On Sunday, President Barack Obama appeared on CBS’s 60 Minutes to discuss his record, his leadership, the economy and his prospects for re-election. According to a new CBS poll, 41 percent of Americans say the president has performed his job well enough to be elected a second time. After interviewer Steve Kroft mentioned that “75 percent of the people in the country think it’s headed in the wrong direction” and “54 percent don’t think that you deserve to be re-elected”, the president acknowledged that Americans should not feel satisfied right now: “We’ve gone through an incredibly difficult time in this country. And I would be surprised if the American people felt satisfied right now. They shouldn’t feel satisfied.”
President Obama added, “We’ve got a lot more work to do in order to get this country and the economy moving in a way that benefits everybody, as opposed to just a few,” reiterating talking points from his speech in Kansas, which has been called the “unofficial launch of his re-election campaign”.
The president also stated that when he was elected in 2008, he believed that Democrats and Republicans could work together and solve the problems with which we’re currently faced but noted this has yet to happen:
I think that when I came into office in 2008, it was my firm belief that at such an important moment in our history, there was no reason why Democrats and Republicans couldn’t put some of the old ideological baggage aside and focus on common sense, what works, practical solutions to the tough problems we were facing. And I think the Republicans made a different calculation, which was, ‘You know what? We really screwed up the economy. Obama seems popular. Our best bet is to stand on the sidelines, ’cause we think the economy’s gonna get worse, and at some point, just blame him.’ And so we haven’t gotten the kind of engagement from them that I would have liked.
When asked why he thought he should be re-elected, President Obama replied with his list of accomplishments:
Not only saving this country from a Great Depression. Not only saving the auto industry. But putting in place a system in which we’re gonna start lowering health care costs and you’re never gonna go bankrupt because you get sick or somebody in your family gets sick. Makin’ sure that we have reformed the financial system, so we never again have taxpayer-funded bailouts and the system is more stable and secure. Ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Decimating al Qaeda, including Bin Laden being taken off the field.
He added, “But when it comes to the economy, we’ve got a lot more work to do. And we’re gonna keep on at it.” View President Obama’s full 60 Minutes interview below.
President Obama on 60 Minutes: Part 1
President Obama on 60 Minutes: Part 2
We love you Barack!!!!!! no man on this earth can change a country with so much problems and pleases so much people within 4 years, not in this lifetime.
I agree with you. and its already bad enough that the majority of the house (republicans) still arent contend that the fact a biracial (but they all see a black man) running the United States. it just breaks my heart that racism is still at it best when it comes to minorites tryin to make a difference. For that i Commend Barack Obama.
I believe Obama is doing a excellent job, given the state of the country when he came into office. People are quick to complain but fail to realize that he did’nt cause this, but was handed these issues. President Obama continue to do your best and we will continue to support you… Yes We Can !!!