Why should he? You’ll do what Mr. “I’ve got a phone and a pen” says regardless, so he can treat you like a weekend mistress
(The Hill) House Democrats are frustrated with what they say is a lack of election-year communication from the White House.
The lawmakers say it’s difficult to defend President Obama from GOP attacks when he doesn’t confer with his allies about his strategy and intentions.
Some are scratching their heads why, after nearly six years in office and a reshuffling of his legislative affairs team, Obama’s working relationship with Congress remains prickly.
“It’s hard for us to fathom; I mean, is it just lack of full staffing and resources? [Is it] professional commitment? Is it a disdain for the legislative branch? I mean, what is it?†asked Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.). “People like me want to be allies – I mean, I am an ally. So work with us, reach out to us; you know, we’re not the enemy.â€
There are lots of reasons that Obama doesn’t bother. For one thing, as mentioned, he knows House Dems will simply follow along with what he says. He feels no need to bother with the daily grind of reaching out for that reason, along with the fact that he thinks everyone, including elected Representatives, are his subjects/employees, and should do as he says when he says it. The list goes on and one, but, suffice to say, he doesn’t bother
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) likened the relationship between presidents and their Capitol Hill allies to that between quarterbacks and the offensive linemen charged with protecting them. Some quarterbacks, he said, simply manage that alliance better than others.
“Certainly, Bill Clinton saw us as his offensive line and so he attended to the nurturing of his offensive line,†Moran said. “And I don’t think this president, this quarterback, invests all that much time and effort into the care and feeding of his offensive line.
Right there is a big problem with federal politics: elected officials in Congress are not an “offensive line”, they are meant to be a co-equal branch of government, not subservient to the President. If people like Moran do not understand that, they should get the hell out of politics.
It’s one of Washington’s worst-kept secrets that many Democrats have, for years, been frustrated by what they consider a lackluster communications operation between Obama and his allies on Capitol Hill.
Obviously, many dogmatically remain loyal to Obama, much like the media, doing their best impression of a drugged up lapdog. They won’t criticize him. Most won’t even softly chide him.
Crossed at Right Wing News.
