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Power Play 3/13/2013

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    Obama tries to blow past deficit drama, voters disagree. Chris Stirewalt and guests discuss

  • Duration 24:38
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And that is what it looked like.

Once upon a time when Barack Obama he's president of the United States states played goal.

With John Boehner he's the speaker of the US House of Representatives and this is power play in the summertime it'll long ago has long -- from the minds of Washington as the president and speaker Boehner.

Are locked in they -- death match budgeting.

Four month after month after month.

And people -- -- retreated from the idea of a big deal and now a big deal.

Has shrunk down to a deal probably only about a trillion dollars in borrowing offset by some amount of tax increases and some amount of spending cuts.

-- players to be named later.

So what about that.

Let's say this apparently McChrystal -- should have we will talk about that though and we will talk about the remarkable in many ways interview that.

President Obama gave to George Stephanopoulos of ABC.

Very revealing about the state of things -- -- -- that with -- handle and John health.

He is a senator he's from North Dakota.

We will talk to him he had dinner with the president will talk to him about the possibilities -- -- small big deal we will also -- -- -- about -- energy -- in -- -- because -- -- -- -- We would do all of those things you'll usually the more promise.

But let.

Let -- begin to let us hear you -- further to start enjoying this Internet telecast.

And they had -- David Drucker.

He is eminently solvable you must must follow and -- Drucker.

But he is a roll call and he has just completed or are you done with -- yet have you have you finished.

He Boehner trilogy.

Yes but demeanor it was it was a two partner who's your part of it -- longer we don't read it right well.

The fact that you at least -- -- -- long enough to know it was long yes means at least -- -- was half right.

But you but.

David was acquainted.

-- you.

And these are often the most effective interviews where you're doing them by email yeah you can tell by how big questions are.

Are -- -- the answers are -- that it was actually -- during the emailing.

There's just not like Mike Steele sitting there that been like yeah whatever driver yes this was this was obviously the man himself and you got some revealing answers give us the Cliffs Notes.

Well.

I think.

The most important thing I took away from the interview was that the speaker understands Republicans have -- communications and an image problem.

Oftentimes after election and especially if your party leader what you know and what you're willing to say -- it -- two different things and -- you may not really believe.

That there are problems that you've been around so long at all -- -- together and you think whatever we're up one day we're down the next big deal but that the speaker engaged on this idea.

That the Republicans have to do a better job of connecting the principles they're fighting for.

With -- everyday voters and how it is going to help them why they're doing it not just -- Paul Ryan told me yesterday.

For an accounting exercise that not balancing the budget.

Just because it sounds nice although I -- I know we talk about Obama's you know opinion of the debt crisis won't get into that.

They're doing because they think it's gonna make people's lives better voters.

Tend to agree that you know -- about that's good and they think it's a good job good idea for Republicans to do that but no he didn't excite them it's like.

I needed job for gas prices are high what does this do for so.

So to speak -- engaged.

With that.

And he also talked about the facts.

That it.

In retrospect and he didn't quite say this it was a mistake to try negotiate one on one.

War -- one on one on one.

With the president and senate majority leader Harry Reid when it came to big fiscal crises and budget deals that it's much better to do this through regular order which means.

Go to committee and massive bill force the senate to pass their own -- and he said I'm tired of taking.

Now all of the pressure off of Harry Reid let him try and pass something and then bring it to me bring it to the house and law consider.

And and -- was interest and he gets his members off of his back.

Because the problem that he had when he did the fiscal cliff deal was they did it -- regular.

Correct and you don't just doesn't especially in the house for -- so many members minor 200 men and women -- nothing to do.

Who don't know anything on how can they start to get annoyed even if that even if in theory they're little like the deal because you know reporters and constituents say.

What are you doing what are you know and basically the answer is I don't know anything.

I'm not important if they don't want that in so in what she can do a quick elicits a national.

Huge crisis.

You really -- are better off strategically.

Involving.

-- -- -- -- keep them busy anyway doing less that you didn't -- So how likely do you think -- it had this long conversation with.

Speaker.

After this it is very revealing.

How much that you think -- small big dealers at this point can we get some day it is is is congress likely to get a pass something on the order as we keep saying here.

That are government's gonna spent that eight trillion dollars between now and Election -- -- fourteen which -- that a lot of money.

But usually they're gonna have to borrow one point 31 point five trillion of -- Is a deal possible that -- sort of get us out of budget Blanco and in two -- is is is a deal of that magnitude possible.

I am less enthusiastic about an all encompassing deal I'm more.

Willing to believe.

That they might be able to do a couple of deals and I think.

-- at this point the best way to do it is don't end up at the last minute in a dark room somewhere.

There's nothing wrong with a dark -- is often the only way to get something done but given the experience of the past couple of years I think.

That so it's gonna pass a budget the house is gonna pass -- budget.

They'll go to conference I think to be able to spends with the budget one way or the other in that way and I would dealing with the debt ceiling I'm trying to do this the same way.

House Republicans are gonna have their version.

If they forced senate Democrats.

To have to their version.

And then they end up in a conference committee I think you have a much better chance of addressing this one way or the other.

There is something that conservatives have wanted it of course you know Boehner has a problem of conservatives that Harry Reid doesn't necessarily have a liberal network can ask for everything you -- -- has not yet ask them to do -- -- right but he's he's probably not gonna have the same.

Problem that the Boehner should happen if if you do this through regular order.

If you do this through a conference committee they wanted to fight it's they they want the outcome and they're not gonna just accept anything but they really want the fight.

Q given the fight I think it's easier.

For Boehner and his leadership team to try and -- it gets somewhere.

If you simply allow Harry Reid -- skate by and say well I can't do this the president's against that the president says I can't do this series against it.

You're gonna have a lot of problems among house Republicans and so they can do -- a debt ceiling separate you do budget separate.

You've got some other issues -- trying to do is separate and hand you you might sort of create some momentum there.

And it'll be easy either way -- It's.

A very tough song a thousand yards over broken glass in the best case scenario -- and -- also has senate Democrats to protect that are open 2014 Arkansas.

In Alaska.

And in other states so he's a political concerns over well.

I have no.

And brokers report and his ability to -- still relevant facts into useful information for the Internet David thank you very much.

Thanks for your thanks for having me and then -- -- dot com for the -- golfers -- -- my PR exacts no no maybe the act we didn't -- exactly -- -- want to pay the price especially having brought up pockets of such magnitude.

The Internet we are we thank you.

Ahead by the way the Internet the Internet Mike's my -- more than yours that's what the Internet says -- -- that the Internet does that -- -- mean.

But I make fun of how -- your true stories work they're worth reading their excellent I'm only teasing -- that's all Internet okay.

All right we're gonna take a quick break but when we come back we'll talk about.

Different goals and different budgets what is the president really talking about he said the deficit reduction in unto itself is not a worthwhile goal.

And that comes as a surprise to those of us remember what he said the deficits were unpatriotic remember that these of that.

So what about that and how does this manifests itself in this process the data just described we will do that we will engage you with your chest.

In your tweets when we come back.

-- stick around.

-- this is power play they'll.

You could you could be a way you could be -- and say that having seen the president's interview with mr.

Stephanopoulos former Clinton and by the way.

You understand more about their limited access media strategy president talked about why budgets don't matter -- that deficits don't matter.

As opposed to job creation he's contradicting himself on a couple of things and he had kind of a bumpy ride.

They were probably a little -- for Steve.

After that interview but the president is trying to engage and he's trying to -- Republicans.

Out into the center space to try to get a deal on debts and deficits as the house and the senate are both.

Trying to wrap their brains around budgets that won't become law but will force them uncomfortable votes on both sides.

So what about that.

And what does that tell us we have good people.

Here we have good people who can tell us these things you know and like quite a lot -- like when he's a former senior advisor to president George W.

Bush.

And also worked for the first President Bush he's a Republican and very good standing and he -- aggressor at the Georgetown University.

-- -- -- And the -- that's -- you didn't focus.

And I don't know where Richard Fowler went to school and or which basketball team he roots war.

You you.

G -- of cuts that everybody everybody double -- I like it but that Richard is the host of -- Richard I was and we act radio which you can listen to one WP WC 1488.

Amateur in the DC area.

Deaths of these statements correct decisions are correct the show -- show results and syndicated stuff and he is that it is so good that America.

You can get Richard wherever you are.

Richard as a man of the left and a conscientious patriotic Americans so question guys.

And I have to start with you Richard.

This interview with Stephanopoulos.

Let my jaw dropping open as I'm listening to the president say.

Deficit what are you everybody's all deficit wound up what we were worried about jobs.

And then I thought this was the guy who in 2000 and I -- So that he would cut the deficit in half in his first term instead of George W.

Bush -- was unpatriotic to one of 400 billion dollar deficit.

-- -- -- You lose that we did he lose the Mo -- on deficits well on the view must promote joint evidence at all I think with the president saying is that when you I think it's -- situation outside the White House went into the way I think -- degree of that.

He's huge difference at a police do different set of numbers different -- -- economic forecast.

-- that being said I think.

The president understands that we're gonna we're gonna balance the budget we're not going to balance the budget on the backs of middle class and working families on the backs of children on the backs of those who mentally the Eagles who were mentally ill.

-- we need to do seem to create jobs in this country on and invest and create jobs is by government investment and with that being said I think the other point the president probably -- the interview what is also true is that we've never ever seen deficits -- the recession.

That we've never seen it the deficit never -- -- The American amendments that that I made that is just a coincidence that we have sixteen trillion dollar deficits.

And every recession but before -- go there and you have.

You surely will back me up on this that this was a pretty this is a pretty stunning about face for the president but I -- did you go from running as a deficit hawk.

-- and he made his projected cut the deficit to halve the deficit.

After he was in office he did today that was after the first stimulus he did that in like February of 2000.

So I have to say -- Mr.

-- and -- deficits and.

Didn't have to death sentence -- always but we also had.

Things that we had to spend on that run for scene and we might we have to spend money -- after 9/11.

On the reorganization of government the largest reorganization -- history we had to go after al-Qaeda.

And we had to depose Saddam Hussein we had Katrina so there were things that George Bush necessarily.

Didn't plan or want to spend on that we had to spend unlike this president.

And there are two sets of numbers darkest secret numbers in the White House -- when you get to be president you get to see the numbers it is all about now I agreed to present the -- the president not very good map.

And when he was a US senator he had.

He birdied all the numbers -- privy to a budget the problem is he was elected to run for another office he can concentrate on the numbers and when he campaign.

He said.

Affirmatively -- cut the deficit in half he knew he was saying she got to be president he said it was unpatriotic.

It then if it is unpatriotic to run the kind of deficits that this president -- Benedict Arnold -- -- whatever into the ground.

The president has offered deep personal the president already cut a trillion dollars from the United -- budget he's article -- -- let's cut a trillion dollars here's the police grumbling to make others create rollover let's create government agencies -- where everybody likes the distances look a bit on on the area of politics.

Everybody who's out of office eight deficits everybody who's in office as well -- yeah we need to understand about deficit and it happened at a Republicans.

If we think all the way back and everything back Ronald Reagan three priorities when he came -- which was to double to increase the defense budget by 100%.

He wanted to do that.

He wanted to big tax cut and he wanted to balance the budget guess which one of those things did not occur -- -- -- -- right balancing the budget went away.

And but Richard it's always an effective tool for the party out of power.

To attack the party in power to say look at these deficits right I mean this is effective for Republicans to attack about what this.

I think -- good I think we're Republicans will continue to attack attacking Obama when -- coincidences the sad part is is that I think we can actually get real compromise in Washington -- everybody's when it comes to the table and work at the table the president has shown the ability to work with Republicans more than once he's reached out to them more than once let go for better.

-- be -- playing golf would be nice if you look at you know Derek they obamacare which was a Republican ideals and -- about it Romney created by The Heritage Foundation.

On and the president implemented -- he -- -- the Republican health care.

Policy that you -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- The conservatives look.

The president's got to look he spends more time with Tiger Woods and he does we John Baker that's a fact so you know.

If you want to talk.

And he -- people to the White House for the viewing of Lincoln you know.

When it comes to White House to watch a movie you're you're you're totally silent for three and a half hours you're not talking wasn't present like a lot of for three hours dinner and dinner with that -- you know was elected.

Senators one -- and one of them will be with us in the next segment done over the one of the things we have to learn is a selective handfuls super committee can't get anything done.

It's it's up to the people in the committees of relevant jurisdiction to get things done.

I can't agree here for a bit but he's -- but he's gonna go talk to these finally spot right now yeah.

I think what and I think the Republicans and invest in Lebanon evidence that the problem is the leading Republican leadership is not put -- -- -- -- -- -- -- become -- that's the Republican -- -- -- the senate can't pass -- -- president mr.

McConnell doesn't have any -- to sign.

Well it well but we'll get we'll stipulate that for a variety of reasons this and it is that making law they haven't done a lot of that her long time.

But we're getting ready to find out in the next couple weeks whether they actually do that.

But there is no doubt that you two -- -- that what you did.

We appreciate it prevents your perspective to us the Internet is grateful as always.

-- way to get very quick break but there's really bear interest and wants to -- -- Internet on the other side of this.

-- hope that he used to -- governor of North Dakota now he is a senator from that's it we're gonna talk to him.

But with the president told that he and other Republicans -- dinner last week and also we're gonna talk about the revolution that's going on his state -- the energy sector.

-- gets pumped up and makes North Dakota blue state so we'll talk about that when we come back -- stick around.

And that is money.

And this is our life and federal government is going to need a lot of it.

They live in a lot of it over the next eighteen months or so probably on the order of eight trillion dollars that we were just talking about to get to the end.

Of next year they're gonna have to borrow at least in a 1000000000003 of that may be more.

So -- -- is Washington capable of doing a deal.

Of the large -- -- that we are not stumbling from crisis to crisis but can move on to talk about other things that will infuriate and divide -- Washington.

So it's a big deal possible somebody who certainly knows as John hope he is a senator from the great state of North Dakota senator we thank you so much -- -- -- well.

Good to be ridiculous.

OK so you had dinner with the president he.

Thought.

And were you convinced more convinced after having come away from that meeting with them.

That a bigger deal something to get beyond this budgetary please -- game.

Was -- were you more optimistic.

-- -- Time will tell but the key is -- he stays engaged with us.

In working to get that big deal done is coming up to the ideal today to meet with.

Congressional.

Republicans.

In the house and and that's -- he'll be meeting less the senate Republicans.

Tomorrow but he's got to stay engaged Intel we get the deal done.

Now we heard some things Ron Hornaday.

-- National Journal quoting an Obama aide.

White House senior White House aide that told Ron who is top -- journalists.

Told Ron Fournier that this was a show and that it was only being done for the benefit of the press have you heard have you heard that quote.

Well that's -- -- say we'll see if he breaks off the negotiations and he doesn't stay involved with us -- -- we get the job done and if he goes back on -- campaign trail meeting going around the country and just.

Criticizing congress that.

That's going to be very hard to get a deal done so again it comes back to the president needs to work with us to get it done he's responsible as we all are.

To get this done for the American people.

The president told George Stephanopoulos retirement this earlier that quote my goal is not.

To chase -- balanced budget just for the sake of balance.

He also said that the country doesn't have -- your term debt problem.

This prompted some flabbergasted us.

Around some quarters of Washington.

Is this evidence do you think that he is he's tried to downplay.

An issue that's very urgently important for your party.

That's just not right.

And and what you see from the American people.

Is -- they support exactly what we need to do and that's reduce spending get this economy growing balance our budget and get a big deal to and address the debt and the deficit.

With the right kind of reforms so he's wrong in saying that and the American people know what and -- are pushing back.

-- exam before we -- back to ask you.

You're stating it is one of my it's one of my favorite stories in America because it is source of tremendous innovation.

-- tremendous growth in place that.

Had not seen a great deal of innovation and growth since mechanical plowing came in and it's been a huge success story.

What it give us just an update if you -- on what the state of the energy.

The boom in North Dakota looks like today.

North -- doing great things we've always been a leader in agriculture but power and energy powerhouse for the nation.

Had the privilege to serve there as governor from 2000 to 2010.

And we've really diversified our economy and just done amazing things.

In producing oil and gas as well as other types of energy we are that this second largest producer of oil in the country second only to the state of Texas were closing in on 800000.

Barrels a day.

Passed up Alaska last year.

-- just across the board advanced manufacturing technology others as well we have the lowest unemployment rate in the country and it just real tribute to our our great people.

And the emphasis we put on.

Building the right kind of business climate and getting private sector growth.

Well I tell -- what if -- -- energy independent after all your State's gonna have a lot to do that so we thank you for your time and we thank you for that.

Thanks Chris.

Okay.

That it is a great story and you'll seldom hear me -- such great enthusiasm about somebody else's work on the Internet because.

I do like you can -- on the following me -- -- firewall on Twitter.

But if you've done -- and enjoyed my column today.

About presidents newly cool attitude as it relates to deficit spending I would encourage everybody to read David Brooks in the New York congressman had -- really brilliant piece.

And I say this is an avalanche of American about where the real sources of innovation are in America today and -- they're not down at south -- south southwest.

Talking about fusion putter models -- -- -- But they are in places like North Dakota and there are places like west Virginia Tech I heard West Virginia told me might -- -- Tiger Woods OK so.

Just put it out there saying it's kind of cool.

All right so on the hunt Jonathan Hunt is up next.

That's cool to but before you get to that how about some power points would you like some there and doing it anyway.

-- -- -- points are moral hazards so is a balanced budget.

-- moral thing is an imbalanced budget and immoral thing is it.

Immoral or moral to spend more than you take it as a federal government.

Well this is a question that has.

Has long -- people in and out of power and as we were talking about earlier in the show it's certainly true that people out of power of love to attack deficit -- who are in office.

And people who once they get an office.

Developed strange your -- for borrowing money that they may not have before.

So this is something that we're always going to wrestle with but here's your first power -- breaking.

Nine.

Year and this year Barack Obama the president of the United States is -- which.

Both houses of congress have gone forward with their budgets before he -- -- in these days the law even requires that it was just the convention.

Back in the days.

One Daniel Harding but it's been in the -- since the seventies the president supposed to go first if he's not gonna do it.

This is.

A consequential thing so here's the second PowerPoint and gentle ban.

And Gentle -- and we're talking here about Ben Bernanke.

Now all of that money that the federal government has -- that sixteen point four trillion and the 1000000000003.

That is going to be borrowed.

In the next year or so.

Comes a lot of it from the Federal Reserve the government's bank -- the government money it's good deal in the interest rates stay low but it -- certain point.

It's not going to be that way anymore and is the president said when he was running for office that bank of China one days went through issues and do notices to us and interest rates are gonna go up and we're going to be in -- real -- so.

Regardless of what's happening today we know that there is hazard ahead as it relates to debt and deficits everybody knows that regardless of their political affiliations.

So here is the third PowerPoint -- -- Bush's.

Power plays grandfather.

Used to say that your mind your -- bush came here on bush picked the -- that are on your bush.

Not somebody else's and here's the truth for everybody in Washington.

People ought to focus on what they are doing the work that's in front of them it's that -- so much about criticizing the other side of the senate has been roasted.

Out of its slumber on budgeting to do something this year the house's consistently done it it's time for the president and his own -- and quit worrying so much.

About what everybody else is doing and get work on his stuff.

Decided to say Mr.

President just put it out there are those your power points and now as we like to do every day we will leave you with the word from our French are.

Us remember it was a year ago when our secretary of defense Panetta said that by six months ago Israel would already have attacked Iraq.

And win the premonition of Israel spoke of the general assembly.

He had the -- to Obama and he said to have been reached a critical moment in spring or summer.

-- spring starts next week.

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