Bonjour! Your First 100 Days author is back from her French vacation and would like to thank her friend Stephen Kaufman for helping keep the blog updated.
Before I left on vacation, I wrote about Americans’ outrage over bonuses awarded to executives at American International Group (AIG). I quickly learned that that outrage extends across the Atlantic. Although my French is not great, even I could tell that stories of AIG, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and President Obama dominated the headlines.
In his second prime-time press conference March 24, the president mirrored that outrage. “I’m as angry as anybody about those bonuses that went to some of the very same individuals who brought our financial system to its knees,” he said. But the president said that “the rest of us can’t afford to demonize every investor or entrepreneur who seeks to make a profit.”
The president highlighted recent steps to add new jobs, strengthen banks and stabilize mortgage rates. Throughout his press conference, Obama stressed that improving the economy will take time and Americans need to be patient. “There are no quick fixes.”
Check out the transcript of Obama’s news conference on America.gov.
Comments (7)
Jim Sanders
25 March 2009 at 16:27 EDT
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I am outraged that the president is willing to mouth the lie that the financial businesses brought about this crisis seemingly on their own. The fact is that our Congress was an active participant in that process - on both sides of the aisle - including our present president!
Jeanne Feenick
26 March 2009 at 07:32 EDT
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Could not agree with you more Jim. For the public to allow President Obama and his staff to “voice outrage” over the outcome of their own legislation is sad indeed. Unfortunately, the media for the most part is so in Obama’s pocked that there’s little hope they’ll do their job. There are some real journalists left, a few, but the administration is working on silencing them. We are moving along a slippery slope…
So just when will the public and the press at large wake up and force the administration to answer the hard questions? The arrogance of our President and his team is frightening and I think with time dangerous. The fact that the media/press is supporting the effort makes those that do complicit
Patrick Peever
26 March 2009 at 11:25 EDT
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Dear Mr. President, First of all I would like you to know that in this household, we feel that you are doing an outstanding job, considering the the hand you were left to deal with. Please don’t allow the nay sayers to disway you from your plans to improve our nation’s economy and restore our nation to the level of international respect that we used to be privelledged to. I know that you and your staff are working as hard as possible to make the changes that we as a nation need to put us on the right track for future econmic and national security. I have one question for you sir. Given the current situation along our border with Mexico, would decriminalization of marijuana have any kind of an impact on the reduction of the violence in our border areas?
karthikeyan
31 March 2009 at 00:12 EDT
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i am tell my obedient. i want to gather somethings
Ed Milligan
31 March 2009 at 06:25 EDT
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Mr. President, I agree with Patrick’s comments about my household’s satisfaction with how you are managing/handling such an enormous task.
The thing that I wish everyone would remember with regards to all the situations you are juggling is that it isn’t the Democrats or the Republicans who landed us in the situations we find ourselves in. Responsibility lies with all of us. It is the lack of examination and questioning by all of us who hold responsibility for systems of management without controls, spending without goals, and generally policies without soul–profit tends to cloud the glasses we often look through. So lets stop finger pointing and roll up our sleeves and pitch in. Do what you can!
N'GUESSAN KOUAME JEAN-BAPTISTE
31 March 2009 at 10:49 EDT
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I was very happy at the time of the electoral campaigns because President Obama has a good speach. Concerning the 100 first days of President Obama,I am agree with his policy particularly his policy in Afganistan . I think President Obama will continuous in this same way.I am a student in Ivory Cost (Africa).
Wes Dillard
22 April 2009 at 15:30 EDT
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Nice Jim! Don’t forget the basis of the whole crisis, the Federal Reserve!