The problem with being an incumbent is that you run on your record. When you say something as the incumbent, we all look at it to see if it rings true.
Today President Obama promised on a radio show that if re-elected, he promises he will get the sequestration problem handled even if he has to wash Speaker Boehner’s car or walk Senator McConnell’s dog.
My question — why hasn’t he been working on it and done it already? Why do the American people have to rely on a promise instead of a product? This problem has been out there since the Bipartisan Committee last November - almost a year ago – could not reach a deal.
Just think...if he HAD been working on it for that year and HAD solved it, he could be campaigning on success with sequestration instead of a promise to do so if re-elected.
I know the President would say that the Republicans opposed him — and that is true — but that is true of every President trying to solve a difficult problem and he will face Republicans after election if re-elected. Part of the job of a President is handling political opponents – even very stubborn ones. Putting it off – until a year later and it is election time - is not part of the job. It is also bad politics. At the very least it would be helpful if the President could point to actual effort to solve this budget problem. Even phone logs showing he tried to contact the Republican leaders might be convincing that he did all that he could.
Success solving a real problem is a more powerful political weapon than a promise to do in the future when you had a year to do it.
