Usa Thread

[Flashermac]

GW Bush got shoes thrown at him.

 

"In previous administrations, some reporters used the tactic very effectively. ABC’s Sam Donaldson, for example, was famous for his shouted questions to President George H.W. Bush."

 

 

...

 

 

 

 

Obama ignores questions about controversial de facto amnesty decision

 

 

<< President Barack Obama declined to take any questions from reporters about his controversial and significant decision to offer a de facto amnesty to at least 800,000 foreigners aged 15 to 30.

 

The president turned and walked away from reporters at the end of an early afternoon address in the White House’s Rose Garden, even though two reporters called out questions about his decision.

 

The announcement of the decision comes at a time of record unemployment among low-skilled workers, Hispanics and African-Americans.

 

For example, less than 50 percent of younger African-Americans have full-time jobs, according to data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

Unemployment among Hispanics, youth and African-Americans rose in May, according to the BLS.

 

Obama justified his immigration decision by saying it is supported by business lobbies.

 

The president has often used this no-questions strategy when making important or poll-boosting announcements.

 

It allows him to deliver his message to his target audience, uncluttered by awkward questions. He speaks smoothly and finishes very rapidly, leaving assertive reporters few chances to ask a question before he reaches the refuge of the Oval Office door.

 

Sometimes, the president does answer shouted questions. At the end of a March 23 Rose garden event, for example, he answered a shouted question about Trayvon Martin, a Florida youth killed in February.

 

On Friday The Daily Caller asked a question as his speech appeared to be ending.

 

The president rebuked the TheDC, but then he declined to answer any other questions when he finished his carefully crafted statement.

 

He declined to answer TheDC’s shouted question about the impact of his new policy on American workers. He also failed to answer another reporter’s question.

 

In previous administrations, some reporters used the tactic very effectively. ABC’s Sam Donaldson, for example, was famous for his shouted questions to President George H.W. Bush.

 

TheDC’s shouted question was described as a heckle by some established outlets.

 

Obama’s deputy, Janet Napolitano, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, followed the same strategy Friday during a morning telephone press-conference. She gave a short statement and then left the conference while two officials provided not-for-attribution answers to selected reporters’ questions.

 

The reporters selected to offer questions included established media outlets and Spanish-language outlets. The chosen outlets included the Los Angeles Times, CNN, National Journal, Univision, The New York Times and La Prensa.

 

The selected reporters did not ask about the controversial impact on American workers.

 

During the Rose Garden event, Obama depicted the immigrants as Americans except for their legal status.

 

This pitch blurred the political distinction between Americans and foreigners, and helps him portray the illegal immigrants as deserving of American citizenship.

 

American citizenship is a highly valued status, because it provides Americans with legal protections worldwide and gives them access to the shared wealth and sympathy of other Americans. Millions of illegal immigrants have risked their lives to win the prize for themselves and their children.

 

Obama has been under increased pressure from Hispanic lobbies to provide access to citizenship for up to 10 million illegal immigrants, whose arrival will boost the clout of ethnic lobbies.

 

In general, Democratic politicians have favored easy immigration, despite the impact it has on American workers, who provided the party’s base up until the 1980s.

 

>>

 

 

 

Maybe there was a reason to interrupt?

[Flashermac]

Statements from The Daily Caller regarding exchange in White House Rose Garden

 

 

Neil Munro, White House Correspondent: “I always go to the White House prepared with questions for our president. I timed the question believing the president was closing his remarks, because naturally I have no intention of interrupting the President of the United States. I know he rarely takes questions before walking away from the podium. When I asked the question as he finished his speech, he turned his back on the many reporters, and walked away while I and at least one other reporter asked questions.â€

 

Tucker Carlson, Editor-in-Chief: “I don’t remember Diane Sawyer scolding her colleague Sam Donaldson for heckling President Reagan. And she shouldn’t have. A reporter’s job is to ask questions and get answers. Our job is to find out what the federal government is up to. Politicians often don’t want to tell us. A good reporter gets the story. We’re proud of Neil Munro.â€

 

Neil Patel, Publisher: “The President today announced a very controversial policy and does not want to answer tough questions about it. Neil Munro is a veteran Washington reporter who today tried his best to time his question to be first as the President was wrapping up his remarks. He in no way meant to heckle the President of the United States.â€

 

Patel???

[Steve]

thing is i've yet to read any quote of anyone who was there or who saw the video say they thought the reporter made a legit mistake. It seemed plainly obvious to me he was rude. Presidents have been grilled Harshly for decades. That old woman, forgot her name did it all the time. However all of them including Sam Donaldson never interrupted a speech or statement. The same code as saluting an officer in the military: you respect the office or rank.

The shoe thingy was not an American (not excusing it).

 

As for amnesty, illegal immigration these days pisses me off not only for the act. I can sympathize with leaving Mexico and central america. I'd do it. If most of you are honest, you'd do the same and if the European immigrants of the past were on the border they'd have done the same. it's still wrong. What upsets me is that the present day immigrants especially the Mexicans do not embrace the country as the europeans did before them and even show open contempt. fuck those that do that. I don't mind amnesty for those that have been here a long time, speak English, aren't criminals, contributing members of society and have demonstrable love for America. Fuck the rest.

[Flashermac]

I haven't seen the video. I'll go look for it.

 

I wonder if Obama has really shot himself in the foot this time. He may be gaining Hispanic votes, but he's probably losing a lot of others.

 

I went through Basic Combat Training at Fort Ord with a guy from Mexico who was a green card legal resident. As such he was subject to the same military service obligation as every American male and had been drafted. But since he was not a citizen, he could not be force to serve in a combat zone. The guy claimed his exemption, which really pissed off the Mexican-Americans in my platoon big time. They went on about how he wanted to come to the US for its benefits, but was unwilling to fight for the country. The rest of us just shrugged our shoulders, but the Hispanics were quite vocal about what they thought of him.

[kamui]

I don't mind amnesty for those that have been here a long time, speak English, aren't criminals, contributing members of society and have demonstrable love for America. Fuck the rest.

 

Obama energizes Latino vote

By: Edward-Isaac Dovere and Darren Samuelsohn

June 15, 2012 08:20 PM EDT

 

President Barack Obama on Friday tried to grab back the mantle of change — and remind his base why they came out in force for him four years ago.

 

The broad strokes are the same as when he declared his support for gay marriage last month: a key 2008 constituency that had spent three and a half years nursing its disappointment, now thrown a late-breaking move to ramp up its enthusiasm.

 

In both, the president had very little to lose — many voters who dislike his support for gay marriage or refusal to deport young immigrants probably weren’t in play anyway. But he had a huge amount to gain in enthusiasm, in reconnecting with the spirit of his first campaign, and most of all, in driving up turnout.

 

In an election that could well turn on the margin of Latinos supporting him in key swing states— and coming out to the polls — that’s no small matter.

 

.....

The bold move by Obama shows that he is still playing to win. He hit one of the weakest spots of Romney who is now cornered in the immigration debate. Romney was against the Dream-Act and for "self-deportation". It will be difficult for him to move away from this position without alienating the hardcore GOPs, while he knows that the Latinos will be able to decide _any_ election the future. The decision affects up 800.000 Latinos directly and millions of Lationo indirectly who have a family member or relative who is now secure to pursue his/hers career in the USA.

Additionally the order is temporary as the GOP has pointed out (how stupid can they be?) which means that the Latinos know what will happen when Romney becomes president.

 

IMHO this raises Obama's chances, because Lations are playing a major role especially in the swing states.

[Flashermac]

Which swing states? Florida (mostly Cubans who distrust the Dems), Colorado (Hispanics in the south of the state), New Mexico (lots of Mexican-Americans and probably not really a swing state) ... and that is it.  Not any great number of Hispanics in the other swing states -  Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia.

 

And suppose Marco Rubio gets picked for veep. How could a candidate who speaks Spanish as his first language be rejected by other Hispanics, especially one whose idea Obama has virtually stolen?

 

 

[Steve]

The latino population in America is very diverse and often at odds with each other. The immigration issue is a non issue for Cubans and Puerto Ricans. Cubans are seen as political refugees and so they have an easier time to become citizens. They are accepted when they come here illegally. Puerto Rico is an American territory. No one likes cubans. Puerto Ricans don't get along with them and there is a rift within the cuban community with pre Castro and Post Castro cubans. Those who fled as he was coming to power were almost always middle class and rich Cubans. The ones that come in the boats in the '80s and '90s were poor. They don't see eye to eye. Also, amongst Mexican Americans, there are the ones who were here for decades and are American. They are politically conservative Republicans as opposed to the ones that came accross the border in the last 20 or 30 years who are liberal and Dems. The old line are often just as much if not moreso against illegal immigration. They see the new arrivals as besmirching the repuration of Mexicans.

Salvadoreans and Mexicans hate each other. Don't EVER call one the other. It can be dangerous. Trust me on this. Mexican Americans claim a lot of the crime committed by Salvadoreas gets lumped in with them. Salvadoreans say they are looked down upon by Mexicans. I dated a Salvadorean in LA and although her father didn't like that I was black and told her to break up with me, the absolute no tolerance was for a Mexican American. She didn't get along wtih them as well. In jobs I had both groups didn't socialize. Other central americans don't like the Mexicans as well but the Salvadoreans gangs fight with them.

South Americans look down on all of them. Argentinians, Chileans especially see themselves as the cream of the crop of latinos in California. They kinda see themselves as white (which they oftne are, blond blue eyed white).

Dominicans are fairly new arrivals and are sorta Puerto Rican rivals. The cubans, dominicans and boricuas (slang for Puerto Ricans) are mainy east coast latinos. Chicago used to be puerto rican but there is now a very large mexican popuation. Same in atlanta. Mexican americans is the group that is rising fast and spreading outside the west and southwest. Salvodoreans are big in the Washington DC area as are their gangs who are probably some of the most violent gangs you'll ever see. Worse than the Mexican gang if that can be possible. They are often the product of a brutal civil war back home years ago.

[kamui]

The latino population in America is very diverse and often at odds with each other. The immigration issue is a non issue for Cubans and Puerto Ricans. Cubans are seen as political refugees and so they have an easier time to become citizens. They are accepted when they come here illegally. Puerto Rico is an American territory. No one likes cubans. Puerto Ricans don't get along with them and there is a rift within the cuban community with pre Castro and Post Castro cubans. Those who fled as he was coming to power were almost always middle class and rich Cubans. The ones that come in the boats in the '80s and '90s were poor. They don't see eye to eye. Also, amongst Mexican Americans, there are the ones who were here for decades and are American. They are politically conservative Republicans as opposed to the ones that came accross the border in the last 20 or 30 years who are liberal and Dems. The old line are often just as much if not moreso against illegal immigration. They see the new arrivals as besmirching the repuration of Mexicans.

Salvadoreans and Mexicans hate each other. Don't EVER call one the other. It can be dangerous. Trust me on this. Mexican Americans claim a lot of the crime committed by Salvadoreas gets lumped in with them. Salvadoreans say they are looked down upon by Mexicans. I dated a Salvadorean in LA and although her father didn't like that I was black and told her to break up with me, the absolute no tolerance was for a Mexican American. She didn't get along wtih them as well. In jobs I had both groups didn't socialize. Other central americans don't like the Mexicans as well but the Salvadoreans gangs fight with them.

South Americans look down on all of them. Argentinians, Chileans especially see themselves as the cream of the crop of latinos in California. They kinda see themselves as white (which they oftne are, blond blue eyed white).

Dominicans are fairly new arrivals and are sorta Puerto Rican rivals. The cubans, dominicans and boricuas (slang for Puerto Ricans) are mainy east coast latinos. Chicago used to be puerto rican but there is now a very large mexican popuation. Same in atlanta. Mexican americans is the group that is rising fast and spreading outside the west and southwest. Salvodoreans are big in the Washington DC area as are their gangs who are probably some of the most violent gangs you'll ever see. Worse than the Mexican gang if that can be possible. They are often the product of a brutal civil war back home years ago.

 

Does this have any consequences for Obama? Except the Cubans and the Puertoricans all other young Latinos will gain from Obama's decision.

[Flashermac]

I worked in the US with a Mexican-American gal from Anthony, right on the Texas-New Mexico line west of El Paso. Her family had been there since long before the US bought the land in the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. She was married to an "Anglo", an Army colonel. I knew Anthony from my childhood, so we talked about it. She told me she had had to move her parents away from there, since too many "Mexicans" were moving in and the crime rate was soaring. She was very vociferous about being a NEW Mexican, and proud of it.

 

My buddy in Vietnam was a Chicano from Flagstaff, Arizona. He was another very proud American, now a retired sergeant major, and don't you dare call him a Mexican.

 

All of which makes the US Census Department's category of Hispanic even more ridiculous, besides  combining people of different races in one group.

[Flashermac]

Fox news anchors shocked by reporter who interrupted President Obama

 

 

When a reporter for Tucker Carlson’s Daily Caller interrupted President Obama in the middle of a speech on immigration reform, even Fox News anchors Shep Smith and Chris Wallace found the incident “weird.â€

 

“I think it’s outrageous,†Wallace exclaimed. “I covered Ronald Reagan for six years with Sam Donaldson. We used to scream our lungs out asking questions, but we always waited until the president — any president — had finished speaking. The idea that you would interrupt the president in the middle of prepared remarks and shout a question — I don’t think the guy should be allowed back in the White House on a press pass, and my guess is he won’t be.â€

 

Carlson, who is a Fox News contributor as well as being the editor-in-chief of The Daily Caller, had responded to the incident by saying, “This is what reporters are supposed to do. They’re supposed to get their questions answered. It’s hard to know what’s wrong with asking the president a question.â€

 

“I’m hoping maybe Tucker didn’t see it,†Smith remarked, “didn’t know the context, because Tucker knows better.

 

Carlson has since told The Huffington Post, however, that he sees nothing wrong with reporter Neil Munro’s behavior.

 

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