Rice Echoes McCain: ‘The Fundamentals Of The U.S. Economy Are Strong’
Rice Echoes McCain: ‘The Fundamentals Of The U.S. Economy Are Strong’
Last week, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was widely ridiculed for his claim that the “fundamentals of our economy are strong” on the very day that two of Wall Street’s major banking institutions collapsed. In an interview with CNBC yesterday, however, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice echoed McCain, stating that the “fundamentals of the U.S. economy are strong”:
QUESTION: How does a United States in the middle of a global financial crisis affect diplomatic efforts around the world and your efforts? […]
RICE: Everybody understands that this is a very specific, indeed once-in-a-lifetime – well, we certainly hope – circumstance. But people have confidence in the United States. As the President has said, this is a financial crisis, but the fundamentals of the U.S. economy are strong.
McCain later backtracked, claiming he was simply referring to the American worker. “The American worker and their innovation and their entrepreneurship, the small business, those are the fundamentals of America and I think they’re strong,” he said. Rice cited similar reasons for her assessment:
RICE: Everyone understands our great ability to innovate, the productivity of our workers, the ability of the country to move quickly. And so I believe the United States’ standing has not been really affected.
Rice is making a clam that even the White House now refrains from saying. In a press briefing last week, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, in a tense exchange, refused to side with McCain’s statement about the “fundamentals” of the economy being “strong.” “We have a mixed picture,” Perino concluded.
Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson yesterday also seemed to disagree that any “fundamentals” of the economy are healthy after the financial meltdown. The crisis in the “credit markets…threaten[s] American families’ financial well-being, the viability of businesses both small and large, and the very health of our economy,” he told Congress.
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Oh, would you just SHUT UP!?
September 24th, 2008 at 10:45 amCondi, you DO know that Johnny Mac picked his VP already, dontcha?
September 24th, 2008 at 10:47 amYeah, and Condi lectured the Middle East monarchs on the need for a growing middle class for successful democracy. On that mark, America is going backwards.
Click those ruby red slippers together, Condoleezza. You’re in Oz.
September 24th, 2008 at 10:48 amI had a REALLY CREEPY experience last night…remember Weekly Standard editor Fred Barnes? Remember how yesterday we read about him saying (the night before I believe) that if you changed the wording from “BAILOUT” which is such a dirty sounding word to “RESCUE” everyone would be behind it?
Well, I ended up watching some MSM ‘news’ last night for once, just because my roommate was watching it.
I can’t recall even ONE person using the word bailout. It was rescue, rescue, rescue…
I seem to remember the word bailout being bandied about on the MSM before yesterday…
It’s like fu(king 1984…
Just keep repeating the big lie (fundamentals=strong) until everyone swallows it.
They’re fu(king raping and killing us with fu(king semantics.
September 24th, 2008 at 10:52 amThe fundamntals are strong please rescue the dire peril financial market.
Oh, and screw those 286 mortgage lenders that imploded
Snarkety
September 24th, 2008 at 10:54 amYou’re right, LT.
The sheeple haven’t a clue…
September 24th, 2008 at 10:54 amNeocons sure do love subjective concepts.
We’ve got to demonstrate our “will.”
We’ve got to stop “emboldening” our enemies.
Our “great ability” to innovate is strong.
Our “ability” to “move quickly” is great.
Sure sign of neoconservative b*llsh*t — nothing can be quantified or measured.
I always took the “fundamentals” of an economy to be trivial things like net valuation, convertibility of currency, value of currency on global markets, gross market capitalization, output per worker, trade balances, debt load — you know, things that can be measured.
Guess I was wrong. I’d better hand that Ph.D. back…
September 24th, 2008 at 10:55 amRICE: But people have confidence in the United States.
Uh, only 9%…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/24/83-percent-of-americans-t_n_128822.html
September 24th, 2008 at 10:55 amEveryone understands our great ability to innovate
Except when your administration kills funding for things like alternative energy…
the productivity of our workers
Except after all their jobs have been shipped overseas.
the ability of the country to move quickly
Except when we’ve got IDIOTS like you at the helm, 2 wars, an entire planet of hatred coming at us, a dying economy, a broken military, and NO CREDIBILITY.
And so I believe the United States’ standing has not been really affected.
No one gives a flying rat-FU(K what you believe you gap-toothed imbecile. Our STANDING is SO AFFECTED that the United States doesn’t even have legs anymore.
September 24th, 2008 at 10:56 amShe doesn’t give a flip. If anything the bargain bins at Ferragammo will be overflowing, which suits her just fine. To say nothing of the firesale on eBay when people start needing ready cash…
September 24th, 2008 at 11:04 am…but, but, but I thought the Fundamentals were the workers.
¶ AIO
September 24th, 2008 at 11:04 amGee I wonder what it would look like if the fundementals were weak?
September 24th, 2008 at 11:05 am1. A functioning credit market is a “fundamental” of any strong economy;
2. According to the Fed Chair and Treasury Sec. the U.S. (and perhaps global) credit market will suffer catastrophic failure without a $700 billion bailout;
therefore, either:
3. The fundamentals of our economy are not strong;
or
4. We have no need to give a $700 billion check to the incompetent greedheads who let this nonfundamental event happen.
Next week: The Interior Secretary expresses an opinion on our Iraq policy.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:06 amRun along, little Condi, run along.
There are shoes to be purchased and golf to be played.
PEACE
September 24th, 2008 at 11:07 amThey’d rather see the destruction of the economy than lose an election .
Delusional, utterly and totally delusional .
September 24th, 2008 at 11:07 amThe Republicans are so good at parroting talking points that sometimes they continue to repeat them long after they have become inoperable. It reveals the emptiness of their rhetoric.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:07 amReally?
A default by the US government is no longer unthinkable
September 24th, 2008 at 11:08 am
See, it all depends on what you mean by “the American worker.” According to the World Bank’s metrics, the United States ranks #1 in Employing Workers. We score “well” in this ranking because it’s easy to fire people, vacation days are not required, we can hire permanent workers with fixed-term contracts, and severance pay is not required. Evil empires like Germany or France score poorly for daring to protect workers’ rights.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:10 amThen why are we about to witness the biggest robbery of the Treausry by Wall Street barons,if Condi’s statement is accurate?.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:11 amThen Why are taxpayers asked to bail out Wall Street financial institutions who have been doing busniess there for over 100 years?
Today, people are tired of rosy pictures and are looking for accountability.
What are the fundamentals without money?!!
The situation is so bad in the housing,credit,and energy markets in addtion to the nosediving of US dollar’s value worldwide.
Did Condi take a course in economics with McCain? !!
“Everybody understands that this is a very specific, indeed once-in-a-lifetime – well, we certainly hope – circumstance.”
I take great exception to that statement! I have often wished the principals of bushco had not lived so long but I never expected to have the favor returned to everybody in the Country. In my memory this is the second time the Wall Street Thieves have raped this Country in less than 80 years. Now the thieves want everybody to die before they reach 80 so they can’t remember the last time when they get it again.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:15 amQ: How does a United States in the middle of a global financial crisis affect diplomatic efforts around the world and your efforts?
A: “Well because US diplomacy is basically “bribes or bombs” the State department essentially maintains a slush-fund with the DoD that is protected within the Defense Budget and by certain congresspeople from any cuts, so even though the American public has to do without, our diplomatic efforts are ALWAYS secure and well-funded. So there’s nothing for the American people to worry about.”
September 24th, 2008 at 11:22 amWith Condi’s impeccable credentials, a PhD in Political Science and as National Security Advise for our Dear Leader, I believe she is in line to take the helm of Department of Homeland Security from that sterling legal mind and action doll, Michael Chernoff when John McSame is handed the White House after massive voter fraud is found (in minority areas) and the Supremes give McSame the nod.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:22 amCrikey, Crusty Old Bastard, you ARE old! But you’re no John McCain.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:24 am:)
And hate objective definitions of words.
That’s why they’re always being “taken out of context”.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:25 amUntil now, I was unaware that severe mental illness was something that you could catch, like a cold or the flu.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:27 amthe good news is that people don’t seem to be buying this crap. The polls (if you can believe anything these days – see 1984) show a good upward trend for Obama. The bad news is that I don’t trust Pelosi or Reid as far as I can throw them. They eventually cave in on everything. We get Thom Hartman delayed here in Denver, and I was listening to him last night, and he was talking to Bernie Sanders about this mess, and what should be done. It scared the s!it out of me. The dems could completely screw this up by cow-towing to the mindless, soulless chimp-in-charge, and we would be totally screwed. Did anyone else hear that interview on the radio? Am I the only one who is completely freaked out and chewing off all my finger nails?
September 24th, 2008 at 11:30 amYes such great innovators. They innovated this mess and moved so quickly they corrected before it go to this point where they need to be rescued from their innovation.
This is like rescuing a drug addict by giving them more drugs.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:31 amIs she referring to John McCain as president already?
September 24th, 2008 at 11:33 ammuzz: Am I the only one who is completely freaked out and chewing off all my finger nails?
Got any fingernails left that I can borrow?
September 24th, 2008 at 11:33 amAnd so I believe the United States’ standing has not been really affected……
Let’s see, world ranking of USA in world opinion has fallen. Measures of science competitiveness have fallen (often a talking point of conservatives for NCLB), a study released this week on Iran criticised its human rights record but said it was more democratic than some other Mid-east countries such as Saudi Arabia,……..
But if you don’t believe in polls and studies and want a hard metric, how is the dollar doing against the Euro these last 8 years ?
September 24th, 2008 at 11:36 amMay I please have two tickets to Cloud Coo-Coo Land? One senior fare and one special needs adult fare, please?
September 24th, 2008 at 11:38 amNo, I believe President Bush has said the same thing. Don’t know if HE meant “American workers” when he said “fundamentals of the economy” too. I guess it’s a good thing so many of our workers do weight training in their spare time, huh? Otherwise we’d really be up shit creek.
By the way, you can be forgiven for mistaking George Bush’s words for John McCain’s. Happens all the time.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:38 amIf Stanford welcomes her back, their bonds should be downgraded!
September 24th, 2008 at 11:39 amOMFG!!!! The johnmccain.com website now has as its tagline
REFORM*PROSPERITY*PEACE
as if he’s running on the Bull Moose ticket in ‘04 (1904, which I think was the first year he was eligible to vote).
ROFLMAO
September 24th, 2008 at 11:44 am“great ability to innovate, the productivity of our workers, the ability of the country to move quickly”
Then why does it take GM 2 years (2010) for the Hybrid Volt to get on the marketplace, for example? That ain’t quick or necessarily innovative.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:04 pmAccording to Condi, “the fundamentals are strong.” Saks must be having a shoe sale.
McCain/Palin = McIIIrd/Wisilla Witch
September 24th, 2008 at 12:04 pmYeah condi…..we know you have a plan for getting us out of this:
Decline and Fall-It’s the autumn of our old republic
September 24th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Why on earth is the SecState pontificating on the state of the economy? Go buy shoes, Condi, and leave the economics to thems that knows.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:10 pmLet’s see if I can sum up the Republican belief system here:
1) Economy – Great! (We’ll just put a wittle $700 billion bandaid on the booboo.)
2) Healthcare – No problems there either. Everyone is healthy, therefore they don’t need insurance.
3) Foreign policy – Working… we will win, we are winning, and we have already won!
4) Gays – Kill ‘em!
5) Unemployment – You didn’t try hard enough to find a job.
6) If you think anything is wrong with the country – You are unAmerican and we don’t need you here.
7) If you need anything – Quit whining and get lost.
8) If you complain about guns – We’ll shoot ya!
Does that about cover it?
September 24th, 2008 at 12:16 pmBin Laden Laughs
… as his predictions of America’s impending bankruptcy come true
Only way they can save face now is with another war.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:16 pm5th Estate Says: “Crikey, Crusty Old Bastard, you ARE old! But you’re no John McCain.:).”
Thanks, 5th. I wasn’t around at the start but I started before McSenile. And you are right, I cannot measure up to McCain and his Navy Experience. McDisaster is credited with destroying five Naval aircraft and seriously damaging one aircraft carrier. My accomplishment in that arena amounted to one bar stool at the Cubie Point Naval Air Station, Subic Bay, Philippines. Unfortunately, our experiences do have one thing in common–everything destroyed or damaged belonged to OUR Navy. He obviously is continuing in the same pattern.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:18 pmScaryBrownHusseinChick (ThinkOutsideTheBush) Says
September 24th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Does that about cover it?
________________________________________________________
Hmmm…I think you forgot a couple:
9) Immigration — Deport ‘em all! Build a fence! Keep ‘em out! Uh, except for our maids, our nannies, our gardeners, our construction workers, our cheap labor, etc.
10) Energy — Drill, baby, drill! Until we’ve gotten every last drop the planet has in it! Don’t waste any time or money developing any alternatives! And by the time we run out of oil, hopefully we’ll be dead and the next generation will have to deal with the energy problem.
But I especially like your #1 about the economy being great. Especially since the “greatness” comes from the American workers, many of whom are unemployed because so many jobs have been shipped overseas. Yeah, we can put a “bandaid on the booboo”, but until these “strong” American workers have decent jobs and get paid a living wage, consumer debt will just increase and our economic problems will continue. Our economy has always worked best when we have a healthy productive middle class.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:36 pm(Sorry for the multiple post, but I think it’s very important):
This is from yesterday, but I’ve not seen it in TP:
Sarkozy seeks G8 summit on financial crisis
Meanwhile, where is the “leader of the free world” (ha ha) ?
Hidding in fear of harming the election of the next GOP doofus.
The leader of the free world is dead. Long live the (next) leader of the free world.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:39 pmRice knows as much about the economy as she does about world affairs.
September 24th, 2008 at 12:54 pmShe was referring to her field of expertise Russia Her head is up her a** when it comes to the USA
September 24th, 2008 at 1:02 pmOnce again, Rice-a-Roni PROVES she is a moron..and a puppet doll…go buy some more shoes on the taxpayer dime..it’s cheaper than having you shoot your mouth off anymore…
September 24th, 2008 at 1:03 pmPhuck the rescue of Wall street, reinstate the .025% securities transaction tax and then Wall street can help itself and stop the speculative gambling and volitility of Wall street.This was repealed in the sixties and plenty of people said this will create speculation and it did.
September 24th, 2008 at 1:04 pmCon-De RICE said:
Made in America is a brand long retired…
Job loss on the rise…
… But she can still buy Prada.
.
September 24th, 2008 at 1:39 pmWe’d better hurry up do what Paulson and Bush ask. We wouldn’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud, would we?
September 24th, 2008 at 2:08 pm“Rice Echoes McCain: ‘The Fundamentals Of The U.S. Economy Are Strong”
lol Shoe shopping Girlfriday is certainly adding more nails to the Gramps McSame coffin campaign.
September 24th, 2008 at 2:08 pmRice is a WAR CRIMINAL! She has been out of major media headlines since it was revelled that she was heading secret meeting in the WH about the US’s TORTURE PROGRAM. Arrest Rice now! HAGUE 2009!
September 24th, 2008 at 3:27 pm