Warren Buffett's advice to Obama

last updated 8 January 2015

President Obama benefited from Warren Buffett's endorsement during the campaign, said John Dickerson in Slate, but now Obama really needs the investment guru's help. Buffett told financial cable network CNBC that the economy has "fallen off a cliff" (watch the video) and that Obama needs to put other problems on the back-burner so he can focus on winning the economic "war." Obama would be wise to do as Buffett says.

Sorry, said Rochelle Riley in the Detroit Free Press, but "Warren Buffett is wrong." Demanding that President Obama "focus only on the economy" might make sense to a billionaire, but "those of us who won't make Buffett's monthly salary in our lifetimes" want a president who can also keep an eye on "the post-crisis challenges of fixing the schools, improving medical care, expanding health care to all Americans, and saving urban America."

It's interesting to note that the Obama administration attacked Jim Cramer for daring to criticize White House economic policy, said Ed Morrissey in Hot Air, but hasn't said a word to counter Buffett's attack on the president's handling of the economy. "You suppose they're afraid to point out that the man who gave Obama most of his credibility on economics during the campaign has now discovered that Obama is in over his head?