McConnell makes it official: Obama is Public Enemy No. 1
I’ve been hesitant to make too much of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s statement a few days ago that “the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” It seemed over the top, like something McConnell said off the cuff, in the heat of battle, and probably regretted.
Surely it was more important to McConnell as a public servant to get millions of Americans working again, or to restore the nation’s financial health, or to stop Iran from getting the bomb. Surely working toward those and other national goals took priority over trying to defeat Obama, especially in difficult times such as these.
Silly, silly me.
“Over the past week, some have said it was indelicate of me to suggest that our top political priority over the next two years should be to deny President Obama a second term in office,” the Senate Republican leader plans to tell the conservative Heritage Foundation, according to excerpts of his speech provided to POLITICO.
“But the fact is, if our primary legislative goals are to repeal and replace the health spending bill; to end the bailouts; cut spending; and shrink the size and scope of government, the only way to do all these things is to put someone in the White House who won’t veto any of these things,” the Kentucky Republican will say. “We can hope the president will start listening to the electorate after Tuesday’s election. But we can’t plan on it.”
McConnell isn’t some talk-radio host trying to work his audience into a lather. He’s not a behind-the-scenes political operative or consultant plotting the next election. He’s the Senate minority leader, with an obligation to govern that ought to transcend partisan goals.
For that reason, it means something when a person in his position embraces partisan gain over all else, however he may try to justify it to himself and others. In fact, it’s hard to hear his statement as anything but a declaration of all-out partisan war, damn the consequences.
For example, given the choice of supporting something that was good for the country, but would also benefit Barack Obama politically, what would McConnell do? If you take him at his word — and I guess we have to, since he has chosen to repeat it for emphasis — you at least have to wonder.
I just can’t imagine such a bald assertion of partisan gain over policy at any other time from such a prominent source. Tom Daschle in 2002, saying “the single most important thing we want to achieve is beating George Bush?” Unthinkable, because then as now, the country had bigger things on its plate. Even Bob Dole and Newt Gingrich, at the height of political acrimony with Bill Clinton, didn’t publicly commit themselves to Clinton’s political destruction as their primary goal.
The good news is, at least we know where we stand.
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485 comments Add your comment
Call it like it is
November 4th, 2010
7:56 am
Hey Obama
You have the lowest popularity of any President.
You’re leading the country into socialism.
The unemployment rate is skyrocketing.
Your party just got one of history’s greatest beat downs.
What are you going to do now…………….I’m going to Disney Wo……………I mean India!
Normal
November 4th, 2010
7:59 am
Call it Like It Is was wrong four times…
joe matarotz
November 4th, 2010
8:00 am
How refreshing. McConnell thinks we need a President who will undo Obama’s blunders. Guess what, Jay. He’s right! Syonara Obama in 2012.
Paul
November 4th, 2010
8:03 am
I saw McConnell asked about that last night. He kind of shrugged it off with a “hey, this is politics. My goal is to advance our agenda, the President’s goal is to advance his agenda and stop mine. So it’s just saying what happens all the time in Washington. But there are areas we will work together on.”
The proof will be in his actions. We’ll see how that goes.
BTW, Jay – I hope Texas isn’t a harbinger of the national level. We went, according to our governor, from having a balanced budget before the election to in excess of a $20 billion deficit the day after. Republican leaders in the Legislature are repeating no tax increases and are considering pulling out of ….. Medicaid. There just might be a backlash coming. Gov Perry will be on Fox and Friends and the Today Show publicizing his new book. I’ve set the programs to record. Want to see if any of the talking heads ask any tough questions.
Oh, and he’ll be on The Daily Show on Monday. I’m definitely watching that.
Peadawg
November 4th, 2010
8:06 am
“For example, given the choice of supporting something that was good for the country, but would also benefit Barack Obama politically”
That’s an oxymoron. You liberals are arrogant just like Obama was in his speech yesterday. Americans don’t want Republicans to compromise w/ Obama. Americans don’t like Obama’s liberal policies. Did y’all not get that memo yesterday?
mystified
November 4th, 2010
8:07 am
It’s awful that our political system has gotten this far; but in fairness….Bill Clinton never simply told the Republicans “I won” as a reason he should get his way, nor did he ever call them the enemy even at the height of the impeachment lunacy. He led the nation and worked with the Republicans who responded in kind . Obama showed no effort to do so until these elections. Add that to the fact that Obama’s vision of what America should be is so absolutely opposite to what conservatives believe in; I don’t see how you can be surprised they want to limit him to a one term President.
Vetobama
November 4th, 2010
8:08 am
The Repudlickans voted in a block against every measure for the past two years. What’s new? Where’s the surprise. They vote the way they are paid to vote by foreign lobbies.
So do democratic airheads. So do Tea Party ogres and gargoyles.
The market, freed from the Obama tax and spending handcuffs, should be able to grow jobs. The only thing that can stop it is if the bizarro-world congress actually acts bipartisan and passes some ill-considered, ill-timed, worst-thin- tha- coul- happe- legislation.
Congratulations, America. You’ve achieved gridlock again!!! Nothing will make it out of the senate from the repudlickan house.
Not to mention VetObama.
“Veto-bama?”
I told you not to mention that.
JDW
November 4th, 2010
8:09 am
@Peadawg…been asking for a bit of clarification from some of the more conservative posters on this bit of historical info…
“From 1932 to 1994 the Dems controlled the House all but two years. Since 1994 they have controlled the house only two years. ”
From 1947 (couldn’t get nums back to 32 but it would make the post 47 growth rate higher) GDP expanded at the average rate of 3.55% per year. Since 1994 the GDP has expanded at the rate of 2.55% per year. Even if you leave the last 2 years out the rate of expansion would only be 2.72%.
On January 1 1994 our national debt stood at about $3.5 Trillion. Since then it has grown to $13.5 Trillion.
So over a 47 year period Dems grew the economy at a 3.55% average rate while amassing $3.5 Trillion in debt or about 25% of GDP which in 1994 was a 47 year low.
In the last 16 years Repugs have grown the economy at a 2.55% rate or about 28% per year less while amassing about $10 Trillion in debt representing an all time high of 62% of GDP.
Maybe you can tell us how this could be…after all we cut taxes.
mystified
November 4th, 2010
8:10 am
It seems the biggest surprise to the democrats in this election is that there are actually a lot of people who don’t like Obama and what he is doing.
Vetobama
November 4th, 2010
8:11 am
Worst-thing-that-could-happen legislation. ill timed. ill conceived.
Like the Terri Shiavo fiasco. Like the time they criminalized beer. Like the time they voted to fund MAMWADD: Mothers against mothers who aren’t against drunk drivers.
Peadawg
November 4th, 2010
8:13 am
“In the last 16 years Repugs…”
Um…there’s been Clinton, Bush, Obama since then and a Democrat controlled Congress AND house the past 4 years. So how is this all the GOP’s fault?
Vetobama
November 4th, 2010
8:14 am
Ublame Obama for the Unjobs? Ucant. The market is subject to universal quantum laws that include sunspots and the length of women’s skirts, and Eli Manning.
Lets just enjoy gridlock and congratulate the Repudlickans for their (ahem) SWEEPING victory, with or without Christine O’donnell.
Lets just enjoy being Americans.
hey, great news: we’re Americans.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
November 4th, 2010
8:14 am
A fairer statement would be that the president embraced the House democrat agenda that destroyed the country, that the president personally lacked sufficient economics knowledge to oppose the agenda of the Pelosicrats.
One need not hold a PhD in economics to appreciate that increasing regulation on the banking industry lending will choke off lending.
One ought not deceive ones-self into thinking that a threat of large increases in energy costs, attributable entirely to political fiat, will have no effect on business costs.
Seemingly even the weakest mind would understand that unfunded mandates to increase health care coverages will affect costs.
Increasing either government spending or federal taxation always reduces the amount of money left over for consumers to spend.
While most democrats think bills do not have to be paid, and that there is nothing wrong with spurning creditors, business-minded people – almost uniformly conservative and republican and increasingly tea-partiers – know otherwise. When governments increases costs, those costs have to be paid. For most businesses, the largest variable (i.e., “controllable”) cost is labor. So when you face larger costs, the easiest cure is to trim the workforce. Our titans of industry have rationally responded to the incentives provided by the Pelosicrats.
stands for decibels
November 4th, 2010
8:14 am
I think we should’ve been clued in to how this supposedly civilized legislative body would behave just a short time into Obama’s term. Senator Jim DeMint’s July 2009 remarks about how he relished the opportunity to “break” Obama—as if the President were some unruly bit of livestock—certainly helped set the tone.
McConnell’s latest AM talk radio-style ranting is just more of the same.
mystified
November 4th, 2010
8:15 am
Peadawg….Haven’t you got the memo yet….Everything is the GOP’s fault.
Peadawg
November 4th, 2010
8:15 am
“Add that to the fact that Obama’s vision of what America should be is so absolutely opposite to what conservatives believe in”
And the majority of the Americans according to what happened Tuesday night…Obama’s just hard-headed and arrogant.
Vetobama
November 4th, 2010
8:16 am
Congratulations to the GOP. I’m sure this will infuriate the president and shorten his sheets, (bad choice of words), uh it will put starch in his underwear, (no, that’s inappropriate too), confound it, I can’t offer up any props to the Repudlickans without sounding like an ignoramant.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
November 4th, 2010
8:17 am
Good news that almost nobody noticed, the stock market yesterday rose to its highest level since the inevitability of election of Obama was manifest. “The Dow rose 26.41 points, or 0.2 percent, to 11,215.13 at 4 p.m. in New York, the highest since September 2008. “
mystified
November 4th, 2010
8:18 am
Do you ever wonder that maybe the Dems treatment of Bush; the non-stop bashing from every corner set the stage for how the the next Democrat president would be treated?
If you didn’t want a street fight; you never should have taken the gloves off.
BlahBlahBlah
November 4th, 2010
8:18 am
The only thing that should be #1 should be to support and enact plans to help the nation recover. It is garbage like this that will ensure the Republicans don’t gain any more ground in 2012, and certainly won’t win the White House.
Vetobama
November 4th, 2010
8:19 am
Christine O’donnell really interests me. She is an excellent debater and speaker. She ain’t going away. If she gets a writer, look out.
Who could write for her? Gee, I don’t know. Nobody comes to mind. Can’t think of anyone. Maybe……
MOI?
BlahBlahBlah
November 4th, 2010
8:20 am
Mystified, you could substitute “Dems” with “Repubs” and “Bush” with “Clinton” and that argument would be no different. Think back to some of the hateful rhetoric we heard from 1993-2001, and get back to us about “non-stop bashing from every corner”
carlosgvv
November 4th, 2010
8:20 am
Mitch McConnell is simply following the orders of his corporate masters. They want less government so they can squeeze more work out of their employees without having to worry about all those pesky laws protecting workers. Nothing new in this. What is interesting is how the Tea Party and mainstream Republicans will get along in the House. I look for a Republican civil war and in two years Obama will once again look like a savior to most Americans.
jt
November 4th, 2010
8:21 am
Obama deserves some mo shellacking.
Rand and Mitch SHOULD tag-team his azzzzzzzzz. All the way till 2012 and then back to Chicago or where ever he is from.
Vetobama
November 4th, 2010
8:22 am
Stock market may sell on the “dawning news” when uncle sam realizes he’s woken up with a dead hooker.
Peadawg
November 4th, 2010
8:22 am
“The only thing that should be #1 should be to support and enact plans to help the nation recover.”
And blocking Obama’s liberal policies will do that.
Normal
November 4th, 2010
8:23 am
“Everything is the GOP’s fault.”
Not yet, but give them two years…
JohnnyReb
November 4th, 2010
8:24 am
Jay, McConnell’s words are troublesome to you, but sweet to Conservatives. We want Obama stopped and his damage undone – Obamacare, ownership of General Motors, sweetheart deals to Unions, over the top financial reform, etc. When I post comments along those line many here believe I am extreme, a rightwingnut, not representative of Conservatives. They are in denial just like Obama demonstrated his denial yesterday. Hello Obama, wake up. It’s your policies stupid. Your excuses are offensive.
DWTOO
November 4th, 2010
8:24 am
Jay – Sometimes I wonder why you do this. Supposedly blogs are for intelligent discussion and that’s sorely lacking here. Just a bunch of Fox News/Limbaugh/Hannity/RNC talking points. Suggest readers look into PoliticFact or FactCheck.
1) Obama’s poll numbers still haven’t passed Bush or Truman.
2) Although the Health Care bill remains unpopular there are many provisions that are popular – such as the insurance reforms regarding keeping children on their parent’s policy to age 26, lifetime limits.
What exactly is wrong with the health care bill? And it’s socialism is not an answer and neither is it’s a government takeover – it isn’t. And we already have socialized medicine in this country – the VA and Medicare. Leave the talk radio BS behind and let’s hear some specifics.
mystified
November 4th, 2010
8:24 am
As I recall, the republicans and Bush ended up working quite nicely together. There was the little thing of a 50 year old man taking advantage of an intern and then committing perjury about it. That was a bit of a disappointment from a man in that office and it got ugly.
Vetobama
November 4th, 2010
8:24 am
The congress should be split. A democratic senate and a Saudi House sounds about right to me.
Some things go together like a horse and carriage, like a gulf and a derrick, like a marsh and 30 weight.
like a gallon of gas and a five dollar bill.
WHAT????????
Peadawg
November 4th, 2010
8:26 am
“Not yet, but give them two years…”
If they are trying to pass stuff to help and Obama keeps vetoing everything…how would that be the GOP’s fault?
JDW
November 4th, 2010
8:26 am
@Peadawg the Republicans have controlled the house for 14 of the last 16 years…but if you want just explain the six years they controlled the White House, House and Senate….
rom 2000 to 2006 GDP grew at an average of 2.48% more than 35% under it’s average since 1947.
In January 2000 there was a balanced budget and at the end of FY 2001, Clinton’s last the national debt was $5.8 Trillion or 25% of GDP. At the end of FY 2007, the last budget approved by the Republican triumvirate, the deficit was about $500 Billion and the debt had risen to $8,950 Trillion or 36% of GDP.
Net job creation was almost zero with about 133 million jobs existing when Clinton left office and about the same number existing at the end of 2006…BTW the only time this happened in American history.
I don’t understand….we cut taxes? What will be different this time? Reagan, Bush and Bush all promised tax cuts, reduced spending and growth but if you look at the numbers IT DID NOT HAPPEN…except for the tax cuts.
mikefrga
November 4th, 2010
8:28 am
SSDD in DC.
We won fork the Dems.
But we won the Senate fork the Repubs.
WE THE PEOPLE ARE FORKED.
Roekest
November 4th, 2010
8:28 am
My God! What a leftist, misleading headline. So Bookman takes McConnell’s words out of context and tries to get people to believe McConnell actually said “Public Enemy Number 1″, yet where was Bookman’s post about Obama actually calling the opposition enemies when he was on Univision? You know what, Jay: You’re a sorry sack of ____. And you’re no better than Glen Beck.
Peadawg
November 4th, 2010
8:28 am
“What exactly is wrong with the health care bill?”
The fact that is doesn’t make insurance more affordable. Insurance companies can’t deny coverage for pre-existing conditions on kids under 19 anymore(which sounds really great) but they are raising premiums across the board to pay for all these people.
Paul
November 4th, 2010
8:29 am
Peadawg
The line you cited – ““Add that to the fact that Obama’s vision of what America should be is so absolutely opposite to what conservatives believe in”” – I’ve wondered about that.
Pres Obama said people should be responsible for their own health insurance and not expect others to pay for their health care. Conservatives take the position that people should not have to be responsible for their own health care – that if they get ill other people should pay for their care.
Never have figured out that one -
Vetobama
November 4th, 2010
8:30 am
The House of No.
A house divided against itself cannot stand. If I can’t serve two master then I will serve none.
Civil Disobedience. Nonviolent revolution.
Wear diapers and stop eating. Ghandify America.
Sundawg
November 4th, 2010
8:31 am
I have no problem with what McConnell is saying.
Paul
November 4th, 2010
8:31 am
Ragnar
“A fairer statement would be that the president embraced the House democrat agenda that destroyed the country”
I had no idea our country was destroyed…..
Ah well, maybe like Germany or Japan after WWII, we can rise from the ashes…. or maybe we’re destroyed like the Assyrian Empire, never to be seen again -
Doggone/GA
November 4th, 2010
8:32 am
“If they are trying to pass stuff to help and Obama keeps vetoing everything…how would that be the GOP’s fault?”
If it would truly help…and he does that…it wouldn’t be the GOP’s fault. But to get something like that actually to his desk to be signed WILL require the cooperation of the Democrats in the Senate. If that support is overwhelming (meaning the bill IS that good) I can’t see Obama vetoing it. He’s got too much sense.
USMC DAWG
November 4th, 2010
8:32 am
Sounds a little weak, Jay.
I didn’t pick you to be a sore loser and start nitpicking something out like this and try to make it an issue of it.
How about the “enemy” and “back seat” comments from Obama that Republicans took notice of but laughed off?
It’s politics for Pete’s sake.
I think you are better than this. just saying
Brad
November 4th, 2010
8:32 am
That’s a bit too nuanced for the right, Jay.
midtownguy
November 4th, 2010
8:32 am
There are several core Democratic groups not all too thrilled with the President right now. In midtown, he is only slightly more popular than Glenn Beck. He moves too far to the right, and the coalition that elected him falls apart. Going to be a tough two years for him.
Peadawg
November 4th, 2010
8:33 am
JDW, the problem with the early 2000’s was 2 wars that weren’t funded….that a dumb move by everyone involved.
“In January 2000 there was a balanced budget and at the end of FY 2001, Clinton’s last the national debt was $5.8 Trillion or 25% of GDP. At the end of FY 2007, the last budget approved by the Republican triumvirate, the deficit was about $500 Billion and the debt had risen to $8,950 Trillion or 36% of GDP.” – and since 2006 when Democrats took over the house/senate and then the Presidency, it’s now 14 trillion. So what’s your point?
Jpal1
November 4th, 2010
8:33 am
McConnell’s comments prove one thing…….He can care less about the working people. It seems all he cares about is his pockets being lined by his insurance company buddy’s. This country is hurting do to the last eight years of Bush and his pirates, which McConnell was a part of. His comments to about getting the President of the United States out of office is border line treason! Well McConnell you have your house back, so how about working for the people and not your corporate owned party. Better yet just resign and do us all a favor.
JDW
November 4th, 2010
8:33 am
Ragnar Danneskjöld
November 4th, 2010
8:17 am
“Good news that almost nobody noticed, the stock market yesterday rose to its highest level since the inevitability of election of Obama was manifest. “The Dow rose 26.41 points, or 0.2 percent, to 11,215.13 at 4 p.m. in New York, the highest since September 2008.“
WOW that must mean Obama is doing a great job…the DOW is up from 8943 when he took office that is a whopping 25%.
Of course the guy before him did a wonderful job too…on Jan 20 2000 the DOW stood at 10,602….opps my bad that means it was down almost 16%. Guess that guy wasn’t any good after all.
Doggone/GA
November 4th, 2010
8:34 am
“The fact that is doesn’t make insurance more affordable.”
And how is NOT having the healthcare bill going to make it more affordable for those who can’t afford it NOW?
JDW
November 4th, 2010
8:34 am
OPPS on Jan 20 2001 DOW was at 10,602
Paul
November 4th, 2010
8:34 am
Ragnar
“Good news that almost nobody noticed, the stock market yesterday rose to its highest level since the inevitability of election of Obama was manifest.”
Was that not the result of the Fed’s announcement they were buying $600 billion of gov’t bonds?