Matt Smith of Action 2 News had a one-on-one interview with President
Obama at the White House on Monday, focusing in part on the recent,
contentious recall election here in the Badger State.
A very
limited number of local television stations around the U.S. were invited
to visit the White House Monday -- Action 2 News was the only media
outlet from Wisconsin -- as the Obama Administration announced $2
billion in new investments targeting rural small businesses.
Besides
a tour and time to speak with top administration officials, we were
also given the chance to interview President Obama one-on-one, where
discussion quickly turned to politics in Wisconsin.
The big question being asked nationally is, what, if any, are the implications coming from the outcome of that recall effort?
Smith: I'd
like to ask you about Wisconsin's recall election. There are a lot of
Democrats that are upset you didn't campaign for Tom Barrett.
President Obama: The
truth of the matter is that as POTUS, I've got a lot of
responsibilities. I was supportive of Tom and have been supportive of
Tom. Obviously, I would have loved to see a different result. But the
broader principle is that we want an economy that is not focused on a
few at the top but is a broad-based economy that invests in our future,
that makes sure we've got a strong education system that is thinking
about workers and their ability to pay their bills, is something in
everything I do. Shows those are values I care about deeply. And we're
going to be fighting very hard in Wisconsin, just like we have in the
past, to make sure that's the kind of government people get.
Smith: Do the results, when you think policy-wise, have broader implications going beyond Wisconsin going into the election?
President Obama:
I don't think so. I think probably you've got specific circumstances in
Wisconsin. Keep in mind, it is a bit unusual when a governor gets this
much attention in the middle of his term. My suspicion is all across
this country, governors who are dealing with tough budgets have to make
tough decisions. But one of the lessons learned is that it is better to
make them with people than against people. My goal, if we can bring
parties together, there are ways we can manage through tough fiscal
decision whether at the federal or state level. But everybody's a part
of it, everyone is doing their fair share and nobody's bearing the
entire burden of sacrifice. I think that's what the American people are
looking for: Balanced approaches that take everyone into account.
Republicans,
including Mitt Romney, will argue Wisconsin signals big-time trouble
for the president. Governor Romney has mentioned it on several campaign
stops.
Our exit polling the day of the election gave President
Obama a seven-point lead over Mitt Romney, although Obama won the state
over John McCain by 14 points back in 2008.
Many experts say the
president is coming off a tough week, being criticized for saying the
private sector is "doing fine." The president's press secretary was
asked about that again Monday as the administration tries to shift the
attention to new jobs initiatives.
