Obama pans GOP for debate fuss: 'I don't think the Chinese and the Russians are going to be too worried'

(Image credit: Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

last updated 3 November 2015

President Obama thinks the leader of the free world should be able to handle a few CNBC moderators. At a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in New York City Monday, Obama mocked the Republican presidential candidates for causing a scene over their dissatisfaction with CNBC moderators' handling of the third GOP debate last week. "They say, 'When I talk to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, he's going to straighten out,'" Obama quipped. "And then it turns out they can't handle a bunch of CNBC moderators." He added: "If you can't handle those guys, I don't think the Chinese and the Russians are going to be too worried about you."

In Obama's opinion, the Republicans' accusations — they feel the moderators asked unfair and insubstantial questions — were just further evidence that the GOP candidates "occupy a different reality." He followed up with one more piece of evidence: "According to them, everything was going really great in 2008 … This apparently was the golden age, that I messed up," Obama said. "And ObamaCare, and immigrants, and taxes and deficits all just messed everything up. And they're really so glum. They really are so frustrated."