[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vYLXZEVsz0]
Barack Obama did a good job in his interview on Fox News Sunday (video above). With all my criticism here of Fox I should also say that Chris Wallace also did a good job. Sure I could nitpick (and I was annoyed by him repeatedly calling Clinton’s nine point victory in Pennsylvania a big win) but I can think of a number of people from other networks who have done much worse. The interview wasn’t overly adversarial on either side. I certainly never expected Obama to “take on” Fox as some were led to believe.
From my perspective the highlight was when Obama was asked about areas where “Republicans have a better idea.”
Well, on issues of regulation, I think that back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, a lot of the way we regulated industry was top down command and control. We’re going to tell businesses exactly how to do things.
And I think that the Republican party and people who thought about the margins (ph) came with the notion that you know what, if you simply set some guidelines, some rules and incentives for businesses, let them figure out how they’re going to for example reduce pollution. And a cap and trade system, for example, is a smarter way of doing it, controlling pollution, than dictating every single rule that a company has to abide by, which creates a lot of bureaucracy and red tape and oftentimes is less efficient.
I think that on issues of education, I have been very clear about the fact, and sometimes I have gotten in trouble with the teachers union on this, that we should be experimenting with charter schools. We should be experimenting with different ways of compensating teachers. That –
WALLACE: You mean merit pay?
OBAMA: Well, merit pay, the way it has been designed I think that is based on just single standardized I think is a big mistake, because the way we measure performance may be skewed by whether or not the kids are coming in the school already three years or four years behind.
But I think that having assessment tools and then saying, you know what, teachers who are on career paths to become better teachers, developing themselves professionally, that we should pay excellence more. I think that’s a good idea. So –
WALLACE: But, Senator, if I may, I think one of the concerns that some people have is that you talk a good game about, let’s be post-partisan, let’s all come together — just a couple of quick things, and I don’t really want you to defend each one, I just want to speak to the larger issue.
The gang of 14, which was a group — a bipartisan coalition to try to resolve the nomination — the issue of judicial nominations. Fourteen senators came together, you weren’t part of it. On some issues where Democrats have moved to the center, partial-birth abortion, Defense of Marriage Act, you stay on the left and you are against both.
And so people say, do you really want a partnership with Republicans or do you really want unconditional surrender from them?
OBAMA: No, look, I think this is fair. I would point out, though, for example, that when I voted for a tort reform measure that was fiercely opposed by the trial lawyers, I got attacked pretty hard from the left.
Obama got it right. He stuck to liberal principles on issues such as abortion rights, opposing the partial-birth abortion ban because it made no provision for the health of the mother. He also understood the politics:
It is true that when you look at some of the votes that I’ve taken in the Senate that I’m on the Democratic side of these votes, but part of the reason is because the way these issues are designed are to polarize. They are intentionally designed to polarize.
On partial birth abortion, I strongly believe that the state can properly restrict late-term abortions. I have said so repeatedly. All I’ve said is we should have a provision to protect the health of the mother. And many of the bills that came before me didn’t have that.
Now part of the reason they didn’t have it was purposeful, because those who are opposed to abortion, and I don’t begrudge that at all, they have a moral calling to try to oppose what they think is immoral, oftentimes what they are trying to do was to polarize the debate and make it more difficult for people so that they could try to bring an end abortions overall.
So the point I’m simply making is that as president, my goal is to bring people together, to listen to them. And I don’t think there is any Republican out there who I’ve worked with who would say that I don’t listen to them, I don’t respect their ideas, I don’t understand their perspective.
And I do not consider Democrats to have a monopoly on wisdom. And my goal is to get us out of this polarizing debate where we are always trying to score cheap political points and actually get things done.
Obama also stuck to liberal principles in opposing the Defense of Marriage Act, while the Clintons have repeatedly ignored principle with regards to gay issues. Where Obama does go against the Democratic mainstream are all areas where I agree with him–on regulation of business, tort reform, charter schools, and merit pay for teachers (if a reasonable way can be done to accomplish this). The influence of the University of Chicago on Obama’s economic thought can be seen here.
This would be likely to receive the approval of others such as myself who are socially liberal and pragmatic economically, and explains why Obama receives the overwhelming support of educated, affluent Democrats. It remains to be seen how much this interview will help him with those supporting Clinton. It does tell a lot that the media by which one reaches out to Clinton supporters is Fox News. Whether or not it is helpful politically, the fact is that Barack Obama is the only liberal left in the race, facing two conservatives in Hillary Clinton and John McCain.
I feel Barack Obama made an excellent decision to appear today on Fox News Sunday. And while I agree with you that it might well be a good forum to reach out to Clinton conservatives, Fox is a forum that allows Obama to reach out to Republicans and all conservatives.
John McCain has spent the week in a similar outreach effort by visiting areas normally avoided by Republicans. While he may only gain a few converts by his visits to Selma and the 9th Ward, he is “reaching out” to the poor and to blacks. McCain can only do that by visiting their neighborhoods. He must be on their turf.
By appearing on Fox News, Obama said is visiting conservatives on their turf and it speaks volumes.
In one short one hour program, Barack Obama communicates two really importing things to the Fox News viewers. He says 1.) I respect you and your values, even when I disagree, and 2.) I want to enter into dialog with you. There are areas where we can agree.
The only way Obama could do this was to appear on FOX and behave EXACTLY as he behaved today.