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President Obama went toe-to-toe with some of his fiercest critics today, engaging in an unscripted, unusual and public question-and-answer session with Republican members of the House of Representatives.
Obama, facing a respectful but disapproving crowd, repeatedly defended his policies and accused Republicans of distorting his positions for political gain. He was especially critical of the GOP's efforts to derail the healthcare overhaul bill in Congress.
"What happens is that you guys don't have a lot of room to negotiate with me," Obama said. "The fact of the matter is, many of you, if you voted with the administration on something, are politically vulnerable with your own base, with your own party, because what you've been telling your constituents is, 'This guy's doing all kinds of crazy stuff that's going to destroy America.' "
"I don't believe the American people want us to focus on our job security. They want us to focus on their job security," Obama said to a loud ovation.
Obama took the audience to task for opposing his economic stimulus plan a year ago, arguing that it contained the kind of tax breaks that the GOP typically advocates. And he accused lawmakers who opposed the stimulus of taking credit in their home districts for projects that benefited from the stimulus money.
"Let's face it," he said, "some of you have been at the ribbon-cuttings of some of these important projects in your communities."
Near the end of the session, the president pushed back firmly at our own Rep. Jeb Hensarling's insistence that the administration had dramatically inflated the nation's budget deficit, cutting off Hensarling in mid-sentence. "That whole question was structured as a talking point for running a campaign," Obama charged.
Obama, facing a respectful but disapproving crowd, repeatedly defended his policies and accused Republicans of distorting his positions for political gain. He was especially critical of the GOP's efforts to derail the healthcare overhaul bill in Congress.
"What happens is that you guys don't have a lot of room to negotiate with me," Obama said. "The fact of the matter is, many of you, if you voted with the administration on something, are politically vulnerable with your own base, with your own party, because what you've been telling your constituents is, 'This guy's doing all kinds of crazy stuff that's going to destroy America.' "
"I don't believe the American people want us to focus on our job security. They want us to focus on their job security," Obama said to a loud ovation.
Obama took the audience to task for opposing his economic stimulus plan a year ago, arguing that it contained the kind of tax breaks that the GOP typically advocates. And he accused lawmakers who opposed the stimulus of taking credit in their home districts for projects that benefited from the stimulus money.
"Let's face it," he said, "some of you have been at the ribbon-cuttings of some of these important projects in your communities."
Near the end of the session, the president pushed back firmly at our own Rep. Jeb Hensarling's insistence that the administration had dramatically inflated the nation's budget deficit, cutting off Hensarling in mid-sentence. "That whole question was structured as a talking point for running a campaign," Obama charged.
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