How Obama Learned to Ignore Republicans

[DonViejo]

Jonathan Chait has a great exit interview with White House adviser Dan Pfeiffer.

“The original premise of Obama’s first presidential campaign was that he could reason with Republicans—or else, by staking out obviously reasonable stances, force them to moderate or be exposed as extreme and unyielding. It took years for the White House to conclude that this was false… If you had to pinpoint the moment this worldview began to crystallize, it would probably be around the first debt-ceiling showdown, in 2011, when Obama tried repeatedly and desperately to cut a budget deal with House Speaker John Boehner only to realize, eventually, that Boehner did not have the power to negotiate. The administration has now decided that in many cases, even adversarial bargaining fails because the Republican leadership is not capable of planning tactically.”

Explained Pfeiffer: “You have to be careful not to presume a lot of strategy for this group. I’ve always believed that the fundamental, driving strategic ethos of the Republican House leadership has been, What do we do to get through the next caucus or conference without getting yelled at? We should never assume they have a long game. We used to spend a lot of time thinking that maybe Boehner is saying this to get himself some more room. And it’s like, no, that’s not actually the case. Usually he’s just saying it because he just said it or it’s the easiest thing to solve his immediate problem.”

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http://p.feedblitz.com/t3.asp?/17571/37190363/4908030/politicalwire.com/2015/03/09/how-obama-learned-to-ignore-republicans/

[tularetom]

1. IOW, Obama has consistently overestimated the republicans ability to think rationally

Just like some of us here have been saying since 2009.

Think how different things might have been if he'd altered his strategy to confront reality instead of trying to appeal to them as sentient beings.

[DonViejo]

2. No, IOW, Obama consistently underestimated the republicans ability to think irrationally...

and he was blinded to their totally "F it and the country" attitude. He was too idealistic, really believed the 'pukes wanted to govern and accomplish things. I think he was naive about the amount of racism they would put on display too.

[Xyzse]

3. I'm glad he did finally get it.

I think it took so long though, and the country would have been much better served if he figured this out much earlier.

Still, I am much happier with Obama now than I was back when he was first elected.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

4. No No No

Scores of think-tanks and other organizations - funded by hundreds of millions.

Taking the long view - with real goals.

They may make some missteps, some unscripted remarks, and even miscalculations ...

But the goals are clear and they march on.

[Scuba]

5. Sad that he didn't "get it" when the inaugaration evening meeting with McConnel, et al ...

... was exposed. There were a bunch of the most senior Republicans there and they swore an allegiance to destroy the President and his Presidency, and the Country if need be.

Yet even after knowing that he compromised and capitulated and even put Social Security cuts on the table. That I just can't wrap my head around. There's obviously been no 120-level chess game. Things have, with some notable exceptions, simply gotten worse.