30 April 2009
State’s Michelle Austein Brooks Discusses Obama’s First 100 Days
CO.NX webchat transcript, April 30
Michelle Austein Brooks is a U.S. government and politics writer who has covered three national elections for America.gov. She answered questions in an April 30 CO.NX webchat on President Obama’s first 100 days.
Following is the transcript:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
Webchat Transcript
CO.NX Webchat: Analysis of Obama’s First 100 Days
Guest: Michelle Austein Brooks
Date: April 30, 2009
Time: 10:00 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT)
CO.NX Moderator (Mark): If you are just joining us, welcome! Today's webchat will begin in about 30 minutes at 10:00EDT 14:00GMT.
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): Good morning everyone! My name is Marie and I am joining you from Washington DC. Feel free to introduce yourself and tell us where you are joining us from! Continue to ask your questions and leave and comments you have about Obama's first 100 days.
Comment [boingoc67]: I’m from Vietnam
Michelle Austein Brooks: Hi everyone! Thanks for joining me today!
We'll get started in just a minute, so many questions!
Comment [frank thomas 2]: u welcome Michelle.
Comment [Veronica]: Hi Michelle and others-- I'm from the Stanley Foundation
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): Welcome!
CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): Welcome to everyone that is joining us. We see your questions coming in and Michelle will begin answering them soon.
Please introduce yourselves and tell us where you are from.
Michelle Austein Brooks: Thanks everyone for coming today! It’s been a super exciting 100 days here in the United States and I’ve enjoyed following every minute of it on my blog, First 100 Days http://blogs.america.gov/campaign
In 100 days, we’ve seen changes to our policies on Guantanamo to Iraq to the economy to the climate. Here’s a short recap. http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/2009/04/30/day-100-day-100-day-100/
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): If you'd like to read the transcript of President Obama's news conference, click here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/News-Conference-by-the-President-4/29/2009/
CO.NX Facebook Comment: George Marinkovich (Venezuela): I have faith that senor Obama will do very well.
CO.NX Facebook Comment: Wilfredo Tortosa (Venezuela): I hope that you have 2940 more days and that you complete all that you've proposed. We will celebrate your 100 days in government. Good wishes to my beautiful black man (I mean no offense).
Michelle Austein Brooks: That's a very nice comment. Polls in the United States suggest that Americans are also quite pleased with the progress made in the past 100 days, but even President Obama himself noted yesterday in his press conference that there is plenty of work to do.
Question [Fenica]: What will be the first priority in dealing with the global financial crisis, yet at the same time the pandemic also need a lot of attention?
Answer [Michelle Austein Brooks]: You are absolutely right; both are priorities for the U.S. government. The economic crisis will take a long time to fix, but the president has said he believes his economic stimulus bill is starting to create new jobs for Americans. Meanwhile, the H1N1 virus needs urgent attention, and President Obama has directed his Cabinet secretaries to take action.
You can see how the economic stimulus bill is having an impact on this website: http://www.recovery.gov/
The director of health and human services and the head of CDC are hosting an online town hall today where they will talk about pandemic preparations and important precautions that everyone can take, like washing their hands: http://www.hhs.gov/
Q [TG]: Hello! Now it seems balance of power shifts to Democrats in US congress. How Obama will benefit?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Great question! This is a bit complicated in American politics. A politician can change parties at any time. While there will be an additional member of the U.S. Senate from Obama’s party, this does not guarantee the Senate will support all of the president’s proposals. Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter switched from Republican to Democrat. But that does not mean he will always vote with the Democrats. In fact, just yesterday he voted against the president’s budget.
You hear a lot about Specter’s switch as being important because he will be the 59th Democratic Senator, and it is likely in a few weeks there will be a 60th Democratic Senator. Holding 60 seats is important because 60 votes are needed to end a filibuster — a parliamentary procedure that allows senators to continue a debate indefinitely and block or delay a vote on a measure or nomination. Filibusters have been used effectively throughout U.S. history. It was a tactic frequently used by southern senators seeking to block civil rights legislation in the 1960s. More recently, filibusters have been used a record number of times in the 110th Congress, effectively preventing the Senate from holding votes on certain issues.
Q [Nada Hussein Saad Ibrahim 2]: Dear Mr. Obama, am one of the biggest fans of yours from Sudan; am supporting you with all of my heart but am just very worried these days and I would like to know what is your plans with Sudan????
I will always support you Mr. President; the only thing that we want is that we don’t want to have war in Sudan. Thank you Mr. President.
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Sudan is a country the United States is paying close attention to. President Obama and the State Department have spoken many times about their concerns of the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.
Q [Tchello KASSE]: What is Obama first action when he has been elected?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: President Obama signed executive orders within hours of taking office, but one of the first notable ones that received attention was his order to close Guantanamo Bay within a year.
Here is information on this: http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/2009/01/22/day-2-obama-orders-closure-of-guantanamo-bay-detention-facility/
CO.NX Facebook Comment: Obayomi Abiodun: All I know is the 100 days of President Obama will be a challenging trial period, and I believe that once he (Obama) can survive this 100 days, he will surely move America and all the World to the Promise Land.
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): Thank you Obayomi. What do you think about Obayomi's comment?
Q [IRC BAMAko 2]: Hi, I am IRC Bamako. Do you think that it's time to judge President Obama after only 3 months of coming? Is the crisis due to Obama?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: The first 100 days is a traditional period of political accountability for U.S. presidents. Since Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1933, Americans have tracked a president’s first 100 days to evaluate his accomplishments, initiatives and governing style. But I do not believe 100 days is necessary a clear indication of what will happen over the next three and a half years. Oftentimes unpredictable events, like this flu, dictate much of a president’s agenda.
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): Thank you for your patience. Michelle has many questions coming in, and she'll do her best to answer as many as she can.
Q [IRC BAMAKO3]: What Obama did for health during his 100 days?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Health care has been a key issue for the president. His economic stimulus bill did include funds for modernizing health care records. But reforming health care will take years and a lot of political compromise, so we did not expect him to do a lot in 100 days.
Here is an article about the president’s health care proposals: http://www.america.gov/st/usg-english/2009/March/20090330115121hmnietsua0.5621454.html?CP.rss=true
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): Here is the link to Michelle's Twitter: http://twitter.com/MAusteinBrooks
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): To read about the members of Obama's Cabinet, click here: http://www.america.gov/cabinet.html
Q [IRC BAMAKO 2]: Don't you think that all the negative critics made towards Obama are related to his colour?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: What a great question. There has not been a lot of discussion on race over these past 100 days. But there was a lot of celebration on Inauguration Day, as many felt it was a great achievement to see an African American in the highest political office.
Q [IRC BAMAKO3]: Obama and Bush are two American presidents; do they have similar approaches in terms of foreign policies?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Great question! Both Bush and Obama have similar priorities to foreign policy. Their top goal is to ensure that Americans are safe, and that plays an important role in shaping policy in any administration. But there have been some major shifts in foreign policy in the past 100 days. President Obama has shifted toward supplying more support to fight terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has also made some steps towards changing our relationship with Cuba. Obama, Biden and others have stressed their goal of developing a multilateral policy in which America works closely with its allies.
Over the past 100 days, I have been tracking many international relations issues, you can see them here: http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/category/international-relations/
Q [Khoavo]: Hello, President of the United States. I'm Khoa and I'm from Vietnam.
CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): Welcome to the chat, Khoa.
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): Weclome!
Q [Veronica]: President Obama has set a major foreign policy goal of securing all loose nuclear material in four years. What concrete steps have been taken to achieve this goal in his first 100 days? What other important steps does the administration need to take now?
Michelle Austein Brooks: Securing nuclear weapons is an important security and foreign policy goal. Already this is a topic the United States is discussing with Russia: http://www.america.gov/st/peacesec-english/2009/April/20090424115848dmslahrellek0.2174036.html?CP.rss=true
Comment [Nada Hussein Saad Ibrahim 2]: Dear Mr. President, kindly note that we love you so much & we still support you, am talking on behalf of my people in Sudan, if you have a negative plans against Sudan, I would like you to think about us, the people, we are the most important thing, think about us as a human being, we have dreams, wishes we want it to come true, war is the worst thing ever; think about the kids if war happened; killing and blood is not the way to get what you want. Please Sir excuse me to say that but we don’t want to live in war; am engaged and am willing to get married to the love of my life; we want to have family; we want to have babies to raise and to make them live happily ever after, but if you are thinking to have a war in Sudan we will lose all our dreams and wishes. I’ve never voted to an American President or supported any one; it’s just you the one I’ve voted. You are not only the American dream; you are all the African people's dream, Mr. President. Please think about us not the government, we are the weakest part…
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: I wanted to let you know that the president has appointed an envoy to Sudan. Here's more information: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Sudan-Special-Envoy-Statement/
Q [Tchello KASSE]: So, why the financial crisis started in Obama administration, but not during the Bush's?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: The financial crisis started before Obama took the oath of office. No one is exactly sure when it started. President Obama has said that in order to fix the economic crisis, we need to make long term changes not only to financial regulations, but to our political culture.
Q [Khoavo]: why Obama held his 100 days press conference in Missouri?
Q [IRC BAMAKO3]: Are there any reasons why Obama held his 100 days press conference in Missouri?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: The President has held several town halls, a forum for discussing issues directly with the people. He held town halls throughout his campaign and he likes holding them now as an opportunity to get out of Washington and talk to real people.
By the way, the president has also held town halls overseas. Here is an example: http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/2009/04/03/day-73-obama-takes-his-town-hall-to-france/
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): To read the transcript of the President's town hall in Missouri, click here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Arnold-Missouri-Town-Hall/
Q [Khoavo]: Dear Sir, I saw the swine flu is happening seriously in Mexico so what are you doing to prevent it? And what the policy do you have to stop it? Maybe you have some advices for everybody.
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Center for Disease Control (CDC) scientists are in Mexico, along with World Health Organization (WHO) scientists, helping answer questions about the new H1N1 virus. Multiple agencies in the United States are doing their part to make sure non pharmaceutical supplies are available and antiviral medications are available and that people know how to protect their communities from further spread of the virus.
America.gov is providing information on H1N1 and infectious diseases surveillance. Here is some information on what agencies around the world do to monitor diseases: http://www.america.gov/surveillance.html
This article explains what H1N1 (commonly referred to as swine flu) is. I recommend everyone read it! http://www.america.gov/st/scitech-english/2009/April/20090427163335lcnirellep0.4592554.html&distid=ucs
Q [IRC BAMAKO1]: Don't you think that by taking a veiled lady of an Arabic origin in the White House, Arabic terrorists could take one member of her family as hostage and oblige her to bring a bomb in the White House?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: No, I don't. Most of the world, including terrorists, knows that the White House is the most secure facility in the world. Americans are fully confident that no bombs could get into the executive mansion.
Q [IRC BAMAKO 2]: Hi IRC Bamako again, I think if Obama is the president of the United States today, it is because of all those Americans who voted for him. If those people disliked and hated him, he wouldn't win. All the more so since the majority of the population in the United States is composed of white people. What really make me confused is that those people who supported him during the campaign became now his enemies. So did they elect him to check and know whether a black people can govern a great and powerful country like the U.S.?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: In the United States, political debate is common. No matter your race or religion, you are welcome to participate in the debate. Every president hears complaints from Americans, including those who voted for him.
Q [IRC BAMAKO1]: Do you think that to send more army forces in Afghanistan is solution to keep peace?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Yes, the President does plan to send more forces to Afghanistan. Here is some information: http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/2009/03/27/day-66-a-new-plan-for-afghanistan-and-pakistan/
Q [boingoc67]: Excuse me, I want to know what's the main action of the US Government now?? Economic crisis, H1N1, or something else?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: The U.S. government has to tackle multiple priorities at once. The economic crisis and H1N1 are among the top priorities.
Q [IRC BAMAKO3]: What Obama pretend to do about race issue? I think he was elected by all people not only blacks.
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Yes, Obama was elected by all people.
Q [IRC BAMAko 2]: Why people are against the nomination of Timothy Geithner?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Initially there was concern about Geithner's nomination, as Geithner admitted he forgot to pay some taxes. But he has since paid them. So far, polls indicate Americans are satisfied with Obama's performance on the economy. Geithner gets mixed results - some people think he does a good job; some are more concerned about his performance.
Q [Tchello KASSE]: What will he do about education?
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): To read about the Department of Education and their policies so far click here: http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/100days.html
CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): You can also read some comments from First Lady Michelle Obama on education here: http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2009/February/20090203130540xjsnommis0.9883386.html
Q [IRC BAMAKO3]: In the 100 days what Obama did for education because he said on inauguration day their schools often lead to failure?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: You are correct, the President has stressed the need to invest in education so American children are better prepared for jobs in the 21st century. A $3 trillion budget passed by Congress yesterday calls for major investments in education.
Q [Veronica]: What approach will the administration take to effectively address issues like piracy off of Somalia, which are symptoms of weak or failed states?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Secretary of State Clinton has called for increased cooperation with our partners to address issues of piracy, which is a big concern. America.gov is working on a series of articles addressing this very topic, so stay tuned and check our website for more information!
Q [Veronica]: With the G8 summit approaching in July, does the Administration plan to use this forum to raise issues other than the economic crisis?
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: International issues will be among the discussions. Development issues will likely receive attention. Piracy may be discussed. And if pandemic flu is still a problem then, it is possible leaders may discuss this as well.
Q [IRC BAMAKO3]: What Obama did about ecology? Many countries are threatened.
A [Michelle Austein Brooks]: Since day one, President Obama has said climate change is major concern that needs a global solution. This week he convened a group of leaders from 17 developed and developing economies to discuss the issue. This is the first of many meeting leading up to a large international conference in December in Copenhagen where nations will work together to hopefully reach a climate change agreement: http://www.america.gov/st/energy-english/2009/April/20090429155641lcnirellep0.1378443.html?CP.rss=true
Michelle Austein Brooks: Thanks, everyone, for joining me today. So many great questions! I hope to come back soon and talk about the President's accomplishments and challenges throughout his term. In the meantime, keep visiting my blog, http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/ or talk with me on twitter: www.twitter.com/MAusteinBrooks Thanks again!
Q [boingoc67]: After you close this web chat, we can receive your replies?
CO.NX Moderator (Marie): You can read Michelle's blog at http://blogs.america.gov/campaign/ where she will do her best to continue addressing these questions.
Comment [boingoc67]: Thanks.
CO.NX Moderator (Sarah): Thank you everyone for joining us today!
Comment [IRC BAMAKO3]: Thank you too.
Comment [boingoc67]: Thank you so much.
CO.NX Facebook Comment: Frank Thomas (Germany): We love OBAMA
CO.NX Facebook Comment: Hendrik Renee Patty (Indonesia): Obama you are the guy who bring the joy of this world to everybody who love each others in the world
Comment [IRC BAMAKO1]: We are very happy to have many answers on our questions and see you. Good bye.
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