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[0:00] ..." This is married like WBZ Newsradio 1030. And I'm speaking of anti political analyst Steve Roberts an awful lot to talk about when it comes to the president's very full agenda. Over the weekend heat and"...
[0:53] ..." Resistance in the public declining confidence in this health care plans the White House theory is use your best weapon that go with your. Your best shot and and put the president out there in the"...
[1:34] ..." it and you can risks squandering that specialness he's just one more talking head on TV. You lose something precious so it's a very fine balance you wanna use your best weapon at a key moment."...
[5:05] ..." talk about a foreign policy he obviously turning his attention to -- Middle East peace and the G-20 summit later this week here in this country. Yeah I see a parallel here."...
[5:18] ..." greeted very warmly around the world. Parties simply because he was not George Bush and George Bush you didn't pay attention to allies and didn't pay attention to alliances -- world opinion and here's -- new president to -- I'm gonna improve relations with. Russia for example I'm going to. Be more vigorous and brokering Middle East peace and and perhaps most importantly I'm gonna reach out to the Muslim Arabic speaking world. A police finding in foreign policy"...
[6:52] ..." That's ABC political analyst Steve Roberts I'm Mary Blake WBZ Newsradio 1030."...
[0:00]" This is married like WBZ Newsradio 1030. And I'm speaking of anti political analyst Steve Roberts an awful lot to talk about when it comes to the president's very full agenda. Over the weekend heat and it took quite a media blitz. Much has been made of the fact that he appeared on five talk shows he is going to also appear on Letterman tonight. What do you make of this blitz and the argument the counter argument that he is overexposed right now."
[0:24]" Well the theory behind this is the president is your best weapon in this health care battle and a foreign policy and everything else on his plate. He's an exceptionally. Gifted communicators. He is sane and sensible and eloquent. And the president's. Maybe this single biggest. Power of any president is to use what's called the bully pulpit to shape and an influence public opinion and so. Faced with. Resistance in the public declining confidence in this health care plans the White House theory is use your best weapon that go with your. Your best shot and and put the president out there in the here there are other point is. That the media universe is much more fragmented that it was. In the age of Walter Cronkite when a few networks dominated the information environment now people get their information from talk radio and cable TV in the Internet. So the theory is tried to get their attention and get the -- is going. But there is a riskier because. People listen to the president because -- special in the presidential address a presidential interview. Has an aura about it and you can risks squandering that specialness he's just one more talking head on TV. You lose something precious so it's a very fine balance you wanna use your best weapon at a key moment. -- don't -- overuse it because then it's ordinary house successful as senior U. Well I think that he made his case well. It reminded us that this guy honey is awfully good at what he does. But the enemy is also reminded us that the substance of these problems. Are much tougher in some ways than he anticipated he himself used the word of one of the interview that he was humbled. By the experience of trying to convince the American public can convince the congress to go along with those ideas for him. It's just clear. He keeps saying it over and over again the current system is unsustainable. Costs are going up too fast people. Are at risk of paying more losing their coverage but for most Americans. They have some form of health coverage and most Americans the polls all show we're pretty happy with what they have. So the whole debate has been counter intuitive here's a president saying you voted for change now arm offering you change in the public this -- way. I don't wanna change I'm happy with my doctor happy with my insurance and happy with my local hospital. And he has not been able to get past that basic roadblock which is that most people have coverage and most people are happy with what Stan."
[2:57]" You have in the past you would've thought that by the year end of the year we would find some sort of health care reform bill on the table do you still think that will be the case."
[3:06]" I do because I continue to believe that despite the very serious differences among Democrats. -- you've got liberals like senator Rockefeller of West Virginia saying no no no I'll never vote for a bill. That and doesn't cover enough people. Or does include a public option you got conservatives like. Nelson of Nebraska saying no no no all of that would never vote for a bill it's too expensive like the one that Rockefeller want. But in the end all Democrats have a common interest which is supporting their president appearing to be successful going to the voters next year and claiming victory. So I think that common self interest among Democrats in the end will produce a bill but it will be a bill that falls significantly short. Of the aspirations of the late Senator Kennedy or others who wanted universal health coverage that will not happen in this bill is simply too expensive. And people are not willing to spend the money and raise the taxes to pay for."
[4:06]" There are some congressional leaders putting forth the argument now that healthcare is dominating all of the discussion and other important pieces of legislation are not being taken up. That's true."
[4:17]" And and the president did not anticipate this he set a deadline he wanted this done by September well let deadline is slipped time and time again now will be lucky get them by the end of the year and even that might be optimistic. And congress can only do certain number of things at once. And one of the outlets he chose to talk about talked to yesterday it was Univision -- very important Spanish language outlet. And on that. Interview and elsewhere he's had to admit that when his top priorities reforming immigration system is a very good example. Mary of very pressing very important issue that has been put on the back burner. By the dominating. Nature of the health care debate but that's only one of many and then and it is true. A lot of other major issues have been -- aside."
[5:03]" And not a moment too soon briefly now we can talk about a foreign policy he obviously turning his attention to -- Middle East peace and the G-20 summit later this week here in this country. Yeah I see a parallel here."
[5:15]" Because president Obama's. Election was greeted very warmly around the world. Parties simply because he was not George Bush and George Bush you didn't pay attention to allies and didn't pay attention to alliances -- world opinion and here's -- new president to -- I'm gonna improve relations with. Russia for example I'm going to. Be more vigorous and brokering Middle East peace and and perhaps most importantly I'm gonna reach out to the Muslim Arabic speaking world. A police finding in foreign policy has with domestic policy goodwill and good feelings only carry you so far one very clear example a trade dispute with China. He slapped a tariff on imported tires which has sent shivers of concern to the world trading system. He can talk all he wants with the Chinese leaders and he can. Have a warm meetings as he will this week but in the end national self interest economic self interest. Very hard to change and he's finding that foreign policy as well as domestic policy."
[6:16]" So we can expect that by week's end that nothing significant will happen on either front in terms of something. From the G-20 summit in them."
[6:24]" I don't think guy I don't see anything in particular. Decisions but I do think this. There is a value in building relationships there is a value value and building trucks in the long run. These systems. Do depend. On the ability of world leaders to talk frankly we each other and trust each other's word and I do think there's a value and in these periodic meetings even if there's no immediate tangible goal with content of."
[6:52]" That's ABC political analyst Steve Roberts I'm Mary Blake WBZ Newsradio 1030."
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