60 Minutes with Barack Obama - Nov. 7, 2010

Kroft: The GOP says the election was a referendum on you and the Democrats

Obama: no it was a referendum on a really sucky economy

Kroft: wasn’t it a rejection of your leadership?

Obama: hey we had to spend a lot of money to fix the Bush economy

Kroft: so you’re a Big Government socialist

Obama: no I just didn’t communicate that we were in an emergency requiring we send a trillion dollars to Wall Street bankers

Kroft: voters want smaller government

Obama: but first they want jobs and growth

Kroft: are you saying people don’t hate government ?

Obama: no I’m sure they do -- so do I

Kroft: why did women and blacks stay home or vote for the GOP which traditionally hate them

Obama: because unemployment rose after I was sworn in

Kroft: The Beltway changed you from a hopeless idealist to a corrupt cynic

Obama: that’s not right - but I was too focused on getting things done

Kroft: the Tea Partiers are you from 2 years ago

Obama: hey accomplishing change is really hard to do

Kroft: oh?

Obama: yeah this town is full of a lot of special interests and some real assholes

Kroft: you've lost you're edge

Obama: this city will crush you soul Steve!

Kroft: how have you been compromised?

Obama: I agreed to outrageous spending to get real reform

Kroft: you mean earmarks

Obama: right - maybe I can work with these lunatics to really change Washington

Kroft: do you have any regrets

Obama: look first I addressed the economy and then I did health care because it was risky but necessary

Kroft: what went wrong

Obama: I thought if we offered a bill introduced by Republicans then they might vote for it

Kroft: oh you are so so naive

Obama: heh dude I know

Kroft: is the recession over?

Obama: technically maybe but not for people who are unemployed

Kroft: like dozens of Democratic politicians

Obama: exactly

Kroft: do you get discouraged?

Obama: every damm day steve-o

Kroft: what can you do

Obama: ask the Republicans to pay for infrastructure which will benefit their constituents

Kroft: but the GOP are not interested in that

Obama: I know

Kroft: what is the deal with the tea party?

Obama: we have a great tradition of rebellion and that’s nice but some people think government is pretty useful

Kroft: interesting

Obama: we shall see if they are tools of corporate interests or not

Kroft: what do you think of the GOP leaders

Obama: we’ve always been cordial

Kroft: but they call you the Kenyan Hitler

Obama: true but I said Boehner was a color not found in nature

Kroft: well that is true

Obama: no I once had an Indonesian apricot that was the same hue

Kroft: Bush signed a law which would automatically raise taxes so are you willing to cut them or not raise them for rich people like me and you

Obama: should we borrow $700 billion from our grandchildren to give really really rich people a tax cut?

Kroft: maybe we could build a time machine and get their permission

Obama: look I like rich people too but we just don’t have the money

Kroft: but the GOP runs Congress now

Obama: where is the money??

Kroft: Boehner says we should cut money for poor people to pay tax cuts for the rich

Obama: yeah that sounds like him

Kroft: we’re not talking about rich people - we’re talking about struggling small business people who make $300,000 a year

Obama: good god

Kroft: you’re anti-business

Obama: no I’m pro-consumer

Kroft: businesses need to know what government will do in the future forever

Obama: that’s crazy

Kroft: I know

Obama: it’s important to write rules to restrain bankers and insurers

Kroft: progressives think you’ve lost you’re mojo

Obama: I was so focused on getting things done I forgot to sell it better

Kroft: are a sell-out?

Obama: liberals need to realize some of this country is conservative and always will be and no amount of magic will change that

Kroft: you’re on television more than the Sham Wow guy

Obama: some people only watch The View

Kroft: oh my

Obama: I’m reaching women with daytime tv, the young people with the Daily Show, and the super-elderly with 60 Minutes

Kroft: what is next for you?

Obama: Michelle and I will be contestants on The Amazing Race

Kroft: what have you learned about yourself and the American people

Obama: I’ve learned that the people are suffering greatly and so am I

Kroft: good luck with that
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