It's God's Plan... Again

By GottaLaff

Some fancy God plannin':

"No, it's God's plan."

-- Sarah Palin when asked if she was nervous being picked as the GOP running mate, as recounted on 60 Minutes by McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt.

Why is it always "God's plan" when a conservative runs for office?

1. Can't they ever decide things for themselves?

2. Why hasn't God given me a plan yet? Is my god A.D.D.? Or just really disorganized? Maybe I should make a practical offering to her, perhaps something in an iPhone or Blackberry?

3. Why does God only make plans for conservatives, award-winning actors, and athletes? What kind of deity discriminates like that?

4. What if you don't believe in god, are a very spontaneous person who never plans anything, yet get elected anyway? Or win an Oscar? Or a World Series? Whose plan was that? Apparently, it couldn't possibly be the impulsive winner's.

5. Wasn't Sarah the Veeper John Sidney McCain's plan? Or did he just close his eyes and throw a dart?

President Obama still gets great TV ratings

By GottaLaff

He can't help himself. Whether you agree with him or not, he's smart and he's likable. That makes him watchable:

CBS' "60 Minutes," which was assisted by an NFL lead-in, drew a season high 16.24 million total viewers Sunday night [...]

Later that evening, Oprah hosted "Christmas at the White House" with President Obama and the First Lady at 10pmET. That show drew 11.8 million total viewers, the best number for ABC in that time-slot since the Adam Lambert AMA incident.

And Prez O didn't even have to go... there.

VIDEO- President Obama on "60 Minutes": The party crashers

By GottaLaff

"It won't happen again."


Watch CBS News Videos Online

He was not thrilled, to say the least.

VIDEO: President Obama on "60 Minutes", extended version

By GottaLaff

Here's the online extended version of President Obama's "60 Minutes" interview:


Watch CBS News Videos Online

VIDEO- 60 Minutes: President Obama talks Afghanistan, economy, more

By GottaLaff


Watch CBS News Videos Online

From tonight's interview:

In his first extensive interview since his speech announcing his troop build-up in Afghanistan, President Obama talks about his plans for Afghanistan, the economy and more. Steve Kroft reports.

This hasn't even aired yet out here in California, and yet, magically, here it is on TPC.

VIDEO- 60 Minutes Preview: Obama On Afghan Timetable

By GottaLaff


Watch CBS News Videos Online

And here's a snippet of his comments on Wall Street:

"I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street," Obama says. [...]

Could they be paying the money back just to be able to pay the bonuses? "I think that in some cases, [to be able to pay bonuses] was the motivation," he tells Kroft. "Which I think tells me that the people on Wall Street still don't get it…They're still puzzled why it is that people are mad at the banks. Well, let's see. You guys are drawing down 10, 20 million dollar bonuses after America went through the worst economic year…in decades and you guys caused the problem," says the president.

"What's really frustrating me right now is that you've got these same banks who benefited from taxpayer assistance who are fighting tooth and nail with their lobbyists …up on Capitol Hill, fighting against financial regulatory control," he tells Kroft.

Watch the rest tonight on 60 Minutes. Then later, he and the First Lady are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey.

Big Tee Vee night!

President Obama on 60 Minutes this Sunday

By GottaLaff

(click on image to enlarge)

This should be interesting:

President Obama will appear on 60 Minutes this Sunday, in his first full interview since announcing his plan to send 30,000 additional troops of Afghanistan. He’ll also discuss the economy, and the gate-crashing incident at the State Dinner. (7:01 p.m.)

I have a sneaking suspicion health care will slip into the conversation, probably a little mention of the-- What's it called again? On yeah-- public option.

VIDEO- Obama on "60 Minutes": "Once this bill passes, I own it"

By GottaLaff


Watch CBS Videos Online

On tonight's 60 Minutes, we get to witness a president who actually takes responsibility for his actions and policies. Only a real socialist Commie Marxist would do that.

Please note who's sponsoring the clip. Sigh.

60 Minutes creator Don Hewitt dies

By GottaLaff

R.I.P. Don Hewitt:

"60 Minutes" spokesman Kevin Tedesco confirmed 86-year-old Don Hewitt has died. Earlier this year, Hewitt was diagnosed with a small, contained tumor.

Hewitt was already a veteran CBS newsman in 1968 when he created "60 Minutes," pioneering the TV newsmagazine format. He served as executive producer of the program until his retirement in 2004.

Hewitt has been honored with the second annual Lifetime Achievement Emmy presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 1995, he was awarded the Founders Emmy by the International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

VIDEO- 60 Minutes Interview With Robert Gates- Plus Bonus Obama Quote Of The Day

Watch CBS Videos Online

How is Obama Different Than Bush? In an interview that aired tonight on 60 Minutes, Defense Secretary Robert Gates -- the only Bush holdover in the Obama cabinet -- was very reluctant to draw comparisons between the two presidents.

Couric: You have said that President Obama is more analytical in your view than than President Bush --

Gates: That's something I wished I hadn't said.

Couric: Why? Why?

Gates: I really have been very disciplined about not drawing those kinds of comparisons.

Couric: What three words would you use to describe President Bush?

Gates: Committed, questioning, eager to make a decision and move on.

Couric: What about President Obama?

Gates: Deliberative, decisive and calm.

VIDEOS: Which president deserves to get slammed for joking? Bush or Obama? Hint: Bush

By GottaLaff

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

As promised, here is the Countdown clip of E.J. Dionne discussing those shocking, atrocious, gaffe-y hysterics that President Obama lapsed into, losing complete control and forever damaging his reputation and our very country!

Here's a brain-teaser for you-- Where were the media when the former president [sic] intentionally laughed right up in our faces about this:



Now go read this. It's a great analysis of the whole "punch drunk" circus.

Ratings: President Obama boosts '60 Minutes' to Sunday win

By GottaLaff

Batting a thousand, er, 16.2 million:

President Obama's continuing comedy tour may have contained an ill-advised "joke," but it still boosted ratings for CBS' 60 Minutes on Sunday to 16.2 million viewers, according to early Nielsen estimates. (NCAA basketball bled nearly an hour into prime time in some areas, so CBS' numbers are more approximate than usual.)

Stop the presses. President Obama joked... He wasn't Dead. Serious. Every. Minute... ( "The only thing less popular than putting money into banks is putting money into the auto industry," he joked. Video here. ) ...and laughed! Out loud!

Omg, he lol'd.

Impeach... now!

VIDEOS: "60 Minutes" Kroft to Obama: Are you punch drunk?

By GottaLaff
UPDATE: I've updated the blog title, too. Here is Part One:

Watch CBS Videos Online... And here is Part Two:

I don't get to watch 60 Minutes for another hour or so out here in California. Oddly, I can't find Part One yet, but I did get my hands on Part Two. And here's an excerpt:

President Barack Obama said he believes the global financial system remains at risk of implosion with the failure of Citigroup or AIG, touching off “an even more destructive recession and potentially depression.”

His remarks came in a “60 Minutes” interview in which he was pressed by an incredulous Steve Kroft for laughing and chuckling several times while discussing the perilous state of the world’s economy.

“You're sitting here. And you're— you are laughing. You are laughing about some of these problems. Are people going to look at this and say, ‘I mean, he's sitting there just making jokes about money—’ How do you deal with— I mean: explain. . .” Kroft asks at one point.

“Are you punch drunk?” Kroft says.

“No, no. There's gotta be a little gallows humor to get you through the day,” Obama says, with a laugh.

That's exactly why I chose a career in comedy: I get through the day, one laugh at a time.

"60 Minutes" journalist surprised by President Obama's jab at Cheney

By GottaLaff

Surprise! Prez O responds forcefully on tonight's "60 Minutes"! Really? And to something idiotic that the Nation of Dick spat out? Seriously, what did anyone expect?

“I thought there were going to be two responses,” Kroft told CNN’s Howard Kurtz during the Reliable Sources segment of State of the Union Sunday. “Either, the first response was going to be ‘I don’t want to talk about Dick Cheney’ . . . Or, [Obama] was going to tee off on [Cheney] which he decided to do — very, very aggressively. So I was a little surprised.”

Kroft also said Obama displayed his trademark calmness even with all of the challenges his young administration is facing. “I found him probably more relaxed this week than at any other time that I have interviewed him,” Kroft told Kurtz.

On the other hand, he didn't express surprise at Obama's coolitude, because, well, he's consistently cool, calm, and collected.

What's "a little surprising" to me is that Kroft didn't expect the president to "tee off on Cheney". Hasn't he been paying attention? Obama doesn't exactly roll over, especially when he's being trashed by scum like the Nation of Dick.

60 Minutes Preview, Cont'd: Obama Lashes Back At Cheney

By GottaLaff

Oh-h, suh-nap! Prez O attacks the Nation of Dick for saying that closing Gitmo will make America less safe:

"How many terrorists have actually been brought to justice under the philosophy that is being promoted by Vice President Cheney? It hasn't made us safer. What it has been is a great advertisement for anti-American sentiment," Obama tells Steve Kroft. [...]

Pressed by Kroft that some of the released prisoners have returned to terrorist groups, the president said, "There is no doubt that we have not done a particularly effective job in sorting through who are truly dangerous individuals...to make sure [they] are not a threat to us," he says. But he called the Bush administration's policy on detainees at Guantanamo -including long incarcerations with no trials - "unsustainable."

Major combat operation over... for now. Mission accomplished.

60 Minutes preview: Obama to Treasury Sec. Geithner: "Sorry buddy, you've still got the job."

By GottaLaff

From Sunday's 60 Minutes interview with President Obama:

President Barack Obama says treasury secretary is one job that's not up for grabs.

Obama tells CBS' "60 Minutes" that if Treasury chief Timothy Geithner offered his resignation, the answer would be — in the president's words — "Sorry buddy, you've still got the job." [...]

Obama also says corporate executives need to better understand the public's outrage over bonuses. He says executives should get out of New York and spend time in Iowa or Arkansas where people are thrilled to be making $75,000 a year with no bonuses.

Tune in tomorrow night for more.

UPDATE:

Said Obama: "It's going to take a little bit more time than we would like to make sure that we get this plan just right. Of course, then we'd still be subject to criticism. What's taken so long? You've been in office a whole 40 days and you haven't solved the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression?"

Thank you. Thank you. Oh, and... thank you.

Obama to Appear Sunday on '60 Minutes'

Dude, this President is everywhere. What a change from W.

President Obama may be lightening things up with a visit to Jay Leno this week, but no one can accuse him of ducking of ducking tougher journalistic forums.

Obama has agreed to sit down with "60 Minutes" for an interview that will air Sunday. CBS's Steve Kroft will be questioning the president. The interview has not yet been announced.

(snip)

Despite early predictions that Obama would largely bypass the mainstream media and conduct a YouTube presidency, he has repeatedly made himself available to traditional news organizations. Obama has granted interviews to the network anchors, PBS's Jim Lehrer, the New York Times, the Washington Post editorial board, and NBC's Matt Lauer at the Super Bowl, while also chatting up black and Hispanic journalists and talk show hosts.

"60 Minutes" VIDEOS-- Bernanke: 2010 will be the year of recovery

By GottaLaff

Ben Bernanke says we've averted another Great Depression. Here's the interview from 60 Minutes:

Part One:


Part Two:

60 Minutes- Campaign Comeback

60 Minutes Devotes Upcoming Hour to Barack Obama

Hey, they know what gets the ratings.

60 Minutes is devoting its entire hour on Dec. 28 to Barack Obama and his journey to the White House. 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft has been chronicling Obama's story for nearly two years.

He was the first reporter to interview the Pres.-elect and Michelle Obama after the election.