The President had the Republicans, and especially the Tea Party, by the cajones. He could have allowed the government to partially shut down for a week or two and blame would have been focused on Republican interjection of the Planned Parenthood Rider into what was supposed to be a strictly budgetary dispute.
Furthermore, it would have served to have unmasked and even divide the Tea Party movement since manyof its spokespersons claim it is only concerned with reducing fiscal deficits.
All President Obama needed to do was nothing or, in sports language, “rope-a-dope.” (Something he does very well when the need arises.)
Had he taken advantage of his adversaries’ vulnerability, he would have achieved short term advantage but further inflamed the bitterness and widened the division between the parties. Instead he threw John Boehner a rope by upping the amount of budget cuts above what Boehner had initially agreed to, allowing Boehner to save face with the Tea Party and perhaps even making it possible for Boehner to remain as Speaker of the House.
Obama invested in workable relationships for the future, wisely recognizing the budget for the remaining months of the 2010 – 2011 budget was just a skirmish, and that the real battles will be over increasing the debt limits and the 2011 – 2012 budget.
The President really is smarter and wiser than most of us.
