Reporting on President Obama's speech to the Chamber of Commerce
Monday, MSNBC's Contessa Brewer sloppily labeled the Chamber as
"conservative" in narrating the conflict between the business federation
and the President. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, though it may have
enjoyed the "conservative" label in the past, has supported major
liberal legislation over the past few years in the name of being
"pro-business."
"Two years, big business and President Obama were at odds," Brewer
introduced the segment. "The boiling point - when Obama accused the
conservative Chamber of Commerce of refusing to disclose the millions it
spent on campaign ads to defeat Democrats."
The Chamber sent a letter to the U.S. Senate in February of 2009
imploring it to pass the Stimulus bill, H.R. 1. "The legislation is not
perfect," the Chamber confessed, adding that "parts of the bill should
be modified or eliminated. However, the Chamber urges the Senate to
approve H.R. 1, and encourages Congress and the Administration to work
on a conference report that provides timely, targeted, and temporary
economic stimulus."
The
Chamber has also supported the White House on the auto bailout and on
trade agreements. The two sides, of course, have had their share of
spats as well, which was what Contessa Brewer was originally reporting
about. The Chamber fought the White House on financial regulation and
health care; Chief Executive Tom Donohue actually accused the White
House of heading a "smear campaign" against the Chamber.
Interestingly enough, Brewer seemed to reach out to a liberal audience
when she later asked her "big question" of the day: "Is the President
bending too far to build bridges with Big Business?" The question seems
synonymous with the concern of President Obama's liberal base that the
President is making inroads toward appeasing moderate and even
conservative voters.
A transcript of the segment, which aired on February 7 at 12:05 p.m. EST, is as follows:
CONTESSA BREWER: Two years, big business and President Obama were at odds. The boiling point - when Obama accused the conservative Chamber of Commerce of refusing to disclose the millions it spent on campaign ads to defeat Democrats.
(...)
BREWER: The Chamber pushed back, on healthcare reform, corporate taxes, and government regulation. Now the two sides appear to be ready for a truce. A few weeks ago Chamber president Tom Donohue downplayed the tension.
TOM DONOHUE, president, U.S. Chamber of Commerce: We're going to support him on the export control rules, we're going to support him on immigration...
BREWER: After November's election defeat, the White House changed its tone on business, making a deal with Republicans to extend the Bush tax cuts even to the wealthy, and hiring new business-friendly advisors like Chief-of-Staff Bill Daley, a former J.P. Morgan Chase executive who Donohue called "a real pro." Gene Sperling is the president's new Chief Economic Advisor.
GENE SPARLING: We're willing to work together.
BREWER: The Chamber's Donohue calls Sperling "someone I'm comfortable sparring with." The President also tapped GE's chief, Jeff Immelt, to head up a new jobs council. But all those new pro-big business moves are scaring the President's liberal supporters. The Agenda Project just today released a new video criticizing Obama's newfound relationship with the Chamber.
(...)
(Text)
CONTESSA'S BIG QUESTION: Is the President bending too far to build bridges with Big Business?
- Matt Hadro is an intern with the Media Research Center.