Obama To Philly And NY As Budget Battle Reigns

by William Teach | April 6, 2011 7:42 am

Remember this from Tuesday?

President Barack Obama on Tuesday[1] called on congressional leaders – especially Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) – to act like “grown-ups” and avert a government shutdown after they made no apparent progress in reaching a budget agreement at a White House meeting earlier in the day.

Obama, in a surprise appearance at the daily White House press briefing, underscored his direct involvement in the process – after weeks of publicly staying on the sidelines — and promised round-the-clock talks to stave off the shutdown that could occur on Friday.

“The speaker apparently didn’t want our team involved in that discussion,” he added. “That’s fine. If they can sort it out, then we’ve got more than enough to do. If they can’t sort it out then, I want them back here tomorrow. But it would be inexcusable for us to not be able to take care of last year’s business.”

A Boehner spokesman disputed the president’s account, but, consider, the GOP is having to work hard to pass a budget because Obama’s party abdicated their Constitutional responsibility to pass a budget for 2011.

Anyhow, about that “being grown-ups” and that Obama’s “prepared to meet[2] for as long as possible” with them, and he said that if they didn’t make a deal at a meeting later that day, “then I want them back here tomorrow”, well, what’s he doing Wednesday?

Obama plans to get his daily briefing at 11 a.m. and leave at 12:15 p.m. for Philadelphia, where he’ll talk at a town hall about his energy agenda. He’s then going to New York City to speak at a National Action Network gala with Rev. Al Sharpton, and he’ll return late in the night.

So, he’s going to spend most of the day out of town as the budget battle rages at political/campaign events[3]

President Obama will speaking today for the first time as commander in chief at the annual convention of the National Action Network[4], standing with its founder, the Rev. Al Sharpton – whom the President largely ignored before his 2008 election. (NYDN)

While the White House said there is no connection between Obama’s 2012 campaign and his decision to attend the convention[5], some of the president’s supporters and observers said the visit marks the beginning of a series of events designed to shore up support among his base, specifically African-Americans.

Leadership is hard work, so, why bother?

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove[6]. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach[7].

Endnotes:
  1. President Barack Obama on Tuesday: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52593.html
  2. prepared to meet: http://www.politico.com/politico44/index.html
  3. political/campaign events: http://origin.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2011/04/wake-up-call-president-obama-returns-to-nyc
  4. at the annual convention of the National Action Network: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2011/04/06/2011-04-06_obama_looks_to_al_for_help_in_12_run.html
  5. said there is no connection between Obama’s 2012 campaign and his decision to attend the convention: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703712504576245200708462040.html?mod=WSJ_NY_LEFTTopStories
  6. Pirate’s Cove: http://www.thepiratescove.us/
  7. @WilliamTeach: http://twitter.com/WilliamTeach

Source URL: https://rightwingnews.com/economy/obama-to-philly-and-ny-as-budget-battle-reigns/