George Will in Fox Debut: 'President Rather Enjoying' Shutdown

[mystery-ak]

http://www.newsmax.com/PrintTemplate.aspx?nodeid=529431

Newsmax
George Will in Fox Debut: 'President Rather Enjoying' Shutdown
Friday, October 4, 2013 10:52 PM

By: Cathy Burke

Pulitzer Prize winning columnist and commentator George Will made his debut Friday night on Fox News, joining a panel discussion on whether the Obama administration was benefiting from the government shutdown stalemate.

Will joined fellow Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer on the panel, and started the exchange, noting: "The president is rather enjoying this."

For President Obama, Will said, "a crisis is a beautiful thing to create."

Will said Obama had endured "a disastrous September," losing his choice for a successor as Federal Reserve chairman when Larry Summers withdrew as a candidate -- as well as his push to use military force against Syria for its use of chemical weapons.

"He needed to change the subject and this is how he did it," Will noted.

Will also questioned polls showing that 53 percent of Americans thought the government shutdown was "very serious."

"Most of what the government does is transfer payments," he said. "So I don't think 53 percent of the people are affected by this."

He also pointed out Obama's repeated insistence he wants a "clean CR" -- a continuing resolution to fund the government with no policy strings attached, as Republicans have been seeking -- "means 'I want the sequester to continue.'"

Panel host Bret Baier called Will's move to the network from ABC, where he appeared on "This Week" since its start in 1981, "a homerun" for Fox.

[Bigun]

I watched it and found it less than compelling.

The entire panel is witnessing the beginning of a paradigm shift in Washington and not one of them recognizes it for what it is.

[olde north church]

I watched it and found it less than compelling.

The entire panel is witnessing the beginning of a paradigm shift in Washington and not one of them recognizes it for what it is.

You know, my first thought wasn't that but there is something going on.  It's like that picture of the dinosaurs going about their business while you see the meteor in the background.

[sinkspur]

I watched it and found it less than compelling.

The entire panel is witnessing the beginning of a paradigm shift in Washington and not one of them recognizes it for what it is.

A paradigm shift? 

The only paradigm shift that will come out of this shutdown is that the Republicans won't have a shot at taking the Senate in 2014, thanks to Cruz and his antics.

[Bigun]

A paradigm shift? 

The only paradigm shift that will come out of this shutdown is that the Republicans won't have a shot at taking the Senate in 2014, thanks to Cruz and his antics.

Prattle on you nattering nabob of negativity!

[sinkspur]

Prattle on you nattering nabob of negativity!

I have never witnessed so much wishful thinking as exists on this forum.    Some of you actually think Ted Cruz is going to change the way Washington works.

The only thing Ted Cruz has done is alienate all but 20 or 30 House Republicans in the Congress to the point where he will get ZERO cooperation on anything else he wants to try.

[musiclady]

I have never witnessed so much wishful thinking as exists on this forum.    Some of you actually think Ted Cruz is going to change the way Washington works.

The only thing Ted Cruz has done is alienate all but 20 or 30 House Republicans in the Congress to the point where he will get ZERO cooperation on anything else he wants to try.

Have you ever considered that the reality is somewhere in between?

Ted Cruz has represented the majority opinion and stood for principles in a way that idealists appreciate.

Those who are negativists such as yourself mock him incessantly.

But some who are a mix of idealism and realism see that he has accomplished what most people thought couldn't be done, and has forced the majority hand to a degree.

We can't techinically come out on top here because we have neither the bully pulpit, nor the slobbering media, so our side can't be fully heard, and we only own half of one third of the government with a radical autocrat in the WH. 

But the House Republicans have been representing their constituents well, and even Mitch McConnell seems to have been aided in getting a spine in the Senate because of his more conservative colleagues. (Did you hear the open mic conversation with Rand Paul yesterday?  They're both pretty optimistic about what's happening).

This is not all negative, Mr. Sinkspur.

Standing on principle to protect the American people from disaster never is.

[Bigun]

I have never witnessed so much wishful thinking as exists on this forum.    Some of you actually think Ted Cruz is going to change the way Washington works.

The only thing Ted Cruz has done is alienate all but 20 or 30 House Republicans in the Congress to the point where he will get ZERO cooperation on anything else he wants to try.

One thing Ted Cruz DEFINITELY has not done is go around and tell people he is something he is not unlike some others I know who did exactly that for years!

[Cincinnatus]

Prattle on you nattering nabob of negativity!

Perfect, BigUn, absolutely perfect.