The Left Field
Is this a new dawn?
Abhay Sampath
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Opinion
Over the past week, President Barack Obama has made many promises and made great strides in re-invoking the hopes and spirits of those who had begun to feel that he was not delivering on his campaign claims.
Last Friday, President Obama met with House Republicans in the GOP House Issues Conference. This conference is usually not televised, but fortunately this one was. This conference showed Obama at his best, shooting down questions left and right. One of the notable moments of the conference was the president's newfound forcefulness. He seemed much fiercer than before, tackling issues that he would not speak out before. "Wasteful spending is usually spent somehow outside of your district," he told the assembled Representatives. "Have you noticed that? The spending in your district tends to seem pretty sensible." He also said, in response to questions about the stimulus bill, "And then the last portion of it was infrastructure which, as I said, a lot of you have gone to appear at ribbon-cuttings for the same projects that you voted against." This aggressive nature of the president was something that was lacking in his earlier addresses. While before, he would not take specific sides on issues in fear of polarizing legislators, he is now calling out senators on their hypocrisy.
Republican representatives later said that the broadcast of this conference was probably a mistake.
Wednesday morning the president held another conference, this time with Senate Democrats, where he handled important issues facing the nation. He praised the legislators for their handling of the health care reform bill and urged them to continue their efforts. He also addressed his recent federal budget proposal, which is the largest in the nation's history at 3.8 trillion, combined with a freeze on non-defense discretionary spending that would take effect in 2011 and last for three years. Despite calls from Democrats such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to limit defense spending, especially to hold defense contractors to the same freezes mandated for non-defense spending, Obama justified the distinction saying that it would be irresponsible to cut defense spending in the middle of two wars.
Last Friday, President Obama met with House Republicans in the GOP House Issues Conference. This conference is usually not televised, but fortunately this one was. This conference showed Obama at his best, shooting down questions left and right. One of the notable moments of the conference was the president's newfound forcefulness. He seemed much fiercer than before, tackling issues that he would not speak out before. "Wasteful spending is usually spent somehow outside of your district," he told the assembled Representatives. "Have you noticed that? The spending in your district tends to seem pretty sensible." He also said, in response to questions about the stimulus bill, "And then the last portion of it was infrastructure which, as I said, a lot of you have gone to appear at ribbon-cuttings for the same projects that you voted against." This aggressive nature of the president was something that was lacking in his earlier addresses. While before, he would not take specific sides on issues in fear of polarizing legislators, he is now calling out senators on their hypocrisy.
Republican representatives later said that the broadcast of this conference was probably a mistake.
Wednesday morning the president held another conference, this time with Senate Democrats, where he handled important issues facing the nation. He praised the legislators for their handling of the health care reform bill and urged them to continue their efforts. He also addressed his recent federal budget proposal, which is the largest in the nation's history at 3.8 trillion, combined with a freeze on non-defense discretionary spending that would take effect in 2011 and last for three years. Despite calls from Democrats such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to limit defense spending, especially to hold defense contractors to the same freezes mandated for non-defense spending, Obama justified the distinction saying that it would be irresponsible to cut defense spending in the middle of two wars.
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