Trump, next to empty chairs, tears into Dems for skipping meeting

The Hill ^

[Sub-Driver]

Trump, next to empty chairs, tears into Dems for skipping meeting

By Jordan Fabian - 11/28/17 04:06 PM EST

President Trump tore into Democratic leaders on Tuesday for skipping a legislative strategy session at the White House.

Trump said he is “not surprised” that Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) decided not to attend, accusing them of being “all talk” and “no action.”

“Now it’s even worse. Now it’s not even talk. Now they’re not even showing up to the meeting,” Trump said.

The president spoke at the White House, flanked by two empty chairs with placards for Schumer and Pelosi.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) sat at opposite ends of a long table inside the Roosevelt Room.

Ryan said it was “very regrettable” his Democratic counterparts decided not to attend the meeting.

McConnell said he could not recall turning down an opportunity to meet with a president at the White House, though he and other GOP leaders caught flak for declining such an invitation from former President Barack Obama in 2010.

Trump spoke after setting off a new round of partisan squabbling ahead of a planned meeting with congressional leaders to discuss a plan to avert a government shutdown.

The president tweeted Tuesday morning that he did not “see a deal” with Democrats on a spending bill. That caused Schumer and Pelosi to abruptly pull out of the meeting.

"Given that the president doesn’t see a deal between Democrats and the White House, we believe the best path forward is to continue negotiating with our Republican counterparts in Congress instead," the two leaders in a joint statement.

The president said he would blame Schumer and Pelosi if the government shuts down.

[EBH]

Do they need a majority or does this fall under the 60% rule?

[COBOL2Java]

Actually it was very tactical on his part.

He recognized that Schumer and Pelosi were coming to the table with ‘no go’ deal breaking options. He tweeted that it was a blatant recognizable issue giving them enough time to rethink their choices to keep the government open.

Trump knows the government has to operate no matter what, deal or no deal, essential government functions will carry on. In other words, the government will operate with/without Schumer/Pelosi. President Trump really doesn’t have anything to lose here.

President Trump shows up anyway at the meeting. Republicans attend the meeting...one can’t negotiate with empty chairs. One also can’t negotiate if all the other party brings to the table are demands, illegal demands at that in violation of his Oath of Office.

Who determines what are essential services of the government? Whose job is it to execute the law?

Schumer/Pelosi just stepped in it ...big time. Very, very wrong move by them.

---

I think, in their arrogance, Chuck and Nancy assumed that by announcing their pullout from the meeting, Trump would cancel it.

Instead, the President went ahead and held the meeting with the empty chairs, name tags prominently displayed for the media to see. This gave Trump a media triumph.

Trump 1, Rats 0

[DoodleDawg]

You’re ignoring past precedent. Republicans got a government shutdown hung around their necks when Democrats held a majority. What was accomplished by doing so?

Republicans controlled the House in 2013 while the Democrats held the Senate and White House. That isn't the case here. Republicans hold all three and can pass a budget without Democrats. So how do they blame this shutdown on them?

[DoodleDawg]

Do they need a majority or does this fall under the 60% rule?

Simple majority is all that is needed for budgets.

[RegulatorCountry]

Wait and see.

[DoodleDawg]

Wait and see.

Oh I'm sure they'll try and blame the Democrats. But how do they explain their failure to pass a budget when they control both houses and the White House? Give me a hint.

[Daffynition]

PERFECT!

Gotta love DJT controlling the narrative the past couple of days.

How much are we paying this guy? Good job Mr. President!

[taildragger]

Lol! I love that scene, I use that line a lot, and no Winning never gets old!

[Daffynition]

That’s not how you do the *art of the deal*, FWIW.

[Constitution Day]

Brilliant optics. Love it!

[EBH]

You keep saying it is a slam-dunk majority matter.

I agree with you...it should be, but as we’ve seen time and again the only one’s able to rally their party are the democrats. Republicans so far as I have seen can’t keep their party in line and likely haven’t secured a majority in either house.

[central_va]

Nationalists are trying to destroy the Republican party. I would hope there is disarray. I would be worried if there was unity. Globalism must be defeated,now!

[DoodleDawg]

You keep saying it is a slam-dunk majority matter.

With competent leadership it should be.

...but as we’ve seen time and again the only one’s able to rally their party are the democrats. Republicans so far as I have seen can’t keep their party in line and likely haven’t secured a majority in either house.

Then if Ryan, McConnell, and Trump have to go crawling to the Democrats then it's probably a good idea not to attack them on Twitter ahead of time, and to realize that they are in the driver's seat and you should be prepared to pay a high price for your incompetence.

[EBH]

Ahh...but always, always remember Trump is a master manipulator of the press. He is not incompetent.

We’ll disagree on this, but you don’t negotiate with people unwilling to negotiate or worse negotiating illegal acts and trying to make it law.

[DoodleDawg]

We’ll disagree on this, but you don’t negotiate with people unwilling to negotiate...

Hence Pelosi and Schumer's decision to blow off the meeting.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Sub-Driver.

Trump said he is “not surprised” that Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) decided not to attend, accusing them of being “all talk” and “no action.” “Now it’s even worse. Now it’s not even talk. Now they’re not even showing up to the meeting,” Trump said.

It's so nice to have a President again.

[Popman]

This is all show for the dem base and the media...

I’m not really sure of their endgame for not being part of the meeting...

They complain about the bill, all Trump has to say...”you should have showed up”

[Daffynition]

All is good. :)

[mdmathis6]

I don’t recall that the vast amount of Americans not in government service were all that upset about it...a few pouty news media analysts maybe!