Meet The Press - January 23, 2011

Guests:
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA)
Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC)
Karen Hughes (Fmr. Bush advisor)
John Podesta (Center for American Progress)
Ron Brownstein (Atlantic Media)
Erin Burnett (CNBC)
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Gregory: Eric what should Obama say on Tuesday?

Cantor: Obama is obsessed with getting things
done in Washington

Gregory: How odd

Cantor: the America people hate their government

Gregory: they do?

Cantor: we need to cut spending not invest

Gregory: so you reject investment to get out of recession or build up America for the future?

Cantor: darn right Greggers

Gregory: How will you cut $100 billion?

Cantor: oh that wasn’t serious

Gregory: what happened to your promises?

Cantor: we’re against all past rampant spending
by Congress

Gregory: didn’t you do that?

Cantor: yes but all that is different now

Gregory: so what will you cut?

Cantor: a lot

Gregory: like what?

Cantor: did I mention all this is the Democrats fault?

Gregory: are you going to blackmail the President by threatening to default on the debt?

Cantor: right - we’re going to demand huge cuts
in spending

Gregory: ok like what cuts?

Cantor: hundreds of programs

Gregory: fascinating - like what?

Cantor: the Presidential Election Fund

Gregory: ok so nothing

Cantor: [ pouts ]

Gregory: how about defense spending?

Cantor: sure maybe

Gregory: Dick Armey says we should end
farm subsidies and turn the White House into
an Applebees

Cantor: we should cut what needs to be cut

Gregory: Harry Reid says Social Security is fine

Cantor: it’s a train wreck

Gregory: so what’s the solution?

Cantor: repeal Obama’s health care bill

Gregory: I didn’t ask about that - I asked about Social Security

Cantor: Reid is not willing to cut Medicare

Gregory: what are you willing to do?

Cantor: we’re willing to discuss it

Gregory: how much more discussion do you need?

Cantor: ok - between you and me we will cut Social Security for young people

Gregory: It seems like John Boehner does not have a serious alternative to Obama’s health care plan

Cantor: maybe but Obama’s plan was
jammed through

Gregory: what’s your plan?

Cantor: we have a plan to eventually have a plan

Gregory: what is the plan?

Cantor: Let people negotiate with their doctors

Gregory: it seems like you don’t have a plan at all

Cantor: we don’t but at least we won’t jam through any bills

Gregory: you jammed through Obamacare
repeal last week

Cantor: we had 7 hours of debate

Gregory: ok then

Cantor: Republicans believe top-down government from Washington sucks and we have set out to prove it

Gregory: is Obama a moderate?

Cantor: I’ll believe that if he proves Washington is not the answer by resigning

Gregory: Loony conservatives think Obama was born in Kenya which is crazy-talk

Cantor: it’s very uncivil to call people crazy

Gregory: do you think it’s ok to call Obama a foreign America-hating fascist

Cantor: you’re trying to get me to engage in name-calling

Gregory: do you think Obama is trying to bring
down America?

Cantor: no I think he’s doing it by accident

Gregory: fair enough

Cantor: The real question is Obama going to renounce equality of outcomes and willing to
see people's lives crushed to benefit the rich and connected

Gregory: I’m guessing not

Cantor: then he hates America

Gregory: what’s the deal with the Tea Party?

Cantor: stop picking on those cute wackos

Gregory: Reid says the Tea Party is will disappear now that China has stopped making funny
novelty hats

Cantor: I love those anti-government freaks

Gregory: thanks for coming Eric

[ break ]

Gregory: What should the President say
on Tuesday?

Burnett: putting GE in charge of exports was genius because they export more jobs than anyone

Clyburn: Obama has created more jobs in 2 years that Bush did in 8

Podesta: Obama should stop worrying about what happens on Capitol Hill and worry about what happens in America

Gregory: I see

Hughes: The President doesn’t know how to
create jobs like Republicans do

Gregory: is that right

Hughes: Obama is just like a Republican now - except successful

Brownstein: but he still believes in government -
he's like Abe Lincoln only handsome

Lincoln: screw you brownie

Hughes: this huge debt is terrible!!

Gregory: didn’t you work for George Bush?

Burnett: Calm down we’re still a very rich
country people

Gregory: Could we have a government shut-down - that would be so much fun

Clyburn: Anything is possible after all Republicans recently nearly destroyed this country

Gregory: true but Obama passed health care reform which is the same

Hughes: Give us credit - Republicans bailed out
Wall Street with your taxes!

Gregory: truly brilliant

Brownstein: To compete with China we should cut medical care for old people

Gregory: Why didn’t Obama hire Immelt 2 years ago instead of giving some losers health care

Clyburn: because Fluffy personal bankruptcies were caused by health care expenses

Hughes: Obama lost 6 million jobs since he caused the recession when he became President
in December of 2008

Gregory: how interesting

Brownstein: what the fuck is the GOP health plan anyway?

Gregory: 2012 is upon us!

Obama: We are a divided nation but we can all come together as one people and find common ground: hating the New England Patriots

Gregory: Will Obama be a one-term President?

Hughes: oh sure

Gregory: He’s more popular now

Hughes: Only because a Democrat Congresswoman got shot

Gregory: that’s all?

Hughes: also people love big tax cuts

Gregory: that's true

Burnett: Wall Street thinks Obama will crush
Mitt Romney

Hughes he’s cheating by being popular

Brownstein: the GOP has blue-collar voters who love tax cuts for the rich and hate government

Gregory: Can Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin win?

Podesta: they can carry the lunatic vote which is a large percentage of a GOP primary

Clyburn: Palin is attractive and articulate but dumb

Gregory: that’s sexist Jim

Clyburn: I have three daughters smarter than Palin and a cocker spaniel with better political skills

Gregory: that sounds right

Hughes: forget Palin - feel the Pawlentropy!

Brownstein: Obama has to turn out women, blacks, gays, vegans and all the other freaks

Burnett: No one is really willing to tell Americans the
free ride is over

Gregory: Obama’s Ambassador can win the GOP primary!

Podesta: you’re still a moron Fluffy

Gregory: Do you think anyone will yell at Obama this year

Clyburn: Let’s see if the GOP regains it’s sanity

Gregory: Anything could happen - and that's
Meet The Press

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