"I want to be entirely clear. No one wants to default on the full faith and credit of the United States Government.
John Boehner used these words to announce President Obama had won the tedious political slugging match over the national debt ceiling. Who holds the high ground is no longer in dispute. Speaker Boehner was compelled to open his presser by implicitly denying his GOP is willing to blow up the US economy in the name of ideology. Interesting that he assumed this was the first thing people were dying to know.
Today the President carried himself as a man ready to win his case before the people. Mr Obama mentioned the various compromises discussed during negotiation. He used his presser to inform public opinion.
As noted, Mr Boehner opened up on the defensive and stayed on his heels. Mr Boehner described the negotiations as his GOP defending the supposed will of the American people. He used his presser to inform the public of their opinion.
The President was calm and statesmanlike. Mr Boehner was evasive and relied on finger-pointing and name-calling. The contrast is clear to all.
The real significance is not that President Obama looked good and Speaker Boehner... not so much. The significance is in the insight this gives us into the negotiations. On a negotiating table level, Mr Boehner is starting to have the haunted look of a defeated man. In the Court of Public Opinion, the President has won the central issue: He is the adult in the room.
Today John Boehner made that perfectly clear.