Its not surprising that there are differing accounts. But from what I understand, the “audience” is arranged before the “formal” invite is sent in order to avoid egg on the face.
Both sides are pointing fingers - the truth is probably somewhere in the middle.
Baffling. It’s as if he felt compelled to remind everyone who the big dog is, and who he rolls over for on command. A gift-wrapped political victory for Boehner: I don’t blame him one bit for taking advantage of it.
JACMBTM = Just Another Crisis Manufactured By The Media.
JACMBTM = Just Another Crisis Manufactured By The Media.
So 2000 years from now if they can find records of this I am sure the archaeologists will have to wonder what they hell we were making such a big deal about this for when the zombie apocalypse was right around the corner.
It’s a non-controversy controversy made up by talk show hosts. The three people who want to watch both snore-fests can record one. There are plenty of real fuck-ups by this administration to discuss.
to schedule a meeting of Congress re jobs on the first day back from a 6 week vacation seems like a good initiative - the repubs could have scheduled the debate while they were on vacation.
The sad thing is…I don’t think you even recognize how stupid this statement sounds.
This has nothing to do with your post (or this thread) other than that you said “scientists”:
“Don’t worry Frinky old boy, we’ll have these babies in the stores while he’s still
grappling with the pickle matrix.” -Professor Frink on hamburger earmuffs
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Boehner had all the cards. Obama had three options once Boehner showed him the ace of spades:
(1) Say, “I’m a dufus, I forgot that we lost control of the house last year and I couldn’t dictate to the Speaker any more.”
(2) Say, “My staff messed up, we have taken action with the individual involved with the scheduling.”
(3) Engage in a pissing contest about who shot john.
He chose number three, hoping it wouldn’t be a big deal. Result is that a few more now may think he is stupid or weak. He should have chosen (2), found a fall guy, and looked like a leader.
A spot-on analysis from a disgruntled progressive (via HuffPo):
So, this leads to the eternal question of whether Obama is just weak or if he is a brilliant strategist who has been playing rope-a-dope all along. I am so silly that I still had hope. My hope this morning was that Obama was laying a trap for the Republicans. He picks a day for his speech that is the same as the GOP debate. Then if Boehner says he won’t let him give the speech on that day, he seems so petty and harsh.
That way, either the president gives his big speech on jobs and bigfoots the Republican contenders or the Republicans look disrespectful and petulant for turning down the president. Well, if you’re playing rope-a-dope, that’s not a bad manuever. But it turns out that’s not what he was doing at all. He just stumbled into this problem and then stumbled out when he let Boehner dictate when he could and could not have his speech. That looks so sad.
You see, if you’re playing rope-a-dope, at some point you have to actually swing. When your opponent has worn himself out knocking you around the ring – you counter-attack. But that counter-attack is never coming. We’re holding our collective breath in vain.
Why is this definitely not rope-a-dope? Because Obama hates risk. Even his most ardent supporters will tell you that he does not like to take big risks. He thinks it is imprudent. They see that as one of his strengths. McCain was a wild gambler, Obama was a cautious and smart poker player. That’s why he won the election.
But would a man who dislikes risk that much risk his entire presidency on a strategy where he gets pummeled for three straight years and then finally comes out swinging at the very end? No way. That’s a tremendous amount of risk. I don’t mind taking plenty of risks and I wouldn’t do anything half that crazy.
No, the answer is much simpler. He doesn’t realize he’s getting pummeled. He thinks this is all still a genius strategy to capture centrists by compromising on every single little thing. He is not trying to put on an appearance of weakness to lull his opponent into a false sense of complacency. He doesn’t even realize he is being weak. He’s the one with the false sense of complacency. As he’s getting knocked around the ring, he thinks he’s winning.
These guys in the Obama camp are in for a horrible, rude awakening. Sometime in the next year, they are going to blink and realize they are lying flat on their back on the canvas. Then as they finally stumble up, they’ll realize they should have started fighting 11 rounds ago. Then a panic will set in, but I’m afraid it will be too late by then.
Here is what all voters, and especially independents, despise and disdain in a politician – weakness. Nobody wants to see their leader get beat to a pulp every night and then bow his head again.
There is no secret, brilliant strategy. This White House is in a bubble. They think they’re winning when the roof is about to cave in.
I think that analysis is becoming the defining narrative. I doubt the security is that much of an obstacle with a week to prepare - its Congress - its probably at a pretty high level of security most of the time. I doubt the GOP is much concerned about a conflict with one of a dozen primary debates. I think they saw another opportunity to cause Obama to bend and they took it. The end result is he looks weak, and his audience is cut by at least half by the start of the NFL season that same night (those who do watch it might be annoyed that it is cutting into pre-game hype). Not a good start to what is apparently a big speech.
I doubt the same would have happened to Bush (H.W. or W.), Clinton (Hilary or Bill).
If the speech contains a bunch of ticky tack half measures that will create some nominal amount of jobs and tiny economic growth, he will lose even more support.
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Sphere, two great posts in a row. I agree with the analysis from huffpo, I have known a leader with personality traits like Obama and see the same things, risk aversion, and inability to realize what is happening. Here’s one of his big problems, he thinks the public elected him for who he is, but public is seeing that he is not who they thought he was. It is a huge, maybe near impossible task, for him to come to understand this, and then deal with it.
It really is the perfect metaphor. Except in this instance, he insisted that she hold the football.
I can’t for the life of me comprehend why he would do this. He seems to have forgotten that the GOP has absolutely no respect for him, or for the office so long as he holds it.