Obama on ‘the new way of doing business’: ‘When we make mistakes, we admit them.’
By on Nov 25th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Obama on ‘the new way of doing business’: ‘When we make mistakes, we admit them.’
During yesterday’s press conference with President-elect Obama, the journalists were divided into a White Sox section and a Cubs section. The pool reporter lamented that he — “a genuine White Sox fan” — was assigned to the Cubs section. During today’s press conference, Obama apologized to the reporter and took a shot at the Bush administration’s unwillingness to admit error:
I understand that as a life-long White Sox fan, you were placed in the Cubs section yesterday. And I want to apologize for that. This is also part of the new way of doing business: When we make mistakes, we admit them.
Watch it:
The reporter, Steve Thomma, responded, “Thank you sir, that’s the change we need on behalf of White Sox fans.”
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will he admit that granting immunity to telecoms was a mistake?
or appointing rubin’s acolytes to his econ team was a mistake?
November 25th, 2008 at 12:56 pmI am delighted Obama got elected, but seriously, the wingnuts and their media groupies are going to have a field-day with this quote. I sincerely hope Obama will be ready to admit mistakes, but this is politics fer chrissakes, and sometimes he won’t.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:05 pmdarladooner Says:
Will you admit that supporting bush and mccain was a mistake, oh yeah, you guys never admit to mistakes.
Where were you when bush was torturing and lying?
November 25th, 2008 at 1:08 pmAh, excuse me. Did someone at TP study English with George Bush? Its “the journalists WERE….”
November 25th, 2008 at 1:09 pmWell, that was cute, but if you’re going to come out and say that I expect to see it done on a substantive issue. Because you just know Jon Stewart is saving that clip for later in the term.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:09 pmMainstream is suffering and all the crap the media tells us is a lie. Every time some bailout deal goes through the Dow spikes up. But who’s paying for the bailout? the taxpayers. It is the taxpayer who is screwed every time the fat cats get bailed out!
November 25th, 2008 at 1:09 pmThen you read the news and there’s some unexpected rise in confidence and I just don’t believe that crap. It is all manipulated, made up. When does mainstream get a bailout?
You have to make mistakes before admitting to them. How many mistakes has Obama made so far??? Has his preformance so far caused you to think we have another George Bush ????
So don’t worry about the president being truthfull. I know it’s something strange to us but lets get used to it…A President with a brain.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:10 pmWell it will be a revelation and I don’t doubt him and will accept his word after all I worked many many days on his campaign but the last time a politician bellied up to that bar there was a cherry tree involved
November 25th, 2008 at 1:12 pmManning up to one’s mistakes isn’t abnormal, folks.
After 8 years of lies, distortions and cover ups, I’d find admitting to one’s mistakes a breath of fresh air.
If anyone out there has never made a mistake, you’re holy.
If anyone out there admits to their mistakes, you’re honest.
Remember when W was asked what his biggest mistake has been?
November 25th, 2008 at 1:12 pmSorry for the O/T but more bad news for the neocons:
Karzai Urges Afghan War Timeline
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7748610.stm
Looks like the people of Afghanistan are saying “thanks but no thanks” to open-ended war in their backyards. There very well may be a light at the end of Bush’s long dark blood filled tunnel.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:13 pm#9 Zimzone Says:
Well said.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:14 pmYou’ve got to be practical. The Bush Administration didn’t have time to admit its mistakes.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:15 pmThis.
Im not going to start handing out cookies yet.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:17 pmMistake or purposeful? On Obama’s bundler list:
$500,000 Kennard, Bill
Washington, DC
Attorney
Real job:
William E. Kennard
Managing Director
Washington , DC
Fund : U.S. Buyout
Industry : Telecom & Media
William E. Kennard joined The Carlyle Group in May 2001 as a Managing Director in the Global Telecommunications and Media group. He is based in Washington, DC.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:19 pmIt’s going to be nice to have a REAL PRESIDENT with morals and ethics, who actually cares about the little guy…
…and not that petulant, immature, arrogant, vengeful, little prick, Bush.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:20 pmIt’s a start.
When you’re in hole, the first thing that you do is stop digging… and Dubya’s left a lot of steam shovels on automatic that need to be turned off before you can actually start thinking about getting out of the hole….
November 25th, 2008 at 1:23 pmWill you admit that supporting bush and mccain was a mistake, oh yeah, you guys never admit to mistakes.
Where were you when bush was torturing and lying?
of course, because i have the audacity to criticize something obama said, i must be a bush supporter and/or republican. clearly, this person has never looked at my comments history.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:27 pmThank you #17:
and he admits his voting for the Patriot Act was wrong I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously
and when he admits his continued voting for continued funding for the war in Iraq was I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously
and when he admits that Emanual, Rahm, Summers and more than half of his cabinet was wrong I’ll take his rhetoric seriously
November 25th, 2008 at 1:29 pmoops. I meant Rahm Emanuel
November 25th, 2008 at 1:29 pmlet me rewrite this:
and when he admits his voting for continued funding for the war in Iraq was wrong I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously
and when he admits that Rahm Emanuel, Lawrence Summers and more than half of his cabinet is wrong I’ll take his rhetoric seriously
November 25th, 2008 at 1:33 pm(sigh)
I would like to be pointed to a senator who has NOT voted for something either wrong or questionable. That is not as an excuse, but we had no candidate who was perfection incarnate to choose from. The FISA vote (and others) are not to be forgotten, but it sounds like some want to judge Obama’s entire presidency, months before it starts, based on a handful of poor past votes (and those were just votes — what else was involved with that FISA vote? The way they do our gubbmint business, there was more than FISA there). Let’s just see what he does with the presidency that he has been voted into: and for that, lets let him at least get a run at it.
“And the winner is…. Beetlebaum….”
November 25th, 2008 at 1:34 pm“But the horses aren’t at the starting gate yet”
“Quiet, you….”
(maybe I’m too harsh on the cabinet stuff, but I am not the only scratching their head at some of these choices. Obama is a good man but he’s not the man he started out as. He’s being defined by his company. And in some respected we are the the company we keep. And I know way too much about these much people. And it ain’t pretty.)
But, time will tell.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:38 pmI understand the anger in some early choices — such as his cabinet. But we have yet to see how his cabinet will operate as the group that they are. Past history of some is known, but that does not say that they are automatically mistakes that he should be regretting before they have even done anything as his cabinet.
Of course, you MAY be as upset as you like. I’m not stopping anyone.
I am not that concerned with his past voting record — I am concerned that he take swift and clear measures, once he is in office, to correct as many of these problems as possible. So he voted to fund the troops that Bush would have left there with or without sufficient funding (there would have been troops with almost no equipment: Bush was NOT going to let a funding issue end his war, and you all know it). When he gets in office he is in the position to end the occupation, an idea which the Iraqis support as well. If he pulls our troops out of there without hassle and expediently then he has done well. Same with the other issues. He can undo a signing statement with a signing statement, if he has the will.
Time will tell.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:40 pmAnd, Kay, to come back around on myself, I don’t know that you, or anyone else, is being too harsh on some of the cabinet choices — oh, hell no — certainly run up all the dirtty data about the people themselves. Share what you jnow about them. I just don’t think that we should be crucifying Obama for selecting them until we see how the selections operate in the positions he has placed him. They may be good or bad, but pointing out THEIR deficiencies lets us know who to keep a closer eye on. That’s all. And anything I say is the rambling of a lunatic mind. :)
Don’t worry, be happy :) :) :) :)
November 25th, 2008 at 1:44 pmrepublicans hate facts Says:
When he admits that his voting for FISA was a mistake, I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously…
November 25th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I’ll take his rhetoric seriously when he or his avatars introduce legislation to REVERSE the FISA bill, the Military Commissions Act, and the PATRIOT ACT.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:47 pmI just hope Obama doesn’t get us mired in Afghanistan. But, I can the handwriting on the wall. Will he listen to the Pentagon Advisory Board? Or will Afghanistan be Obama’s, Vietnam? Keeping mind, all of these precious resources could be used here in this country. I know things are much more complicated than this. And I come from the perspective of Gulf of Tolkin=9/11= what’s next?
November 25th, 2008 at 1:49 pmI feel compelled to say it again: no voter is a dictator.
One President cannot please every voter in his/her own party, let alone the whole country.
Let’s give Obama the room to maneuver. I don’t care if Obama includes Lucifer Himself or Bill O’Reilly (OK, maybe that’s going too far) in his cabinet if he can use them to get our country back.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:51 pmoops. Gulf of Tonkin
November 25th, 2008 at 1:51 pmrepublicans hate facts Says:
“When he apologizes for his FISA vote and admits it was a mistake I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously…”
Kay Says: Some equally critical bullshit
Does this mean that you two Hillary worshippers will finally shut up and at least wait until January 21st to continue your anti-Obama ranting? Didn’t really think so. Honestly, I think Obama could end both wars, capture Bin Laden, enact universal health care, arrest Bush and his minions and bring lasting prosperity to our Nation in his first year and the two of you will still have something negative to say because he is not Hillary Clinton. Just do us all a favor if you both will: If either of you ever decide to actually post something constructive, please start your post with a noticeable symbol so I don’t skip past them like I’ve been since Hillary lost. The ONLY time either of you choose to post something here is to rail against Obama and state (or should I say constantly re-state) your apprehensions. Those grapes must be soooooooooooo sour judged by the acerbic tone that consistantly comes through in your remarks.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:53 pmCageyCretin,
I have expressed details on cabinet choices and I’ve been told to STFU and told to go to redstate.com
(just as examples)
so, I am a little wary today…
November 25th, 2008 at 1:53 pmBy the way,
A Patriot Acting,
November 25th, 2008 at 1:56 pmI have never supported Hillary.
Get your facts straight.
capture OBL?
He’s probably playing golf with Bin Bush I
Bush’s Bogus War on Terror needs him
November 25th, 2008 at 1:57 pmThere are mistakes and there are differences of opinion. Yet I see some here want Obama to apologize for his choice of appointments to cabinet positions.
Just because Joe Citizen doesn’t approve of Obama’s choice for Chief of Staff or Secretary of State or Treasury Secretary doesn’t mean that choice was a “mistake” for which an apology must be made. And certainly not before inauguration. It’s impossible for Obama to make an appointment that will set well with everyone. Therefore, he’s going to go with people he can trust, people who are smart and qualified, and people who will support his agenda.
I suggest we allow Obama to run the show the way he wishes, and not anticipate mistakes and failures until they actually happen. Let’s not kick him in the shins before he’s even left the starting blocks.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:59 pmHow the hell could I support a woman (esp for sec of state)_that said to obliterate Iran
some “change to believe in”
killing Iranian grandmothers and children
bad bad choice
November 25th, 2008 at 1:59 pmKay Says:
oops. Gulf of Tonkin
I was wondering, just for a second, what J.R.R Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings had to do with all this, heh =)
( I knew what you meant, but just had to snark )
November 25th, 2008 at 2:07 pmKay-
I rescind my Hillary remarks. The rest stands. Let me know if you post something consructive…..ever
November 25th, 2008 at 2:13 pmlook, we all know that obama is a centrist. however, he pledged to vote against telecom immunity, and he didn’t.
that’s the point i want to make.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:21 pmKay: I was present the day you were told STFU. I don’t think that comment was necessarily in order (and it is never polite). And while you DID post some info on the cabinet choices you disagreed with, the main theme and point of your post there was to adminish Obama. MY point, for the little it is worth, is let the events play out. Every group of people acts differently, depending upon the group and its leadership. While the selections may have flaws (from minor to great), it is probable that they were selected for qualities that they possess that will be useful in unravelling any of the multitudes of messes Bush is leaving behind. No one is completely evil, and by the same token, every politician who has been a politician for any amoutn of time does possess some useful skills. It is a little early to be calling Obama a failure as president, and I think that is the point of most opinions disagreeing with your comments, which SEEM to indicate that that is what you are doing. All we have to go on are words, here, and the words you have used seem to some to imply that you are judging Obama as a failed president before he’s even taken the oath. Bit early. I did NOT vote for Bush, but gave him the first year to see what he would ACTUALLY do.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:30 pmdarladooner Says:
look, we all know that obama is a centrist.
I don’t give a rat’s testicle what label anyone wants to give him. I will judge him by what he does as the president, when he is sworn in as president. Did he make poor choices in the past? I would expect so, or else he is not a human being. Give him what labels you want. Most of us will hold of any judgement as to his presidential abilities until he has had a chance to display them. And the position of senator is different from president. The voting is over. What’s the point of trying to bring him down him now? I knew of that vote before I voted for him. And I’d vote for him again. That point is old news.
I would ask — did you vote for Obama? If so, why don’t you want to give him a chance? However, I would also rather leave that as a rhetorical, as it will lead way off topic.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:38 pmKay Says:
let me rewrite this:
and when he admits his voting for continued funding for the war in Iraq was wrong I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously
and when he admits that Rahm Emanuel, Lawrence Summers and more than half of his cabinet is wrong I’ll take his rhetoric seriously
But if his choices prove to be effective and Obama does fix things, will you admit your criticism was a mistake?
I am willing to see what Obama actually does first before starting to heap criticism on him. Then I will start pushing for building a viable 3rd party. Not a 3rd party such as Nader tries, only running as an ego trip each 4 years, but I will push for replacing the ineffective Democrats and all Republicans with 3rd party progressives, once there is enough replacing them, then run a presidential candidate.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:46 pmBut if his choices prove to be effective and Obama does fix things, will you admit your criticism was a mistake?
Yes. More than you would.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:58 pmsorry that was meant for Dr. Matt (STFU) Hussein
November 25th, 2008 at 3:00 pmWayne: Regardless of Obama’s performance — we need at least one other viable party in our system. Preferably several, but that is probably asking for the moon. The system was never intended to be a 2-party system, and that it has become a 2-party system is eroding the whole thing.
The continued lack of action from the congress, voted to the Dems 2 years ago, should help indicate that. These politicians know that it is a state of one or the other right now, and eventually that wheel will come back around to them. With one or more additionsal viable parties, the whole thing should be shaken up a bit more.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:01 pmTime to crawl back to my cave. Happy Tanksgiving.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:05 pmCageyCretin Says:
With one or more additionsal viable parties, the whole thing should be shaken up a bit more.
Agreed.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:05 pmWas it a mistake to say “add” 2.5 million jobs?
That changed to “add or save” in this morning’s news conference.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:06 pmKay Says:
But if his choices prove to be effective and Obama does fix things, will you admit your criticism was a mistake?
Yes. More than you would.
Kay Says:
sorry that was meant for Dr. Matt (STFU) Hussein
If it was meant for Matt, why were you replying to my post? WTF?
November 25th, 2008 at 3:07 pmCommon sense tells me we need a 3rd party…how about the ‘Common Sense’ party?
A whole bunch of people on both sides of the political spectrum are entirely disillusioned right now.
Right now is the opportune time to reach out to others dissatisfied with our current political cesspool.
CageyCretin is correct on this…’the system was never intended to be a 2-party system’.
By keeping it at 2, it serves the purpose of ‘us & them’. When we have that, it naturally divides our Country. Adding a 3rd party will balance this destructive approach to democracy.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:09 pmrepublicans hate facts Says:
When he apologizes for his FISA vote and admits it was a mistake I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously…
And you are going to repeat this how many times? Just because you think his vote was a mistake, doesn’t necessarily make it a mistake. He had his reasons for that vote and you can disagree all you want. If he doesn’t think it was a mistake, then why should he apologize for it?
November 25th, 2008 at 3:16 pmKay Says:
How the hell could I support a woman (esp for sec of state)_that said to obliterate Iran
some “change to believe in”
killing Iranian grandmothers and children
bad bad choice
So Kay, you care to show us when and where the SOS was given the ability to make and implement policy separate from the President? Last I saw, the SOS takes direction from the President.
So, I will once again say that you really do need to STFU until such time as you have a legitimate complaint based on something that actually happened. Just because you project something is going to happen does not make it a fact. And just because you say something does not make it the truth, contrary to your belief.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:22 pmbecause of this:
But if his choices prove to be effective and Obama does fix things, will you admit your criticism was a mistake?
Yes. I would be able to admit my criticsms were a mistake.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:27 pmno you need to : STFU
November 25th, 2008 at 3:27 pmKay Says:
and he admits his voting for the Patriot Act was wrong I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously
and when he admits his continued voting for continued funding for the war in Iraq was I’ll take his rhetoric more seriously
and when he admits that Emanual, Rahm, Summers and more than half of his cabinet was wrong I’ll take his rhetoric seriously
In other words you won’t take him seriously until he acts exactly like you want him to act. If he doesn’t think any of those three were mistakes, then he should not apologize for them. He had his reasons for making those decisions. You are free to disagree with his decisions, but you are not free to judge his future performance based on what you think he will do. Last I checked, no one had anointed you as GOD. Actually all you are is a miserable troll who is incapable of anything other than spewing vitriol and judging the world by your belief that you are always right and everyone else is always wrong.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:28 pmKay Says:
because of this:
But if his choices prove to be effective and Obama does fix things, will you admit your criticism was a mistake?
Yes. I would be able to admit my criticsms were a mistake.
I’ll believe it when I see it, but I’m not holding my breath.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:28 pmSomething we haven’t see or heard in 7 years. It takes a real honest person to admit they were wrong.
November 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pmAll I’m concerned about is how for 2 years Obama campained on this whole “change” idea, and now he’s picking all these cabinet members from Clinton’s staff. Is that really change? It seems to me his entire campaign theme is a crock of BS…
November 25th, 2008 at 7:41 pmThis is like the total “grow up” thread. Well maybe not…
November 26th, 2008 at 1:23 amre: #60
I cannot believe people allow someone say something like this. You may disagree with what I say but there is absolutely no need to spew this garbage.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:07 am#61 : agreed.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:15 amThe gloves are off. (How dare you tell me to kill myself. You truly are a disgusting person. You must truly loathe yourself)
And what a pretentious moniker, Dr. Hussein Matt.
When I listened to Barack Obama’s keynote’s speech at the Democratic Convention in 2004 I still “believed”. What a powerful speech.
Not anymore. I truly believe Obama started out after law school with the best of intentions but somewhere got lured by the smell of power : Wall Street, Corporations, The Pentagon etcwere calling.
I did not vote for Obama. I voted for McKinney. In your pea-sized brain you don’t undertand any of this. Obamamania a.k.a the honeymoon will end with a years time. This is just another election, the democrats are just another wing of the war party.
Obama may change a few things here and there. We need a 3rd party. Obama’s vote for FISA (and Obama was a constitutional scholar), the Patriot ACT, continued funding for Iraq/ Afghaistan is not the change I believe in.
Things do not bode well for Obama. We are the company we keep. And the emerging cabinet looks like a dark cloud. Will there be another false flag attack to imbed in Afghnistan or somewhere else? Hence to complete destroy the economy (if it isnt already!)
I offically leave Think Progress today. I have better things to do with my time. Go ahead and rejoice. But mark my words appointments do mean future policy — I don’t care what anyone says.
November 26th, 2008 at 8:34 amKay, save your blood pressure and ignore Mattie.
To sum up:
Cubs-White Sox
November 26th, 2008 at 9:56 amKennard-Attorney-Carlyle Group
2.5 million jobs-Create-create or save