ABC World News
written by Karen Travers
Wednesday January 20, 2010
President Obama said today that he believes he lost a direct connection to the American people in his first year in office because he focused too heavily on policymaking.
"If there's one thing that I regret this year is that we were so busy just getting stuff done and dealing with the immediate crises that were in front of us that I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are and why we have to make sure those institutions are matching up with those values," Obama told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in an exclusive interview at the White House.
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WOW! Can you believe that statement?! I know I can't. He still does not get it. That has always been your problem Mr. President. You have spent an entire year SPEAKING AT US and NOT LISTENING TO US! You have been NON-STOP CAMPAIGNING. Now let us take a good look at how you spent your first year by the numbers compliments of CBS Political Hotsheet click HERE to be directed to the website. Maybe this information can help you put things into perspective. Because frankly you have made your Presidency about you and not about the American people. How many times are you going to TELL US what we ALREADY KNOW. We're the ones feeling the pain NOT YOU! You are in the position to FIX what's BROKEN not us. Americans have been counting on you whether we voted for you or not. Americans want you to STOP TALKING and START DOING! Americans NEED you to start LEADING! You know walking the talk. Perhaps maybe you don't know what that means. Because how on earth could POLICYMAKING have distracted you from the people when you clearly have given carte blanche to both Pelosi (House) and Reid (Senate). Meaning you have given that part of your job away! I hope you know that YOU WILL STILL be held responsible for their screw-ups. The ONUS is on you as President.
SPEECHES, COMMENTS AND REMARKS: 411
• Includes 52 addresses or statements specifically on his health care proposals.
• He used a TelePrompTer at least 178 times
NEWS CONFERENCES: 42
• Of which 5 were formal, solo White House Q and A sessions. Four were in prime time. His last one was July 22, 2009.
• Nearly all of the other press availabilities were joint appearances with foreign leaders at which as few as 1 question was taken by Mr. Obama.
• Predecessor George W. Bush did 21 news conferences his first year of which 4 were formal, solo White House sessions. Only 1 was in prime time.
INTERVIEWS: 158
• This is a striking number of interviews and far more than any of his recent predecessors in their first year. Ninety of the sessions were TV interviews. Eleven were radio. The rest were newspaper and magazine. The number reflects the White House media strategy that Mr. Obama can best respond to questions in an interview setting.
TOWN HALL MEETINGS: 23
• Includes 1 in Strasbourg, France and another in Shanghai, China.
DOMESTIC TRAVEL: 46 out-of-town trips to 58 cities and towns in 30 states.
• Most frequently visited state by Mr. Obama: New York* (excluding Maryland and Virginia, which border DC and to which visits are more local than out-of-town).
• President George W. Bush made appearances in 39 states during his 1st year.
• President Clinton visited 22 states in 1993, his first year.
FOREIGN TRAVEL: 10 foreign trips to 21 nations (4 of them twice).
• Mr. Obama made more trips abroad in his first year than has any other U.S. President.
• Next most frequent foreign traveler during first year in office was President George H.W. Bush: 7 trips to 14 countries.
POLITICAL FUNDRAISERS: 28
• The events raised at least $27.25 million. (3 of the events Mr. Obama attended declined to disclose how much was raised.
• George W. Bush did 6 fundraisers his 1st year raising over $48 million.
CAMPAIGN RALLIES: 7
• The rallies were for Gov. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds, D-Va, and U.S. Senate Candidate Martha Coakley, D-Mass. All of them lost.
MEETINGS WITH FOREIGN LEADERS: 74 (several multiple times)
• This counts meetings with chiefs of state or heads of government
• George W. Bush met with 115 his first year (many more than once)
VACATIONS: All or part of 26 days over 4 trips
• George W. Bush spent 69 days at his Texas ranch over 9 trips to his ranch his 1st year.
GOLF: 29 rounds of golf
• Most frequent courses: Fort Belvoir 11 times; Andrews AFB: 8 times.
• George W. Bush played golf 7 times his first year.
OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE: 21 days on which Mr. Obama did not have a public or press appearance.
NATIONAL DEBT: On day Mr. Obama took office: $10.626 trillion
• One year later: $12.319 trillion
• Increase on Mr. Obama's watch: $1.693 trillion
WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA LEARNED IN HIS 1ST YEAR? Spokesman Robert Gibbs said yesterday that "change is never easy; that change takes time; that change has to go through Congress."
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