Obama Doesn't Defend House Dems

Republicans complained loudly to President Obama during a closed-door meeting Tuesday that House Democrats had shut them out of the process of writing the stimulus bill, said Republican members in the meeting.

The room burst into applause at the mention of congressional Democrats' alleged lack of bipartisan outreach. Obama did not come to their defense - a silence that many took to mean he acknowledged that lack of comity.

"I think the House Democrats have failed at bipartisanship, and I think he acknowledged that by what he didn't say as opposed to what he did," said Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.).

"He didn't say anything, but we got the message," said Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.).

Obama debated House Republicans on differences in political philosophy for more than half an hour. If the purpose was to pick up votes for the House stimulus package in the short term, the visit to the Capitol was largely a failure, several Republicans said.

Obama did tell Republicans, said Bachus, that he would "consider more tax cuts," but defended the amount of cuts in the current bill. He also made the case for the heavy spending, using historical examples going back to the Great Depression to argue that government spending was necessary to turn the economy around.

"That's going to be a gulf," said Bachus of the divide over taxes and spending, "but it starts with communication and the visit today was a very big first step."

Indeed, both interlocutors are taking a longer view. Obama hopes to keep the GOP from outright revolt and House Republicans hope to make congressional Democrats appear partisan and out of step with a more conciliatory president.

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Before the meeting, Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said that he would push Obama to play go-between House Democrats and Republicans, hoping to wring some changes out of the stimulus package.

He didn't make any promises to that effect, said Mica, but Obama did pledge to keep lines of communication with House Republicans open. The outreach continues this evening. Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Penn.) said that Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel invited a handful of moderate members of the "Tuesday Group" to the White House this evening in hopes of winning them over.

"The proof will be in the pudding," said Gerlach, noting his vote depended on what makes it into the final bill.

After spending the last several days pounding Democrats for including a provision in the stimulus that could be used to pay for contraceptives, the birth-control issue barely came up during the meeting.

"It just didn't come up in the Q&A," said Gerlach.

Bachus said the contraceptive issue came up "only in passing." Out of the public eye and in front of Obama, Republicans were less interested in making birth-control a major issue. "We all said, 'You can rifle shot any of these things in a bill and pick that out,'" said Bachus.

Comments

[miamia]

So, if you don't jump to your own defense, you are in agreement.

Need some relationship counseling?

[ThomasMc]

I guess Obama has already forgotten that the Democrats won, not the GOP.

[MS]

Scarey headline, worthy of the Enquirer and NY Post, again!

Obama goes to a listening session with Republicans. They complain. He listens.

He's not supposed to complain or fix anything in a listening session - just supposed to listen. What an amazing concept. The President LISTENS to all sides, maybe even picks up an idea from the 'other side,' maybe ultimately offers some concessions, doesn't defend what he's doing. Just what he promised.

C'mon, HuffPost -- don't keep using this ridiculous hyperbole in your headlines.

[MikePS65]

Why on earth would Obama have to defend government spending to the GOP? Where were these outraged Republicans for the past eight years to voice their dismay over the historic running up of the national debt?

[BlackJAC]

DILBERT creator Scott Adams came up with a method of getting your way in situations like this: you simply let everyone spout off and mark themselves as partisan snivelers whose motto is "my way or the Paveway," then offer up your idea under the guise that it's an amalgamation of everyone else's ideas.

[ILibertine]

Our political system is like a bunch of spoiled kids playing in a sandbox, and the sandbox is filled with our money. It's ludicrous that Republicans complain about being "shut out", and just as absurd for them to argue about restraint in spending, given their abysmal record in managing the budget and the economy. So I would offer them a great big cup of shut the f**k up.

[ConstitutionCrusader]

hahaha! Could not agree MORE.

[nikky]

I DO SO AGREE AFTER ALL THEY SAID LET THE AMERICAN CAR MAKERS FAIL THEY HAD FOREIGN CAR MAKERS IN THEIR STATE AND WAS DOING FINE SO WHO WANT TO LISTEN TO THEM AND I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER FOREIGN CAR

[billstewart]

American car makers are doing fine - Honda, Toyota, and the other ones building cars Americans want, mostly in the South. It's those SUV designers in Detroit who are in trouble, since they thought that building higher-markup gas guzzlers would make them more money than small efficient cars.

Bush certainly didn't help any American car makers by imposing tariffs on steel a few years back - more American manufacturers use steel than make it, and he always thought of the free market as a rhetorical device for attracting voters and campaign contributions than as an actual way to let markets run freely. But it was worse for the companies making big cars.

[ConstitutionCrusader]

I am not impressed by the GOP's childish whining. And I am not inclined to interpret - as the Republicans do so vehemently- that Obama's silence was agreement. Instead, I think he chose to listen to them rather than rebut what they were saying. To engage in an argument in defense of the Democrats was not his place. The fact is, with all that there is to do to repair this country, he is going to need all the cooperation he can muster from both parties to pass sweeping reforms in the coming years. My take is that he was being diplomatic, patiently listening to their {petty whining} feelings on the matter, and extending an olive branch so that they can feel, if only slightly, more acknowledged in this process.

I certainly can't imagine W meeting with the minority Democrats and listening to *their* concerns about feeling left out of the process. I think it is a well-intentioned step toward bipartisanship on Obama's behalf, though, were I in his place I would completely ignore them and move forward regardless, and let them pitch a tantrum all they want.

[Peachlicious]

If they don't start acting like adults, he probably will move forward. But right now he's playing chess. Sitting back watching and learning. When he makes his move, it will be decisive and well thought out.

[jjj1951]

This just further illustrates the problem I have with people who believe in voting the person and not the party. I am sure that not all of these GOP House members come from solid conservative districts. Some may have barely won their elections. Yet these members feel they have to line up with their party leadership nonetheless. I wonder if they even bother considering their constituents opinions once the election is over. In effect, the Republicans are betting that this stimulus plan fails. It may be good party politics. But it is a cynical approach to governing.

[deke4]

If those Republicans were so interested in bipartisanship why did they tell all Republicans to oppose the econmic bill at least an hour before they met with Obama. Did you notice their oily remarks that it was good that Obama met with them "but" blah, blah, Blah. They Like Rush would love to see Obama fail. Democrats are making a grave mistake in not loudly and consistently tell the American people how Republicans got us into this mess and now they are not willing to help this nation dig out of the hole they put us in.

[carnelld]

Obama and his staff have demonstrated competence during the election campaign. With that said, I feel politically his staff is aware of the most optimum manner to handle the Stimulus Bill.

MSM however now appears biased towards the Republican view point, constantly repeating Republican talking points and sound bites. If this continues, it appears Obama is having to use more political capital than should be required.

Obama's overall approach is not to get bogged down with the small issues and small minded individuals . He is looking at the larger context. This is the largest spending bill ever passed in the history of the Congress. If this bill passes, there will be relief and funding for a multitude of long neglected issues and constituents.

Based on the magnitude of the Stimulus Bill and possible effects, I feel Obama is handling the process correctly.

[independentjukebox]

MSM is for thr republicans? sorry I think thou jumps the gun. Few slight reporting or couple of days of reporting that does not go our way, does not equate to them leaning republican.

[ReallyMe]

The problem I see with this is that Republicans are still getting to define "bi-partisan." When they were in power it meant "We are in power so, Democrats have to do what we want." "Our way or the highway so to speak.

Now, they are not in power and guess what? Their definition of "be-partisan" is "do what we want."

[deke4]

Don't you just get tired of all that whining. But you must say this they are true blue Republicans, "They love to dish it out but they sure as hell can't take it." They forget the 10 minute vote that lasted for hours, They forget the massive spending bills they rammed through without nary a one of them opposing the bill or any item in that bill. They forgot they were the supposed party of fiscal responsibility when they controlled all branches of government, They forget "they told Demopcrats they need not attend committee meetings because none of their issues would ever pass no matter how well intended it was.

[ReallyMe]

Yes, indeed. I'm tired of the whining. Tired of being villified. Sick of having their beliefs shoved down my throat. Sick of their holier than thou attitudes. They are master manipulators and liars and that's about all they are good for.

Don't get me started....

[Grace0727]

Good ole whining Republicans are getting a little extra attention nowadays. Doesn't mean they will get their way though. Like Obama said "I won" back off republicans. You have no clout!

[archeDeWashington]

Leave our President alone. He is working hard. What more people want from him?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZB87w21C2U

[rosal]

I think that Obama has to stop babysitting the whinning repbs. They are throwing tantrums, not so much for the package, but for the fact that they lost big on the recent election. They know the country rejected them and their policies, they want desperately to feel relevant again, that's all.
They need to get out of the way, and let the adults get the country back on track.

[CaptainVideo]

"Obama did tell Republicans, said Bachus, that he would "consider more tax cuts,"

He can "consider" them as much as he likes. No problem. As long as he does not actually agree to any additional tax cuts.

The purpose of making concessions is to get the other side to support your program. But the House Republicans have made it clear that they are going to vote against the stimulus package no matter what. If they are going to oppose it anyway, why make any meaningful concessions to them? Symbolic ones that do not give up anything substantial are, of course, fine.

But dropping the highly desirable family planning program was a substantial concession that should not have been made.