On NBC's Meet the Press, Bachmann Schools Gregory on National Debt
By Kyle Drennen | December 19, 2011 | 10:35
As Congresswoman Michele Bachmann made the point on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that the national debt has increased dramatically under President Obama compared to under President Bush, host David Gregory interrupted and attempted to dismiss that fact: "Congresswoman, that just misstates the record....For accuracy, the debt exploded under the Bush administration." [Audio available here]
Bachmann tried to finish her point: "There's no comparison. We're talking-" But Gregory kept interrupting: "...the debt – wait a minute, Congresswoman." Bachmann replied: "David, let me just finish." Gregory claimed: "No, wait a minute. I just want to stop you for accuracy." [View video after the jump]
In reality, Bachmann was making an accurate comparison, which she explained when Gregory finally allowed her to continue: "For accuracy. David, David, then, then let me finish. Do a comparison. I agree with you that there was too much money that was spent under George Bush. But for the year 2007, the debt for the year was $160 billion. The debt for this last year was about $1 1/2 trillion. That's almost 10 times more in debt than George Bush."
Gregory blamed his continual interruptions on the satellite delay: "Let me just point out, I don't want to appear to be cutting you off. Sometimes the satellite delay can exacerbate that, so I wanted to make sure you could finish your point."
Here is a transcript of the testy December 18 exchange:
10:53AM ET
(...)
MICHELE BACHMANN: When I came into Congress in January of 2007, the country was $8.67 trillion in debt; today it's $15 trillion. Next year it'll be $17 trillion. We're acting like Greece and like Italy, and that's what people are frustrated with. They want us to act like a first world nation, not like what President Barack Obama's doing. He's acting like we're a banana republic. We've got to get our act together and stop spending money that we don't have.
DAVID GREGORY: You're not – I mean, you're seriously calling the United States acting like a banana republic compared to the sort of debt issues that, that the Eurozone countries have had?
BACHMANN: What, what I'm doing is I'm – what I'm doing is saying that what – the decisions that Barack Obama is making is acting like a banana republic. It's absolutely irresponsible what President Obama is doing to get behind measures to, to increase spending to such a level that we're going into debt $1.5 trillion every year. This compares to President George Bush. Back in 2007, our debt for the entire year was $160 billion.
GREGORY: Congresswoman, that just misstates the record.
BACHMANN: Well, we topped that just in the month of November alone.
GREGORY: I mean, the Bush presidency, the-
BACHMANN: There's no comparison. We're talking-
GREGORY: -the, the debt – wait a minute, Congresswoman.
BACHMANN: David, let me just finish.
GREGORY: No, wait a minute. I just want to stop you for accuracy.
BACHMANN: Let me just finish. We're talking-
GREGORY: For accuracy, Congresswoman.
BACHMANN: -we're talking 10 times.
GREGORY: For accuracy, the debt exploded under the Bush administration.
BACHMANN: For accuracy. For accuracy. David, David, then, then let me finish. Do a comparison. I agree with you that there was too much money that was spent under George Bush. But for the year 2007, the debt for the year was $160 billion. The debt for this last year was about $1 1/2 trillion. That's almost 10 times more in debt than George Bush. And just for the month of – for the month of, I think it's November of this year, it was more than the entire year for 2007. So there's no question that the debt has just skyrocketed under, under President Obama in comparison to George Bush.
GREGORY: Let me just point out, I don't want to appear to be cutting you off. Sometimes the satellite delay can exacerbate that, so I wanted to make sure you could finish your point.
(...)
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Comments
Why let facts get in the way?
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:38am.
Gregory's argument can be summed up as: "It's Bush's fault."
It Doesn't Matter
Submitted by Cappmann1962 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:36am.
Even if Bush had spent trillions, how does that justify Obambi spending even more? And we weren't losing our credit rating under Bush. We weren't in a recession under Bush. We weren't in a housing crash under Bush. We weren't facing double-digit unempoyment under Bush. Europe wasn't imploding under Bush. And BTW, we were ACTIVELY fighting wars on two fronts Under Bush. Obambi has "ended" one of them, hasn't he? Gregory, as usual, doesn't pass the smell test...
Stupidity in our society now
Submitted by GregE on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:15pm.
If you're doing something wrong or defending someone doing something wrong, you simply say "well they did it first" and voila, your wrong has just become a right. It's stupid.
Political Correctness - the belief that one can pick up a turd by the clean end.
Whatever happened to haveing
Submitted by Cappmann1962 on Wed, 12/21/2011 - 10:11am.
Whatever happened to having ADULTS in congress? I see three year-olds behaving exectly the same - Waaaa, he did it first...
How will the media handle Owebama surpassing Bush?
Submitted by merly1 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:16pm.
It's ALL at the Debt to the Penny Website. Owebama's federal debt additions will pass all of Bush's (4.8 trillion)
by about month 38 of our President's current reign. Even worse, at least Bush used SS surpluses to fund much of his spending excess (1.6 trillion of the 4.8T), but Owebama has added nearly everything thru public borrowing or printing money. We really dont have a media anymore, as Grand Wizard Gregory proves time again.......Perhaps Gregory is truly clueless about the debt accumulation.?.
Anyway, Owebama will pass Bush's debtload early next year, let's see how the media plays it. Will it get the coverage that killing OBL got, after all, it's figuratively killing our kid's future.
pants
Submitted by kinijane on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:40am.
Looks like Gregory got caught with his pants on fire and she set him
straight, he wanted to make the misstatements in order to make
Obama look better.
Oh he definitely wanted to stop her.....
Submitted by NeoKong on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:47am.
Accuracy however was not the reason.
What a friggin' rumpswab for him to try and pretend that Obama's deficit spending in less than one term isn't already more than double George Bush's entire presidency.
Does he honestly believe that people do not already know this.....?
not if he can help it
Submitted by TruthMonger on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:34am.
not if he can help it
Congratulations Jimmy Carter!
She finished her point in spite of Gregory
Submitted by c5then on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:44am.
Not because of anything he did. He was trying to interrupt her to get in a DNC talking point.
Part time Congress with term limits! - No more professional politicians. Let's start rebuilding the Republic!
Monkey: "But Obama, but, but, but Obama, but, but, but..."
Submitted by SickofLibs on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:49am.
What a shameless hack.
Definite candidate for Laura
Submitted by stratman on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 7:15pm.
Definite candidate for Laura Ingraham's "But Monkey" award of the week.
accuracy?!? We don' need no steenkin' accuracy!!
Submitted by wizardjr on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:50am.
I have to wonder if this clown actually believes what he tried to put over on us. OMG. Anyone can get the actual numbers from all over the web including the government itself and it is obvious to the most casual observer that King Putt is borrowing ten times what Bush did year-on-year. Good Grief.
Gregory
Submitted by grammajane on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:57am.
is the big bully on the kindergarden play ground with his unprofessional and immature attitude toward anyone who says anything against his hero. Typical radical blaming the satellite delay for his rude and pathetic behavior. Always have to blame and never take responsibility
arguing with aliberal is like
Submitted by jkwtrading on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:00am.
arguing with a liberal is like reasoning with a rabid dog.
I wish
Submitted by dmacleo on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:16pm.
we shoot rabid dogs :)
yeah its a wish that will never come true..but hey.. :)
we have plenty of time to
Submitted by jkwtrading on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:51pm.
we have plenty of time to figure out libs are rabid dogs.. keep stocking up those ammo goodies, who knows Santa may bring us the ultimate gift...lib hunting season..
jwk, You might appreciate
Submitted by Scuba Dude on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 3:29pm.
jwk,
You might appreciate this old Bloom County comic strip. Of course certain libturds here on NB might think I am fomenting violence to which I would have to say "LOL" get a thicker skin!!
THANK YOU!
Submitted by Infidel on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:59pm.
You have given me my new favorite quote! TOO FUNNY!
Good for Bachman! Everyone
Submitted by okie-pastor on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:04am.
Good for Bachman!
Everyone worried about Ron Paul leading polls in Iowa, don't be. He won't win the nomination regardless if he wins Iowa. Everyone knows he would be worse than Obama on protecting our country from radical jihadists. Oh I forgot we Americans are the reason they are radical jihadists or is it; radical jihadists do not really exist, I forget.
Gregory as paradigm
Submitted by Dr. Ron on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:05am.
paradigm of dishonest, in the tank for Obama, media. As they say...surely you jest David when you use the word "accuracy?!"
Cheerleading for Obama in 2008 was bad enough...now, the media are lap dogs/running dogs for Obama...relentless in attacking Repubs/Conservatives; relentless in concealing/omitting Solynda, Fast and Furious, Immigration reality...appeasing Iran, Egypt's Islamic bent, anything that shows Obama's idiotic foreign policy of throwing allies under the bus or backhanding them while kissing Islamic tush ...I could go on, but why...the Iron Curtain over America known as mainstream media ensures we will get 4 more years of His Obamaness...Australia here I come.
I hate it when people cut off other people mid sentence
Submitted by shawn. on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:23am.
I don't care if it is David Gregory, Joy Baher or Mark Levin. It is just common courtesy
Just look at the numbers
Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:25am.
Everyone knows $160 billion is more that $1 1/2 trillion! I mean, come on! Compare, 160 vs 1 1/2! Duh!
It must be the new math
Submitted by TeachertT on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:52am.
they teach in schools these days.
Obama Spokesman at work
Submitted by averageschmoe on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:31am.
LMAO at Bachmann debating Obama Spokesman.
Journalism is dead in America. RIP Journalism.
Gregory is a boot licking Socialist apparachik. A poor one too.
Submitted by JLin on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:41am.
LOL. Bachmann has infinitely greater professional and intellectual skills than B. Hussein, and David Gregory is at the level of a chimp next to Michelle Bachmann.
Too bad that there cannot be a conservative network to compete with the Big 3 alphabets. Maybe one day NBC could be bought out, it's on its last legs anyway.
Standard Liberal discussion
Submitted by John21 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:43am.
"OUR hero is a saint, and everything is Bush's fault"
Facts mean nothing. Truth does not exist to a liberal. Gregory will continue reading his liberal DNC supplied talking point and try to intimidate anyone that does not bow down to the liberal hero. He is very predictable. It is NBC, they do not hire anyone that has a functional brain and any spot of honesty or independence. There only requirement is that they are capable of reading (talking points), can follow directions and will do whatever it take to get the money in their accounts.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. - Winston Churchill
Laughable
Submitted by JLin on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:46am.
No one, not even devoted Liberals actually believe this childish propaganda any more. The democrats are in for an historic thrashing in November.
Where does his information come from?
Submitted by texasredbud on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:34pm.
The statement 'debt exploded under Bush', when viewed in daylight reflects the truth of Obama's spending so clearly, it could have only come from the boldest of liars. The Obama campaign. Would a mere 'journalist' have been so bold as to bring attention to a any president exploding debt? Of course, I am not speaking of a true journalist, only the sorry lot that we have to deal with in the MSM. Could anyone with any integrity of thought actually point a finger at Bush and say, 'he is a president that spent to much'? So one has to ask, is this so called 'journalist' that deceived? or is he just lazy? As useless as the MSM is, I can not believe that they are so stupid as to use the word accuracy while they actively rewrite history.
The only answer that makes any sense is that Gregory, and much of the rest of MSM are in fact, lazy hacks. They have meetings at the White House, were they are feed liberal talking points. At the time, the so called journalists are living the high life, the party they love is handing them all the information they need for an entire week. Since the story they are being handed rings true for everything they believe, the lazy hacks don't even need to do any fact checking. They live in a world were these lies and half truths are repeated and shared, and everyone nodes their head in agreement. Not one of them ever has to actually think for themselves.
I wonder sometimes how they sleep at night. I am sure that somewhere in the back of their mind, they confidently tell themselves how much good they are doing. Since the ends justify the means, lies and half truths are nothing more than tools of the trade.
They're delusional
Submitted by Plumb Bob on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 2:10pm.
It's not just the fruits who populated the #Occupy tents, it's the entire Democratic party. They're simply and completely delusional. They absolutely believe that George Bush created this incredible debt load. The WORST year under Bush (with a Democratically-controlled Congress) showed a deficit 1/3 the size of Obama's standard deficits.
They're literally spending us into the ground and blaming it on someone else. They don't even know they're doing it!
There is simply no point in continuing to participate in a free democratic republic with Progressives. They will kill us economically, and then they'll kill us physically, when they blame us for their destruction. Fight now, rather than later when they control the armed forces.
Greggy, you are bald-faced liar, a bully and a hypocrite.
Submitted by drsamherman on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 2:16pm.
The points were going against your man-crush Barry Zero, so you started jumping in trying to get Bachmann to go off point and in a very, very lame attempt to lie about your man-crush's profligate spending. Blaming the "satellite delay" shows just how desperate you are to maintain your lips planted firmly on O'batears behind. Greggy, you are a bigger disgrace to journalism than that idiot (and your fellow flunky shill) Brian Williams.
Lil' Geraldo is as dumb as a post
Submitted by frank14 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 2:54pm.
Cocky and dumb is a bad combo.
David has many wet dreams
Submitted by jimtrees on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 2:59pm.
Standing next to his buddy Todd in the rain.
Federal deficit by
Submitted by Denny Crane on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:41pm.
Federal deficit by year.
1998 -69.27 a
1999 -125.61 a
2000 -236.24 a
2001 -128.23 a
2002 157.75 a
2003 377.59 a
2004 412.73 a
2005 318.35 a
2006 248.18 a
2007 160.71 a
2008 458.55 a
2009 1412.69 a
2010 1293.49 a
2011 1298.61 a
Pelosi's first budget deficit was higher than the worst Bush deficit.
We Are The 53%
It's still Bush's fault--it's the satellite delay
Submitted by Jack Daniels on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 12:28pm.
Obama said at a "fiscal responsibility" summit at the White House in February 2009: "I'm pledging to cut the deficit we inherited by half by the end of my first term in office."
Instead it appears that Obama will add $6 trillion to the deficit before he leaves office. Why? It's Bush's fault. Bush spent those trillions before he left office but it didn't show up until the first 4 years of Obama's term due to satellite delay. Surely there's no other explanation for Obama adding $6 trillion to the deficit that he promised to cut in half.
Gregory's "video feed" interruptions
Submitted by donaldduck on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 5:06pm.
Video feed interruptions my bippee. Gregory was being told something that conflicted with the WH talking points he works from and he tried his best to shut Bachmann up. The next time he, or any other progressive talking head tries to shut a conservative on the debt debate, he/she should ask if our credit rating was lowered under Bush. End of conversation. Bush spent too much, but he was ultra miserly compared to Oblahblah.