Posted on 12/20/2009 3:17:27 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Obama, Denied Full Victory on 2 Issues, Takes Validation By PETER BAKER
WASHINGTON — President Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, likes to say that the only thing that is not negotiable is success. The last 48 hours offered a case study in how the president applies that maxim to governing.
After weeks of frustrating delays and falling poll numbers, Mr. Obama decided to take what he could get, declare victory and claim momentum on some of the administration’s biggest priorities, even if the details did not always match the lofty vision that underlined them.
From Copenhagen to Capitol Hill, the president determined the outer limits of what he could accomplish on climate change and health care and decided that was enough, at least for now. He brokered a nonbinding agreement with other world powers to fight global warming, averting the collapse of an international summit meeting. And he blessed a compromise on health care to guarantee the votes needed to pass the Senate.
Neither deal represented a final victory, and in fact some on the left in his own party argued that both of them amounted to sellouts on principle in favor of expediency. But both agreements served the purpose of keeping the process moving forward, inching ever closer toward Mr. Obama’s goals and providing a jolt of adrenaline for a White House eager to validate its first year in office.
Mr. Obama seemed encouraged by the progress. He had just left Denmark on Air Force One with the climate change agreement in hand when he reached Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, and heard of the health care deal. “He was, fair to say, pretty happy,” Mr. Reid later told reporters.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
He actually has gotten nothing.
The climate agreement is non-binding and nothing has passed the Congress yet.
It is all meaningless rhetoric, just like he is.
Personally, I call him "Zer0".
Of course. The truth is always better.
It’s not journalism it’s the NY Times just another front for Obama’s insane ideas,gee wonder why the Times rag is going bust.
I usually say zer0 or 0 also. I am almost afraid to type his real name on any website or blog for fear Big Brother is watching and is going to come after us some day.
That’s per the NYT style book. Many Years ago when I read that rag also noticed Mr. Castro, Mr. Mao, etc. Always seemed a bit odd but that was their standard.
OK, I have lost two trillion dollars in this poker game because I am a rotten player, so I am going to leave taking my five remaining dollars and declare victory.
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