NY Mag's Heilemann: Obama's the Only Serious Adult in Deficit Reduction Conversation
New York magazine's John Heilemann said this weekend that President Obama is the only serious adult in the deficit reduction conversation now going on in Washington.
This deliciously came seconds before Heilemann told other guests on the syndicated "Chris Matthews Show," "I have been dispirited by the lack of strategy on the part of the White House since the midterm elections...specifically on this [issue]" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: I'm looking at debt in other countries. It's not imaginative to see our country being in trouble in this.
JOHN HEILEMANN, NEW YORK MAGAZINE: And not even in the long term. We could have a sovereign debt crisis where the external financial markets globally impose pain on us in a much shorter period of time than 20 or 30 years from now. But the point that Andrea’s making and that all of us are making is that this is why it comes back to President Obama because the Republicans are not serious about deficit reduction as Andrea said. Democrats are not enthusiastic about it for all the reasons that we know in terms of their weddedness to entitlement programs. The President is the only really serious adult in this conversation. And against all of that, if he really thinks this is important, it is going to take an act of extraordinary political leadership and risk for him to do this.
MATTHEWS: You are so smart.
ANDREW SULLIVAN, THE ATLANTIC: State of the Union, he should say in my view, “Two years, my two years of this last term, of this term will be devoted entirely to tackling our long-term debt. I will take the hit. I will be a one term President.
MATTHEWS: Boy, that, you're not president, but that's the script. You’ve just read the script. Let's take a look at the Matthews Meter. We’ve bottom-lined it with the Meter. Twelve of our regulars including Andrea, John, and Andrew. Could President Obama command a national movement to get a sweeping debt reduction plan passed by Congress? It's tied. I hate ties, but it is. 6-6. But of the Meter, the three here today of you three, Andrea, Andrew, and John, you all are yeses. Now, do you think the President, you say that intellectually he knows this is the challenge of his presidency, the next two years in the last, first term, to reduce the national debt, to command an army in doing this. My question, will he?
HEILEMANN: I have been dispirited by the lack of strategy on the part of the White House since the midterm elections.
MATTHEWS: Generally?
HEILEMANN: Generally and more specifically on this. They did not, they did not manage this commission very well. I think that they missed Rahm Emanuel, and I think would have managed this commission in a much more hands-on way. It worries me, it worries me that he is not going to do it. But as I say, I think he could, and I think he knows how important it is and that it could be actually a political winner for him if he can get everyone to hold hands and jump off the cliff together.
So, Obama's the only really serious adult in this conversation, but his strategy since the midterms has been lacking, he didn't manage the deficit commission very well, and Heilemann is worried he's not going to do anything to solve the problem.
So what exactly makes Obama the only really serious adult in this conversation? I guess you could say he was an adult before he was a child.
Beyond this, how can a President that has shown a staggering lack of concern for the deficit since Inauguration Day be in any way labeled a serious adult when it comes to fiscal restraint?
If this is the only serious adult in the room, we must be looking at a kindergarten class without a teacher.
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Comments
Mr. Heilmann, the words
Submitted by MikeB on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:04pm.
Mr. Heilmann, the words "adult" and "Obama" shoudl not ever be used in the same sentence. What you meant to say is that you agree with Obama's marxist-socialist world view wherein you would gut the military and usher in a glorious new era of Communism for the world. It's too bad you cannot comprehend the message when Russia and China both tell the Boy Blunder that it would be a bad idea for the United States to go that route. Pinhead.
Somebody's writing a new book
Submitted by Barack_must_go..... on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:05pm.
Somebody's writing a new book on Barack Obama and is jonseing for some one on one time. I don't believe he closed the deal here, but it sure was fun watching him down on his knees with his mouth wide open like that.
Is Chris Matthew's the biggest asshole on the face of the earth, after the Ass Clown himself ofcourse, or what?
Barack_Must_Go.....
He is most certainly top 5 .
Submitted by Free Stinker on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:15pm.
He is most certainly top 5 . . .
/// Sarah Palin Fan since July 11, 2007 /// خال
Heilmann is a joke. His
Submitted by Captain Repus on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:16pm.
Heilmann is a joke. His appearance, rhetoric and mannerisms are not reflective of someone who might be transported on a very long school bus.
Re-raising the expectations bar . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:18pm.
. . . The MSM is generally disappointed that Obama hasn't lived up to the Messiah billing they gave him in 2008-2009. But they continue to deceive themselves into believing that we haven't seen "the real Obama" yet.
But why would he be holding anything back? Did we elect a President who is giving us anything less than 100% effort.
So, now he's the 'real adult' in the process? Hah. They're setting the bar too high again, and they are going to disappoint themselves once more.
Mr. Obama was and is totally ill-suited for the office. We have a chance again in 2012 correct that.
Batter UP?
Submitted by Tomorama on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:17pm.
Noel, great job here, it makes NO sense, there is NO rational as if you listen to his own words BEFORE and after this declaration, they don't add up to an ADULT at all.
I am figuring and out of touch, over his head, binkyprompter reader who does not have any idea on what really to do because he has NEVER had to DO anything.
This is like saying he is a greatest fan of baseball, but when you have to take into account he throws like a GIRL (sorry to all girls) and he can't even name his favorite teams or players and that statement then would have no basis IN FACTS.
Serious adult?? Seriously?!?
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:19pm.
Bwahaha! This is the same guy who used the words "wee-wee'd up" in a sentence as if it were to be taken seriously!
Oh my lord, I almost spewed my drink!
Serious adult is by far and away the last thing I could ever call the Chairman.
Another example: "I won" which was also a very childish statement to make.
I guess Matthews needed another fan in his leghumpers club.
-Jon
Sorry Noel. Read the
Submitted by danbo on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:21pm.
Sorry Noel. Read the headline.
Haven't read the article yet.
But I will.
As soon as I stop laughing.
"You lie!" Rep. Joe Wilson R-(SC)
It took me a while to get
Submitted by danbo on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:34pm.
It took me a while to get through it. I periodically had a laughing attack while reading the transcript.
"You lie!" Rep. Joe Wilson R-(SC)
Why do we need a deficit commission?
Submitted by Blonde on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:21pm.
The creation of this commission is a political dodge, to take the heat off of those currently in elective office. Nothing more.
Obama is the only adult in the room? Seriously? The man who has delivered us successive TRILLION PLUS dollar deficits? I know, the liberals love to say the stimulus was one-off, but what about the second trillion dollar plus deficit? (They don't ever want to mention THAT one).
Paul Ryan danced circles around Obama during the Health Care Submit, and he will continue to do so.
Tell you what, Mr. Heilman, I see your Obama and raise you a Ryan.
Next round, I'm all in with the House Republicans.
I win.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Why?
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 4:34pm.
Because the rat bastard Fascist SOB has no intention of getting this country out of this or any other mess we are in. The fastest way to kill any effort to do something is to appoint a commission or form a committee. That guarantees that NOTHING will get done on the problem.
It amazes me that most people still assume that Obama wants to actually save this country, but he doesn't. His objective, in my opinion, is to take us down and deliver us to the Soros version of World Governance.
His fans keep telling us that he is so smart, so brilliant, and so experienced. Well the bulk of his "experience" is in Community Organizing, so how come he can't get this government organized? If he can't do that and he is as accomplished as the libs all say he is, then he must be trying to destroy the USA by allowing this mess to continue. If he's not doing this on purpose, then he is as dumb as a stump, because they claim that this is his strength.
Which is it, liberals?
Bubba, I seriously doubt he could organize
Submitted by Blonde on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 8:34pm.
....his sock drawer.
The liberal media will continue to cover for his never-ending sonata of policy and agenda driven decision errors.
The sock drawer might be too much of a challenge for someone of Barack Obama's supposed intellect. As far as contemplating his understanding of "budgets"....I suspect my cat can do better math.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Adult Kamikazes "hold hands and jump off the cliff together".
Submitted by upcountrywater on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:49pm.
Out of the mouth's of bat crazed babees. ZZZZZZZ sting.
QE-3 Next up on Noel's Sunday Blog of Liberal Hits.
A bail-out is just making entitlement payroll, going to need another one, and another, and another....
You Didn't Build That.
To go on the Matthews
Submitted by the struggler on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 2:59pm.
To go on the Matthews show,you should be required to wear a rubber nose and big red shoes.
This is everything wrong with
Submitted by Edhenry on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 3:22pm.
This is everything wrong with the media
1. clueless
2. biased
3. insular
4. dangerous.
The election drained the swamp of the democrat party. There never were any "moderates", All that is left are confiscatory, co-dependent, anti-freedom baby killers, supported by a clueless press, professional anti-americans in the universities and unions destroying the country.
Our job is not to negotiate, but to save this country. To do so, we must bury them by exposing their misguided and destructive policies.
'The last two years of my
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 3:47pm.
'The last two years of my one-term Presidency will be devoted entirely to tackling the massive debt that I have quadrupled in the first two years'.......................thus spoketh the only adult in the conversation.........................
Listen - some other posters allready said it: it's a real STRETCH to use adult and Obama in the same sentance...............we don't call him Boy Blunder for nothing!!!
Since Heilemann raised it
Submitted by Reaver on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 8:37pm.
Since Heilemann raised it apparently it needs to be said again – Obama and adult should not be used in the same sentence. Obama reminds me of nothing so much as a teenager who stole his parent’s credit card and went on a spending spree, now the bills are starting to come in the mail and he puts on his best innocent look and says “I have no idea where all this money went but I’m sure if we all sacrifice we can get through this.”
Cut Deficits
Submitted by dmaley1714 on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 4:13pm.
to liberals and these pundits means one thing... raise taxes
IMBECILE
Submitted by circusstorm on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 4:41pm.
"Republicans are not serious about deficit reduction".... The entire election was about "Deficit Reduction"... Heilmann is the Curly Mo in the room! Except my apology's to Curly Mo as it is definitely a slur on his intellegence... Republicans are slamming the door shut on Slobama's plans. Dem's need that tax money, because how in the hell can they go into the 2012 election with the numbers that are gonna be there without it! His opponents will smash him into oblivian with his economic handling of the U.S. economy....
Who was in Charge?
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 7:37pm.
HEILEMANN: Generally and more specifically on this. They did not, they did not manage this commission very well. I think that they missed Rahm Emanuel, and I think would have managed this commission in a much more hands-on way.So if Emanuel had been around he would have dictated the commission report? Thats how I interpret Heilman.
The Loves of Chris Matthews
Submitted by Chris Norman on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 9:35pm.
"You are so smart".
Chris Matthews said, a familar tingle beginning to inch up, or was it down, his leg. "How I wish I could be like you, be with you always", Matthews thought, as his eyes, shining, rove up and down the figure of the magnificent specimen of liberal journalism who sat across from him - so close - yet, regrettably - on camera. Matthews sighed inwardly, knowing that he and Heilemann could never be together, as he knew his heart - and his tingles - belonged forever to another man - THE MAN - Barak Obama. Matthews bosom heaved in sad passion as he knew this liberal romance between he and Heilemann was forever doomed to conversations on his low-rated show on a his piece of crap cable news network - MSNBC. The End (I'm making myself sick)
Next Week: Chris Matthews Dumps Heilemann for another whack liberal mann - Olbermann - for Matthews just loves liberal menn.
Obama's reduction.
Submitted by CobraMan on Sun, 12/05/2010 - 10:07pm.
Well, Obama did reduce the deficit, by negative 2 trillion dollars. That's not exactly what I'd would gloat about, but, hay, whatever.
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