Republicans Torpedo Obama’s Bipartisan Vision

Barack Obama’s effort toward bipartisanship gets one wet blanket after another thrown on it: the Republicans refused to go along with his economic package and the Commerce Secretary designee – a Republican – bailed out. These are maneuvers of political competition. But Obama made mistakes as well.

Barack Obama’s push for bipartisan consensus on his colossal budget package, as well as for his “Cabinet of Rivals,” is increasingly revealing itself to be a waste of time and effort. The latest rebuff came when Judd Gregg, Republican Senator from New Hampshire whom Obama nominated as the next commerce secretary, withdrew from consideration for what he termed “irresolvable conflicts.” Gregg would have been the third Republican in Obama’s cabinet. He had accepted the nomination several days earlier just after Obama’s first choice, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, had himself withdrawn due to an ongoing investigation into his campaign expenditures.

Gregg accepted all blame for his withdrawal, calling the president “incredibly decent and generous.” But while Gregg may suffer the derision, Obama suffers the damage, particularly among Republicans whom he invited to cocktails at the White House and Super Bowl TV parties, seeking their support during America’s worst crisis since 1929. But all of them turned their backs on him in the end.

Not a single Republican voted in favor of his financial package in the House of Representatives: only three moderate Republicans in the Senate voted in favor of it. Judd Gregg abstained from voting and was blasted by both sides. He needed to make up his mind where he stood: either he was loyal to Obama and voted in favor, or he voted against and lost his appointment.

It looked as if Gregg didn’t understand this logic. Republicans accused him of treason both privately and in public. Obstructionism appears to be the new battle cry of a leaderless Republican Party after two election defeats. They seem to be saying, “Let Obama beat his head against the wall with his financial plan; when those who believed in miracles are finally disappointed and turn against him, we’ll be proven right.”

One could call that either cynical or politically smart. Republicans believe Obama’s gigantic spending program will neither stimulate the economy nor create jobs, but merely turn America into a socialist country just like the Democrats always wanted. Why it took Judd Gregg several days to recognize such obvious ideological chasms remains a mystery. Gregg says the President asked him to serve, and the White House says the Senator offered his services and vowed to support Obama’s policies.

The fact is, President Obama has had no luck with his selections and his team has shown little talent for choosing the right candidates for his cabinet. Two nominees were forced to withdraw because of tax problems. They damaged Obama’s promise to exclude “revolving door lobbyists” from his administration. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who also had tax problems, was only grudgingly approved because he was first in line. Then came Judd Gregg, said to have been recommended by Senate majority leader Harry Reid. Gregg is a fiscally conservative Republican from the stubborn and rather anti-government state of New Hampshire whose motto is “Live Free or Die.” Was the outcome really a surprise to anyone?

Sources say the White House’s decision to take oversight of the 2010 census away from the Commerce Department played an important role in Gregg’s decision to withdraw. The census is significant for minorities, who are notoriously under-represented, and politically decisive for the process of re-apportioning voting districts. With some justification, Republicans fear the head count will work to their political disadvantage if the White House oversees the process instead of the Commerce Department. Judd Gregg, who apparently will not contest the 2010 election for a fourth term, plays down the issue saying the subject played only a minor role in his decision.

Barack Obama received the bad news just after delivering a moving speech in Springfield, Illinois on the occasion of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday. The President said the nation was now much more united and that Lincoln was responsible for America’s rebirth as well as making his own presidency possible and he vowed to continue his quest for bipartisanship.