CBS's Plante: GOP 'Ready to Pounce' On Obama, 'Slammed' Him With ObamaCare Repeal Vote
On Tuesday's CBS Early Show, senior White House correspondent Bill Plante warned that as President Obama returns from vacation, " the new Republican majority in the House is ready to pounce." Plante went on to declare that the House GOP "slammed" Obama by scheduling a vote to repeal "his signature health care bill" on January 12.
Plante parroted Democratic talking points denouncing the repeal effort: "Senate Democrats fired back in a letter, warning that to do so would be 'irresponsible and reckless at a time when it is becoming harder and harder for seniors to afford a healthy retirement.'" He then concluded: "Both sides know that the House vote is purely symbolic. With no chance that the Senate Democrats will agree to kill health care."
Moments later, Plante touted how Obama made "a presidential offer of cooperation." A clip was played of the President claiming: "I'm willing to work with anyone, of either party, who's got a good idea and a commitment to see it through."
At the top of the show, co-host Erica Hill highlighted Obama denouncing Republicans for playing politics: "...he's hoping to build on some of the accomplishments of the lame duck session. Also saying that he's hoping that the House majority leader and the Senate minority leader, both Republicans, will wait to campaign for 2012, until then. Ouch." Fellow co-host Chris Wragge noted: "It's an emboldened GOP right now."
Later in his report, Plante donned rose-colored glasses, suggesting an impending political comeback for the President: "The new Gallup poll has President Obama's job approval rating back up to 50%, with 42% disapproving. And that, says Hotline's Reid Wilson, is good news." Wilson cheerfully observed: "At this point in his administration, Bill Clinton was under 40%, Ronald Reagan was right at 40%. So, you know, he's already ten points ahead of where Reagan and Clinton were, and they skated towards re-election." Currently, the Real Clear Politics average of recent polls, which includes the latest from Gallup, has Obama's approval at 46.5% and disapproval at 48%.
Here is a full transcript of the January 4 segment:
7:01AM ET TEASE:
CHRIS WRAGGE: The vacation, as we know, is officially over for everyone. Pretty much everyone back to work yesterday. But now, President Obama and the rest of the First Family on board Air Force One, making their way back to Washington today. And when the President lands, Erica, the political landscape, at least in Washington, is going to be markedly different.
ERICA HILL: It will be decidedly different, of course, as Republicans are coming in. Congress is really reporting to work tomorrow. But the President talking on Air Force One on the way home last night saying he's hoping to build on some of the accomplishments of the lame duck session. Also saying that he's hoping that the House majority leader and the Senate minority leader, both Republicans, will wait to campaign for 2012, until then. Ouch.
WRAGGE: It's an emboldened GOP right now, so we'll see exactly what happens there. But a lot of news going to be coming out of Washington in the next couple of days.
HILL: We will have our eyes trained on that.
7:07AM ET SEGMENT:
WRAGGE: Turning now to politics, President Obama returns to the White House this morning after spending the holidays in Hawaii. And the Washington he left last month, quite different now from the one that he's going to find today. CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante has more for us now. Bill, good morning.
BILL PLANTE: Good morning, Chris. Well, there's good news and bad news for the President as he steps off Air Force One today. His popularity rating is up, but the new Republican majority in the House is ready to pounce.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Goodbye Hawaii, Hello Republicans; Obama Returns to DC to Face Energized GOP]
As the President and his family prepared to return from their Hawaiian vacation, Republicans slammed him with the news that the House will vote to repeal his signature health care bill a week from tomorrow. Senate Democrats fired back in a letter, warning that to do so would be 'irresponsible and reckless at a time when it is becoming harder and harder for seniors to afford a healthy retirement.' Both sides know that the House vote is purely symbolic. With no chance that the Senate Democrats will agree to kill health care.
Taking questions on Twitter, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs listed some of the President's priorities. Creating jobs and reducing debt. Add to those, a rewrite of the tax code, education reform, and a new immigration policy. Along with a presidential offer of cooperation.
BARACK OBAMA: I'm willing to work with anyone, of either party, who's got a good idea and a commitment to see it through.
PLANTE: The new Gallup poll has President Obama's job approval rating back up to 50%, with 42% disapproving. And that, says Hotline's Reid Wilson, is good news.
REID WILSON: At this point in his administration, Bill Clinton was under 40%, Ronald Reagan was right at 40%. So, you know, he's already ten points ahead of where Reagan and Clinton were, and they skated towards re-election.
PLANTE: And there are more changes coming in the New Year here at the White House. Former Commerce Secretary Bill Daley is under consideration to be the new chief of staff. The President's 2008 campaign manager David Plouffe will soon move in as a counselor. And the President's expected to name a new head to the National Economic Council, the old Larry Summers' job, in the next few days. Chris.
WRAGGE: CBS's Bill Plante in Washington for us this morning. Bill, thank you very much. A lot of people going to be jockeying for new offices over the next couple of days.
HILL: You think? Just a little movement there.
— Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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Comments
Framing
Submitted by KC Mulville on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 1:02pm.
Pure spin. Pure framing.
Again, tell me, where were "the facts" in this report? The president is coming back from vacation and there's a new majority in the House. Why yes, they're the kind of facts that are considered "news," if you strip the word new from the term. There were no facts that were reported here. This was a network reporter taking time to frame the political scene. The president is increasingly popular and the Republicans are just the opposition "ready to pounce."
Ask yourself, why did they bother to have this "report?" Did it increase your knowledge of things you didn't already know? Did you learn anything new?
No. This was an opportunity for the media to spin, and they wasted your time to try and subliminally move you to favor Obama and dislike Republicans. It was a political ad.
Oh really??
Submitted by jon_torlin on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 1:11pm.
BARACK OBAMA: I'm willing to work with anyone, of either party, who's got a good idea and a commitment to see it through.
Of course, we know what he considers a good idea and what other people consider a good idea are two totally different things. Being raised and surrounded by Communists, his ideas don't match anything that would help America.
-Jon
"I'm Willing to Work with anyone…"
Submitted by stan25 on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 1:30pm.
What a crock! He said that during the ObamaCare ram down. Look what happened. The Dems went behind closed doors to put the package together, without any Republican input. Well Barry ole boy, that is not going to happen this session.
21 Democrat Senators up for
Submitted by Hunter12 on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 1:35pm.
21 Democrat Senators up for re-election in 2012. I wouldn't be so sure on how that body will vote on a repeal. I think a few of them may have got the message of 2010 from the voting public.
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Sir Winston Churchill
Considering that millions of
Submitted by killa37 on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 1:38pm.
Considering that millions of us.....and the US.......got 'pounced upon' and 'slammed' by Boy Blunder and his idiotic policies, I'd have to say the ''turnabout is fair play'..........and, to put it a little more bluntly, 'revenge is a m************r'..................
I hope these 'Republicans' who are up there now stick to their (our) principles and dismantle EVERYTHING that has happened in the past two years, and approach these agendas with common sense and practicality, and also..............keep an eye on what Boy Barry is going to be trying to do, now that he can't do it throught Congress.......
I noticed that he said 'it's time for Republicans to put their politics aside'!!! Hhahahahaha!!!!
Right Killa,
Submitted by UpNorth on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 1:42pm.
those same Republicans, "our enemies" who can "ride in the back", , because as Ears said, "I won"....
As for what he's going to try to do, he'll rule by executive order, and recess appointments.
great quote
Submitted by gr29az on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 3:06pm.
great quote!
First of all, the vacation is
Submitted by tampamom25 on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 2:17pm.
First of all, the vacation is never over for this president and his family. The "royals" think nothing of jetting off at any expense to the taxpayers. And spare me all the rhetoric about Bush and his vacations. They were taken mostly at Camp David and his ranch in Crawford, at much less expense. And second of all, the Republicans had better get in there and do whatever they can to get rid of the Obamacare, even if it has to start with a largely symbolic vote. And get rid of the rest of the big liberal agenda as well. Why the he** do you think the American people slam dunked the Democrats in the last election? It wasn't because we want more of the same liberal junk shoved down our throats, it was because we DON'T want what they're offering. The majority of American people aren't interested in bigger government and we're sick of the attitude in DC that they are all somehow the great and beneficent rulers and we are the little people who have no voice and no choice. If Republicans continue to stand against the liberal agenda, they have a really good chance at gaining more power in the 2012 election. But if they wimp out, we might as well kiss our country and our freedoms good-bye.
GOP POUNCING
Submitted by RightRealDeal on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 2:21pm.
I say let the pouncing begin! The OBOZO admin has slid too many things in that are contrary to what this country was founded on. He and all his socialist cronies need to be taught that we are not taking the left wing BS while they ruin this country. CZARS, Obamacare, laughing stock on international policy and defense, the robin hood approach to punishing those who have worked hard and achieved something in their lives, the pro union entitlement let's be bums not work and get everything for free approach and I coudl go on and on...
Pounce? That is putting it mildly, repeal everything they have done, everything and while we're at it, stop the spending, stop increasing the debt limit and pay attention to the war in Afghanistan. Why is it that the leaders of this country do not take the commitment to war seriously? You mean to tell me we could not destroy ths Taliban and Al Queda if we really wanted to? I think we could on one afternoon if we had balls. And the Mexico border thing........we could fix that in one afternoon as well, yes one afternoon.
We used to have commitment, guts, balls and the will to do what is needed to be done.
Pounce? I got your pouncing and then some.
Forget about Obama, Bill...
Submitted by KyWriter on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 2:35pm.
...let's talk about your hair. Why is the top of your head a reddish-brown? Or in other words, what part of "Just for Men" don't you know?
You got it all wrong
Submitted by CobraMan on Tue, 01/04/2011 - 4:32pm.
You got it all wrong, Mr. Plante (How ironic, a "plant" in government!). The Republicans aren't going to "pounce" on Obama, they're going to "corral" him and his blatant quest for unlimited power. If you're going to use, shall we say, "cute" verbs in your statements in which to demean Republicans, at least use the proper ones.
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
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.