President Barack Obama has reached his ‘moment of truth’ over the spiraling national debt and is running out of time to demonstrate strong leadership on critical issues, MSNBC Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough tells Newsmax.
Republicans have voiced increasing criticism of President Obama’s decisiveness and executive leadership, ever since his State of the Union address.
When Wisconsin GOP Rep. Paul Ryan recently laid out an elaborate entitlement reform to slash some $6 trillion from federal spending, the White House appeared to be caught off guard.
The White House blasted Ryan’s plan for failing the test of fairness. But the media widely credited Ryan for presenting a framework to address the nation’s growing fiscal crisis.
As pressure grew for a Democratic response, the White House announced that President Obama would unveil his own budget reform recommendations, which he did to mixed reviews in a speech Wednesday afternoon.
In an exclusive interview, Scarborough, the popular former GOP congressman from Florida, told Newsmax that even the president’s closest supporters have told him not to expect Obama’s leadership style to change.
“Put ideology aside,” Scarborough told Newsmax. “If he were a Republican president who was a small-government conservative like me, I would still say he’s one of the weakest leaders to sit in the Oval Office in my lifetime.”
Scarborough said that Obama has repeatedly “allows himself to be shaped by events,” and contrasted him with President Ronald Reagan, who at the outset of his administration stated his goal was to cut taxes and strengthen national defense to defeat the Soviet Union – and then proceeded to do precisely that.
Scarborough, who was part of the 1994 GOP takeover of Congress that ultimately worked with President Bill Clinton to balance the budget, said in the interview conducted last week that even the oft-criticized President Jimmy Carter has been more decisive than President Obama.
“Jimmy Carter did things, I didn’t agree with his decisions, but at least he would step out and make decisions,” Scarborough told Newsmax. “Barack Obama doesn’t do that. And once again on the deficit we have him deferring and letting events shape him.”
Scarborough, a small-government conservative, noted that in the first week of his presidency Obama said the single most important issue facing the United States was the need to shore up Social Security.
“So after he passed the largest spending bill in the history of the United States,” Scarborough told Newsmax, “he decided it would be good politics to have a fiscal responsibility conference at the White House, which was a laughable concept after the stimulus package.
“He calls Democrats and Republicans over, but Nancy Pelosi tells him before hand that Social Security has to be off the table, and he’s not allowed to talk about it at the conference. So guess what? Barack Obama doesn’t talk about it at the conference.”
Scarborough cited other worrisome signs that could indicate Obama has leadership issues:
• The president’s “closest friends out of Chicago” who helped Obama win the presidency have been “wringing their hands.” Scarborough said they privately have told him: “‘This is a guy, after all, who voted present a hundred times when he was in the state legislature, even on issues like abortion."
Read more on Newsmax
Republicans have voiced increasing criticism of President Obama’s decisiveness and executive leadership, ever since his State of the Union address.
When Wisconsin GOP Rep. Paul Ryan recently laid out an elaborate entitlement reform to slash some $6 trillion from federal spending, the White House appeared to be caught off guard.
The White House blasted Ryan’s plan for failing the test of fairness. But the media widely credited Ryan for presenting a framework to address the nation’s growing fiscal crisis.
As pressure grew for a Democratic response, the White House announced that President Obama would unveil his own budget reform recommendations, which he did to mixed reviews in a speech Wednesday afternoon.
In an exclusive interview, Scarborough, the popular former GOP congressman from Florida, told Newsmax that even the president’s closest supporters have told him not to expect Obama’s leadership style to change.
“Put ideology aside,” Scarborough told Newsmax. “If he were a Republican president who was a small-government conservative like me, I would still say he’s one of the weakest leaders to sit in the Oval Office in my lifetime.”
Scarborough said that Obama has repeatedly “allows himself to be shaped by events,” and contrasted him with President Ronald Reagan, who at the outset of his administration stated his goal was to cut taxes and strengthen national defense to defeat the Soviet Union – and then proceeded to do precisely that.
Scarborough, who was part of the 1994 GOP takeover of Congress that ultimately worked with President Bill Clinton to balance the budget, said in the interview conducted last week that even the oft-criticized President Jimmy Carter has been more decisive than President Obama.
“Jimmy Carter did things, I didn’t agree with his decisions, but at least he would step out and make decisions,” Scarborough told Newsmax. “Barack Obama doesn’t do that. And once again on the deficit we have him deferring and letting events shape him.”
Scarborough, a small-government conservative, noted that in the first week of his presidency Obama said the single most important issue facing the United States was the need to shore up Social Security.
“So after he passed the largest spending bill in the history of the United States,” Scarborough told Newsmax, “he decided it would be good politics to have a fiscal responsibility conference at the White House, which was a laughable concept after the stimulus package.
“He calls Democrats and Republicans over, but Nancy Pelosi tells him before hand that Social Security has to be off the table, and he’s not allowed to talk about it at the conference. So guess what? Barack Obama doesn’t talk about it at the conference.”
Scarborough cited other worrisome signs that could indicate Obama has leadership issues:
• The president’s “closest friends out of Chicago” who helped Obama win the presidency have been “wringing their hands.” Scarborough said they privately have told him: “‘This is a guy, after all, who voted present a hundred times when he was in the state legislature, even on issues like abortion."
Read more on Newsmax
Obama is has found out that there is a world of difference between campaigning, where you can present lofty ideas and say wonderfully philosophical things that bring people to their feet in adulation over your brilliance and compassion, and actually being PRESIDENT. Thats where the rubber meets the road ---you have to present concrete proposals and LEAD the nation. And your ideas have to make some sense. And after presenting the largest spending budget in the history of our nation, and creating a deficit that has the entire world alarmed, he NOW wnats to be the guy who is "fiscally responsible" and "cuts spending". Even his supporters (and the number is dwindling fast) see the incongruity of his position. Its laughable. And he is painting himself into a very very small corner...
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the GOP victories of 1994, Bill Clinton said, "teh American people will vote for the candidate they believe is strong, even if they do not agree with them. If the candidate appears weak they will not support him, even if he is on their side."
ReplyDelete(I am paraphrasing, this quote is not exact.)
I think this was a sentiment underlying the GOP victory this past fall and, if President Obama cannot get up on his feet, may be a prelude of things to come in 2012.
His advantage now is that the GOP field looks so horrible, but he cannot rest on that idea and expect things to magically happen around him. I voted for him, and will again if the GOP cannot bring any adults to the table, but not because I think he has done a great job so far.
Obama needs to act presidential and be unlike the rest of his party; strong and confident. Clinton beat the GOP during the shutdown of 1995 mostly by acting like a Republican, and he was successfull overall because he acted decisively and did not apologize or feel guilty for winning.
When Newt threatened a shut-down, CLinton's reply was, "go ahead, make my day." He stood in front of the Republicans and screamed "Boo!" until they blinked.
Obama needs to learn this now, quickly, please.
I do think the billboard artist was wrong thogh. Instead of George W Bush, it should be Bill Clinton asking, "Do you miss me yet?"
Dan I don't believe you would every vote republican. Your just blowin smoke so everyone doesn't think your a total idiot.
ReplyDelete4:33 - Your mistake is in thinking I care about other's opinions, especially those who can't remember their own names enough to post them here.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do know that, no matter how hard I try, I will never, ever look like the most stupid, crazy person on here.
Thanks again for contributing to the conversation as you always do.