“How’s that?” – Barack Obama, January 29, 2009
Last night’s Daily Show with Jon Stewart featured this recap of President Obama’s televised Q & A with House Republicans. Included in the report was a highlight reel of Obama’s strongest moments, such as his use of the words, “How’s that?” to puncuate one of his most effective points in a response to a question from Indiana congressman Mike Pence.
PENCE: Mr. President, will you consider supporting across-the-board tax relief, as President Kennedy did?
OBAMA: Here’s what I’m going to do, Mike. What I’m going to do is I’m going to take a look at what you guys are proposing. And the reason I say this, before you say, ”Okay,” I think is important to know — what you may consider across-the-board tax cuts could be, for example, greater tax cuts for people who are making a billion dollars. I may not agree to a tax cut for Warren Buffet. You may be calling for an across-the-board tax cut for the banking industry right now. I may not agree to that.
So I think that we’ve got to look at what specific proposals you’re putting forward, and — this is the last point I’ll make — if you’re calling for just across-the-board tax cuts, and then on the other hand saying that we’re somehow going to balance our budget, I’m going to want to take a look at your math and see how that works, because the issue of deficit and debt is another area where there has been a tendency for some inconsistent statements. How’s that? All right?
It did not strike me when I saw it live, but after seeing this clip on the Daily Show, I was reminded of a remark from Obama reflecting similar skill and impact. It occurred in Iowa on December 13, 2007 during one of the earliest debates among the Democratic presidential candidates.
Asked by Iowa journalist how he could “deliver the kind of break from the past that you’re promising voters” while relying heavily on many former advisers to President Clinton, Senator Obama began his answer amidst the audience’s, and most notably, Senator Hillary Clinton’s laughter.
OBAMA: Well, the — you know, I am…
CLINTON (laughing): I want to hear that.
OBAMA (smiling): You want to hear that? Well, Hillary, I’m looking forward to you advising me, as well.
The audience burst into laughter and applause.
In both cases, Obama was genuinely comfortable, seemingly good-natured, calmly cutting, and undeniably effective.
