Exclusive: Gov’t SHUTDOWN Will HELP Obama Politically, Former Clinton Aide Says

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" WASHINGTON – A former aide in the Clinton White House tells Raw Story the politics of a government shutdown will be good for President Barack Obama, and warns that the nature of today's Republican caucus will make negotiations more difficult. Progressive strategist Mike Lux served as Special Assistant to the President for Public Liaison from 1993 to mid-1995. He witnessed first-hand the White House's stand-off with the new Republican majority, which led to a partial government shutdown.


"It's fascinating, because Republicans don't control their own caucus unlike 1995," Lux said in an interview Tuesday. "When you were negotiating with Newt you were negotiating with the caucus. But Boehner has no control whatsoever over the 87 freshmen or over other people who are worried about tea party primaries." "It makes it much harder to negotiate the deals, which I think raises the likelihood of shutdowns."


The House on Tuesday afternoon approved 335-91 a stop-gap measure that would keep the government solvent through March 18. And though the Senate is likely to pass it soon, it's possible the two sides won't reach a budget deal in that time, bringing many government functions to a halt. After the clash in 1995 and the ensuing government shutdown, public opinion swung notably in Clinton's favor as most Americans blamed Gingrich for the fiasco.


"It just dramatically turned the whole frame of the conversation," Lux said. "When government was shut down, people got reminded about the good things government did for them. The fact that they couldn't go to the national parks or the museums, and the conversations about whether they would still get their Social Security checks."


Politically, "their best course of action is to stand their ground," he said, noting that a shutdown would "remind people of what they like about government" as he says it did in 1995. "Obama needs to show some strength here. Americans want a president who's strong."


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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/02/exclusive-govt-shutdown-will-help-obama-politically-former-clinton-aide-says/


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[NYC Liberal]

1. Republicans will get the blame because Obama has been in

office for two years and there's never been a threat of a shut down -- until the Republicans took control of the House. That is what people will see.

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2. And old guard republicans will turn around and BLAME those ' radical Tea Party ' activists for going

down the path of ' shutting down the government '.

[Bandit]

3. "Obama needs to show some strength here. Americans want a president who's strong."

Right ....when has that been the case? The one thing Obama has demonstrated time and time again is he is not a "Strong President". He is one that puts everything on the table... Everything is Negotiable.. There are no core beliefs he is willing to stand firm on.. Everything is Negotiable..Hell they even bragged about that fact...

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5. But hey, he gives such great speeches. Thats the true marker for real leadership.

Didn't you get the memo on this?


:sarcasm:

[Poboy]

7. "Obama needs to show some strength here. Americans want a president who's strong."

Obama 'strong'? Show 'conviction'?
Okay, who is asking for ponies now?
The man gives away the store as an opening move!

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8. And that was his secret ' super-duper ' heavy move used to scare republicans into submission.

[Kurovski]

4. All politics/a widdle governing

Whee.

[joeybee12]

6. I agree...knr