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President Obama speaks to House GOP Caucus
On Friday President Obama spoke to the House GOP Caucus in Baltimore, MD at their invitation. The various interactions ranged from heated questions, to which the President replied carefully, to lighter tones and some joking.
The biggest challenges Republican Representatives outlined for the President were that they have not been as involved in DRAFTING legislation with their Democratic Colleagues across the isle and that their ideas brought up at later dates have not been utilized in such a way to promote true bipartisanship. They don't feel as though their ideas are being heard.
Many challenging questions about various GOP Proposals arose. The President was quick to point out that some GOP ideas had "been embraced" while others were "embraced with caveats".
One major hurtle for the President here is that he HAS NOT given the GOP enough credit for their limited contributions to legislation he's passed to make it apparent to the American People (particularly Independents) that he IS using the best ideas of the brightest people in both parties. Unfortunately, he's not able to reign-in Speaker Pelosi who, if she doesn't change her ways and start making some public appearances with GOP Leadership in the House, could cost Democrats the House Majority later this year.
President Obama said several times that the "slash and burn" politics were backing the GOP Leadership into a corner that made it impossible for them to compromise on anything and return to their constituencies with any amount of grace. Hopefully the House Republicans heard, understood and embrace this message so they're no longer referred to as the "Party of NO". The President this week has announced measures that have been closely embraced by the GOP in the past. "What's going to prevent us from getting this done?" He asked. What indeed?
The President (and the DNC) hopefully took away two (2) messages from this meeting: 1. The DNC needs to direct Pelosi (if they're going to help fund her re-election campaign) that she needs to start working WITH the GOP and demonstrating to the American People (Independents particularly) that she's not using the Democratic Majority in the house to strong-arm legislation through congress. 2. The White House needs to start publicly emphasizing the GOP contributions to legislation that the President signs into law.
The GOP House Leadership hopefully took away the lesson that the MEDIA is NOT the place for debate. Let's keep it in the chambers and offices so we can truly get it accomplished.