If it's for real, and wasn't a set up, good.
President Obama bluntly criticized congressional Republicans and candidly assessed his own policies and the performance of federal workers in a meeting with campaign donors late Thursday in Chicago.I'd like to believe that Obama has this side to him. I suspect he thinks this is the real him, and he only shows it to Republicans in private, preferring to be more conciliatory in public. But I doubt the GOP believes it when Obama threatens like this. In order for a threat to be credible, the other guy has to believe that you're willing to follow through. While I have little doubt that Obama would veto an outright repeal of health care reform, would Obama let the Republicans damage portions of the legislation to, say, get a vote on the debt limit? Sadly, I think the so. And I suspect the GOP thinks so too.
Apparently unaware that a microphone was still on, Obama said he essentially dared Republicans to try to repeal his health-care law during the recent budget negotations. “I said, ‘You want to repeal health care? Go at it. We’ll have that debate. You’re not going to be able to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget. You think we’re stupid?’ ”
