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Questions about president's ability to work with opponents

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    Critics suggest Obama can't stomach views that he doesn't share

  • Duration 7:45
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A political writer Michael -- today has the -- getting some attention it suggests quote that the president cannot abide views that he doesn't share.

And for one example -- points to the two times this week where the president seemed to suggest that opponents of his gun control measures.

Have some very ugly motives -- As far as people.

Winding up -- and purchasing more guns.

You know I think that we've seen.

For some time now that's.

Those who oppose.

Any common sense.

Gun control or gun safety measures.

Have.

Pretty effective way of jamming up.

Fear.

On the part of gun owners that somehow.

The federal government's.

About.

Take all your guns away.

There will be pundits and politicians and special interest lobbyists.

Publicly warning of a -- -- tyrannical all out assault on liberty.

Now because that's true.

But because.

They want to gin up fear or higher ratings or revenue for themselves.

Simon -- is president and founder of Indiana think tank and advocacy organization also former campaign advisor to President Clinton.

And mark decent is a fellow at the American enterprise institute and a former speechwriter for president George W.

Bush.

So there you have it I mean he's been accused before before we got under the gun debate of having an unfortunate tendency to impugn the motives of his opportunities.

Of -- of his opponents.

And I mean that's it's pretty clear that that is what happened there as he is saying those who oppose his measures.

Do so because they want to gin up the year or make money or generate TV ratings why can't have been mark that.

They just don't -- I die.

With him.

Well that's exactly what it is and and we have a difference of opinion and people come to there.

To their positions with the -- honesty and -- and and with conviction and Obama's can't simply say that look that's not the only time he's done that this week.

On the debt limit when he had his press -- in the debt limit let me read you what he said.

He said what's motivating and propelling the house Republicans is more than simply deficit reduction.

They are suspicious about government's commitment to make sure that seniors have decent health care about whether government should make sure that kids in poverty are getting enough to eat.

-- that's an outrageous statement to begin with and on top of that.

You know that's not exactly a great way to trip to forge bipartisan consensus question it's one thing to question your put your -- your opponent's policies.

It's quite another to question their motives and so Barack Obama is an interest in forging bipartisan consensus on guns.

He's not interest in forging bipartisan consensus on the -- he's interested in demonizing and dividing.

Republicans.

And -- he's gonna continue to do that in a second term.

I think doing that plan.

I think it's called politics Megan I mean you know I think the I think what we expect out of our president.

Just like we expect out of the Republican Party is for them to fight.

As hard as they can do the things that they believe and and to be and to make clear about what they believe the other side is doing too and I.

Listen I listen to Rick Santorum -- the Republican Convention say that Barack Obama is reelected.

That it will be the end of the Republican tyranny will rein in America so the idea that he invoked the notion of tyranny.

Was you know the number two guy the guy almost -- the Republican nomination use those lines himself.

At the Republican Convention this is not pie in the -- stuff this is common.

Talk on the right about his presidency Barack Obama and some of the issues so when I'm so what I'm surprised I -- I -- say in my I think I respect mark a lot is that.

There's just so much whining going on here coming from the right.

About a Barack Obama now fighting hard for the things that he believes and you guys thought it was a web.

You guys didn't think that he was gonna fight for the -- cared about and now that he's fighting your whining about it and that's a sign of a losing political.

-- -- -- -- I'm not I'm not whining about anything when -- to the fact that unlike.

His immediate predecessors Barack Obama is not at all interest in bipartisan compromise and compare him to book to his two immediate predecessors George Bush and Bill Clinton.

George Bush the first thing he did when he came in office was reach across the aisle to Ted Kennedy to pass the No Child Left Behind act -- old boss Bill Clinton -- of the first things he did.

Was reach out to Republicans and work for them to pass the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Over the objection of -- majority of Democrats where are Barack Obama's bipartisan achievements like that whereas the policy the legislation he passed.

Working with Republicans against Democrats there's not a single issue which -- stake the claim against his own party for the better good of the country.

He -- -- his model is that the stimulus and obamacare where he maximizes his position.

And rams it through as best he can look it's -- work for him he's one he got both of those bills through.

And and he'd say he won reelection and I see no sign whatsoever that he's gonna become the post partisan president in the second term that he promised to be in his first and never was.

Bet that the question is though deciding whether.

And even it from it -- that the fact that he's fighting for what he wants and that's what the president is supposed to do.

It's the language and the -- impugning of the motives you know when he was running for office back in LA he said.

I am not going to be the guy who demonize as my opponents and when you stand up there an issue is controversial is gun control which you got -- top Democrats.

Coming out saying you know have my vote on this Mr.

President you cannot get the bill passed in the senate.

When -- come -- -- say the people who tell you my ideas are bad are people who are worried about their -- the new.

Or there readings are they're just trying to gin up fear and makes people who really hold believes that don't have anything to do those -- say.

That -- me he doesn't speak to me and he's not persuading me to listen to him with an open mind.

Well I think -- two things one is that these were obviously part of much longer press conferences there was much more.

Said throughout all this and so you know you guys picked out the sort of the most it.

You know the most controversial parts perhaps the press conference that was a much longer and -- more thoughtful discussion of these issues if you pull a transcript.

The second thing I just want to address directly.

Is this idea that he hasn't worked across party lines mean this is one of the biggest falsehoods that is being obligated.

By the Republicans right now if you look it.

The health care bill right that the individual mandate that was an idea created by The Heritage Foundation.

And pushed by Mitt Romney that he then.

Absorbed right on immigration we listen to the Republicans in 2010.

Weeks but spent significantly more money 600 million dollars more on border enforcement.

It's had tremendous results right we cut a deal the Republicans in 2011 cutting a trillion dollars out of domestic spending and so this idea that there hasn't been.

The work across the party line is just wrong it's just that this is going to be a very contentious.

The two parties are fighting right now it's going to be very contentious.

And I don't think that that's gonna dissipate in the next couple years I think it's going to be a tough immigrant and rough go of it here over the next year.

-- about that I have mark.

Immigration is going to be a major test for Barack Obama because this is -- -- as an issue where Republicans looking back the last election and having -- be too big rethink of their policies.

And Marco Rubio has stepped forward.

And is trying to forge a middle ground and immigration that means Barack Obama has a choice he can either.

Take a -- this position and try and use immigration like he's used all these other issues to drive away edge between Republicans and Hispanics.

Or he can reach out to rubio the way.

George Bush reached out to Ted Kennedy and -- and forge a major bipartisan -- let effort on immigration so this is going to be a major test for Barack Obama.

And will will soon see if he is the post partisan president but he promised to be here now all right -- good debate to see about.

Thanks -- thank you we'll take.

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