Fighting through laryngitis, Melissa finished last Sunday's show if not with a strong voice, then a strong message -- about strength. Specifically, what we we perceive our President to be able to do, what we aspire for him to do, and how that often contrasts with his actual powers:
It takes strength to deal honestly with your opponents, even when they deal dishonestly with you.
It takes strength to make the tough calls even when you are not sure how they will turn out.
It takes strength to have the patience to watch policy become progress.
It takes strength to admit mistakes and change direction when needed...
So yes, the presidency itself is weak, which is why Americans want presidents themselves to be strong. I just encourage us not to confuse aggressiveness with strength.
Take a look at Melissa toughing it out through her Footnote from last Sunday -- our Good Look for this week. Be sure to join us today for another edition of "Melissa Harris-Perry," and another Footnote! See you on msnbc at 10am ET.
Footnote: Melissa Harris-Perry talks about the strengths it takes to be president while the position itself is constitutionally designed to be weak.
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I find it comical that your show today is talking about "truth in politics" from the candidates because you as a Obama partisan believe that benefits him. Are you kidding me? This is the most dishonest president in regards to truth telling ever.
You are airing this episode in the wake of the Libya fiasco where the president, secretary of state, press secretary and ambassador to the UN all LIED about what happened and you and your lefty cohorts sit there and defend the indefensible. The state department recently said they never concluded the youtube video was the cause of the attack, the Libian President Mohammed Magarief said it was a terrorist attack that had nothing to do with the video the next day and anyone with an once of common sense never believed a spontaneous mob would have the extent of fire power that was used. Ambassador Rice's tales on all the talk shows five days later has received lots of coverage but Obama himself has been the biggest deceiver. After testimony where it was finally admitted it was a terror attack he still would not say it, He went on Letterman two days after Rice was on the Sunday shows and he admitted it wasn't a mob but would not call it a terrorist attack and then spent most of his time talking about the stupid video. Then a few days later in the Univision interview he was asked directly about terrorists again after it has already been called that by Clinton, Carney and the State department and Director of National Intelligence Matthew Olsen, his answer was we are still gathering a evidence and then repeated that same line on the View a few days after that. Those Melissa are FACTS, and the facts are this president is a liar and misleading the public. He does not want to admit it was a terrorist attack so he tried to cover it up. The state department denied the extra security not because of any budget issues as YOU lied about today, the state department testified that it was NOT a budget issue. Besides we are talking about 12 people, twelve, not a brigade. Any talk about budget is absurd.
Also, I have yet to hear you call out Biden for the biggest whopper of either debate when he said they were not told that more security had been repeatedly requested in Libya. You also haven't said anything about Biden lying about the Catholic Church or that OBama's plan would raise taxes on those only making 1 million or more. As you keep saying some things are debatable, facts are not the Vice President was lying that is the FACT.
Dear Nerdland, you should do a show about the engagement of American expats in this election season. In some close races expat votes are the difference between winning and losing and for both parties, they are a healthy source of campaign cash. See for example: