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An analogy is a terrible thing to waste, especially when you’re trying to sell the country on change on many fronts.
During today’s White House press briefing, a reporter asked press secretary Robert Gibbs why President Barack Obama is planning to launch another issue – education reform on Tuesday – when, Obama’s critics say, there’s a house on fire with the economy.
Gibbs replied that education is part of the house that’s on fire. In other words, a strong educational system is necessary to train workers for a healthy economy. Therefore, the government has to beef up education, along with the financial and housing markets, to get the economy back. Then, Gibbs warmed to the analogy of the economy as a house on fire.
“Which room are you going to put out first? Or are you going to call the fire department and ask them to put all of it out? Or are you going to say, `You know what, we love the living room; start over there. And if you can, get quickly to the kitchen, and next to the den.’
“We could do that. And maybe by the time they get to the kitchen or the den, the whole house is in ashes. Instead of asking the fire department to pick different rooms in which to extinguish, the president has decided to alert the fire department and everyone involved.”
Good catch.
-- Marsha Mercer
During today’s White House press briefing, a reporter asked press secretary Robert Gibbs why President Barack Obama is planning to launch another issue – education reform on Tuesday – when, Obama’s critics say, there’s a house on fire with the economy.
Gibbs replied that education is part of the house that’s on fire. In other words, a strong educational system is necessary to train workers for a healthy economy. Therefore, the government has to beef up education, along with the financial and housing markets, to get the economy back. Then, Gibbs warmed to the analogy of the economy as a house on fire.
“Which room are you going to put out first? Or are you going to call the fire department and ask them to put all of it out? Or are you going to say, `You know what, we love the living room; start over there. And if you can, get quickly to the kitchen, and next to the den.’
“We could do that. And maybe by the time they get to the kitchen or the den, the whole house is in ashes. Instead of asking the fire department to pick different rooms in which to extinguish, the president has decided to alert the fire department and everyone involved.”
Good catch.
-- Marsha Mercer