Hope everyone gets to watch President Obama's press conference this afternoon.

[IrishAyes]

Live is always best, but at least there's always the internet. I don't know the time exactly, but it's usually around 11-12 CST.

While I'm at it, good time to remind everyone we should take out actual pen and paper and write words of appreciation to him. Yesterday's debacle was NOT his fault in any way. But for him the GOP would have us at war and in bread lines continually. This was a hard blow to take, but they're running out of ammunition anyway. Demographics will get them sooner than later.

[hlthe2b]

1. Far too painful for me.

But, I have no doubt he will be the statesman he is.

[earthside]

2. He is the leader of the Democratic Party.

He is responsible.

As President and leader of the executive branch he can make nice with the 'new' Republican Congress ... and he will.

But he needs to also announce a wholesale shake-up of the Democratic National Committee and inform us that Debbie Wasserman-Schultz has either resigned or been fired.

I'm sure he will do the first part; no way will he do the second part.

[tularetom]

3. It's a few months late for him to say anything that matters

He sat by and let his party's candidates pretend he didn't exist and that everything he had achieved in the face of constant opposition meant nothing.

I'll still support anything he attempts to do but I'd like to see a bit less passivity from him.

[Cha]

11. You're in the Barack Obama Group.. we have a Mission Statement here that exludes

cheap venomous pot shots at the President. There's plenty of threads elsewhere for you to leave your mark.

Please delete or I will have to block you from this Group.

[tularetom]

12. Sorry about that, go ahead and block me if you want

I didn't check before I posted but I'm not going to delete.

[Cha]

13. Yeah, the Blame Obama First Crowd has the whole board to do that.. just not here.

[IrishAyes]

15. Thanks for guarding what I left unattended so long.

I watched the presser live of course and was very proud as always of President Obama. Since then it looks a lot more like the GOP 'squealing' than us dirty ol' liberals. They're just having fits, aren't they? Just wait; they ain't seen nothin' yet.

[Cha]

16. No problem, Irish.. thank you! The Presser was Magnificent.. too bad the Conspiracy

Theorists were whining that President Obama wanted to gop to win because he was so upbeat. They knew nothing about this President before and they're still dangerously clueless.

[global1]

4. Do You Think He Will Be Conciliatory Or Will He Go Hardball?.....

I hope he doesn't go soft on the Rethugs - I'll be disappointed in him if he does.

I know he'll say we still have a lot of work to do to get this country back in order - that's reasonable. But I hope he puts his foot down and says something to the effect that he is still the President and it's still his job for another two years to steer this country in the right direction and that he won't tolerate any off course directions that the Rethugs will put forth.

We know where he stands on all the major issues and we know where the Rethugs stand on them and they are pretty much diametrically opposed. He has to say that if reasonable legislation is presented to him that was worked out in a bipartisan way in the House and Senate - he will sign it. But if the Rethugs try to shove ill-conceived, illogical and damaging legislation through just because they have control - that he will not hesitate to veto it.

I don't want a casper milquetoast president for the next two years. He has nothing to lose and he should get tough and stay tough and not cave to the Rethugs. He should have taken that tact a long time ago - but he still has two years and he needs to make the best of those two years in moving this country.

[djean111]

5. At this point, I would not be surprised if the GOP leaders just do not show up for meetings.

I hope Obama comes out swinging, sweeps all the bipartisan bullshit off the table, and proposes good Democratic things that the GOP will have to shoot down. Better than caving. This, for me, is what will tell the tale of the next two years - fighting or caving, will he do0 the stuff he wanted to do anyway, with the GOP as scapegoats. Like the TPP, Keystone, and Chained CPI.

[steve2470]

6. it's about 90 minutes away, countdown clock at link

http://www.whitehouse.gov/live

[Raine1967]

7. STARTING NOW!

[JustAnotherGen]

8. Can you give any updates?

At work.

[Raine1967]

9. I am live updating at three places right now!

Obama is not changing his principles. He is sticking to everything he has always said. CApitalizing on What McConnell said last night when he said it is time to work together.

(It's basically throwing turlte's shit back into his face)

Wants money for infrastructure.

will not sign off on things that he does not agree with. looking forward to overlap on this to agree on, Jobs, infrastructure, immigration.

Looks like he is silently saying a big NO to cuts on the safety net.

Wants a federal min wage -- says that 5 repub states passed it, that is why it should be done on a national level.

ASking Boehner to get the immigration bill to the floor and may use executive actions (along with many others… he's not taking this ish anymore.)

[JustAnotherGen]

10. Awesome! Just got home

Will look for video!

[freshwest]

14. Just posted it in the BOG, JAG. See the link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/110226440

And here is what Maddow said:

Rachel Maddow - Obama calls GOP bluff on Ebola, ISIS

Rachel Maddow highlights the Republican exploitation of American fears about Ebola and ISIS in campaigning and points out President Obama calling on the new GOP Congress to now take actual action to fund Ebola preparedness and authorize force on ISIS.

I was fortunate not to have seen the media blitz that cost the reichwingers many millions to put out their message of fear. For example, the Koch brothers spent $400M themselves.

We must return to talking to real people and support our president, because he never takes his eye off the goal of saving lives and making this nation and the world a better place.