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You are here: Home / Whiny Little Brats

Whiny Little Brats

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Time for another press pool hissy fit:

Obama chafes at the time-honored practice of answering questions shouted at him during pooled, non-press conference events — and his staff has often opted for “stills sprays,” excluding print reporters or TV cameras who might capture Obama in the less than flattering non-act of snubbing a query.

When asked today why TV crews and print reporters were barred from the pool covering the White House meeting with congressional leaders on the deficit, Carney responded by pointing out that the administration has held two press conferences in the past two weeks and allowed TV cameras into the spray earlier this week.

“People shouted questions at him,” Carney said. He then added, “The purpose of the meeting is not to create a circus, but to negotiate, so today we’re doing stills only.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association has protested exclusion of print and TV from pools — and several reporters in the briefing room took Carney’s comment as an annoyed expression of presidential displeasure with shouted questions.

“It’s an absurd reason to say that because we asked questions you’re not going to allow cameras in there. He’s capable of ignoring our questions. He does it all the time,” said Chip Reid of CBS.

There is a reason the President ignores jackasses like Chip Reid.

Is it really so hard to understand why the President might not want a clown parade throwing rubber chickens and making farty armpit sounds during delicate negotiations? Christ, the only reason they are whining is because access is all they have- these talentless asshats have skated by on autopilot for so long, none of them know how to chase down or investigate a real story anymore (assuming they ever did), so now, when you refuse them the right to shout deeply insightful questions like “Are you any closer to a deal” or “Have the negotiations seemed tense,” you’ve basically cut them off at the knees. They won’t be able to dissect your facial expression or find some silly gotcha or call John McCain for a caustic response, and will have NOTHING to write about. They’ll be left writing about whether the President is sneaking smokes or that it smells in the press section of Air Force One or how many calories are in the Michelle’s lunch or whether someone was mean to Dick Cheney.

Oh, wait. They are already doing that.

Reader Interactions

91Comments

  1. 1.

    Hawes

    Ironically, it will probably be up to the money rags – WSJ, The Economist, Financial Times – to cover the impending Defaultageddon. Primarily because they are the only ones who can count to twenty with their shoes on.

  2. 2.

    Handsome Stranger

    Didn’t they fall all over themselves with dewey-eyed adoration for President Ronald Reagan when he refused to respond to shouted questions?

  3. 3.

    4tehlulz

    Speaking of the meeting, I wish TPm would stop pulling shit like this:

    Reports coming in that today’s two-hour debt ceiling negotiation session at the White House ended abruptly. More soon …

    Anyone heard anything?

  4. 4.

    Violet

    The US media should learn a few things from The Guardian and their investigation of Murdoch.

    Posted this in the previous thread, but re-posting here because it’s just that awesome.

    OT — ‘Pastafarian’ wins religious freedom right to wear pasta strainer for driving licence:

    Niko Alm announced the decision on his blog saying that after three years of struggle a psychologist had passed him fit drive and so he could wear the kitchen implement for the official picture.
    __
    A self-styled “pastafarian”, Mr Alm said he belonged to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, which lampooned religion. “Today I was able to get my new driving licence, and in it you can clearly see that I’m wearing a colander on my head to demonstrate my allegiance to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster,” Mr Alm wrote in his blog.
    __
    “My headwear has now been recognised by the Republic of Austria.”

    The picture is with the article. He really is wearing a colander on his head. All hail the FSM!

  6. 6.

    General Stuck

    Is it really so hard to understand why the President might not want a clown parade throwing rubber chickens and making farty armpit sounds during delicate negotiations?

    This is a fine example of the delicious snark I got hooked on BJ a while ago. You must have et yer Wheaties today.

  7. 7.

    danimal

    I think their real complaint with Obama is that he doesn’t respect them in the same way they don’t respect themselves.

    I suspect Obama doesn’t mind real reporters focusing on real issues, but that he hates the mindless, gossipy trivia that dominates the MSM. The shouted questions are almost always either trivia, horserace bs or gotchas.

  8. 8.

    WaterGirl

    You are in fine form today, John Cole!

    When I was in grade school we learned about the shocking and shameful period of “yellow journalism”. And now we apparently get to live through it again.

  10. 10.

    Turgidson

    Geez Cole. Whatever you’ve done/eaten today, you need to do it more often. Fun stuff on here today.

  11. 11.

    beltane

    These spoiled prep school losers really are insufferable. If I were omnipotent I would set them to work scrubbing toilets all day, only feeding them if they did a particularly good job. Maybe that would be the trick to turn these obnoxious brats into real men and women.

  13. 13.

    Kathy in St. Louis

    You couldn’t have put it better. The quality of the new coverage, from the White House or any other spot in Washington is just pathetic. Reporters think that they are the stars of the pieces they write or front for the camera. All news is really personality-driven, not just because we, as the consumers, are too dull to grasp the finer points of the stories, but also because the reporters are too dumb to grasp the stories they cover. No wonder David Gregory never asks a decent follow up, Candy Crowley is so lazy, and David Brooks just throws any old shit up against the wall. They have gotten away with it so long that they perceive it to be their “right”. Since Obama has decided not to play by their rules, he is now the enemy. I know a couple of places where downsizing might be a good thing. This WH press corp is one of them.

  15. 15.

    MikeJ

    If you take a five year out in public and all he does is yell, “I WANT CHICKEN FINGERS!” you don’t take him with you to French Laundry.

    When they learn how to act in public they can go nice places.

  16. 16.

    Turgidson

    I think their real complaint with Obama is that he doesn’t respect them in the same way they don’t respect themselves.

    Yeah probably, and also too, if he had just taken the time to speak with a fake accent and think up insulting nicknames for a bunch of them like the Cowboy King of Fail did, they’d enjoy being treated like the useless marmots they are.

    edit: Comrade Javamanphil got there first with the nicknames bit.

  17. 17.

    Zach

    I’m pretty sure the outrage here trumps anything that Chip or anyone complained about when George Bush took this question from a conservative plant in 2005:

    Senate Democratic leaders have painted a very bleak picture of the U.S. economy. Harry Reid was talking about soup lines. And Hillary Clinton was talking about the economy being on the verge of collapse. Yet in the same breath they say that Social Security is rock solid and there’s no crisis there. How are you going to work – you’ve said you are going to reach out to these people – how are you going to work with people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality?

  18. 18.

    Zifnab

    We can always stack the press pool with ex-gay porn stars to pitch the President softball questions, if it will make Chip Reid feel more comfortable. :-p

  19. 19.

    MikeJ

    @Violet:

    The US media should learn a few things from The Guardian and their investigation of Murdoch.

    The same Guardian that has refered to victims of phone hacking as “victims” with scare quotes?

  23. 23.

    Emma

    According to Reuters, Obama walked out of a meeting when Bonbon Boy got a little stroppy and told him what he had put on the table were “accounting tricks.” I saw another news report where Obama basically said: “Enough. I’m taking this to the American people.”

    The fecal matter is hitting the whirling blades, folks.

  24. 24.

    joes527

    The shouted questions are almost always either trivia, horserace bs or gotchas.

    Amen to that.

    Just yesterday, Charlie Gibson was yelling out: “Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?”

    total gotcha. I mean, in what sense was he supposed to take that question, Charlie?

  25. 25.

    dmsilev

    The networks should save money and consolidate the political and entertainment news divisions. Having a bunch of reporters shouting “Who are you wearing?” at John Boehner can’t be any worse than what we have now.

  27. 27.

    Martin

    Someone is off message:

    South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham conceded Wednesday that he and his fellow Republicans are now eating their own words as they try to convince the country they are working to stave off a federal default.
    __
    “Our problem is we made a big deal about this for three months. How many Republicans have been on TV saying, ‘I’m not going to raise the debt limit.’ You know, Mitch [McConnell] says, ‘I’m not going to raise the debt limit unless we talk about Medicare.’ And I’ve said I’m not going to raise the debt limit until we do something about spending and entitlements.’ So we’ve got nobody to blame but ourselves,” Graham told reporters after a GOP caucus lunch.
    __
    “We shouldn’t have said that if we didn’t mean it.”

  28. 28.

    Cat Lady

    Does anyone anywhere pay any attention to what these fuckwits think, or care about their fee fees? If they all died in a fire tonight, would any of them be missed by anyone other than their families? They’re all as useful as tits on a bull and as replaceable as a plastic cup, so who gives a shit.

  29. 29.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Is it really so hard to understand why the President might not want a clown parade throwing rubber chickens and making farty armpit sounds during delicate negotiations?

    I almost hate to point this out but….

    Reagan did it, and he looked good doing it.

    And before everyone jumps all over me, let me point out that he is the President… Clown parades is what it is all about. Somehow or other I think he is able to deal with it, (and look good doing it).

    You guys on the other hand….

  30. 30.

    Emma

    And since the edit button doesn’t work… According to another news report, Cantor is saying that Obama stood up and said: I’m taking this to the American people.

  31. 31.

    Zach

    @Emma

    According to Reuters, Obama walked out of a meeting when Bonbon Boy got a little stroppy and told him what he had put on the table were “accounting tricks.” I saw another news report where Obama basically said: “Enough. I’m taking this to the American people.”

    Judging from the desperation oozing from the conservative spin on this I’m excited to hear what actually happened. It reads like Cantor’s just desperate to erase his walking out of a meeting by saying Obama did it, too.

  32. 32.

    FlipYrWhig

    Does anyone anywhere pay any attention to what these fuckwits think, or care about their fee fees?

    I’m not sure that news reporters, entertainment reporters, and reality-show contestants even come from different places anymore. You can’t tell me John King has one fucking idea about “news” or “politics.” He’s a jawline and a haircut.

  33. 33.

    trollhattan

    @23.Emma – July 13, 2011 | 7:42 pm · Link

    According to Reuters, Obama walked out of a meeting when Bonbon Boy got a little stroppy and told him what he had put on the table were “accounting tricks.” I saw another news report where Obama basically said: “Enough. I’m taking this to the American people.”
    __
    The fecal matter is hitting the whirling blades, folks.

    Uh boy, it’s hard to play chicken with “true believers” but at this point, chicken dinners all around!

    Also, too: I’m torn as to which of the following would be the worse neighbor.

    http://news.yahoo.com/minnesota-wi-fi-hacker-gets-18-years-prison-032803295.html

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2015596892_apusbearattackownerdies.html

  34. 34.

    General Stuck

    From Bloomberg

    The president “got very agitated” and said, “Don’t call my bluff; I am going to the American people,” said Cantor, a Virginia Republican. Obama “shoved back from the table” and left, Cantor said.

    When a twerp like Cantor runs to the camera to spout the details of what was said, or allegedly said in these negotiations, then it is time for Obama to pull the plug on them, and tell the wingers to do what they need to do, and he will do what he needs to do. This is sophmoric bratting, and totally useless. And I seriously doubt that Obama said “Don’t call my bluff” to Cantor, as this entire shitfest has been one big GOP bluff from the git go.

  35. 35.

    WaterGirl

    My advice to the republicans:
    Do not fuck with Obama on this.

    Obama walking out of that meeting today – after Eric Cantor basically pissed in Obama’s face – tells me that Obama has a very defensible Plan B for handling this that the republicans will not like.

    Remember, this president is the candidate who hired the guy who knew it was all about delegates and had the plan for delegates that worked like a dream.

    Obama has balls of steel, and you know he has to have a plan, and these idiots are double-dog-daring him to use it. Idiots.

  36. 36.

    aisce

    one correction cole: there are no “delicate negotiations.” there are no negotiations period.

    the president just doesn’t like being screamed at by our idiot press.

  37. 37.

    Gravenstone

    @4tehlulz: It’s either walk out, or come up with a reason why you strangled the former Congressman from Virginia with your own hands in a justifiable fit of anger.

  38. 38.

    FlipYrWhig

    @ Gravenstone : And you know if that happened Nancy Grace isn’t gonna run 6 months of “Justice for Eric.”

  39. 39.

    Emma

    From TPM: At one point, Cantor pushed for a short-term extension of the Aug. 2 deadline for Congress to raise the nation’s borrowing rate, a request Obama shot-down, according to a Democrat familiar with the discussions. He also told the group of Congressional leaders that they can’t accomplish anything if everyone keeps sitting in their own corners refusing to budge and move beyond their political comfort zones.

  41. 41.

    Gravenstone

    Actually, since Cantor ran to mommy with this (his spin on it anyway), you can rest assured the “angry black man” card is about to be played from the bottom of their deck.

  43. 43.

    Zach

    @Watergirl “Remember, this president is the candidate who hired the guy who knew it was all about delegates and had the plan for delegates that worked like a dream.”

    If you look at the (far too many) episodes of briksmanship in Obama’s president, Obama always comes out on top. The stimulus was made much better in committee. The tax cut compromise was made to expire in a couple years and didn’t turn out to have any spending reductions in it after all. He’s quite good at making gains on the margins after the media has decided who won and lost the day.

  44. 44.

    General Stuck

    you can rest assured the “angry black man” card is about to be played from the bottom of their deck.

    Boehner earlier today played the inadequate “jello” black man card, so the other bookend to the code would likely follow.

  46. 46.

    demkat620

    So Obama walks out on whiny boy Eric Cantor.

    Good for him. Enough of this nonsense. Call them out, Mr. President.

    But, then I am an Obot so, YMMV

  47. 47.

    aisce

    @ general stuck

    And I seriously doubt that Obama said “Don’t call my bluff” to Cantor, as this entire shitfest has been one big GOP bluff from the git go.

    um, what?

    of course obama has been bluffing the republicans bluff. there is no “grand bargain.” there was no “grand bargain.” there will be no “grand bargain.”

    bending over backwards to seem reasonable? posturing. negotiating. reinforcing preexisting public notions to enhance prestige and gain political ground.

    he’s not offering republicans the compromise of a lifetime. that’s bullshit sweet talk for media idiots like david brooks and ezra klein and fred hiatt. his “deal” is what he wants, not what republicans would want. the dollar amount is a misdirection. it’s all democratic priorities and cuts. just like april. by setting himself up as the compromiser-in-chief, obama actually gives himself room to be intransigent as shit in private with no cost! it’s all a game.

    so if the republicans start bitching about how shitty the deal is in public, obama just beats the shit out of them in public anyway about taxes and misplaced priorities. like he did to paul ryan. he’s got them completely beat.

    that doesn’t mean he’s being an honest or fair negotiator. he’s a nasty politician when he needs to be. he is the fucking president of the united states after all…

  48. 48.

    General Stuck

    Wow. I just suggested Obama needs to shut this clown show down and looks like he just did.

    TGIF? Obama Sets Friday Deadline On Debt Talks In Tense Meeting

  49. 49.

    Turgidson

    The tax cut compromise was made to expire in a couple years and didn’t turn out to have any spending reductions in it after all.

    The GOP is still wiping the egg off their faces on that one, which is probably part of the reason they’re trying to call out what Obama’s offering now as accounting tricks.

    Since, by all accounts, Boehner and Cantor have a combined IQ slightly below room temperature, they probably don’t have a clue how substantial the cuts really are, but need to try that talking point out.

  50. 50.

    lamh34

    Reuters reporting POTUS said

    Would Ronald Reagan be sitting here? I’ve reached my limit. This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this

  51. 51.

    General Stuck

    um, what?

    of course obama has been bluffing the republicans bluff. there is no “grand bargain.” there was no “grand bargain.” there will be no “grand bargain.”

    Obama calling the GOP’s big contrived debt ceiling bluff, is not the same thing regarding basic causation of this entire exercise. Unless you want to go full pedant on me.

  52. 52.

    Maude

    @General Stuck:
    Cantor’s problem is that Obama doesn’t speak like that.
    He has been insulting Obama for days now. It’s about time he had his wings clipped. I am being polite about Cantor.
    McConnell sounded old for the first time yesterday.
    The older Repubs released the Kracken and can’t control it.

  54. 54.

    ThatLeftTurnInABQ

    Obama walking out of that meeting today

    On the Bloomberg news version of this story, Cantor is the only source cited. I say “Show me the videotape, or Cantor is a fucking liar”. Does anybody else have a link to this “news story” that isn’t also sole-sourced from Cantor and giving only his version of events?

    At this point I don’t think we should say “Obama walked out” regardless of whether you think that is a good thing or a bad thing, because we have no way of knowing if this actually happened or is just BS.

  55. 55.

    Zach

    @Turgidson – “The GOP is still wiping the egg off their faces on that one, which is probably part of the reason they’re trying to call out what Obama’s offering now as accounting tricks.”

    Yup. That’s why McConnell’s scheme wasn’t going to fly without him doing a lot of legwork ahead of time getting support from key freshmen and tea party folks. Instead, it got leaked before it could get Grover Norquist’s seal of approval and the rest is history.

    I still say this ends with the GOP finding a way for a clean increase that pins the blame on the Democrats; just need a new trick now that McConnell spoiled that one.

  56. 56.

    dmsilev

    Here’s something interesting. One of Bush’s money-men has an op-ed in tomorrow’s NYT arguing that Republicans (a) should make a “grand bargain” and that (b) it should be 80-20 spending cuts/new taxes:

    Rather than go to their martyrdom as ideological purists, they should open the door to tax increases — but only if every $1 in new taxes is applied to deficit reduction and is matched by at least $4 in real spending cuts, including entitlement reform.

    and also:

    Unfortunately, there is a major stumbling block to any sort of real reform: the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a document written by Americans for Tax Reform, a conservative advocacy group, and signed by most Republican senators and representatives. The pledge states not only that signers will oppose hikes in marginal income tax rates, but also that they will “oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.” In other words, signers of the pledge are supposed to vote to keep an irrational and corrupt system of tax loopholes if even $1 of savings goes toward deficit reduction.

    Guess the big money folks are starting to speak up publicly as well as (I assume) in private. And the anti-Norquist slam is also rather interesting.

  59. 59.

    Emma

    If even one third of all of this is true, I’m going to sleep like a baby tonight.

    Zach: I still say this ends with the GOP finding a way for a clean increase that pins the blame on the Democrats; just need a new trick now that McConnell spoiled that one. Can I offer you some antidepressants? You’re beginning to have some sort of Stockholm syndrome here.

  60. 60.

    Zach

    @ThatLeftTurn — CBS has the White House take in their story: “The president reportedly told the group, “I’ve been very patient” and that he wants agreement now. The officials said the president ended his statement, stood up and headed back to his office.”

    I don’t know that Cantor grasps the subtle difference between walking out of a room and saying, “these negotiations are over!” and walking out of a room and saying, “work it out — see you Friday!”

    Dude’s really desperate, yet somehow his power keeps increasing every time Boehner opens his mouth.

    @Emma — I don’t mind giving into the hostage takers on that one. I’m pretty certain that the GOP will run worse campaigns than they would otherwise if they’re given the opportunity to run on the debt ceiling. Who cares about the debt ceiling? Who even knows what it is who hasn’t made up their vote? Every dollar spent on a debt-ceiling ad is a dollar wasted. Go for it.

  61. 61.

    General Stuck

    lamh34

    My guess is that the fact that Moody’s announced today a “review” of America’s credit rating has pushed Obama’s patience to taking charge as the only adult in this nonsense, and will make it known Friday that he will not allow the US to default on borrowing to pay its debts. This shit is getting serious, and the pol theater needs to stop on this issue, NOW.

  62. 62.

    jl

    Here is an idea.

    1. Make a list of all the organizations in the White House Correspondence Association.

    2. Exclude all of them from all White House coverage.

    3. Invite local press around the country to come cover the White House.

    Just three steps, and not one step missing. That is better than the Underpants Gnome plans any day.

    There will be some hard ship caes (that is, honest and conscientious reporters) in the WHPA, but they can be dealt with on a case by case basis.

  63. 63.

    jl

    Cantor is lying, is what it is. SOP for these guys by now.

    The realize that their little show is not convincing to much of anyone outside of the twenty seven percenters, so they need to cook up a lie that will give our worthless and corrupt press and excuse for ‘balance’.

    The country is doomed and we are all going to die. Hordes of gremlins and zombies have attacked my city, giant meat eating bats are gnawing at the walls.

    And now the bond downgrade! OMIGOD!

    Ooops. I was hallucinating. Well, OK, the bond downgrade is coming on some random weekday soon. And hoodcoodaseenitcoming?

  64. 64.

    lamh34

    James Fallows is shrill!

    More on Rep. Cantor as Least Valuable Player

    Last month I argued that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was doing more harm to the national interest, or at least doing so more noticeably, than any of his Republican or Democratic colleagues on Capitol Hill.

    But …Cantor? As Jonathan Bernstein and Matthew Yglesias have pointed out, he has gone straight from the White House-Congressional negotiating sessions, prepared a slide show (you can see it here) purportedly based on their contents, and used it to encourage House Republicans to pocket all of the hypothetical …

    …if a leading party in a very important set of negotiations has shown that he’ll walk right out of the “bargaining” room, release a distorted version of what has just been discussed, and use it to whip us his side to more demands, that makes a difference too. For the worse. The prospects for an agreement now are worse because of Rep. Cantor’s presence in them. That’s not because he’s a conservative — so, obviously, are Boehner and McConnell. It’s because he’s acting like a weasel.

  65. 65.

    Turgidson

    @ Zach 58:

    The “I’ve been very patient”…get up and leave tactic sounds a lot more believable, given Obama’s temperament and history, but Cantor and his loyalists in the media will probably give the “angry black man” thing a spin anyway since they’re almost out of options.

    I wonder if, somewhere tucked away in the White House where no one will ever find it, Obama had a soundproof padded room installed so that he has a place to go when he sense that he’s at the end of his rope. A place he can scream at the top of his lungs and punch things and get it out of his system. I consider myself pretty even-keel and calm too, but there’s no way I could have made it this far into a 4-year term without getting into at least one (probably several fistfight[s] with Cantor (in particular) and some of the other GOP lunatics he’s forced to deal with regularly. Geez, just reading articles about these meetings makes me want to break things.

  66. 66.

    scav

    jl @63
    Damn, you got the looming manatee danger in my brain again and I can’t breath from laughing. it hurts.

    ETA, ah, there’s a missing e there somewhere. here, you put it in “e”

  67. 67.

    PreservedKillick

    My take:

    Cantor has all the republican power since the only hope of passing any debt limit raise with just the republicans depends on him. He’s realizing he cannot do it, so he’s panicking. He further knows all this shit is on him, and he’s losing all support outside his 27%. He had a dream deal and he pissed it away.

    Obama isn’t budging.

    If Cantor cannot get the concessions he’s not going to get, all the shit in the world is coming down on him and republican party, who are already asking for a bunch of shit which is deeply unpopular outside the 27%.

    Rock, meet hard place.

    We’ll either see a clean raise or the 14th amendment. If the latter, the wrath of the world is coming down on the 27 percenters. There won’t be *anyone* defending them, except maybe redstate. Even Fox won’t be liking this, this will hurt their pocketbooks in a big way.

  68. 68.

    BD of MN

    haven’t seen an open thread for awhile, so I’m gonna put this here.

    MN gov’t shutdown gets real, Miller/Coors has to pull beer from shelves because they didn’t get the brand licenses for 39 brands renewed in time…

    Construction projects shelved? whatever… state employees laid off? sucks being them… rest areas closed? I’ll just pee at the gas station, no biggie… But now they’re messing with my BEER! Think the pressure is ratcheting up any on the legislators now?

    Question: Countless pundits have likened MN’s issues to the Federal issues. Does the national Republicans apparently blinking bode well for the Dems in MN?

  69. 69.

    Gravenstone

    Surprise, surprise, Cantor is spinning like a top trying to make it look like Obama was the aggressor. From a Democrat in the room. (Politico link, sorry)

    Democratic sources dispute Cantor’s version of Obama’s walk out, but all sides agree that the two had a blow up. The sources described Obama as “impassioned” but said he didn’t exactly storm out of the room.
    __
    “Cantor’s account of tonight’s meeting is completely overblown. For someone who knows how to walk out of a meeting, you’d think he know it when he saw it,” a Democratic aide said. “Cantor rudely interrupted the president three times to advocate for short-term debt ceiling increases while the president was wrapping the meeting. This is just more juvenile behavior from him and Boehner needs to rein him in, and let the grown-ups get to work. “
    __
    On exiting the room, Obama reportedly said that “this confirms the totality of what the American people already believe” about Washington, said a Democratic official familiar with debt negotiations, that officials are “too focused on positioning and political posturing” to make difficult choices.

  71. 71.

    jheartney

    Obama’s allies in this are the markets; they are not at all interested in exploring what a real default would look like, and they do have juice with the GOP leadership. McConnell already got his marching orders from the big money boys, and soon it’ll be Cantor’s turn. The Moody’s announcement puts pressure on the GOP congresscritters to stop farting around, and the hard deadline means they’ll be told by the Masters of the Universe that their futures will not be pretty if they don’t fall on their swords.

    Remember this is the same Obama who had the balls to go through with the Bin Laden raid. He’s taking a gamble, but he’s much smarter than his opponents, and when he decides to go all in, it’s at a time when he’s got a good chance to win.

    At least I hope so.

  72. 72.

    PreservedKillick

    You know, there’s some absolutely solid ground here.

    The speaker of the house (the real one, not the usurper), most of the republicans in congress and in the senate, the house and senate dems and, of course, the President – they all have something in common.

    They all hate Eric Cantor with a passion right about now.

  73. 73.

    PreservedKillick

    You know, there’s some absolutely solid ground here.

    The speaker of the house (the real one, not the usurper), most of the republicans in congress and in the senate, the house and senate dems and, of course, the President – they all have something in common.

    They all hate Eric Cantor with a passion right about now.

  74. 74.

    gwangung

    Remember this is the same Obama who had the balls to go through with the Bin Laden raid. He’s taking a gamble, but he’s much smarter than his opponents, and when he decides to go all in, it’s at a time when he’s got a good chance to win.
    __
    At least I hope so.

    Oh, there’s no hope about that. That’s EXACTLY his M.O.

    THe only worry is when he miscalculates the odds. Is this one of those cases? Dunno, but given the lay of the land, I say not…

  75. 75.

    drkrick

    We’ll either see a clean raise or the 14th amendment.

    Meaghan McCardle had a good point about this today (I know, but bear with me) – even if the Treasury goes 14th Amendment, who’s going to buy the new debt and at what rate? Given that the legality of it will be at least somewhat questionable, it’s sure not going to be priced like AAA paper even if you can sell as much of it as needed.

  76. 76.

    Gravenstone

    @lamh34:

    how did you blockquote the whole segment? Everytime I try I have to blockquote paragraphs seperately.

    The double underscore between paragraph breaks worked for me.

  77. 77.

    scav

    A massive uncertainty they’re wrestling with is some of the new players aren’t playing with enough cards to recognize all the suits.

  78. 78.

    Amir_Khalid

    @lamh34:
    The trick is that, after each paragraph of your block quote (but not after the last one), you insert a blank line with a double underscore at the beginning.

  79. 79.

    Calouste

    @drkrick (74):

    Considering the shitheads that have hold on one chamber of Congress you’d have to wonder whether any US paper is worth an AAA rating at the moment.

  80. 80.

    PreservedKillick

    Meaghan McCardle had a good point about this today (I know, but bear with me) – even if the Treasury goes 14th Amendment, who’s going to buy the new debt and at what rate? Given that the legality of it will be at least somewhat questionable, it’s sure not going to be priced like AAA paper even if you can sell as much of it as needed.

    China.

    Because if they don’t, the cost to them will be higher as their existing holdings go down in value.

    The EU faces a similar calculus. If we default, the indirect cost to them will certainly be in the trillions.

  81. 81.

    General Stuck

    Given that that legality of it will be at least somewhat questionable, it’s sure not going to be priced like AAA paper even if you can sell as much of it as needed.

    No one has standing to sue, and the courts are highly unlikely to intervene in a feud between congress and the president on such lofty constitutional questions of power and primacy.

    The only other thing the wingers could do would be to start impeachment hearings on Obama. I wish the assholes would, in my more dark and cynical moods.

    Mcconnell’s plan gives some pol cover to Obama, with its signal by senate wingers that the debt ceiling is an inappropriate battlefield for policy and pol warring.

    It would be better for some deal to satisfy the statute with a vote, but Obama may have no other alternative.

  82. 82.

    Linda Featheringill

    Proposed scenario in the upcoming days:

    Prez makes statement this weekend, after the Friday deadline. He assures the world that the US can and will make their debt payments and on time. He will explain that the till will have only X amount of money and outline how he has directed Treasury to use it.

    The military will get paid, in full and on time. People who are on disability and SSI will get their money. Medicaid and Medicare will be funded for the nonce. SS will be divided by a means test, separating the poorer segments from the more secure segments. SS, BTW, has all the info necessary to make this determination. Those with resources below a certain point will get their SS checks but those above it will not.

    Thank the American people. And may God bless the United States of America.

    [Hail to the Chief]

  84. 84.

    PreservedKillick

    Can you imagine the teaparty explosion if China and Europe bailed us out?

    I mean. Wow.

  85. 85.

    Dee Loralei IPhone

    Someone needs to deliver the ” you have messed with the primal forces of nature…” speech from Network on Cantors ass! Maybe the President’s chief of staff.

  86. 86.

    harlana

    If they want to play the “angry black man” card, go right ahead. It just shows Obama as the strong black man who just whipped little piss-pants, whiny boy’s ass. That’s gotta be humiliating for the teafartiers.

  87. 87.

    lol

    Debt ceiling increase will pass on a voice vote. That way every individual member will have plausible deniability.

  88. 88.

    scav

    China as a knight coming to rescue us because they really really really need us? Possibly, but there there’s more to life than mere clean usury. With some geographic license

    That if once you have paid him the Danegeld,
    __
    You never get rid of the Dane.

    . . . .

    We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
    __
    No matter how trifling the cost;
    __
    For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
    __
    And the nation that plays it is lost!

    AND I agree there’d be plenty of head-sploding.

  89. 89.

    Nutella

    OT, but speaking of whining, there may be some major whining coming out of Minnesota soon. The government shutdown is going to cut off retail sales of alcohol so bars may not be able to get beer, says TP. Could lead to a popular uprising.

  90. 90.

    Ash Can

    it smells in the press section of Air Force One

    Then don’t sit next to Chip Reid.

  91. 91.

    Nellcote

    @89

    There running out of cigarette tax stamps too. So soon no beer and no cigs. Could get interesting.

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