Outgoing House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer today chastised Republicans for not accommodating President Obama, and delaying the post-election “Slurpee Summit” until after Thanksgiving.
“I can never remember an instance when President Bush asked me or the Democratic leadership to come down and meet with him that we did not accommodate our schedule to that request,” Hoyer said at a press availability this morning. “I think that is not only respectful with the President of the United States but it also furthers the ability to solve the problems confronting our country. I was disappointed.”
According to Hoyer this most recent episode is part and parcel of their generally dismissive attitude toward the President going back to his election.
“It said a little bit what they said when President Obama wanted to come down and meet with them, talk about the Recovery Act, and an hour before he came down to meet with them, Mr. Boehner sent out a notice that they were all going to oppose the Recovery Act,” Hoyer said.
It’s not exactly a positive harbinger of bipartisanship to come. With unemployment hovering near 10 percent, and Republicans standing firmly against more stimulus spending, TPM asked Hoyer whether Democrats had discussed the possibility of tax-side stimulus — a payroll tax holiday, or a tax credit — with the GOP. The answer was no, not yet, but he worries that the GOP will object to anything that might help Obama.
“Republicans unfortunately — Mr. McConnell in particular — has indicated that their principle objective was to ensure that Mr. Obama has a one-term presidency,” Hoyer said. “If our only objective is to defeat politically, the other side…our country loses, our people lose.”
