Obama on Face the Nation Sept. 20

Schieffer: No tax increase on people who made under 250,000 dollars.

Obama: Right.

Schieffer: No payroll tax, no capital gains …

Obama: Right.

Schieffer: … no tax of any kind on Americans. Can you still make that promise to people today?

Obama: I can still keep that promise because, as I've said, about two-thirds of what we've proposed would be from money that's already in the health care system but just being spent badly. And as I said before, this is not me making wild assertions.

You know, you always hear about waste and abuse in Washington and usually it doesn't mean much because nobody ever finds where that waste and abuse is. This is money that has been directly identified that the Congressional Budget Office, that Republican and Democratic experts agree is there, that is not improving the quality of our health. So the lion's share of money to pay for this will come from money that's already in system.

Now, we are going to have to find some additional sources of revenue for the other third or so of the health care plan. And I've provided a long list of approaches that would not have an impact on middle class Americans. They're not going to be forced to pay for this. Insurance companies, drug companies are gonna have to be ponying up, partly because right now they're receiving huge subsidies from folks.

Schieffer: But aren't they going to then pass it on to consumers? I mean that's what you know the Chamber of Commerce is saying. They're starting a big ad campaign right -

Obama: Right.

Schieffer: - now, they're saying you're gonna put these taxes on these insurance companies on people that make things like X-rays and lab tests and all of that and they're just going to turn right around and pass it right on to the consumer.

Obama: Here's the problem, they're passing on those costs to the consumer anyway. The only difference is …

Schieffer: But this would be more

Obama: No, the difference is that they're making huge profits on it, Bob. I mean, let's take the Medicare HMO programs that are being run by insurance companies. It's estimated by everybody that they're overcharging by about 14 percent. This amounts to about $177 billion over 10 years. About $17 billion a year, $18 billion a year. That's just going to pad their profits, hasn't been shown to make Medicare recipients any healthier. And in fact because those huge subsidies are going to insurance companies, Medicare recipients are not getting a good deal. Now if we are enforcing what should be the rules around Medicare and making sure the people are getting a bang for the buck, it's not going to be possible for insurance companies to simply pass on those costs to Medicare recipients because ultimately it's Uncle Sam that's paying for those services anyway.

Look, bringing about change in this town is always hard. When you've got special interests that are making billions of dollars, absolutely they're gonna want to keep as much of that, the profits that they're making, as possible. And by the way, those insurance companies even during these down years have been making terrific profits. We don't mind them making profits, we just want them to be accountable to their customers.

On missile defense (Obama also talked about Afghanistan):

Schieffer: You announced yesterday a major change in American strategic strategy when you said that we would not go forward with the missile defense system that would be there on the border of Russia. The Russians saw that as a poke in the eye from the very beginning. But even people who agree that that missile system is out of place are asking questions. Shouldn't you have tried to get something from the Russians in exchange for doing that?

Obama: Well keep in mind that when George Bush announced his strategy for putting missile defense in place, in the Czech Republic and in Poland, I said at the time I think we need missile defense but I want to make sure it works, that it's cost effective, that the technologies are operable, that it's our best possible strategy. And that hadn't been shown. So when I came in I asked the same people who had signed on first one - Bob Gates, my Secretary of Defense, as well as the Joint Chiefs of Staff - tell me given the intelligence you have now and the technology we possess and what we know about the Iranian threat, which always been our main concern, not Russia, tell me if the system that we've designed is the best possible system. And they came back to me and said, you know what, given what we know now we actually think that this is a better way of doing it. So we're not eliminating missile defense - in fact what we're doing is putting a system in that's more timely, more cost effective, and that meets the actual threats that we perceive coming from Iran.

Russia had always been paranoid about this, but George Bush was right, this wasn't a threat to them. And this program will not be a threat to them. So my task here was not to negotiate with the Russians. The Russians don't make determinations about what our defense posture is. We have made a decision about what will be best to protect the American people as well as our troops in Europe and our allies. If the by-product of it is that the Russians feel a little less paranoid and are now willing to work more effectively with us to deal with threats like ballistic missiles from Iran or nuclear development in Iiran, you know, then that's a bonus.

Read the entire transcript

Obama Says Some Are Racist

President Barack Obama on Friday acknowledged that some Americans don’t like him because of the color of his skin — but argued that the vast majority of his political opponents simply disagree with him on the merits of the issues.

He offered that same answer – virtually word for word — to questions about race posed by some of the five Sunday show anchors he sat down with Friday at the White House.

To George Stephanopoulos of ABC’s “This Week,” Obama said, “Are there some people who don’t like me because of my race? I’m sure there are. Are there some people who voted for me only because of my race? There are probably some of those too.” Read more at Politico.

Obama, always the grown up. He says health care has become a proxy for worries that government is getting too big and that we don't have to assume the worse of people's motives. Conflict is catnip to the media. Preview of Obama on Face the Nation:

George S. previews his sit down with Obama here. Obama acknowledges that some people are frightened of government.
CNN preview:

Obama is doing five shows this weekend except for Fox. It's probably pointless to do Fox. Fox viewers who want to see Obama can tune to another station.

Bill O'Reilly is upset about that. So O'Reilly stokes the fire about the new missile defense strategy. O'Reilly also says he's not supporting a public option, contrary to what the left has been saying.
Chris Wallace says Obama's people are the "biggest bunch of cry babies." Like that's going to get you an interview.
O'Reilly and Wallace illustrate why Obama's probably not doing Fox. Watch it here.

Obama on Face the Nation March 29 - Video

Obama is considering National Guard troops on the Mexican border but rules out ground troops in Pakistan. On Monday, Obama will give more details on what's going on with the automakers. 

Watch CBS Videos Online

Watch CBS Videos Online

President Obama: - we've gotta reduce demand for drugs. We've got to do our part in reducing the flow of cash and guns south.

Schieffer: Are we anywhere close to putting U.S. troops on the border?

President Obama: You know, obviously there have been calls to increase National Guard troops on the borders. That's something that we are considering. But we want to first see whether some of the steps that we've taken can help quell some of the violence. And we want to make sure that we are consulting as effectively as we can with the Mexican government in moving this strategy forward.

Schieffer: All right. Let's take a break here. We'll come back and talk about some domestic issues.

He told bankers bonuses are unacceptable:

Schieffer: Did you talk about that in your big meeting with bankers at the White House?

President Obama: I talked to them. And what I said was, look, first of all, there are a lot of bankers that are doing good work in the community, that are acting responsibly, that haven't taken huge risks. I understand that. But understand that for the average single mom who is just barely struggling to pay her mortgage or medical bills for her kid, who's paying her taxes, who's playing by the rules and then finds out that a taxpayer-assisted firm is paying out multi-million dollar bonuses, that's just not acceptable. Show some restraint. Show some, show that you get that this is a crisis and everybody has to make sacrifices.

Schieffer: And what did they say?

President Obama: They agreed. And they recognized it. Now, the proof of the pudding's in the eating. So I expect to see that restraint operate. Another way of putting it, as I said to those folks, let me help you - help me help you. It's very difficult for me as president to call on the American people to make sacrifices to help shore up the financial system if there's no sense of mutual obligation and mutual help.

Now, the flip side is, I've gotta explain to the American people we're not gonna get this recovery if we don't see a recovery of the financial sector. And there's no separation between Main Street and Wall Street. We're all in this together. And it's my job to help keep that focus as we move forward.

Start of the transcript:

CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent Bob Schieffer: Mr. President, thank you for joining us. This economic crisis has been so severe that it has literally pushed all the other issues off the television, out of the newspapers. But as - when you outlined your program for Afghanistan and the new strategy, it really underlined in the starkest terms that we may not be talking about these serious issues, but there are some very serious things going on out there. So I'd like to start there -

President Obama: Please.

Schieffer: - if I could. This is a hugely ambitious plan. 22,000 more troops. You're gonna increase spending by 60 percent. You said in your announcement we must defeat al Qaeda.

President Obama: Right.

Schieffer: This has really now become your war, hasn't it?

President Obama: I think it's America's war. And it's the same war that we initiated after 9/11 as a consequence of those attacks on 3,000 Americans who were just going about their daily round. And the focus over the last seven years I think has been lost.

What we want to do is to refocus attention on al Qaeda. We are going to root out their networks, their bases. We are gonna make sure that they cannot attack U.S. citizens, U.S. soil, U.S. interests, and our allies' interests around the world.

In order for us to do that, we have to ensure that neither Afghanistan nor Pakistan can serve as a safe haven for al Qaeda. And, unfortunately, over the last several years what we've seen is, essentially, al Qaeda moving several miles from Afghanistan to Pakistan but effectively still able to project their violence and, and hateful ideologies out into the world.

Schieffer: You talked many times during your - as you outlined this strategy, about al Qaeda in Pakistan.

President Obama: Right.

Schieffer: You talk about safe havens in Pakistan.

President Obama: Right.

Schieffer: Are you giving our commanders now in Afghanistan a green light to go after these people even if they're in what used to be safe havens in Pakistan?

President Obama: Well, I haven't changed my approach. If we have a high-value target within our sights, after consulting with Pakistan, we're going after them. But our main thrust has to be to help Pakistan defeat these extremists.

Now, one of the concerns that we've had building up over the last several years is a notion I think among the average Pakistani that this is somehow America's war and that they are not invested. And that attitude I think has led to a steady creep of extremism in Pakistan that is the greatest threat to the stability of the Pakistan government - and ultimately the greatest threat to the Pakistani people.

What we want do is say to the Pakistani people, you are our friends, you are our allies. We are going to give you the tools to defeat al Qaeda and to root out these safe havens. But we also expect some accountability. And we expect that you understand the severity and the nature of the threat.

In addition, what we want do is to help Pakistan grow its economy, to be able to provide basic services to its people, and that I think will help strengthen those efforts. If the Pakistan government doesn't have credibility, if they are weakened, then it's gonna be much more difficult for them to deal with the extremism within their borders.

Schieffer: But you're talking about going after them. Are you talking about with American boots on the ground -

President Obama: No.

Schieffer: - pursuing these people into these so-called safe havens?

President Obama: No. Our plan does not change the recognition of Pakistan as a sovereign government. We need to work with them and through them to deal with al Qaeda. But we have to hold them much more accountable. And we have to recognize that part of our task in working with Pakistan is not just military. It's also our capacity to build their capacity through civilian interventions, through development, through aid assistance. And that's part of what you're seeing - both in Afghanistan and Pakistan I think is fully resourcing a comprehensive strategy that doesn't just rely on bullets or bombs but also relies on agricultural specialists on doctors, on engineers, to help create an environment in which people recognize that they have much more at stake in partnering with us and the international community than giving into some of these -

Schieffer: Help me out here -

President Obama: - extremist ideologies.
Read the whole transcript

Obama on Face the Nation Sept. 28

Obama says the financial crisis is dire and needs to be handled quickly. I hate this bailout but if Obama says it's urgent and the parties agree that it's urgent and McCain agrees and Warren Buffett says it's urgent, it must be urgent and dire.

Fey Brings Back Palin on SNL

If you missed Saturday Night Live last night, Tina Fey's portrayal as Sarah Palin was brilliant. She even had Palin's hand motions down and Amy Poehler as Couric, noted how Palin gets cute when she's cornered. You can see it here. 

You can also get more Palin news here. 

Other morning notes: "She'll get better," said Lindsey Graham on Sarah Palin's ability to see Russia from her house. He was on Fox with John Kerry. Then he falls back on Palin as an agent of change and Obama is just a talker. 

John Kerry needs to be taken off of Sunday duties. He's smart but just isn't good at going on the offense. I can see why people consider him an elitist but he would've been a way better president than Bush. 

Obama, on Face the Nation, refused to say if Palin is or is not qualified. He said he's more concerned that she's just like Bush on foreign policy. He talked a lot about the economy and foreign policy as well. I'll put video up later. 

Obama Meets With Karzai

Obama meets Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Minimal details on his Karzai meeting are below. Obama has said this is a "listening" trip. The WaPo wraps up Obama's visit with Karzai and his interview on Face the Nation.

Obama was just on Face the Nation. Here's some of what he said. Obama calls it "precarious and urgent" to move troops to Afghanistan. "This is where they plan attacks. They have sanctuaries here." 

One of the biggest strategic mistakes of the Bush administration was not finishing up in Afghanistan and rebuilding the country so people had confidence. "Now we have a chance to correct some of those errors," he said. 

The U.S. has to take a regional approach to the problem. The U.S. government can compel Pakistan to act against the Taliban by leveraging the amount of aid the U.S offers to Pakistan. The U.S. he said gives a considerable amount of aid to Pakistan. 

Lara Logan is a very good interviewer - Just thought I'd throw that in. She keeps an interview snappy, gets in her questions. 

We haven't seen as much political progress in Iraq but there are other success, Obama said. "This is a perfect moment for us to say, 'we're going to shift our resources.'"

What does "mission accomplished" look like in Afghanistan? Stabilized Afganistan. Disabled al Qaeda, so they can't attack. 

"Losing is not an option when it comes to Afghanistan." 

Logan: Can "war on terror" be won if Bin Laden is captured?

It would be a symbolic win but wouldn't solve the problem.  

Logan: There is a perception that you lack knowledge in world affairs? 

The interesting thing that the people who are very experienced in foreign affairs don't have doubts, he said. The purpose of the trip, he said, was to establish relationships with people he expects to have relationships for 8-10 years. 

He also wants to give a message that America intends to be a leader and a partner. 

Do you have any doubts? "Never." Go Obama. 

CNN: The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee met with Karzai in the capital city of Kabul during Obama's first visit to the Asian nation.

Shortly after the meeting, Obama left Afghanistan to continue a trip that will take him to the Middle East and Europe.

Although Obama is making the trip as a senator from Illinois and not a presidential candidate, it is aimed at boosting Obama's foreign policy credentials.

Obama has made Afghanistan a key focus of his foreign policy, saying that he would make it the central front in the "war on terror" if elected.

Reuters:

The meeting, which lasted nearly two hours and included lunch at the presidential palace in Kabul, covered a range of issues including terrorism and Afghanistan's vast narcotics trade, Karzai's office said in a statement.

The statement said the talks also touched on obstacles to efforts to rebuild Afghanistan after decades of war and amid a deadly insurgency by Taliban and other extremists.

Obama has made Afghanistan a key focus of his foreign policy pledges, saying it -- not Iraq -- should be the focus of the so-called "war on terror" and promising to send more troops to battle insurgents here if elected.