It’s unusual when a reporter sympathetic to a politician writes a story that makes his subject look bad. But Ryan Lizza of the New Yorker has now done this twice.
The first time was in an article last April on Obama’s foreign policy in which he quoted a “top aide” (national security adviser Tom Donilon? It sounds like him) saying that the president was “leading from behind” on Libya. Not what most Americans expect their presidents to do.
Now, in an article based on leaked White House memos marked up by Obama, Lizza has done it again.
Contrarian liberal blogger Mickey Kaus sums it up: “The president’s decision-making method–at least as described in this piece–seems to consist of mainly checking boxes on memos his aides have written for him.”
A $60 billion cut in the stimulus package? “OK.” Use the reconciliation process to pass the health care bill? A check mark in the box labeled “yes.”
Include medical malpractice reform in the health care bill? The man who as an Illinois legislator often voted “present” writes, “We should explore it.”
According to Lizza, Obama prefers getting information and making decisions by staying up late and reading memos rather than meeting with people — a temperament that’s a liability because face time with the president is one of his major sources of political capital.
Lizza’s reporting undercuts the stated thesis of his article: that Obama sought to bring bipartisan governance to Washington but was foiled by Republicans’ partisan intransigence.
Evidence that Obama ever seriously considered Republican approaches is minimal in the New Yorker article. The alternatives Lizza describes Obama as considering are for even more spending and government control, such as a much bigger stimulus package.
He mentions just in passing that “Obama “had decided to pursue health-care reform” as well as the stimulus package — a choice that inevitably made bipartisanship harder to achieve.
At one point Lizza does quote Obama writing on a memo, “Have we looked at any of the other GOP recommendations (e.g. Paul Ryan’s) to see if they make any sense?” Another president might have looked at Ryan’s proposals himself or might even have called him on the phone.
Watching the Super Bowl Commercials and thinking what an absolute 0-bamafest!! Let’s see, your tax dollars spent $millions on GM commercials and then Clint comes on and talks about America coming back and we are only at halftime. Another joke. We are in the 4th quarter and America picked the wrong head coach!!
Leading one to ask:
What Does Obama Do All Day?
Besides golf, partying, checking a box here and there on a memo and reading a teleprompter how does the guy spend all his time?
According to a White House insider he hangs barefoot out in an office close to V. Jarrett’s, watches loud TV (sports) all day from a ratty leather over-sized chair, looks at lowbrow tabloid-type magazines, smokes, and gives gov’t business a very short shrift.
Great, just great.
@Nan G: Nan, you are so right on!! The sad part is that no matter how little he does, what he does decide to do is even more of a disaster!! He’s proven himself to be a shovel ready failure!!