I was a bit torn between topics to write about today. I wanted to discuss the Texan Board of Education's decision to alter American History in their history books, but I will save that for another day. I am still fuming over their blatant disrespect for Latino/Hispanic and African American history and I did not want to write while angry (that's almost as bad as DWD, driving while drunk). I also wanted to write about the heath care bill. That too will have to wait for another day. Instead, I decided to write about the outlandish ridiculousness that occurred on FOXNEWS the other night between President Obama and Brett Bair.
I think that if you walk into a lion's den, you should be prepared to get bitten. President Obama, consider yourself bitten, chewed up, and spit out (but still alive). This is about the only way that I can describe the March 17th exchange between President Obama and FOXNEWS' Brett Bair. Their interview, which focused on the new health care bill, was nothing more than Democratic/Republican, right-wing/left wing gibberish. President Obama had a point to make and Brett Bair had questions to ask. So, in typical political form, President Obama refused to clearly answer Bair's questions and Bair refused to listen to the points that President Obama was trying to make. So, in the end, it turned out to be a back and forth exchange of disorder. I can admit though, it wasn't as bad as that tomfoolery between Al Sharpton and Tavis Smiley a couple weeks ago. At least I can say that.
During the interview, Bair asked President Obama questions such as what was "in" and what was "out" of the new health care bill, sighting large sums of money that is alleged to be directed toward certain states that may or may not need the excessive funds. As do all presidents, President Obama refused to directly answer such a question and decided instead to take a more diplomatic route by explaining his position rather than satisfying Bair with a clear answer. In my opinion, as an experienced reporter, Bair should have known that his clear cut questions were not going to receive clear cut answers from the President of the United States. Presidents don't answer questions, they explain their platform. The most clear and concise thing that I have ever heard President Obama say was that Kanye West was a "jackass". Remember that? (I'm just kidding…).
Instead of understanding and accepting this, Bair continued to press President Obama to give answers that the President was just not going to give. I understand that you want an answer Bair, but if the man ain't giving it, he ain't giving it. What bothered me the most about the whole interview was the exact same thing that seemed to bother everyone else as well- Bair was extremely disrespectful and rude while trying to force an answer out of the President. Bair cut Mr. President off more times than I could count and made left-wing ideas and concepts seem like the general consensus of the whole country. But that's FOXNEWS for ya, so what else could I expect?
Bair explained that FOXNEWS had received about 18,000 letters from viewers who had questions about the health care bill. Out of those 18,000 letters, Bair mysteriously noted only those that questioned the validity and purpose of the bill, not those that seemed to be in favor of the bill. Now, if FOXNEWS did indeed receive 18,000 letters about this whole health care situation, I am sure that they were not all against or in question of the health care bill. But in FOXNEWS style, Bair (or his producers) choose only those letters that would make President Obama's health care reform idea seem like the beginning of the end for America and its citizens. In the end, I think President Obama held his own, stuck to his guns, and reminded me of why I voted for him back in November 2008. As I always say, he might not be the best at what he does but at least he's trying…
So, into the lions den went the President and, lucky, for him, he came out alive…
