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Jay Carney Smacks Down GOP Attempt To Turn Warren Buffett Against The ‘Buffett Rule’

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by Tommy Christopher | 2:50 pm, September 30th, 2011

» 48 comments

Earlier, we reported on House Majority Leader Eric Cantor‘s attempt to suggest that billionaire Warren Buffett does not support what Cantor called the “Buffet Rule.”

Press Secretary Jay Carney fielded several questions on the subject at today’s briefing, pointing out, as we did, that Buffett’s remarks were entirely consistent with President Obama‘s “Buffett Rule,” despite “I’m sure, accidental blogging by Republican leaders, and tweeting” that “misconstrued, at best” Buffett’s remarks.

In the clip that Cantor says shows “Warren Buffet Seems To Disagree With President Obama’s ‘Buffet (sic) Rule’,” Buffett told Andrew Ross Sorkin that he hadn’t seen all of the details of the President’s plan, so he doesn’t really know if he agrees with all of it, but he supports the President’s efforts to grow jobs. He also explained his principle, that “super-wealthy” people who earn income from investments, rather than wages, ought to pay the same rate as wage-earners. This attempt to find daylight between Buffett and the President rests on the fact that, as Buffett tells Ross Sorkin repeatedly, he hasn’t seen all of the details of the plan. “I am a supporter of the action he’s trying to get the Congress to join him in taking,” he said, adding “…I haven’t looked at all of the details.”

Asked several questions about the clip today, Press Secretary Jay Carney thanked, with obvious relish, each reporter for the opportunity to clarify what’s actually in the Buffett clip, and the Buffett Rule.

Carney told NBC’s Chuck Todd that there had been “a lot of deliberate misrepresentation, for political reasons,” of what Buffett said, and told another reporter that Republican leaders had “misconstrued, at best,” Buffett’s comments.

“The principle is that affluent Americans should pay at least the same tax rate as middle-American wage-earners,” Carney explained, and just as Buffett did, he made clear that the line of demarcation isn’t the amount someone earns, but whether it is earned through investments, which are taxed at a much lower rate currently, or through wages.

This mini-kerfuffle demonstrates the degree to which the President’s opponents are desperate to undermine Buffett’s immensely reasonable argument that people like him ought not pay a lower effective tax rate than an average American wage-earner. It’s hard to complain about “class warfare” when one of your own generals is saying, “Hey, it’s only fair.”

Here are Carney’s responses to the Buffett questions, from today’s White House briefing:

Part 1:

Part 2:

American Jobs Act, Andrew Ross Sorkin, barack obama, Brad Dayspring, Buffett Rule, Eric Cantor, Gene Sperling, Jay Carney, taxes, Warren Buffet, Warren Buffett

Michelle

Buffett’s own words:

Disagrees with Obama who set the tax increase to begin at $1 million.

Said he wasn’t talking that low, he advocated over well over
$50 million per year.

Refused to comment on Obama’s other plan to
increase taxes on Americans and small businesses making more than
$250,000.

Won’t endorse American Jobs Act.
Michelle

Tommy, were there any questions for Jay about Obama not even being able to get Dems on board with his plan?
http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

Title should actually have been:

Warren Buffet Shuns Obama’s “Buffet Rule;” Tommy Christopher Flails, Fails to Refute Story
http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

You’ve been reported to Attack Watch.
Anonymous

Buffett needs to pay his taxes. Why Obama would want to name a rule after someone that is in a legal battle over paying taxes is beyond me.
Anonymous

Double down Tommy, double down.
Michelle

Consider me checked!
Anonymous

I feel like I am living in USSR with all this State-issued propaganda Tommy keeps spewing and branding those that don’t agree with the State as “terrorists”, “racists”, and “stupid”.
http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

Reported to Attack Watch.
Michelle

When you can’t run on your record, you aren’t left with a lot of options I guess.
Anonymous

I reported myself.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/D7SM25L672V2BCGDVP3KM4AI2Q paulo m

You seem a bit too eager and gullible:

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/09/timeline-how-the-buffett-story-was-oversold-on-twitter.php

“Well, the precise program, I don’t know what their program will be,” Buffett said.

“My program would be on the very high incomes that are taxed very low — not just high incomes…. If they make a lot of money and pay a low tax rate, like me, it would be changed by a minimum tax,” he said.

Nonetheless, Buffett said he was happy that he let the White House use his name on the rule.

Not much of a disagreement there.
Anonymous

Tommy, don’t you agree that you should at least be, at least a little bit, nonpartisan to be in the “White House Press Corps” or do think it is okay to carry water for the President?

What happened to reporters naturally being skeptical of those in power?
Silgary

Just like having Geitner run the Treasury after cheating on his taxes. Truth is they think we’re all so stupid that these things don’t make a difference to us. I guess the elections of 2010 went through one ear and out the other.
Anonymous

The disagreement is that he doesn’t pay his company’s own taxes.

And he utilizes tax loopholes that his secretary doesn’t have access to.

Not much of a disagreement there.
Anonymous

When Obama gets defeated he can always go to work for HuffPo or Readers Digest
http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

Already on your way to being well, comrade.
http://profiles.google.com/chatmandu002 Randall Holland

This website has become a tool for the liberal/progressive/socialist MSM. You are striking out Tommy. Got your nose stuck too far up BSNBC’s butt.
Anonymous

I visited the “USSR” and if you think living in the USA is anywhere close to living in “USSR” then I’ll just laugh in your face and tell you that you have no idea what you’re talking about.

Where do you Clowns even come up with this shit?
Michelle

Dude, you are just asking to be banned!
Anonymous

It was an analogy dumbass, not a literal comparison.
Anonymous

Who cares what that whore Mitch Leary has to say?

How about this story…the co-chair of the 2012 Democratic National Convention probed for corruption:

http://www.chron.com/news/article/AP-Investigation-Plant-deal-may-enrich-donors-2196106.php
Anonymous

Sure Buffett can’t endorse a plan he hasn’t seen. But the fact is that he only supports raising taxes on the ultra-rich investors while Obama’s plan targets those making over $250k.
Anonymous

Maybe the real “Buffet rule” should be that Buffet has to pay the $1 billion in back taxes that he owes before he can comment on the idea of raising anyone else’s taxes.
NDanielson

Then why do you clowns want to bring it here, clown? You want to run banks, the oil companies, energy companies, coal, education, manufacturing, agriculture, car companies, drug companies, medicine, healthcare, and what you don’t want to run, you want to regulate to the nth degree. Did I miss something, sh!t brains, that you don’t think government is capable of running?
NDanielson

If Buffett supported the “Buffett Rule”, he’d pay his back taxes and not lawyers to fight them. He actually supports the Immelt rule – Get cozy with Barry, and tax breaks are yours for the asking.
Anonymous

Headline:

Jay Carney And The WH Lose Epic Battle With GOP Over The Heart And Mind Of Warren Buffett
Anonymous

*Facepalm.* You guys do know that Obama wants to raise $1.5 trillion in revenue with new and higher taxes? You do realize what that would do to the economy?
Anonymous

Tommy wouldn’t ask those questions, and if someone else did he wouldn’t report them.
Anonymous

I hear Carney likes to call Tommy “the dreidel” behind closed doors because he knows Tommy is such a reliable spinner.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FSPIVAFYI672OH5NOKVRTEZA4U MadCharles

Hahaha Buffett’s against the rule. Especially one that has his name attached. Oh well ! Buffett bought and paid for Obama. Sucks for you old man.. I hope Obama takes all your money..
Michelle

Cloward and Piven anyone? Collapse the system so you can rebuild it under a different model.
Anonymous

Actually, Obama wants to tax individuals who make $200,000.00. The $250,000.00 figure is for married couples.
Isn’t that something? I know more about the “Buffet tax plan” then Buffett does!
Anonymous

“ branding those that don’t agree with the State as “terrorists”, “racists”, and “stupid”.?”
When did I ever do that? You need to provide the links that you pulled those quotes from, or apologize.
Anonymous

I do agree, and I have frequently been critical of the White House, of Democrats, and of fellow liberals. You’d know that if you didn’t let your prejudices and laziness prevent you from checking the facts before making a statement like that.
Anonymous

He said he hadn’t read up on the American Jobs Act.
Anonymous

Tommy the Bagger Slayer does it again! Don’t mess with Carney & Christopher!
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Give em’ Hell!!
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Taking the gloves off… NICE!!
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Neal, Fox Nation just called and they want you and your ignorance to come back home!!
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Republicons attack Buffet for supporting taxes for the wealthy, then take his most recent quotes out of context and then love the guy!! The Republicon confusion is so amazing… amazingly ignorant!!
Anonymous

I think your audition to be the next White House Press Secretary is going quite well, Tommy.

Don’t you think?
Anonymous

That’s the point. Yet, there is a rule name after him that doesn’t come even close to what he would be in favor of doing.

Wise, you are not.
Anonymous

“This MINI KERFUFFLE demonstrates the degree to which the President’s OPPONETS are DESPERATE to UNDERMINE Buffett’s IMMENSELY REASONABLE
argument”.

Your words.

Hackilicious, Tommy Boy!

Nice job showing the counter-arguments……….Not

You’re a good little Presstitute.
Anonymous

Very wise I am.
Anonymous

Misguided, you are.
http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

*don’t believe what Buffet actually said, believe the white house spin!*
http://www.christinebreese.com/videos Christine Breese

I agree, if they earn money from investments and don’t work, they still should pay the same taxes that wage earners do. It’s income, no matter how they get it.