February 28, 2010

HEALTH CARE SUMMIT FIZZLES

The Professorial Obama

President Barack Obama convened a “bipartisan” health care conference last Thursday in the Blair House across the street from the White House to discuss ideas by leading lawmakers -- 21 Democrats and 17 Republicans.  Congressional leaders.

Mr. Obama announced he wanted to “listen” to proposals by Senators and Representatives.

The pesky Republicans kept stopwatch time for participants: Obama 119 minutes; Democrats 114 minutes; Republicans 110 minutes.

Close enough for government work.

When the Republican Leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, pointed out that Democrats had controlled 52 minutes, Obama blurted: “I don’t think that’s quite right!”

Then, he smiled as he said: “You’re right.  There was an imbalance on opening statements because I’m the president!”

Democrats laughed, but Republicans didn’t think it funny.  Obama admitted: “I didn’t count time in terms of dividing it evenly.”

OBAMA PROFESSORIAL

The Washington Times newspaper noted:

“Throughout the event, Mr. Obama, a former professor, looked, well, professorial.

“He listened attentively, his head cocked, his chin raised.  He narrowed his eyes in attentiveness here or there, blinking often.  He jotted notes in a small book as Republicans spoke.  He kept his head on his hand, giving full attention to the speaker.

“But each time a Republican sought to break in -- to rebut a point made by the president or a fellow Democrat -- Mr. Obama looked a bit frustrated and made clear who was in charge of bipartisan discussion.

“Let me just finish, Lamar,” he said during his rebuttal to the senator’s opening statement.  No, no, no, no. Let me – and this is an example of where we’ve got to get our facts straight!”

TERSE MOMENT

A terse moment in the discussion occurred when Sen.  John McCain  (who lost to Obama in the 2008 election) lectured the president about a “backdoor process” to produce the Senate bill.

Obama interrupted: “John, can I just say--.”

McCain retorted: “Can I just finish, please?”  and did not yield the floor.

He continued,

“Both of us during the campaign promised change in Washington.  Eight times (as candidate) you said that negotiations on health care reform would be broadcast on C-SPAN.  I am glad that more than a year later they are here.

“Unfortunately, this product was not produced in that fashion.  It was produced behind closed doors!”

Clearly irritated, Obama was described as “furiously flipping through the pages in a briefing book in front of him as McCain spoke.”

“ELECTION IS OVER”

When McCain finished, the president retorted tartly to his former adversary.

“Look, let me just make this point, John, because we are not campaigning anymore.  The election is over!”

McCain shot back:

“I’m reminded of that every day! The American people care about what we did and how we did it.”

Mr. Obama didn’t smile as he continued to berate McCain.

“We can have a debate and process or we can have a debate about how we’re actually going to help Americans at this point.  And I think that the latter debate is the one that they care about a little bit more.”

If there is anything worse than being wrong, it is being right with nobody listening.

-- Andy Capp

I’m not a complete idiot.

Some parts are missing.

It is always best to speak the truth – unless, of course, you are an exceptionally good liar.

By Lindsey Wilger Williams, retired newspaper publisher and syndicated columnist