George Stephanopoulos's Math Fail: Pushes Christie to Tout Obama 'Comeback'
According to Good Morning America's George Stephanopoulos, an increase in unemployment from 7.8 percent to 8.3 percent is a recovery. The ABC co-host pressed Chris Christie to agree that, just as the Governor is proclaiming a New Jersey comeback, "...Can President Obama make the same claim about the United States?"
According to Stephanopoulos's talking points, "Across the country, unemployment has gone from about 10.2 percent to 8.3 percent...The United States is on a comeback?" Of course, the problem with this is that unemployment on January 20, 2009 was 7.8 percent. It's now 8.3. percent. An increase of .5 percent constitutes an American comeback? [See video below. MP3 audio here.]
The GMA anchor repeatedly pushed Obama talking points on Christie, who has endorsed Mitt Romney. Stephanopoulos highlighted the former Massachusetts governor's insistence that the President has fought a war on religion.
Stephanopoulos quizzed, "And that comes on top of Santorum comments saying that the president has a phoney theology. Is this the debate Republicans want?"
(Until Obama pivoted off of his original contraception stance, few journalists were worrying if this was a debate Democrats "want" to have.)
Later, Stephanopoulos dumped more negativity "We have a new AP poll out this morning showing President Obama opening up an eight and nine-point lead over Governor Romney and Rick Santorum. Is this campaign hurting your party?"
The journalist offered the same liberal attack on February 1, 2012: "You know, a lot of Republicans are starting to worry that a long primary fight, the negativity of a long primary fight is going to hurt the eventual nominee?"
A partial transcript of the segment can be found below:
7am tease
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Also breaking now, new battle lines in the race for President. Mitt Romney lashes out at President Obama, accusing him of fighting religion. As this fight over faith breaks out, Republican superstar Chris Christie joins us live.
7:07
STEPHANOPOULOS: We're going to talk to one of Mitt Romney's top supporters right now, New Jersey governor Chris Christie. Thanks for joining us.
CHRIS CHRISTIE: Thanks, George.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let's talk about these comments about religion coming up right now. This 2008 speech from Rick Santorum saying that- he said Satan has his sights set on America and is making progress. Now, Santorum is not backing down. But he also says it's not relevant. Is he right?
CHRISTIE: Oh, listen, I think anything you say as a presidential candidate is relevant. I mean, it's by definition, relevant. You're asking to be the president of the United States. So, I don't think he's right. I think it's relevant what he says. I think people want to make an evaluation, a complete evaluation of anybody who asks to sit in the Oval Office. So, I think it's relevant in that respect. Do I think that's what we should be talking about as party and emphasizing at the moment? No.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, that's what I wanted to get to next, because you saw Mitt Romney last night saying President Obama has fought against religion. And that comes on top of Santorum comments saying that the president has a phoney theology. Is this the debate Republicans want?
CHRISTIE: I don't think so. But, what I will tell you is that the idea of the fighting against religion part of this goes more to the Osamacare issue and the invasion of Obamacare into maybe some religious freedom issue. I think that's an interesting conversation, an important one to have in the context of overall Obamacare. What is that going to mean for the country if it goes forward after the Supreme Court arguments in the spring? But, in the end, I think, at least what I see in New Jersey, George is that what people want to hear about what are you going to do for the economy? How are you going to create more jobs? How are you going to put my neighbor to work? How are you going to put me to work so that we can get back to supporting our families?
STEPHANOPOULOS: And that's what you talked about yesterday in your budget speech. You introduced your budget in New Jersey yesterday. Called for a ten percent income tax cuts, investments in education. You also titled what you called "the New Jersey comeback," pointing out that unemployment has gone from about 10.1 percent to about nine percent. Across the country, unemployment has gone from about 10.2 percent to 8.3 percent. So, can President Obama make the same claim about the United States? The United States is on a comeback?
CHRISTIE: I'm sure he will and I think, listen, that's his right to do. The people will evaluate the same way the people of New Jersey will evaluate, you know, my claims and my evaluation of where the state is headed as well. But you think about us. In 2009, we lost 117,000 private sector jobs, George. Since I've been governor, we've added another 60,000 private sector jobs back. So, what I said was the New Jersey comeback has begun. It's not complete. And we have more work to do. And that's why I think, for us, after people made a lot of sacrifices, shared sacrifices, now shared benefit for everybody by getting some of their money back.
...
STEPHANOPOULOS: And John McCain says that this long campaign and the tone of it is actually hurting Republican candidates. We have a new AP poll out this morning showing President Obama opening up an eight and nine-point lead over Governor Romney and Rick Santorum. Is this campaign hurting your party?
CHRISTIE: Well, I think it always does. I thing you saw it with the Hillary Clinton/Barack Obama drawn out affair as well.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Although their favorability ratings stayed high during that fight.
CHRISTIE: Well, they did, George. But it's still, vis-a-vis McCain, who had wrapped it up, it was a much more competitive race as they continued to beat each other up and I think that's just natural. What will happen, though, I think is once we settle on a nominee, and I think it will be Governor Romney, and I think it will be by April or so.
STEPHANOPOULOS: That early?
CHRISTIE: I think it will be that early. I think he'll establish momentum- Maybe not have the delegates in hand. But will clearly be the person who is going to get the nomination. Then you will see it will tighten up again. Because then people say, okay, now I'm comparing Mitt Romney to the president. And I think you'll see it tighten again. And I think we've seen this in political races before. So, I'm not dreadfully worried about that part of it, but I do think it should remind us as party, we should have never changed the rules, because what we're doing now is creating ourselves problems we didn't need.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Governor Christie, thanks very much.
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Comments
Sorry Chris...
Submitted by retrocon on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 2:20pm.
You need to be more direct. Sure, tout your success, but you need to rap Obama hard if you really have the iron ba__s we keep hearing about.
Why not answer "Comeback! You're kidding, we've got a couple million people who have lost all hope, and stopped looking for jobs! There's no Obama recovery! His policies have spread the real estate/financial bubble into every sector! He's PREVENTED recovery! He has no energy policy, he has no idea how to really 'stimulate' business. He spends and spends and spends our kids into poverty! Any gains have been despite his efforts, not because of them!"
Lot's of things he could say, if he really wanted to.
Good points, Retro.
Submitted by UpNorth on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 2:24pm.
I'd just add that the Gov could have pointed out the real unemployment rate, that which includes everyone who isn't working, has stopped looking, and hasn't even bothered to start looking, is higher than what the LSM is claiming. But, there was a lot to point out, and Christie didn't.
Obama Comeback?
Submitted by averageschmoe on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 2:23pm.
Yes, Obama is coming back to take more of my money to re-distribute and coming back to take more of my freedoms.
⇒ Obama can claim anything he wants
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 2:29pm.
It's not as though Georgie would honestly evaluate such claims.
Time to bring up 2008 bias
Submitted by jakesnake on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 3:33pm.
The Gov. needed to challenge George about the media bias in 2008. The media, including ABC, gave Obama 80% positive coverage, and McCain 20% positive coverage. (FOX was 49% positive for both)
He should ask George if his network will continue with the bias in 2012. Don't let up until George responds. Force the issue. Make it public knowledge.
Christie
Submitted by kilrod on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 3:24pm.
Just another rino.
kilrod "the Birther"
If an unborn child cannot trust you, why should I,??
Obama Has Had Very Little To Do With It
Submitted by HardRightTurn on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 3:47pm.
The only comebacks are in states with Republican governors and/or legislatures. As usual, Obama's failures are other peoples' fault and He claims other peoples' successes as his own.
Any perceived 'comeback' has happened in spite of Obama's meddling policies. A testament to the resilience of America.
To more fully comprehend the Left, one must read “Leftism As Psychopathy” by John Ray, M.A., Ph.D. Caution, it might scare you a little bit.
http://jonjayray.tripod.com/psycho.html
AGREED!
Submitted by OldJarhead77 on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 4:01pm.
TIME FOR THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS TO TELL OBAMA TO STOP CLAIMING THAT HE IS LEADING AN AMERICAN COMEBACK ON THE JOB THEY ARE DOING!
George Stephanopoulos will soon feel the pain...
Submitted by Conservator on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 3:55pm.
...of 9% unemployment when the government releases February report (see below):
U.S. Unemployment Increases in Mid-February
Underemployment also up, to 19.0%
Exactly
Submitted by Galvanic on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 11:46pm.
If the February number does hit 9% as forecast, political hacks like Stephanopoulus will have in interesting challenge explaining how the recovery is still on track.
And complete idiots like Soledad O'Brien will be at a total loss to spin it because they can't do anything but read talking points.
I don't want to see Americans out of work or $5.00/gallon gasoline, but if that's where we're headed thanks to Obama. he's earned all the wrath that comes his way.
who watches george........probably 0.0001% of america
Submitted by D'saredumbpeople on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 3:56pm.
what a joke....he thanks clinton every day otherwise he would be working in 7-11
We have 11 MILLION fewer job market participants!!
Submitted by Quasi-socialist on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 5:59pm.
11 MILLION!!
Cite your stats like they mean something.
Some Things You Were Wrong About
Submitted by berlet98 on Thu, 02/23/2012 - 2:23am.
Some Things You Were Wrong About
Contrary to popular perceptions, things aren’t always what they appear to be, especially when it comes to politics.
Politicians and media commentators have a unique ability to reinterpret reality so that, by the time they’re finished with their spinning, it’s difficult to distinguish the real from the fantastical and truth from baldfaced lies. They don’t change what’s real and what’s true but they often succeed in so muddying the waters that the average observer doesn’t see the difference between reality, truth, and prevarication.
A classic case in point is former President Bill Clinton who apparently confused his fellow Democrats to such an extent that lying under oath was not an impeachable offense serious enough to find him guilty as charged. Every Democrat senator, even those who had denounced his actions, voted in 1998 to acquit.
If nothing else, Democrats stick together.
Obama White House chief flack, Jay Carney, knows the Chicago art of deliberate confusion, obfuscation, and subterfuge as if he were born to the task.
Despite all contradictory evidence, Carney made the startling claim at a press briefing that the president didn’t really reject the Keystone XL pipeline. The proposed project, which would have funneled millions of barrels of Canadian oil into the United States and relieved the price pressure on heating oil and gasoline, failed because those rascally Republicans made it impossible for Obama to approve Keystone.
And here we cynics thought Obama was catering to his wacko environmental buddies!
Even ABC’s Jake Tapper was incredulous. Tapper asked Carney, ”How can you say that . . . if the President turned down the Keystone pipeline? And you blame the Republicans for making it political.”
The White House Press Secretary’s byzantine explanation for his reality-bending is too complex to summarize here.
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell is as committed a Clintonian supporter as Nina Burleigh but, instead of offering the 42nd president oral sex like Burleigh, offered an amazing, retroactive defense of the Clinton clan.
Commenting on PBS’s surprisingly-honest production of “Clinton,” Mitchell, who never encountered a Clinton she didn’t love, said she felt “nostalgia” for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, denounced the opposition to Clinton as “vicious,” and bemoaned the actual existence of Hillary’s fabrication of a “vast right wing conspiracy. . . There really was an enemy.”
No one expects objectivity from most MSNBC commentators but that political paranoia, articulated without a shred of proof of the existence of any conservative conspirators, is so far over the top that one suspects Mitchell was reciting from the Clinton playbook.
How any conspirator could plant semen on Monica Lewinsky’s blue dress, could inspire the Comeback Kid to parse the meaning of the verb “is,” or could make Mitchell’s hero lie under oath is beyond me, unless that Democrat thing about fudging reality is considered.
That same studied unreality is evidently a major factor in how the Obama administration is dealing with the unemployment problem and the American economy. With little concrete evidence to support either contention, we’re told both are improving, a view comparable to VP Biden’s characterization of 2010 as the year of a “Summer of Recovery.”
The president keeps boasting about somehow creating millions of jobs with his $787 billion stimulus although no one seems to know what and where they are. . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=13923.)