the food safety bill. what happened with a lot of these different bills. i think this is interesting, a lot of these establishment republicans, the guys on the stark treaty and the moderates, i think they realized if they didn t get this stuff done now, when their colleagues came in in 2011, they weren t going to get it done. these new revolutionaries in the house and senate, weren t going to go back because of what was passed in the senate and go back through. the folks needed to say, listen, we re not in an election right now, we have a month here, and they did it. they moved food safety, defense authorization, don t ask don t tell. they wanted to legislate. legislation lace is not as powerful to them as getting re-elected. it s a shame we can t see more of that public spirit more often. richard wolf, i think jane
as one blogger for the huffington post puts it obama had two choices after the midterm election, he could either have had a battle royal with republicans over tax cuts for the wealthy and risk losing this battle. or obama could have cut a deal quickly in return for allowing the senate time to move on many other important issues. he chose to deal. so did the gamble pay off? i think it s fair to say this has been the most productive post election period we ve had in decades. the 9/11 workers legislation. a food safety bill, a defense authorization bill. and the start nuclear treaty have all come through congress.
something done, and he did it. number two, it was the groups who would not take no for an answer. get equal, the 9/11 health care. the first responders who came here, who demonstrated, chained themselves to the white house, who followed the president around and heckled and absolutely would not take no for an answer, who got their issues addressed. number three, you ve got we finally see what it s like when a man with public opinion at his back grabs the bully pulpit, goes out and tries to shame the republicans into agreeing to something that is broadly popular. unfortunately, that man s name is jon stewart, and that s why the 9/11 health care bill got passed. and number four, and i think this is the most important part. we saw don t ask don t tell, the food safety bill, 9/11 health
fight months ahead. my hope in the new year we continue to heed the message of the american people and hold to a spirit of common purpose in 2011 and beyond. reporter: president obama in the new s conference doing a bit of a victory lap. look at the list of lame duck session of accomplishments. radification of start. don t ask, don t tell. tax compromise . 9/11 health bill food safety bill . 19 judge nominees confirmed and we ll bring in an expanded panel. teave haves. ab stoter associate editor of the hill. juan philips and steve your take on the president and his victory lap? i am not sure he needed to
congress. first off, you had the economic stimulus, and health care reform, and financial regular reform, and cash for clunkers, and the credit card reform, and the fair pay act for women. and then in the lame duck session, which was six weeks, look what happened in the last two weeks of the session. you had a new start treaty, and don t ask, don t tell repeal, and the food safety bill, and the 911 health bill, and then the tax cut extension, and all of that coming in the span of two or three weeks. an amazing amount of stuff done in this congress. it will be unclear as to whether or not americans feel this was a beneficial congress to them, with the unemployment rate being at 9.8%. and the one you can see is credit card reform, every time your credit card comes in the