[WEEKLYSTANDARD] Virginia-based trade publication Politico says that President B.O. is winning by shutting down the government."President Barack Obama
We're gonna punish our enemies and we're gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us...
started September in an agonizing, extended display of how little sway he had in Congress. He ended the month with a display of resolve and strength that could redefine his presidency," say Politico writers Edward-Isaac Dovere and Reid J. Epstein. "All it took was a government shutdown."
This was less a White House strategy than simply staying in the corner the House GOP had painted them into -- to the White House's surprise, Obama was forced to do what he so rarely has as president: he said no, and he didn't stop saying no.
To affirm the position that Obama's showing strength by shutting down the governement, Politico quotes Obama himself, White House front man Jay Carney, OMB deputy director Brian Deese, Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg, and Democratic strategist Jim Manley. All of the quotations in the story are in support of the president and all are from Democrats.
Indeed, one even uses Politico to tell the president to continue blaming Republicans. "Manley advised Obama to make sure people continue to see Boehner and the House Republicans as the problem and not rush into any more negotiations until public outrage forces them to bend," writes Politico.
By contrast, no Republicans are quoted in the story. And not one person skeptical of the president's strategy not to negotiate with Republicans is quoted in the story.
"Best DNC blurb ever," says one longtime Washington news hound. "Brad Woodhouse [the former DNC front man] should take notes."