Suskinds “Confidence Men” raises doubts about Obama cred
Barack Obama is heading back onto the campaign trail, running as a champion of the middle class and even hoping to harness the Occupy movement’s public anger at Wall Street.
But the higher he soars with his populist rhetoric, the more he calls attention to the enormous gap between the promise of hope and change that he campaigned on in 2008 and the actions he has taken as president — especially regarding the economy, which is still stagnating, and Wall Street, which remains unpunished and unbowed even after causing the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression.
As a result, voters will inevitably be asking themselves: Who is this guy, really? Does he mean what he says? Will he do what he says? And would a second-term Obama be different?
One answer to why Obama underperformed is laid out in searing detail in Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Ron Suskind’s latest book, Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President.
In the book, Suskind describes how Obama made the conscious choice to staff his economic team with former Clinton appointees whose sympathies were with Wall Street — and that those men were unable to see how drastically out of whack the country’s financial system had gotten both because they helped create it and because it had served them so well.
Comments from HuffPo below…
RodgerLodger
66 Fans
5 minutes ago (3:27 PM)
This is all childish. Anybody who know what’s what knew in 2008 that Obama was a phoney with no executive experience or track record of accomplishing anything. It’s absurd that people still try to figure out ‘what went wrong’. The folks who believed in him don’t count in my book as serious thinkers.
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michaelws
1018 Fans
3 minutes ago (3:28 PM)
hahahaha...childish is correct…you statement shows only your own bias.
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Mike Wuest
For the fallen & survivors, Thank You!
27 Fans
5 minutes ago (3:26 PM)
Like all other writers to some extent, he chooses to select information that already meets his story line.
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beckjr2000
been there done that & tired of it
182 Fans
7 minutes ago (3:25 PM)
Based on his performance to date, Obama has no credibility to question. Never have we had an administration so anti business as this one.
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JimMichie
56 Fans
11 minutes ago (3:20 PM)
Raises questions about Obama’s credibility? Hell, as far as I’m concerned, he spent it all in his first year as president. That “teflon tongue” of his ain’t near as slick as it used to be. Oh, would that we could turn the clock back to Jimmy Carter!
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tommy b
Yeh though I walk thru the valley of Death I fear
242 Fans
3 minutes ago (3:28 PM)
He could and would accomplish a lot more with ANY help from Trp in congress In their quest to make him a one term president they sent the people and the country down the tubes
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floodmfx
226 Fans
14 minutes ago (3:18 PM)
vote 3rd party.
that is the only hope for real change.
both major parties are wholly owned by corporate America.
a vote for the major parties is a vote for the status quo.
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rascalcat
Buy the ticket, take the ride.
2896 Fans
4 minutes ago (3:28 PM)
how, when none can get more than 15% of the vote?
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goldiekins
207 Fans
17 minutes ago (3:14 PM)
Suskind is trying to make a buck off of Obama, that’s all. Obama is not so young and not so naive anymore, a 2nd term will prove it. Obama 2012.
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cmr11
how do you want it
636 Fans
18 minutes ago (3:14 PM)
oh good lord…….. his creditability has been tested to the max just like everything else…. there is nothing left to attack about him…….… the right has spent hundreds of millions of dollars attempting to discredit him and has failed miserably.…… this guy certainly won’t get it done…… he is like hermin caine…..… just trying to sell some books and make some benjamins at someone else’s expense…….
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yukonsam
This space reserved for self-referential irony.
422 Fans
18 minutes ago (3:14 PM)
Given the filibusterin’ record of the Party of No, I don’t think the President could get a new appointment approved unless the apointee was sworn in on their own autographed copy of “Atlas Shrugged”.
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Red45
We can turn the tide
2278 Fans
4 minutes ago (3:28 PM)
Agree. faved.
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jantomnidrah
107 Fans
21 minutes ago (3:11 PM)
Did it take a book to let you know he has no creditability? What has he done for the middle class, thats me?? I see nothing but higher health insurance and more taxes.
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Find the Truth
Spencer and Little Girl
847 Fans
15 minutes ago (3:17 PM)
Health Insurance would have went up no matter who we elected President.…taxes have actually went down for the middle class as a result of the President’s policies.
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spyslowhands
29 Fans
12 minutes ago (3:20 PM)
Impossible on the “more taxes” front. His tax cuts have benefited me.
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NoWayMan
582 Fans
22 minutes ago (3:10 PM)
did froomkin just finish reading the book?
cause this discussion already happened back in september.
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Mygirl
Retired Librarian
273 Fans
22 minutes ago (3:09 PM)
Ron Suskind is trying to sell books. He has no facts but just offers suggestions.
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Vinkaye
Why isn’t Wall Street in Jail?
116 Fans
4 minutes ago (3:28 PM)
I’m sorry but doesn’t this book contain transcripts of interviews with WH staff members? That constitutes “no facts”?
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ssnt
ABO in 2012
402 Fans
24 minutes ago (3:08 PM)
We needed a book to tell us this?
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ScaningTheWaves
Dont Join Gangs, or Unions, Maybe Grass Roots PPL
158 Fans
24 minutes ago (3:08 PM)
He is a lawyer, need we say more? We already seen enough in the past few months alone.
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Jeremyewilliams
Left of right and right of left
384 Fans
25 seconds ago (3:31 PM)
Saw.
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islandleogirl
Bob Marley Reggae Nights
2375 Fans
27 minutes ago (3:05 PM)
Suskind is just another in a long line who has participated in the sport of Obama bashing – just to get richer!
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SolnzeUSB
23 Fans
30 minutes ago (3:02 PM)
He will still win because of Congress and no real match in the General. He will not get the same support (numbers and %), but what does he care — he will win. I just hope he can do something grand in his 2nd term.
Posted: December 1st, 2011 under Uncategorized.