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Robert Gibbs on challenges, opportunities for Obama camp

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    Senior campaign adviser on 'Special Report'

  • Duration 6:52
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Welcome back to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte we're going to talk about.

Some of the challenges facing President Obama and some of the opportunities here heading into the final two months of what promises to be a difficult race.

Robert Gibbs is a former white house Press Secretary now a senior advisor to the Obama campaign.

Robert thanks for being here thanks for -- -- well first of all the change of venue two here in the arena from the stadium.

Folks are saying it's weather related summed up people are out there saying you would had a tough time film those seats what's the truth.

Flew an had a tough times overseas -- really tough time figuring out which of the sixty or 70000 and I'm gonna fit into here.

Look I wish we could have this outside I want it to everyone wanted outside we'd had a great crowd.

In in that crowd who would have created a lot of good volunteers but.

You know folks that were around this area yesterday and last night.

Know the kind of weather that moved through.

They understand the logistics that it takes to.

Move everything from here to there.

And if we start doing that and we get six -- 7000 people that stadium.

And a thunderstorm blows through you have real genuine safety concerns out of an abundance of caution.

We've we've we've moved it back and here we there's no doubt we would have filled up plus.

Is there frantic call now for a 100000 balloons and Charlotte and this -- actually right after this I've got to go blow up like 2000 myself and I it's good -- and I'm glad to have the views most of my wins here because I won't have -- left after that excellent tonight.

Former President Clinton -- what are you all hoping for do you know what.

Do expect to yes than a -- we've we've been.

Obviously working with the president with President Clinton for President Clinton for quite some time we're we're anxious and been eager for him.

Together look I think -- They came to office -- I think very analogous economic situations.

At a time military economy needed some real leadership.

At a time in which we hadn't invested in research and innovation in education.

And we saw that with.

The right decisions that Bill Clinton made the type of economic prosperity.

That we can have and I think he's gonna talk -- the tough decisions that President Obama had to make.

-- rebuilding our economy inning giving the middle class a real sense of security.

But you know after that 94 election and that President Clinton clearly moderated and the whole triangulation.

Taking some of the Republican ideas running on it.

Opponents -- for himself.

Press Obama hasn't done that even after 2010 I mean they're not really analogous in that point.

Well that they're maybe their political.

Tactics aren't analogous but again I think the analogy that you hear the president -- President Clinton make tonight.

He is talking about coming into office and dealing with an economy that had been neglected -- needed to be rebuilt.

Middle class security that people lacked in the early ninety's.

They lacked when Barack Obama walked in the White House and we're on a journey to strengthen.

That security for middle class family what does President Obama believe that the era of big government is over -- President Clinton said in 1996 look Barack Obama in 2004 to Democratic Convention.

Talked about we don't want -- makes waste money.

On.

-- -- the Pentagon or on welfare and nobody wants to spend.

Anything more than we have to and I think you know one of the things that Bill Clinton taught us well to is that.

Those that are doing better.

Can and should pay their fair share for the era of big government is here -- -- the expansion of spending as a percentage of GDP has increased dramatically under President Obama -- increase dramatically because.

We have had to deal with some of the economic problems that -- left to us and obviously -- -- -- an economic downturn.

You're gonna spend more money on.

Things to take care of people.

That unemployment benefits for -- long term unemployment benefits for instance they keep people -- you know sustain people keep them.

In their houses in their apartments and buying food and that also keeps the economy -- but nobody wants to spend more than we have to and this president has already taken steps.

To get our fiscal house in order.

The big question this election is are we get it just indiscriminately.

Take an ax to the federal budget.

And with that do great harm to things like research and innovation and education or we gonna do this and -- regional and responsible way.

The question are you better off than you were four years ago -- a little bit more complex it's almost like.

How do you feel about the next four years are you optimistic how do you feel about your life three indicators and I know you can point to things in the economy that are going the right way -- three indicators.

Gas prices when president took over -- dollar 83 now three dollars 82 cents unemployment seven point 8% now eight point 3%.

And total debt in 2009 public -- ten point six trillion now sixteen trillion.

Food stamps 31983000.

Roughly food -- now 46 million those are just four.

Points.

People I talked to here say that's cherry picking but those are four big points in this economy was and how it is now.

Let's take that -- let's take a look at the unemployment right.

Yes we're -- different the number is different than it was four years ago -- I understand the journey we were on.

When Barack Obama walked into that White House the last month of the Bush Administration we lost 800000.

Jobs.

I don't I forget exactly what the number peaked -- but about seven months into administration that number hit ten point 3%.

So part I think around ten point 32 point 22 point one so.

We've gone from ten point three or ten point two to eight point -- we're making progress weird weird no doubt better off.

Look at a place like GM look at a price plays like price across its best month -- -- -- selling Honda.

Right now but the car company that four years ago literally was headed to death.

But does he said he is a complex -- because we wanna make sure people understand this president isn't satisfied.

Nobody in the administration satisfied because we've got a lot of work left to do.

-- thank you very much of the time and good luck with the logistics transferring everything here and blown up those below the half thanks very much thanks -- -- we taped that earlier but late today after the reversal on the Democrat platform language chief Washington correspondent James Rosen caught up with kids.

Again.

Look I'm not on the platform committee so I don't know what imaginations -- involved I just know.

Then.

Having spent eight years of -- of -- he feels I don't know -- People throughout the -- -- they just changed it you're aware of the vote they just took so obviously they felt some need to address this.

You know again I for whatever.

For whatever the reason they wanna -- it I think it's time.

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