I think we can guess now why our president takes so long to do things — when he moves fast, he blunders. Take this little imbroglio over his attempt to overshadow the GOP’s Sept. 7 presidential debate by requesting a joint session of Congress to hype his (latest? first?) jobs plan the same night. No doubt encouraged by his advisers and the prime-time anchors at MSNBC to “get tough” on the GOP and “take the fight to them,” he chose to ignore precedent. He simply informed Congress he was coming that night, instead of privately consulting with them in advance.
After all, he’s the boss!
In doing so Obama reveals two of his distinct quirks: First, he presumed the American public would take his side when summoned. (Remember this famous taunt: “Don’t call my bluff, Eric, I’ll take it to the American people.”) Second, he chose to ignore the fact that the branches of government are equal. Recall this revealing line: “The idea of doing things on my own is very tempting.”
But the president of the United States is not the king of Congress. He’s their guest, a fact of which Speaker John Boehner reminded Obama in his written reply. Boehner’s letter had the tone of a parent gently reprimanding a child.
“As the Majority Leader announced more than a month ago,” Boehner wrote Obama, “the House will not be in session until Wednesday, September 7, with votes at 6:30 that evening. With the significant amount of time — typically more than three hours — that is required to allow for a security sweep of the House Chamber before receiving a President, it is my recommendation that your address be held on the following evening, when we can ensure there will be no parliamentary or logistical impediments that might detract from your remarks. …”
In other words, Obama’s attempt to show that he was in charge has ultimately had the opposite effect.
The president’s capitulation, which only took six hours, is probably for the best. It avoided more political squabbling and positioning. And after the debt ceiling fight, the average American doesn’t need yet another reason to believe that this administration and Congress are basically dysfunctional. But it did the president no good personally.
Pundits of all stripes have pointed out the glacial style of Obama’s leadership — a style that matches his beloved game of golf. He took months or even years to present plans for health care reform and job creation — he still hasn’t presented a plan for budget reform. Kate Shepphard, writing for Mother Jones, once asked why this administration was “so slow to take charge of the disaster in the Gulf.” It took the threat of Hurricane Irene to oust him from his 10-day vacation in Martha’s Vineyard.
But with time running short for him to turn things around before next November, Obama’s slow pace is a serious handicap.
Thomas Peters writes at CatholicVote.org and lives in Washington.
