http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=137473A 17-minute, many-thousand word answer to a question about the growing tax burden on Americans is reasonable from President Obama, since the issues he's dealing with are so complex, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said today.
Gibbs responded at the White House news briefing today to a question from Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House, who has been covering presidents since the days of Richard Nixon.
"Does the president’s apology to Doris in North Carolina for his 17-minute answer to her one question mean that in future White House press conferences he will also be brief in response so as to allow more than 13 questioners, presuming he ever has any more press conferences?" Kinsolving asked.
"I think I’m largely the one who coined the phrase that it used to take the president several minutes to clear his throat giving answers, so – I hope he's not watching," Gibbs said.
"Look, there are complex issues in our times that this president and this Congress have to deal with. Not all of it can be done in neatly phrased eight-second sound bites. When talking about something the size and the scope of health-care reform it takes a while to sketch out the landscape, and that's what the president enjoys doing, either in an interview setting or in a town hall meeting where citizens get to ask those questions directly of the president."
It was in Charlotte, N.C., where the president was promoting his agenda when a woman named Doris stood and asked Obama if it was "wise" to add more taxes to the burden already being carried by citizens.
"We are overtaxed as it is," she told Obama.
Obama appeared offended by her question: "Well, let's talk about that, because this is an area where there's been just a whole lot of misinformation, and I'm going to have to work hard over the next several months to clean up a lot of the misapprehensions that people have."
His answer rambled on for more than 17 minutes (one report timed it as 17 minutes and 12 seconds), and the Washington Post said it was "lulling the crowd into a daze."
He wandered across a range of topics in more than 2,500 words, discussing Congress, COBRA coverage and Warren Buffett.
One audience member on the riser yawned and some in the back of the room started to wander off.
After more than a quarter of an hour he seemed to realize his wordiness.
"Boy, that was a long answer. I'm sorry. I hope I answered your question," he said.
The president was visiting Celgard, a maker of battery components.
Gibbs told Kinsolving that he was going "to give another 16 minutes on that answer, but I decided…"
"No, no. no, keep it short," said Kinsolving, adding a second question. "Is the president grateful for the statement, 'We consider health reform to have been an important battle and a success of Obama's government,' as made by Fidel Castro?"
Gibbs said he had not seen the statement and doubted whether the president had.
Topic: 17-minute answer justified: 'There are complex issues' (Read 423 times)