Meet The New Boss. Same As The Old Boss.

On November 2, Democrats lost a net of 61+ seats in the House (a handful of races are still too close to call), costing them the majority in that chamber, and Senate Democrats lost six seats. Pundits called it a Category 5 storm, a seismic change. The President labeled it a “shellacking.” Embarrassed, Democrats returned [...]

Meanwhile, The Game Of Bipartisan Chicken Continues

White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer lays down a blog challenge to Republicans: Post your own plan for health care reform, or suffer the consequences of public humiliation. (Yep, this is what public discourse has come to: Obama has showed his, now Republicans have to show theirs.) It is an ironic coming from a White [...]

The More Things Change: Looking Back On Presidential Calls For Bipartisanship

I have a Time.com piece up today looking at all the bipartisan rhetoric that has suddenly snowed in Washington, D.C. My take is rather cynical, owing to the fact that both Republicans and Democrats have simply added the bipartisan calls on top of their old partisan games, a bit like a new coat of paint [...]

Bipartisan or Bi-posturing? Obama Convenes A Rectangular Table

The meeting has begun, between Republicans Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, Democrats Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, and the senior White House staff, including President Obama. This is the first of what Obama has promised to be monthly gatherings between Republicans and Democrats, and basically nobody has much hope that they will amount [...]

Political Theater or Substantive Debate or Both?

As Karen just noted, in an interview with Katie Couric that aired just before the Superbowl, President Obama called for another bipartisan meeting on health care. After being pummeled by accusations of back-room deals and sharp partisanship, Obama said he would convene a half-day meeting where Republicans and Democrats would be able to discuss their [...]