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UTUSN

(70,740 posts) Sun Feb 12, 2012, 11:57 AM Feb 2012

Chief of Staff Jack LEW (DALEY's replacement) is being massacred by SCHIEFFER

Where did this dude come from?!1 Why did he get picked?!1 He's stonewalling, obviously ignoring questions to spew talking points, is looking like whatever (cover-up) is worse than the original misstep. The first queston was whether DALEY left because of disagreeing with the coming HHS policy. SCHIEFFER didn't let the sidestepping go and asked it about twice more. The LEW dude kept yammering about the President's not having changed his position at all, had only continued a long planned implementation.

SCHIEFFER was incredulous. And SCHIEFFER is no wingnut tool. LEW injected something gratuitously and just made everything worse. SCHIEFFER did us a favor and got him off the air FAST, probably because the schedule was like that, but still a favor.

11 replies

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Chief of Staff Jack LEW (DALEY's replacement) is being massacred by SCHIEFFER (Original Post) UTUSN Feb 2012 OP

he was great on CNN OKNancy Feb 2012 #1

Well, on CBS he used the same words "two principles" but not to the questions asked UTUSN Feb 2012 #3

Schieffer is a Bushie. What did you expect Lew to answer to the question? Mass Feb 2012 #2

He is not a Shrubbite. I've seen him tear Rethugs to pieces. The 2 you cite are notorious UTUSN Feb 2012 #4

So, what was the goal of the question he asked? A gotcha question by excellence. Mass Feb 2012 #5

I'm aware of his brother, who besides the partnership ran as a Dem. Some Dems in TX are UTUSN Feb 2012 #7

I don't doubt you, but the question of why Daley left is inside baseball Beltway bullshit BeyondGeography Feb 2012 #6

Thanks for the civility, and I agree about the inside baseball, and even agree about the gotcha UTUSN Feb 2012 #8

Glad I missed it. elleng Feb 2012 #9

So he's an oldie who thinks stonewalling works. I remember G.E.Russert doing it UTUSN Feb 2012 #10

You're welcome. As I didn't watch, elleng Feb 2012 #11

OKNancy

(41,832 posts)

1. he was great on CNN

Reply to UTUSN (Original post)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:00 PM

Feb 2012

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101613674

UTUSN

(70,740 posts)

3. Well, on CBS he used the same words "two principles" but not to the questions asked

Reply to OKNancy (Reply #1)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:12 PM

Feb 2012

and all I can say is what my lying eyes saw: Ineptitude and stonewalling and looking like a fool.

Mass

(27,315 posts)

2. Schieffer is a Bushie. What did you expect Lew to answer to the question?

Reply to UTUSN (Original post)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:11 PM

Feb 2012

I thought Lew was as good as possible with such an interviewer, which was so nice to both Paul and McConnell previously.

UTUSN

(70,740 posts)

4. He is not a Shrubbite. I've seen him tear Rethugs to pieces. The 2 you cite are notorious

Reply to Mass (Reply #2)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:14 PM

Feb 2012

for not granting access if they aren't lip locked.

Mass

(27,315 posts)

5. So, what was the goal of the question he asked? A gotcha question by excellence.

Reply to UTUSN (Reply #4)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:18 PM

Feb 2012

And yes, he is. His brother was ambassador for W, and during the 2004 campaign, he was all for Bush, which showed in the debate he animated. I thought Lew was good, given the absurd and idiotic questions Schieffer chose to ask him. If he wants to know why Daley left, he should ask to Daley (which may have well left for this issue)

This quote by Schieffer introducing the issue says it all "The mess the president finds himself in with the Catholic Church". It should read "The mess the reactionary Republican Party created for political gains"

UTUSN

(70,740 posts)

7. I'm aware of his brother, who besides the partnership ran as a Dem. Some Dems in TX are

Reply to Mass (Reply #5)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:33 PM

Feb 2012

Conservative Dems. But the CBS SHIEFFER is a professional journalist in the old school sense.

As for the gotcha questions, yep, that's what they do.

That said, denying that the HHS decision is a MESS *and* that it was avoidable is futile. It wasn't the Rethugs who created the opportunity for the mess. The same decision could have been reached with preparatory, um, reach-arounds. It all, including LEW this performance, looks self-massacre-ing.

BeyondGeography

(39,379 posts)

6. I don't doubt you, but the question of why Daley left is inside baseball Beltway bullshit

Reply to UTUSN (Original post)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:21 PM

Feb 2012

Nobody cares, so Lew can give as horseshit an answer as he wants on that one.

UTUSN

(70,740 posts)

8. Thanks for the civility, and I agree about the inside baseball, and even agree about the gotcha

Reply to BeyondGeography (Reply #6)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:38 PM

Feb 2012

that others have raised. I'm really aiming at how inept the performace LOOKED. The person in that position should be able to handle anything thrown at him, but just "ignoring" the other half of the game plays ain't a winning tactic.

elleng

(131,107 posts)

9. Glad I missed it.

Reply to UTUSN (Reply #8)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 12:48 PM

Feb 2012

As to your early question, he's been around, is not a newbie:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Lew

UTUSN

(70,740 posts)

10. So he's an oldie who thinks stonewalling works. I remember G.E.Russert doing it

Reply to elleng (Reply #9)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 01:26 PM

Feb 2012

on CSPAN. A Lefty caller confronted him about being "like" Faux wingnuts. RUSSERT replied, "The caller is mistaken. I don't work for (Faux), I work for NBC News."

Of course, that wasn't the caller's point. And of course the caller had been disconnected so there was no chance for a follow-up. The smugness on RUSSERT's face was clear. But did he, or any of the others who do the obvious, really think they're smart?!1

Thanks for the info.

elleng

(131,107 posts)

11. You're welcome. As I didn't watch,

Reply to UTUSN (Reply #10)

Sun Feb 12, 2012, 01:39 PM

Feb 2012

can't opine on why he did what he did. He's new to this job, and will likely get 'lessons' from someones, this week, on those occasions when he's in public view, imo. They can't risk having chief of staff giving up admin's 'wins.'

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