Hindsight is 20/20...

[kentuck]

In hindsight, the threats that the GOP uses against the President may have been avoided if he had started his first term with a different tone?

Instead of looking for problem-solving bi-partisanship, he may have been better off if he had used Executive Orders more and had put the Republicans on the defensive?

He may have been better served if he had been advised to tell the people the truth about what he was inheriting from the previous Administration? We were in a situation that would take all Americans working together in order to recover from the huge economic mess and the wars in the Middle East. There was really no time for partisan bickering and maybe he should have made that more clear?

If he had done it differently from the beginning, he probably would not be confronted with the GOP threats today? The extremists of the GOP should have been defined and destroyed before they became the destructive force they are today?

But, hindsight is 20/20 and we are where we are today. If the President finds it necessary to veto the Repubs legislation, he should warn the Democrats that they need to be cover his back. There is no room for bi-partisan glad-handing if such a situation arises.

[NightWatcher]

1. Bullshit. We knew before he ever stretched out his bipartisan hand that they'd slap it

The GOP said on his 1st day in office that their #1 job would be to obstruct everything he did and prevent him from getting reelected. After that failed they maintained their promise to make sure that nothing positive happened so that no one would give Obama any credit.

Now, they will clog up DC with hearings and investigations now that they have subpoena power. As soon as they find anything that they can sell to their mouthbreathing constituents back home, they will impeach him, and it will fail to remove him (just like they did with Clinton). Their modus operandi is obstruction and harassment. They only serve to see who can be the most tea-baggery so that they can sell it to their people back home in order to lock up another re-election.

[kentuck]

2. Exactly! That was not the time to look for "bi-partisanship".

With the condition of the economy and foreign policy, I believe he would have enjoyed the support of a huge majority of Americans. Republicans should have been defined at that moment.

[Spazito]

3. It wouldn't have mattered to the repubs how President Obama dealt with them...

Remember the repub leadership met after the 2008 election, before President Obama was even inaugurated, where they committed to obstruct him and the Democrats in everything, everything.

Tone had nothing to do with anything, hatred of the President, on the other hand, had everything to do with it, imo.

[kentuck]

4. Still, the President sought compromise.

Did he not?

[Spazito]

5. Yes, he continued to treat them with respect...

but, the reality is it doesn't matter whether he treated them with respect or contempt, the republicans would have acted the same.

Your OP asked this question:

"In hindsight, the threats that the GOP uses against the President may have been avoided if he had started his first term with a different tone?"

My post answered your question, tone would have made no difference.

[kentuck]

7. I disagree.

I think it would have made a world of difference, considering the reality of the times.

[Spazito]

9. How would it have made a difference?

What would the repubs have done differently than they did?

[kentuck]

11. First of all...

it would have shown that he was not going to take their crap without a fight.

[Spazito]

13. How would "showing them he wasn't going to take their crap without a fight"...

have changed the behavior of the repubs?

[B2G]

6. Are you serious??

He spent the first 4 years in office reminding everyone what a mess he inherited. I remember because I cheered every time he said it.

[kentuck]

12. Really?

Very convincing.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Beware the "send me a bill I can sign" and "the need for compromise."

And, make all discussions about XL public as they occur.

[Avalux]

10. Hindsight is a fool's exercise.

And the GOP's goal to destroy Obama would have continued no matter how he acted, or the "tone" he took with them. They said so before he even took office. They have two years to impeach him NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES, and that's exactly what they're going to try to do. Fasten your seat belt and put in your earplugs, don't allow the GOP lies to convince you that it's all Obama's fault.