EARLY IN HIS TERM, OBAMA'S RESPONSE TO REPUBLICAN QUESTIONS
WAS "I'M IN CHARGE HERE" The book, “The Price of Politics” (Simon and Schuster) is set for official release Tuesday.
In
Obama's Initial Meetings With Congressional Leaders, His Response To Republican
Questions Was "Look I Won. I'm In Charge Here." "He displayed 'two
sides' of his personality in early meetings with congressional leaders, Woodward
said. 'There's this divided-man quality to President Obama always. Initially he
meets with the congressional leaders, he says you know, 'We're going to be
accommodating, we're going to listen, we're going to talk, we're going to
compromise,' Woodward said. 'But then they -- Republicans ask some questions and
challenge him a little bit and he says, 'Look I won. I'm in charge here,''
Woodward continued. 'And the Republicans feel totally isolated and ostracized.
And this was the beginning of a war.'" (Rick Klein, "Woodward: 'Gaps' In Obama's
Leadership Contributed To Debt Deal Collapse," ABC
News, 9/10/12)
- Asked If Obama "Wasn't Ready For The Job Of Being President," Author Bob Woodward Said "There's Evidence That There Are Gaps... He Did Not Fix This." "Asked if Obama simply wasn't ready for the job of being president, Woodward responded: 'I am not ducking this. I am weighing evidence, and there's evidence that he got on top of a lot of things, he did a lot of things. And there's evidence that there are gaps,' he said. 'He did not fix this.' Woodward places particular blame for the failure to reach a deal with Obama, writing that the seeds of discord were planted early in his administration." (Rick Klein, "Woodward: 'Gaps' In Obama's Leadership Contributed To Debt Deal Collapse," ABC News, 9/10/12)
OBAMA WASN'T EVEN "IN CHARGE" OF HIS OWN PARTY
Then-Speaker Of The House Nancy
Pelosi (D-CA) Hit "Mute" On A Conference Call With Obama
During
A 2009 Conference Call, Then-Speaker Of The House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Put Obama
On Mute And "Got Back To The Hard Numbers" While He Continued Speaking.
"Woodward writes about the 2009 conference call: 'Warming to his
subject, he (Obama) continued with an uplifting speech. Pelosi reached over and
pressed the mute button. They could hear Obama, but now he couldn't hear them.
The president continued speaking, his disembodied voice filling the room, and
the two leaders got back to the hard numbers.'" (David Jackson, "Pelosi Denies
Muting Obama On Phone Call," USA
Today, 9/8/12)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
(D-NV) Told Obama To Leave The Room During A White House
Meeting
Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) Asked Obama To Leave The Room During A White
House Meeting So The Congressional Leaders Could Negotiate The Debt Limit
Privately. "Boehner said he believed that he and the others - Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid and House
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi - had a plan. He told Obama: We think we can work
this out. Give us a little more time. We'll come back to you. We are not going
to negotiate this with you. Obama objected, saying that he couldn't be left out
of the process. 'I've got to sign this bill,' he reminded the leaders as they
sat in the Cabinet Room off the Oval Office. 'Mr. President,' Boehner
challenged, 'as I read the Constitution, the Congress writes the laws. You get
to decide if you want to sign them.' Reid, the most powerful Democrat on Capitol
Hill, spoke up. The congressional leaders want to speak privately, he said. Give
us some time. This was it. Congress was taking over. The leaders were asking the
president to leave the meeting he had called in the White House." (Bob Woodward,
"Inside Story Of Obama's Struggle To Keep Congress From Controlling Outcome Of
Debt Ceiling Crisis," The
Washington Post , 9/8/12)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's
Chief Of Staff "Blasted" Obama During An Oval Office
Meeting
Reid's
Chief Of Staff David Krone Criticized Obama In The Oval Office For Being
Unprepared To Negotiate With Republicans: "It Is Really Disheartening That You,
That This White House Did Not Have A Plan B." "The climax comes when
Harry Reid's chief of staff David Krone accuses the White House of being
ill-prepared to handle the tough stance House Republicans were taking: 'Mr.
President, I am sorry - with all due respect - that we are in this situation
that we're in, but we got handed this football on Friday night,' [Krone says].
'And I didn't create this situation. The first thing that baffles me is, from my
private-sector experience, the first rule that I've always been taught is to
have a Plan B. And it is really disheartening that you, that this White House
did not have a Plan B.'" (Rob Wile, "WOODWARD: White House Got Caught
Flatfooted, Senate Was A Doormat In Debt Ceiling Deal," Business
Insider, 9/10/12)
- Woodward: "Several Jaws Dropped As The Hill Staffer Blasted The President To His Face." (Rob Wile, "WOODWARD: White House Got Caught Flatfooted, Senate Was A Doormat In Debt Ceiling Deal," Business Insider, 9/10/12)
- Related Article: Politico
- Research: RNC
