Obama vs. Boehner: Who's winning?
President Obama and House Republican leader John Boehner are sparring publicly over the economy. Who's doing a better job of reeling in midterm voters?
As the midterm election campaign heats up, President Obama is openly clashing with House Republican Minority Leader John Boehner, who stands to take over the powerful position of Speaker of the House if the GOP takes control of Congress, as expected. Obama, avoiding using Boehner's name, said "the Republican who thinks he's going to take over as speaker" has nothing to offer, other than to say "no" to Democratic policies, even if they save jobs. Boehner has accused Obama of "whining," and on Wednesday proposed extending all Bush tax cuts for two years and rolling back spending to 2008 levels to boost the economy and contain the deficit. Who's coming out on top in this high-profile feud? (Watch Obama's latest dig at Boehner)
Boehner's the clear winner: This is great theater — "the Obama emblem of hope and change vs. Boehner, the symbol of 'no,'" says Kathleen Parker in The Washington Post. But Boehner's the clear winner here. Just like when Obama sparred with Rush Limbaugh, the fight is elevating Boehner's importance. And Boehner's fiscal sanity makes sense — "'no'" is a pretty sound position when the nation is careening off a cliff."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This puts Obama where he needs to be — on offense: With a weak economy and "an enraged Republican base," the midterms will be rough for Democrats, says Steve Benen in Washington Monthly. But Obama's attack on Boehner will hammer home the message that the GOP "will take America backwards, and be even more extreme than the GOP of the Bush/Cheney era." Maybe voters are so angry at Washington they'll vote for "discredited" Republicans anyway, but Obama's high-profile "offensive" will at least give his party a fighting chance.
Unless they call a truce, both lose: The "Obama-Boehner dispute" is fine for the campaign, say Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan at Politico, but after the November elections they'd better find a way to work together. Otherwise, Obama will never "turn around the sputtering U.S. economy" and "get his presidency back on track" — and Boehner will look like a failure because he'll never "get anything enacted into law." If that happens, Obama and Boehner both lose.
"Can John Boehner and Barack Obama get along?"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Magazine solutions - May 10, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - May 10, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine printables - May 10, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - May 10, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
'Box Trump in for real if he pulls another stunt. Put him behind bars.'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published