The House GOP Retreat

Red State ^ | January 29, 2010 | Brian Faughnan

[NavySEAL F-16]

Today I attended the House GOP retreat in Baltimore, at the invitation of House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence. I got to play at reporter, and to chat with some Members of Congress and staff. I also got to attend the speech with the President, and the subsequent question-and-answer session.

As others have noted, the speech very much seemed to be an attempt by the president to show that he is bipartisan, friendly, and open to GOP ideas - no matter how the facts might appear to you. Both sides took the opportunity to play to the cameras of course, with long questions centering on deficits and broken promises, and well-rehearsed answers about the trillions in deficits inherited from President Bush.

[onyx]

Hit Obama hard and really tear him apart.
Look how the democrats bashed Bush and it worked.

Republicans have to stop being courteous.
Obama is loathsome to say the least.
He's trying to destroy our Republic, so state exactly that and point to his deficits, his big government solutions and his unprecedented spending.

[eyedigress]

You are in water “untested” be careful.

[nathanbedford]

Weird, I thought he looked like a tyrant dictator who was lying, and absolutely intends to squash any dissent at every opportunity.

What gesture, what facial expression, what sentence, what phrase visible on that video would conceivably justify that conclusion?

I have been posting on these threads since well before the election the danger posed to our liberties by this Manchurian Marxist. I take second place to no Freeper in this regard. But I also will not take first place in the feel-good, self delusional cheerleading which cost us the last two elections and undermined the reputation of the Republican Party to the point where it fell from the majority governing party to an impotent rump.

[shield]

Karl Rove said this was nothing but a photo op for the impostor...just a political gimmick...

[nathanbedford]

You are absolutely right again. It is how it is treated on the news that will count. As I started dictating these replies MSNBC was conducting a two-hour special out of the proceedings which absolutely lionized Obama and, more importantly, cut the legs out from under months of criticism which had brought Obama down to the point where he had to scramble and take chances to restore his credibility.

That a bunch of lawyers called Republicans who know better would bend over and provide him 140 foils to do so is, sadly, only too characteristic of our tribe.

[Gene Eric]

>> He walked into their trap but he sprung it on them.

It wasn’t a trap - it was a political necessity for both sides.

You’re correct, however, in drawing style contrast. Unbounded by the details of reality, Obama is free to improvise while the pragmatic yet shunted Republicans search for the voice they lost over a decade ago. The GOP can’t dance.

Another perspective to consider is the congeniality offered by the Republicans, and the obligatory decorum the host must provide especially to the Office of Presidency. Again, you pointed to the ‘artful attorney’ that unfortunately is not among the members of the House Republicans. Ironically, Senator L. Graham has the skill, but not the solid fillet of Conservative values

I think it’s unlikely the format will continue, and like most things in politics, will be forgotten by most - a one night stand where no one got pregnant.

[eyedigress]

Good to see you. I must go as work will be difficult tomorrow. God Bless

[Balding_Eagle]

I realize that. Thanks, I think the weekend will provide circumstantial evidence that I am right.

And there won’t be the least bit of satisfaction in that.

[Scotswife]

“Quit being frightened by Obama.”

You know - besides the usual arrogance and nastiness - I detected something different in him here than I had in other appearances.

I think he actually was the one who looked afraid.

There is a moment where he says something like - it’s time to stop thinking about keeping our own jobs and start thinking about americans..
The pubbies applauded him soundly.
He wasn’t expecting it and he didn’t like it one bit.

He had a very funny look about him.

[nathanbedford]

Well said.

[nathanbedford]

Good luck tomorrow. Things are just waking up as the sun rises here in Germany.

[pankot]

Zero is plainly out to co-opt the Republicans. Will they be stupid enough to let him? What is he, Mandrake the Magician gesturing hypnotically? Geesh!

[pankot]

He may be slick, but he’s got a razor in his shoe.

[skr]

The few minutes I saw certainly didn’t make Obama look as though he were in control of the situation or himself. He accused Republicans of making the “health care” bill sound like what it is, socialist legislation. He looked impatient and uninterested in what Rep. Blackburn was saying and asking. He doesn’t want their input and it showed. America is only supposed to want what he thinks is best.

[slapshot]

agreed

And then the spineless clueless idiots rush up to shake his hand, The only one with passion and stood up as an equal was Mike Pence, Boehner, Cantor are no more than mannequins

We are screwed

[parisa]

I understand what you’re saying, but I wouldn’t underestimate the GOP so fast. They’ve a trick up their sleeves by being so sacharine sweet to the boy king and the egotistical narcissist that he is, he’s walking right into it. 2010 is not really about obama — his time will come in 2012 — let him bask in being presidential. And why at this point disenfranchise obama’s African American constituency which are his most ardent supporter and an easy way for leftists to demonize Republicans as racist and bigots. BUT there is no such gumption about the puglisi-reeed congress. The radical leftist puglosi-reed Congress is the enemy right now and who we must defeat. The fool leftists are salivating to play shenanigans between the Tea Party and GOP and divide and beat them. What stupid fools. Obama will throw them under the bus in a NY minute with the help of GOP. Obama will for now benefit by stand separate from the rabid extremist congress — for now GOP can afford to paint them as worst and they can demonize and attack them all they want without antagonizing African Americans. I’m rambling, it’s late, but hopefully you get my point.

[slapshot]

agreed

And then the spineless clueless idiots rush up to shake his hand, The only one with passion and stood up as an equal was Mike Pence, Boehner, Cantor are no more than mannequins

We are screwed

[backhoe]

FYI, FWIW:

Why Ridicule is Obama’s Kryptonite. With help from Eric Hoffer.

I explained this to Victor Davis Hanson on June 13, 2009, when I wrote, “Dr. Hanson, I can tell you why Obama just makes stuff up.” That post is an efficient way to get at my other foundational posts on Obama, which include this one and “Understanding Obama” from February 10, 2009, and “The chilling explanation of why Obama is cool,” from February 12, 2009. The more you understand Obama’s sociopathy, the better prepared you will be when he uses the Alinsky tactic of telling you what you want to hear in order to gain your support and cooperation. You are being conned and cheated.

 

 Instapundit linked Jonah Goldberg, who wrote about ridicule being Obama’s glass jaw,

 

"I always freeze a bit when I hear Obama say he is willing to be “a one-term” president because I believe he intends to be president-for-life. As I wrote recently, I believe he is bringing down the U.S. economy on purpose as his “fire in the Reichstag” so he has an excuse for his “Enabling Act” to suspend the Constitution and take total power."

[rbmillerjr]

“Don’t agree with this one at all. Look what happened when “Independent” John McCain got the nomination”

Independents tend to be center/right, but they don’t pay attention to politics.

They tune in late. They key is running conservative candidates that both turn out the base AND appeal to Independent voters who are right leaning.

[Balding_Eagle]

The Repubs invited him.

I can’t believe our side was so stupid. In fact, I think they weren’t stupid, they are complicit.