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Oops: Obama Can’t ‘Remember’ the National Debt Number ‘Precisely’ During Letterman Show

Sep. 19, 2012 3:14pm Erica Ritz

Obama Tells Letterman He Doesnt Remember the National Debt on Late Show Appearance

(Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

President Obama went on “The Late Show with David Letterman” Tuesday night to joke about, among other things, his weight, seeing Letterman naked — and the national debt.

Significantly, when asked by Letterman whether the debt is about “$10 trillion,” Obama avoided the horrifying answer of about $16 trillion by saying he doesn’t remember “precisely.”

“Here’s what I found troubling [at the GOP convention]…They had the clock, the debt countdown clock and, I mean, this thing is going like crazy and it’s several trillion dollars. Now, what is that?” Letterman asked, after admitting he is ignorant of many political matters.

After blaming Bush for starting two wars “on a credit card” and saying that we had to spend money to prop up fledgling industries during the recession, Letterman asked of the debt: “Now, do you remember what that number was? Was it $10 trillion?”

The Washington Post notes that the debt is growing so fast there is no such thing as a precise recollection, but Obama certainly could have said, “closer to $16 trillion.”

Instead, the president seemingly let the group continue to think our national debt is roughly $6 trillion less than it is, saying simply: “I don’t remember what the number was, precisely.”

Watch Obama’s appearance on Letterman, below:

But that’s not the only part of the president’s appearance on Letterman that’s drawing criticism.

The New York Post’s Abby W. Schachter wrote a scathing analysis of the speech, saying the president lied about our ability to manage the debt, the state of the auto industry, and whether raising taxes is actually an effective way to reduce the deficit.

Noting that the proposed tax increases will provide a small fraction of what we intend to spend, Schacter concluded:

It was fanciful to expect that Obama’s appearance on a comedy program would result in a serious policy discussion, but the shocking thing is the president’s ability to lie and dodge whether he’s talking to Letterman or the American people.

Many consider the appearance in itself to be questionable timing, since the Middle East is on fire, the economy is in crisis, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is urgently requesting a meeting.

(H/T: WeaselZippers)

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Comments (114)

Joe_The_Patriot
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:46pm
An Idiot sitting next to a Douchebag… I’ll let you figure out which is which….

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- ReaganBaby
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:57pm
  BO is the Douche bag
  
  Report this comment
- Ruler4You
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:03pm
  I agree with your assessment completely. But obango’ ignorance “IS”, IMHBLO, not ‘accidental’. He doesn’t care. And he doesn’t care because where he’s taking America “IS” ‘beyond’ the ‘vision’ of the founders. In fact, it’s the reciprocal of it.
  
  Report this comment
- LIBSALWAYSLIE
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:11pm
  Obama is the worst president in history, by a wide margin. He all wrapped up in his socialist agenda and doesn’t give a crap about the economy. By every measure, we’re worse off now than 4 years ago, but this low life dirtbag can look into the camera, and lie to the country with a straight face, and the mindless liberal sheep swallow it hook, line and sinker.
  R&R 2012
  
  Report this comment
- DarkJello
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:56pm
  I laughed, and giggled, and chortled for 16 minutes. Hilarious!! 10 trillion, 16 trillion, whatevs.
  
  How in the holy heck does Obama have >30% of voters in his camp? It is a disgrace!!
  
  Report this comment
- Gold Coin & Economic News
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:57pm
  What a disgrace, Obama can’t even add up all that he has added to the national debt so here’s a basic economics lesson for you Barack:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOKcdOI25ig
  
  Report this comment
- trappedinwv
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:10pm
  LOL, people actually thinks he cares.
  
  Report this comment
- Larry E
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:17pm
  Idiots and douchebags have both been insulted.
  
  Report this comment
- badge02812
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:17pm
  Letterman is gonna have to put fresh knee patches on his trousers after this interview.
  On the other hand he’s on his knees so much when it comes to ObamaBinBiden he might as well wear shorts and save the pants.
  
  Report this comment
- turkey13
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:22pm
  “Nothing is easier than spending public money. It does not appear to belong to anybody. The temptation is overwhelming to bestow it on somebody.” – Calvin Coolige
  
  Report this comment
- doomytram
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:38pm
  How many pennies does it take to get to 6 trillion? I’ll bet it’s about a zillion. The empty chair, Obozo, hasn’t cut a penny from the debt and runs trillion and half dollar deficit….Ole penny Prezzy is spending zillions of pennies.
  
  Report this comment
- Leadthemtothelight
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:50pm
  He doesn’t know the number either because he doesn’t care what it is or feels it would be damaging to his re election campaign to have the brainless liberal dipshits who watch Letterman hear it on live TV. I am so siiiiiiiicccccckkkkk of Obama….. dear God can we just fast forward to election day?
  
  Report this comment
- EndTheGOPTEA
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 7:50pm
  @doomytram … Math might be too much for you.. Idiot.
  
  Report this comment
- rochrealtor
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 9:41pm
  Amen to that Joe. His memory seems to be pretty good when he’s thinking about Romney. What a lying, smug ass he his. One idiot to another lame Letterman wouldn’t have the balls to follow would understand him. No wonder their network is dying. When Glenn Beck buy’s the CBS building, I’m going to be there!
  
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- turkey13
  Posted on September 20, 2012 at 7:15am
  If Obama kills the dollar every American from today and in the future will know it in 16 $$ trillion +.The rich that has their gold and silver in their safety depoist boxes and buried at home will priase this number. People that have the wealth and food and ammo to barter will be the new rulers and leaders.
  
  Report this comment
LeadNotFollow
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:44pm
…
Obama is the only educated person in the United States that doesn’t know America’s debt is 16 Trillion. He ran up much of that debt during his 4 years. He is not President material. He’s a total moron.

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- 2MINUTESTOMIDNIGHT
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:02pm
  smoking pot, snorting coke, hanging out with communists professors = educated?
  
  Report this comment
- SREGN
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:29pm
  It doesn’t matter how high you run up the credit cards if you’re not the one who has to pay the bill.
  
  Report this comment
- ambrosia
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:52pm
  How CONVENIENT !
  
  I betcha’ “Urkel” can tell us how many cases
  of his personal White House brew, “El Presidente Honey Ale”,
  he’s lugging around on Air Force One,
  passing out for votes
  but this idiot doesn’t know the exact count
  of his TRILLIONS of deficit dollars-GONE WILD !
  
  This DOPE has no business being president of ANYTHING.
  Ask YOURSELF-
  if you, personally had to choose a smart person
  to manage your household or business & lead it to prosperity-
  who would YOU choose ?
  Urkel or Romney ?
  
  Damn right, you’d choose Romney !
  
  As a matter of fact,
  if Urkel Obama was running against the REAL Urkel-
  the nation would be wise
  to choose the REAL Urkel…flood pants and all
  over the A-hole in office now !
  
  The fact that this snake charmer
  doesn’t know or truthfully, won’t say what the deficit is
  proves he’s got to GO !
  
  Can you imagine if he were the comptroller of a company
  & the CEO called him into the office & he showed up, unprepared
  with NO figures, leave alone, the wrong ones ?
  
  We all need to make a wake-up call to the White House every day
  & leave a message for him
  stating the exact deficit total-to-date.
  
  This is the same dope who chose to play hookey-
  missing over 60% of the Presidential Daily Briefings on security threat analysis.
  
  C’mon folks-
  I don’t care what political dance you do,
  if you truly care about this country,
  remember what Uncle Clint said-
  “If somebody isn’t doing his job, ya’ gotta’ let him G
  
  Report this comment
- Sirfoldallot
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 6:39pm
  Hurry , 47 more days, hurry plz.
  
  Report this comment
Murkman
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:42pm
Ok he just said that under Clinton we had a surplus but then we fought two wars on a credit card and now we’re in debt. This clown is trying to paint a picture that the national debt is this new thing that Bush gave us.

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- ReaganBaby
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:59pm
  He kept referring to the deficit not the debt which sounds much better because $1T is better than $16T but anyone with half a brain knows that even when Clinton was in office our debt was around 5 trillion. I cant stand this pathetic liar.
  
  Report this comment
- Murkman
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:11pm
  Ah yes, thanks for the clarification.
  
  Report this comment
- KickinBack
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:38pm
  Notice how he blamed Bush without naming Bush? It was “after Clinton”…Must be the new way to pass the blame.
  
  Report this comment
- trappedinwv
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:12pm
  Clinton only had a “surplus” when he took the Social Security surplus and put in the general fund.
  
  Report this comment
Sirfoldallot
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:40pm
The use of drugs caused this .

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oxycontinxx
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:39pm
obama……………..busy doing stuff for himself………….

obviously TOO BUSY to manage the affairs of our once great country…………

what a friggin dumbmass

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- JRook
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:44pm
  At least he remembered that the PRESIDENT serves 100% of the people, even the ones who take cheap shots in lame reports.
  
  Report this comment
- rp454
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:53pm
  @jrook
  
  He can say he serves 100% of the people, but he does not. He panders to specific groups in order to get their vote and ignores the rest of us. Jeez dude, pull your head out.
  
  Report this comment
- J_Ind_Boston
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:54pm
  @Jrook
  He doesn’t serve me, he keeps telling me I’m a clinger who doesn’t want to pay my fair share. I’m thinking 40% is MORE than my fair share by the time time you add up all the taxes I pay.
  
  Report this comment
- Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:01pm
  @Jrook,
  
  If by serves you mean oppresses then yeah, you’re right. Now bow down to your favorite tyrant you sycophant.
  
  Report this comment
- ReaganBaby
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:05pm
  JROOK
  
  So he serves “tea baggers” or his “enemies” the republicans. or all those crazed rural voters who only ” stick to their guns and bible”- All which BO has said but of of course the unbiased media reports on all that. BO has divided this country and only serves radical socialist which is now the new Democratic party.
  
  Report this comment
PhineasJWhoopee
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:36pm
The first time I laid eyes on letterman I had an irresistible urge to punch him in the face.
And every time I have ever seen him since.

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- Sirfoldallot
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:02pm
  lol, bet his X-wife wants to 2.
  
  Report this comment
wboehmer
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:35pm
President Øbama sure isn’t losing any sleep worrying about the National Debt.

He says he doesn’t remember “precisely” how much the Debt is.” I say if he cared about it, he would know.. As president, it should be one of his chief concerns. He should be ashamed that the outrageous & irresponsible borrowing on his watch now accounts for more than 1/3 of the total,

WORST PRESIDENT EVER!

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Publius Duo
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:32pm
We The People will be laughing in November, when we boot your ass out of The People’s House. Sorry Chris Matthews the thrill of the chill will be gone. Then Letterman can make up the top 10 excuses why Americans didn’t re-elect the Actor-in-Chief.

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MiCurmudgeon
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:32pm
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else” Ben Franklin quote.

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REETZBEE
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:32pm
What the hell? My gosh, I can’t wait to vote these clowns out. I have a feeling he’s going to be like Clinton. We’ll never be rid of him.

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- crackerone
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:15pm
  Jimmy “the piehole” Carter won’t go away either!
  
  Report this comment
Chevalier
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:31pm
Sounds like another pre-planned campaign stop, to feed the koolaid drinkers into believing the national debt is only 10 Trillion. . . par for the course, since Obama cannot run on his record he can only rely on lies, misinformation and pure fabrications. . .

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PedalGirl
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:29pm
Mr. Obama… here ya go… a little reminder. http://www.usdebtclock.org/ You might want to add this to your bookmarks… just saying.

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PhineasJWhoopee
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:28pm
That’s because the numbers are spinning by as fast as the dollar amount on a gas pump.

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nrse2go
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:27pm
Add your comments

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Want our country back
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:27pm
Why isn’t this comment in an ad “TODAY”…. the President of the United States is on comedy shows, fundraisers, etc BUT he can’t PRECISELY remember that he has blown up the national debt to $16 TRILLION. Those dopes that get their news from Letterman think it’s around $10 Trillion. God help us.

Donate, Register, Vote ROMNEY/RYAN 2012

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:27pm
Okay, anybody can have a brain fart. But, I would have played a different entrance theme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5cyM7AaZmY

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- Joe_The_Patriot
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:43pm
  Perfect Fit
  
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- Chevalier
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:46pm
  That most likely is the song Obama hears in his head as he enters a room. . .
  
  Report this comment
- Publius Duo
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:02pm
  I’ve got one too…
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIgb7cMgJEw
  
  Report this comment
nrse2go
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:26pm
our “president” has to go on late night comedy (questionable) show to talk about foreign policy! This is shameful and a disgrace to our country. What an empty suit! Come on Nov.!

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- needmoinfo
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 5:19pm
  There were warnings days before Chris Stevens and 3 other Americans suffered horrendous drawn out humiliation and death. Netanyahu can’t even get a sit down with Obama. Obama does not take security briefings. How does he make foreign policy decisions? Off post it notes? He spends more time indulging in celebrity behavior. Air Force One. Big travel buses. Fancy vacations. Television comedy shows. Fancy dinners with entertainment stars. He is having fun. Are we having fun? He is on a spending spree with our credit card.
  
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lassiegirldawn
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:26pm
Letterman needs another bypass only this time on his brain for thinking our debt is such a joke. What a joke to have this idiot on his show.

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thibx
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:25pm
he’s ignorant about what is job is. ignorant of foreign policies. all i can say is he is just ignorant.

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momrules
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:25pm
Two idiots talking together about what neither of them know anything about in front of people who will agree with anything they say.

Boggles the mind………

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cookcountypatriot
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:24pm
my god this man is useless….i wonder if lettermans tounge was swollen this morning after having it up obamas arse all nite

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Gonzo
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:22pm
“After blaming Bush for starting two wars “on a credit card”
Both wars combined cost about $1 trillion over ten years! Obama has blown $1.3 trillion every year he’s been in office!!

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progressiveslayer
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:22pm
Laugh while Rome is burning you Marxist fraud POS. See what affirmative action gets you America?
The amateur isn’t concerned with the number he’s too busy yucking it up with dumb ass Letterman.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:28pm
  He’s in a good mood because he found a new choom gang to hang with, Jay Z and Beyonce.
  
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- rp454
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:04pm
  Let’s see….
  Letterman.. check!
  Beyonce.. check!
  Jay Z.. check!
  Netanyahu.. oops. no time. (This one sounds like work anyway)
  
  Report this comment
2MINUTESTOMIDNIGHT
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:20pm
I bet he remembers his last golf score.

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- GlennaBeckski
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:50pm
  Probably fudged those numbers too.
  
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- GlennaBeckski
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 4:06pm
  Scratch that .. No doubt he’s a STROKE of genius.
  
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AvengerK
Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:17pm
Don’t worry little Barry…the country will remind you about that number in November…..

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- HumbleMan
  Posted on September 19, 2012 at 3:35pm
  It’s saddening to see the POTUS’ dignity reduced in this fashion. On a talk show. It reminds me of Idiocracy.
  
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