President Obama: ‘The Private Sector Is Doing Fine’
- Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:24pm by
Becket Adams
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During a press conference at the White House on Friday morning, President Obama told a room full of journalists that “the private sector is doing fine.”
“The most important thing, I think, we can do,” the president said while answering a question on the eurozone crisis, “is make sure that we continue to have a strong, robust recovery.”
“We’ve got a couple of sectors in our economy that are still weak. Overall, the private sector has been doing a good job creating jobs. We’ve seen record profits in the corporate sector. The big challenge we have in our economy right now is that state and local government hiring has been going in the wrong direction. You’ve seen teacher layoffs, police officers, cops, firefighters, being laid off. And the other sector that’s still weak has been the construction industry,” said President Obama.
“Those two areas we’ve directly addressed with our jobs plan. The problem is that it requires congress take action and we’re going to keep pushing them to see if they can move in that direction,” he added.
The president then turned to The New York Times’ Jackie Calmes.
“What about the Republicans saying that you’re blaming the Europeans for the failure of your own policies?” she asked as a follow-up to her original question regarding eurozone austerity measures.
“The truth of the matter is that, as I said, we’ve created 4.3 million jobs over the last 2, 27 months, over 800,000 just this year alone,” the president responded.
“The private sector is doing fine. Where we’re seeing weaknesses in our economy have to do with state and local government oftentimes cuts initiated by governors or mayors who are not getting the kind of help that they have in the past from the Federal government and who don’t have the same kind of flexibility as the government in dealing with fewer revenues coming in,” he added.
Watch via CBS:
But the president wasn’t finished. He had a message (he had several, actually) for his Republican opponents.
“And so, if Republicans want to be helpful, if they really want to move forward and put people back to work, what they should be thinking about is ‘how do we help state and local governments and how do we help the construction industry,’” said President Obama.
“Because the recipes that they’re promoting are basically the kinds of policies that would add weakness to the economy,” he concluded.
Update: Well, that didn’t take very long. Apparently, the president realized how “out of touch“ his ”doing fine“ remark sounded and took a moment to ”clarify” what he actually meant.
“It is absolutely clear the economy is not doing fine,” President Obama said in the Oval Office after his meeting with Phillippine President Benigno Aquino, according to POLITICO.
Update II: Good grief, that was fast. The GOP has already responded with a new video:
Front page photo source: Doug Mills/The New York Times




















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Comments (244)
JACSON
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:45pmWhat a liar this guy is.You notice he wants to help out all the jobs controlled by the unions.The greedy unions are the cause of some of this mess and he is the rest.I just finished the book “Thr Amateur” and it hits the nail on the head this guy and his whole administration are nothing but amateurs.
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:09pm“And so, if Republicans want to be helpful, if they really want to move forward and put people back to work, what they should be thinking about is ‘how do we help state and local governments and how do we help the construction industry,’” said President Obama.
“Because the recipes that they’re promoting are basically the kinds of policies that would add weakness to the economy,” he concluded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Building things no one wants (for which there is no market currently) strengthens the economy? No, THAT type of policy weakens us. The market must be allowed to correct itself.
You aren’t doing construction workers (or the rest of us) any favors by artifically propping up their job. The longer you do that, the weaker the entire system becomes, and the bigger the crash when the inevitable correction finally comes. There will be a day of reckoning.
Report Post »myway
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:21pmRush has been talking about this. He said the same thing he needs to buy some more union votes. Notice it is never his fault and he always is looking for a bail out. Does he really think we are stupid and don’t know what he has done? I think he is back on drugs.
Report Post »hypnos
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:25pmCome on people we need more thingamajigs.
Report Post »SocialistSlayer
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:27pmAs the owner of a Retail Business I can state we are in fact NOT doing fine. This guy is a joke!
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:35pmF= F’d up do to regulations and taxes!
I= Indebted to the government
N= No profit do to “F”
E=Endless red tape via government.
That is Obama’s definition of fine!
Report Post »Duey2000
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:41pmIf the private sector is doing fine then why do we need a jobs bill? Does he really believe that we need more cops, firefighters, and teachers? The mayors of those cities with shortages aren’t getting federal help because it is NOT the job of the federal government to pay for local police, firefighters, and teachers!!! If my tax dollar from Omaha, NE is going to pay for police in New Jersey, then I have a HUGE beef with that. Yes, I know that it already happens and that is why there are Tea Party people like me out there screaming at the top of our lungs about what the government does with our money! We didn’t want to see the banks bailed out. We didn’t want to see the auto makers bailed out. We certainly don’t want to see the public sector simply bailed out. We want accountability and fiscal responsibility. We want governments that don’t spend $100 on a hammer, or buy an entire fleet of vehicles that nobody uses! We want departments of the government that aren’t just eating up tax payer money so that they can go Vegas for their annual bash.
A government job shouldn’t be something that people want. It should be the low end of the labor pool. We should be contracting jobs out to private companies and making employees contribute to their own 401k’s. Get rid of the unions, get rid of the fat, and restore this country!
Report Post »kevinUA
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:44pmi think barry is clearly still “drinking and trying drugs enthusiastically”
Report Post »pavnvet
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:02pmOver 400,000 retail businesses failed in the recession. Yep, things are just peachy keen. Idiot. Yep that is what we need more bloated bureaucracies. Didn’t Wisconsin and some California voters said enough of the government? He is so out of touch it isn’t funny anymore. Come to think of it, it was never funny.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:06pmDon’t ya just love these libs. Even that sunshine network NBC runs up to South Dakota and seeks out anything negative they can find there to report on. And O say’s the private sector is doing fine? One brite spot in the country and NBC is there trying to dawn grade it. Pitiful just pitiful.
Report Post »drbage
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:06pmAnd how many of those former civil servants are losing their jobs because of local governments having to spend millions of dollars to obey the plethora of new laws and regulations that your administration has enacted? How many of them might lose their jobs because the taxpayers did not want to pay more taxes?
Report Post »turkey13
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:09pmObama doesn’t know what his EPA head is doing! My sons Have a Construction with 9 Diesel trucks. One of my sons told me 2 weeks ago that they have a new EPA mandate. He has to take samples of each truck and fill out paperwork with seriels # and send in at his expense. They are checking for water and red off road dye ($10,000 fine if caught.) This is already done when they run into a Oklahoma DOT check point. My sons put addatives in the fuel to combat moisture now. A clogged truck injector can run up to $200.00 + labor, so it makes sense to nip ion the budd yourself.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:10pmSome of us are doing fine in spite of your regulations and taxation you worthless POS!!!!!
Most are NOT doing fine. You sir are a F’ing LIAR!
Report Post »I support God's Israel!
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:35pmThe word, DELUSIONAL comes to my mind first, then LIAR, then COWARD, then DICTATOR, not necessarily in that order, but in the same sentence!
Report Post »Cynicalone
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:52pmYoure fortunate, Im still waiting for my copy… They say 3 more weeks…
Report Post »TeaPartyForRomney
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:02pmRomney struck back with his rapid response: “Is he really that out of touch?”: http://www.thedailycandidate.com/video/2012/june/romney_out_touch.html
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:03pmOnly a Union job classifies as a middle class job is that how it works ?
Report Post »little big man
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:08pmPresident Obama: ‘The Private Sector is Doing Fine’
WHAT A D.I.C.K.
Report Post »Want our country back
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:51pmHow do you starve obama supporters? You hide their food stamps under their work shoes…heehee
Report Post »Reason365
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:56pmDoes it make sense?
Report Post »He’s in Washington, a very isolated place from reality.
We‘re out here IN the real world and we don’t see it. It stands to reason that if the private sector was doing ok then we would feel it. Not happening! Please don’t take every bit of garbage you hear and believe it. Ask yourself ” does this make sense? “then apply your gut common sense answer and there is the truth.
robertdean62
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:39pmIt’s like the guy that went to Vegas that only brags about his winnings,
Report Post »this guy is more delusional than Charlie Sheen on CRACK!!!
docgreen
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:44pmCan you believe this POS? What a Liar, do you get the feeling he’s not sure when he lies anymore? If you ask me, between this and all his other lies, he needs to be impeached!… Just like when he told America, that he never belonged to any Socialist Party or didn’t believe in Socialism!….. I guess when your the father of all Lies, its Ok to Lie to the American people!…. Sooner or later people will realize this potus, is the Biggest liar there is! He’s Demonic, and he worships the False Prophet and his Father. Satan!……
Report Post »Bowlz
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 6:30pmHe and his ilk are amateurs when it comes to common sense and/or understanding of the human condition. They are Pro’s at trying to destroy America from within: And they’re doing it with passion.
Report Post »rssllbll55
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 10:59amYou read too much of the wrong kind of material. Therein is where your politics become nothing more than name calling and innuendo—lacking real—credible substance.
Report Post »mersey
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:45pmWell, if your goal is the destruction of the private sector, umm yeah, right on schedule Mr. President. As the song goes…”it’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.”
Report Post »sasquatch08
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:43pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-4gnNz0vc
Report Post »MEANS2RESIST
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:23pmhe needs a good bull whipping, then thrown out on his scrawney little ass
Report Post »TXGal
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:45pmEvery time they let him talk without the teleprompter he makes an a@@ out of himself.
Report Post »cbrown
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:38pmThank God Romney does not use a tel-prompter.
Report Post »I support God's Israel!
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:37pmcbrown: and I cannot wait until the debates this fall! I CANNOT WAIT. Obama will either have to memorize what he is going to say, so he can LIE, or he will screwup totally. I will pop some popcorn and have all my friends over JUST FOR THE FUN OF WATCHING THIS POTUS SCREW HIMSELF.
Report Post »happ77
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:06pmBut I support, isn’t “He’s the smartest president ever”?
Report Post »If he’s so smart how come after 3 and a half years
he hasn’t learned how to be president yet. He’s
the most blatant phoney politician ever.
progressiveslayer
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:43pmBi Bi Berry, it’s been hell knowing you. The private sectors doing fine? Lmao So what you‘re saying is you’re a failure because the economy hasn‘t collapsed yet and you need more time for ’fundamental transformation’.
Report Post »SocialistSlayer
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:28pmHe should be tried for Treason!
Report Post »Bluebonnet
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:35pmAs Joe Wilson said: You Lie. Don’t feel so bad, I LIE TOO, I said you’re doing fine. hahaha
Report Post »Sue Dohnim
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:43pmPrivate sector creates all the wealth, the public sector creates zero wealth..
The Public sector takes wealth form the private and redistributes in very inefficiently…
Report Post »countryfirst
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:42pmWhat I heard is the government needs to spend more money
What I say is, you got to be $%*& kidding.
Report Post »huey6367
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:40pmYeah, the private sector is doing GREAT!!!! You can only say that if you don’t and have never worked in the private sector and those croonies that work under you manipulate the numbers. But you still have to blame others eventhough the private sector is doing fine. I smell a fish.
How do you qualify those job numbers? You guys just make up some number and spit it out there. Ya‘ll can’t even repeat the same number. If we are creating as many jobs as you say, there will be ‘0%’ unemployment in nothing flat.
Report Post »P8riot
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:40pmWe have to give him the benefit of the doubt – maybe that’s what George Clooney told him at their last fundraiser, or what Bon Jovi told him on Air Force One the other day. So its not his fault, its Bush’s fault. (sarcasm alert).
Report Post »happ77
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:22pmIts Bushs fault, its Europes fault, its Congresses fault,
Report Post »Its the tsunamis fault, its talk radios fault, its the greedy
1%ers fault. its conservatives fault, its the Tea parties fault,
etc. etc. etc.
HKS
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:38pmRight, we also have a bridge you might be interested in.
Report Post »WIjoyzie
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:29pmRight! On the planet that he lives on where rising unemployment has told him everything is fine! BO is the biggest liar ever!
Report Post »suedstate
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:37pmI try not to watch this Pretender-in Chief but had my TV on when he started, after 5 minutes of uummm aaahhh stupid grins I had to wonder if he ever kicked the habit or hit the pipe before stepping up to the mic.
Report Post »If this is what people call the “Most Intelligent prez ever” we are really in deep doo doo, i’ve seen 5th graders make more sense than this putz.
rivertree
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:45pmJust love your term “Pretender-in Chief “…captures him extremely well!
Report Post »subic
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:01pmHe’s no doubtedly still on some sort of dope. The dems elected a dope head, hahahaha…what a joke this guy is. Just goes to show you what kind of dumbasses are living amongst us.
Report Post »ENCENOM, ROOKS,STEELBRAIN, JZS & your ilk, are you listening?
gadgetninja
Posted on June 9, 2012 at 1:29am@subic hey are u in the philippines?
Report Post »MiCurmudgeon
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:37pmHe wants help with the construction industry, but says the private economy ( i.e. the construction industry) is doing all right. Since when do we have a Secretary of Construction or did I miss him adding a new czar.
Report Post »MRMANN
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:36pmThe private sector’s doing fine??? What wonderful news.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:42pmyes my business is doing so well we have half of the profits we usually bring in..
Report Post »Hollywood
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:52pmRIGHT ON! I am so happy I am going to run out and buy a FISKER! Know where I can buy one???
Report Post »Cornflake
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 5:20pmLOL, Remember, this is the third summer of recovery! Bernake is standing by to print and distribute more dollars, and put us even farther in debt! Some know that the quickest way to undermine a country is through debt. I don’t believe he believes the corrected quote. His first statement had to be correct, or either the teleprompter wasn’t working. But I tend to believe the first statement since he went on to say that it was public jobs that were suffering. Apparently, the administration needs more people in the unions so that they may collect dues that prop up the democratic administration. It would also appear that free trade and intertwined financing with foreign countries isn’t that great either. If it was, then we wouldn’t be bracing for the bad news hitting europethat will impact us. We have went from the largest lender nation, to the largest debtor nation. It doesn’t take much to know that this avenue is not good for the country!
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:36pmObama has once again proved he can lie with a straight face. On the other hand…most marxist can.
Report Post »watashbuddyfriend
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:36pmWhat do you say, when you pull in to fill your car with gas? Do I have to spell it, for you?
Report Post »bleuze
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:35pmWhy doesn’t he ask the Senate to pass the House bills that they are sitting on. At least discuss them! Oh I know, he wants someone to blame for his policies.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:35pmYou know he is desperate when he has to resort to the Jedi mind trick.
Report Post »Mike N
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:38pmWe can play that game too . . . This is not the president you’re looking for.
Report Post »P8riot
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:41pmnice!
Private sector doing find it is (yoda voice)
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:20pmPerhaps he was taken out of context.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 2:30pmRush just spoke about an RNC ad that is already on TV regarding that “The private sector is doing fine” statement. Said that was the only line spoken, the rest is graphic. Haven’t seen it yet, but looking forward to it. Was hoping that The Blaze had it up by now.
Report Post »SilverBlaze
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:34pmHe always likes a Big Government like Socialist countries do. Hire more for the government to increase Union membership which will finance the Democrat politicians.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:33pmYou bet we are you horse’s patootie!!!
Report Post »inexiletill2012
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:32pmPresident Obama told a room full of journalists that “the private sector is doing fine.”
I OWN A BUSINESS !
And NO we are NOT doing fine ! Neither are many of fellow small business
Report Post »Logic77
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:32pmUnbelievable, I am speechless. The only job Obama cares about, is his own.
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:53pmWe are seeing his private sector experience on display. Maybe some residual cocaine and choom starting to show through too.
Report Post »WIjoyzie
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:33pmReally… it‘s not so much his job he’s concerned with as much as it is losing power and the ability to vacation and golf 24/7. Work is a foreign concept to this phoney.
Report Post »mersey
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:31pmAhhhhhhhhhhhhh, help me……….I’m stuck in the Twilight Zone! Get me out.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:46pmIt may well be that ALL of America is ‘The Twilight Zone’ now and if that’s true, the only way out is to LEAVE. Don’t kid yourself, anyone with ties to another part of the world that they perceive has a culture more sane and secure than ours, is seriously thinking about it. Obama’s press conference today had me screaming: “Let me out of here”. Enduring four more years of him is not something that I think I can do.
Report Post »WIjoyzie
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:55pm@NETMAIL… it’s not you who should leave… It’s the Phoney-in-Chief. Back to corrupt Chicago… or back to the rock he crawled out from under.
Report Post »MBA
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:30pmWhat an incredible lying *ss, How can anyone have respect for this jack*ss not willing to admit there is a problem and do the “American” thing–fix the problem. Impeach this worthless s o b and let’s move on.
Report Post »Tri-ox
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:28pmBy tomorrow, I expect that Team Romney will have turned this clip into a devastating campaign ad.
Report Post »bandi9
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:35pmagreed. this is the dumbest thing he has said, and he has said dumb things
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:36pmYou beat me to it . My God this hapless fool should be easy to tromp in this election. I mean softball after softball . He’s actually sticking this one on a tee so Romney and the RNC can knock it out of the park.
Report Post »bandi9
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:27pmcertifiable
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:48pmMay be time to start checking urine.
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:27pmThe private sector IS just fine.
FOUR MORE YEARS!
Report Post »mersey
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:32pmYou obviously don’t work in the private sector.
Report Post »DirkPitt
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:32pm? lol…
Report Post »AccountableAmerican
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:36pmI run a small retail business in the private sector. Sales over the past two and a half years are down 50%. We are not hiring because of Obamacare, and even if we wanted to hire a new person, business revenues won’t allow it. So the private sector is far from fine. I belong to an association of small business people and we are all wondering what planet the president visited where the private sector was just fine, because it sure isn’t this one!
Report Post »bandi9
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:37pmby that comment i think you have the wrong part of the horse showing for your pic
Report Post »huey6367
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:42pmAccording to who? Barry?? He doesn’t work in the private sector so he would have no idea.
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:45pmA lil early in the day to be hitting the bottle there Besty.
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:50pm@AccountableAmerican, your business is down because your product is terrible.
Report Post »TexasHunter
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:54pmATBEST_NOPATRIOT You keep telling yourself that. While your at it the sky is green and the grass is blue. I am sure you have been told the opposite but I want you to know the truth. Now that you know that, start a small business. Sell lemonade on the side of the road. See how far you get.
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:01pm@TexasHunter, the sky is BLUE. too much tea for you? better cut down a bit!
OMG, what will we do without lemonade stands!?!?
Report Post »usedCZARsalesman
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:28pmok, I’ll be your Huckleberry BEST…care to take a stab at showing us some actual numbers that reflect your statement?
Report Post »Sue Dohnim
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:42pm@BEST_PATRIOT
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 12:27pm
The private sector IS just fine.
FOUR MORE YEARS!
—————————————–
It depends what the definition of IS …IS….
Report Post »cbrown
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 1:43pm@AccountableAmerican
Are you for real? If biz is down 50%, why would you hire or why are you still running it?
Report Post »subic
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:19pmSomeone check BEST PAT’s urine…this clown is on drugs too!
Report Post »MEANS2RESIST
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:55pmBeacause CBROWN-EYE..maybe he can afford to still operate by breaking even dumbass!
Report Post »Best_Patriot
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 3:59pmSounds to me like he’s just a poor businessman.
Report Post »Sue Dohnim
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:02pmLook like Obama had to tell the truth,,,
*OBAMA SAYS `ABSOLUTELY CLEAR’ ECONOMY NOT FINE, AP SAYS
Report Post »*AP SAYS OBAMA SEEKS TO CLARIFY PRIVATE SECTOR REMARKS
usedCZARsalesman
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:49pm@BEST…I’m disappointed you have had time to come back and make fun of others business skills (again, with no proof of what you are saying) but didn’t seem to have the time to defend you original statement. Why is that? I just don’t understand…an argument as solid as yours should be EASY to defend!
Report Post »Sue Dohnim
Posted on June 8, 2012 at 4:50pmObama just threw BEST_PATRIOT under the short bus…
Report Post »