A Prime-Time Push
Day 21
Feb. 9, 2009
"The plan is not perfect. No plan is. I can't tell you for sure that everything in this plan will work exactly as we hope, but I can tell you with complete confidence that a failure to act will only deepen this crisis."
—President Obama, pushing his stimulus package in his first prime-time presser before taking a slew of questions from reporters
After weeks of trying to convince lawmakers that his stimulus package will help address economic woes, Obama takes his message directly to the people in his first prime-time press conference. He keeps the focus in his opening remarks on his economic-recovery package, but then fields questions on a variety of topics, including Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez's admission of using steroids in 2003, saying, "If you're a fan of Major League Baseball, I think it tarnishes an entire era to some degree." Obama spends about 45 minutes answering questions from the press, but also makes it clear that he doesn't have to play by the old rules — the President notably does not call on reporters from some big-city newspapers and newsmagazines (including TIME), opting instead to answer a question from a reporter from the liberal news blog Huffington Post.
Earlier in the day, Obama goes to Elkhart, Ind., to promote his stimulus package in the economically battered city. While speaking to supporters, he addresses the partisan objections in Washington to the plan: "We can't posture and bicker and resort to the same failed ideas that got us into this mess in the first place."