Do you think President Obama's online town hall was useful and informative?

It dosen't matter I don't think the man has a clue. I supportd him but give me a break with all the Clintonestas around him what can you expect.

Good politics and it worked the media picked up he story and he looks good in the eyes of his supporters and got them fired up to follow. To a cynic like myself it was a nice group hug, but I am tired of partisans from both sides of the aisle, I hope we dont have to endure 4 years of contrived media events.

Don't watch or listen. That's what I did, for the past 8 long years, every time President Bush was talking or TV. You had your time now it is our time! Go hide in a cave or something.

It doesn't matter.  He is talking with people who do not have a clue and neither does he?  Why doesn't he get to work and do his job?  The whole thing is completely contrived and all of the questions were softballs. I want the president to get to work, not take silly questions from average Joes.

Conceited much Beverly ?

Beverly,most Americans are your average Joes....please do better next time

What were some better questions he could have been asked? We're listening.

I hope you people that voted for him are happy. This idiot has already spent more money in 2 months than the 2 wars in the middle east have cost combined. Also he promised on his campaign he would not sign a bill with frivolous earmarks attached and signed one that will cost the taxpayers $410,000,000,000 2 weeks ago... and didn't have the guts to face the media about it. It shows how stupid the people that voted in a freshman senator are.

Ahhh! A Republican talking point. Gee we haven't heard that statement lately. Dittohead!

St. Theresa, that's because the Republicans can't come up with anything NEW to say, so they have to resort to their old talking points and name calling. It's getting REAL boring.....

I just wish he would spend a little more time in the oval office. All i hear about is him traveling here and there for different events, how can he actually be getting things done. If this stuff is so "right" and is ultimately going to help the economy/country, then why does he have to sell it so often??? It's like a salesman pitching you something over and over and over. Bye the way Tom, don't act like what Pres. Obama is saying is anything new...

St. Theresa, that's because the Republicans can't come up with anything NEW to say, so they have to resort to their old talking points and name calling. It's getting REAL boring.....

Tisk, tisk tisk Tom, we have such a short memory, don't we? When Bush was in office you liberaldogs not only called him names, many of you wanted to kill him. But of course now your guy is in so you are going to take the high road, right! To Late, your a bunch of hypocrites.

Bye the way Tom, it's sad but true that the pres has already broken several promises... but that is politics. sometimes the truth hurts, especially when people repeat it (like the mistakes he's already made). Your not going to hear me defend pres. bush on everything because the guy was worng in many cases, and this is coming from a strong conservative. Just don't follow blindly o.k.

The President ALSO told us during the campaign that he WOULD change his course when he got more information or found that it was wise to compromise (UNLIKE "The Decider" George Bush who never budged even when facts stared him in the face.) A President SHOULD be willing to change course when circumstances warrant.

Nice try... That's not what i am talking about and you know it. What you are saying has absolutely nothing to do with my staement. It's hard to argue with a guy like me who is honest. Like i said before, bush was wrong sometimes are you willing to give him any credit. Probably not...

Yes. For a change this President wants people involved. After each town hall, he encourages people to pay attention and get involved. So this is what a representative government is!

The President makes a lot of sense. There are many smart people out there but not everyone can explain what is going. I believe the president answered the questions well. I believe during these tough times all Americans need to pay attention and get involved. I hope we have more town hall meetings like this one.

Hussein? Really? Give it a rest. Regardless of how you feel about his politics, it's fairly pathetic when you attempt to use his name in a way that insinuates an insult. Grow up and make some meaningful arguments. We're all dumber for having to read your nonsense.

Icepick, Republicans keep repeating the same old same old, and the same old name calling, because they have nothing else to say. They have no defense against a President who is not afraid to take questions from the American people he serves, unlike George Bush.

There you go again Tom! When Bush was in you people (Dems) called him every name in the book, and made up some new ones to boot.

Your a bunch of hypocrites.

I'm glad that the younger generation is getting involved. This is a great concept the Mr. O has started with getting in touch with the American people. Be cautious though, do your own investigation into every detail that comes out of every politcian. They're all full of it. It's funny that when a Republican is leading this nation the Democrats point fingers and if it's a Democrat leading the nation the Rebuplicans point. GET IT RIGHT PEOPLE! We all need to jump on board and get these politicians on our side. We're going down hill fast and it IS NOT because of BUSH. Things a President has to address start years before him. Freddie and Fannie we're items started by Clinton. I did not like alot of things Bush did but I'm not going to sit here and blame him for all our probems. We were attacked and I'm glad we went after anyone involved. Everyone needs to get invovled, do your research on the net and let your elected officals know how you feel.

JoJo, Your right that people called him every name because they were frustrated. How many times did we watch a gathering in front of Bush/Cheny and a audience member (s) were removed by police because they tried to express their freedom of speech. We are not hypocrites JOJo, we are the product of poor leadership for a good ten years of Republican dominance in the Houses and the disastarous ruin of eight years of a man who never should have entered the office of the Presidency. He was an imcompetent arrogant, selfish person who filled his cabinet with like individuals except for a few that slipped in and tried to do a good job. JoJO, you are a poor loser and also afraid that a Democrat is going to be the one to bring our country up from the ruin of the Republicans Once Again. Republicans use to be good campaigners , but never have been good at governing.

RDNCK - It would have helped if we would have gone after the actual people responsible for 9/11. Can you refresh my memory, where is Bin Laden? Is he in jail or is he still free?

The press doesn't know real people they need to talk to people all over the country. They are out of touch..

The President, congress, house of reps are all out of touch with the people. The press is run by them. What the real people think and feel never gets out there.

The Members of Congress who are out of touch are the ones who feel safe. My old Representative to the House became a senator in the 2008 election, and now, instead of on point replies to my questions that I used to get, I get "Thank you for your interest, please see my website" replies. I worked to get him elected and I am not happy. If the President can take time to read and directly reply to ten letters a day or do a national "townhall" like this, why can't my Senator? It is exactly the question I will send him today, plus call his office He's good for six years. My other Senator is an appointee to replace someone a Senator who joined Obama's cabinet, and will be facing a primary and election in 2010. He's a lot more responsive, as is my new Rep in the House.We just have to put a whole lot more pressure on the people who feel " safe" in their seats.I am attending a meeting witha group of like-minded "locals" this weekend to form a council to do just that.

Cynthia Sue Timko

Great idea i hope your group does what you say they want to do, and all America should be doing this. And don't just listen to one point of view of anyone.

Agreed!!

I agree! They just said that same BS they always say. I started watching online when they cut away.

Why don't you admit that the real problems only began when Pelosi and Reid took over!

AMEN!!!!!

I'm of the belief that no matter what anyone says the Republicans that don't like President Obama will not agree on anything. It's like darned if you do and darned if you don't. They are focusing so much attention on things that could actually help our country but doing so in a negative way. President Obama is trying to reach across the isle but unfortunately the Republicans have already made up their minds to not support him and this probably actually started on Nov 4th 2008 when they lost the elections. I do believe that there ought to be a term limit on Congress just like with the President and Governors, make it only two terms.

I am relevant, I am the news and if I make your ears tired it must be because you don't understand anything other than BS

I feel like we are being sold a bad bill of goods by an old snakeoil salesman,

and his cast of carpetbaggers

nice!!! I couldnt have put it better!

Boehner was the one who said that the Republican "will not legislate" for the time being, and I think he is part of the group of Repubs who want to just freeze spending for a few years. What more can they tell us except that they don't plan to even attempt to work on a bi-partisan level. Now if he or Mitch McConnell want to have a similar townhall, and have something to offer, like positive suggestions, I would sit down and listen as carefully as I do to President Obama. I would sincerely welcome it. There are some pretty bright, sincere and well-meaning Repubs out there who really do think things through and want to be able to "wheel and deal" on a rational level. Though I don't agree with them a lot of times, I have great respect for Senators Snowe, Collins and Specter, among others. I was sad to see Gordon Smith of Oregon lose his re-election campaign, though I guess having one more Dem in the Senate is a good thing as long as we have this filibuster thing going on. There are other, but unfortunately, they don't seem to be in the leadership. Does anyone remember Rockefeller Republicans or the old George Romney (Mitt's dad) Republicans? They weren't half bad, even pretty good, (so good that I actually considered voting for them had they become candidates, but that was before the ideologues took over in the Reagan era. So I would welcome a Republican town hall, and I have some (I think) good questions for them, politely, that I doon't think Boehner or MCConnell would be capable of answering.

Kathi995366 Sorry you still believe this was All caused by the republicans. We tried to fix this back in 2003 and 2004 but the democrats decided Freddie and Fannie desearved to stay on board and keep f-ing the poor folk with more bad loans!

When "Boner" came on, I switched the channel. I have had ENOUGH of them. ENOUGH!

Pelosi and Reid? Do you even know how our government works? Can you fathom how long it takes things like sub-prime mortgages to come back around and bite us? More than two years. More like six to eight (who was in charge back then?)

This economy has been in trouble since 9/11. Between the housing bubble, the bank debacle, and the fake, temporary jobs the Bush Administration "created" (low income part time FEMA workers, all of the private contractors they used for the government and still counted them as private sector jobs) just gave the illusion of stability and growth. It was just a house of cards. The stock market is probably where it should be now after all of the fraudulent investments have been exposed.

As far as snake oil: you got your lifetime supply over the last 30 years with three out of the last four presidents being recession bringing Republicans. You clowns make me sick. Where have you been the last decade? Are you just running off at the mouth because you will die like a shark if it stops swimming?

Most clearly need to READ history, not merely have it dictated to you by illiterates.

Have you listened to the President of The United States? There isn't really room for debate on most of these issues anymore. You have had eight years of proof as to what the republicans are capable of. Same thing happened after Reagan. And Bush. And Bush II. And Hoover...

Learn how to spell FOX, and you might look more intelligent than you are.

Rogue - do your homework... the subprime mortgage crisis is due to democrat policies. and don't try to argue it. There is plenty of audio of dems stating that everything is fine and the repubs saying the oppisite (and this was back in lke 03'). Nice try though.

Rogue--Yes you need to do some more homework on the Freddie and Fannie problems. The dems (because they held a majority in both houses) blocked the reps from fixing the whole problem. So get over blaming W.

bluecollargirl: she spelled Fox as "faux" on purpose. Learn to pick up on witty puns and YOU might look more intelligent than YOU are.

Historic? Only perhaps in the manner in which the interaction took place. But please stop gloryfying the man. He gave a town hall meeting without the town hall. He took voters questions, it really is no more complicated or overwhelming than that.

Suite Judy .....If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything. No one is really interested in your nastiness. Didn't your mother teach you anything?

St Theresea, are you a member of the obamanation and trying to censor comments now??

St. Theresa, put the kool-aid down. I don't see anything wrong with the comments made by Suite Judy. Historic? Exactly, just like Oprah saying Obama's convention speech changed her life. Really, Oprah? What in your life has changed? Besides your soon to come higher tax rate, of course. Or the lady in Florida saying once Obama is elected she won't have to worry about paying her mortgage or filling her gas tank. I think too many people are busy putting Obama on a pedestal and not enough are actually paying attention to what he's trying to do TO our country.

In 20 years, St Theresa, ask your grandkids or great grandkids, whatever the case may be, how those interest payments to the Chinese are coming along for Obama's awesomely great spending plan. You'll probably be able to find them standing in line for the government run health care or basking in the dim glow of their solar powered nightlight.

Wake up, America! Snap out of it! The campaign is over, or is this the start of the 2012 campaign season?

This most CERTAINLY was history making. When did Bush (or any other president) EVER do this?? The technology existed when Bush was in office --- did he use it? The answer is NO.

I agree 100% Wildblu! He's spending money like it grows on trees! How can he justify flying Airforce1 and all the cargo planes that follow, to LA to be on Leno in this financial crisis. He has already spent more money, in 2 months, than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost combined.

Because Tom, Bush probably figured that the American people were smart enough to figure out that it would be a sham!! Which it is!

Bush used LOTS of shams on us. He was AFRAID to take questions from the American people he served.

If anyone has Facebook, you can download an application called Visible Vote. You vote on the issues your Congresspeople and Senators vote on and see how they line up with you. It lets you know when you need to email them so they know where you stand on the issues.

Heather, thank you for the information. Information is everything. I am ALWAYS looking for ways to be more involved and participate at a meaningful level. I wonder if the statements made by my reps actually take into account my emails to them. In fact, I'm sure that is not the case since my Arizona reps seldom vote in a manner that is consistent with my values and concerns.

People not paying attention keeps the partisan crooks in power. The followers don't want information they want theirs! I wish people would read the constitution and the bill of rights, study history and its failures and watch what the partisan hacks in Washington do instead of listen to what they say.

I would only add that I wish they had a website disclosing lobbying efforts. It would be nice to know whether some pharmaceutical company is making campaign contributions in hopes of a yea or nay vote on some legislation which is against the interests of our citizenry. If we knew who was courting whom, then we could weigh in as citizens to remind our reps that they work for us and are there to represent our values and needs. Term limits would be welcome as well.

I can give you 2 biggies, AIG and the CEIU were major contributors to Your president

Crazy, that sounds meaningful but the devil is in the details. The FEC counts contributions of individual employees who work for a corporation as a "corporate" donation. In all likelihood, the FEC pooling of those donations is a plausible explanation for the contribution figures cited by naysayers. That said, there is nothing illegal or wrong with corporations supporting candidates at the legally recognized limits. Candidates have to raise money to run and this is the only system we have in which to choose our leaders. P.S. President Obama is OUR President unless you have made plans to renounce your citizenship and move to another country. If so, good luck in your new country.

Oppps. Typo, sorry. 'intelligently'. Haste makes waste.

That is all he does is talk. Can You and others not see he is bankrupting this country and others as well with all this spending. He has spent more in 2 months than we have in 200 years past.

LOL slight exaggeration there. He really hasn't spent much more than Bush really, the real reason the budget is in a deficit is because tax revenues are down and welfare payments are up, because we are in a recession and income and sales tax income is as a result down.

This recession started a year ago, and it was Bush's second too. Two recessions in one Presidency and its going to take a lot of work to get us out of it. Thats why we have a deficit.

The stimulus spending was needed because no one else was hiring, businesses weren't spending and the public wasn't spending. So update the infrastructure, hell the country needs new rail, roads and schools and efficient power systems.

Besides, its not much more than Bush wasted, utterly wasted, in Iraq, about $600bn there. And its the same as Bush handed out to Wall St last year.

Peachy, the President's job is talking. That is THE job. He listens, talks and leads. What EXACTLY do you believe are the President's primary tasks -- his job description as it were? I am always stymied by this criticism.

Yo Axel this clown hasn't done anything BUT spend (give away) OUR money. And the figures showing he has spent more than all of the other presidents comes from the CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE! You know the ones that the Dumocrapic Senators have said are the only real numbers they will accept as TRUE. Get some intelligence and stop drinking the KoolAid!!

Maryann, I agree with you COMPLETELY. One of the President's most imporant duties is to listen, learn, make decisions accordingly, and LEAD THE WAY. Rather than just listen to Washington insiders, President Obama is making it a point to reach out to the Americans he represents. This is a radical change from the previous administration.

Does he really want to know our issues, that is the question. Or is the same old same old that polictians do?

Bravo! There's lots of complaining about his budget and initiatives but no real alternatives by anyone. If we impose term limits, then maybe our legislators would actually do something for the good of the country and not merely to get themselves reelected.

Career policatians are what we have and until the american people realize that is what they are and we get rid of them. To be honest no policatian whether it be a govenor, major, city council person, President, congress, house of rep should be allowed to serve more than one term in their life. Yes and when this happens they might do some work. Also once they are out of that job their medical coverage should stop, bonuses should stop, including secert service protection. When a common american losses their job for any reason we do not get anything, so why should they. They put their pants on first like the rest of us.

So immature!

That's a good one, Sara. That way, when he and his policies all fail, we can have a race to see who can get to the front of the soup line.

It's funny that people seem to have forgotten that Bush and his administration are the ones who started this bailout fiasco! AIG...started with the Bush administration! The 'Big-3' automakers...started with the Bush administration! Quit blaming Obama for the 8 years of failed policies of the Bush administration. At least the man is trying to do something. It's becoming quite clear that the Republican opposition has no earthly idea what to do, yet, instead of trying to figure it out, they sit around complaining about how this is not going to work. You're right...it won't work....not if our country doesn't start working together, and stop pointing fingers at each other.

Here's a way to start recouping some of the debt our country is seeing...bring our f'ing troops home!!! There's $10 billion/day, or $365 billion/year for any none math majors!

And still he continues to bail out big companies just like the previous president? Hey maby the president ad all those up there making decisons about "our money" should take a pay cut, have to pay for medical insurance, pay for their secert service personal, pay for their homes and everything else that comes with the job and after they are no longer "serving".

St. It is a pleasure to read your attitude and idea of a fix. How intelligent of you to reply to Sara's note and add your 2 words of wisdom. You need to pull the throw over your head and go back to sleep. I say impeach them too Sara. Great idea...

kyhummer....

I think you have a valid argument there. Why we "continue" to bail these companies out is beyond me, and quite possibly 99% of the country.

What's kind of funny...in an ironic, twisted sort of way...is how eerily similar this corporate bailout mess is to the "No child left behind" croc. "We won't let kids fail in school, even though they're not doing what it takes to actually succeed in school, so...we shouldn't let corporations fail, even though they're not doing what it takes to be successful in business." (That's my sarcastic rendition, not my personal opinion!) The level of standards in this country are slipping at an alarming rate...if we actually have any standards left at all.

nickcoach, you don't need to do much research to understand why big companies like AIG are being bailed out. They guarantee the funds of thousands and thousands of banks, insurance companies, businesses big and small and private individuals around the world. Sadly to say, if some of these big companies are allowed to fail, the reprecussions around the world would be disastrous. It's frustrating and annoying as H*ll, but it's a fact. The mistakes were made in allowing these big companies to have so much influence to begin with, and efforts are already underway to either fragment the companies and/or increase regulation of them to prevent similar situations from happening in the future.

Here Here polictians do not know the american people, only the other rich.

Lynn - All of the members of Congress were voted on to be there to "Serve" for us but it just doesn't seem that way any more. I don't believe that the majority of them stop and think about what we as individuals truly want and they don't have our best interests at heart. Maybe it's time to take out the old and put in the new.

How many in the media make over 250.000? Are they angry too? They seem to nit pick everything and think we really give a damn. Don't they realize while they are nitpicking some people are living in cars and tent cities...Babies,women,children families darn it?

All of the members of Congress were voted on to be there to "Serve" for us but it just doesn't seem that way any more.

I don't believe its been about service for decades maybe since day one, its about power. If you read the criticisms of the past you will find they are very similar to the issues we face today going back thousands of years, politicians serve themselves and their benefactors in that order. I don't believe the framers of the constitution intended for us to be ruled by professional politicians. The fact that an uninformed electorate keeps them in power is even more troubling. If the voters know what they are doing and are satisfied we are in deep trouble, reading the mindless rationalizations and defense of one or the other partisan sides is scary. Only predicting the weather and serving in government allows one to be wrong most of the time and keep their jobs.

Don't they realize while they are nitpicking some people are living in cars and tent cities...Babies,women,children families darn it?

It has to be horrible to be homeless, but do not fool yourself into thinking that it's the first time in our history that it's happened or even the first time in the last 100 years. The big difference this time you're going to find out I think is that 75% of the homeowners who are out did it to themselves, by taking on more than they could handle and now we're supposed to bail them out too?

I'm not talking out renters here, or the FEW who were taken advantage of, them I have sympathy for, but the rest...... figure it out for yourself.

you took the words right out of my mouth! I also think they should take the ones that lied on their loan applications out of the tent cities, or cars, and put them where they belong! IN PRISON for lying!

We didn't tell you to lie about how much you make!

Therefore we should not be held responsible for your mistake!

Not much "suite" about your values or compassion based on your replies overall. The chronic homeless have been in existence for a long time, and likely will continue their self-destructive behaviors and lifestyle. The new homeless are another story. When low and middle income people were told that they COULD afford $XX in the way of a home price, they believed the experts who sold them mortgages and homes. While the concept of homeownership is laudable, there should have been STIFF oversight of the mortgage loan process and not just an unregulated license to rake in fees and costs at closings, coupled with the ability to bundle sales for resale beyond the original closings. Also, most people were optimistic that the future would see them in a more lucrative place and that they would be able to handle the increase in their mortgage if all went well. The same is true of the car industry. People drove away in new expensive vehicles which they could in no wise afford because there was so much to be gained by the lenders in simply closing the transaction (and they too had recoverable collateral at the end of the day). As long as our financial system incentivizes closing fees and costs, then we will continue to have unrealistic purchases by less than savvy consumers. We have to view bailing out these overly optimistic homeowners as an investment in our own home values and future economic stability. It's too narrow a view to only see the benefit of a bailout in terms of the individual homeowner. If this bailout works and is offered for a limited duration, then we all come out the richer and more stable for it.

How does he have time for this crap? How does he have time to fly to LA and be on Leno? Do you know how much it cost to fly Airforce One and all the cargo planes that follow across the country? He is burning threw our money we can't afford to spend!!!

From what I've seen so far there has been transcripts as well as a video of it. I don't believe it's "the same old same old that politicians give the public" because the same old politicians would not be interested in what you or I have to say.

I agree Kathi. Can you imagine Bush doing an event like this? He talked at us, not with us and not until after he used his power as "The Decider" to do what he wanted.

Is there really interest there from any polictian? I have been around to long to believe that the majority of Washington really cares or listens to anything that the american people say.

Politicians are just like doctors in my opinion, when they first start out they are truly interest in you, unfortunately as time goes on they become so bogged down with a lot of patients, or in the politicians we the people, that they don't have time. Maybe if they limit the term then the politicans might stay young and fresh and want our opinion more. We do complain about this or that and I wondered what it would be like to be a politican but not sure if I could be one. Maybe one day I might because if I don't like what I see or hear, I know that I can make a difference and that is something we were show last year and even now.

And who will be in charge of limiting how many terms they can serve. That's right the politicians. And guess what they are not going to pass that vote. They do not want to be limited. Maybe it is "Boston Tea" time for the the current American people.

I think this is more good PR than listening, in politics perception is much more important than reality, don't forget he is a politician from one of the most corrupt states, my home Illinois. The practice here is ignore the opposition and scandals and do whatever you want to, deny it when its not popular and take credit for anything that benefits your cause. If they think you care then you care.

I agree with you Carlos, it is PR. Anyone who does not think the questions were vetted before he heard them is NUTS! This man is constantly campaigning and using words like one other history celebrity...HITLER! That's right HITLER! What did Hitler ever do? Nothing! But, he was an orator, just like our beloved president, and people do not go beyond the words and take the time to understand what it is he is actually saying. CHANGE...CHANGE....CHANGE! Well there are two kinds of change, good and bad, and I am afraid this on is going to be not only bad, but catastrophic by the time he is done leading the flock to the chambers.

Well it is a new thing in our politics to know what you're talking about before you speak. I don't think reporters are used to that yet.

Well hey there Schl_busdriver,

I must say, that I respect you for just simply listening. And you are absolutely right, you don't have to agree, but you do want to be informed (The unknown scares most of us)and I think that the President is doing a great job of keeping anyone who listens in the loop. Kudos Mr. President (Although I am still not happy with all the spending that's going on!)

To everyone, this is the foundation to getting back on track, listening to each other. Without listening you cannot understand, without understanding there is no compassion, and hence no compromise. Thanks for reminding me of just how important it is that we communicate and listen to each other.