2009 - 22:26 ET by SchnikeysAgreed.
I'm sure that a sizable portion of the reason for Obama's popularity involves similar subtle suggestions.
"You're so confident, Mr.
July 22, 2009 - 13:19 ET by ricklail"You're so confident, Mr. President, and so focused." For some reason the word "sycpohant" does not come close to this. The only think I can think of is big time ass kisser.
Semper suprene nitens
North Carolina now has the worst government money can buy.
Ass kisser?
July 23, 2009 - 13:42 ET by Lord ErondI was thinking more like "whipping out the big Alabama black snake and sucking every drop of moisture out of it" would be more apt to describe Ms. Couric's 'journalism'
"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates
"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po
It's the Narcissism Dummy
July 22, 2009 - 13:35 ET by slickwillie2001Narcissism could be easily mistaken for confidence I suppose. For a dimwit like K-K-Katie it would be a likely error.
I need help on this, please
July 22, 2009 - 13:41 ET by political maven1)why do they say people ARE uninsured, most choose to be uninsured by choosing not to buy insurance. Are implies a congenital condition
2)why do people assume employers are responsible for this particular product, why not microwaves and slippers?
3)why isn;t anyone mentioning tort reform...the major cause of skyrocketing costs?
Good point on the tort
July 22, 2009 - 18:11 ET by BuffNBoneGood point on the tort reform.
Don't know about other states but one of our senators (both are dem) tried to be proactive and sent an email explaining his position on the health care crisis.
I'm crafting my reply. Tort reform headed the list. All of what I hear proposed is geared to treat symptoms rather than the problems causing them. Lacking fraud prevention measures by consumers and providers is an invitation to steal. Those who chose to go without coverage should not be counted among the needy. Likewise illegals should not. By all means treat them and then follow that with deportation.
"Fighters are fun but bombers make policy"
Re tort
July 22, 2009 - 18:59 ET by slickwillie2001I would like to see the federal government allow private health insurance companies to offer nation-wide plans to someone in any state, - ie, same rate in any state. This would allow them a way around all the stacked-up mandates in the fifty states forced by the state governments that cause such huge disparities between costs of insurance, and would not subsitute similar federal mandates. They would also be allowed a single central administration.
They would also be allowed or urged to offer catastrophic-only plans. Annual deductible of $1000 or so. Below that you pay it all yourself. Democratics would hate that because their real objective is income redistribution, not protecting citizens against medical disaster.
How efficient do you think Obamacare could be if the states forced a separate Obamacare of Georgia, Obamacare of Pennsylvania, etc, fifty times, each with separate adminstrative overheads? So why do we do that to private insurance?
Most of what is seen as the 'crisis' in healthcare is due to government interference and over-regulation.
pm... Tort reform is the
July 22, 2009 - 19:10 ET by bigtimerpm...
Tort reform is the top of the list for me, finally you are hearing little by little this being brought up...much more is needed.
If memory serves me tort reform was close to being done in the Senate before Jumping Jeffords jumped...so another great thing that needed to be done was quashed back then.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
I have been sending kneepads
July 22, 2009 - 13:49 ET by obxrayI have been sending kneepads to all of these freaks.
Have you seen Couric lately;
July 22, 2009 - 13:57 ET by d1carterHave you seen Couric lately; she is looking more manly than Dear Leader. I think she could take him. tehe
AND THEY WONDER WHY THEIR AUDIENCE KEEPS DROPPING
July 22, 2009 - 14:02 ET by SgthulkaSeriously. Do the people who own these networks have any clue as to why TV sets all over America are turning away from rabbit-ear-antennae media?
President Bush's more
July 22, 2009 - 14:08 ET by robert108President Bush's more justifiable confidence(he actually accomplished things for the American people) was somewhat differently characterized by Katie and her buddies in the MSM, as I remember.
I'm guessing she would
July 22, 2009 - 15:51 ET by FishFace222I'm guessing she would have, instead of asking, just told GWB "Your confidence seems to have been shaken."
Katie Courikrite & DaWun have a lot in common
July 22, 2009 - 14:09 ET by Paul AtreidesBoth have tanking ratings;
Katie is running CBS Evening "News" in the ground and DaWun is running the nation in the ground.
Is it 2012 yet?
July 22, 2009 - 14:11 ET by awffp1890This love fest is making me sick.
"Not for fame or reward, not for place or rank, not lured by ambition or goaded by necessity. But in simple obedience to duty." - From the barracks at Ft. Benning
1890...
July 22, 2009 - 14:29 ET by Georgia GirlNot yet. We've got 1,203 days to go. ((*_*))
No, silly. It's 1984.
July 22, 2009 - 14:48 ET by jazboThose who believe in nothing will believe anything.
Of course his confidence
July 22, 2009 - 15:50 ET by fitzfongOf course his confidence isn't shaken...that would require a level of intelligence, honesty, humility and self-awareness that he simply does not have. To borrow from his spiritual advisor Jeremiah Wright: GD America as long as his confidence is never shaken.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
Barf.
July 22, 2009 - 22:23 ET by SchnikeysBarf.
Ratio rising
July 22, 2009 - 22:45 ET by nadadhimmiKaties, Obama fellatio ratio is rising. It is nearly as high as Chrissy Matthews.
Other Katie Questions that she didn't get to ask Obama
July 23, 2009 - 13:32 ET by Lord Erond"Do you have a towel that I can use to wipe your manjuice off my chin?"
"Do you ever get tired of being SO DARN FABULOUS?"
"Isn't Sarah Palin just like the biggest beeyotch in the world?"
"Do you ever suspect that I have slept my way to this position?"
"Let him who would move the world, first move himself." -Socrates
"We sit together, the mountain and I, until only the mountain remains." -Li Po