Boehner, McConnell refuse to take President's election-night call: The first lesson of the 2nd term

[kpete]

From the New York Times:

After his speech, Mr. Obama tried to call both Mr. Boehner and the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, but was told they were asleep.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/08/us/politics/president-obama-begins-work-on-second-term.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Probably asleep in the same bed.

Boehner was probably passed out drunk anyway.

[Puglover]

9. Probably asleep in the same bed?

So because these two are insufferable assholes they must be gay too? Be a nice guy/gal and edit or delete this.

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. Is that really the first thing that popped into your mind?

Shame on you. Why do you even suggest I meant that?

The point is these two are incapable of doing anything without the other. They team up to block Obama (and anything good for America) at every turn.

[Puglover]

13. Then why didn't you simply say that instead

of your oh so cute analogy? It certainly would have been more clear. And speaking as a 58 year old gay man you know what you can do with your "shame on you"

Edit to say: I do take you at your word that you had no ill intent with your post. However I think the analogy isn't a good one.

[1-Old-Man]

2. And what if that call had been about an imminent attack on the DC area?

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

4. Ding ding!!!

We have to make sure these ding bats are removed from office in 2014.

[cherish44]

3. They should have called HIM after he won

But that requires class and graciousness which they obviously have no comprehension of. That grumpy ass, sour puss, passive aggressive statement McConnell gave just shows he's not interested trying to do anything but obstructing any progress. He's treating this like it's a game of us versus them. I think we should make ousting McConnell and his ilk in 2014 our highest priority. It'll be a tough challenge but we've faced tough challenges before and triumphed.

[OldDem2012]

11. Bingo. nt.

[imanamerican63]

5. Poor boys?????

They were tired and up past their bed times!!!!!! I wonder if Romney would have been elected, they both would be up celebrating? They should have showed him(Obama) some respect? He is the president!!!!!! And another note, Boehner thinks he has changed??? Wrong, I still see the same tanned jerk!!!!!! Why did he held everything up before??? I think Obama will get his way and show them how politics really works!

[lalalu]

6. They still got the memo.

They lost big time.

[Epiphany4z]

7. good lord they are just so

JR High.

[Botany]

8. It was late at night so I'll give 'em a pass on this

... however Mitch saying the next day that the President needed to do
what he said was kind of classless.

[llmart]

10. Oh, puleeze....

See Response #2. This was sour grapes in it's highest form and as someone else upthread said immature.

[Botany]

22. it was a long day and they were tired ......

...... Blame Mitt for not conceding hours earlier when he knew it was over.

Both Boner and McConnell have another 4 years to seem petty and small ....
complaining that a 60 and 70 year old man went to sleep after midnight
is petty on our part. Both of them took calls from the President in the AM.

[llmart]

26. I'm older than 60....

and I stayed up. You're making excuses for them. My sister is 72 and she stayed up even longer than I did to hear President Obama.

[uponit7771]

18. nope

[BumRushDaShow]

14. The lamestream media punditry should be discussing

why THAT happened and what rethugs are going to do about it.

[City Lights]

15. They are such toddlers.

I wonder if they were sucking their thumbs as they slept.

[FarPoint]

16. Yea right....

When you get a call from the President of the United States...you don't take the call.

[spartan61]

17. Such small, selfish men.

Oops, I mean boys. They have yet to grow up and realize what their responsibilities should be when they are elected.

[tavernier]

19. Did this get twittered?

It should go viral.

[Swede Atlanta]

20. Why was he calling them?

The race was between Romney and Obama. Romney called the President and then gave his concession speech.

I really don't see why Obama thought he needed to call these two men in the middle of the night.

It would have been perfectly logical to wait until Wednesday morning to call them. But, as others have pointed out, they should have been calling him to congratulate him on his re-election but they are too classless to do this. This would be especially difficult for McConnell since he failed at his job #1 for the past 4 years which was to deny Obama a 2nd term.

I seriously doubt the republics are going to compromise. They still think they have political clout and that the people are behind them. This despite Obama's re-election, Democratic pick-ups in the House and an increased Senate majority.

I really wonder if at some deeper level they know the demographics are against them and that their hate-driven policies of protecting the wealthy and wanting to deny minorities the same opportunities and rights as others will never prevail in the future. So this is kind of a scorched earth mentality. If you can't win then burn down the house. It is very childish but I really wonder if this isn't the mentality of today's republics.

[imanamerican63]

24. It is the president's duty!

The president has the option to call the leaders of each parties, in both the senate and HOR. From what I understand he calls each one personally. Maybe he could have waited, but if the president calls, no matter what it is, you take the call! Bush called the same leaders when he won both his first and 2nd terms.

[HopeHoops]

21. Hell, they've been asleep in Congress all along.

[Sheepshank]

23. Trust me on this one.....

I'm book marking the NYT article and re-posting on my other discussion group, every single time hear that they Reps threw out the olive branch on 11/7/12 and falsely claim it was Obama who rejected it....because you know it's how the narrative will evolve over time.

[madinmaryland]

25. Boehner was passed out after a fifth of scotch and McConnell was inside his

shell and could not hear the phone.