President Obama's Weekly Address Focuses on Economy, Bipartisan Cooperation on Deficit

In his weekly address, President Obama talks about his focus on the economy in 2010 and covers his commitment to deficit reduction. Notably, he covers some of the politics that conservatives have been playing with deficit reduction.

Take a look:

The President's remarks on politically motivated changes on issues are a narrative that seems to be working pretty well:

Finally, I've called for a bi-partisan Fiscal Commission - a panel of Democrats and Republicans who would sit down and hammer out concrete deficit-reduction proposals by a certain deadline.  Because we've heard plenty of talk and a lot of yelling on TV about deficits, and it's now time to come together and make the painful choices we need to eliminate those deficits. 

This past week, 53 Democrats and Republicans voted for this commission in the Senate.  But it failed when seven Republicans who had co-sponsored this idea in the first place suddenly decided to vote against it. 

Now, it's one thing to have an honest difference of opinion about something.  I will always respect those who take a principled stand for what they believe, even if I disagree with them. 

But what I won't accept is changing positions because it's good politics.  What I won't accept is opposition for opposition's sake.  We cannot have a serious discussion and take meaningful action to create jobs and control our deficits if politicians just do what's necessary to win the next election instead of what's best for the next generation. 

On that note, if you haven't seen it, take a look at the President's "question time" from yesterday at the House Republican Issues Conference. I'll leave you to judge who got the best of that situation: