As usual President Obama has been playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers. Fineman recently commented that
President Barack Obama is launching his first diplomatic mission.
It’s not overseas; it’s local, 1.6 miles east of the White House. The president is heading to the U.S. Capitol to meet privately first with House, then Senate, Republicans.
Did he have to make the trip? Not really. At the very least he could have insisted that the GOP members come "downtown." Does he need GOP votes to pass his economic recovery plan? Probably not many: maybe four or five in the Senate if there is a filibuster.
and as usual he and the chattering classes just dont get it.
You see the President is playing this perfectly. He will go to the Republicans in a very public way and ask for their cooperation in the spirit of his "New Way" of bipartisanship. However what noone (including the Republicans) realize is that they are screwed if they do, and screwed if they don`t.
If they do go along and help the President they are helping him to fix this mess, thereby making him one of the greatest Presidents since FDR and cementing the Democratic party`s power for generations to come (you think 20 somethings like myself will ever vote Republican if the President and Democrats are successful in fixing this mess and ensuring our future?).
So obviously they will fight him tooth and nail right? They will huff and puff and filibuster their hearts out. Well here is where the chess part comes in.
Remember President Obama is the Great Orator, and knows how to give one hell of a speech or address. So first he puts up his proposals in the bipartisan manner,and the Republicans block it in the most partisan way possible. Well the one weapon (and it is a thermonuclear bomb of a weapon) President Obama has is this: His amazing ability to speak to the hearts and minds and consciousness of everyday Americans young and old.
So he goes on TV (and the Net) and gives an amazing (I cant imagine it, like the city of the Omelas) speech decrying how he tried to work with the Republicans, tried to help fix this awful situation, and (naming names) they played politics. All the while the economy continues to crash around our heads, and guess who the average American will blame now?
After that (and the 2010 elections to follow) the Republican minority dwindles down to a feckless regional party with absolutely no power and Obama (now with filibuster proof majorities in both houses) passes his plans through Congress. And just in time for the 2012 reelection the economy begins its long turnaround.
Check Mate.