Much Ado about nothing

For the last week CNBC has been promoting today's appearance by the president on that network. Obama took "questions" from "regular" people that focused on the economy, or at least, that is how it was billed. I watched much of it (I turned it off finally when it got too boring.) Obama had nothing much new to say. He did his usual thing of avoiding the tough issues. For example, with regard to the supposed enormous cost of the tax increase that he wants beginning January 1 of 2011, he was told that even Nancy Pelosi has said that limiting the tax increase to those with incomes over 1 million dollars provides a big chunk of the revenue without hurting small business the way that the $250,000 cut off does. Obama did not even address this issue in response. He just went into his talking points.

Many of the questioners were clearly planted there by the White House. It was like watching a very stylized piece of theater of the absurd. I doubt that Obama helps himself much by doing these shows. Anyone who listens with even half a brain understands that Obama does not answer the questions but rather makes short pre set speeches. Anyone who had questions about Obama before the show still had the same questions after the show.