Robert Gibbs' unemployment forecast

By GottaLaff

Robert Gibbs:

"We're gonna see job loss for many, many months."

But that is to be expected, as President Obama has told us over and over. And economists have echoed that. Unfortunately, it's a quote that's not easy to hear.

Tidbit:

As Gibbs left the briefing room, someone asked quickly, "Is he going to church this weekend?" to which Gibbs responded that he didn't know.

Then the room broke out in mock questions, yelling loudly and snarkily, "Where is he going to church?!" and other ad-libs. Laughter broke out as CSPAN cut to a promo.

Robert Gibbs v. Helen Thomas on torture

By GottaLaff

I tried to catch what I could in this exchange between Helen Thomas and Robert Gibbs at the daily briefing. Most of this is verbatim, but unfortunately, not complete. However, the gist of it is represented accurately:

Helen: "Never look back"? What is this??

Gibbs: Let's not conflate his position on a commission with Webster's definition of history.

Helen, there are important things that face this country right now. We don't doubt that we can learn from history. There are crises [happening right now] [he lists them].

Helen protests strongly: Nobody should pay any price for the horror we've gotten into...? [the rest was hard to hear, as was most of what she said

Gibbs: It's important to understand, Helen, first and foremost to change the policy of this country. History will be left up to historians. The most important step that was taken in all of this debate was to end, once and for all, end the interrogation techniques.

[Torture] won't happen on President Obama's watch.

I loved Helen's questions (what I could hear, that is). I'm not as enthusiastic about Gibbs' answers, if you can call them that.

Robert Gibbs hammered by questions about economy

By GottaLaff

Paraphrasing Robert Gibbs at the White House briefing just now, when asked if President Obama is taking on too much at once:

"If a house was on fire, would you choose which rooms to put out first, or would you try to save the whole house? 'Nah, I like the living room. Put that out.'"

Meantime, Chris Cillizza has been Tweeting over and over about questions regarding Warren Buffett's statements:

More Buffett and more Buffett-dodging by Gibbs. Impossible for him to distance from Buffett but doesn't want to anger the "oracle" either.

Buffett comments have gotten WH off track...they don't want to answer a series of questions about the economy falling off a cliff.

Tweeting from Robert Gibbs' White House presser

By GottaLaff

Tweet, tweet! Tuh-weet. I'll keep updating:

Gibbs: The deficit is the responsibility of everyone.

Tweets from Chris Cillizza:

[Each of these is a new Tweet] "You will hear him begin the discussion of restoring a sense of fiscal responsibility" -- Gibbs on Obama for tomorrow's speech....

Gibbs NEVER gets ahead of where the president is going to be. NEVER!...

So now we are calling the former Fed Chair "Greenspan". Didn't a kid at Texas Tech get in trouble for calling the General "knight"?

You will see the president making hard choices, some specific cuts..." Gibbs talking in general specifics about Obama speech tomorrow.

LOVE that CNN keeps the crawl going during the presser...did you know Andy Roddick just won a tennis tournament?

Gibbs -- not getting ahead. Again.

Jake Tapper...that sly sense of humor gets me every time. [He's asking about raising taxes]

questions so far: AP, Reuters, CNN, ABC.

"There have been many benefits for the few at the expense of many benefits for the many..." That could be a preview of Obama's speech tomorow

Chip Reid (of CBS) on the question block right now...Chuck Todd's goatee bides its time.

Why can't we get ahead of Obama...is this like running with Bush where no one is allowed to beat him?

Cillizza attempts humor in many of his Tweets. I'm not posting those.

Chuck Todd up. He's asking about a Social Security task force, Gibbs saying that Obama is committed to dealing with the rising costs of retirement and health security. Back to Cillizza:

Helen jumps the Line!

"There are many issues in front of us." -- Gibbs saying something.

Helen wants to know why Soc Security is a focus. Gibbs responds by using the phrase "inflection point".

Helen: Why tinker with SS when it's solvent?

Gibbs: We won't be on sustainable path until we address the issues.

Helen: Why is it an issue?

David Corn: On the White House email issues and transparency. Gibbs tells him to talk to DoJ. Says he doesn't know their specifics. He insists the Obama administration seeks transparency.

Cilizza: Gibbs just said "repository".

"There are many things I love, I am not sure transparency..." um, smart of Gibbs not to finish that sentence.

Seven years ago today...

By GottaLaff

Happy anniversary:

Today — 2,557 days later — Bin Laden still remains free and “determined to strike in U.S.”

Bush and Cheney are liars, forgers, and murderers.