July 29, 2011

Leaders Cant Lead When They Are Sitting On The Sidelines

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Sidelined

PRIORITIES FOR OBAMA

As Leaders In Congress Address Debt Crisis, Obama Found Time To Deliver Remarks On Fuel Efficiency. In the morning, the President will deliver remarks on the next round of a coordinated national program to improve fuel efficiency for Model Years 2017-2025 cars and light-duty trucks at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. (White House Daily Guidance And Press Schedule For Friday July 29, 2011)

SCHEDULED AT THE LAST MINUTE, OBAMA GAVE YET ANOTHER SPEECH ABOUT THE DEBT CRISIS
Fox News Bret Baier: [T]his Was Basically The Same Type Of Speech Hes Given Numerous Times Now. (Fox News America's Newsroom, 7/29/11)

ALL OBAMA CAN DO IS GIVE SPEECHES THESE DAYS

Obama In Danger Of Seeming A Spectator At One Of The Most Critical Moments Of His Presidency. Having already deployed the heavy weapons from the presidential arsenal, including a national address on Monday night and a veto threat, Mr. Obama is in danger of seeming a spectator at one of the most critical moments of his presidency. (Jackie Calmes, President On Sidelines In Critical Battle Over Debt Ceiling, The New York Times, 7/27/11) White House Officials Have Largely Been On The Sidelines During The Latest Maneuvering (Naftali
Bendavid and Carol E. Lee, Debt-Crisis Vote Goes Down To Wire in House, The Wall Street Journal, 7/28/11)

Obama Has Found Himself Relegated To An Outside Role. President Obama has found himself relegated to an outside role, using his considerable public image to try to frame the debate going on 16 blocks down Pennsylvania Avenue. [Obama] honored the San Francisco Giants for winning last years World Series, but his record pace of news conferences has come to an end, and the public meetings with congressional leaders have disappeared from his schedule. (Kara Rowland, Obama On The Outside Looking In At Capitol Hill Debt
Debate, The Washington Times, 7/28/11)

Whats Not Clear Is The Nature Of Mr. Obamas Engagement, Or With Whom Hes Been Engaged. (Kara Rowland, Obama On The Outside Looking In At Capitol Hill Debt Debate, The Washington Times, 7/28/11)

WHILE GIVING SPEECHES, REPORTS EMERGE THAT OBAMA ISNT WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES
Obama Hasnt Spoken To Speaker Boehner In A Few Days. WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF BILL
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DALEY: Hes not spoken to the speaker in a few days. (Daley: Boehner And The President Haven't Spoken, CNNs Political Ticker,
7/28/11)

Obama Has Not Actively Reached Out To Congress To Work Out A Deal. FOX NEWS ED HENRY: They have suggested that the President has not spoken to Speaker Boehner in a few days. Youre right that their public posture is, look, the President is very actively working the phones, but I can tell you were starting to pick up reporting that raises questions about how active the President really has been on the phones. You know, a conservative Democratic Senator Joe Manchin was on MSNBC this morning saying that he thinks the President needs to be more active, he hasnt talked to him. This is the kind of conservative Democrat the President needs to sway if hes going to get a compromise in the Senate. Then one of our producers on Capitol Hill, Trish Turner, was calling around trying to find moderate Republicans who have spoken to the President, reached out to Senator Susan Collins as you know moderate from Maine her office said that she has not spoken to the President, has not heard from Vice President Biden but did get a call from the Small Business Administrator. Reaching out, urging Susan Collins to come along to the President's ideas here. Thats pretty far down the food chain. (Fox News America's Newsroom, 7/29/11) MSNBCs Joe Scarborough: [D]emocrats all saying the same thing. And that is this president has been invisible. He is not a leader. They said this all behind closed doors. Democratic leaders, Democratic rank and file in fact, 40-50 of the most powerful Democrats on the Hill, I will just stop right there. The president has vanished. He has left us here alone again like he did with healthcare. Where is he? Now they didnt call him a loser but they sure as hell didnt call him a leader. (MSNBCs Morning Joe, 7/29/11)

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