White House launches charm offensive with incoming GOP chairmen

[TomClash]

Source: Politico

House Republicans don’t take power for another three weeks, but the White House is already engaged in a behind-the-scenes charm offensive designed to build relationships with incoming committee chairmen before they become powerful adversaries.

The GOP chairmen are getting congratulatory phone calls from President Barack Obama, and private meetings with Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Attorney General Eric Holder. The incoming Agriculture Committee chairman, Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), is setting up a regular monthly lunch with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The White House's efforts moved into high gear shortly after the Republican victory on Election Day.

The White House relationship building doesn’t mean that Obama is ready to embrace his fiercest Republican critics on Capitol Hill, or automatically capitulate to their demands.

But it does signal that the White House is trying to work the referee a bit before Republican chairmen start sending subpoenas and summoning White House witnesses for committee investigations.

In these meetings, Obama administration officials are promising cooperation and straight dealing with the GOP power players, yet there’s also a public relations and political strategy in play — the White House is seeking political high ground and trying to position the Obama administration as willing to work with Republicans rather than succumb to partisan gridlock.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46258.html#ixzz17zGTrkOC

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46258.html

[bowens43]

1. "or automatically capitulate to their demands."

bullshit, it's exactly what it means. He has already done this.

" the White House is seeking political high ground and trying to position the Obama administration as willing to work with Republicans rather than succumb to partisan gridlock."

when is this guy going to realize he wasn't elected to be bipartisan? He was elected to enact the policies he ran on.


idiot!

[democrank]

2. President Obama was elected on

~CHANGE~

[TheeHazelnut]

3. Oh my god, this makes me want to puke...

...these people campaigned on calling him a Marxist.

[SpiralHawk]

4. ...And they have bluntly promised to attack the President relentlessly

The #1 republicon goal is to make Obama and America FAIL.

That's it.

So freaking pathetic.

[tomm2thumbs]

5. please don't hurt me, I'll give you anything you want

calling them hostage takers one minute and then inviting them over for tea - how quaint

[pam4water]

6. I'm going to be sick. Tries not to hit shoes.

[hankthecrank]

7. waste of time

[Turbineguy]

8. That's right.

Be nice to assholes coked to the gills on their new power.

[paparush]

Thank you sir. May I have another.

Sure, let's fellate the Repukes in hope that it sparks an air of bipartisanship.

Right. C'mon Obama, this is fucking WAR! These Repukes have no sense of honor, no sense of dignity. They need to be mowed down with the tank that is the Presidential Bully Pulpit.

[n2doc]

17. ...

[pam4water]

27. Perfect!

[pam4water]

28. oops

[hay rick]

9. They are going to take turns

throwing darts at "liberals."

[Ikonoklast]

10. As does every executive when a new majority comes into power.

Clinton did it, Bush did it, Obama is doing it.


The administration can point to offering to negotiate in good faith with people determined not to.

[LiberalEsto]

11. Snake charming, in other words?

I doubt those repukes would recognize charm if they drowned in it.

[jannyk]

12. "...before they become powerful adversaries."!!??!!

Bit fucking late for that.

:crazy:

[Mira]

13. Do that to me one more time...

once is never enough with a slug like you.

[redirish28]

14. Oh this makes me sick. The White House bends over backwards and kiss

GOP ass while they leave the base and progressives that elected them holding the shit bag!

[CanonRay]

15. This brings to mind my favorite acronym: WAFWOT

What A Fucking Waste Of Time.

I used to write it in my notebook during endless unproductive meetings.

[Roy Rolling]

16. What about the supporters?

The White House and the President should be thinking----how do I represent the ones that voted us into office and gave us our job. Not, how can I give away their interests in another attempt to be liked by my sworn enemies. It is beyond phony bipartisanship, it is sacificing your own team in a last-ditch effort to win over your captors. So what if Obama survives? That is not the Obama people elected it is "New-Obama"----willing to smear your own friends to get the "popular crowd" to like you. But like ass-kissing,loser frat boys do to others, Obama is being played by them. This is "Animal House" (the movie) all over again. They will invite Obama to a hotel room and "beat him up" unmercifully.

[AsahinaKimi]

18. Why the hell doesn't he get it???

I thought he was supposed to be brilliant. MEH!

[Hubert Flottz]

19. I think you call that Kissing Ass...

I hope the republicans vote for him in 2012.

[lunatica]

20. I think this is the right thing to do initially, but they should also carry a big stick

The White House would be blamed (yeah I know they're blamed no matter what) for alienating the Republicans right off the bat if they didn't do this. This at least shows some hope is still possible.

I wish they carried a big stick though.

[Jefferson23]

21. Behind the scenes charm offensive eh? More than what we have already

witnessed thus far..oh I can't wait for more.

[krispos42]

22. "before they become powerful adversaries"

:rofl:


Jesus, have the last four years simply vanished from their memories?


Don't they remember the 80% filibuster rate of the last 4 years???

[pgodbold]

23. The white house has fully implemented the auto-rape concession for all male republicans.

Auto-Rape is a fail safe, fully automated bending mechanism that detects the presence of erect Republicans and instantly implements a full bend-over move on the POTUS.

Auto-Rape is an Acme product. Patent pending. BUT WAIT! If you are a white house staffer and call within the next ten minutes you get a free Auto-Blow. Auto-Blow facilitates forced rounded shaping of white house staffers lips thus preparing Republican guests for the full experience of the Auto-Rape device.

Only at Acme, providing full service white house republican pleasure for more than 40 years. Formerly known as Jeff Gannon Industries.

[WhiteTara]

24. Nancy will be put out as the welcome door mat n/t

[NightWatcher]

25. Is he tickling their balls with his left hand or right?

If I put out a little more maybe he won't beat and burn me with his cigarettes

[BigD_95]

26. What happen to Obama fighting for us?

[somone]

29. It's gonna be like a school reunion

full of love and good cheer

[WillyT]

30. Oh Great... Now I'll Be Barfing For The Next Three Weeks...

:puke::puke::puke:

:banghead:

:beer:

:smoke:

[eridani]

31. Excuse me while I go outside and vomit n/t