America's Great Divide: David Axelrod Interview | FRONTLINE

David Axelrod is a political consultant who served as chief strategist for Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns and later as a senior adviser in the Obama administration.
Axelrod's candid, full interview was conducted with FRONTLINE during the making of the two-part January 2020 documentary series “America's Great Divide: From Obama to Trump.”
Watch Part One here: • America's Great Divide...
And Part Two here: • America's Great Divide...
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This interview is being published as part of FRONTLINE’s Transparency Project, an effort to open up the source material behind our documentaries. Explore the transcript and interactive version of this interview, and others, on the FRONTLINE website:
www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/in...
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[@frontline]

This interview was conducted with FRONTLINE during the making of our two-part documentary series “America's Great Divide.” Watch Part One here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ-wc4yDhLmqe9U and Part Two here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ombZqneGg5Zsrdk

[@Ellesmere888]

Why are you not posting the Tim Giethner interview? As the Wall Street ''bailout'' was such a crucial event in the rise of the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street movements, isn't his testimony more than a little relevant?

[@MYRRHfamily]

Hey wait a minute. You mean I have to extend my attention span beyond a 15 second sound bite? These are exactly the kind of discussions that need to be had, publicized, and most importantly, studies by the American population, soberly and dispassionately. PBS, thank you.

[@eye1.618]

David Axelrod regardless of politics, he is smart, well spoken, articulate man.

[@chloevanderhof7521]

Thank you so much for the whole of this series, Frontline. Love that you let both sides speak uninterrupted.

[@mr7wi]

Chloé vanderhof Joe Rogan long format is the way. People are more intelligent and have a longer attention span than the MSM gives them credit for.

[@26michaeluk]

It was great. And sad at the same time.

[@mattolear8769]

Obviously you won't read this comment, Mr. Axelrod, but I feel compelled to say that I feel your pain - I, too, have a child who suffers from epilepsy and a host of other medical issues as a result of having a rare genetic disorder. If it wasn't for the ACA protecting those with pre-existing conditions from being denied coverage, we would be in big trouble. I feel badly for those who were impacted negatively by the ACA, but we need to try to fix the law to mitigate those issues rather than throw the whole thing out. No one in this country should be in a position of having to choose between paying medical bills or putting food on the table or become destitute because of a catastrophic illness.

[@christophed8429]

The perfect description of McConnell. Diabolical. Thank you David!

[@justmyopinion9883]

David Axelrod is a very kind man. This is a great interview.

[@joshuaschmude7187]

I love all of these Frontline interviews. Very balanced and straightforward, I appreciate that.

[@katzolitamason6729]

This is enlightening and fabulous to listen to. I loved hearing the stories of Obama- the wise one- in the Whitehouse, and his thinking and the stories of how things came to be....

[@ryanweaver962]

Reading his book and Obama’s book… the intersections of academia and complexity and understandability. It’s a lot of and…. When we consider things like extension centers and various care access points; and the needs of academia and the positive feedback loops which take into account so much good work by so many people… it’s encouraging and almost head shaking at the possibilities.

[@chaseofori-atta2225]

God bless Mr. Axelrod--a man of faith, a humanist, and a great American!

[@shakazulu3594]

They could have used the bailouts as leverage to get banks to help homeowners with interest holidays, interest rate reductions... that could have been a win win solution, but instead homeowners got screwed.

[@alexcarter8807]

I can't believe anyone was dumb enough to think this is what Trump would be about .... but I guess there are people that dumb. What you propose is the absolute opposite of what Trump believes in, is about, etc. You have to imagine Eric Cartman from South Park but a real person, adult, and a fair amount more evil.

[@greengold6705]

Obama was owned from day one.

[@greengold6705]

Trump has done more than Obama could ever think of. Dow Jones 29,000 new NAFTA trade deal new China trade deal 500,000 manufacturing jobs while Obama didn't do anything.

[@margaretash9706]

Helping homeowners underwater with mortgages was floated by the administration but killed by the Republican congress and gave rise to the Tea Party. Should have happened in some way and to some extent. The overall recovery would have been more effective and more fair. The 29000 DOW does not mean much to the people who were foreclosed on and put on the street with debt.

[@shakazulu3594]

@@margaretash9706 I agree!

[@ryanweaver962]

I read his book, Believer... I could picture Bobby Kennedy when he spoke about him. I also have been a fan myself, too young to have seen him in person. I went back and watched some stump town halls with RFK... there is something about standing up for others which inspires. I always thought of myself as trying to help. There have been times when I have been made fun of for trying to help... I'm ok with that. The work of better has to begin somewhere.

[@rashidasnead865]

David Axelrod is pretty dope… This was a great interview.

[@riggingpots3453]

When McCain stopped the women and told her Obama is a good man and she was incorrect. He was right but that night was the beggining of the end.

[@21972012145525]

I’m sick of that moment being called out as a good thing. McCain basically said that a Muslim could not be a good man

[@margaretash9706]

@@21972012145525 Obama was not a Muslim and there are many very decent people who believe in the Islamic faith. Religious fanatics of any faith are the real problem throughout the world.

[@21972012145525]

Margaret Ash I know. My issue is that specific event and comment by McCain being lauded as tolerant. If anything it’s kind of the opposite because he was indirectly saying a Muslim man isn’t good

[@21972012145525]

Poop Poop you mean 2020. And he didn’t say anything wrong

[@majwor3763]

And thank god TRUMP will be re-elected compared to the fruitcakes that the democrats have put up. Talk about weirdos and damaged goods. Is buttgig the best they have...wow

[@douglasshaw1320]

You continue to discount the profound hatred people feel for Hilary Clinton. That hatred definitely was a component of Trump's win.

[@englishman_in_arizona]

Another excellent interview.

[@jedidahadser9385]

I'm looking from outside. Thanks again

[@mcgman8058]

The personal interviews are excellent. I do applaud this interviewer. Whoever got their grubby hands on the editing rig really screwed this up for the final documentary. Its heavily biased in the favor of a single worldview and outlook. So much so that if the same tactics were used in reverse you could have come up with a completely different final product. When this happens its called editorial bias. You should have done better considering this is a PBS (publicly funded) product.

[@dionpace22]

Just because you don't agree with it that means it's bias? What did they say in the final documentaries that was incorrect?

[@bethbuyshouses7842]

I totally agree part 1 and 2 were biased. Somebody asked what was biased? Obama ended up being very turs, slammed Obamacare down our throats, and truly became a snarky jerk. That was not truly presented in part 1. Trump has been harassed by the media, lied about constantly, our OWN GOVERNMENT ie: the CIA and FBI spied on him and have done everything possible to destroy him. That was not even illuded to in part 2. So yes, if Part 1 and Part 2 were the final presentation of all theses interviews.....PBS didn't let us down by continuing to show their partisanship in the media.

[@nikgarfinkle6418]

Beth Buys Houses trump is working with Putin. Do some research.

[@abedied1]

Beth Buys Houses -- Your disregard for Obama is plain but your right to have. Very many people would disagree with your characterization of Obamacare as forced upon them. Many people need medical care but don't have access to it because of cost. So they live sick and face the consequences. Evidently this does not apply to you so you should consider yourself lucky. Don't condemn Obama for doing something to help others. You may need it someday..

[@Sharon-kr1ui]

@@nikgarfinkle6418 hahahaha.

[@tesfaiembaye7138]

One of the best explanations by David Axelford why there is Afd trampism in Germany and USA and why Brexit has arisen in the UK & European Union, Impressed David!!

[@craigpoer]

I've watched a couple of videos from this series. This man ideas are why Trump is in office. Republicans and conservatives are not evil.

[@26michaeluk]

Of course they're not. My parents supported Trump. But there is evil inside of the GOP.

[@craigpoer]

@@26michaeluk its sad that my democratic party is lost

[@26michaeluk]

@@craigpoer it's a fucking mess, that's for sure.

[@26michaeluk]

@@dannyenglish7828 I don't have a party, I'm independent so nice try. And you wouldn't know communism if it punched you in the face. I look at things objectively and don't need party talking points to spout off or back my side no matter what they do. If you had just a shred of objectivity you'd call out the authoritarian movement brewing in your party. But you don't, so you won't.

[@davidsawyer1599]

I find it odd that some perceive bias one way or the other. Or that there is some nefarious editing. With the technology available today these interviews could have been published without the obvious editing. Maybe those being interviewed needed a bathroom break. Maybe the interviewers stopped the process because they needed a break. In my view all interviewees stayed true to themselves. I couldn't live constantly thinking that someone or something is trying to get over on me. There is so much compelling evidence that if you truely want to succeed this is the country that it's easiest to do. And..and still keep one's moral compass. Liberal or Conservative. Want to fix it. Vote out incumbents. Vote in moderates. Don't keep people in office more then one term. Disallow lobbyists. Force the person that you voted into office to have town hall meetings every month. People love to complain about a process they don't take part in.

[@climax4421]

Man David was great on Jimmy Dores show. He should come on more often!

[@socrattt]

That's why I'm here.

[@bobbylow175]

Me too maaaaan.

[@torsktunga]

Hi Jimmy

[@amcinternetsolutionsllc8563]

Wow

[@michaelares4240]

This is PBS. Axel rod is a a disciple of Saul alinsky

[@ryanweaver962]

I have been looking for a job for a while now. My work in health care and the very real possibilities of better have led me to a number of pathways. The social media aspect of growth had caused such splices of all of us to become very hard to react or act in traditional ways. By traditional, I mean... press releases, job applications, static interviews and reviews and into family centric work life balances. My wife thinks I'm weird at times... I try so very hard to keep a semblance of stability amongst our family while so many things are swirling about. I also try very hard to balance my position of opportunity for improving systems and processes in relation to change management as a father and husband and community member. As of late, I feel like I am messing up a lot. It's so painful sometimes. It's not all about me, yet I have the responsibility to act in a manner befitting the role of who I am... such harsh ironies at time. Long gone are the times where the hero sours his or her relationships because the burden they carry must be carried... Life isn't that narrative anymore, it can't be. The compartmentalization cannot be left to fester and brew more generational divides of honor to the extent which ironically saps that honor at surprisingly fast arcs of degradation. I am sans funds and wracked with feelings of guilt. I hope and pray for a pathway in which the reality of better can begin. My innocence in thinking I could carry all the weight of my grandfather's time and mine as well was naive... but, that doesn't mean we can't also defray and raise more... without resorting to mob mentalities of hate enraged cognitive dissonance. I'm trying for yet another rebound. I've seen the strength and courage in my family and I will honor them. I have seen the beauty and strength in organizations who chose to hire me while I brought some shift abilities... I also respect that time and understand how the finite amount of tolerance of me just "being" there took. The diminishing returns of friction over larger swaths of influence. The interview here needs to be paid attention to. Sure, I am a blue dog democrat who has also worked in incredibly conservative environments. We can hear the movements of groups and which "fires" get lit and how fire can warm and cook and burn and destroy... The real positive is that we are at a place where we really can make a shift... I'm praying I can still be worthy of my family.

[@jamesadams8772]

Great interview. Thank you PBS

[@davejohnston2700]

These are great interviews. I've enjoyed the well balanced reporting. 'still not sure if I can watch Bannon? That might be a Bridge too Far.

[@ytyt3922]

Can’t handle listening to views that differ from your own? Intellectual immaturity and cowardice.

[@franciscoandaluz5265]

Yt Yt Yup. Imagine a conservative ever saying the same of Bernie. That’s why trump won in 16.

[@YouT00ber]

The Bannon interviews is the most interesting one. Frontline has done a great job on these interviews.

[@briangard951]

Watch Bannon - without a doubt the most interesting of these interviews - he has helped destroy America by getting Trump to Power and in the Presidency - but we must all understand why - to prevent such an occurrence ever happening again. Bannon is and was a genius, he may be convinced Donald Trump is our savior and that is alright - but it is important to understand how he was able to get Trump in power - you don't have to agree with what he has done - but we must understand how he did it.

[@26michaeluk]

@@franciscoandaluz5265 oh please. I've seen thousands of Republicans say that about Bernie. Trump won because of apathy. What happened in 2018 with that apathy gone?

[@donsplanet]

Axelrod thinks we're stupid

[@gregsimoes8645]

Stopping at halfway through to say this: Axelrod begins by saying Obama represented hope for unity and togetherness and Trump is the polar opposite mining division for his own gain. And so far over 30 mins Axelrod has taken every opportunity to basically say anyone who didn't support their policies was a racist or did so for racist reasons. I respect the fact that Obama stuck to his guns on Obamacare and said "even if it costs me everything I'm going to get this done", but there are legitimate reasons to disagree beyond "racism". And don't say that Obama proved he can unite the parties by getting Republicans in Illinois to work with him. Are Republicans in the deep south impressive for getting "compromises" with southern mostly centrist democrats?

[@lyc8905]

This is a platform for those in the inner circle of senior wh to say their guts out, even i don't enjoy the part where be keep cutting off the speaker but that is also the role of a hoster to have your person keep talking on track. I don't know what you are proposing. You cannot just say it is not ok, dont mention me this or that, without saying what is ok. It is just like saying you can't burn the flag to express yourself but not saying in what way can you properly if not legally to get people's attention. Or it is just deemed into winning

[@davidethompson1271]

Excellent points. But the well was tainted when Obama took office. Racism was an issue in the Primaries and the General Election for the far right working classes but nor all. Obama and the Dems flat out misread the tea leaves. Him letting the Bankers off the hook doomed him with the TeaParty and the working class Union D's. I am a Centrist R (RINO) and that pissed me off. He should have arrested everyone of them when they were at the Oval Office. And held them until every last penny with interest was paid back. And while they were in custody, I would have the DoJ come down hard on the rat bastards. Even if it was for unpaid parking tickets. People didn't want a Guv Health Insurance program, they wanted their insurance fixed so they could have portability and pre existing conditions. The far right riding the death panel train didn't help either. Obama also came across as tone deaf and dictatorial for the phone and pen comments.

[@keithowens2554]

How do you explain Regan then Bush?

[@darrelldunn4618]

I like David Axelrod but like all the other MEDIA types who talk about Trump voters he does not know any and does not understand them.

[@alexcarter8807]

What is there to understand about stupid and hateful?

[@phalanxcuthalion9664]

@@alexcarter8807 you're making Darrell's point

[@jsamaras55]

@@alexcarter8807 You're one of those useful ones I see

[@tellthetruthna8523]

I understand why many people voted for Trump in 2016. Hillary was an exceptionally poor candidate. People were fed up. Giving an "outsider" who promised positive changes a chance was not unreasonable under the circumstances, even if he was flawed. What is not reasonable, however, is continuing to support Trump after witnessing his duplicity, his lawlessness, and his divisiveness for 3+ years as POTUS. One has to be deaf, dumb, and blind to continue to support him at this point. Either that or they just enjoy the chaos and hate he spreads. Electing him in 2016 was one thing but there is no excuse for reelecting Trump in 2020. He is destroying the country from the inside and weakening our position in the world. Another 4 years of him will cause irreversible damage. In short, the Trump experiment has been a disaster and people who voted for him in 2016 need to admit that to themselves.

[@terintiaflavius3349]

@@alexcarter8807 You shouldn't speak about yourself that way

[@tinequatyson7559]

Wake up People!!!

[@jamesmcd71]

Every Republican in these interviews have taken some responsibility for how we got to this point. Not 1 Democrat has taken responsibility in fact they blame everyone from the GOP to the voters in the middle of America.

[@paulrickenbaker]

ACA allowed me to retire at 62!

[@JasonB95]

Was Charlie Rose conducting this interview? Sounds like him.

[@tomknoll796]

No. I'm not sure who this is, but it's not Charlie Rose.

[@justmyopinion9883]

No, this doesn't sound like Charlie Rose to me. Mr. Rose has a mild southern accent, and this interviewer does not.

[@gregoryhelton2408]

OMG!

[@ryanweaver962]

I’ve always been a fan… there’s a hopeful undercoating in his tones.

[@JLIinternational]

Axelrod didn't see it in 2016. He still doesn't see it in 2020, blaming partisanship singularly on the "right wing." Last I checked, it takes TWO parties to have partisanship.

[@Camcolito]

David Aaaaxelrood host of the Axxx files, in the flesh!!

[@packersinhd]

aaaaaaaaaahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa - Jimmy Dore , probably.

[@Camcolito]

@@packersinhd :)

[@donsplanet]

I'm telling the truth even when I'm lying....

[@26michaeluk]

He's absolutely right about the Trump signs in people's yards. Everyone was saying Hillary couldn't lose. But those signs were in literally almost every yard in my town. Not a single Hillary sign. I knew deep down that Trump could absolutely win.

[@NathansHVAC]

He is the workers president.

[@jasonthomad2322]

Rigged election still failed 😣

[@jasonthomad2322]

This guy is dangerous

[@ronniedelahoussayechauvin6717]

I would have NEVER thought that our leaders were Part Of A Enterprise. I'm just not political. I don't understand anything about these groups. I'll have to look it up.

[@ogarzabello]

Wait! Obama was the most divisive president in decades, not only in rhetoric but also, in law enforcement. Trump strategically took advantage of that division. Without Obama, maybe Trump would not become be president.

[@candacewebb120]

The disrespect was wild 🥺❤️

[@MrSkipper13]

The "Great American Divide", concerning the middle class, on up to the wealthy, and super rich; The divide between rich and poor (meaning the middle class) gets bigger and bigger daily. This country, government and president consider the lower classes not worth the time and effort for anything. We (lower classes) get the middle finger.

[@bluehand9631]

The short end of the stick is getting much shorter.

[@Jacmac1]

David Axelrod: The progress was being depicted by the Republicans as ...... It wasn't being depicted, it was being lambasted. "Depicted" makes it seem like there were real steps forward that everyone would agree was forward progress and the Republicans were acting as deniers. The reality is that a minority of the country saw Obama's first few years as achieving progress in many areas, but a majority saw Obama's first few years as force-fed policy that they didn't want or need. Otherwise, why would the House and Senate Democratic majorities have been totally blasted away in 2010?

[@lschrandt]

I miss President Obama terribly. He didn’t win twice for nothing! 🇺🇸

[@russellmarra8520]

he looks better with the mustache.

[@cynthiapikoulas487]

The economy was hemorrhaging when Obama was elected. They fought long and hard to keep us from bleeding out. I believe they did develop a strategy, with few immediate options. The Bush administration handed Obama a disastrous quagmire of problems. In addition to that, Moscow Mitch McConnell had no interest in bipartisan support. There are imperfections on both sides of the isle. We all make a conscious decision to become part of the problem, or part of the solution. In the end, Obama and his administration put together a strategic , but steady plan for the trajectory of this economic recovery. TRUMP arrogantly gloating, has been the benefactor. If, Trump continues to make bad policy decisions, we'll be back in a tailspin for the next Democratic President to fix.

[@26michaeluk]

Standing ovation for you.

[@supreme2005]

Do you not realize that the seeds of the problems of the Bush presidency were sewn by Bill Clinton and Alan Greenspan?

[@26michaeluk]

@@supreme2005 Clinton left with a surplus, yes a surplus. Bush tax breaks caused the 2nd worst recession in history. Obama still created more jobs his last 3 years than Trump did his first. Get a clue homey

[@supreme2005]

I hate to break it to you but surplus or not, the deregulation of the financial system has been cited numerous times as the reason for the collapse. That was all Greenspan.

[@mattpatterson9496]

@@26michaeluk Surplus from the US gov? hahaha. When Clinton left office our national debt was 5.8 TRILLION dollars. While Clinton was in office our national debt increased by 1.4 Trillion. There are legitimate arguments against the other side. You don't have to make things up.

[@gildedage88]

There are so many wonderful places to live in this world, not one is in America.

[@ytyt3922]

He says TARP was just “perceived” as a bailout. Ha Ha Ha.

[@777jones]

Yt Yt TARP has made a huge amount of money for the US government. Hundreds of billions. So, in the long term it wasn’t a bailout, but a confiscation. There were bad precedents created but it overall was not a cost to the taxpayer.

[@NathansHVAC]

@@777jones 4.5 trillion dollar fed balance sheet? Whats that?

[@777jones]

NathansHVAC you’ll have to ask to ask the Fed what that “is,” but it is not TARP.

[@glibsonoran]

@@NathansHVAC It's quantitative easing not TARP. TARP was bailouts of companys in exchange for equity, and made money for the government. QE is shoring up the general economy, interest rates and lending.

[@garybalatennis]

It ended up as a reverse bailout. The banks helped bail out the American taxpayer.

[@christopherstmarin]

Says you!

[@aurtisanminer2827]

19:08. Ya think?

[@justinscott4503]

Not once did I hear Axelrod say that Obama had any responsibility for his failures. It’s as if without Fox and social media he would have accomplished anything.

[@jackchen2640]

How about his Middle East policies? Nobody ever thought of that? How do they see Hillary and why? Nobody ever thought about that? This is US poli-sci 101 stuff.

[@jamesmcd71]

Do as I say isn't unifying.

[@bdub8105]

Idiot

[@63pufferfish]

The end of the interview it telling. The complaint of Russian interference. The Michael Suss­mann indictment is bomb shell for this narrative.

[@gusgambatese6759]

"When I make the keynote speech...I know what I want to say. I want it to be about me." That sums up his entire presidency. He inflamed the war on cops. The great divider.

[@26michaeluk]

Cops declared war on the populous a long time ago. That you have the audacity to call Obama the great divider when no one fits that description as much as the current president. Telling police to be more tough with people and threatening to pull the police out of places where people protested their behavior. I support police but they're no better than me and I'll let them know it.

[@tufftodd0923]

Really? When was this filmed? Stock market hit 29,000 this week.

[@voicification]

tuff todd09 lol. Stock market hitting 29000 is like that ship that is made to go so fast that you start stripping the deck to feed the boiler. Next recession will be a depression because the fed does not have any tools to fix it.

[@darrensmith6405]

Is there and end to the shame- please-please pretend to be better than me x

[@jimbascombe7707]

Maybe you should have not allowed the banks give their CEO'S them millions of dollars bonus. Like Hillary they should have been thrown in prison, and not allowed to walk away with their pockets full of money for doing a piss poor job and being giving big bonuses for it.

[@555Trout]

Obama as a "unifier'? Oh please David.

[@bdub8105]

Go eat trout

[@555Trout]

@@bdub8105 A typical "unifer" Obama fan.

[@stevecoley8365]

X-Files Earthling human beings (love) vs. hostile alien vampires (greed). Earthling human beings are losing.

[@jeanharris2906]

Racism and apartheid ideology has never been resolved in America; the triggers and reactions were easily leveraged on America's four centuries sustained foundation of racial division. It is about who Americans are; in terms of using bias and bigotry to build fear, contempt, and violence between races and religions which is the core of the divide and conquer strategy. Polarization dismantles any ability to collaborate and resolve complex issues Americans face; who are not in the top 1%.

[@hershpuri]

he speaks sense.. bail outs and hand outs!! then why complain about widening the sowed divisions.. ??

[@drbreeden4093]

Sorry Milhouse but nobody is causing any such divide. People are choosing to behave poorly because they decide to behave to behave poorly! The are disrespectful because they choose to be disrespectful. Anything else is lack of self control... selfish control...

[@JuniorRodigan]

The first half explains precisely WHY every Democrat ought to vote for *Andrew Yang* in the primaries ..... doesn't it ?

[@greengold6705]

Yeah free money for everyone always works cough Venezuela

[@dukevalsaint1918]

Junior Rodigan Yes! He is the perfect dbz fusion of Obama and Trump. This is all of our redo for the last 12yrs.

[@nguyentt4079]

trump using hitlers playbook

[@NorineParkey]

What a difference in extreme ignorance of Middle Class.

[@jarellebadger3842]

The truth, spreading lies gets us nowhere

[@YourPledge]

Thank you, Lord we have survived the abys. President Trump was in the nick of time.

[@charsibaba6960]

Guy doesn't get it at all.

[@bdub8105]

Hey what? Did you watch the interview? Explain yourself!

[@gsmarin1]

Deep scars fu, I lost my home fu, I lost my job fu, our family lost everything fu. THAT is why we now have Trumpism. Had Obama not taunted Trump at the famous White House Press Corps Dinner we would not be having this discussion.

[@parathink]

Get Mitch McConnell in an interview.

[@roscoetorbenson3635]

Both Obama and Trump were elected on the promise of bringing change, but both ultimately fell back into their parties establishment

[@hereigoagain5050]

Axelrod is a brilliant political strategist. I wish Obama would have prosecuted some bankers if for no other reason than to remove them from the industry. But money talks.

[@guywoodhouse4684]

prosecuted them??? LOL..he bailed them out !!!!

[@ip4157]

This guy knew they trashed the system and did not care. This type does not care for the common man at all.

[@maxdurocher81]

Yeah the great Manchurian candidate

[@bdub8105]

Super cliche and easy respone...do you have a brain of your own??

[@timlinator]

Time for a divorce. Abolish the federal government the federal government and each state goes their own way as a nation.

[@garybowler5946]

And the bankers walked free. Why

[@sflasaint811]

Obama divided us between elites and everyone else and then made us pay for it. That’s not hope and change and Americans were angry. We paid high taxes. We lost half our portfolios. Some lost their homes. Some were laid off. And if you weren’t you had to do the others jobs as well as your own. Our healthcare costs doubled and we had to pay for others. Trump rode in on that anger.

[@willpayne3647]

Speaking as someone who is 100% non-partisan, this interview is tough to sit though with the amount of arrogance and false-equivalency he perpetuates. He has been a cog in the Democratic machine so long he doesn't see the problems that people faced in eight years prior to the 2016 election.

[@TheTruthseeker1231]

Exactly! Obama missed the opportunity to unite the country. His legacy is that he missed an opportunity that was so great, but he was an ideologue who simply couldn't do anything but politics as usual. So sad that such a great opportunity was lost. Luntz's interview was so much more objective.

[@DokktorDeth]

Axelrod is a thinker; therein and, without seeming to be too unkind, is the difference.

[@26michaeluk]

@@TheTruthseeker1231 how in the hell could he have United the country? First he's black, and racism was everywhere. The tea party was a blatantly racist group. 2, the very night he was elected all of the Republican leadership vowed to be against everything Obama tried to do. 3, a disturbingly amount of Republicans believed he was not born in the United states and that he was a Muslim. 4, the only time this country unites is after a Pearl Harbor or 9/11. Even then it doesn't last long. We are to divided to ever be United, which is truly fucking sad. This hyper partisanship has ruined us, just like the founders said could happen.

[@dionpace22]

@@26michaeluk Talk the truth!

[@TheTruthseeker1231]

@@26michaeluk If the country is so racist then how did a black man get elected in the first place? No, he talked like he wanted to unite and go above partisan politics and the country voted hoping he would do what he said he would do, but once in power, it was same old, same old. So sad. Such a great opportunity lost.

[@mr7wi]

“We had a lot to do and felt a sense of urgency to it done” Yes. And you managed to do nothing.

[@26michaeluk]

Because Republicans vowed on the night he was elected to not work with him. He still got 23 million insurance, got Obama, better VA treatment ect but you support the most corrupt politician of all time and cheer him on as he takes your money. Great job you did.

[@communitygardener17]

So, mr7, you remember the beginning of the 2nd Great Depression that started in 2009? Neither do I. Obama saved your patootie and began a recovery. My god, that man walked into the job of the presidency with the economy and our lives collapsing and threw his body on the line and held us together. We owe him our gratitude and I freely give it.

[@mr7wi]

@@communitygardener17 well I do. how many bankers went to jail? 1. He did nothing except get the US into 7 more wars. Just like his “present “ voting record, he did nothing. He had the house and the senate but somehow he barely managed to get his healthcare act passed. Trump was a buffoon. Biden is no better. But he gets a pass on his list of unfulfilled promises. Easily, he was worse than Carter.

[@jeremycummings6702]

Ones a class act and Ones not!!!!!!!

[@charleskittler4330]

All blow and “no go” ....plenty of blame to go around so David drop blaming the other side for your short comings.

[@hadawson72268]

I’m bi

[@frederickbartlett8038]

P

[@jeviosoorishas181]

Obama left the White House with nearly the same Approval Rating he had coming in 8 years earlier. In other words, the problem wasn't his presidency, or his policies, but what happened culturally. It's the desire for culture war victories that led the GOP into Trump's hands. Always remember that for the GOP, "conservatism" as an ideology wasn't the issue. Trump was the LEAST conservative candidate, with the LEAST credentials. And he also defeated the most conservative person running at the time to win the nomination. People elected Trump, because they wanted "a fighter?" Fighting for what exactly? THE CULTURE WAR!!!

[@jsamaras55]

Fighting for the American people! Against both sides making it appear they were fighting for you laughing all the way to the next "show" for you

[@26michaeluk]

I agree it's a culture war. Thankfully conservatives are mostly elderly people. Not saying im happy or whatever about them dying off, as my parents are exactly that. The GOP are hemorrhaging voters and have painted themselves into a corner by playing into Trump's base. The GOP is crumbling and it's the Trump party now. They better rejoice every win because they're gonna be more far and in between. You're correct on Trump not being a real conservative but he's giving the right wing everything they want. Super conservative judges and supreme court justices. Put evangelicals on a pedestal. I've always been against Christianity but Trump is the exact opposite of Christ. You couldn't find someone more opposite if you tried. Im truly glad their hypocrisy is finally being seen by everyone.

[@jsamaras55]

@@26michaeluk Yes, it is the Trumpian party now and if you don't jump on the train now you will be run over. The conservative judges will get us back to sanity. While Jesus may be a wonderful children story the principles within are a guide to getting along in the world and Trump while not personifying it believes in live and let live unlike the idiots on the left who think they know better

[@bdub8105]

Dude, you're a mess. No clue...no clue. Watch the funtz interview. Wake up

[@cbraat27]

A boring hack

[@nilyt367]

😉

[@expendable4h002]

GM still owes us that money and outsourced factories to China with it. Trump at least got GM to reinvest $2B back in Michigan.

[@MightySheep]

Theres something dislikable about this guy. He gives off that leftist moral high horse vibe.

[@hectorfernandezhernandez3168]

I am not surprised that his view is that "A lot of resistance to Obama was about race"

[@amandarickert7789]

We all loved Obama as a man but that doesn't make him a good president. We are more divided today than ever. It's not a racial divide, that's what people don't get. we're divided among classes. Never in history have there been such huge difference between the rich and the working class. Obama was a Democrat who bailed out the rich and made the taxpaying underclass foot the bill. As a life long Democrat I realized that it wasn't what i voted for. You're never going to find anyone who wouldn't say obama isn't a loved American however that doesn't make a great president...

[@bdub8105]

Not his fault...not at all. Good luck with Trump. Great role model for your kids. Let's see how that works out for ya😙

[@kitschneider3828]

Should include some shots of interviewer instead of some creepy voice off-screen.

[@Gbhardcore86]

Yes, you did pass the legislation just like LBJ and FDR, all the failures that did not deliver as promised. And the ACA was and is a failure. Bad insurance that doesn’t get accepted by doctors didn’t solve anything, what happens was working people lost just like JFK and FDR. But no one bothers to tell the whole story, the results, the statistics.

[@maureenjanousek9088]

Trump 2020! Best President we ever had!