CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS
March 3, 2009 – 4:47 p.m.
Enough, Reid Says
By Kathleen Hunter, CQ Staff
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is accusing Republicans of deliberately trying to sink President Barack Obama ’s administration.
“It’s very clear they’ve made the decision that they want President Obama to fail,” Reid told reporters today, adding that some Republicans seem intent on saying “no to everything.”
When pressed, Reid declined to identify anyone by name. “Some have said so, others have just acted accordingly,” he said.
It seemed like strange talk from the Nevada Democrat, who started the 111th Congress lauding some Republicans for being willing to work across the aisle.
The majority leader specifically chided Senate Republicans for responding negatively to Obama’s fiscal proposals.
“When we tried to pass an economic recovery package, they said no,” Reid said. “When President Obama revealed a budget that would restore responsibility and invest in America’s future, they said no. And now we try to pass an omnibus bill that will help our economy recover and fund government, they say no.”
Reid said Republican opposition to the $410 billion omnibus (
New Hampshire Republican Judd Gregg , however, disputed the notion that GOP lawmakers want Obama’s fiscal policy to fail. He suggested Reid’s comments were prompted by a flap within the Republican Party over statements made by conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh.
“Most of us want to see the president succeed because this country’s in such dire straits, that unless this administration’s successful, we’re not going to get out of it,” said Gregg, who was Obama’s first pick to head the Commerce Department but withdrew from consideration.
Comments
Reid is a cry-baby. You got the votes to do what ever the hell you want without the GOP (You can always count on one or both of the "Maine Sisters" or Specter to get you to 60). So what do you care what they say (or hope). If your solutions are so great, then you don't need "Republican Cover". If, on the other hand, they're not, it won't matter anyway; Obama is President, he'll get the blame. Therefore, SHUT-UP and GOVERN. You wanted to control everything, well now you have it.
Voting against a bill (like the horrendous omnibus bill) doesn't mean you want it to fail. It means you think it will fail. There's a difference. Reid needs to learn that there are things worse than partisanship such as saddling our children and grandchildren with trillions of dollars of debt and expensive, ineffective entitlement programs.
Please, its not about control. When President Bush was in office, the Dems went along with him, determined to support the AMERICAN not REPUBLICAN President. I will say that it was stupid for them to think that just because you had majority of the votes in the House or Senate, you have total control. Democrats are seeing that you need to to work together with the Republicans and they DO need their support, but I am sorry, right now the Republicans in charge look like a bunch of whiners. All they can talk about is how unpatriotic President Obama is, how its not fair that he is bringing this country to ruin...HELLO! Your stocks were doing well in the Clinton Administration....Your stocks were thriving in 2000 and maybe about 3 or 4 years ago. We tried uber-capitalism which some just got greedy. Capitalism is great, but its those who got greedy that is causing this economy to go down, not President Obama. And that was on President Bush's watch. And I feel like the Reublicans forget that sometimes....Until they come up with some fresh ideas, not the ones that tanked in G. W's administrations, then the rest of the Americans will be more open to listening and appreciating what the republicans have to say, including Mr. Limbaugh-even though he is passionate, comes off as divisive in this time....
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