Richardson and Daschle were the perpetrators in these embarrassments, and it appears that Gregg suffered an unfortunate reversal of decisiveness. He said he would, and then he said he wouldn't. He blamed irreconcilable differences with the administration but wouldn't get specific. His dithering makes him look wishy-washy and, therefore, not a very good Cabinet pick after all.
The problem is that Gregg was going to be Obama's offering on the altar of bipartisanship. He would leave Defense Secretary Robert Gates as the only Republicans in the Cabinet. Having a bipartisan Cabinet is certainly not a requirement, but Obama has made a mantra of bipartisanship and a new approach to politics. Now, with very little Republican support for his stimulus package and the loss of a GOP Cabinet nominee, things are looking like the same old partisan politics.
Not that it's all Obama's fault. Some Republican members of Congress have praised him for his willingness to listen to them, to consult with them and to invite them to the White House. Part of the problem may be that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi did not run for re-election on a bipartisanship platform and haven't been as interested in Republican views. It also appears that Republican leaders in the Senate and House are trying to hold together their reduced numbers to keep from being steamrolled by the wider Democratic majority.
Gregg's withdrawal is more of a symbolic loss for Obama than anything else. The president should have expected some bumps in the road along the way, even if his most avid supporters did not.
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2 comments:
I don't think he's embarrassed.
The problem Obama is making is giving the minority party in washington an opportunity to turn on him. He shouldn't extend this bi-partisan olive branch to them. It's obvious they'll use it against him.
The republicans aren't really interested in bi-partisanship for the sake of America. They made that clear during the last 8 years. Therefore, his administration needs to just act. Without them.
Futhermore, why is the onus always on the Democrats to prove all inclusivness and never on the Repubs?
PS congrats on your ironic "award"-- maybe they'll ask you back.
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....the demos are the cause of the negotiation problems. Some are so blinded by the liberal koolaid they just do not get it.
I think it is ok for obama that the dude backed out. Everything cannot go as planned and in this environment you have to make decisions on the fly. things are changing quickly in our world and the system in dc needs to adapt to be able change along w/ the world. The biggest problem obamam has is ried and pelosi. This is where the system bogs down if others do not do as they want. Garbage politicians at best. People need to open their ONUS!!
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