White House adviser: Obama has brought 'enormous change'
Washington (CNN) - The White House rejected criticism Sunday that President Barack Obama has not delivered on his promise of "change" during his first year in office.
White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said the president has brought about "enormous change."
"I think what we've seen is a dramatic difference in terms of how the United States is perceived around the world," Jarrett told NBC's "Meet the Press," on the final Sunday before the president's State of the Union address.
Obama's travels have established relationships with world leaders that "lay a foundation for keeping America safe and making us a partner around the world," she added.
Jarrett also credited the president with having "pulled back the economy from the brink of disaster."
"That's an enormous amount of change when you consider where we were a year ago right on the brink," she said. "And he's adding discipline in government to try to get control over our fiscal house. So I think that we've seen enormous change."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, on the same program, countered that "if you look at the first year of this administration, we haven't made much progress." He complained about the deficit in the president's budget and the health care reform package that Republicans oppose.
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Two years ago our congress was debating whether or not wterboarding is torture.
This year they were taliking about health-care. That is change in a big way. The fact that we are not there yet says more about the obstructionist GOP than the Prez.
Ya know, this isn't even funny anymore!! These people are so out of touch with the pubic that it just isn't funny.
Please America, rise up and THROW these idiots out of office before they completely destroy us. PLEASE!!!!
Those who want this president to succeed will see change. Those who want him to fail will never acknowledge change under any circumstance unless it is change that makes Obama look bad.
Just what is a "senior advisor"? This administration has truly increased employment-within this administration. Is that the hope and change we've been waiting for?
Obama sure has brought change we are all broke. This is the change you can believe in. LOL
Once again, cannot believe the short memories people have.
The republicans almost destroyed our country. It took years to
create alll they diasters we face, yet there are those who expect
these problems be resolved overnight.
There would be much more change obvious if we did not have a
political party that is out to destroy our president, while hiding behind
their Bible resort to lies, distortions, fear mongering and have thrown all integrity and honor to the wind.
What is the definition of terrorists?? Those out to destroy our country
and us. And, it appears we have a political party well on their way
to doing just that.
To -ancient Texan(probably 10 yr. old – at least with 10 yr. old thought process)
He HAD to apologize after the Bush years. Everybody hated us so much, he had to show we are not ALL that arrogant!!
We all DO live on this planet and we DO have to try to get along!!!
Its sad when even our 'allies' hated us because of Bush!!!
You are correct deeper in debt, less jobs, great health care, spending out of control, and I could go on but what's the use.
Obama has brought change for this country but in the wrong direction. I guess when you are a rock star you can't see the problems we have since you took office.
You surrond yourself with people that don't know what they are doing too.
Other countries see us differently yes. Obama goes around apologizing for all of the bad thing we have done to other and bows to the leaders of other countries as a sign of us being inferior.
Valerie Jarrett and the Obama's go back a long way. She's the Obama's political godmother. Why would anyone believe anything Valerie Jarrett says.
There are a few comments on here "so the rest of the world likes us again – big deal".... Newsflash.... SOME of the rest of the world think your nation is getting better... – SOME of us think that MOST of you (who hate your intelligent, compassionate and thoughtful President to the point that you would strip the skin from his bones) – bring us right back to the image of Ugly American.
You think that your Supreme Court's recent decision is a win for your Free Speech.... From my point of view, you should take a long look at which corporations from CHINA will be financing your elections now. Just could be they will own you from all sides. Good luck with your free speech... you can't possibly compete with huge corporations and their mega millions and huge megaphones to buy your future.
Instead of backstabbing and trying to forward an agenda that carries the dust of an embarrassing era long past – try working with your President to create a better life.
Yes, I am a Canadian... – but I am not a corporation from another land.... just an individual exercising free speech here.
Let us go back to the famous advice of GWB who urged us to bail out the bankers.Now you seem to think it is right to pile all of the blame on Pres. Obama. Are you serious? I cannot imagine that credit is not given where credit is due. Which guy started the war in Iraq? Who urged us to bail our greedy bankers out? You need to recall also that foreign nations' respect has been repaired, and certainly not by Bush and Cheney. Get real folks–work with the Pres. –not against him.
To AJ.....
Quit lying. I've read your posts before.....you, sir, are no democrat(and no gentleman)!!!
what a load of crap! Nice try at damage control, however, Valerie Jarrett's not a good source, she's as crooked as Obama...she's going to lie to the country to support her "boss."
We have had change over last nine month ,we dont here nation thearting each others as we have in the past and that a change in its self.
Where is this change? I certainly do not see it. What I do see is that the economy has gotten worse when President Obama said it would get better with the passage of the stimulus bill. Where are the jobs? Why are people still losing their homes?
Oh...I know what happened. The economy took back seat to health care reform. President Obama made it clear what his priorities were. He preferred to spend 6 to 8 months working on health care reform to get more people dependent on government. That gamble really paid off.
I am sure that many people wish that we had a recall provision in the US Constitution.
The people who knock the administrations plans are not listening and are too impatient. Look at the mess this new administration inherited! For anybody to expect instant change is ignorance and insanity.
I love it all. God bless America.
We were ONE SECOND from another Great Depression!! Obama saved us from the brink of that disaster, and not many people give him credt for it. Now if you would have lived through the Great Depression, you might have a different opinion. And if John McCain would have been President, by this time, I KNOW YOU WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT OBAMA HAS MADE N THE LAST YEAR!
Well...there is good cholesterol and then there is bad cholesterol it all depends where the enormous change falls...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only thing Obama and the Democrats have changed is increasing the debt. Not the change we wanted.
He is tone deaf. It wasn't only MA – it was NJ and Virginia as well.
He can't blame the Republcans for the Health Care Bill problems. It was the infighting in his own party that allowed him to have no change – thank God.
Jobs, lower debt, less government – that is what people want – so what did Obama do – spend a year trying to change health care when 90% of the people are happy with the health care they have.
We do want health care reform – not health care changed with goverhnement control.
If you don't think Obama has brought dramatic change to this country, you are a fool. He has single-handedly resurrected the Republican party and made them fondly remember George W. Bush. Change we can believe in.
Keep blaming the republicans. You had a supermajority and still have the majority. Your own party can't agree with the "change" you are pushing. Keep ignoring what Americans are saying and spin it into something else. Return to the center like you campaigned as or there will be massive change in November and your remaining 2 years in office will be apologizing to the American citizens instead of our enemies.
Hello everyone, I ask one thing: remember that virtually all the problems we have now were there when I started my job in January 2009 (one year ago). I'm sorry that some changes haven't happened fast enough. In addition to dealing with a very difficult recession, Afghanistan, Iraq, terrorist attempts, and trying for universal health care for all Americans, I have had an opposition that voted almost unanimously against my Stimulus bill – and threatening filibustering almost everything else.
It was a busy and difficult year, and I hope we can do much better in 2010.
Best wishes,
President Barack Obama
Obama has not change anything. He is a lying weasel who campaigned and was ekected to change the way this country /congress does business and he has done nothing to fix it. He said he would pass no bills that were pork laden. Guess what, that was the first thing he did.
He has not worked bi-partisan as he said he would in fact he has worked very hard at shutting the other side out of it all. This guy thrives on lying.
No matter what he says or does now I would not vote for him again. He is doomed to failure because he misread why he was elected and thought he could get away with doing anything he wanted. NOT SO!