David Nakamura of the Washington Post is reporting that President Barack Obama criticized the GOP for intransigence in a 60 Minutes interview on Sunday. Nakamura writes:
President Obama acknowledged Sunday that it would take more than one term in office for his administration to change a Washington political culture defined by special interests and hyperpartisanship — and that perhaps things might not shift even if he is reelected.
During a wide-ranging interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Obama blamed Republican intransigence for stymieing his efforts to enact policies to improve the economy, saying he often feels like the captain of a ship in rocky seas who is unable to “control the weather.”
He faulted the GOP for not having “an honest conversation” about the economic policies that caused the nation’s recession and complained that Republicans made a calculated decision to block most of his policies to inflict maximum political damage after he assumed office.
When asked by interviewer Steve Kroft if he had made too many promises to the American people, President Obama said that he always thought his plans would be a "long-term project."
Too many promises? God forbid that someone would want to create change and actually has major hopes and dreams for a country as great as America. Why would one dream "small" if he is trying to gain the highest office in the land?
Further, President Obama has been impeded by congressional Republican leaders, many of whom have said that their main objective for his administration is to make him a one-term president. The objective has not been to move America forward by stimulating the economy, helping citizens regain footing in the job market or passing legislation that helps the middle class instead of decimating it.
The worst thing that Obama did was to try to work with the GOP while they worked steadfastly against him. Is it really bad to give Congress members the benefit of the doubt — to think that they would behave as elected officials instead of petulant children? If you have to expect the worst from those who are put in place to keep our country afloat, then it is a sad day indeed.
It is admirable that President Obama believes in including all voices in his decision-making process, but in this political climate, it does not bode well for his longevity. Having said that, we're not counting him out. Obama's accomplishments in spite of those deliberately working to derail his presidency speak volumes about his resiliency and ability to get the job done, including being re-elected in 2012.
Read more at the Washington Post.