Bob Woodward: Obama's absence in shutdown talks 'a baffling element'

[rangerrebew]

Bob Woodward: Obama’s absence in shutdown talks ‘a baffling element’

11:28 AM 09/30/2013



In a break with conventional political wisdom, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward says that President Obama’s avoidance of talks to avert a potential government shutdown is “baffling” and could hurt him politically.

“He said he will not negotiate on the debt ceiling — a reasonable position, ‘I will not be blackmailed,’ he said. But he should be talking, they should be meeting and they should be discussing this because as I think Steve Rattner showed earlier, the America economy is at stake and the president, if there is a downturn or a collapse or whatever could happen here that’s bad it’s going to be on his head,” Woodward said on Monday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Woodward argues that history would judge Obama harshly if a shutdown occurs.



“The history books are going to say, ‘We have an economic calamity in the presidency of Barack Obama,’” Woodward continued. “Speaker Boehner is indeed playing a role on this. Go back to the Great Depression in the 1930s, I’ll bet no one can name who was Speaker of the House at the time — Henry Thomas Rainey. He’s not in the history books. It’s on the president’s head. He’s got to lead, he’s got to talk. And the absence of discussion here I think is a baffling element.”

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Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/09/30/bob-woodward-obamas-absence-in-shutdown-talks-a-baffling-element/#ixzz2gP00G6RV

Maybe he has golf games scheduled.

[massadvj]

Funny.  I am not baffled in the least.  This is the guy who decided he'd rather get a --- we all know what -- than attend to his duties as CIC at the moment our Libyan ambassador came under attack.  Why would anyone be baffled by his behavior now?

[GourmetDan]

Funny.  I am not baffled in the least.  This is the guy who decided he'd rather get a --- we all know what -- than attend to his duties as CIC at the moment our Libyan ambassador came under attack.  Why would anyone be baffled by his behavior now?

Even the usual tools are finding it difficult to support their president...

[mystery-ak]

http://freebeacon.com/woodward-if-shutdown-or-debt-ceiling-causes-economic-crisis-its-on-the-presidents-head/

BY: Washington Free Beacon Staff
September 30, 2013 7:47 am

Bob Woodward of The Washington Post said if there is a “downturn or a collapse” resulting from the failure of CR or debt ceiling negotiations it will be on President Obama’s “head” Monday on Morning Joe.

Woodward noted he respected President Obama’s objection to negotiating on the debt ceiling, but criticized the administration for failing to initiate any dialogue that could result in a deal on funding the government.

“It’s on the president’s head, he’s got to lead, he’s got to talk” Woodward said:

BOB WOODWARD: Can I enter in here just for a moment because I think it’s a good question. And there is something the president could be doing. He said he will not negotiate on the debt ceiling. A reasonable position. “I will not be blackmailed” he said. But he should be talking. They should be meeting, discussing this, because as I think Steve Ratner showed earlier, the American economy is at stake and the president, if there is a downturn or a collapse or whatever could happen here that’s bad, it’s going to be on his head. The history books are going to say, we had an economic calamity in the Presidency of Barack Obama. Speaker Boehner, indeed, is playing a role on this. Go back to the Great Depression in the 1930s. I’ll bet no one can name who was the speaker of the House at the time. Henry Thomas Rainey. He’s not in the history book it’s on the president’s head. He’s got to lead. He’s got to talk. And the absence of discussion here, I think, is baffling element.

[DCPatriot]

It's what I meant that we're dealing with an opposition that is essentially a Kamikaze pilot.

They don't give a fig if the government closes down.....as long as people suffer and as long as the criminal enterprise....make that a treasonous enterprise known as the mainstream media continues to cover for him.

In fact, he probably gets sexually aroused at the thought of Americans getting angry at Washington.

[Cincinnatus]

For criminy sake, it's obvious the Dems want the government to "shut down." It's their only hope for 2014.

[Olivia]

I don't think Obama knows how to negotiate. Has he ever?  Being known as a great orator is also a lie because he can barely speak in sentences without a teleprompter and someone writing the speech.

Let's face it.  Obama is a community organizer.  He's good at rallying the younger generation and that's why he speaks at the colleges. He's comfortable criticizing the republicans and that's about it.  He has no substance what-so-ever.

[Bigun]

Nothing baffling about it! It's Obama's MO and has been for a long time. Even before he became president he voted "present" on anything remotely controversial in the senate!