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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAssclown: Ron Fournier Compares Obamacare Rollout To Bush's Handling Of The Iraq War
Ron Fournier Compares Obamacare Rollout To Bush's Handling Of The Iraq War
Ron Fournier, a National Journal columnist, on Tuesday compared President Obama's approach to the health care website rollout to President George W. Bush's handling of the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina.
"Just like Katrina, when the big problem President Bush had was diminishing the significance of what was happening, saying Hey, way to go, Brownie,you had the president yesterday talking about glitches and kinks. This is bigger than glitches and kinks," Fournier said on MSNBC, as quoted by Mediate. "The one difference was Katrina was a storm, the health care law was Obamas creation."
Fournier then added, "Maybe the Iraq War is a better analogy."
Nicolle Wallace, a former communications director for Bush, also criticized Obama on MSNBC for not taking a larger role in trying to fix the problems with the website.
"The notion he's sitting and watching from the residence of the White House and says, 'Oh, gosh, that didn't go well' just rings really strange to people," she said. "But Obama, to continue to speak about the actions of his administration as a guy with a great seat but no responsibility, is totally off-putting, and it does not have a whiff of leadership to it."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/msnbc-guest-compares-obama-s-obamacare-rollout-to-bush-and-iraq-war
Ron Fournier, a National Journal columnist, on Tuesday compared President Obama's approach to the health care website rollout to President George W. Bush's handling of the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina.
"Just like Katrina, when the big problem President Bush had was diminishing the significance of what was happening, saying Hey, way to go, Brownie,you had the president yesterday talking about glitches and kinks. This is bigger than glitches and kinks," Fournier said on MSNBC, as quoted by Mediate. "The one difference was Katrina was a storm, the health care law was Obamas creation."
Fournier then added, "Maybe the Iraq War is a better analogy."
Nicolle Wallace, a former communications director for Bush, also criticized Obama on MSNBC for not taking a larger role in trying to fix the problems with the website.
"The notion he's sitting and watching from the residence of the White House and says, 'Oh, gosh, that didn't go well' just rings really strange to people," she said. "But Obama, to continue to speak about the actions of his administration as a guy with a great seat but no responsibility, is totally off-putting, and it does not have a whiff of leadership to it."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/msnbc-guest-compares-obama-s-obamacare-rollout-to-bush-and-iraq-war
What a silly asshole.
Steve Benen called out this asshole after the shutdown, and the clown had the nerve to claim he was being mischaracterized.
Remember the pundits who urged Obama to cave?
By Steve Benen
Even as the American mainstream turned against congressional Republicans during the recent crises, there were quite a few Beltway pundits who urged President Obama to give in to GOP demands...Lets take National Journals Ron Fournier, for example, who argued just last week that Obama must negotiate with GOP leaders. He said it was necessary as a matter of optics, adding that Republican obstinacy is no excuse. (Remember, in context, negotiating with Republicans meant exploring what concessions the president was prepared to offer in exchange for nothing because GOP lawmakers said it was a precondition to their willingness to complete their basic responsibilities.)
Obama ignored the advice, showed some real leadership, and prevailed. A week later, with the benefit of hindsight, Fourniers advice appears rather misguided.
Which is what made the National Journal writers new column that much more interesting.
Hmm. If it was all so predictable that the president would stick to his guns and Republicans would cave, why did Fouriner argue literally just last week that Obama should stop sticking to his guns and start making concessions to Republicans?
The rest of Fourniers argument is somewhat confusing. He wants to know, for example, if Obama can lead. Didnt Obama just prove that he could lead quite well by winning this fight? In this case, Fournier suggests lead means making Republicans do what they refuse to do, which doesnt seem like an altogether fair definition of the word.
<...>
Update: Fournier believes the item above takes his post from last week out of context. I disagree, but Im eager for fair-minded readers to consider the relevant pieces and reach their own conclusions. Heres his piece from last week, in which Fournier argues that Obama cant cave, while also arguing that Obama must negotiate with Republicans who were demanding he cave. Heres his piece from this morning, in which Fournier argues that the presidents posture against negotiation led to a predictable victory.
- more -
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/remember-the-pundits-who-urged-obama-cave
By Steve Benen
Even as the American mainstream turned against congressional Republicans during the recent crises, there were quite a few Beltway pundits who urged President Obama to give in to GOP demands...Lets take National Journals Ron Fournier, for example, who argued just last week that Obama must negotiate with GOP leaders. He said it was necessary as a matter of optics, adding that Republican obstinacy is no excuse. (Remember, in context, negotiating with Republicans meant exploring what concessions the president was prepared to offer in exchange for nothing because GOP lawmakers said it was a precondition to their willingness to complete their basic responsibilities.)
Obama ignored the advice, showed some real leadership, and prevailed. A week later, with the benefit of hindsight, Fourniers advice appears rather misguided.
Which is what made the National Journal writers new column that much more interesting.
Just as he did to John McCain in 2008 and to Mitt Romney in 2012, President Obama defeated a lame Republican political team. The GOPs right wing foolishly shuttered the government and threatened default in exchange for an unreasonable and unattainable concession: Scrap Obamacare. He refused. The GOP caved.
It was all so predictable.
Hmm. If it was all so predictable that the president would stick to his guns and Republicans would cave, why did Fouriner argue literally just last week that Obama should stop sticking to his guns and start making concessions to Republicans?
The rest of Fourniers argument is somewhat confusing. He wants to know, for example, if Obama can lead. Didnt Obama just prove that he could lead quite well by winning this fight? In this case, Fournier suggests lead means making Republicans do what they refuse to do, which doesnt seem like an altogether fair definition of the word.
<...>
Update: Fournier believes the item above takes his post from last week out of context. I disagree, but Im eager for fair-minded readers to consider the relevant pieces and reach their own conclusions. Heres his piece from last week, in which Fournier argues that Obama cant cave, while also arguing that Obama must negotiate with Republicans who were demanding he cave. Heres his piece from this morning, in which Fournier argues that the presidents posture against negotiation led to a predictable victory.
- more -
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/remember-the-pundits-who-urged-obama-cave
Polls show growing support for Obamacare
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023906596
How CNN's "Both Sides Do It" Coverage of the Shutdown Failed Massively
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023894376
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Assclown: Ron Fournier Compares Obamacare Rollout To Bush's Handling Of The Iraq War (Original Post)
ProSense
Oct 2013
OP
grasswire
(50,130 posts)1. Fournier
When Fournier was the #1 reporter in the country by virtue of his being the AP correspondent to the WH, I wrote to him to ask him why there was no reporting on the conflict of interest in the Bush family's partnership in Carlyle Group (war profiteers) and George W.'s sending Americans troops to battle.
Fournier wrote back to me that he had never heard of the Carlyle Group.
Bastard.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)2. He's a hack
AP's Ron Fournier To Karl Rove: "Keep Up The Fight"
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2008/07/aps-ron-fournier-karl-rove-keep-fight
The AP has a Ron Fournier problem
http://mediamatters.org/research/2008/07/22/the-ap-has-a-ron-fournier-problem/144113
NJ: "Go Ahead, Admit It: George W. Bush Is a Good Man"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022740929
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2008/07/aps-ron-fournier-karl-rove-keep-fight
The AP has a Ron Fournier problem
http://mediamatters.org/research/2008/07/22/the-ap-has-a-ron-fournier-problem/144113
NJ: "Go Ahead, Admit It: George W. Bush Is a Good Man"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022740929