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Obama talks of resuming WH tours for children

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    Decision to close 'people's house' met with public outcry

  • Duration 5:14
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-- -- calling it bureaucratic hostage taking referring to the PR mess that the White House has.

-- hands after they canceled the White House tours boy did this thing -- -- right.

Because of the sequester cuts initially the president -- -- on the Secret Service but after mounting skepticism and criticism.

White house Press Secretary Jay Carney.

Finally said that the buck stops with the White House here's what -- said.

The Secret Service made the decision about its budget and to withdraw personnel from -- -- It is that we had to cancel the chores and it's our job to cancel the tour is they cannot cancel.

-- -- -- So we -- here that the president wants the tours to resume for visiting schoolchildren.

But it has not been finalized yet so they're trying to sort of dig themselves out of this one which -- Becomes something they probably don't want to be talking about but it's out there are so -- -- joins me now.

Former pollster for President Clinton and Rich Lowry editor of the national review well Fox News contributors.

You know -- you think -- that that this is -- so much attention.

Because it's a symbol of how.

The bureaucrat credit process Martha in Washington has impacted ordinary people Michelle Obama couple years ago said what we all believe.

Which is this is the people's house and the fundamental.

I think right.

Responsibility.

Of any government is to open up the White House is a living symbol of our democracy.

To people come to Washington the fact that after.

This sequester the principal impact that we all feel is that we can't go on White House -- words strikes a raw nerve especially.

At a time when the White House staff hasn't cut back and when there's been no appreciable impact in the country of sequester.

Yeah you know we've done stories about how many White House employees make you know six figures to -- refer Mexico later firm X 90096000.

Dollars I think.

A year rich you know -- it's it's it's optics -- every -- college and sort of you know contemporary.

I generally is it looks back at right.

Yet -- I can't say any better than died and he really stated perfectly why this has such -- symbolic resonance.

And also Martha just smacks.

Typical cynical.

Budget politics is -- -- any government does when -- any sort of cuts and it wants to make the public.

Feel the pain and a high profile way to get the public to back off.

The cuts so it.

I've been amazed Martha just how poorly the whole sequester fight has gone.

For the White House because the general rule of thumb going back decades is when there's a high profile.

Budget fight between the president and congress in Washington the president almost always wins and he is losing this thing.

For the overplayed his hand with exaggerating the effect and it's a question of -- sequester report took effect.

And then this this White House -- thing it's been a debacle.

You know when you look at sort of the the big picture here -- and I think this is Sunday that resonated with Americans a lot.

They they were told -- was going to be such a big scary thing -- sequester.

You know 85 billion dollars and you look back to you know the hurricane sandy age fifty billion dollars and you start just sort of have a if there's an incredulous -- -- believing that these billions you know matter why is it fine for them to go in one place and it disastrous if we have to give up isn't nearly the same amount of money.

For to go in another direction I think people.

Feel like they're just not getting the whole story.

Well I think that's right and also they understand.

That whatever your politics are we don't have a budget we don't have a long term planned -- rein in spending to reform.

Medicare and Medicaid to cut defense to basically balance our budget and reduce our debt.

And when people see these symbolic issues as.

Which was saying where the people -- in the politicians and the political class don't.

It just drives home how dysfunctional.

Our system in Washington is and how great the need is for change.

-- that affect -- a major political miscalculation the White House has made here.

-- thought through further confrontation.

High profile and tense confrontation -- edit these issues.

It could drive down republicans' numbers further.

And make them surrender and instead the parson confrontation.

Has hurt the president's numbers and he is at fifty or below.

And polls now and that's why you're seeing at least it a new talent and some high profile outreach for him.

That Charles Krauthammer last night talking about you know -- the -- given up.

X number of golf trips there would have been no problems he keeping it open and the White House for tours ouch right.

Well yes outs and Rick rich is on to something.

The president didn't want to compromise didn't want to have dinner with the Republican senators didn't want to go up to Capitol Hill he's doing it because his numbers.

Are now in the mid forties and when a president's numbers start dropping and I say this is somebody who was in the White House it's very hard to arrest.

That declined to the president and his his team is really really unnerved by what's happening and they don't have a budgetary plan they don't have a strategy.

And all of these symbolic issues is Charles Krauthammer.

And indeed rich and I've been talking about today with you.

Martha all of them weigh heavily on a president's ratings in position something that -- that's Harry I would think having that here thank you so much.

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