Boehner’s latest hissy fit has had, at least for the moment, the effect of saving Obama from himself. Reading his weasel words today at the town hall–I didn’t have the stomach to watch–about how we couldn’t afford good programs that benefit people, while he left completely unsaid that we apparently can afford an easy trillion a year on military–I thought to myself, “This man is the Auctioneer-in-Chief.” Madly in pursuit of a deal. Any deal at all.
Perhaps what stiffened Obama’s spine, if it has been stiffened, is the fact that Bernie Sanders is now considering a primary challenge to the President (or advocating one–not entirely clear from his remarks on Thom Hartman’s show.)
I believe that the only thing that can change the President’s calamitous course is a primary challenge, and yes, I’ve read the Serious People who insist that primary challengers don’t work, and you just have to suck it up. No. Not in these quantities.
And let us not forget that Obama’s approval ratings–based on polling two weeks ago, before his latest round of attempted derailing of the Democratic party–had gone down three points because of liberal disgust.
But Joel, I hear you mewling, didn’t you have any aesthetic or journalistic experiences today, or was it all political? Please. ..aesthetic and journalistic are my middle name.