My Offer is This: Nothing

In this photo taken Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, President Barack Obama listens to a question during a wide-ranging and exclusive interview with The Associated Press in the White House library in Washington four days into a... In this photo taken Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, President Barack Obama listens to a question during a wide-ranging and exclusive interview with The Associated Press in the White House library in Washington four days into a partial shutdown of the federal government. Obama said the U.S. intelligence community believes Iran continues to be a year or more away from having the capability to make a nuclear weapon, an assessment at odds with Israel, which contends Tehran is on a faster course toward a bomb. He expressed optimism about the blossoming diplomacy between his administration and Iran’s new president but said the U.S. would not accept a “bad deal” on the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) MORE LESS
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Many Republicans knew this was going to be a disaster going in. But just as many totally misread Obama. Just days before the shutdown numerous high profile Republicans insisted there was no way Obama wouldn’t negotiate. That was a significant error. Because probably the key driver of this drama has been President Obama’s refusal to negotiate over raising the debt ceiling.

Yes, there’s been some back and forth here at the end, but as begging like this suggests, it’s mainly been to sort out terms of surrender. His refusal defined the entire standoff.

That forced first Republicans and then House Republicans and finally the rump caucus of 50 to 80 House fire-breathers to stand alone with outrageous demands. By not engaging they destroyed themselves.

The 2011 crisis was, I believe, a turning point for Obama, not only because he realized he had been complicit in damaging the country but that his willingness to enter the discussion as a good faith, actual negotiation had the effect of legitimating what were actually rule-breaking, extra-constitutional demands.

It’s far different, in many ways goes to the right-wing fever-dream fantasy Obama. But this classic scene does capture some of it.

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