CNN's Spitzer: Obama Supports the 'Agenda For Choice in Schools'
CNN's Eliot Spitzer misleadingly claimed on Tuesday's Parker Spitzer that "President Obama has done everything to push the agenda for choice in schools" [audio available here]. In reality, the President's record shows that he has actually worked against school choice, particularly in the District of Columbia.
Spitzer and co-host Kathleen Parker brought on Stephen A. Smith, an African-American talk radio host, during the lead segment of the 8 pm Eastern hour to discuss his view that the black community should "play hard to get" with the Democratic Party, as the on-screen graphic summed it. Midway through the segment, the former Democratic governor of New York acted as the defender of the Obama administration's record on education: "It seems to me that President Obama, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan- 'Race to the Top,' [is] embracing the things from Michelle Rhee's reform agenda, to Joel Klein's reform agenda, getting quality teachers into the schools - all those things."
Smith retorted strongly that the Democrats don't have a spotless record on the issue:
[Video embedded below the page break]
SMITH: I love those ideas, but I also watched the Democratic- the Democrats just excoriate George W. Bush for 'No Child Left Behind'...Now, the progressives- the liberals, are supposed to be a party of choices, but how many choices were they willing to give you? What they were saying is, is if you support the charter schools, what that's going to do is take funding and it's going to veer it away from the public sector into the chartered sector. But they didn't give the African-American community an opportunity to make that decision. They tried to make it for us. That's a problem.
Spitzer replied by giving an example from his time as New York governor, and when the talk show host didn't buy this, he made his claim about President Obama:
SPITZER: We doubled the number of charter schools. New York City, which is a Democratic city- we have an independent mayor-
SMITH: I'm not talking about you-
SPITZER: We- no, no, no, no. But I'm saying- President Obama has done everything to push the agenda for choice in schools, for improving the quality of our teachers-
SMITH: But you're misconstruing what I'm saying. I'm not here to lambaste the intentions of our president-
SPITZER: Right.
SMITH: What I'm talking about is when they asked me the question, before I came onto the show, about blacks, and the African-American community, and the Democratic Party, it wasn't about Obama, because I truly believe his heart is in the right place. I don't think he always knows- the best decisions economically, and, God knows, the unemployment rate shows that.
Penny Starr of CNSNews reported on February 8, 2010 that the executive proposed "further cuts in funding for the District of Columbia's Opportunity Scholarship Program for low-income, mostly minority students. Obama stopped funding altogether for the OSP in his 2010 fiscal year budget, but after protests from parents and school choice advocates, the administration decided to let children already receiving scholarships continue to do so until they graduate from high school. In the new budget, however, funding for the OSP is slashed by $4 million -- from $13 million to $9 million – $1 million of which is for administrative costs."
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Comments
Textbook Example
Submitted by KyWriter on Tue, 12/21/2010 - 10:58pm.
Could anyone find a more obvious example of the underlying racism that drives liberals? Spitzer assumes that because Smith is black, he automatically supports the President in every regard. He cannot fathom that the color of one's skin has nothing to do with independent thought, that a black man can be a sensible critic of another black man. Liberals, far from being the progressives they claim to be, are still living in the Nineteenth Century, assuming that blacks need help in advancing their integration into society. Smith looks like he is restraining himself from bitch-slapping Spitzer in his condescending face and walking off the set.
Latinos, as well.
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Tue, 12/21/2010 - 11:14pm.
The professional Left treats Latinos the same way- as a monolithic group, not as individuals.
That's because they only see
Submitted by 26CX on Tue, 12/21/2010 - 11:17pm.
That's because they only see them as a block of voters they can co-opt.
That was too funny. Spitzer,
Submitted by mostlymoderate on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 1:14am.
That was too funny. Spitzer, like most of the elitist democrats, think any black person is going to be like, "yes sah...yes suh!!!" In reality, George Bush DID try to make school's for the African American community better and the democrats were opposed to it. Did they ask the black folks what they wanted and what they thought would be best for them? Nope. Because Democrats view everybody as sheeple that need to be TOLD what is best for them.
OFF-TOPIC: I just found out the other day that G. Bush gave MORE to the AID's cause in Africa than any other President in history. Did you know that? Oh yea, Bush must REALLY have hated black people like the democrats want you to believe. Sheesh.
Yes, I knew it, because it
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 1:58am.
Yes, I knew it, because it was the subject of a very flattering blog on the Huffington Post and has been applauded by libs such as Eleanor Clift.
Jer
After 10 years of MIS-reporting
Submitted by Tomorama on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 10:53am.
How long ago though Jer, AFTER he left office and LONG AFTER Kanye GO West said he HATED Black people and AFTER Obama was spewing "that you need to go picket the other side as far as aids funding goes"?
A VERY FLATTERING BLOG Jer, how about the LSM doing there damn jobs after all the above incidents happened?
My bad, the media decides now to come around in the last few weeks to finally report the TRUTH that BUSH IS LOVED IN AFRICA and he did so much for aids related issues.
Last time I checked Africa has a few Blacks, but he still must hate them?
The flattering HuffPo blog
Submitted by Jer on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 11:44pm.
The flattering HuffPo blog was while GWB was still in office.
Jer
This is definately
Submitted by dirtydan64 on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 1:18am.
going to get Obama in trouble come 2012, As Smith clerly pointed out, the Democrats have consitantly made these decisions for the Black community and Smiths knows this to be fact and he also clearly pointed out that Bush was on the right path to help the Black Community move into the Private sector as far as Schools go with the No Child Left Behind Act and like he said the Progressives, Democrats smeared Bush for his act because they clearly didn't want the Black Community to have the same oppurtunity those in the Elites Group think had and God for Bid they would ever be forced to allow Blacks into there neighborhood to let there kids go to school with their kids oh My !!!!
The same is true for all the Elites in DC, Beltway or what ever you prefer to call it these days where nearly ever member of Congress sends there children to private/Prochial school's where's there's minimum % of blacks compared to whitey's kids or for that matter BO's Daughters and that must not be allowed to happen cause we all know just how good those schools are in the delapitated Metro DC School District is right ?? I say America needs to have another Mr. Smith goes to Washington but this time on behalf of the Black Community and there children, Boyaaaaaa !!!! Bring it Mr. Smith, Bring it !!!
Since Rhee was pushed out and
Submitted by Barack_must_go..... on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 2:45am.
Since Rhee was pushed out and the Obama's took over the name has been changed. The program is now referred to as " Race BAITING To The Top, or Even Somewhere In The Middle Will Do ".
As long as the teachers and the all powerful unions are happy ( enough to donate boatloads of money ) by Obama administration standards their efforts a huge success.
Comically last Summer the lame street media, especially MSNBC were touting Obama as the Great Black Way.
They had a 24/7 loop plus commentary about how HE alone was capable of straightening out the education system in this country.
They compared what the Ass Clown was doing in education to a Reagan, " Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall " moment in our countries history.
Now, not so much as a peep even though this is the time of year the " Chosen One " can actually walk on water.......in Washington anyway.
Barack_Must_Go.....
Yes boss mane
Submitted by Samshile on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 4:46am.
Spitzer. We's happy that patronizing LIberal white man is helpin us on the plantation.
2 + x =4. What is x?
Submitted by ThisnThat on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 7:55am.
Apparantly, schools don't teach kids how to answer basic math questions. Or English. Writing. Science. Or Reading. Kids are flunking the basic military entrance exams. Nearly one-fourth of the students who try to join the U.S. Army fail its entrance exam. Pentagon data shows that 75 percent of those aged 17 to 24 don't even qualify to take the test because they are physically unfit, have a criminal record or didn't graduate high school.
And that's the type of education system liberals are building, with their focus on protecting teachers' unions, "diversity", removal of all things Christmas, and liberal talking points. Thanks, liberals, for tearing apart this country and leaving it in shambles.
__________
“Didn't win the Medal of Honor? Didn't even serve? Then lie about it. We'll support you." — 9th Circuit Court
I always see that woman sitting next to Spitzer on this show
Submitted by redright88 on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 8:55am.
what exactly does she do?
Here's a hint:
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 11:17am.
You never see her hands.
You folks are spot on
Submitted by Tomorama on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 11:26am.
Smith is one of my favorites when he goes on these types of shows.
A FEW of you folks pointed it out, they ALL expect him to tow the "negro line" and when he doesn't conform they stutter and stammer along.
For a sports dude he knows a LOT about what is going on.
No right winger, but he "aint" no Democrat by any stretch.
Education
Submitted by iveseenitall on Wed, 12/22/2010 - 12:53pm.
America's educational system is equal to or worse than the worst in industrialized nations. However, although they bear much responsibility for the failures, the teacher's unions aren't the only problem. The real problem lies in the pervasive "liberal" atmosphere in all schools. "Liberalism" has caused a lack of respect for learning, lower academic standards, a refusal to improve professional education and performance ( administrators as well as teachers), ubiquitous discipline problems and an overall re-ordering of priorities from academic excellence to "social justice" as determined by illegitimate standards.The results are obvious: lower to no skill levels, a passive student population who lack thinking skills, an atmosphere of dishonesty where cheating for a better "outcome" is encouraged, and the awarding of worthless high school and college degrees. And what do Americans ( and their leaders) want to do about it?---complain, complain, complain, but take no meaningful action. It was asked in the movie The Untouchables, "What are you prepared to do?". So far , the answer concerning education is "Not much". (Witness what happened to Michelle Rhree when she tried to do something). Sad.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"