Vice President Joe Biden; Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH); NBC News President Steve Capus; former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter and co-author Liz Cheney; White House Chief of Staff William Daley; Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner; film director Alex Gibney; Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama; Henry Kissinger († 29 Nov. 2023), former Secretary of State; MSNBC's Chris Matthews; Brian Moynihan, President and CEO of Bank of America; Pervez Musharraf, the former president of Pakistan; CBS News President David Rhodes; economist Alice Rivlin; Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL); Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), chairman of the House Budget Committee; Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; Google's Eric Schmidt; ABC News President Ben Sherwood; ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson, and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles.

Participating journalists include: MSNBC's Maria Bartiromo, The Atlantic's James Bennet, NBC News' Tom Brokaw, The New York Times' David Brooks, Atlantic Media Company's Ronald Brownstein, The Atlantic's Steve Clemons, National Journal's Charlie Cook, ABC News' Katie Couric, The Atlantic's James Fallows, The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg, NBC News' David Gregory, PBS NewsHour's Gwen Ifill, CBS News' Norah O'Donnell, American Public Media's Kai Ryssdal, NBC News' Chuck Todd, FOX News' Chris Wallace, NBC News' Brian Williams, and Fox News' Juan Williams.

Obama's declining approval ratings are a function of people's economic anxiety, Biden said. "If you look at all the polls ... a clear majority of the American people blame their financial straits on the last administration. They understand what got us in this trouble," he said. "So they get it. But we're in charge, so they're looking to us to fix it, and they're frustrated and I don't blame them."

Despite all this, Biden predicted that the Obama-Biden ticket will prevail in next year's election. "I think we win," he said.

Concerning foreign policy, Biden expects a considerable collapse of the Chinese stock market because the large oversupply of vacant apartments in China (30 to 50 million), caused by the money that is printed to look after themselves and caring local levels is gone and expects a default managed for Greece and a safety net built to banks and countries, and where all requirements for 100% guaranteed by a European entity.

Richard Cheney (with Paul Wolfowitz at the first row), who approved the use of drones and disapproved the killing of a U.S. resident (Awlaki) without prosecution. His concern is the economy: "solve the debt problem".

The discussions during the two days were very worthwhile, promising and educational. Moreover, there was sufficient opportunity to make meaningful contacts. A major advantage of attending the forum is that it provides incentives critical thinking about beliefs (that can possible prevent prejudices).

It was information overload. Over 12 hours worth of panel discussions covered a wide array of topics: media, politics, finance, Google, news, Democrats, Republicans, the economy, jobs, immigration, social media, Obama, and more. Sound overwhelming? In a way, it was. But it was also one of the most informative and enlightening events that I’ve ever attended.

As the Aspen Institute and The Atlantic write: 'insist on dialogue that is focused on the citizen, and that is suggestive and illuminating. Although we do not all can agree with each other on how to solve the problems, we can may be even learn from each other and find common ground.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/IdeasForum delivers streams on the interviewed speakers.

This was an opportunity for influential Americans to hear important thinkers and policymakers as they are interviewed by American’s leading journalists. It was a unique celebration of thought and dialogue,” said David Bradley, chairman of Atlantic Media. See the special report news on the website of the Atlantic, special-report Washington Ideas Forum 2010.

Journalists
Christiane Amanpour, ABC News. James Bennet, The Atlantic. Ron Brownstein, Atlantic Media Company. Erin Burnett, CNBC. Margaret Carlson, Bloomberg. James Fallows, The Atlantic. Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic. John King, CNN. David Rohde, The New York Times. Diane Sawyer, ABC News. Chuck Todd,  NBC News. Chris Wallace, Fox News. George Will, The Washington Post. Brian Williams, NBC News.

AMERICANS HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, ALSO IN THEIR LIFESTYLE, THEY HAVE TO DO BUSINESS INVESTMENTS IN TIMES THAT THEY ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED. OTHERWISE, THEY WILL BE PASSED in 2025 BY EMERGING MARKETS.

He disputed Christiane Amanpour's question about why Pakistan had retaliated against an allegedly accidental border crossing  by cutting off NATO military supply routes.

"Let me be try to phrase it very precisely: first of all, I don't believe that it's going to change the fundamental relationship between our two countries. Apparently some events ... crossed the border ... an area that is ill-defined in areas is complicated and very rough terrain. It was very unfortunate and an investigation is going on by NATO, as it should be, but i do not think it will change the fundamentals of our relationship."

He said that supply routes that been "slowed" but not completely closed.

Holbrooke wouldn't say what "winning the war" means. "I'm not in light at the end of the tunnel stuff," he said.  But over the past year, he said, "the Taliban is under immensely greater pressure, and they are feeling that." He expressed strong support for President Hamid Karzai's Taliban "reintegration" program -- but recognized that it was "not operational" because "it is constrained by the circumstances of this tragic, complicated program." And did not object to Karzai's new efforts to negotiate -- although he does not like that word -- with hard-line Taliban group.

Amanpour bristled when Holbrooke suggested that changing the ancient tribal and religious culture in the region is not a viable goal. Holbrooke bristled at the suggestion that he was condoning crimes against women. He said his point was that "[w]e will never have a day when we will be violence free." One other question Holbrooke would not touch: when the U.S. had decided that destroying the Haqqani network in Pakistan was a prime strategic goal. Holbrooke: "I'm not going to get into that." Amanpour: "That's a direct question." Holbrooke: "That's a direct answer." Amanpour: "That's a direct non-answer." Holbrooke: "You can get on a table if you want."

While he did not criticize Republicans, Geithner called on them to take greater responsibility. "These are things we need Congress to act on, and for Congress to act we need Republicans who can work with us," he said. "We're gonna have to hold them to that."

Discussing both the administration's performance so far and its plans going forward, Geithner repeatedly cited examples where bipartisan cooperation had led to productive economic policies and where Congressional gridlock had delayed what he described as necessary reforms. He praised Republicans for supporting some past economic efforts and called Obama's cooperation with the outgoing Bush administration during transition "the noble and important thing to do."

Geithner said of Troubled Asset Relief Program, "I think that was the last program that had a meaningful level of bipartisan support," adding that passing TARP was deeply difficult politically. He warned that trying to "drift through" the ongoing economic problems would ultimately be "much more expensive and much more costly to the country." Geithner added, "The challenges we now face going forward are very different than the challenges we faced two years ago. We're still in a crisis by any broad sense, but we're not in a global financial panic."

When asked about the Republican "pledge," Geithner replied, "It's hard to evaluate because it's really just a press release, it's not really an economic policy."

Washington D.C.— The 2010 Washington Ideas Forum, which took place September 30 to October 1, brought together high level government figures, businesspeople, and the news media for a salon-styled event. The event, presented by The Atlantic in partnership with the Aspen Institute took place at the Knight Conference Center at Washington, D.C.’s Newseum. It was a veritable who’s who of those shaping the policy debates of today.

The two-day seminar included key Obama administration officials such as U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Secretary
 of Education Arne Duncan, Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod and Domestic Policy Advisor to
 the President Melody Barnes. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, who was originally scheduled to be in attendance, was noticeably absent as the announcement of his departure was just breaking.

Political and business figures presenting included Senators Lindsay Graham and Jim Webb, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, plus David Rubenstein, co-founder of private equity firm The Carlyle Group, economist N.N. Taleb, attorneys Kenneth Feinberg and Bob Bennett, tech-guru Craig Newmark, and lobbyists Tony and Heather Podesta.

The event followed a Q & A format with the questions posed by prominent news media attending and the conversations and interview offered insight into today’s important policy topics.

International and national security issues were also on the table for much of the event. New York Times reporter David Rohde recounted his kidnapping by the Taliban in harrowing detail. AfPak Envoy Richard Holbrooke spoke to Christiane Amanpour about developments in the region. Dr. Ahmed Chalabi, leader of the Iraqi National Congress spoke about the religious influence on Iraqi society stating “The sectarian divide in Iraq is not about theology; it is about power and about power structure.”

Former Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell, spoke on the emerging issues in cyber security. “The economy of the United State last year was 14 Trillion dollars,” warned McConnell. “There are 2 banks in New York City that move 7 trillion dollars a day. What backs up that money? There’s no gold. There’s no printed dollars.”

There were plenty of candid moments at the Forum as well. When New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked by Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday whether he would run for president, he responded much like Calvin Coolidge would, with two words: “Can’t win.”

Google CEO Eric Schmidt, who took the stage less than an hour after Tony and Heather Podesta spoke, reminded the crowd of the information divide outside the beltway by claiming “the American public doesn’t realize how many of the laws are written by lobbyists.”

Director Spike Lee, who directed a new film about Hurricane Katrina called, “If God Is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise,” claimed that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was irresponsible in his duties with Michael Brown of FEMA as the fall guy. “People are dead now because he didn’t do his job,” said Lee.

Brian Williams, anchor of NBC News, grilled David Axelrod about the government’s sluggish response to the BP Oil spill and in particular leveled a charge against the President. “Out there there in the country there are people who saw ‘hope’ on the website and clicked on it. And heard ‘change’ and voted for it, and today want to know what happened to that…” Williams continued, “The perception is, and this is not breaking news to you, that you’ve gone Washington.”

“The going Washington suggestion implies that you are doing things to perpetuate yourself in power,” said Axelrod, who is leaving the administration next Spring. “If we were focused on our own interests, we wouldn’t have done any of the things that we did,” referring to the administration’s tough stands it took on Wall Street and health care reform. Yet in the post 9/11 world, “A lot of people are waiting for Barack Obama’s bull horn moment,” said Williams.

If The Washington Ideas Forum continues creating great dialogue and debate like this, it will certainly give other events of its caliber a run for its money—perhaps even trumping its predecessor, the Aspen Ideas Fest.

WHY, WHAT, BY WHOM and WHERE? The Aspen Institute, in cooperation with The Atlantic and the Newseum, gathered in October 2009 leaders in Washington DC. Goals were contributions to remedies in the present transitional period in our world, concerning themes Economy & Business, eergy & Environment, Security & Foreign Affairs, Health Care, Education, Science & Technology, Infrastructure and Mobility.

'National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers said Friday that despite bad news on the unemployment front, the worst of the economic downturn "is passed," arguing that "we're going to see a basic pattern of recovery."
"The challenge is going to be is to make that recovery be as strong and robust as we can," he said at the First Draft of History conference in Washington D.C. Summers said the unemployment numbers weren't a surprise, as "the process of convalescence is never…completely smooth." Still, he said, "we're in a very different place than we were nine months ago." He pointed to a decline in the rate of job loss and positive GDP growth, and noted that "discussions of Depression that were pervasive nine months ago aren't where the economy is" today.

The Obama administration advisor acknowledged, however, that "it's going to be a while" before the economy is completely back on track, adding: "We've got an enormous amount to do."

Asked about the budget deficit, he said it's an important issue but suggested that it isn't a reason to refrain from public investment. "We're not going to have a healthy budget in a profoundly unhealthy economy," he said.
Asked if companies should be allowed to be "too big to fail," Summers said regulatory reform was "absolutely essential." He pointed to the need for higher capital standards, a "harmonization of regulation" and resolution authority. Summers said officials should never again be in the position of having to decide between a "problematic bailout" and "chaos and collapse."

02 Oct 2009 03:03 pm: Historian Adam Green on the Obama Era ends the First Draft of History meeting. " Far from having soothed the rancor of the country".