Thread: Emanuel: Republican votes not needed

Emanuel: Republican votes not needed

By Stephen Dinan
Thursday, June 25, 2009

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Thursday that bipartisanship doesn't mean actually winning Republican votes, it means the president has to try.

"There's a number of ways of grading bipartisanship," Mr. Emanuel, a former member of Congress, told reporters, previewing whether the White House will be able to claim that whatever health care bill emerges from Congress will meet President Obama's goal of bipartisanship.

He said one test is whether a bill included ideas from both parties, and another test is whether the president reaches out to Republicans, even if Republicans don't reciprocate.

"Whether Republicans decide to vote for things they promoted will be up to them, so one test of bipartisanship will be did you include things advocated by the other side," he said.

That definition contrasts with the one offered by Mr. Obama's Republican opponent in last year's election, Sen. John McCain, whose definition of bipartisanship included how often someone stands up to his own party in order to work with the opposition.

Mr. Emanuel said the health care bill will include Republican ideas, so the bill will be bipartisan, even if Republicans don't vote for it.

He also said the history of Mr. Obama's young administration bears out that Mr. Obama will get credit for trying -- as he did on the $787 billion stimulus bill --even if Republicans refuse to support him.

"The American people saw the president trying," he said.

Mr. Emanuel talked with reporters at a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/ju ... _headlines

He also said the history of Mr. Obama's young administration bears out that Mr. Obama will get credit for trying -- as he did on the $787 billion stimulus bill --even if Republicans refuse to support him.

What kind of drugs are these people taking for Christ's sake? Haven't they seen the approval ratings? Haven't they been paying attention to Rasmussen and other credible polls?

It's almost as if they are not even in touch with reality anymore.

"The American people saw the president trying," he said.



The American people have seen the president trying alot of things in his "young administration" and we are not impressed.

Horrified would be more the word for it.

Obama must be impeached. He thinks that he is omnipotent. He doesn't care what the American people want or what our Constitution promises. Obama wants to be the dictator of America. He is a fascist and we all know it. I don't know why Impeachment proceedings have not at least started. We can learn from history, if Hitler had been removed from power think about all the lives that could have been saved, I am afraid that the same thing will be said about Obama.

Emanuel, is an arrogant and pompous baffoon. Every dictator and those that help them rise and stay in power for their time, always fall. Good will eventually win out over evil.

"The American people saw the president trying," he said.


You know... I'll give my young children credit for trying things. And I'm sure their failures will not affect anyone outside of this house.

BUT to think that the American people are satisfied that the president is 'trying' is ludicrous.... His efforts of 'trying' will and have affected my country and MY childrens' future.


More insulting arrogant statements from Rahm

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Thursday that bipartisanship doesn't mean actually winning Republican votes, it means the president has to try.

Did that guy get knocked in the head or something?

I've heard nothing but bipartisanship this and bipartisanship that out of the Liberal press for over 12 years now and have a better grasp of the meaning than Rahm.

Seriously, that statement is just killing me with laughter.

Dixie