It doesn’t seem like an effective strategy, if he truly wants to work with Republicans.
The Hill reports:
President Barack Obama has been pleading with Capitol Hill Republicans to work in a bipartisan way on key measures such as climate change legislation and immigration reform, but many of his most likely GOP allies say the president has lost all credibility since he bashes them every time he hits the campaign trail.
Obama spent much of Tuesday pressing lawmakers to find bipartisan consensus on energy and immigration reform bills, both of which have stalled amid flagging GOP support. But less than 24 hours later, and to the chagrin of Republicans, the president was blasting House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) for being “out of touch” and framing Republicans as “the other side” during a speech in Wisconsin.
It almost looks like his occasional outreaches to Republicans are completely self-serving – just for show. Paul Ryan is no longer fooled.
“A day doesn’t go by where we don’t hear one thing and see another. The outstretched hand by the left with the clenched clock across the face by the right. … It just seems to be their method of doing things,” Budget ranking member Paul Ryan said.
The Wisconsin lawmaker, whom Obama has publicly praised for his willingness to work across party lines, said the president’s words never translated into a White House effort to work together behind the scenes.
“He would say nice things about me publicly, but there was never actual outreach,” Ryan said. “I used to think there was going to be follow-up, but now I just accept it hasn’t happened. … We have yet to see any action that suggests he’s sincere about compromise.”
Ryan also accused Obama of being “intellectually lazy” by attacking Boehner during his Wisconsin speech, which took place in Ryan’s district. The Minority Leader has come under fire for saying financial reform is akin to using a nuclear weapon on an ant.
“He was attacking our leader, taking him out of context and setting up more straw men and trying to knock them down,” Ryan said. “The straw men arguments are intellectually hollow and disingenuous, and they send a clear signal that the president is more interested in combat than compromise.”
Hat tip: @gabrielmalor on Twitter.
By the way, the President continues to get everything he wants – here are some House Republicans combating the Dems on the wretched financial bill which passed last night:
Rep. Judy Biggert (IL): I thought its purpose was to rein in Wall Street and end the abuses that precipitated the most massive financial melt-down and economic downturn since the Great Depression. Its purpose is to make Wall Street pay for the abuses – not Main Street.
Rep. Paul Broun, M.D. (GA): …liberals spent 2,000 pages expanding the reach of the federal government, codifying bailouts, restricting access to capital, and protecting Wall Street over Main Street. Liberals refusal to end bailouts and reform these mortgage giants refutes any claims that this bill is about ‘reform.’
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO): The government has a poor record of managing hard-earned taxpayer dollars, which is why I could not support a bill that actually gives the government even more control of people’s money and continues the reckless meddling of government in our free market system.
Rep. Roy Blunt (MO): This bill is another heavy-handed government intrusion which will cost jobs at the very time we should be working to create jobs,
Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ): The American people are delivering a strong message to those of us in Washington willing to listen. They want less failed government overreach into their lives and into our economy and they want more opportunities to work and provide for their families, without pushing our country into greater debt. Unfortunately, this bill fails on all accounts.
Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY): While we are all committed to increasing transparency on Wall Street and preventing another financial meltdown, the last thing we should be doing in the midst of an economic recession is furthering government interference in the free market.
Nice Deb 