Boehner blasts Obama White House
Posted: Thursday, October 22, 2009 3:30 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Congress, Republicans
From NBC's Luke Russert
House Minority Leader John Boehner today came out swinging against the Obama White House, saying it was guilty of "Chicago style politics."
"The White House and congressional Democrats know that their liberal special interest agenda is not very popular, and now they're following a familiar pattern: When you can't win an argument based on the facts, launch vicious political attacks. This 'Chicago style politics' -- shutting the American people out and demonizing their opponents -- they're writing the health-care bill in secret, even though the president called for it to be at an open table to have C-SPAN cameras in the room."
Boehner continued, "Instead, Democrats are targeting those who don't fall immediately in line -- the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, doctors, and FOX News. The administration promised during the campaign that they were going to usher in a new era of post-partisanship, but what they are doing is really flat out despicable."
And: "If you look at these attacks on people who question the administration, you begin to wonder what the real plan is. And it really does to me look like Chicago-style politics. Like they are trying to demonize their opponents and do everything they can to make them distasteful." (Cue the pot-calling-the-kettle-black countercharge.)
Boehner also criticized the Obama administration on Afghanistan. "Finally, another week has passed without a decision from the president in regard to Afghanistan -- another week that our commander on the ground, Gen. McChrystal, says is critical to our efforts. The Obama administration needs to stop dragging its feet and give our men and women overseas what they need to win the fight and keep Americans safe." (Cue the White House response that the previous administration and GOP-controlled Congress failed to bolster the U.S. effort in Afghanistan.)
