Obama's First Press Conference

Barack Obama's first press conference was a new experience for me or at the least, one that I haven't had for a long while: listening without cringing or suppressing the desire to throw things at the TV. Listening to someone who can deliver complete and well-thought-out sentences on a wide range of topics extemporaneously, someone who understands the material about which he is speaking as opposed to someone who is parroting memorized phrases that he thinks have something to do with the topic at hand, was such a pleasure.

Here's the video. If for some reason you had to miss it, you'll find his opening statement of interest.

Josh Marshall made this point after the press conference.

I think the power of President Obama's presentation tonight speaks for itself if you saw it. (Below I've included his answer to the first question on the economy, which was the essence of the press conference.) There's an important debate about the proper outlines of stimulus bill. But there's little serious debate over whether a large bill, predominantly focused on spending, is necessary. And yet that's what the Washington discussion has been about.

Yet the real key to understanding that press conference is in information that came out earlier today: two polls showing the public is overwhelming on Obama's side in this battle (see Gallup and CNN). According to Gallup, 67% of the public supports Obama on the Stimulus Bill versus 31% for congressional Republicans. 58% of Americans disapprove of the Hill GOP's stand on this issue.

What's most striking about these numbers is the continuing disconnect between the mood of the capital and that of the country. For me, a lot of that is a product of how Washington continues to be wired for Republican control. A president, and particularly one like Obama, is the one person who is in a position to cut through that.

Well, it's clear that the villagers and the chattering class haven't figured out what the people of Elkhart, Indiana (my parents live there) and the rest of the country know all too well. It's bad, really bad and getting worse. This is not the time to be screwing around scoring political points.

[Sidenote: Obama gave his speech in the gymnasium of the high school that a couple of my siblings graduated from. My brother's name is still on the wall along with the record he set in the mile in the 70's.]

On the other hand, the longer the Republicans do this to please the increasingly extreme right wing fringe that constitutes their base, the more irrelevant they become in US politics. Wonder when they'll figure it out.

Obama served warning last night. This is serious. Our nation gets it. 2009 is going to be tough. Let's move forward. Get this stimulus package passed now.