Thursday, May 23, 2013
Political Mayhem Thursday: Is the Obama Administration in Trouble?
My own sense is that the President is not really suffering from the "scandals" coming out right now, revolving around the AP searches, the IRS problems with targeting conservative groups, and Bengazi. I just don't sense much fervor about it, and don't think any of them are close to a major scandal like Watergate.
Still... I was really intrigued by an article yesterday by my friend and DC insider Ron Fournier. Ron knows the White House, having served as AP reporter there (and DC bureau chief), and here is part of what he has to say:
Still... I was really intrigued by an article yesterday by my friend and DC insider Ron Fournier. Ron knows the White House, having served as AP reporter there (and DC bureau chief), and here is part of what he has to say:
The new media environment demands immediate and accurate answers. Journalists know more than most that being fast and accurate isn’t easy.
And yet the revelations cost the Obama White House some measure of credibility. In politics, as in life, when you constantly change your story, even on small matters, you sow doubt about your credibility and competence.
In different ways, each of the so-called Obama scandals revolve around the issue of trust .... The president’s greatest asset is his credibility. If this pattern of spinning and shifting stories continues, it could become a liability.
The central question of the IRS scandal is whether Obama advisers at the White House or within the reelection campaign orchestrated or knew about the targeting of conservative groups.
What do you think?
Comments:
<< Home
.
Is President Obama going to be impeached? NEVER!!!
Are Obama admin. officials going to jail? Very Doubtful.
Having said that, President Obama is in trouble. Judging by his public polling numbers, the voters are not following this #trifecta of scandals. But, as Ron Fournier notes (a real hero in all this), the credibility of the President is a fragile asset that has more to do with insider opinion and integrity and reputation. Those intangible assets (long big advantages for President Obama) are taking big hits this month.
Is President Obama going to be impeached? NEVER!!!
Are Obama admin. officials going to jail? Very Doubtful.
Having said that, President Obama is in trouble. Judging by his public polling numbers, the voters are not following this #trifecta of scandals. But, as Ron Fournier notes (a real hero in all this), the credibility of the President is a fragile asset that has more to do with insider opinion and integrity and reputation. Those intangible assets (long big advantages for President Obama) are taking big hits this month.
Another interesting angle in this whole mess (and something that has been building over the course of several generations):
We seem to have a new federal structure in which there are FOUR co-equal BRANCHES:
1. Legislative
2. Executive
3. Judiciary
&
4. Independent Presidency
I hear the WH saying quite often that it would not be appropriate to interfere with the executive branch in the course of its duties.
Or another way of looking at it:
1. Legislative
2. Executive
3. Judicial
&
4. Bureaucratic
Watching Douglas Shulman and Steven Miller testify before Congress, I perceived a palpable contempt for the legislators (and, of course, many of them are contemptuous). But they are also important symbols of popular sovereignty and accountability to the governed.
But the big cheeses at the IRS seem to feel that they are certainly smarter than those partisan rubes in Congress and also not really fearful or even respectful of their power to oversee their fiefdoms.
This, I fear, is a symptom of a big problem.
We seem to have a new federal structure in which there are FOUR co-equal BRANCHES:
1. Legislative
2. Executive
3. Judiciary
&
4. Independent Presidency
I hear the WH saying quite often that it would not be appropriate to interfere with the executive branch in the course of its duties.
Or another way of looking at it:
1. Legislative
2. Executive
3. Judicial
&
4. Bureaucratic
Watching Douglas Shulman and Steven Miller testify before Congress, I perceived a palpable contempt for the legislators (and, of course, many of them are contemptuous). But they are also important symbols of popular sovereignty and accountability to the governed.
But the big cheeses at the IRS seem to feel that they are certainly smarter than those partisan rubes in Congress and also not really fearful or even respectful of their power to oversee their fiefdoms.
This, I fear, is a symptom of a big problem.
Interesting! I suspect, though, that the most damaging story of all may be one that is continuing to develop today-- the FBI surveillance of journalists.
Obama is not in Nixonlike trouble or even Clintonlike trouble.
However, just as the wind was out of GW Bush's sails early in his second term, President Obama's domestic agenda is now dead.
He MIGHT get some sort of immigration reform done, but that will only be in enough Republicans sign on and put their own stamp on it. But he has no other big ticket items that he can push and expect to get passed.
He's just going to have to ride this out like Bush did in his second term. Thanks to gerrymandering its highly unlikely he will get a Democratic House in 2014.
However, just as the wind was out of GW Bush's sails early in his second term, President Obama's domestic agenda is now dead.
He MIGHT get some sort of immigration reform done, but that will only be in enough Republicans sign on and put their own stamp on it. But he has no other big ticket items that he can push and expect to get passed.
He's just going to have to ride this out like Bush did in his second term. Thanks to gerrymandering its highly unlikely he will get a Democratic House in 2014.
I agree with IPLG 100 percent, and I will add the obvious:
This could be a very long, hard slog to 2017 (for all of us).
This could be a very long, hard slog to 2017 (for all of us).
Add problems with implementation of "Obamacare" to his list of challenges. The devil is in the details on this, and there are a LOT of details. Apparently HHS Secretary Sebelius has been trying to raise private money to fund a government program. That's a big no no:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324787004578495033226047680.html?mod=djemEditorialPage_h
Post a Comment
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324787004578495033226047680.html?mod=djemEditorialPage_h
<< Home
