[...] isn't even on the clock yet and he is already doing more homework than the current president.. Obama briefed daily on intelligence December 2, 2008 WASHINGTON (CNN) — Barack Obama apparently has a hearty appetite for [...]

blaming the problems we have now on the Clinton administrations is like saying that the Republicans did not have the strength or the smarts to improve the situations while they were in control. It would be an admission of weakness and ineptness.
They had the bully pulpit for 8 years. they let there base sack this country and are now blaming it on the previous administration. It will be a long dark night for the the right unless they own up to the evil doings and reinvent their selves…and loose the neoconservative wackos.

Them folks talking bad about our President Elect during a time of war, make that two wars, don't seem very patriotic to me. I mean, there's a war, I mean wars, going on. Why do these Obama haters hate America so much that they would give comfort to the enemy by demeaning his intelligence and questioning his loyalty? I can't wait until Barack Obama's portrait goes up among the other presidents. In my life time, too! Yay for the majority!

OMG. Bush has been the president for eight years and the trolls are still blaming Clinton for everything that has gone wrong during his watch. Bush/Cheney have been in charge with full control of the congress all the while. Your team gets all the credit for the mess this country is in.

All presidents-elect should receive them daily. I don't think it's helpful to a transition team to start receiving them only a few days before inauguration day.

I laugh at those who claim Obama is unintelligent. I tell you, they must be out of their minds.

First of all he is Columbia and Harvard educated with high honors.

Second of all, you can see the solid brain trust he is setting up around him.

Lastly, Bob Woodward said on 60 Minutes that Bush "is not an intellectual" or what "would be called a deep thinker." He also said "He shows little intellectual curiosity," . Obama is very intellectually curious. That right there is a huge plus for our new President.

For the life of me, I cannot understand how in the past voters can choose the one who they'd be willing to have a bear with over the one they have to use a dictionary to figure out what he is saying. Way to set the bar low on the intelligence you put in the white house.

That was very kind of him to praise the current president. One has to wonder though how a man who can absorb so much information so quickly can so consistenly make the wrong decision.

I guess my last post wasn't pro-Obama enough.

Newsflash people, Obama is about as smart as Bush. Too many out there seem to confuse 'a good speech' with 'intelligence'.

A large chunk of the electorate should take a cue from both men and start getting smart on many subjects as possible (the first being the U.S. Constitution).

Thsi country is infested with sheeple.

To hear how everyone is idolizing him, I wonder if he is briefed on National intelligence or his own.

Bush was the King of on-the-job training. Boy, this board is rife with Republican drivel. Bush sat like a terrified child as he was informed of the Twin Towers and after that managed to squander a 90% approval rating. Repubs-the masters of mediocrity.

Methinks Mr. McConnell astounds too easily.

Bush is a flop. He is, was, and always will be beholden to the oil and defense industries. Bush spent his entire presidency chasing imaginary terrorists in Iraq. 10 billion dollars per month since 2003 yet the we couldn't even catch Bin Laden? The world will be happy to see Bush go and there is a reason for that even if the average American Republican voter cannot see it.

It feels kinda nice having an intelligent President again.

Obama is already doing better than Bush. Much better. What is it with you Republicans? Is mediocrity in your genes? Bush was already planning a vacation at this point in his presidency. You guys LOST. One more time you L-O-S-T and for a good reason. Go sit and snivel about abortion or religion or something else.

"for the most part, it is the fault of Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton forced banks like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to give out a certain number of loans each year to unqualified persons."

Bill Clinton has been out of office for 8 years. So apparently you think that all of the bad loans are all from the Clinton years, and *none* from the Bush years?

Look at it like this – yes, some of the regulations were removed in Clinton's time. But that in no way forced the banks and mortgage brokers to act as they did. (come now – a mortgage given to someone with no documentation of income? Any sane business person worthy the name would never have agreed to that. Even I know that, and I'm just a computer geek …).

Just because you open a window, does not mean someone else is then obligated to jump out of it … there's lotsa blame to go around for the current economic mess. For gov't, businesses and the consumers who got the loans …

McConnell is a highly skilled and intelligent man. This tongue in cheek competition is just that. It's not a debate over the history of liberalism vs. George Bush or a reason for cynical and irrational bias on the part of either president. Both men believe they are doing what’s right for the country that seems more than some of those commenting can claim. Admittedly the last eight years have not been our best, but to lay all the blame at GWB’s doorstep is also false. What the country needs is not a debate on whose fault it is or the faults of the new anointed, but rather a willingness for all to leave fear and hatred behind. We need to move forward.

"Michael"…..firstly….George Bush deflected vs. absorbed data in order to pursue his adolescent agenda that America now pays a brutal price for. Secondly, please cast a much wider net and get informed vs. parroting the political and intellectual equivalent of Jerry Springer.

Other Michael,
You are wrong. George Bush clearly won Florida in 2000 and everyone knows it. Al Gore was the one who tried to cheat by trying to make a partial recount. Bill CLinton destroyed the economy and Barack Obama might sound smart but he has very liberal views which are very wrong.

TO the OTHER Michael:

Your mindless bashing of Liberals just serves to make you seem, at best, ignorant and/or not very bright.

Your beloved president stole the first (and possibly second) election, destroyed the economy, the environment, civil liberties, education, health care, the U.S. constitution, and our reputation around the world.

You can kiss his anatomy if it pleases you, but I'd rather have an intelligent and decent Liberal (if there are any left) any time!

Helen, VT

Democrats and republicans alike comment on how fast Obama is learning and how well he can comprehend, but yet you think you have the wisdom to say Obama has a big mouth. At least he can back it up with intelligence, that's more than you can claim.

Most people don't realize that besides his law degree Obama as a degree in political science with a specialization in International Relations. There will be no on the job training for Obama just briefings to stay current. I love that we have a brilliant man that will be our next president

All of you people who are regurgitating all the campaign smear rhetoric about Obama being inexperienced, incapable, unpatriotic, etc., etc., can stop now. The election is over, and that garbage is a big reason why the Republicans lost.

If you can put aside your anger, your partisanship, your racism, or whatever else is still stuck in your craw, and look at things objectively and fairly, you will realize with the rest of us what a brilliant job Obama is doing already in forming an incredible team and preparing to take over his awesome responsibilities.

Eventually, most people will realize that it is better that Obama is successful and this country gets out of the rathole of issues that it is currently immersed in. Even if they must admit that perhaps they were a bit wrong in their quick judgments about this man. As he takes office and begins to act, feel free to criticize his actions if you disagree with them. That type of criticism is the American right and obligation. But cut the smear crap from the campaign. That will help move us exactly nowhere.

I tells ya'all this info absorbed so quickly,it's got to be some sort of alien trickery….either that or some really cool new hats.

The Intelligence Community must be fuming over the accusations that they gave faulty Intelligence. This is untrue and I hope they rectify their image/name.

It is shocking to me how many Americans are uninformed and have no idea how the world functions. I would like to ask all the idiots out there to stop blaming everything on George Bush when, for the most part, it is the fault of Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton forced banks like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to give out a certain number of loans each year to unqualified persons. George Bush has done a fine job and it is my hope that history will remember him as the right man for a tough time in America. There is a reasonable explanation for why George Bush did everything the way he did.

To Jen, Cali, Michael, Larry, Helen, VT, and Franky (Palin in disguise):

Little ones, please stop tinkering with your parents equipment!

Those letters on that board and the tv screen are meant to be for grownups!

Go to bed now, and leave the serious talk to the smart, intelligent people! Night, night!

P.S. Actually, McConnell is being diplomatic.
He didn't want to come right out and say that President-Elect Obama is briefing President Bush! But we know! WInk, wink!

LIGHT of the world, shine on US!

This is so incredibly frustrating to me when people bash the Bush Administration. I understand everything and I could destroy any of these liberal whiners in a debate. There is a reason for why George W. Bush did everything he did, just ask me.

So Helen, VT, please enlighten all of us as to who "trained" Dubya and all preceding Presidents BEFORE they won (in Dubya's case – stole) the election? I can't wait to read your reply.

It is shocking to me how many Americans are uninformed and have no idea how the world functions. I would like to ask all the idiots out there to stop blaming everything on George Bush when, for the most part, it is the fault of Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton forced banks like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to give out a certain number of unqualified persons. George Bush has done a fine job and it is my hope that history will remember him as the right man for a tough time in America. There is a reasonable explanation for why George Bush did everything the way he did.

President-elect Obama is a very intelligent man who constantly seeks more information. You haters sound like you are hoping for another terrorist attack. You aren't sounding very patriotic! Obama has been elected by the people, get over it and support our new President!

Jen Cali, get over yourself and your bigotry; Obama is the PE and will be sworn in as the President on 1/20/2009. Try as you may, you nor any other naysayer can compete with Obama's intelligence; you mock that which you cannot understand; except the fact that you are of average intellect, wink wink. Your "hillbilly" anger is depicted in your simple attempt to compose a comment.

PE Obama is inheriting a complete mess; the Lame-Duck is simply biding his time; he can't wait until 1/20/2009 to be free of his responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief. The even sadder part of this is the Obama-haters choose to over look this fact and continue to bash the PE.

The recession has been going on for an entire year; yet it came out yesterday, close to the date Dubya is on his way out; this was not openly admitted earlier in the hopes that McCain could win the election; he still did not , thank God. A lot more will come out about this present administration soon.

Someone needs to rethink the coverage of issues on 24 hour news stations. Becasue hearing about unnecessary garb like how many times President-Elect Obama gets briefed about national security isn't important to me. I'm glad they're briefing him. Seeing as how he's the new President, he should know what's going on. Moving on now….

ITS FUNNY HOW YOU RACIST RIGHT-WING NUTS ARE STILL TALKING NEGATIVE. YOU WOULD RATHER A (C-) WHITE PRESIDENT RUN THE COUNTRY THAN A BRILLIANT BLACK PRESIDENT WHO IS SMARTER THAN THE BUSH ADMIN. IM GLAD HE IS TAKING OVER ALL THE TASKS THAT BUSH SLEPT ON. BUSH IS NOT PROTECTING US FROM TERRORISTS HE ISOLATED US AND GIVEN OUR WEATH TO OUR ENEMIES.

The President, no matter what party they belong to or how much experience they claim they have (or don't have) should get some type of Intelligence briefing/report every day. The Commander-In-Chief should get briefed on world politico-military issues on a daily basis. Period. I don't care if they do in the tub, at the breakfast table, in the office, whatever. That's part of the job. Why is this news CNN?

I give up

I wonder if Obama can understand these briefings. He is in-experienced with a big mouth. He has to learn lot of things. This is ON THE JOB TRAINING and too risky for our nation.Americans have elected him but they will realize their mistake sooner than later.

Why doesn't Bush just step now now?! Let's get to work fixing his mess.

"Obama's briefings typically last 30 to 60 minutes and cover a "great deal of substance on any topic you can imagine" concerning national security and threats to the country, McConnell added."

How ironic!! We just finished a briefing over here…and by that I mean, a parlay. Ohh yes, and it can ANY topic you can think off, LOL!! I just gotta finished the touches and make sure is right…

Isn't it cool tha we live in a country where we are so well informed?? Well…maybe except Iraqg that's for sure, LOL!!

They both have a great fashion sense too…whoop-ti-doo.

George Bush has kept us safe from terrorists for the past seven years—
Can Obama do it for the next 7 years through appeasement?

Not likely. Buy your armored cars now.

Wonder what "Hussein" is doing with all the country's secrets?

Very telling that McConnell only gives a synopsis of Obama's intellectual curosity.

Just like McCrypt, the shrub has to have a day off, while Obama goes for the week!

Upon reflection, it would be better if the shrub took MORE time off!

dubya obsorbs the info and moves on but does he understand it?

Well, if Bush has had briefings…. I suspect he wasn't listening unless they said what he wanted to hear.

Obama is just getting up to speed at this point. Bush/Cheney have left a hell of a mess all over this country and the world! It will take Obama a long time to see the totality of their ignorance and greed! But I am sure that he will listen to all he can get to make the decisions that need to be made for the Good of this Country and the World.

Notice I say Bush/Cheney…. Not Bush alone. I don't think Bush did or does much without getting his marching orders from Cheney and Daddy Bush…. sadly… Jr. is still riding Daddy's silver chair through life.

Someday he just might be hit by a bit of conscience…. Nah…. Neither one of them has one… Bush or Cheney!

George Bush absorbs information with speed? yeah, right.

huh? what happened to my post?

To finish my second paragraph, the last sentence reads: Don't call it a war because Iraq did not attack us.

McConnell needs to stop covering for President Bush.

He was given faulty intelligence on Iraq and instead of taking HIS OWN INITIATIVE to really figure it out, he blindly listened to the warmongers and did our country in with the occupation of Iraq. Don't call it a war because Ira

The bad guy is still out there. OSAMA BIN LADEN and his extremist lunatics.
Yeah, President Bush absorbs information alright–only information he want to hear.

GOBAMA.

He HAS to be — Obama knows NOTHING about this subject. Same thing occurred during the primaries — Obama had 300 "specialists" send him daily, bullit-pointed memos with "what if" responses to questions.

But never mind me — Obama will "snake" his way through! Actually, I hope he's successful at it — because what else do we have?!

Actually — we could have had Hillary or McCain. But never mind — that' would just have been too logical for most people — you know the youth with "personality disorders"!?

Thank you CNN,this article is on the money !!! Obama needs to be briefed daily on intelligence,the Republicans said that when he started to run for the presidency.I think all of the Democrats need to be briefed daily on intelligence.

Are we surprised? Barack Obama is the most brilliant mind poised to become the president since FDR or perhaps earlier. This guy is a quick study, indeed, and we will find out just how smart he is the day after he is inaugurated. God Bless America!

If I were Obama I would be reading more than Bush as well. He is new, looks like he has desire to be great at his job.

We are all hopeul.