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No Echoes of FDR in Obama’s First News Conference

The L.A. Times gives a good review to President-elect Barack Obama for his first news conference, conducted on a day that began with downbeat economic news

Jul 31, 2020237K Shares3.5M Views
The L.A. Times givesa good review to President-elect Barack Obama for his first news conference, conducted on a day that began with downbeat economic news about the nation’s unemployment rate soaring to a 14-year high.
From the Times:
Overall, the press conference went well. Obama seemed more at ease than he did on the campaign trail, and he had a nice repartee with reporters. And, perhaps most importantly, there was a new air about him — something you may have noticed during his acceptance speech on election night in Chicago’s Grant Park. He seemed presidential.
But he didn’t offer any specifics as to how he’ll deal with the credit crisis, beyond supporting a stimulus package. The Times notes there had been speculation before the news conference that Obama might unveil some sort of FDR-style public works project.
Instead, Obama kept his plans to himself and his options open, the Times noted:
When possible, Obama’s answers about his plans for the future were vague. For example, when he was asked if he still intends to seek income tax increases for upper-income Americans, Obama was non-committal. “I think that the plan that we’ve put forward is the right one,” he said, “But, obviously, over the next several weeks and months, we’re going to be continuing to take a look at the data and see what’s taking place in the economy as a whole.”
Answers like those give him a lot of wriggle room. That’s what an incoming president wants.
Rhyley Carney

Rhyley Carney

Reviewer
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