Although an admitted Barack Obama supporter during last year's campaign, CNBC's Jim Cramer has certainly changed his view concerning our 44th president.
On Tuesday's "Today" show, the outspoken "Mad Money" host said: we have "an agenda in this country now that I would regard as being a radical agenda"; Obama's just announced budget "put a level of fear in this country that I have not seen ever in my life," and; "This is the most, greatest wealth destruction I've seen by a president."
He also called Timothy Geithner "an invisible treasury secretary," and expressed hope that the next time he goes to Capitol Hill "he doesn't throw the drowning man the anvil like he did the last time he spoke" (video and transcript below the fold, file photo):
Video available here for Internet Explorer users.
MATT LAUER, HOST: It took only 14 trading sessions for the Dow to fall from 8,000 to less than 7,000 and a third of people polled recently say they feel this market will go below 6,000 in the not-too-distant future. Let me bring in Jim Cramer and Erin Burnett of CNBC and let's find out more. Where are we, Jim?
JAMES CRAMER, CNBC: We are going lower. I think we could bounce periodically, but this is a bad market, and I don't think people should be counting on it for anything positive.
LAUER: Erin, somebody here on Monday said the way this market dropped on Monday was so controlled, it was scary. What do they mean by that?
ERIN BURNETT, CNBC: I guess it's sort of like a serial killer, right? Everything is so planned out and it's horrible, but I mean, we've passed the point of panic where you see the sudden down drafts and now there is just sort of this overall malaise that has settled over frankly the entire country, which makes it broader than just the market. I mean the market just keeps going down. But people just have this sense of negativism and we're resigned to think of things being bad, and that's why you see it.
LAUER: It seems that people, investors are waiting for some sign from banks in particular that they've either stabilized or begun to turn things around. Now obviously, yesterday we had the AIG news, which was bad news. So, how far away, Jim, can you even look in a crystal ball, either of you, and see a point where banks can give us some of that news?
CRAMER: Well, I don't think we're going to get that. We still have an invisible treasury secretary. We haven't seen him since I spoke with you last.
LAUER: He's going to testify on the Hill this morning about the budget.
CRAMER: That will be pleasant to see him. I hope he doesn't throw the drowning man the anvil like he did the last time he spoke. But I see no reason to own any bank stocks. I don't believe those are repositories of anything other than fear.
LAUER: You think there is good news.
BURNETT: I do, look, he's desperate now.
(crosstalk)BURNETT: Look, there is a lot of bad news, and I think the first thing we have been saying to people for months is accept reality. There is going to be a change in living standards, going to be a change for this country. And people seemed in denial. They've accepted that now. That's why you see the market keep going down. That's why you see the negativism. But at some point, the country will start to improve. There are three quick things to tell you positively. Wal-Mart's one of them, Matt. Wal-Mart is doing better than expected. Shipments for footwear and apparel were up in January from China to the United States. People are still buying basics. You're seeing some of that. Okay, that's not things are great --
LAUER: Is she grasping?
CRAMER: As much as I like Wal-Mart, it's where you shop when you're having a tough time. Look, if I saw Saks flying or Neiman Marcus or Tiffany, I'd give you a little jingle.
BURNETT: But you're not going to see that for a while, but the stimulus package is going to start to work. We're going to have 5,000 jobs created in California this week because of the stimulus package. It takes time and we're starting.
LAUER: Famously in October, Jim, I don't mean to interrupt, but famously in October, you told people if you need this money in the next five years, get it out of the market. And then in November on the 24th, you said this to me on our show, you said "Matt, but confidence, confidence can be restored. A lot of what's going on is gloom. Some of this is pessimism that's unwarranted. Fast action by Obama could take that off the table." We had a stimulus package, we had a housing bailout, we've got efforts to save the banks. People would say that's fast action. Why hasn't it worked?
CRAMER: We have an agenda in this country now that I would regard as being a radical agenda. I think that we had a budget that came out that basically put a level of fear in this country that I have not seen ever in my life, and I think that that changed everything.
LAUER: So, the policies are not shareholder-friendly?
CRAMER: Shareholder-friendly? This is the most, greatest wealth destruction I've seen by a president.
BURNETT: The country's friendly. I mean, there is a way to put it together, and I've got to say --
CRAMER: The stock market is the country right now. This is where people's weath is. This is their pension plans, their 401(k)s, their IRAs.
BURNETT: It is part of the country. I mean, half of Americans do own stocks. You can't deny the crucialness of the market. I think you're right about that. But there is also the key which is psychology, and that can be turned around and that needs to start. People need to start speaking more positively to turn it around.
CRAMER: (crosstalk) You have to give me something more positive --
LAUER: A lot of people are saying we're moving past a recession, we're going into a depression. But it doesn't have to be the great depression that we've all read about and talked about. It could be a mild depression. What would that look like?
CRAMER: I call it a garden variety depression, to distinguish from the 30% unemployment we had in 1932. We're not going to get that. We have FDIC, we have an insurance policy called Social Security. It won't come to that. It won't come to civil unrest, but we do have to change the attitude of the president to go from what I regard as being a radical agenda to something that's slower and recognizing that times are bad.
LAUER: I'll give you the last word, Erin.
BURNETT: I'll just say this: I just came back from Asia and that's a place where people talk about, hey, I made more money than my parents made, and that's the way this country used to feel, and we can go back to that again, where people have a broader optimism about where the country is going, and I think that's what we're suffering from. We can get that back. Matt, the rest of the world still looks to America as a leadership of entrepreneurialism and in terms of wealth, they do. And that should make us feel better.
LAUER: Erin Burnett and Jim Cramer, guys, thanks very much.
You've got to wonder if Cramer is going to continue to be used on NBC if he keeps talking this way.
Stay tuned.
*****Update: Interested readers should review Jeff Poor's piece concerning White House Press Secretary Gibbs bashing Cramer for these comments.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.




















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Cramer is in competition
March 3, 2009 - 17:58 ET by bigtimerCramer is in competition with Santelli...he just can't stand being left out!
NBC will of course keep him on...
OBAMA-PELOSI-REID ARE
March 3, 2009 - 20:58 ET by reelman46OBAMA-PELOSI-REID ARE
Obama-Pelosi-Reid
are not confused, are not moderates, are not off track…they are (and
have been) TRUE BELIEVERS in secular socialism.
No, they are not a surprise to anyone who cared a wit all of last year
to research these three radical socialists. They really believe we can
have a “prosperous Cuba”, that we can do better IF the gov-meant
extends its reach 10 or 20 fold (and its borrowed spending).
The slogans they use like “shared sacrifice” and “economic justice”
are just code for tight socialism run by hundreds of thousands of new
gov-meant employees (unionized and faithful voters of course).
They simply do not trust the voters with a real tax cut because only
gov-meant can spend wisely (your money). All the jive, smoke and
mirrors talk is simply what they do to get more secular socialism.
They have learned nothing from Carter or Castro because they are not
reality-based…they are the secular socialist borg…the true believers
who will makes excuses and blameshift for years if need be. It matters
not that your IRA is down 30% next Labor Day or Christmas. True
believers will find strawmen even if the DOW sinks to 4,000. Its always
somebody else’s fault…never the principles of secular socialism.
Thus 2009 will only be the first year of the Obama MISERY INDEX.
Carter never gave up and neither will Obama.
True believers go down with the ship (or economy in this case). The
awful part is YOU are chained to the deck.
Doug Schexnayder, Ph.D. (theconservativecrawfish)
An Obama voter who has
March 3, 2009 - 18:05 ET by DJEddleAn Obama voter who has awaken from his slumber and possibly realized his mistake?
Very rare indeed.
Rational Liberty: Where Reason and Government Collide - The best website ever!
I suppose having a job that
March 3, 2009 - 23:14 ET by CortillaenI suppose having a job that demands you examine the economy makes it rather difficult to remain sycophantic about someone hellbent on wrecking said economy so it can be made over in Lenin's image. Too little, too late, though.
What we need are several states getting together and challenging the constitutionality of the federal government's actions, but good luck with that.
www.daybydaycartoon.... Proving that conservative comedy is very real.
"With your mind as high as Mt. Fuji you can see all things clearly. And you can see all the forces that shape events; not just the things near to you." - Miyamoto Musashi
Yep
March 3, 2009 - 18:14 ET by doug1950Another loud mouth, a hole that got just what he wanted only now he does not want it anymore. Many of my liberal friends who were exercising their pie holes 24/7 before, during and after the election are suddenly very quiet or only saying "give it a chance to work". Apparently they do not understand how economics works just like BO. They think it just happens overnight light putting a tooth under their pillow. I have one thing to say to them...........
How do you like him now? We tried to warn you but NOOOOOOOOO. you wanted change...Well you got it. deal with it.When he is done with you that is about all you will have left...some change and some pocket lint.
Hate to say it, Jim
March 3, 2009 - 18:33 ET by sawing battabut some of us were screaming from the rooftops for a year prior to the election...we were called all sorts of horrible names - including racists - for predicting what you have just said - by other democrats, like you.
We told you so. over and over.
Glad you've come around, but it's too late. HE won, they have the votes, it's open field running toward socialism...this is NOT surprising Jim. We've been telling you for a year.
Still proud to have that Obama sticker on your car???
No sh(t
March 3, 2009 - 18:47 ET by superconWas that some sort of surprise...?
We saw this coming a mile ago.
Because with a name like Obama... you know it has to be good.
and no one would hear it!
March 3, 2009 - 20:15 ET by clinging to my guns and my religiontoo bad they didn't take the cotton out of their ears in time, though, and now we're all stuck with him! he wants the worst for this country, and i am now convinced he is purposely doing everything he can to sabotage the united states of america! there can be no other explanation for his actions. as the stock market plunges, he vows to make energy policy that will cause the price of heating our homes and fueling our cars to skyrocket. his "spread the wealth" ideology has already terrified business owners, and will continue to stifle any chance at growth. hate to sound like the voice of doom, but i believe he will not stop until we are all jobless, homeless, hungry, and cold!
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." Edmund Burke
You got it.
March 3, 2009 - 21:01 ET by Dan Diego"I believe he will not stop until we are all jobless, homeless, hungry, and cold!" waiting for the government cheese truck to drop us some food. He won't be happy until HIS AmeriKa depends on him, anybody have any good Squirrel recipes?
too bad
March 3, 2009 - 22:57 ET by RowaneIt's just too bad that the Obambi voters aren't the only ones who are going to have to live with it.
My Dad, a mechanic for 40 years who only retired when he started to lose his sight, called me today and asked me to explain to him what "Cap-and-Trade" is. As I explained it to him he broke out in profanity, the least of which was "What in f*** is a man supposed to do when he can barely make ends meet anyhow?" I told him not to sweat it, we'd handle it but I'm really not sure how and if I can make it stick.
Who are these people in denial you speak of???
March 3, 2009 - 18:15 ET by JTP"There is going to be a change in living standards, going to be a change
for this country. And people seemed in denial. They've accepted that
now."
Your network was and is the loudest cheerleader for this clown. And I for one will not accept this "change".
"I need more cowbell!" SNL
And This Guy Gives Investment Advice?
March 3, 2009 - 18:16 ET by dbo"This is the most, greatest wealth destruction I've seen by a president."
Cramer couldn't anticipate this about Obama last Sept/Oct? Cramer and David Brooks can battle it out for today's biggest "head in the sand" award.
Burnett, the financial genius with just a crummy B.A.
March 3, 2009 - 18:17 ET by SickofLibsThat Burnett really is a ho - even of the midst of this, she's still spinning for the Dem agenda.
You leave Erin Burnett the hell alone!!!
March 3, 2009 - 22:58 ET by UnsaneErin Isabelle Burnett does indeed have a B.A. in Political Economy. What, that isn't good enough for you?
She is a breath of fresh air, a great business journalist, and a wonderful analyst. I for one look forward to her appearances on CNBC. Truly one of the greats.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
;^ ) uns
March 3, 2009 - 23:06 ET by botgi think her appearance has more to do with it than her appearances.
“The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” -- Chief Justice John Roberts
§ Uns...I Pitty the fool that...
March 3, 2009 - 23:21 ET by TheSter...messes with your Erin Isabelle Burnett!!
They won't stand a CHANCE!!!
Ster.
My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.
Naive
March 3, 2009 - 18:20 ET by slickwillie2001I wouldn't put Santelli and Cramer in the same league. I suspect Santelli voted for McCain as the lesser of two evils as I did. Cramer on the other hand was suckered like many on Wall Street by the Narcissist-in-Chief's vague hopey-changey promises. How can someone as apparently naive as Cramer, sell himself as one who can evaluate companies and advise the rest of us where to invest?
Nevermind what others say
March 3, 2009 - 23:34 ET by Scout FinchThey all want "Obama lied, people died" as their bumper stickers.
For me, I like the "Hopey-Changey, how's THAT feeling?" one.
Cramer has always been
March 3, 2009 - 18:21 ET by Clear thinkerCramer has always been too-far-out-there for my tastes, but on this one, I have no choice but to agree with him.
Let me add my voice to the ranks of people that want to see Obama fail. I hope he fails miserably!
Yes We Can
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
just remember
March 3, 2009 - 18:23 ET by katainkentHe was a bad investor. But that will make him a better president.
Obama is dong his damnedest to turn the USA...
March 3, 2009 - 18:25 ET by wnaegele...into a third-world country.
And a Marxist third-world
March 3, 2009 - 18:27 ET by Clear thinkerAnd a Marxist third-world country at that!
Yes We Can
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
What if..... obama
March 3, 2009 - 18:46 ET by MidAmericaWhat if..... obama actually hates this country? What if he actually did hear and approved the message he heard in his church by his mentor for twenty years? What if he really doesn't care if a lot of white people lose everything? What if he thnks this country's wealth was built on the backs of the poor and the rich white folks need to feel the pain that the poor have suffered for generations?
MidAmerica...
March 3, 2009 - 22:38 ET by dborschjr68Hmmm...you have given me pause to consider these words. That's an intersting theory, to be sure. I myself hadn't considered this possibility, that it isn't that mr. "president" is just ignorant towards being a real leader, but that he is purposely trying to destroy America based on his upbringing...very interesting indeed. This changes everything, or, it COULD change everything. Hmmm.
Long live the Republic! Conservatives unite!
If obama is merely a
March 3, 2009 - 23:43 ET by MidAmericaIf obama is merely a socialist he can be politically countered but if his mind is beset by demons there will be no rest for the country until he is removed.
"This changes everything, or, it COULD change everything"
March 3, 2009 - 23:58 ET by Scout FinchHopey-changey, how's THAT feeling?
52.7% voted for that.
MA,
March 4, 2009 - 16:14 ET by R D HelmI have been considering that possibility for nearly two years now.
Obama's actions since becoming POTUS have done nothing but reinforce my concerns in that area.
-Dave
Our clueless political leaders are about to drive us all over a cliff. The time to HITM is now-before we go over.
As always, Cramer is wrong,
March 3, 2009 - 18:47 ET by Radical1979As always, Cramer is wrong, or getting on the lifeboat after the ship has sunk...
Too bad
March 3, 2009 - 18:49 ET by ConLosRepublicanosNoToo bad that he is realizing what some of us realized during the campaign. Whenever you see someone talking about redistribution of wealth don't let him into your house, let alone be your president.
I have listen to Cramer a
March 3, 2009 - 18:55 ET by jgarciaI have listen to Cramer a few times, you just have to filter the crap out. I just didn't think he really understood, guess when his money is on the line, he saw the light!
Obama: Change (got it $$$$) now hoping (no one notices)
The Oconomy is Falling!
March 3, 2009 - 19:19 ET by xyzzypoofsThe Oconomy is Falling! The Oconomy is Falling!
I'm sorry, but I don't find that even remotely funny.
March 3, 2009 - 20:43 ET by R D Helm-Dave
Our clueless political leaders are about to drive us all over a cliff. The time to HITM is now-before we go over.
And the Communists are
March 3, 2009 - 19:50 ET by RR GOPAnd the Communists are still going after Joe the Plumber. Thanks to him, the Chosen One's agenda became crystal clear.
Still trying to figure out who these guys are...foreigners? CPUSA members? DNC members? College students? Twenty/thirty somethings living in mom and dad's rumpus room? Who are they?
They can't possibly have jobs and responsibilities and really support what's going on?
One of the 24% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 89% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
The agenda was always "clear"...
March 4, 2009 - 09:07 ET by JohnMcGrew...it's only that it took that ill-fated exchange with "Joe the Plumber" to make it undeniable to those who aregued that it was not.
Where's the promised video
March 3, 2009 - 20:00 ET by CTWhere's the promised video link Noel?
CT
March 3, 2009 - 20:24 ET by Noel SheppardCT,
You use Internet Explorer don't you? ns
Obama is consistent, anyway.
March 3, 2009 - 20:33 ET by ekslibEverything Obama touches with his magic "money wand" turns to crap or remains crap.
Obama's forgotten people http://www.youtube.c...
Obama's Record - Low Income Housing
http://www.youtube.c...
BURNETT: "...but the
March 3, 2009 - 21:00 ET by R D HelmBURNETT: "...but the stimulus
package is going to start to work. We're going to have 5,000 jobs
created in California this week because of the stimulus package. It
takes time and we're starting."
This woman just doesn't get it.
And as for those 5000 "jobs," I wonder how many of them will be going to illegals?
______________________________________
Folks, I am now officially scared. What Cramer is saying was just the icing on the cake (or the last tug on the flush handle). The real fear hit me last night, while listening to the Herman Cain Show.
(You can read his bio here: http://www.hermancai...)
Herman is very well known in the Atlanta area, and is one of the most uplifting, positive and level headed people around. Last night, while discussing the current economic situation, as he has been for a while now, I actually heard fear in his voice.
That was all the convincing I needed.
I believe we are very near going into a depression, and some are saying that we may already be there, although the actual definition of a depression remains somewhat elusive:
http://www.newsmax.c...
As for me, mine began on the first of October.
-Dave
Our clueless political leaders are about to drive us all over a cliff. The time to HITM is now-before we go over.
Unfortunately I must agree,
March 3, 2009 - 22:03 ET by dscottUnfortunately I must agree, the clueless moron or the careless malicious Obama is bound and determined to impose Carbon taxes or cap and trade on top of national health care. These twin economy busters will put the US into a depression. Both of these liberal programs are anti-business and job killers. Close to 4 million new workers will be graduating high school and college come May and June, 4 million people who need jobs, 4 million people who at this point will be unemployed in less than 4 months.
Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, starving the poor one gallon of ethanol at a time. Fill your tank with E85 and cull a village.
Radical socialist agenda was signaled long before the election
March 3, 2009 - 21:46 ET by grevalCapitalism to socialism--that's change isn't it? Some of the mesmerized are finally waking up from their stupor.
The socialists, I mean Democrats, in this country are using the Marxist-Socialist model recently employed by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez to expand their political power--nationalization of the most important or critical segments of the economy; redistribution of wealth in order to be assured the votes of the poor and/or lazy, envious slackers (they have been using this one for a while now); and control of the media so that only praise, never criticism, of the leader is permitted.
Sadly, the press in the U.S. has not been forced to toe the party line, it willingly volunteered for its propaganda role.
More like this
March 4, 2009 - 00:07 ET by Scout Finch1. From bondage to spiritual faith;
2. From spiritual faith to great courage;
3. From courage to liberty;
4. From liberty to abundance;
5. From abundance to complacency;
6. From complacency to apathy;
7. From apathy to dependence;
8. From dependence back into bondage
The majority of our citizens voted for this, and our main stream media applauds and cheers it every day.
The Unforgiven
March 3, 2009 - 22:30 ET by Lakewood BobThe Today show is never very enlightening, and this show was no exception. Is that bimbo, Erin Burnett a regular on CNBC? Her comments were strickly asinine! I won't go into detail, but I would like her just to do this for the American people. Identify those 5,000 jobs she said are going to be CREATED in California this week because of the stimulus package. I dare her!! I believe it is just more of the same rhetorical "BS" we constantly hear from this administration.
Erin
March 3, 2009 - 23:01 ET by UnsaneAgain, you back off of Erin Burnett. Now.
She is 100% above criticism.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
Unsane
March 4, 2009 - 15:08 ET by Lakewood BobErin, is that you?
"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." George Orwell
In defense of EIB (no, not the radio show)
March 4, 2009 - 16:07 ET by UnsaneNope!
Just one who appreciates her immense journalistic talents, her impeccable analysis, and her wit and wisdom.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
CRAMER:
March 3, 2009 - 23:24 ET by TN MomCRAMER: Shareholder-friendly? This is the most, greatest wealth destruction I've seen by a president.
Within a few hours, Obama tells reporters the market has "ups and downs" (well, mostly downs since you took office) and babbles about market "fits and starts" (fits and starts??) Obama then chides us to "not watch the market for long term", then he compares the market to polls during a campaign. The President of the USA spoke the above words, today. Unbelievable.
What I find very strange is that all the Obama fans I know, who were so full of Hope for Change (so VERY vocal during the campaign), are so quiet. They are embarrassed.
I need to see the clip
March 4, 2009 - 10:40 ET by NorthCoasterIf this is Obama's opinion of the meaning of the Stock Market numbers, we are truly in trouble.