Posted on 03/19/2012 11:17:21 AM PDT by Lazamataz
What happened? Obama and his advisers have cast the collapse of the talks as a republican failure. Boehner, unable to deliver, stepped away from the deal, simple as that.
But interviews with most of the central players in those talks— some ofwhomwere granted anonymity to speak about the secret negotiations — as well as a review of meeting notes, e-mails and the negotiating proposals that changed hands, offer a more complicated picture of the collapse. Obama, nervous about how to defend the emerging agreement to his own democratic base, upped the ante in a way that made it more difficult for Boehner— already facing long odds — to sell it to his party. Eventually, the president tried to put the original framework back in play, but by then it was too late. The moment of making history had passed.
(Excerpt) Read more at thewashingtonpost.newspaperdirect.com ...
1. It shows that Boehner was feeling the heat that we were discussing here at the time, that the mid-term elections gave the Republicans a lot of political capital, and that we felt that Boehner was too timid to use it.
2, The White House had a dismissive view of Boehner as Speaker. They may have been talking about the state of the GOP caucus, or they may have been talking about Boehner's leadership abilities.
Obama’s aides were under strict orders to “protect Boehner” and not talk about his private entreaties. Obama liked Boehner; they got along well during the private sessions and a round of golf. But there was doubt in the White House as to whether the speaker could bring his party along. He “probably could not deliver a pizza,” was one administration aide’s skeptical assessment.
3. Democrats do not negotiate in good faith. They lie. The coin of Congress is the promise. Negotations (debates) in Congress are about trading promise of this in Bill 1 in exchange for promise of that in Bill 2. When Democrats get Bill 1 and then reneg on promises in Bill 2, trust is destroyed and negotiations are a fruitless sham.
4. Interesting admissions of connections.
A. Obama liked Boehner; they got along well during the private sessions and a round of golf.5. I was right back when this happened, that the biggest mistake that Boehner made was walking away from Senate negotiations and letting Obama into the talks. This was always rightfully a Congressional discussion only, and Boehner let the White House in a full participants (in Boehner's mind) and not recognizing that Obama would usurp the floor and take over, making the GOP House look like weak fools. I originally posted this:B. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), one of Boehner’s dearest friends.
C. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), was close to Obama and Boehner... [Coburn] had developed a close personal bond with Obama dating to their shared opposition to federal budget earmarks when both were senators.
D. Obama invoked Boehner’s personal friendship with Chambliss, a member of the Gang of Six, warning that Democrats would never support the package under discussion when “your friend Saxby...” Everything is personal to Obama.
I still think it's a mistake to bypass the Senate Democrats and take this directly to Obama.I also wrote this:Anything Obama agrees to still has to pass the Senate, which has not even passed its own budget resolution yet.
Furthermore, this just gives Obama another platform to look "presidential" going into the 2012 election. It also gives the MSM another issue to pound Republicans with until they cave in to pressure.
Republicans instead should have put the pressure on Harry Reid to get the Senate to go on record with a budget plan of their own, and continue to make Obama look like the bystander that he really is.
Republicans gave away all of their leverage during the lame duck session of the 111th Congress.6. Up to this moment, Obama was starting to look to be marginalized and aimless. Boehner and McConnell gave Obama new wind behind his sails when it wasn't necessary. That was the biggest blunder the GOP could do.They were slow to get started in the 112th Congress.
And now they're getting played again by allowing the Senate to be marginalized, and making everything be between the House and Obama.
McConnell should stay out of it until the Senate goes on record with a budget, otherwise, all he's doing is mucking up the works by being a powerless voice who can nothing but undermine his side's position.
Suddenly, the same Democrats who had accused Obama of meekness in negotiating with the GOP were praising his aggressive new tone. What happened during those days in July when the grand bargain was almost reached, but not quite, had changed him. He no longer seemed divided.
-PJ
PJ, Thank you. Will read in great detail in a bit but a scan looks like you have some interesting input.
Could this article have been timed to provide proof of claims made in this new book being released?
Obama blamed troubles on Fox News, book says
In “Showdown: The Inside Story of How Obama Fought Back Against Boehner, Cantor, and the Tea Party” — which hits bookstores on Tuesday — the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones chronicles the White House from the 2010 midterm elections to the start of the 2012 campaign. The book focuses on key moments of Obama’s presidency, such as Osama bin Laden’s assassination, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the Arab Spring, the debt ceiling crisis, and the president’s dealings with Congress.
-PJ
You mean before “The Purge” when we had more cogency and clear thinkers.
Be careful... comments like THAT might get YOU purged! You've probably already been reported by 2-3.
We made it, though. Anyways, back to the article.....
Low down dirty dogs, all of them. I’m so disgusted!
Rush has mentioned several times that Obama’s approval rating was down to 41%, do you know what poll that was and where to find it?
You’re right, the Republicans were not agreeing to a tax increase, they were talking about closing loopholes and simplifying the tax code. The Democrats wanted targeted tax increases.
Yep, another reneging trap on “read my lips, no new taxes”, which tanked the economy and Bush Rhino idiot Sr. re-election.
What a bunch of clipped on turds.
The change that Obama really wants is the change in our pockets.
Republicans refused the deal to protect their fat cat wealthy heartless greedy base so they could screw the littler guy single mothers minorities and the LGBT by not paying their fair share.
Waddayoupeople, revisionists? The Metrosexual Marxist MF from Mombasa is a unique combination of George Washington and Jackie Robinson, quite simply the Greatest Thing That Ever Happened to a totally undeserving racist America. Read the frickin' papers!
O yeah, baby. And he is saving the environment, too.
It appears that the MSM have buried those polls from last week and even reversed the trends, so that they now show Obama at about 50% and trending upward.
OK. epic failure there.
It would be easiest, I guess, if you Freepmail me your email address. I won’t misuse it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.