September 20, 2009
George’s Bottom Line
STEPHANOPOULOS: How about the funding for ACORN?
OBAMA: You know, if — frankly, it’s not really something I’ve followed closely. I didn’t even know that ACORN was getting a whole lot of federal money.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Both the Senate and the House have voted to cut it off.
OBAMA: You know, what I know is, is that what I saw on that video was certainly inappropriate and deserves to be investigated.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you’re not committing to — to cut off the federal funding?
OBAMA: George, this is not the biggest issue facing the country. It’s not something I’m paying a lot of attention to.
Video of the exchange here.
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UPDATE: The more one watches this video, the more infuriating and astounding the President’s dismissive attitude is. He spent his entire adult life working with and for ACORN as part of his community activism. Now this group stands accused of very serious crimes, not the least of which is the enslavement of children transported into the United States to work in the sex trade. How is this not shocking and deeply offensive to this President, the father of two young girls? Is there something in his character or experience which can dismiss such serious offenses? Or was he merely caught off-guard by being pressed for answers for a change?
What do you think about this remark?