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Obama at risk for overreaching?

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    Will he repeat 'mistakes' of first term?

  • Duration 4:45
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Looking at whether President Obama is at risk of repeating what some critics have said is a mistake he made in his first term.

One columnist writing in USA today that mr.

Obama alienated the GOP -- his stimulus package when he first took office.

Jonah Goldberg writes rather than work with Republicans Obama colluded with democratic leaders in the house and senate to propose a stimulus Republicans had no authorship.

And no confidence again.

He goes on to write quote fast forward to 2012 it looks as if the White House is trying to repeat all its -- not repeat its mistakes all over again.

Joining us now the author of that column Jonah Goldberg editor at large of the national review he is also a Fox News contributors so if the White House does repeat those mistakes -- What do you think the net effective.

-- in.

The sounds a cool buyout from your earlier report are all heartening and wonderful and let's hope they can get into a drum circle and be happy.

But the way they've dealt with this so far has been to push the Republicans further away Harden their positions.

And two.

Basically refused to take yes for an answer and -- the Republicans immediately after the election said.

We're gonna give on this revenue thing we're gonna have to raise revenues the question is how are we gonna do it.

And the Obama administration almost like a character from -- Phelps said we're gonna do this out of spite.

And so we -- to have to raise the rates rather than do this loophole closing thing and all of the rest.

And the problem with that is that.

Presidents get very few do overs and one of the few that they get is right after election.

They can change the tone making sort of start over and instead of doing that and trying to figure out how to fulfill this promise that Obama has always made about being bipartisan.

He's decided just to sort of do the same thing you do with the stimulus which is to try to steam -- the Republicans to crush them to placate his base.

And it's it's it's it has the potential to create another four years of partisan hammer and on.

Fighting in Washington.

I wanted to get your reaction to what the Treasury Secretary had to say in that report from Mike Emanuel a minute ago he was asked you know flat out.

Is the White House ready to go over the crystal over the fiscal cliff.

-- -- -- Absolutely.

As if that's a good thing I mean there there are defense contractors who are going to be laying off workers there are all kind.

-- of negative ramifications.

To all of this but the White House.

Apparently is ready to take -- don't.

Well other there are certainly ready to say it.

What the Republicans have made a a weaker hand and I thought they were rear originally -- about couple months ago.

But the idea that President Obama wants to start his present -- second term.

By plunging the country into a recession.

-- sell off in the stock market.

And by -- being perceived as generally.

Sort of willing to play chicken with the economy.

Doesn't sound like they're like a brilliant political move to me you think I'll talk.

I think it's it's a game of chicken I really do I think that the Republicans are probably get a lot of blame.

I'm in the beginning and that's really what they're thinking of and they're trying to scare the Republicans.

But over the long -- long term there's just no way this administration wants to go over the fiscal cliff whether they're willing to or not we're willing to be the ones the to turn the wheel last as possible but I the idea that they're like fine with the idea -- strikes me is preposterous.

You write that the news media is is essentially biased against Republicans in that any.

Conservative idea that wins here is it is not going to gain a lot of favors so it is it a case in which Republicans are sort of damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Yeah I mean I -- that's sort of been the theme of the last four years is that Republicans basically can't win.

But part of -- -- -- in that column was basically the Republicans should have a fallback position of basically adopting or proposing.

The Bowles Simpson plan which was President Obama -- own handpicked.

Deficit reduction commission where they propose closing loopholes and lowering tax rates which is the Republican position.

And and part just to simply see how how can -- -- in the new York times of the Washington Post denounced the Republicans for picking these the sort of pristine example the poster child of bipartisan.

Centrist.

Policy making that we've had in the last four years and we'll put a lot of pressure on Obama.

But that's public from the Republicans have -- there working in a climate where what -- they propose.

That the idea that what they're proposing is ridiculous or extreme.

Gets lot more oxygen and I think it deserves Jonah Goldberg who writes for USA today in the national review John thank you.

A great always to be here -- didn't it but it.

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