Shutdown, Day Four

Republicans still terrible. Government still shut down.

Yesterday, President Obama gave a speech in Rockville, Maryland, at the M. Luis Construction company. And it was epic. Video of the entire address is below, and the full transcript is here, but, if you only watch one part of it, start the video at 12:56 listen to President Obama take on that dipshit Stutzman, because it is beautiful. I never love Obama more than when he's being snarky and contemptuous. Iain and I just watched this section over and over last night and laughed our asses off.

But, truly, watch the whole thing or read the whole transcript if you can. He calls out Republicans; he calls out the media; he addresses the harm to people that this shutdown is doing. It's not just politics. It matters. It's a very good speech.

Anyway, the transcript for the section on Stutzman is below.

THE PRESIDENT (at 12:56): Just yesterday, one House Republican said — I'm quoting here, all right, 'cause I want to make sure people understand I didn't make this up. One House Republican said, "We're not gonna be disrespected. We have to get something out of this. And I don't know what that even is." (Laughter; Obama looks mystified and chuckles.) That was a quote! "We're not going to be disrespected. We have got to get something out of this. And I don't know what that even is." Think about that!

You have already gotten the opportunity to serve the American people. There is no higher honor than that. (Applause.) You've already gotten the opportunity to help businesses like this one, workers like these. So the American people aren't in the mood to give ya a goodie bag to go with it. What you get is our intelligence professionals being back on the job. What you get is our medical researchers back on the job. (Applause.) What you get are little kids back into Head Start. (Applause.) What you get are our national parks and monuments open again. (Applause.) What you get is the economy not stalling, but continuing to grow. (Applause and cheers.) What you get are workers continuing to be hired. (Applause and cheers.) That's what you get! That's what you should be asking for! Take a vote, stop this farce, and end this shutdown right now! (Applause and cheers; audience member shouts "Right now!" Obama shakes his head contemptuously.)

If you're being disrespected, it's because of that attitude you got — that you deserve to get something for doing your job! Everybody here just does their job, right? If you're working here and in the middle of the day you just stopped and said, you know what, I want to get something, but I don't know — (Laughter.) I don't know exactly what I'm goin' get, but — (Laughter.) I'm just gonna stop working until I get something. I'm going to shut down the whole plant until I get something. (Audience member shouts, "You'd get fired!" Obama looks is hir direction.) You'd get fired! (Applause and cheers.) Right?!

Brilliant.