How sidelining Washington graybeards in shutdown alters endgame

[KoKo]

(Was wondering where they were in the negotiations)

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How sidelining Washington graybeards in shutdown alters endgame
Market Watch--Oct. 2

Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have thrice saved Washington from budget-battle bloodbaths, but both are conspicuously absent from any real effort to end this government shutdown.

McConnell reportedly is worried the standoff could cost his party a chance to win control of the Senate in 2014 and further hurt its image nationwide. He made a half-hearted push for a short-term spending agreement, but after that effort failed, he’s moved to the sidelines.

His reticence is easy to explain. The Kentuckian is facing a Tea Party challenge in 2014, and if he wins in the Republican primary, a strong Democratic challenger awaits. McConnell doesn’t want to alienate staunch conservatives by sticking his neck out for a compromise that falls well short of GOP demands.

Biden, for his part, is angling to run for president in 2016, and he doesn’t want to upset a liberal base demanding that the Democratic Party hold firm in this standoff. Plus, senior Democrats in Congress, especially Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, want Biden to stay out of the fray.

Biden’s back-channel talks with McConnell in 2010, 2011 and 2012 each led to compromises on taxes, debt and spending that averted more serious economic consequences for the nation. The two longtime Senate veterans get along and trust each other. Read Washington Post’s Paul Kane on why the latest standoff is so different.

In each case, though, both the Democratic and Republican rank-and-file believe the two men gave away too much to the other party.


http://blogs.marketwatch.com/capitolreport/2013/10/02/old-hands-biden-and-mcconnell-sidelined-in-shutdown-fight/

[dkf]

1. And there is it...both parties were unhappy with compromise.

Leaving only shutdowns and games of chicken.

[KoKo]

2. What I can't get is why would Biden not want to upset Liberal Base

by Standing Firm in this standoff? Liberal Base DOES want Dems to stand firm. It's the "Third Way Dems" that might be more willing to compromise.
Makes no sense..
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"Biden, for his part, is angling to run for president in 2016, and he doesn’t want to upset a liberal base demanding that the Democratic Party hold firm in this standoff."

[dkf]

3. Biden's style is deal making and compromise.

He brokers deals, not engineers Standoffs.

And don't be fooled. This has been entirely planned by Ted Cruz who wants to bolster the extremes. I am flabbergasted what one person has managed to do.

[KoKo]

6. ahh...true, Biden is a Deal Maker... (Clarence Thomas Nomination) so...

it makes sense that the Liberal Dems would be offended when so much has already been compromised.

[Hugin]

8. Yeah, keep in mind that "one man" is the mouth piece for the likes of the Club for Growth. n/t

[geek tragedy]

4. "both parties" = dishonest bullshit. Please spew that crap elsewhere. nt

[dkf]

5. Umm. Did you see Biden is declining to participate?

Where he did before?

[geek tragedy]

7. It is impossible to negotiate with the House GOP right now. Impossible.

They have no leader. The ones calling the shots there will reject anything Obama/Biden propose. They reject Obama's legitimacy as president.

Anything Boehner would agree to they would just reject anyways. As they have done EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Biden is not wasting his time pretending there's a possibility of a negotiation until the fever breaks amongst Al Gopaeda.