Obama reminds GOP it must work hard to reclaim seats
If Republicans needed evidence that 2010 will hardly be the political cakewalk some expect, President Obama reminded them on Friday with an aggressive appearance before pointed questions from House GOP lawmakers.
“It was a remarkable performance,” said Rep. Tom Price, Georgia Republican. “One can easily see how people could be swayed by him.”
The hour-long question-and-answer session in Baltimore demonstrated that although Obama has taken a blow with the collapse of his foremost legislative goal — health care — he remains a potent political figure.
“That’s something that Republicans should learn from,” said Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, Michigan Republican, in an interview. “Never underestimate a president who is, what, 13 months into his term, and consider that all life’s going to be easy.”
Life has been good of late for the GOP, after a year on the furthest edges of the political wilderness. Gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia in November were the first sign that Republicans could notch significant wins in the midterm elections this year.
The Democrats’ loss of Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat this month, and the subsequent demise of Obama’s version of health-care reform set GOP hearts atwitter at the thought of recapturing the House.
The faces of the House Republican leadership Wednesday night in the House chamber, during Obama’s State of the Union address, bore evidence of such optimism.
McCotter’s comments to The Daily Caller, as well as interviews with other senior House GOP aides, showed that Republicans are beginning to plan for perhaps eliminating the Democrats’ current 79-seat advantage (257-to-178). But McCotter emphasized that his party is not going to take such an outcome for granted.
“Republicans have to work harder every single day, day in, day out, to show that we’ve learned our lesson, we’ve been chastened and that we’re worthy of being the majority again,” he said. “I don’t think we should let up for a minute or think that just because things look good today they’re going to be better tomorrow. You’ve got to earn it.”
A senior House GOP leadership aide agreed.
“We’ve got a long way to go if we’re serious about taking back the majority,” the aide said. “We have begun to show the base of our party that we were serious about recognizing that we lost our way and we are ready to reclaim what we lost, like the mantle of fiscal discipline.”
Republicans pointed to their opposition to the $787 billion stimulus and the president’s budget a year ago as evidence of their commitment to fiscal responsibility, and one GOP aide promised more of that in 2010.
“You’re going to continue to see Republicans united in voting against spending increases,” he said.
There are at least four major obstacles, however, standing in the way of a Republican resurgence over the next nine months.
1. The Tea Party movement. Republican candidates are facing primary challenges from Tea Party-backed candidates in states all over the country. This dynamic is pitting grassroots conservatives against “the Washington establishment.” It is also going to drain the checkbooks of many Republican candidates.
2. Cash shortage. The national party has far less cash on hand than Democrats. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has $16.7 million to the National Republican Congressional Committee’s $2.67 million, for example. If Republicans cannot pick up the fundraising pace, their ability to be competitive in all the close races will be limited.
3. Obama: The president is a likable figure, despite his falling job approval rating. He could quickly refocus on issues other than health care — namely job creation and financial regulation. His time with House Republicans Friday was a reminder of his political and intellectual prowess. The White House even sent out video of the forum to reporters. “ I don’t think the Republicans expected it,” a senior Democratic House leadership aide said. “If I was a Republican I’d admit that was a failure.”
4. The obstructionist label. If Republicans stand united against Obama’s next budget — against a jobs bill, health care and other measures — the White House and congressional Democrats will blame them for hindering progress as citizens struggle with joblessness and crisis. The obstructionist charge has “been a challenge for us over the last year,” a senior GOP aide said.
“It demonstrated that there is an alternative point of view,” said Republican pollster Frank Luntz. “Nancy Pelosi shuts them out. Harry Reid shuts them out. It was smart for Obama. He looks bipartisan and the Republicans get a chance to tell the country where they stand.”
Luntz said that when Obama mentioned him during his remarks his “leg was shaking for 3 minutes” from people calling his cell phone.
“So I know a lot of people were watching,” Luntz told The Daily Caller.
“You saw House Republicans get up repeatedly and say, ‘I worked on this issue and offered this alternative and did not get an answer,’” a Republican aide said. “In several situations the president was put in a position where he acknowledged that we have put forward solutions and a couple times he said he had read it.”
“Now the president’s been on national TV saying we have solutions,” he said. “They cannot simply continue to say we have no proposals or solutions.”
(4 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)
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One of the most revealing pieces of video I have seen was Marsha Blackburns comment to Obama on the House leadership being the problem.He shut her down quickly. That should be replayed and commented on by the GOP. It would make a great campaign ad
The President was presented with real ideas from the Republicans. He can no longer call them the party of no. But he will. Those on the left who say Republicans are obstructionists need to look into the mirror. Why don’t they remember that they were in complete control all last year. The press is enamored by his “performance” at this retreat. We don’t need superficial performances. The White House comes out with their ideas and it has become evident that there is very little meat behind them. Glose Gitmo – no place to go, Pass the stimulus budget – no organization, no handle on where the money is going, KSM trial in NYC – no thought to expense and safety. They are like actors on a movie set. One dimensional proposals put out by a group of pseudo-intellectuals not based in reality. Obama needs to get over himself.
The President held his own in the den of Republicans! I hope he performs the same way over the next few months and 3 years; otherwise, he will be a one termer.
i feel the republicans did okay, the only other thing they could have done was
to say you lie every time he rambled on, but the American people can see thru him now. seems everytime he opens his mouth he lies. the republicans need to keep doing what they are doing, because it is the will of the people. we don’t
want the radical agenda of the dems. so go ahead and be the party of no, that is what the American people want to stop the health care take over.
Moira: “We’re not the ones in denial.” Another denial!
In any case, you’ve demonstrated a very prevalent tactic by those without any kind of substantive response to valid criticism: when inky pointed out the facts the president used in rebutting the weak questions House Republicans gave him, you went straight to… a completely different and unrelated topic! Never mind the entire thread we’ve been discussing, namely health care, Moira’s now ticked off that the White House is in “denial of the real significance of Scott Brown’s victory.” Well played, Moira. You can’t win the argument, so you’ve changed the subject. Bravo.
YEs, the format was in his favor. But, you’ve got to ask… why? Why is is so difficult to say something like, “Mr President, you’ve spent 3 trillion dollars, more that double the cost of the Iraq war, and you ‘ve have NOTHING to show for it. Why should anyone consider you or your administration competent?”
Why do the people we elect to represent us seem to be struck dumb and stupid when they get in front of a camera? Anyone on this forum could have done a better job in slamming him and not even resort to ad hominem. It could be done on the basis of the numbers alone!
I’m disgusted with the republicans now.
Just as the previous administration received less than deserved credit for the attacks on this country that did NOT occur, so this administration will receive less than deserved credit for what the 3 trillion prevented happening. The evolving bar for the previous administration’s success in Iraq is NOT 2004 or 5 or 6 or 20XY; so the bar for success for this administration is not 2009. Unless of course as our President pointed out, the goal is slash and burn the “opposition.”
“Why do the people we elect to represent us seem to be struck dumb and stupid when they get in front of a camera?”
That’s an easy one. If you look at some of the video of the room, (check cnn or msnbc, fox didn’t have any up.) You’ll see that for the most part they were reading perpared questions and talking points instead of asking a straight question. For most of us, if we have a question, we ask the question. We don’t do 5 to 10 minutes of posturing full of buzzwords and grandstanding. We also don’t try and lump three or four different questions together in order to try and trip up the person we are asking the questions of.
So Yes, the House Reps, (except for 1 or 2) for the most part came off looking bad. Like him or not, Obama was able to go toe to toe with them for over an hour not only with no notes but was able to keep his focus no matter what subject they brought up.
That alone should let the GOP know that they better up their game since this guy plays for keeps.
Obama was smooth, no doubt, typically cocky and self assured. But the whole thing ended up being like a one (question) and done press conference. No follow ups or rebuttals to call him on things. He, on the other hand, interrupted at will when he’d had enough of even a lengthy question. This was not a full dialogue, the type needed to get things done.
The Republicans best implement some changes in terms of staging these events if they are going to actually accomplish anything.
BU**SH**!! If this wasn’t a ‘Walk in the Park’, would we have elected a couple of dummies like these two to try it?