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Is Obama's Republican outreach sincere?

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    President hits Capitol Hill as poll numbers dip

  • Duration 5:34
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We are doing our.

Very best to reach out.

To the other side and I think there's a genuine.

Desire on the part of Republicans and Democrats.

To try to get something done I think there's a we -- in this.

Among membership in the senate and the house about this constant -- -- day in day out of argument and crises instead of productivity.

And -- movement forward.

President Obama sounding a bipartisan tone as he spoke to supporters Wednesday night in Washington with the -- -- now two weeks old and his poll numbers -- The president continued this week with what many are calling his charm offensive heading to Capitol Hill to meet with members of the house and senate from both parties so.

Is the -- sincere.

And how should Republicans respond we're back with Dan -- anger and Peggy Noonan so Dan.

Two weeks ago president was attacking Republicans.

For these.

Supposedly horrible spending cuts now he's reaching out to them what do you make of a change of strategy.

Well what I make the change in strategy is that the Republicans called his -- they allowed to -- to happen and the sky didn't fall the apocalypse that he predicted didn't happen.

Couple things did happen though his approval rating drop about six points in one week it's dropped twelve points among women.

And a fifteen point lead over the handling the economy is now a dead heat with the Republicans if you're he doesn't have to run for reelection again -- a lot of Democrats do and if you're a Democrat who needs to get reelected you're getting very nervous and I think the democratic elites in Washington.

Have conveyed to the president this isn't working you've got to do business with these people -- you think it's cosmetic.

Rhetorical or do you think it's actually since -- Well let's -- were deeply sincere.

It would suggest a sea change -- and the president.

And I I don't think anyone's running around Washington saying my -- that you do you believe how he's changed.

It's cold a charm offensive that's a weird name for this.

He is not being especially charming and his own White House seems to find it somewhat offensive that they have to deploy out to talk to there was a crazy republic there was a background quote this week there was stories on Pyongyang this is not going to be AP reporter -- yeah.

This doesn't mean anything it's not going anywhere where almost embarrassed to have yeah we're just doing it -- you in the media right but.

-- the thing I mean the -- accidents.

Funny it is in his interest in fifteen different ways to get some sort of deal with the Republicans the Republicans.

Find him interesting they talked with him they would love to negotiate with him but they need him involved so that he can bring.

His Democrats and and Democrats and Republicans together with the imprimatur of the presidency can move forward.

There's no particular reason to believe.

Didn't the president is going to do that he seems just to be going to high profile.

Dates in which everybody can say is -- months.

-- idea I've talked probably about a half dozen senior Republicans about what the president and what it centers and they said on -- in the same thing he told us what he thinks of us.

And we told him what we think of him and it wasn't it was frank -- discussions as they say in the diplomatic world not terribly friendly.

And not a lot of of ideological bridging going on mostly a statement of principles and -- are if you wanna deal what's to stop attacking each other.

At least that's sort of a minimum I didn't get a sense that there's a lot of progress on the policy.

Well look -- were set on this program Barack Obama has taken federal spending up to near 25% of GDP.

Paul Ryan in his budget proposed putting it down to nineteen and a half percent over ten years.

Big gap between what Barack Obama is willing to do and what the Republicans want to do is enormous these are huge numbers and the idea that -- that Obama is going to do a compromise with them.

In the space in between I think it's very unlikely ball.

Yet the other thing the president said this week there was interest -- -- Republicans if you need.

You need me to be able to sell.

Reform of Medicare and Medicaid and these giant programs -- Democrats will never -- along with it.

Otherwise.

Is -- right about that.

He he if he's right or he's won't.

He shouldn't say it one shouldn't say those haunting things to imperil -- trying to do a negotiation with.

I have by the way did to Dan's point one of the problems I think the president is -- polls is that he seems very often now.

Not to be telling the truth and in ways that are apparent apparent to the American people terrible things will happen with the -- nothing bad happens.

Well we're gonna cancel the White House towards him.

Oh by the way I didn't cancel the White House for somebody else did somebody else's no actually it was them.

There's a sense of of car -- plane that seems old fashioned and tacky to I don't think it's plain and -- How should Republicans respond and then briefly.

I think they should respond by sticking to what they have done.

They will only negotiate in public with this president -- -- emphasize transparency and I do think they should stick to that nineteen point 5% number as of gold for federal spending.

Within that context you can discuss the -- -- but I think if they just say the same thing.

Over and over is to go forward with the president they'll be on stronger all right thank you both still.

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