Mr. President, They're Just Not That Into You

That was quick.

Less than a month into his presidency, Barack Obama has found that no one is really buying bipartisanship. His base hates it, as the blogs will tell you. His allies in Congress resent it, as Sen. Schumer signaled on Sunday morning. And while media outlets still prioritize a bipartisan process over actual policy substance, like this weird Washington Post editorial, even centrist pundits are souring on Obama's bipartisan bouquets. Time's Joe Klein, a fan of bipartisanship, has concluded that bipartisanship is currently impossible because there are no good faith partners in Washington:

Obama should now understand that the Republicans are not reliable partners -- at least, not for the moment. Most are stuck in the contentious past, rutted in Reaganism, intent on taking a Hooverist course on the economy... the president's default position, after the stimulus fight and the Gregg fiasco, should be to appoint Democrats to significant domestic policy positions...

I don't happen to think Sen. Gregg's indecision qualifies as a fiasco, but it does add a personal flavor to the Republicans' political posture. Here's the bottom line: They're just not that into Obama.

Yes, the president can keep calling them and saying all the right things. He can woo them and invite them over, like that hyped White House "bipartisan super bowl party." He can go to their home, like his trek to Maryland for two and a half hours of lamb chops and neocons. He can even add their ideas to his legislation and their nominees to his cabinet, as The Nation's Ari Berman recounts.

If Obama is taking all those actions based on their own intrinsic value -- for healthy debate and a wide circle of advisers -- then fine. The notion that this bipartisan process will yield more GOP support, however, has been officially shredded. If it doesn't work now, with Obama's recent election mandate, booming approval ratings and a public eager for government action to address the economic crisis, it's not going to work. And anyone who thinks the G.O.P. will get more cooperative is placing a bet on politicians growing less political as the next elections draw closer.

Team Obama is already recalibrating, naturally. Rahm Emanuel recently noted that an "insatiable appetite" for bipartisanship made Obama's team "get ahead" of itself. The president, for his part, clarified that bipartisan outreach does not make him a "sap." And throughout his career, Obama has pivoted deftly from the soft touch to knockout blows. He explained this approach during a campaign interview back in 2007, in a clip which the blogger Jed Lewison recently flagged:

I don't like people trying to take advantage of that [outreach]. This is why actually if you watch my political interactions. I am always best as a counter-puncher. You know, somebody comes at me I will knock them out. If not, I will try to understand their point of view and that actually serves me well. I give people the benefit of the doubt; I try to understand their point of view -- if I perceive that they try to take advantage of that then I will crush them.

It's about that time, obviously.

From The Nation.

Comments

[mmgbizgirl]

THEY'RE JUST NOT THAT INTO the American People
Job Creation (in America)
Ending the Wars
Health Care
Education Funding
The Right to Choose
Financial Regulation
Rebuilding our Infrastructure
Stimulating the Economy from the Ground Up
and on and on and F'ing on...

Who gives a sh*t! Move on without them. The American People will close the case on the Republican Party soon enough.

[Weirdwriter]

President Obama honed his approach to the opposition from his days as a community organizer. The GOP doesn't even recognize the strategy, and is hugely underestimating the very reasons why the president's popularity is so high.

[nickyhartzell]

I think this article entirely misses the point. Yes, it has a timely funny little title, but the substance is all about the Repubs not going for Obama. I don't think they're anti-stance had anything to do with Obama, and has everything to do with their search for a successful [advertising] brand and renewed identity, after an election loss. What a time to pick to be more concerned with themselves than with anything outside themselves! The Repubs just want to be a self-perpetuation power machine, whatever the collateral damage to the Country. What a bunch of Losers, with a capital "L." If they had just lost the election, I would have more sympathy. But their self-infatuation is miserable to behold. I hope Obama DOES keep reaching out to them. At some point, a few of them may actually grow up. If his outreach were so shallow that an initial rejection (not because he's Obama, but because they are behaving like a bunch of idiots) were all he would try, then I would doubt the depth of his commitment to get everyone together to help in a time of crisis. I personally believe he has more commitment than that.

[Terriac]

I'm sick and tired of the Republicans. Obama tried. They're not going to go along. I say, screw them. Let's just move on and get things done and let the Republicans go down with the ship.

[lovable]

rush limbugh says repubs there will be no cooperating with obama and the repubs obey

[TomInJax]

You're right. I was all for reaching across the aisle at first, but after the republicans showed their true colors, Obama should give them the finger and say fine, we'll do it our way.

[anachoret]

"We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob."
--President Franklin D. Roosevelt October 31, 1936 Madison Square Garden Speech

Time to knock them out, Mr. President. It will be beneficial to future legislation.

[BillZBubb]

Well, if Obama is true to his word, I eagerly await the counterpunch. I haven't seen anything yet.

[rbenjamin]

Obama gets it. He is patient, thinks strategically and is not looking for a short term payoff. We are not used to this after 8 years of Bush II, SFB. The open hand is a gambit, if somebody on the other side grasps it, fine, more likely Obama is rebuffed and that's even better, because it marginalizes the minority party in the eyes of most US citizens...who are plenty nervous! Obama knows he can pretty much get what he wants in the House. He can be confident he'll get just enough cross over in the Senate to avoid a filibuster, providing he gives enough cover. The Republicans remember all too well what happened the last time they tried to shut down government. The GOP leadership will nod and wink at those defectors from the marginal districts at the frontiers of RedLand. Sen Specter got it right - most of the GOP wants the the stimulus package to work, they just don't want their fingerprints on the bill. Hey, The Republicans get it too! Most GOP office holders are safe in their districts, as long as they don't violate any litmus test issues. The threat from within is far greater than the threat from Dems. That basically nixes bipartisan support for anything that isn't a tax cut. Watching all this is like watching bird courtship - it's ritualized and pretty predictable.

[fairwitness]

Yes, It's About Time, Mr. President. These aren't simply well-meani­ng-but-rec­alcitrant negotiating partners...they are the gang of thieves and criminals who GOT us into this mess economically, socially, militarily, Constitutionally, etc. Kick their asses and take names.

[rbenjamin]

By the way fairwitness, nothing in my comment makes me disagree with your accurate appraisal of the GOP!