Ask the President

Hey, Ask the President launches now!

What questions do you think President Obama should be asked at his press conference next week? A broad coalition of new and traditional media are teaming up, including The Nation, The Washington Times and the Personal Democracy Forum, to gather questions from the public.

We are calling on Obama to start a new tradition to open up the White House: invite new and independent voices into the East Room by pledging to take a citizen-generated question at presidential press conferences. To ask a question or vote on those already asked, visit communitycounts.com/obama

Comments

[Jeffrey Levy]

Craig, did you see the White House is now taking questions directly?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/OpenForQuestions/

[twodogkd]

Should say, I did my best to vote yes or no on the ideas for which I had an opinion, leaving as was those for which I did not have an opinion.

[twodogkd]

I stumbled a bit with typos, but on my third try put in a good request.

I don't believe my request will be selected as it has to do with justice for a single individual, tho he is symbolic of a people.

I asked that President Obama free Leonard Peltier.

Leonard is essentially a political prisoner and has been in prison over 32 years.

Nelson Mandela is one of those asking that Leonard be freed, and Nelson Mandela is one who understands what it is to be a political prisoner.

I ran across a video, which has visuals, Native American Music with rap lyrics laying out the suffering that Leonard Pelter, the folks at Pine Ridge, and Native Americans have endured.

I am not confident that everyone will understand the images/video/meaning behind the words. I am thinking that those with no or little exposure to Native Americans; the issues at Pine Ridge such as the reign of terror where around 60 American Indian Movement members were murdered, etc. may not understand what is being said. It may be that the target for this video is Indian people, I just don't know for sure.

But I enjoyed the rap lyrics (if that is the proper language to describe the spoken word on this video)

My hope is that more people learn about Leanord Peltier and join the fight to free him from prison.

I hope some people will copy the link and watch the video.

And deep down, I hope President Obama or his staff will be watching this website and looking over the questions people are asking.

And there is a secret hope that President Obama will do what prior Presidents have not had the courage to do, and that is to set Leonard Peltier free.

Oh this is the 6.44 minute video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZsQzepS5MQ&feature=related

[Arye Michael Bender]

While adding a question submitted by an ordinary citizen is a good idea, it won't be very effective.

Unless the question is chosen at random (which could prove foolish), then any question used will be subject to pre-selection. A pre-selected question means that the answer will be prepared ahead of time.

End result: No spontaneous truth.