Obama won't get tough, likes being a wimp

The Huffington Post:

Washington - Congressional Democrats challenged President Barack Obama to more forcefully use his bully pulpit during their White House meeting Thursday, but Obama signaled he would not change course in upcoming battles with Republicans, people who attended the meeting told The Huffington Post.

The challenge -- on behalf of the many Democrats who have long complained that Obama is not making enough use of his White House megaphone -- was principally delivered by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), according to the attendees. Waxman, lawmakers said, called for stronger action across the board, rather than on a particular issue.

But Obama responded that he has to be more careful and more considered than that, and that he is executing an existing plan.

The president has heard the complaint before. Democrats have accused Obama repeatedly of ceding too much ground to the GOP, especially on health care and the extension of the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy. But attendees said the critique appeared to rub him the wrong way on Thursday.

"He was a little testy with the Waxman question. Essentially, Mr. Waxman was urging him to fight more," one legislator said. "The president reminded folks that he's the president sitting in that chair and he knows how to negotiate."

Obama also told the assembled Democrats not to count on more fiery rhetoric from the Oval Office.

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A great reader comment from the Huffington Post article:

"Republican­s will say and do anything to get elected. When the president fails to fight them visibly, they know they can lie with impunity. The lies gain traction. By the time this WH decides to fight back the lies have been repeated so often they have become truth to some. Then it doesn't matter how hard the WH fights, it can't make headway. This "smart" president doesn't realize that staying above the fray, trying to be polite and classy, doesn't work (has it ever worked for Democrats in the past?). Why he fails to understand this dirty fact of modern politics makes me wonder how "smart" he really is, and what his true agenda may be. I know he's closet rightwing, but HOW FAR RIGHT, really? When medicare and SS are guttted I suppose we'll all know."