THE HILL
 

W.H. advisers mum on administration's mistakes

By Eric Zimmermann - 11/02/09 04:11 PM ET

A trio of the President's top advisers demurred today when asked what they regret about Obama's first year in office, citing only the President's flubbed oath of office as an embarrassing moment.

In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blizter, press secretary Robert Gibbs, senior adviser David Axelrod and communications director Anita Dunn all said things had gone pretty much as the administration had planned.

"The thing that's been pleasing to me is that, by and large, things have gone as we--as we intended. We try and think things through," Axelrod said when Blitzer asked what the administratino's "biggest oops moment" had been.

"I wish we had gotten the swearing in--the inaugural oath right the first time," Axelrod quipped.

(Axelrod declined to place blame on Chief Justice John Roberts for fumbling the words to the oath.)

Dunn concurred with Axelrod's assessment.

"I'm a person who can, you know, at the end of every week look back and find about 2,000 things I would have done differently," Dunn said, before adding that Obama "administration has done a pretty good job of executing to get [Obama] where he wants to go and where he wants to lead the country."


Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/65925-wh-advisers-mum-on-administrations-mistakes

Comments (9)

$800 billion stimulus bill that stimulated, nothing? Dithering away at Afghanistan. Ignoring of the Iran protestors being killed in the street after Iran's fraud election? Flogging of a failed health care reform legislation? Blaming every problem under the sun, on Bush. Constant attacks on people/orgnaizations that disagree with him such as insurance companies, banks, Fox News, Limbaugh, Hannity? The list of mistakes is endless, but yet it's only 9 months worth. Still 39 months to go. If Obama doesn't quit before then.BY Josie on 11/02/2009 at 17:15
Republicans are like parrots. They don't have an original thought. They just mimic whatever they here.BY klm on 11/02/2009 at 19:22
Mistakes, let's start with the stimulus, bailout of auto and banking, cash for clunkers and the health care bill or maybe the 1.4 trillion dollar deficit or the still 7.2 million unemployed…Obama was in congress 2 years before becoming president, and 11 months as president, so giving all the blame on Bush doesn't work anymore..BY bailedout on 11/02/2009 at 19:59
"I'm a person who can, you know, at the end of every week look back and find about 2,000 things I would have done differently," Dunn said.Sorry Dunn, Mao had already died therefore you can't do the 2,000 things that Mao taught you.BY manny2066 on 11/02/2009 at 20:13
Hey my fellow Americans-You just yapping to yapp ,or You are realy know what You yapping about???In world history we- we had lot of great leaders (You probably studying history in schools here???),and those folks did lot of great things for their people-their names are written in capital leters in every book.If you are not familiar with those HEROS achievments, shut your yappers and do not make yourselves looking like trans -caucasian homo ignoramo-arogantuses.Dunn,knows what She is talking about.If She says -MAO TSE was great philosopher-HE WAS.Period.You dumdums start reading modern China history and I guarantee You- that You would not find comparision in leadership as good as Mao was.Obama??? neeee.Not yet.He is overeducated to be great leader-especialy from the best school in USA producing geniuses in LAW,Management and Economy.Unfortunatelly -we are in dipp cloack ,thanks to those genises.They are employed by those caputers -bloodsucking CORPORATIONS who brought our nation to ruin. Good Day.BY Greg Abu Pizda on 11/02/2009 at 21:49
Hey Repubs, the bailout of banks was Bush, the financial crisis was caused by Bush (not poor people), The Iraq war which costs $250 billion per year and counting was start unnecessarily by Bush, the cost of the tax cuts was $1.4 Trillion which of course did nothing, the cost of the unfunded Medicare part D was $847 billion, also by Bush!Let's see that is about $3 trillion and counting of debt by Bush and Obama has had to spend $787 billion over 2 years to keep us afloat and spent $60 billion to keep several hundred thousand autoworkers and peripheral industry worker employed.So please do not throw rocks at glass houses. Obama is cleaning up the mess that the Repubs made and now you are trying to blame him for not cleaning it fast enough. How's that permanent minority idiots!BY Vince on 11/02/2009 at 23:27
Continuing two wars. — Keeping Gitmo open. — Continuing illegal wire tapping. — Extending the Patriot Act. — Continuing Don't ask, don't tell. — Increasing the deficit to $1.4 Trillion. — Putting 4.8 million people out of work. — Only winning one Nobel Prize.BY Willis on 11/03/2009 at 07:17
Why is it that liberal _always_ have to revert to name-calling?When are you going to realize that it's what little children do when they know they can't win the argument?No doubt you're the ones who are 30 years old and still living with your parents.Just sayin'.BY Dixie on 11/03/2009 at 08:58
Yea Greg,Mao was such a great leader his political-social programs resulted in famine and ruined their economy…and lets not forget his political purges that resulted in 50-70 million deaths. Are you sure you are a "fellow America"?BY Chuck5948 on 11/03/2009 at 13:20

Add Comment

Name (required)

E-Mail (will not be published) (required)

Your Comments

Key Blogs

What they are saying today …
Drudge Report
"Punch will stun West," reads the headline above the fold on Drudge this Tuesday. The line refers to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent, vague promise this week to somehow "punch the arrogance" of the West on February 11. Also above the fold: A slew of weather-related links, including a report from the National Weather Service that predicts more snow for the already buried Capitol.… Read More »
The Huffington Post
"Healthcare theatrics" reads the banner atop The Huffington Post, which links to an AP story on the White House's struggle to bring GOP leaders to the table for a televised healthcare summit. The AP questions whether the event may have any utility outside of immediate personal politics. Below, reporter Sam Stein reports Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) plans to vote against the White House's nominee for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Craig Becker.… Read More »
Red State
Moe Lane this morning summarizes the latest back-and-forth between the White House and congressional GOP leaders over healthcare. The White House wants Republicans to join Democrats for a televised healthcare summit in the coming days, but GOP leaders do not want Democrats' bill to be the basis for those talks. Meanwhile, Brian Darling takes on NYT columnist Paul Krugman's latest piece, in which he rails on the filibuster (and the GOP's use of it). "He is clearly way outside of his area of expertise when talking about Senate procedure, because his analysis is laughable," Darling writes.… Read More »
The Washington Independent
Spencer Ackerman leads The Washington Independent this morning with a post about William Lietzau, a top Obama White House appointee first installed during President George W. Bush's tenure. Lietzau handled the military commissions the Supreme Court later found unconstitutional, and Ackerman reports that he will soon become Deputy Assistant Secretary for Detainee Affairs.Earlier, David Weigel shared Defense Secretary Robert Gates' thoughts on the passing of Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha (D). Noted Gates: "In our dealings over the years, Jack and I did not always agree, but I always respected his candor, and knew that he cared deeply about the men and women of America’s military and intelligence community." … Read More »
AMERICAblog
John Aravosis points out that Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) has dropped most of his unprecedented blanket hold on most of the White House's nominees -- except a few defense posts, which remain tied up as Shelby seeks two lucrative military contracts for his home state. Later, Aravosis reports that the Department of Health and Human Services has opened an investigation into the California Blue Cross health insurance program, following reports that premiums there have increased 39 percent recently.… Read More »
The Corner
News that Iran may have started enriching uranium has prompted The Corner's Mike Potemra to issue the Middle Eastern state a warnining: "It’s not too late for Iran to turn back from such a disastrous course: Even evil regimes — regimes that systematically violate the rights of their own people — have the use of intellect." Also, gues blogger Ralph Reed offers his thoughts on former Gov. Sarah Palin's national political aspirations. Ultimately, he calls her a "bridge" between Tea Party activists and the GOP establishment.… Read More »
Blog Summaries Archive »

Briefing Room Blog Roll

The Hill
ABC News: The Note
AMERICAblog
Barack Obama
Beat The Press
Bill Press
BuzzFlash
Capitol Briefing
Capitol Games
The Caucus (NYT)
Clive Crook
Comments From Left Field
CNN Political Ticker
The Corner (NRO)
Crooks and Liars
The Daily Beast
Daily Caller
Daily Kos
DCCC: The Stakeholder
DNC: Kicking Ass
DSCC: From The Roots
Drudge Report
Eschaton
Extreme Mortman
Ezra Klein
firedoglake
FishbowlDC
The Fix (WashPost)
The Foundry
Gkenn Greenwald
Hendrik Hertzberg
Hillary Clinton
Hot Air
Hotline on Call
Huffington Post
Human Events
Instapundit
James Fallows
John McCain
Judicial Watch: Corruption Chronicles
Kaus Files
Left Coaster
Lefty Blogs
Majority AP
Marc Ambinder
Matt Lewis
Matthew Yglesias
Megan McArdle
Michelle Malkin
Minority Report
The Moderate Voice
MSNBC First Read
MyDD
The Nation
National Review
The New Republic
NewsBusters
Newsmax
The NRCC Blog
NRSC Blog
Open Left
Page (Mark Halperin)
The Plank (TNR)
Political Animal
Political Wire
Politicker
Politico's Ben Smith
Politico's Jonathan Martin
Politico's The Crypt
Power Line
Reason
RedState
Right Wing News
RNC Blog
Ross Douthat
Rush Limbaugh
SCOTUSblog
Senate Guru
The Stump (TNR)
The Swamp (Tribune)
Swampland
Swing State Project
Talk Left
TalkingPointsMemo
TAPPED
Tech Policy Summit
techPresident
TechRepublican
The Right Angle
Think Progress
Top of the Ticket (LA Times)
Townhall
TPMCafe
TPMMuckraker
The Trail (WashPost)
Truthdig
USA Today On Politics
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blog
VF Daily
Washington Wire (WSJ)
Weekly Standard
Wonkette
Yeas and Nays

Briefing Room Blog Topics

 Blog Summaries »   Technology »
 Day's End Round-Up »   Telecom and IT »
 Energy & Environment »   Trade and Agriculture »
 Midday Blog Roundup »  Lobbying »
 Morning Read »   Administration »
 News »   Campaigns »
  Campaigns »   Civil Rights »
   Administration »   Corporate Governance »
   Civil Rights »   Defense »
   Congressional Campaigns »   Economy & Budget »
   Corporate Governance »   Energy & Environment »
   Defense »   Foreign Policy »
   Economy & Budget »   Healthcare »
   Foreign Policy »   Homeland Security »
   Healthcare »   Immigration »
   Homeland Security »   Labor »
   Immigration »   Lobbyists »
   Labor »   Technology »
   Law and Courts »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
   Presidential Campaigns »  Other »
   Technology »   Administration »
   Telecom and IT »   Campaigns »
   Trade and Agriculture »   Civil Rights »
  Energy & Environment »   Congressional Campaigns »
  Lawmaker News »   Corporate Governance »
   Administration »   Defense »
   Campaigns »   Economy & Budget »
   Civil Rights »   Energy & Environment »
   Corporate Governance »   Foreign Policy »
   Defense »   Healthcare »
   Economy & Budget »   Homeland Security »
   Energy & Environment »   Immigration »
   Foreign Policy »   Labor »
   Healthcare »   Lobbyists »
   Homeland Security »   Presidential Campaigns »
   Immigration »   Technology »
   Labor »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
   Technology »  Oversight »
   Telecom and IT »   Administration »
   Trade and Agriculture »   Campaigns »
  Legislation »   Civil Rights »
   Administration »   Corporate Governance »
   Campaigns »   Defense »
   Civil Rights »   Economy & Budget »
   Corporate Governance »   Energy & Environment »
   Defense »   Foreign Policy »
   Economy & Budget »   Healthcare »
   Energy & Environment »   Homeland Security »
   Foreign Policy »   Immigration »
   Healthcare »   Labor »
   Homeland Security »   Lobbyists »
   Immigration »   Technology »
   Labor »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
You need Flash Player 8 (or higher) and JavaScript enabled to view this content

Get latest news from The Hill direct to your inbox, RSS reader and mobile devices.