Ron Fournier explains how it's both sides' fault

[Enrique]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/the-beginning-of-the-end-for-washington-20131001

(...)

Second, voters want Obama to work with Republicans – or at least try. The president is seen by just half of Americans as trying to work with GOP lawmakers, according to the New York Times/CBS News poll. That is down from six of 10 Americans who said the same thing in January 2012 and three-quarters who said he would work with Republicans in 2010 and 2011.

Remember the central promise of Obama's presidency: He will change the culture of Washington. What happened? Obama has not only been taken hostage by the worst of Washington, gridlock and pettiness, but he seems to be suffering from Stockholm syndrome. His criticism of the GOP last week was as petulant as any GOP talking point. While announcing historic negotiations with Iran, a regime that sponsors terrorism, Obama said he wouldn't bargain with the GOP.

Reaching out to rivals doesn't mean capitulating on Obamacare. It does mean swallowing his pride, listening and helping the GOP find a way out of the box they've built for themselves. If this was merely a leadership pageant, Obama would win by default because House Speaker John Boehner is performing so poorly. But it's not. It's about the country that Obama leads, and everybody gets hurt when he cloisters himself off from the dirty process.

[closeupready]

1. Nothing he says is to be taken at face value, IMO.

He is a longtime GOP shill and Bushbot.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

2. Utter garbage

[G_j]

5. we picked the same word

nice to agree on something

[el_bryanto]

3. What exactly can Obama do? Fournier admits that capitulating on the AMA is a non-starter

So where are the other fault lines? The republicans have already got huge spending cuts.

I don't get where this article is coming from.

Bryant

[G_j]

4. worthless, mindless, garbage.. nt

[pa28]

6. God, I wish they'd just stop.

The New York Times editorial board, the high priests of both sides-ism, came right out and identified Republicans as the problem.

When that happens you finally need to face facts and recognize that Republicans are the problem here.

[BeyondGeography]

7. Haha, yeah

Some funny shit right there.

[City Lights]

8. He's an ass not even worth reading. nt

[NV Whino]

9. Oh, bullshit.

[madinmaryland]

10. How can anyone take a guy seriously who aided Timothy McVeigh in blowing up a gov building

and killing 160+ people.

[Warren DeMontague]

11. Here's the "process", Ron. The GOP gets over the fact that Obama won and the ACA is law.

The teabag shitwits grow the fuck up and stop banging their sippy cups on the table.

[Cali_Democrat]

12. bwhahahaha

So basically Republicans are to blame for the crisis and they boxed themselves in, but now it's up to Obama to capitulate for the good of the country.

You've gotta be fucking kidding me.