White House Spokesman: Obama Will Be Even More "Bipartisan"

As the President's approval ratings hover around 50 percent, Republicans harden in their opposition to supporting health care reform and new reports suggest "Blue Dog" Democrats will bolt en masse from the plan the President is expected to unveil next week, the Associated Press reports the Obama "strategy" is even more bipartisanship.

Meanwhile, Obama returned from his vacation in Massachusetts on Martha's Vineyard and, after a few days at Camp David, will redouble his efforts "toward getting a bipartisan result" on health care overhaul, said deputy White House press secretary Bill Burton. "After he gets a little time to recharge his batteries...he's going to come back as rip-roaring as he was before," Burton said.

This really is beyond my pay grade. Which level of the 11 dimension chess game are we playing now?

Comments

[merv]

it is 11 dimension chess!

the article states that blue dogs and repubs will bolt from the plan he's about to present while simultaneously stating hes going to redouble bipartisan efforts. douplespeak.

my guess? he'll push something semi-decent without republicans. the west wing just needs to give itself cover and eventually say that they tried being bipartisan and working their ideas into the plan while they ultimately couldn't come to the table.

[Chris Cruz]

"it is 11 dimension chess!"

So Obama planned on his poll numbers dropping this low? And he planned on all these Democratss saying they won't vote for any plan? And he planned om this huge division in the party b/c he refuses to take a public position on what he has been pushing for 2 years? Its all a "master plan"?

Gotcha.

[Jaganat]

"This really is beyond my pay grade."

You are absolutely right, Rod. It is beyond most of our pay grades. Perhaps we need to reach the "pay grade" of Health Insurance CEOs in order to have an impact on the "health care reform" process. This process has been a joke, has emboldened Conservatives to be even more demagogic and wicked than usual, and abandoned Liberals like yourself with little hope and without passionate leadership.

Liberalism can be dangerous precisely because it raises the expectations of Exploited Americans, while incessantly submitting to Plutocracy behind closed doors. This is why Obama will disappoint many Liberals, just as Bill Clinton (and even JFK and FDR) did.

Nevertheless, Conservatism is far more dangerous than Liberalism, since Conservatives sometimes legitimize bigotry, classism, ethno-cultural chauvinism and xenophobia. Thus, the real danger of Liberalism is to fail to keep the promises it makes to the Exploited (the majority ruled by Plutocracy), thereby providing ammunition, in the figurative and literal sense, for the populist rise of Conservatism, which can easily become even more Authoritarian. That is the danger we face Today (and why Obama and others must fear for their lives).

Global Plutocracy= the Richest 1,100 People in the World own twice (2X) as much as the poorest 2.5 Billion. Today the Richest .01% of Americans (about 30,000 people) Own 2/3 of America, a country of about 300 million.

[Ravenback]

Another episode of "As the Stomach Churns". So many messages enough to give me a headache.

[Chitown Kev]

"after a few days at Camp David, will redouble his efforts "toward getting a bipartisan result" on health care overhaul"

Translation: the public option is dead.

And with it, his second term may be dead too.

[Kevjack]

Lord knows I never wanted to say this, but could it have been true that Obama was not ready to lead? Frankly, I have nit seen a lit if leadership from him. He gives Congress a August deadline and then waffles at every turn. He floats so many trial baloons to see what Republicans will bite at, and all it has done is back him into a corner that will not lead to real reform.

I am getting increasingly anxious about this president and his presidency. He will not get a second turn unless he digs in his heels on an issue and stands for something other than "working with everybody". Do what we elected you to do, be who you campaigned to be!! Lead! For God's sake lead!!!

[Luther]

His ridiculous need for "bipartisanship" and no way is he ever going to get it from any Rethug is a bad joke and the joke is on him, too bad someone so smart hasn't figured that out. Back to Chicago in 3.5 years and with less accomplished than Bush.

[Ravenback]

You mean Bush actually accomplished something?

[Jim]

Kevjack, Obama does not lack in leadership abilities; and Luther, Obama does not lack in smarts.

Obama simply lacks a commitment to genuine health care reform. He probably never had such a commitment, and he probably never will.

The sooner we stop expecting something good from this man, the sooner we will stop being disappointed, and the sooner we will get on with trying to accomplish something worthwhile without his help.

[Jaganat]

I pray Obama does not get a 2nd term, not because I am dissatisfied with him (I never expected to be satisfied) but because as a black man I don't want to see a black man be the HNIC of plutocratic corruption, Empire and the injustices of America (2 million in prison for example, or 2 million homeless in the world's richest nation) One term in office for an African American is proof enough for White Supremacy that when black folks play by their rules, we can still win, even if our "victories" are pyrrhic.

[merv]

chris,

not alleging that this is a master plan. in fact its been awfully conducted, in part because obama deferred to congress to hash out a proposal INSTEAD of putting his own on the table with some non-negotiables.

given the situation, im guessing they are now re-calibrating to push something incremental while giving themselves cover from further public outcry. he will take a more public role in dictating the conversation over the next few weeks.

with that said, i think he will probably give up on the public option. however, if he WAS going to push it, now would be the time to steamroll that puppy through.

[Osiris]

I wish they'd quit throwing poll numbers in his face. In the end, it doesn't matter. Democrats won the election so do what you were elected to do. I don't remember Bush and the Repubs that were in charge spending at least a fraction of their energy trying to reach across the aisle. Matter of fact, I remember them telling the dems to shut up and take it.

It's funny how short-term people's memories are.