President Obama.. "Please Proceed, Sen McConnell" [View all]

[Cha]

"If you didn't get to watch President Obama's press conference this afternoon, I encourage you to do so" (See here.. freshwest http://www.democraticunderground.com/110226440 )

"He made a point of saying that he looks forward to hearing from McConnell and Boehner on what their agenda for Congress will be. And that he's willing to work on those areas where they can agree.

While some will undoubtably view this as pre-capitulation, its actually an amazing power play as well as a reprisal of conciliatory rhetoric as a ruthless strategy.

One way to deal with that kind of bad-faith opposition is to draw the person in, treat them as if they were operating in good faith, and draw them into a conversation about how they actually would solve the problem. If they have nothing, it shows. And that's not a tactic of bipartisan Washington idealists -- it's a hard-nosed tactic of community organizers, who are acutely aware of power and conflict.
Over the last 6 years, Minority Leader McConnell has been able to embrace a "post-policy" approach focused on total obstruction. Now that Republicans control both chambers of Congress, President Obama is basically saying "puts your cards on the table and let's see what you've got."

After last night's election results, both National Review Online and Rush Limbaugh are counseling McConnell to keep up the obstruction. Jonathan Chait pretty much nailed what McConnell will see as his most effective strategy going forward:

McConnell’s next play is perfectly clear. His interest lies in creating two more years of ugliness and gridlock. He does not want spectacular, high-profile failures that command public attention — no shutdowns, no impeachment. Instead, he wants tedious, enervating stalemate. McConnell needs to drain away any possibility of hope and excitement from government, so that the disengaged Democratic voters remain disengaged in 2016.

snip//

Today the President simply called on McConnell to "put up or shut up." That's his best way of undermining McConnell when/if the gridlock continues. In other words, its the best power play he has now - given what the midterm electorate did yesterday.

The rest of herstory.. Nancy Letourneau's/AKA smartypants http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2014/11/president-obama-please-proceed-senator.html?spref=tw

This is from Novemeber 5th and kinda got buried with all the other news coming out.. but, well worth taking a look at Now!

Well, he heard from them today..


Nerdy Wonka @NerdyWonka
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Boehner is looking at President Obama as though he's going to toilet paper the Oval Office once the workday ends.
10:15 AM - 7 Nov 2014 29 Retweets 16 favorites

:hatip: http://theobamadiary.com/2014/11/07/the-presidents-day-25/

Erica Werner @ericawerner
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Cornyn said discussion of immigration took up easily half the meeting, with R's pressing Obama and the president "unmoved and even defiant"
11:11 AM - 7 Nov 2014 50 Retweets 12 favorites

Gregory Korte ✔ @gregorykorte
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Consensus from witnesses along West Executive Drive is that Sen. Mitch McConnell was first congressional leader out the door after lunch.
10:17 AM - 7 Nov 2014

http://theobamadiary.com/2014/11/07/a-tweet-or-two-162/

To the Barack Obama Group where sanity, focus, and reality reigns! Love you guys.. oh, and anyone who respects this President can chime in!

sheshhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1102&pid=26485e