I just finished watching the President's News Conference, and he was asked some hard questions about very real and pressing issues. He handled them very well and answered superbly. He is such an articulate speaker and very intelligent. Some of the questions he was asked were about his feelings on the Mexican Border and drug cartel issue, the future of the national deficit, AIG, Veteran's Affairs, his moral feelings on stem cell research, race, Israel and Palestine, and the sacrifices of the American people during this time of economic crisis.
President Obama, along with Secretary of State Clinton, and President Calderon (Mexico's President) are working closely to try to solve the issue of drugs crossing the border. President Obama is scheduled to meet with President Calderon next month. President Obama said that the President of Mexico is working hard to combat the drug lords and make sure that drugs from Mexico don't cross the border into America. However, at the same time, President Obama said that the U.S. has a responsibility to make sure that illegal guns and cash don't make it back over the border into Mexico because that's what helps to fund Mexican drug operations.
President Obama's stance on the future of the national deficit is that his budget will cut the national deficit in half within the next couple of years of its implementation. He acknowledged the fact that the budget will have to be tweaked as situations call for it, and that along with other factors like the creation of more jobs, better access to higher education, and health care reform, the deficit will continue to decrease. Obama also spoke about the AIG issue and said that the reason the Federal Government hasn't done more with the situation, like taking over AIG, is because AIG is not under FDIC so the Government's jurisdiction over it is limited. This is why President Obama and Treasury Secretary Geithner were asking for more authority over private financial institutions that have so much riding on their stability. When questioned by a reporter (rather rudely) about why the White House didn't speak on the matter as soon as they found out about it, he calmly stated he likes to know what he's talking about before he speaks. He wanted to get all the facts in and evaluate them before making an official statement.
The President is making the Office of Veteran's Affairs a main priority. He said that for too long the VA office has had to operate with little resources which have made it almost impossible for it to operate at the level of efficiency it needs to. The treatment of those who defend our country and freedom is not something to take lightly and restructuring of the VA is a main priority. Obama addressed stem cell research and he said that issues like stem cell research and abortion weigh heavily on him morally as it does with many people. He made it clear that he always takes morals and ethics into consideration before signing a bill. However, he said we as a nation have the ability to advance science to help cure diseases in a responsible way and still be morally correct.
President Obama said that in regards to race, he feels that now the American people are judging him on what he should be judged on, which is his performance in this crucial time. He mentioned that on the day of his inauguration and leading up to it, there was plenty emphasis put on the historic significance of his accomplishment as President when you take America's searing history of racial discrimination into account. He said that it shows how far our nation has come and now we need to focus on the main tasks at hand like the economy.
The President acknowledged the fact the American people have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice in this time of economic crisis. He reminded us to at the same time, not give up too much. We still need to look at the greater picture and continue to contribute to our communities and volunteer. He also spoke of his commitment to create new jobs and save existing jobs so that no more people have lose their homes and that those who are already out on the street can get back on their feet. In regards to the Palestine and Israel conflict, he said that the goal is to help both countries create and maintain security. President Obama also said that persistence is the key to any sort of advancement abroad and or at home, and that persistence will continue to be a key staple of his Presidency.
In my opinion, this was a very successful press conference and the President was very open and forthcoming with the American people and media.
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