ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES
Voices
has dismissed the president as a
weak negotiator, and many Democrats were upset at his deals to
extend the Bush tax cuts in 2010,
to install the sequestration mechanism in 2011 and not to enact more
sweeping tax hikes in 2012. But
that chatter led Republicans to underestimate Obama’s resolve and
to assume they could force concessions on the one item he held most
dear: Obamacare. It was a disastrous tactical choice. The public
has doubts about the health-care
program — doubts reinforced by
the sloppy rollout of the insurance exchanges. But the public
also doesn’t want to use the gov-
HOWARD
FINEMAN
ernment shutdown or debt ceiling
fight to send health care messages.
13. THE NEW IOWA
There once was a hiatus between
presidential campaigns. And there
used to be a tradition that new
senators didn’t start running for
president the moment they arrived
in Washington. No more. The insatiable demands of fundraising,
organizing and media attention are
one reason. Then-Sen. Obama’s
example in 2005 is another. No
wonder Sen. Ted Cruz, who arrived
only months ago, is leading the
Republican rebellion as way to run
for president. He couldn’t care less
if he ever passes a bill in Congress.
In fact, his whole campaign is premised on not passing things.
HUFFINGTON
10.27.13
President
Obama
addresses
reporters in
the Brady
Press Briefing
Room
during the
government
shutdown.