President Obama speaking to U.S. Chamber. They have not once applauded.

[flpoljunkie]

He started out by saying we are all in this together and that we must work together.

He issues a challenge: "Businesses also have a responsibility to America."

"I understand the challenges you face," he says. "I understand that you’re under incredible pressure to cut costs and keep your margins up. I understand the significance of your obligations to your shareholders. ... I get it. But as we work with you to make America a better place to do business, ask yourselves what you can do for America. Ask yourselves what you can do to hire American workers ... and to invest in this nation."

Obama hits on the theme of the week for the White House: infrastructure. He cracks another joke about the frosty relations between the AFL-CIO and the Chamber of Commerce: "Tom Donohue and Richard Trumka are not Facebook friends. Maybe not. I don't think you are. I didn't check on this. But they agree on the need to build a 21st century infrastructure. And I want to thank the Chamber for pushing Congress to make more infrastructure investments and to do so in the most cost-effective way possible." (11:43 a.m.)

President Obama mentions his State of the Union theme again, and he channels President Kennedy: "Winning the future is not just about what the government can do to help you succeed. It’s about what you can do to help America succeed."

After promising to review government regulations that can hamper businesses, he insists that some regulations are necessary, like those that "keep our air and water clean" and "give consumers the confidence to do everything from investing in financial markets to buying groceries." To make his point, he mocks arguments against previous regulations that he says companies argued would be "an assault on business and free enterprise." He cites drug companies' complaints against the creation of the FDA and car makers' opposition to seat belts, as he's done before. (11:52 a.m.)

more...

http://www.politico.com/politico44/

[villager]

1. they have no intention of working with him -- or us -- no matter how he kowtows to them...

n/t

[flpoljunkie]

2. If you listened to the speech, you would not say he is 'kowtowing' to business.

[villager]

7. generally, I've been looking at his track record in the White House

that tells me enough

[TheWraith]

9. Except that you don't actually look at his track record.

You look at an imaginary version, created by lies about his position from right-wing allies like FDL, and spin.

[villager]

20. "Except that you don't actually look at his track record."

Indeed.

[Skittles]

26. BULLSHIT

[treestar]

12. That's a rather hopeless view, isn't it?

We have to have businesses to have jobs.

One does not "kowtow" to one's boss by going to work. If you don't go to work, you don't get paid. Most people accept that and don't consider it some sort of submission.

[flpoljunkie]

3. They applaud for, 'Now is the time to invest in America.'

He notes than some have told him they are waiting for demand to increase.

[jenmito]

4. They applauded twice. n/t

[flpoljunkie]

5. Thanks! Do you remember what the first was for?

His introduction, perhaps or something else?

[flpoljunkie]

6. MSNBC pointed out Obama noted a 'rising tide doesn't always lift all boats.'

I missed that, too. Good for Contessa Brewer for noting it right up front.

[Democrats_win]

8. Is it like Reagan's speech to the NAACP in 1981 in Denver

Reagan declared an "economic emancipation" for African American. Maybe Obama could do the same for the non-imaginary welfare queens of the Chamber of Commerce: emancipation for the Chamber of Commerce from government welfare.


Reagan didn't address his cuts to important programs like "Aid to Families with Dependent Children, school lunches, Medicaid, subsidized housing, job training, small-business loans and general aid to education."





http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,953013,00.html#ixzz1DIIwOKJH

[flpoljunkie]

10. AP: Obama says White House, CEO's must work together

Obama says White House, CEOs must work together

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press – 7 mins ago

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama prodded American businesses to do their share to help the economy, calling on executives to "get in the game" and begin investing nearly $2 trillion accumulating on their balance sheets.

The president, in a speech Monday to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, called for a cooperative relationship with the private sector and argued government and business have a shared responsibility. He highlighted new efforts by his administration to improve the nation's infrastructure, invest more on entrepreneurs and foster greater innovation.

But to a polite, subdued audience he offered a stout defense of government regulations, even as he promised to eliminate those that are too burdensome. He reached back to history, invoking President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's outreach to corporate leaders and evoking the strains of self-sacrifice expressed by President John Kennedy.

"I want to be clear: even as we make America the best place on earth to do business, businesses also have a responsibility to America," Obama said. "As we work with you to make America a better place to do business, ask yourselves what you can do for America. Ask yourselves what you can do to hire American workers, to support the American economy, and to invest in this nation."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110207/ap_on_re_us/us_obama_chamber

[asjr]

11. I enjoy Pres. Obama's speechs. He is the

first president I can say that about. He speaks TO me, not AT me. I never have my mind made up
before he speaks. I do not care if there was applause or not.

[flpoljunkie]

14. The lack of applause indicates how the audience responded to what President was saying.

They were 'polite, but subdued.' They obviously did not like much of what President said to them.

[JoePhilly]

23. I suspect that most of them think he is sub-human. nt

[yellowcanine]

13. I admire a President willing to take on his critics. It shows he has courage and is a big

contrast to G.W. Bush, who seemed to be afraid of his own shadow when it came to meeting with people who disagreed with him.

[flpoljunkie]

15. It is definitely one his strengths.

[emulatorloo]

17. Yes.

And it seems like lots of people misinterpret that.

[bklyncowgirl]

18. Absolutely. To listen to some here you'd think he'd sold the Democratic party down the river

Seriously, when you hold yourself up as too "pure" to talk to the opposition you might as well give up on actually governing. I thought he did quite well by the way both with the Chamber of Commerce and Bill O'Reilly.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

25. Obama has much courage!

[flpoljunkie]

16. Obama to the U.S. Chamber on the need for regulations...

“Even as we work to eliminate burdensome regulations, America’s businesses have a responsibility to recognize that there are some safeguards and standards that are necessary to protect the American people from harm or exploitation,” Obama said.

“Moreover, the perils of too much regulation are matched by the dangers of too little. We saw that in the financial crisis, where the absence of sound rules of the road was hardly good for business.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/142469-obama-asks-business-to-do-their-part-in-recovery

[Safetykitten]

19. Why is this a surprise?

[flpoljunkie]

21. No surprise. It was expected.

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. They are so fucking corrupt he could stop him in their tracks.

Of course, it might mean stopping a few of his own rainmakers.

[flpoljunkie]

24. Think Progress has video of protestors shouting to President Obama as he headed to U.S. Chamber

Guess who stars...

As ThinkProgress has documented, the Chamber has a history of being singularly focused on boosting profits, not creating American jobs. The Chamber has pushed for unfettered free trade deals, sponsored a series of conferences to teach businesses how to outsource jobs to China, and even lobbied against legislation that would have created over 1.7 million jobs.

Several dozen protesters demonstrated in front of the Chamber today as Obama walked across Lafayette Park from the White House to the business lobby. Watch a video produced by ThinkProgress interns Kevin Donohue and Paul Breer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eiyhAFEqrCs#


http://thinkprogress.org/2011/02/07/chamber-ceo-jobs/

[ItNerd4life]

27. 3 months ago he insulted them, why would they applaud him?

Of course, I don't understand why they invited him to speak.