Obama hits back in Russia 'hot mike' row

Good luck, Republicans. This might carry your sinking ship for a round or so, but the bottom is coming.

I wonder if Obama tried to pull another one with Russia like he has been doing with the American people? Let's enjoy the Obamabots spin this one to another dimension. Like it or not, the dictators around the globe has gone wild in the last three years; and the deficit keeps going up to such an alarm rate! What a change?

Interesting. An honest president.

I don't think the "Obamabots" will have to spin anything, what with Romney being so quick to shoot himself in the foot:

Russia, this is, without question, our number one geopolitical foe. They - they fight every cause for the world's worst actors. The I - the idea that he has some more flexibility in mind for Russia is very, very troubling, indeed.

Now that's diplomacy. But don't worry, Russia. I'm sure President Romney will have a lot more flexibility after the election...

Look GOP fans. Obama can speak confidently because the GOP is a mess. Like it or not, you just don't have the kind of sparkling leader out there who can really run away with the coming election. If you win, and I say "If" because I think it extremely unlikely, it will be because hatred for Obama is so strong and not because you offer any kind of rational alternative.

American politics is a mess. We should toss out both parties and all their corruption and silliness along with them and start over with new parties that are actually grounded in helping working people. And no I do not mean silly parties like the Tea Partiers or the pointless "Me Firsters" in the Libertarian party. No to both. We need something rational and ready to do the hard work required to improve the lives of working people.

His 08 campaign was one huge lie. The mainstream media should resign en masse. Who does Obama work for?

Like it or not, you just don't have the kind of sparkling leader out there who can really run away with the coming election

Ugh. "Sparkling" ?

We are not looking , searching for a leader to tell us what to do. We want someone who will dismantle the nanny state, let people get on wih their lives. Unemployment for 18 - 24 y.o. 's is a whopping 46 percent. Millions of people have lives, careers and family plans on hold because of the narcissistic "We are the ones we've been waiting for" New Left destroying the country.

Republicans seem to more interested in criticizing Obama than remarking on his assumption of a second term. Are they conceding the election?

Lieberman, are you American? I doubt it.

Good to see the president is exhibiting a characteristic most conservatives are completely unable to display - honesty.

There's no way the GOP is going to win in November unless they do what they are doing now, the last time and the time before - suppress voter turnout for minorities, blacks and liberal support demographics.

After all the gaffs that GWB and Biden have made on the open mic you'd think they'd learn to make sure it was shut off before talking.

We should toss out both parties and all their corruption and silliness along with them and start over with new parties that are actually grounded in helping working people. And no I do not mean silly parties like the Tea Partiers or the pointless "Me Firsters" in the Libertarian party.

I'd argue that libertarian principals are in the common interest of all individuals.

Good to see the president is exhibiting a characteristic most conservatives are completely unable to display - honesty

Yeah. Obama , Mr Honest, MrTransparency . First act upon taking office was to basically outlaw any searches into his background.

He's so honest he waits until he thinks the mic is off to assure the flunky who serves Russia's ex-KGB President for Life Putin that he is ready to cut a deal weakening the US and our allies after he has won an election that is still months away. He has clearly signalled that the damage he has done in his first term is nothing compared to what he intends to do in his second.

“This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility,”

Creepy.

Good on our South Korean allies for "accidentally" leaving that microphone hot.

"...and with regard to our absolute conviction that Iran must have a nuclear weapon.”

Classic Romney! I guess we know HIS plans!

As to Republicans being angry at Obama's comments, they're really just miffed because they know there's no denying Obama will get a second term.

Lieberman: "His 08 campaign was one huge lie. The mainstream media should resign en masse. Who does Obama work for?"

Wasn't a lie -- he just couldn't really implement much change because a certain party kept saying "no" on everything, regardless of what it was. How many filibusters have there been again?

"First act upon taking office was to basically outlaw any searches into his background."

Still on the birth certificate thing, I see. Didn't Trump and a number of people recently have to eat crow in regards to that situation?

Lieberman2012 "Who does Obama work for?" Who does Lieberman work for? Far as his platform suggests he is one of these braindead Libertarians who thinks you can run a modern industialized country with little or no goverment. And why does that party advocate that? Because they are the "I have mine, to hell with you." party. They believe in survival of the fittest and a society that does not take responsibility for social issues. It is nonsense and has no grounding in reality.

And one more thing Lieberman. The tacit racism that has driven these conspiracy theories about Obama's background are tired and old. They have been long discredited and yet you are still posting such nonsense. Why?

I think it is because you cannot indict the man on anything other than silly conspiracy theories that hold as much water as the old guy in my neighborhood who claims to be abducted regularly by aliens.

If you don't like his policies. And there are many issues there. Then offer up viable alternatives and and a viable candidate who can offer a real, well formulated alternative plan that he/she can offer up as a part of a proper bid for the office of president.

Sadly no one seems interested in actually doing that. Libertarians are wallowing in some kind of fantacy world that looks like the 19th century, while the GOP are too busy thrashing each other to really offer anything meaningful to voters to consider. So of course Obama is confident. If you don't like that, do something positive about it, don't dream up silly stories.

He said exactly what I'd expect him to say.... exactly what I'd say. As much as I think the Russian Government are a bunch of thugs, they still have a lot of power around the world and we have to respect and deal with that said power. If we just take a very hard line then Russia will do the same back... it is in both our best interest to be "flexible".

Still on the birth certificate thing, I see. Didn't Trump and a number of people recently have to eat crow in regards to that situation?

No, you don't see. And no, no one has eaten crow. By your own standard - foreigners really know American politics better than the natives do! - there is still plenty of open scorn and doubt on the authenticity of the PDF that was presented as copy of BHO's original birth cert. Lord Monckton former Thatcher adviser, on the Dennis Miller Show

"I don't know whether he is Kenyan or not," Monckton said. "The point is that if I were you, I would want to make absolutely sure that he was born here before allowing him to be elected. And the birth certificate that he put up on that website, I don't know where he was born. But I do know that birth certificate isn't genuine."

http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/22/lord-monckton-im-no-birther-but-obama-birth-certificate-plainly-a-forgery/#ixzz1qHlqtcBy

How many more straws will the GOP find a chance to grab at betore falling back into the pit of irrelevance come Novermber?

Lieberman2012 " there is still plenty of open scorn and doubt on the authenticity of the PDF"

That doubt remains only in the troubled minds of a few conspiracy theorists. Most of whom are easily discredited for their various ulterior motives.

Give it a rest already. It is trashy tabloid news nonsense. And you know it.

If you want to argue against Obama, then offer up something real on policy stances. Then take it to step two and show us a candidate who has a better play. Detail that plan. And be ready to defend it against feedback.

Otherwise.... give the hocus pocus stuff a rest.

Putin has all the 'say' and he wont gives a mere care when two sick puppies both democrats and the republicans biting wach other's tail!

Seavey. So true! Just wonder if they ever got out of the "pit of irrelevance" this election cycle.

@ Lieberman2012

He has clearly signalled that the damage he has done in his first term is nothing compared to what he intends to do in his second.

I agree. Obama must be dismantled, come November, 2012.

Why are Republicans so dumb?

Pamelot. And replaced with what exactly? Voters want to know that it isn't just another swap between two sibling parties that can't manage to get anything done. They are working people with declining security and worries for the future. They want answers and solutions.

Anyone bothering to put aside the party fighting nonsense can see that Obama had no capacity to deliver much without support from others, including the GOP people. But it was equally clear that both parties would rather squabble than actually deal with the needs of working people.

So what is your solution while "dismantling" Obama? Because the GOP candidates clearly do not have viable alternatives on the table. And what they do have on the table does not appeal to the majority of voters.

So what is your plan?

Strong negotiation is about certainty and instilling confidence. Why the hell would I want Russia to assume I wasn't going to remain in office? Sometimes people can be so crass. Obama is arrogant? No, stop attempting to spin what seems to be a typical conversation between allies.

Lieberman: " there is still plenty of open scorn and doubt on the authenticity of the PDF that was presented as copy of BHO's original birth cert."

No, there's just plenty of embarrassment the people like yourself and other Republicans made a big issue of it and had to eat crow as a result. Who's questioning the authenticity of it? People who have been PROVEN wrong and can't accept it. Most Republicans simply stopped talking about it to avoid having to confront the embarrassment, but there are some, like yourself, that still deny for the sole fact that that's all that's left to hold onto.

Has Obama done anything so far that would indicate he is about to "cave in" with the Russians? His track record has been pretty rigid.

"And no, no one has eaten crow"

Heh, just chewing and chewing on it months later, like that child that is still at the dinner table hours after everyone else has finished, still refusing to swallow them brussel sprouts.

That's a pretty good descriton of today's GOP Mr lieberman. Thanks for that!

Lieberman - "He's so honest he waits until he thinks the mic is off to assure the flunky who serves Russia's ex-KGB President for Life Putin that he is ready to cut a deal weakening the US and our allies ..."

Absolutely astounding to see someone who appears to honestly believe that shaving a few hundred missiles off an arsenal that can already destroy the entire world many, many times over is somehow "weakening" that potential.

This is probably the same type of indivudual who would claim the "Left" are destoying America.

Lieberman - "New Left destroying the country."

It is! :-)

Individuals like the one above are also likely to believe the mumbo thrown up by the radical Right that president Obama's birth certificate is a fake.

Lieberman - "there is still plenty of open scorn and doubt on the authenticity of the PDF that was presented as copy of BHO's original birth cert."

LOL!!! Unreal.

Today's GOP and anti-American conservative base (<-- that an adjective, not just a noun) are so incredibly out of touch and divisive they'd likely condemn president Obama even if he declared rain is wet.

Let them have their way and the "freedoms" they pine so much for will be ripped from under them.

Womens rights will be booted back to the 18th century, universal rghts to clean air and water will be stolen as they dismantle the EPA, peoples' rights to marry whomever they choose (man or woman) will be trampled underhoof,.....Americans had better watch who they vote for this November - the GOP is simply too dangerous to allow back into power.

Lieberman - "Sushisak3, who loathes America, calling any party in American un-American, is the funniest thing I have come acrosss today."

That's very funny. Not only do you demonstrate that you do not even know Americans, but you clearly show you also have no idea how to interpret non-Americans.

Maybe you will visit America one day and find out some useful information about them.

Good luck with that. :-)

Lierberman, for the record, I have a lot of respect for America and some Americans. The U.S. has transformed the world in a way no other nation has, and yet now, it is cleary under threat from conservative types who wish to inflict harm on America, increase pollution, wind back hard-fought rights for women annd minorities, and expose ordinary Americans to the will of unfettered capitalists, the same ones who brought the economy to its knees in 2009.

People who are for the above - conservatives in general - these are the ones I refer to as "anti-American," and note, I do not use that term lightly.

This article omits the very good question by Gingrich to be found in more trustworthy news sources

" I'm curious, how many other countries has the president promised that he'd have a lot more flexibility the morning he doesn't have to answer to the American people? "

Gingrich said on CNN.

sushisake

The U.S. has transformed the world in a way no other nation has, and yet now, it is cleary under threat from conservative types who wish to inflict harm on America, increase pollution

dismantling the EPA will not result in an increase in pollution.

wind back hard-fought rights for women annd minorities

LOL. Susan B Anthony:Republican. The first African Americans elected to Congress - all Republicans. Read some history. ,

and expose ordinary Americans to the will of unfettered capitalists, the same ones who brought the economy to its knees in 2009

.F Mae and F Mac, oh yeah, fine examples of "unfettered capitalism."

Read some basic economics while you are at it.

He may have more flexibility after his election (I'll leave his arrog-----errr, confidence out of this for now) to deal with the Russians on arms issues but do you really telegraph to a once again potential rival in Eastern Europe since now Poland and Hungary and the Czech and Slovak countries are now firmly looking west ward and not east ward your position is "flexible" in the future. Putin will wait for a better deal now than anything he would offer at all at this point. Though since the President wouldn't want Russia to make a scene in an election year by distracting him with a real thorny Foreign policy issue during an election year, they will keep quiet and accept the premise that this is only because it is an election year, and after his guaranteed election (he knows it to be so) they'll get that "flexibility" back out him by reminding him of how they helped his election chances. They are playing chess, President Obama just moved checker piece.

Reading sushisake's comments make my head hurt. Please tell me how Republicans wish to revoke the rights of minorities. You clearly have a very limited understanding of American history. Please enlighten me....

I don't like either party but what baffles me is that there are people that approve of how Obama is handling the country. When you spend the country into crippling debt, you are doing it wrong. The man was elected because of one speech and because he's black. Now that the novelty has worn off let's try someone new. It certainly couldn't get that much worse. Actually arguing about this is pointless whatever figurehead empty suit that gets thrown in there is only going to do what the puppet masters tell them anyways.

What exactly did conservatives expect the president to say?

Perhaps, "You know, I'm going to be turfed out of office in November and yep, Donald Trump was right - my birth certificate is a fake, but yes, let's discuss cutting our nuclear arsenals now, shall we?"

Amazing to think there's conservative types out there who demonstrate on a daily basis how much they abhore using their brains.

Warilthetime - voter suppression.

Google it. There's conservative-controlled states that are engaged in it right now to pass laws that will limit or ban voting rights for key voter demographics that typically vote Democrat.

It's the Conservative Way - promote democracy abroad, quash it at home.

Reading sushisake's comments make my head hurt. Please tell me how Republicans wish to revoke the rights of minorities. You clearly have a very limited understanding of American history.

Hilarious isnt it. Uber progs like Wilson segregate the armed forces, FDR puts thousands of patriotic Japanese in concentration camps, 1 percent of young black Americans in jail during the "horribly racist" days of Eisenhower, 25 percent during the supposedly enlightened Clinton years and ss3 is on here trying to blame a party founded to fight slavery.The only thing more ludicrous is the Americans who come to his defense with the truly preposterous "argument" that the parties "switched" at some point.

Our Polish allies, who spent decades under the Soviet boot, are reportedly rattled by this bizarre and troubling development.

Obama has some explaining to do.

Obama: "After my election I have more flexibility"

Arrogance on display.

The Repubs are pretty troubled.

@ SushiSake3: Voter suppression? What, like requiring a voter to show a photo ID?

" I will transmit this information to Vladimir. "

Like Obama the current leader of Russia also regards elections as messy, unnecessary obstacles to imposing agendas and curtailing freedom.

When you couple this very revealing admission that any second term Obama gets means he will regard it as four years in which he won't have to answer to the American people with his recent proposals to cut miilitary budgets in such a way as to force military families and retirees to pay more for the health care but leaving unionized civ defense workers' bennies untouched you really have to wonder which side he is on.

President Obama clearly showed his professionalism and skill as a world leader, acting responsibly and pragmatically. He clearly understands what is going on the world, and knows Moscow is expremely upset about a great many things. It's the US who is acting as the agressor, surrounding Russia with whole army groups and missile defense radars and interceptors. With its military might and economic power, the US has reached a point where our forces are now inside the Soviet "backyard", and Russia because it has been weaker, wasn't able to counter the US moves. But now, as we get closer, Russia is drawing the line, and our President clearly doesn't want another cold war, much less an active war does anybody? Russia is the other superpower, and President Obama's conversation with Medvedeb clearly shows the respect the superpowers have towards each other, no matter what rhetoric gets pushed in the media. To be the leader of the strongest nation on earth takes a lot more than just brawn, especially when dealing with the 2nd most powerful country on the planet. Let's not forget, the bear can still put our lights out for good. These two guys, are showing they're serious about finding a compromise... as true leaders should.

bello420 - You should be Obama's speech writer.

What politicians will do to win the elections? Whatever it takes hahahahah

The goal should be to gradually eliminate these weapons. How many times over was it that they can destroy everyone? I can't recall but it was many times over. Obama having a good relationship with Medvedev and Russia is a good thing. Anyone who thinks otherwise must like aggression, confrontation and war. Another term for Obama will be a good thing for the U.S. and he'll get more done. Romney is a joke and only slightly better than Palin was! If that's the best the GOP can do, then go Democrats!

Obama: "After my election I have more flexibility"

Serrano -"Arrogance on display."

No, a statement of fact.

It's just that conservatives are so overwhelmingly adept at spewing ignorant hatespeak against groups that don't live or think according to their incredibly narrow-minded backward agenda that they can't see it.

another dumb move by obama. somehow i still think some americans will vote him back to power. that'll be another 4 years of hell.

"No, a statement of fact."

No, it's not fact, because he hasn't won re-election yet. Actually, it's more like delusions of grandeur.

But really, as conservative posters like Lieberman have shown again and again, trying to find a conservative American who TRULY puts his/her country first is about as impossible as expecting Republican John Boehner to get through the year without crying like a little girl.

I can see though that President Obama is in his full campaign mode though. He's even after the Russian vote.

One more for Lieberman - Sen. John McCain was born on a ship in Pamama.

Why didn't you and other conservatives raise questions about the authenticity of his birth certificate?

Oh yeah, it was because he's white.....

@lieberman,

"Like Obama the current leader of Russia also regards elections as messy, unnecessary obstacles to imposing agendas and curtailing freedom."

Cry baby, cry. Back when it was bush you were lappin' it up.

The is purpose to the madness,the Republican are appealing to the ignorant and rascists voters. Obama is doing is best considering what condition the economy were in when he took office.On the other hand, what the Republicans have in store for us, is the final harvesting of the economy before we are finished as a nation. The rich get richer and the poor eat Sh-t. That is what Reagan set out to do and the other Republican is getting ready to finish the job. And as for the Russians, we know that both the US and USSR have the potiental to distroy mankind many time over, making a compromise with them is tactical if not wise.

Lieberman: "Lord Monckton former Thatcher adviser"

This is your expert source on American birth certificates and PDF files? A Brit with a fancy title? Thatcher was Prime Minister a good thirty years ago, so this Lord you speak of must be an octagenarian suffering from paranoiac dementia. Kind of like the most famous of the birthers--Arizona's Arpaio.

Lieberman, what does it say or your birth certificate, m'lord?

Obama is doing is best considering what condition the economy were in when he took office.

@KuYani: It comes to a point where blaming Bush just doesn't cut it. A few facts:

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelsi, circa 01/03/2007, also known as the 110th Congress, took over and at the time : The Unemployment rate was 4.6% and George Bush's Economic policies had SET A RECORD of 52 STRAIGHT MONTHS of JOB CREATION, like it or not.

January 3rd, 2007 was the day Barney Frank took over the House Financial Services Committee and Chris Dodd took over the Senate Banking Committee. The economic meltdown that happened 15 months later was in what part of the economy (i.e. housing and banking)? Bush asked Congress 17 times to stop Fannie & Freddie - starting in 2001 because it was financially risky for the US economy and Barney Frank blocked it (I admit he probably had some help from the GOP too).

Realize that budgets don't come from the White House, they come from the Congress and the party that controlled the Congress since 1/3/2007 is the Democratic Party. Nancy Pelosi's Congress controlled the budget process from 2008 through 2011.

In 2008 (for the 2009 budget), Pelosi and Reid bypassed George Bush entirely, passing continuing resolutions to keep government running until BO could take office. They passed a massive omnibus spending bill to complete 2009 budget.... And where was BO during this time? He was a member of Congress, voting to pass all of these massive spending bills, and he signed the omnibus as President to complete 2009, and dumped Obamacare on us to finish us off. .

What BO inherited, he inherited from himself. In a nutshell, he is saying "I inherited a deficit that I voted for".

"The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living."

@Alphaape "US voter ID card"

I'm not familiar with it. Is this something overseas Americans need to be able to vote? Because--to my knowledge-- there is no "US voter ID card" for American voters in America.

Not all U.S. citizens have or will get photo IDs. But because U.S. citizens are U.S. citizens, they are granted voting as a fundamental constitutional privilege (unlike tobacco, alcohol, car ownership, etc.) Why shouldn't any and all Americans vote if they can produce any kind of valid government-issued ID? Why not just a Social Security card, for example?

Its same that her sits lots of Russia heating hyomonoids now her some koment from Russia with love, that missail defense system have no right Thu be ther in fist place Americans are saying that those missails is not a trhet Thu Russia but wen Russian asks tu put this words on paper in form of official form then American aside says sorry we can't du that you have gov with relating on the word promise wath are you thinking since wen we can trust to an Americans maybe we Russians are barbaric savege filthe thugs but we are not stupid we se clearly wot it is this defense measure stop laying you f...... Iran north Coreya ware is Iran and ware Poland or Coreya its no need to bee a military to se how stupid it is

I could tell the politician was lying, his lips were moving....

There's little doubt in a lot of people's minds that if Obama is re-elected he will swing to the far left and try to use executive priviledge to enforce his views by edict. That would be a disaster for the US.

Of course Putin figures that Obama will rig the election Kremlin style and so this is a good deal. Time will tell.

to bello

bello wrote President Obama clearly showed his professionalism and skill as a world leader, acting responsibly and pragmatically. He clearly understands what is going on the world, and knows Moscow is expremely upset about a great many things. It's the US who is acting as the agressor, surrounding Russia with whole army groups and missile defense radars and interceptors. But now, as we get closer, Russia is drawing the line, and our President clearly doesn't want another cold war, much less an active war does anybody? To be the leader of the strongest nation on earth takes a lot more than just brawn, especially when dealing with the 2nd most powerful country on the planet. Let's not forget, the bear can still put our lights out for good. These two guys, are showing they're serious about finding a compromise... as true leaders should

I'm from Russia Thank you so much -very precise analysis of situation. Other question would be allowed to Barak Obama follow this line.... A lot of people in Russia think that any US president can not independently determine the foreign policy ..... Barak ? He's really god guy BUT.... he can't change anti Russian direction of US policy before or after elections

Sorry

Medvedev's response:

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Mitt Romney and the other GOP presidential candidates Tuesday that they need to flip their calendars out of the Cold War and stop making Russia out to be America’s “No. 1 enemy.” “I always get very cautious when I see a country resort to phrasings such as ‘No. 1 enemy.’ It is very reminiscent of Hollywood in a certain period of history,” Medvedev said, through a translator, at the nuclear security summit in Seoul, South Korea. He also said presidential candidates need “to listen to reason when they formulate their positions,” adding, “Reason never harmed a presidential candidate.”

Clearly Medvedev hasn't had much interaction with the current incarnation of the GOP.

“I always get very cautious when I see a country resort to phrasings such as ‘No. 1 enemy.’ It is very reminiscent of Hollywood in a certain period of history,” Medvedev said

based on the u.s. media coverage/propaganda, i always thought the #1 enemy was china, not russia.

warallthetime "I don't like either party but what baffles me is that there are people that approve of how Obama is handling the country."

And you think GOP could have done better over the past four years? Look, it is really simple. Things in the US are profoundly screwed up. Anyone thinking that a president from any party in a four year term could turn that around with the economic and political barriers he/she would face is living in a fantacy world.

Am I not happy with how America is being run and have not been happy in memory. But I know that my social values are not in line with those of the GOP. And that the DEM party will not deliver the level of change I see to be required for a better world for working people. While the Libertarians are just a collection of selfish nuts hoping to take us back to the 19th century.

We need real change. Stop the GOP/DEM bickering and start thinking about new parties who can work to create real change for the 99%.

""The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living."

A poorly stated quote which should say.

The problems we face today exist because the people who work for a living fail to vote in numbers adequate to achieve change in favor of their class.

There are not more voters than workers. There are more workers than voters. The problem is apathy amongst voters. And the problem is that the right in America has seduced the working white classes with their shallow support of religion and their exploitation of the "values" platform. When in reality the right in America routinely screws the working class by cutting much needed programs and sending their kids and parents off to die in Iraq, Afghanistan or now probably Iran.

Working people need to put religion and "values" on the shelf for a while and think about creating a secular government that will achieve those values by assuring the prosperity of all working people.

Russia knows more about Obama's plans than do the American people .

So Liebermanman2012, Since you cannot defend your "citizenship" thesis, you are back with another one that is even more bizzare? Are you somehow suggesting that Obama is a Russian spy? I mean, afterall... he looks Russian doesn't he? And he is very calm like Putin too. Kind of has the same haircut at Putin.

Come to think of it, Obama may be a clone of Putin localized to look part African American so he would 'blend in".

And so a new and equally silly conspiracy theory is born.

Come one Lieberman2012, argue the points at hand and give the silly insinuations a break.

Hahaha............ there goes the START treaties.....................

His 08 campaign was one huge lie. The mainstream media should resign en masse. Who does Obama work for?

Supposedly the American people, but more like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

Wolfpack. "but more like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels."

Clearly you have no understanding of what either of these individuals wrote about. And thus no understanding that Obama and his party are practicing exactly the kind of politics that America has practiced for ages. In fact I could easily point out conservative presidents in the past who were equally committed to social programs.

The right in America needs to spend less time frothing at the mouth over accusations of socialism and a lot more time studying their own political history.