 President Obama in the White House Blue Room following his remarks on the budget deal
April 9th, 2011
03:15 AM ET
Behind the scenes of the White House budget battle WASHINGTON (CNN) - In a town where politicians like to keep score the White House isn’t boasting about the budget victory. “The American people" won, a senior administration official told reporters at a background briefing after the deal was reached. This is a "very good night for the country." The White House was feeling optimistic that it was on the verge of a deal Thursday night. When House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Harry Reid left the Oval Office meeting, “there was kind of an agreement on a range and agreement on the kind of composition,” said another one of five officials who briefed reporters. But by three or four o’clock in the morning Friday, the officials described a breakdown. “There was a higher number,” said one official, “north of $80 billion dollars. There was also renewed talk about family planning. As sharp verbal punches were thrown throughout the day on Capitol Hill, the White House kept silent. The president never made any public statements and spokesman Jay Carney never held his daily briefing. That was not by accident, according to the officials who briefed reporters. It was a “directive from him," [president] one official said. The idea was to stay out of sight, avoid finger pointing, and allow negotiators to work out a compromise. The senior administration officials painted a picture of a president who rolled up his sleeves and got engaged throughout the process. "Every time the process seemed to get bogged down the president picked up the phone and made clear that we had a responsibility to the American people...that we shouldn't play politics." “He did not want this to become a family planning bill he wanted it to be a spending bill,” one official said. In fact, on Friday the president spoke by phone with House Speaker Boehner four times. (only two calls had previously been made public) He also spoke with Senate majority leader Reid “multiple times,” one of the officials said. During one of the Oval Office meeting this week, one of the officials described how the president went through every controversial rider that Republicans wanted. Rob Nabors, his Legislative Affairs Director, who had been carrying around a list of the riders, pulled out his papers then sought out a copy machine so that everyone in the meeting could get a copy. It took so long that Boehner was said to joke that they “might want to find a faster copy machine?” In describing the tone of these meetings one official said “at no point did the discussions in the room get personal.” The president never scolded Boehner for public comments that appeared to contradict what was being discussed in private negotiations, the officials said. Neither side wanted a government shutdown, but the president wasn’t willing to give ground on allowing the controversial family planning rider to be part of the deal. "In this case we just were not going to move on this, said one of the officials." "We cut some things that were hard for us to cut." "You have to make tough choices, the official said." So what forced the deal? “The clock probably played the most important factor," said one of the officials. With the clock winding down Nabors was on the Hill, kept the White House informed throughout the negotiation process and signaled that a deal had been reached. It was White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley who informed the president around 10:30pm. |
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Props, Mr. President.
You disappointed me when you caved to the tax cuts for the rich, and even more when you joined the GOP by paying for that cut that added one TRILLION dollars to the deficit, on the backs of the elderly, poor, and helpless by ONLY making cuts to programs that were defined to help those less fortunate among us.
So, imagine my surprise when the final details came out that you got what WE the people wanted! A "clean" budget bill!
I knew you would never throw woman's rights under the bus, but I fully expected you to meet the fascist GOP's blackmail attempt by giving them every else they wanted including the whole EPA department and the keys to the treasury.
Instead, you did NOT give in and you appear to have once again, found your spine, that would be the same one I saw on the campaign trail, and we got a very fair compromise and the same one you said you would sign at the beginning of the week, a "clean" bill, where clean was defined as no riders and the GOP only got 38 billion instead of the 100 billion in cuts.
You stood firm and on your principles.
I am very glad to say, you appear to have rediscovered your self-respect.
So, here in Dallas the sun is shining brightly on a new day and my new attitude, may it do the same to you in D.C.
DITTO
Let the GOP provide any plans they want. They are not worhty of consideration and will be rejected ... Oh wait that has already happened...... GOP he party of no ... oh wait that is Obama...
GOP you have it wrong and are oh so close to making it .... when will you stop spinning the party line ...step back and look at both sides .... It is now and always has been about making the other side look bad,
There was no "Budget Deal" made, all that was done was to keep the "Government" open and now the politicians have to debate all the "Cuts" next week. This is a joke, nobody won the losers are the tax payers, because the tax payers are the one who have to pay for everything. The only workers that are affected are all government workers and non-essental workers. This has nothing to do with the private sector in creating jobs. The only jobs that would be created are government jobs. It has come to my understanding that John Boehner is a weak Speaker of the House and show that he can't get anything done. He couldn't wait to become "Speaker" now that he is "Speaker" he has shown not to be vey strong. At the "Budget Meeting" at the White House Speaker Boehner got his clock cleaned. He came away with nothing. When the "Budget" is debated the tax payers will see that "We the People" are the biggest losers. It's time for the Republician Majority to start looking for a new Speaker who can show "Strenght and Leadershop" this is what John Boehner is lacking. Again it's the Democrates 7 Republicians 0
Unless you give The democratic party the budget they want .... The president will reject it .,.... He has already done that several times. A big show of calling them to the white house ... then rejecting the ideas .... Obama heads the party of no
Obama is trying to turn this thing as if the Democrats won. This is not a game. This is Americans out here. We suffer from your ignorant decisions. Just like your healthcare. If we're to have it rammed down our throats then I suggest you ram it down yours and all the government workers in Washington. I'm have never heard of anything so sorry as to think you would not pay military soldiers fighting in anothert country their salaries. And the sad fact is they were to loose that pay. It would not be paid later. If a thing like this happens then that is time for the country's military to initiate MILITARY LAW and kick your butt out of the White House. All Republicans and Democrats will have to go. Everyone of you dogs seem to have forgot you work for us. PALIN 2012
First i think you are talking treason, and actually want a military state. I for one do not want such a thing. Why is the military (all volunteer) any more important than any federal worker. why not demand that congress not get paid on shutdown . I am ex military, but i dont understand no one forced them to join, they were not drafted. all federal workers have mortgages and bill just like all military families, one exception the military will have food on the table and a roof over their head. Look at the budget talks they want all of it right now by holding planned parenthood hostage which doesnt use federal money for abortion . and from all the press release it seems that president obama did not take credit for them coming to a short term agreement.
thank you so much president obama. words cannot express how much I respect your always calm yet get stuff done for we the American people. bless you and try to get a little well deserved rest, hardest working potus ever.
I was goning to respond ... but my laughter made it impossible ......
When we have a very smart and shrewd President like we have in Obama, it's a win, win for us all. Not once did he make this budget battle about him, not once and that can't be denied. Republicans came after him more than once saying, he's missing in action, then they said he shouldn't interfer, then they said he's out campaigning, etc. They couldn't get the job done until in the last 72 hours Mr. President had to step in and that's the end of the truth.
Yo're so disllusional you think Obama had something to do with this budget. Get a life. The President does not set budgets. He only suggest to his moron Senators to not let it be cut. he has no desire to cut the budget but it will be cut. The Democrats might as well get used to it. Come 2012 they will not be in charge anymore. TheN the budget and whaT OBAMA RAN UP IN EXPENDITURES PLUS ALL HE BORRYED WILL SOON START TO DISAPPEAR. AS WELL AS HE THANK GOD WILL DISAPPEAR FROM THE FACE OF THE GOVERNMENRT. THE WORST PRESIDENT THIS COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN,.
How old are you. If your older than 14. then you scare me. You may need to learn some history, something for sure. Or your super wealthy and silly.
He is smart AND shrewd.... He has rejected the republican ideas and made it look as if they have not presented any.... now he can point to them and say where are your ideas..... very shrewd and typically dishonest
Gaylon – you sound just like the politicians in Washington that you decry. Name calling, cutting people down with wicked words. The fact is no one lost pay so lets stop talking about what didn't happen and what did. There is a budget deal, no one will like everything which means its probably pretty good. No side gets 100% of what they want, thats called compromise. You've got to be kidding to think that military law would be a good thing in this country – do you ever watch the news? Countries with military law in place are the very ones rebelling now. Be reasonable please...
and the community organizer in chief has that well in hand as well...... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Claudia, – ou are one more sick woman. Obama helped in no way. He is a scam and you will cry in your soup when you see the real Obama the traitor.
Liz...You are so right. Rush, Fox, right wing talk show hosts all hate and try to destroy Obama regardless of the collateral damage. In this case, they make judgments as to what he does during these crisis/events without having full information as to what goes on behind the scenes. I dare anyone that disagrees with this temporary solution to go to the NCO club or any base and denounce it.
very interesting point made recently about conservative talks shows ... they make up 10% Liberal leaning shows make up 90% .... I am sure that those conservatives are just making you mad...... AGAIN evaluate your position. You are speaking form the point of view that assumes you are 100% right ..... AND THATS never gonna happen.....
Gaylon Barrow,
Why can't you disagree without being disagreeable?. You just called Claudia a sick woman and before that the President and all elected officials were called dogs!.....where do you get off?.
You have the right to disagree with any and all of his policies if you want to,but don't start calling people names and insulting them – while hiding behind your keyboard.
Let me remind you.....a majority of Americans voted for him to become President – get used to it!.
A very slim majority indeed ... What happened last November?
Claudia; you're right and I agree. President Obama did not claim one time to make this government 'shutdown' aversion about himself; being the sensible, intelligent, humble, and willing to try to compromise with the 'terrorists' in WASHINGTON; most being personally 'terroristic' against him, at whatever he attempts to do, he still flies above the fray and is able to announce to the AMERICAN people; 'We did it'. You and I know the REPS nor DEMS could come to agreement on anything until he got fully involved.
Being as slick as Willy he rejected the conservative position and then pointed at them as if to blame them ... .Just like you Liz he operates from the assumption that he is 100% right 100% of the time....
Oh yeah, I meant to tell you not to pay any attention to the one who thinks everyone is 'one more sick' person who can read between the lines of lies and lunacy, media madness, and can see through the smokescreen of beauracracy, systemic negative perception, hate and disdain which has been lodged against this PRESIDENT since day one. These nuts are on a mission to take this nation down, as long as they bring OBAMA down with it! Then they'll all blame the whole demise of AMERICA on that one man! HATEFUL!!!
My My My such name calling ... I think Sleek said it best .... read his post...
Gaylon Barrow . It is the Rep. party that has created all these problems in the last 10 years. It will take a long time to fix the damage done by them. Some of them are for the people, most are for the wealthy. The wealthy lover war, it makes money and them richer. Because they own shares in the companies making all that war stuff. And the poor fight and die for there country. Please man. This has been going on for thousands of year now.
This one question Obama should asked?: What happens when there's no more money to extend to keep the Government running?. What then is Obama going to say and do, is he going to give another one of his speeches or is going to get out of town? Everyone wants to know the answer. I know I do!!!!!!!!!
Ernie; I think you also need to be asking the CONGRESS, especially the GOP that! They've been very adamantly maintaining the wealth for the rich. MAKE THE RICH PAY MORE! The middle class/poor are already having to pay more. Percentage wise, dollar for dollar, we already pay more than the rich! Now due to the absence of public option, our health insurances have gone up along with higher taxes. OBAMA needs to put his foot down on the Repugnants necks about constantly loopholing and taxbreaking the wealthy!
Sorry Liz ... reality check .... The GOP came into power this year and the money has already been spent. They are trying to cut that spending ....
A little secret here .... When coorprations are taxed more it is you the consumer that pays that tax.... not the coorporation. Think about it ... if your cost of doing business goes up ... then you pass that on to your customer...
Even you would do that Liz ... I can't imagine that you have ever paid anyone elses taxes, Knowingly that is!
JOBS? Make laws requiring all Ameri an businesses owners, who've moved their corporations, companies, overseas to escape paying into the American tax system their true portion of taxes! We're all aware that they were strategic moves of selfishness and greed to keep from paying as much tax, no health insurance, no unemployment, and paying salaries abou$2.00-$4.00 per week! That's where the jobs are! If the greedy are at least charged a penalty for this, many of them would bring those 'jobs' back to AMERICA!
Read the post to you last Liz.... YOU will be the one that pays those taxes. If you could move your business from Georgia to North Carolina and make more money ... would you? Use your head, no one operates a business in the red.... Except one and it really is not a business ... The federal government , if anyone, you a business what ever operated in this manner, they would be in court so fast and then jail it would make your head spin ... like Madoff...
Bill, your last 11 thought-provoking comments, yet for some odd reason short-sighted, assumptive rants in response to my 'opinion' on jobs is whats funny! LOL! If a business is taxed more, the consumer does not take the licking if there's a flat tax code put in place for the consumer/taxpayer; if there's a cap placed on cost of consumer purchased goods. This whole TRICK OF GREED needs to be revamped, rethought, and reset to comply with federal regulations protecting the consumer, since you say this is true!
Not a rant.... Liz even if there is a flat tax code for the consumer and business is taxed more the cost of doing business goes up.... period ... no business will operate in the red... Period end of discussion. Plain and simple it is the greed of the government that is at fault.... An example ... in the years prior to Margret Thatcher taking the prime ministers job in Great Britian the personal tax rate was 85% of your salary. When she left it was 35%... The British Government did not require less in the way of funds. She moved the tax burden to business... The cost of goods and services howeverwent up..... Plain and simple. Rant all you want Liz .... just remember that the truth is out there .... you just have to look for it not have it fed to you by the party!
Bill, are you really believing that these business owners and operators who've taken their companies overseas to produce consumer goods, pay less taxes, no ins, no unemployment, and to work those poverty-strickened people for a little of nothing, woul be CLOSE to operating in the red, if they came back? They turn around and import those same goods back to AMERICA for us to buy, pay import fees in the price, and pay purchase taxes on! How's this good for AMERICA? People here need jobs? Wheres the patriotism?
Liz, William Jefferson Clinton signed NAFTA.. He commited us to a global economy... So in opening up the global economy he set the stage for what you are talking about here. In fact several companies have pullethe manufacture of their goods back to the states since the chinese worker were unrealiable and could not make deadlines costing the companies more that it was worth, besides the fact that the qulity was inferior. Again the truth is out there.
The PRESIDENT tried to bailout the banks who are and were the lenders and mortgage holders to AMERICAN businesses and their associations, but they failed to make loans available to many of our business owners! They did what they'd already been doing, pocketing it (stole it) and gambled it all away! I guess OBAMA learned his lesson about putting money into the hands of power hungry addicts! I can accept taxbreaks and taxcut incentives only being considered for those corps/companies who stay here in AMERICA!
Willliam Jefferson Clinton signed the affordable housing act in 1990. That is the acknowledged start of the problems we face today. It allowed people to live in homes that in other times were beyond their means. It was the starting point for Freddie and Fannie failures of the future. The truth is out there Liz.
About your remark that the REPUGS just came into power this year and the money was already spent, you forget the first bailout was signed off by BUSH, OK? So when OBAMA went in, he followed suit! It evidently appeared not to be enough. Now you SAME ones would've been squealing like pigs had he not done it, and just sat back and let the nation fall flat on it's face! Yet you still squeal like pigs even though he halted it! Now the issue is what to do to try to balance the budget by cutting spending!! Get it?
No you don't get it LIZ I was squealing when Bush Signed It. Like my mom always said ... just because everyone else jumps off the roof that does not mean you should. IF the president was half the man you think he is then he would have stopped this in its track.....IF he cared about you as much as you think he does .... It would have gone no further..... Man this is getting very very old. Barack Obama is a POLITICIAN .... he only cares about the politics of the matter and his party winning .... righ or wrong...
Oh and by the way ...... stop with the name calling .... I call both political parties into the circle of blame .... and those that agree 100% with either of them. I take exception with you in this case because you see only fault on one side.
About your charge of drawing party-lines and that the idea is and always has been that each party makes the other party look bad; I can truly say that the REPUGNANTS get an OSCAR on that one! They and their loyalists have certainly tried hard to make the DEMOCRATS, especially the PRESIDENT, look bad; not only to AMERICA, but to the world! Ya'll have been doing this ever since the man opened up his mouth and announced he was running for PRESIDENT of THE UNITED STATES! 'OMG! NO HE DIDN'T'! 'We'll teach him'!
Liz.... it has been reported by CBS news that the president has rejected all GOP ideas in the budget process. To you that sounds wonderful .... but to me it seems that he is limiting the ideas that can be put on the table. I guess I will never understand why people are so narrow minded that they will refuse to hear all of theideas and not just those of like minded individuals.
This is all realy so sad. During the discussion here we have seen the root cause of the division in our country displayed by some very honorable people.... Once upon a time in this great nation, we were truly a source of new ideas and a people willing to look at alll sides of anything and find the best path. We have lost that edge ..... and we are not willing to sacrafice any of ourselves to find that path again. I remain open to all Ideas that will advance the prosperity of the people of this great union. The question now is how many more feel the same way?
Bill, you win hands down on the ranting, OK? Now, about this Margaret Thatcher/Great Brittain; I sure don't get it. What does that example have to do with the cost of tea in China? Are you saying that this is the formula our government will use against our private owned business, companies and corporations? I don't think so! Those are the main ones who go to WASHINGTON lobbying, making money deals with the government: Of the people, By the people, For the people, and usually end up, operating in the black.
Liz ... this is not a rant, I have not taken any swipes at any party, I am trying to explain something here. Please open your mind to the posibility that there are deeper issues. As far as the Thatcher thing ... it was an illustration, the governments need for money never goes down. There are many sources for revenue collection available to any government. Taxes, levies etc. The point is that when Thatcher shifted the tax burde (a large portion of it) to business the cost that the consumer paid went up. The cost of doing business went up, no matter the reason, so the price of the product went up. It could be cost of material, labor, or even taxes.
Bill, All I'm saying is that they should be paying taxes that are comparable to their profits; which to us as individuals, would be called income! Now granted, they should be paying these monies into the system and not into the wallets and bank accounts of those greedy politicians in DC! They've been there so long making deals, scrtching each others backs, making that extra money, till they'd rather chance the demise of AMERICA, than to do the right thing. It's a capitalistic thievery gone awry! Mainly GOP!
According to the current tax code they are paying exactly what they should. Even if you change the tax code to take a bigger bite of the profits it is all part of the cost of doing business. As a business is not in business to lose money or have their profis reduced, that cost of taxes is passed on to the consumer. How would you be able to track taxes passed on to the consumer ... what if you never bought a wideget? How can you track that?
You do not call both parties into a circle of blame any more than I or anyone else on this blog does. We all have touched on it, but we mainly stand up most times for our beliefs in our party and it's members. So don't try to go getting all SAINTLY now! It's obvious who and what you're for; who and what you're against! Evidently my opinion wasn't too far off; I remember CLINTON/NAFTA, but it needs to be really up and going nowadays! We need all of our companies back! AMERICA needs to go back to work!
When I am conversing with you, you are correct I don't. Can you imagine why? Is it possible that you are only taking the liberal side? Could you be the source? Yes, America needs to go back to work... we agree 100% on that.... However I believe that we need the private sector to do that, you seem to think it is the responsibility of government.... that is where we differ. I do not trust the government to create jobs, the environment that causes job creations is the only area that it should be involved.... A qoute from WInston Churchill.... "I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handel"
Society, laws, morality codes, religion, even 'politics' have changed in AMERICA! We've been evolving; slowly changing to accomodate the needs and desires of many! So what was thought of as good politics 43 presidents ago, even 3 presidents ago isn't always what could be considered as good politics now! For the media and it's GOP loyalists to continue on bashingly and dismissively comparing OBAMAS' work and responses to situations to previous presidents, is foolish, assinine and pathetic! It's pitiful!
And liberals don't bash? your posts seem to say otherwise. Yes America has changed ... the beauty of this country is that the basis/foundation is a living document. It evolves with the times.... The seperation of powers... it is even more necessary now in these days than it ever has been. A balance is what it speaks to .... we have no balance in these times ..... Its almost like the Hatfields and McCoys, and I am not sure anyone remembers the cause of the fued.... just being a Hatfield is enough!
Liz, I don't rant. I converse. I have facts, and examples..... and if those are things you consider a rant... well... then you will never listen ....
You may now have the final word.
Bill, I've never in my little mind thought nor said that I believed the creation of jobs were the responsibility of the government. I believe very much that we need private sector to do that; but private sector failed AMERICAN laborers, mainly for reasons I noted above. They took their businesses, manufacturing companies, and corporations, etc., out of here; while terminating, merging, firing, downsizing, and laying off AMERICAN workers because of government taxes! I've complained about governmental greed!
I have been debated often by other bloggers about my continuous insistance on voicing my opposition to the greed in our government. It shows in the US perpetual efforts to keep us off somewhere fighting in other countries, because 'we' have 'national vital interests' in those countries! The top 2-3%, who usually are members of the 'private sector' as business owners, have a direct line to our lawmakers, and pay big bucks to them to keep from paying bigger bucks to the tax system! They're all full of greed!
BTW, Bill, you have swiped at OBAMA and the DEMOCRATIC PARTY, throughout your 'conversing'. Go back and read your own posts; 'the truth is out there' Remember that? LOL! This is out of just one of your first ones: 'Unless you give the Democratic Party the budget they want...the president will reject it...'OBAMA heads the party of no'. GOPs 'MO'! Don't try to knock me out for voicing my liberal opinions, whether they be good, bad, or indifferent, Mr Conservative. I stand for who I am too! End of discussion!