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David Axelrod On OWS Benefiting Obama: ‘That Remains To Be Seen’

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Obama campaign advisor David Axelrod appeared on This Week today, and when he was asked twice about the impact the Occupy Wall Street protests could potentially have on President Obama‘s reelection chances, he admitted to being uncertain of how much political sway the movement could end up having.

Christiane Amanpour first focused on the president’s jobs bill, and asked Axelrod if he believed the millionaire’s tax had enough political support to be passed. Axelrod pointed out the majority of the American people support raising taxes on millionaires, so the political will to do it is there. The American people, as he put it, are pushing for Congress to act instead of doing nothing on currently high unemployment numbers.

Amanpour then turned her focus to the Occupy Wall Street protests, and asked Axelrod if he thought the movement would be a “benefit” to President Obama as he runs to be reelected next year. Axelrod said very little about the actual protest, choosing instead to shift his focus to the Republican presidential field.

“Obviously, I don’t think any American is impressed when they see Governor Romney and all the other Republican candidates saying the first thing they’d do is roll back Wall Street reforms and go back to where we were before the crisis, to let Wall Street write its own rules. I think that will be an issue.”

Amanpour asked again about the protests and whether they were beneficial to the president’s reelection chances or not, because some of the rhetoric coming out of the Occupy Wall Street protests has been critical of President Obama. Once again, Axelrod was careful in his rhetoric to acknowledge the protestors but not to say anything too positive or negative about them, circling right back to laying out President Obama’s future plans to deal with the economic crisis.

Watch the video below, courtesy of ABC News:

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  • Michelle

    Why would it benefit him?  He’s the biggest recipient of Wall Street money in 20 years.  If it did benefit him, it would prove that the protestors are nothing but liberal hypocrites.  But of course, we already know that. 

  • http://twitter.com/MissConservaGal MissConservaGal

    Q: Why does little Barry Obama take campaign contributions from Wall Street if he is so disgusted with it?

    A: Because this Revolution he’s been staging ain’t going to fund itself.

  • Anonymous

    David Axelrod is right not to fall into the trap of predicting the outcome of the “Occupy Wall Street” rally’s and protesters. This is a concerned group raising interest in the antics of those in power on Wall Street, big Banks and mega-corporations holding onto trillions of dollars yet have not paid their fair share of taxation! These ”Occupy Wall Street” people want America to realize this government should be for the people and not for the elite 1%-ers! America needs to see and hear their concerns. The president may or may not benefit from the OWS crowd, but they have become so much of an influence the Taxation Eradication Activist(TEA) party has noticed them and have mounted a nation-wide, grass-roots level of challenging old and new incumbents for elected office! Even Boehner has been challenged!”Occupy Wall Street” is making so many friends and terrifying enemies while registerin­­g and counseling voters and making their point! The “Occupy Wall Street” are getting support from unions and non-union groups in peaceful gatherings while protesting Wall Street, Big Bank and mega-corpo­­ration greed! ”Occupy Wall Street” protesters has shown the wide displeasur­e with the goings on in Washington­, on Wall Street and in Big Banking as well as the board rooms of the largest corporatio­ns in the world. This movement, having gone global lately, has the attention of the every day man on the streets and maybe will goad the populous to vote in the upcoming November 2012 elect6ion! Our country got to this point from both the Democrats and the Republican­s and the Toxic Egotistica­l Activist(T­EA) party elite have exacerbate­d these deal makings! “Occupy Wall Street” is sending a message to all Americans to get involved and pay attention to the issues effecting the economy and who is working for the good of America and the citizens of America!

  • you’re welcome

    Only because the TP was first and foremost anti Obama, doesn’t mean that OWS is pro Obama. Again, learn some nuances!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LDO6LIQBI2JQ4Q5MWLWBKGKSJY bensanity

    Obama is the head of the Police State. The police are beating, arresting and pepper spraying protestors without regard to the law and Constitution. Don’t believe me? http://www.infowars.com/citibank-customers-arrested-for-trying-to-close-their-accounts/ That's a video of a woman being arrested for CLOSNG HER ACCOUNT AT CITIBANK. Obama is the Chief Oppressor…it’s pompous and arrogant for anyone in the media to think this is going to help him.

  • Anonymous

    You’re argument seemed reasonable and thought out and then went completely off the rails when you started ‘ranting’ about the TEA party.  They did nothing to exacerbate deals – nothing.

    You want to be honest, then stay honest and don’t start muddling in ridiculous stories indicating your bias and not based on truth or facts.  The tea party saw a problem, addressed the problem and elected people that they hoped would solve the problem.  Since they are not a ‘party’ that controls anything, to lay blame at their feet is dishonest.  Since they elected people that they hope will adhere to what the tea party was asking for, they have no control over what happens/doesn’t happen.  They do pay attention to what the people they elected are saying, doing or attempting to do.  That’s all the tea party is doing.
    They have no power, no magic wand no matter how much you want to paint them as controlling the mess or causing the mess.  Neither statement is true.

  • Anonymous

    Well, when your argument is ‘other candidates suck too’, not sure you’re at a good starting point

  • http://twitter.com/MissConservaGal MissConservaGal

    Right. The Paulbots and esp the Nazis are the only part of the “movement” that isn’t pro-Obama.

    But the rest of the Marxists and Socialist out there calling for Revolutions and shitting in the streets are.

    Now the better question, it smells in here. Time for your flea dip, flea partier

    ps…. YOU’RE welcome

  • Anonymous

    I don’t know ehy you associate Barry with everyone.  How do you know that OWS people are Obama fans.  Give me one link that someone is talking about being an Obama fan. 

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    Making sure all you OWS Obamatrons know that the Nazi Party and the Communist Party are fully behind your little temper tantrum, and have thrown their support behind your ‘movement:’

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/10/figures-nazi-party-throws-support-behind-occupy-wall-street-movement/

    Enjoy!

  • Anonymous

    I think you will beat out Michelle-In-Utah for hate posts on here.  My oh my!

  • Anonymous

    Rahm Emanuel beat it out of the WH to take some job in Chicago to get off the Obama steered “Titanic” .

    Axelrod would like to do the same , but he’s too tainted with the stench of failure and corruption of Obama .

  • Anonymous

    It was quite telling when Axelrod refused to officially hitch Obama’s wagon to the protesters.  It says that even the WH feels this ‘movement’ is doomed to the trash heap of history (pun absolutely intended).

  • Anonymous

    Marxist
    Socialist

    Arrrrrrgh!

  • Anonymous

    Barry

    Arrrrrrgh!

  • Anonymous

    Obamatrons

    Communists

    Arrrrrrgh!

  • Anonymous

    There are NO politicians that aren’t in big business and the wealthy’s pockets,who don’t think about themselves and those supporters with money and influence first and who have the will and courage to do what needs to be done regardless of it’s impact on their chances of re-election.

    The protestors need to understand that they should not look to ANY politicians,ANY party,ANY ideology or ANY administration for real understand or help.It doesn’t exist within the political arena,all you’ll get is acting at academy award winning levels trying to convince you that thy “feel your pain” or get what you are going through.

    None of them has had to really struggle or has had to feel the weight of big business on their backs.

    OWS probably won’t help Republicans for fairly obvious reasons,it may help Obama but the key here is neither he or his party deserve any more consideration than Republicans do.

  • Michelle

    I’m still waiting you to post one hateful post from me.  Back it up for once. 

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    You do know that the America Nazi Party and the Communist Party have released statements supporting OWS, correct?

    http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/10/figures-nazi-party-throws-support-behind-occupy-wall-street-movement/

    SQWAK

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    Lookee here – OWS photoshopping their “turnout” to inflate their numbers:

    http://blog.timparkinson.net/2011/09/30/lies-damn-lies-and-photoshop/

    What’s a few lies and a little dishonesty in service of “the movement,” eh comrades?

  • Anonymous

    Obviously Obimbo thinks it will help him, he openly supports them. This clown will latch on to anything he thinks will serve his dying administration!

  • Anonymous

    Arrrrrrgh? Are you a pirate or a parrot?

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    I don’t think he thought about that.

    SQWAK!

  • Anonymous

    The Left has a brilliant idea — let a mob in the street decide how much people can keep of their salary.  What a great idea!   Why wouldn’t Obama support it?  It’s perfectly aligned with his own class-envy, job-destroying agenda. 

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    They’re whining about capitalism, greed, money, Wall Street, people’s salaries, “economic justice,” and they’re attacking police officers.

    That’s what Democrats do. Not Republicans. Democrats support Obama, and will support him in 2012.

    These are Democrat rallies. Deal with it.

  • david r

    It’s Door #2.  They are all a bunch of hypocrites.

  • david r

    It’s Door #2.  They are all a bunch of hypocrites.

  • Anonymous

    Do you think these people would vote for a Republican? When fall of 2012 comes around, the OWS protesters will always vote for Obama

  • Anonymous

    http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=329449 - Communist Party USA endorses Obama. The Communist Party are showing up at OWS now…

  • http://twitter.com/gadfly666 gadfly666

    Perhaps a RepublicanParrot perched on the shoulder of a Wall Street pirate.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_4FIXQZ45KDYLOD4QPILHSNP5CQ CSC

    If he attaches his mule to that cart that buggy will go strait off the cliff.

  • Anonymous

    Felix they’re already destroying jobs.  Felix, just because FOX tells you something that doesn’t make it true.  It would help if you can think for yourself.   

  • Anonymous

    David Axelrod On OWS Benefiting Obama: ‘That Remains To Be Seen’

    Sure does!  And he doesn’t have long to wise up!

  • Anonymous

    Only because he is slightly the lesser of two evils.

  • Anonymous

    Aw, poor, poor wittle David Axelrod.

    As soon as The Cancer-in-the-White-House is landslided out of office, Axelrod can go back to corruption with some of his good buddies in Illinois, shaking down landlords and law firms and state government for bribes.

    After all, the man is going to need something to do for a living.

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    Felix, Yoda002 just because FOX MSNBC tells you something that doesn’t make it true.  It would help if you can think for yourself.

    FTFY

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    But remember, this isn’t a  purely Democrat astroturf campaign. No, it’s just “average Americans” or something.

  • http://twitter.com/Good_Lt Good Lt.

    He took more Wall Street money than any Republican (or any other) President in US History.

    By his own predictions and projections, his legislative agenda has failed to fix the nation’s economy.

    He is now mired in scandals thanks to his ridiculously incompetent and politicized DoJ and DoE.

    Yes. He’s “the lesser of two evils.”

  • Exgoper

    The cancer in the white house was removed in January 2009.  Don’t mistake the treatment for the illness.

  • Anonymous

    Therein lies the protester’s hypocrisy. They are protesting wall street greed and crony capitalism (Money Obama has received and been a part of) yet they don’t specifically protest Obama or his policies because they can’t shed their partisanship. OWS is going to end soon and nothing will come of it. The protesters don’t have a clear message, don’t have a leader, and the actions of the protesters make people not take them seriously. 

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