# The Solyndra Scandal:Does It Have the Potential to Hurt Obama? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 15, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401 "2011-09-15T16:04:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/161 "2011-09-29T19:14:39Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No, it’s not “backed up by the documentation”. So “indicated” by the documentation is different from “backed up” by the documentation? Like I said, that is more than a stretch. > [@](#): > > “The leadership and actions of President Barack Obama, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and the U.S. Congress were instrumental in concluding this offer for a loan guarantee,” said Solyndra CEO and founder, Dr. Chris Gronet. [Cite](http://www.solyndra.com/2009/03/us-department/). > [@](#): > > The Obama White House tried to rush federal reviewers for a decision on a nearly half-billion-dollar loan to the solar-panel manufacturer Solyndra so Vice President Biden could announce the approval at a September 2009 groundbreaking for the company’s factory, newly obtained e-mails show. [Cite](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-pushed-500-million-loan-to-solar-company-now-under-investigation/2011/09/13/gIQAr3WbQK_story.html). > [@](#): > > One e-mail from an OMB official referred to “the time pressure we are under to sign-off on Solyndra.” Another complained, “There isn’t time to negotiate.” > [@](#): > > “We have ended up with a situation of having to do rushed approvals on a couple of occasions (and we are worried about Solyndra at the end of the week),” one official wrote. That Aug. 31, 2009, message, written by a senior OMB staffer and sent to Terrell P. McSweeny, Biden’s domestic policy adviser, concluded, “We would prefer to have sufficient time to do our due diligence reviews.” What I said is exactly correct, exactly as I said it. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/162 "2011-09-29T22:12:07Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > dump Obamacare and start over. Fix the gaps in health care that hurt the near poor and people with pre-existing conditions. And what do you think “Obamacare”\* is\*? :dubious: (Hint: It’s what you just said should be done :rolleyes:) The rest of your reply to my question as to what you do want to do is too incoherent for even that much of a reply. You have GOT to turn the channel away from Gretchen Carlson and Steve Doocy once in a while. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Any startup is always on the brink of failure. > > > [@Shodan](#): > > > > So why is there no instance of Obama saying this about one of his pet projects? Since the risk was so high, and so obvious from the outset, and months before the loan was approved PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP said it was likely to go under, why didn’t Obama admit how risky it was, and how likely it was to be money wasted? Looks like you once again didn’t get the point. Let me put in in shorter words for you: Startups need cash or they fail. Growth businesses start as startups. Solar energy is good national policy, too. But startups carry risk. Can’t avoid risk. All you’re doing is, as is your habit, the same irresponsible partisan sniping that forms the limit of **Magiver** ’s discursive performance as well. Does Gretchen (or maybe Steve for that matter, not that there’s anything wrong with that) give you that hard a boner that _you_ can’t change the channel either? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/163 "2011-09-29T23:38:53Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Dumping Obamacare would be a great idea if there was any chance of fixing the problems we have with healthcare. It is very sad that our only choices are a bad program, or mortgaging our lives to ‘insurance’ companies. One day you’ll be screaming “keep your government hands off my Obamacare” from your Hover-Round. Who said our only choices are a bad program or mortgaging our lives? Seriously. Congress is perfectly capable of addressing insurance gap issues without dragging businesses into it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/164 "2011-09-30T00:59:00Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > So “indicated” by the documentation is different from “backed up” by the documentation? > > Like I said, that is more than a stretch. > > [Cite](http://www.solyndra.com/2009/03/us-department/). > [Cite](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-pushed-500-million-loan-to-solar-company-now-under-investigation/2011/09/13/gIQAr3WbQK_story.html). > What I said is exactly correct, exactly as I said it. > > Regards, > Shodan Nope. Those are interesting cites, and they do indicate that the Obama administration was not a passive partner in the loan approval process for Solyndra. But the issue you and I had been discussing, the issue that you allegedly got “exactly correct” was whether or not the Bush administration killed the loan approval process when they were in power. None of your new cites addresses that. [Post 150 in this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14305616&postcount=150) If you want to continue debating with me, you’ll have to start quoting your cites and quoting them accurately. I won’t continue with your pathetic attempts at making claims not supported by your unquoted cites. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/165 "2011-09-30T02:11:52Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > You do know that shelved is not the same thing as rejected, right? I doubt you’ll get them to admit to this distinction. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/166 "2011-09-30T04:05:05Z")
How hard would it have been to get money for Solyndra when the economy was in meltdown. I suppose the real problem was the Solyndra money ,not the trillions the bankers destroyed. We should focus all our attention on that. It is so big . I know I watched Fox the other day. It is like HLN, the Casey Anthony channel, but it is fox, the Solyndra Channel. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/167 "2011-09-30T13:14:55Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Does Gretchen (or maybe Steve for that matter, not that there’s anything wrong with that) give you that hard a boner that _you_ can’t change the channel either? [This is in violation of forum rules.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=4749265#post4749265) If you cannot make an argument without personal comments, take it to The BBQ Pit. Knock it off. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/168 "2011-09-30T16:13:02Z")
This is not likely to help Obama: [Energy Secretary Steven Chu acknowledged allowing Solyndra to continue receiving taxpayer money after it had technically defaulted on its loan](http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/chu-takes-responsibility-for-a-loan-deal-that-put-more-taxpayer-money-at-risk-in-solyndra/2011/09/29/gIQArdYQ8K_story.html?hpid=z1). ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/169 "2011-09-30T16:16:54Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > You do know that shelved is not the same thing as rejected, right? Right. Rejected means “It ain’t gonna happen.” Shelved means “It ain’t gonna happen unless/until something changes.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/170 "2011-09-30T22:48:26Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Who said our only choices are a bad program or mortgaging our lives? Seriously. Congress is perfectly capable of addressing insurance gap issues without dragging businesses into it. So, again, what do you think should be done? :dubious: Got anything for us besides sniping? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/171 "2011-10-01T17:31:29Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So, again, what do you think should be done? :dubious: Got anything for us besides sniping? I would take business out of the loop. We’re already paying higher premiums to cover the hard-to-insure as a result of the health care bill. The parts of the bill that mandate coverage for various physical conditions or financial situations are already codified. That means you get your insurance from: a personal policy, a group policy, a business policy, or a government policy (medicaid, medicare, low income supplementary). And if it’s not in the bill I’d include government contracts with pharmaceutical companies to reduce the cost of drugs. It could be mass purchase of drugs or the direct purchase of patents. It can’t be a one size fits all mandate because the cost of drugs is a mix of research, manufacturing and liability costs. There are probably more to the mix but the point is that a single method of reducing costs does not fit all situations. I would make this function independent of government to avoid the purchase of political influence over the process. The hardest part, which will be a permanent political battle, is where to draw the line of insurable conditions because that line determines what we all pay for insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/172 "2011-10-01T17:35:44Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I would take business out of the loop. I agree. There should be no profit motive in the practice of medicine. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/173 "2011-10-03T23:20:32Z")
[This just in.](http://mobile.washingtonpost.com/c.jsp?item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.washingtonpost.com%2fpolitics%2fdonor-officials-warned-obama-not-to-visit-solyndra-due-to-financial-warnings%2f2011%2f10%2f03%2fgIQA5M2MIL_mobile.mobile&cid=578815&wpmsrc=sms) I was unaware of the facts in this article. Things are looking worse for the White House. I don’t think Obama really is to blame for much of this. But the more he tries to handwave it and protect those responsible, the more it will hurt him. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/174 "2011-10-03T23:27:17Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > [This just in.](http://mobile.washingtonpost.com/c.jsp?item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.washingtonpost.com%2fpolitics%2fdonor-officials-warned-obama-not-to-visit-solyndra-due-to-financial-warnings%2f2011%2f10%2f03%2fgIQA5M2MIL_mobile.mobile&cid=578815&wpmsrc=sms) > > I was unaware of the facts in this article. Things are looking worse for the White House. How does this make it worse? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/175 "2011-10-04T02:59:30Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > How does this make it worse? This, for starters: > [@](#): > > Administration officials and outside advisers warned that President Obama should consider dropping plans to visit a solar startup company in 2010 because its mounting financial problems might ultimately embarrass the White House. > > “A number of us are concerned that the president is visiting Solyndra,” California investor and Obama fundraiser Steve Westly wrote to Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett in May 2010. “Many of us believe the company’s cost structure will make it difficult for them to survive long term. . . . I just want to help protect the president from anything that could result in negative or unfair press.” > > The warning, which did not convince the White House to drop the Obama factory visit, was detailed in e-mails released Monday by the Democratic minority on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The panel is investigating a $535 million government-backed loan to the now-shuttered company. For some reason, the links to the subsequent pages don’t seem to be working. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/176 "2011-10-04T11:33:07Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > This, for starters: > > For some reason, the links to the subsequent pages don’t seem to be working. I see nothing that makes this worse for Obama. Explain. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/177 "2011-10-04T14:10:03Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I see nothing that makes this worse for Obama. Explain. I didn’t say that it necessarily made things worse for _Obama_. I said _White House_, and you just did a little slight of hand trying to put words in my mouth. Nice try, but no. Try rereading. I’ll even break it up for you: > [@](#): > > Things are looking worse for the **White House**. > > **I don’t think Obama really is to blame for much of this**. > > **But the more** he tries to handwave it and protect those responsible, \*\*the more it will \*\*hurt him. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/178 "2011-10-08T03:17:49Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I see nothing that makes this worse for Obama. Explain. [It’s got his fingerprints all over it](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/obama-fundraiser-pushed-solyndra-deal-inside/story?id=14691618). “How hard is this? What is he waiting for?” wrote Steven J. Spinner, a high-tech consultant and energy investor who raised at least $500,000 for the candidate before being appointed to a key job helping oversee the energy loan guarantee program. “I have OVP [the Office of the Vice President] and WH [the White House] breathing down my neck on this.” A major fundraiser for Obama pushes for the loan and name drops the the white house in the process. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/179 "2011-10-08T13:07:30Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > [It’s got his fingerprints all over it](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/obama-fundraiser-pushed-solyndra-deal-inside/story?id=14691618). So what? Nobody is denying it was a showpiece for the Whitehouse. What I would like you to explain is, why is this something that can cause serious damage? The same loan program invested in 40 other companies; most are doing great. Is it your argument that because one went bad, Obama is somehow a bad president? I just don’t see the logic. Tempest in a teapot. Change the channel. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401/180 "2011-10-08T13:21:23Z")
It’s still better than arguing the President is somehow not in charge of the White House, as **magellan01** is reduced to claiming. 😃 The competence and honesty of an administration can be measured by how deeply its implacable opposition has to dig to find something to criticize it for. If this is the best they can do, it’s actually quite an endorsement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-solyndra-scandal-does-it-have-the-potential-to-hurt-obama/596401.md?page=10)