‘Democratic Operatives Are Quick To Note That They Never Expected To Pass The Jobs Bills’

 

THE HILL: “Democratic leadership will continue to push the legislation despite its inability to clear either chamber, in part, because Obama is continuing to use the jobs bill as a central talking point as he gears up for the 2012 reelection campaign.” (“Senate Leadership To Push Forward On Unlikely Quest To Pass Next Piece Of Obama Jobs Bill,” The Hill, 10/31/11)

 

Sen. ‘Reid Has Pushed The President’s Agenda When It Has Had No Chance Of Passing’

POLITICO: “Obama is the head of the Democratic Party, and they are going to stick with him no matter what happens, Reid declared.… Reid has pushed the president’s agenda when it has had no chance of passing. Reid has pressed for passage of the president’s $447 billion jobs bill and individual pieces of it, even when some of his own rank-and-file Senate Democrats, like Nelson, have stood in opposition.” (“Reid: The Last True Obama Loyalist?” Politico, 10/25/11)

• THE HILL: “Democratic operatives are quick to note that they never expected to pass the jobs bills through the Senate, adding that the multiple roll calls will put Republicans on the defensive and force them to explain on the 2012 campaign trail why they voted no on measures that poll well with voters.” (“Democrats Seek To Fracture Republican Unity In The Senate,” The Hill, 11/2/11)

SEN. JIM WEBB (D-VA): “...expressed frustration that Senate Democratic leaders continue to bring pieces of the president’s plan forward even though they know full well the proposals will fail.” (“Jim Webb Goes Out Swinging,” Politico, 11/1/11)

CNN: “The reality in Congress is this bill has virtually no chance of passing and Democrats know that.” (Kate Bolduan, CNN’s “Situation Room,” 10/19/11)

CARL BERNSTEIN: “Well, first of all, Obama knew that bill couldn't pass when he formulated it.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 10/21/11)

POLITICO: “…failure of one piece of President Obama's jobs package is not likely to have much market impact because no one thought this piece of it was going anywhere…” (Politico’s “Morning Money,” 10/21/11)

 

‘Everything In The White House Is Driven By The Election,’ It’s The President’s ‘Biggest Goal On The World Stage’

VP JOE BIDEN: ‘Are we campaigning? … Yes!’ “Vice President Joe Biden lashed out at critics today who have claimed that his and the President's efforts to get a job's bill passed is mere ‘campaigning.’ ‘Are we campaigning?’ he said. ‘Yes!’” (“Biden: 'Are We Campaigning? Yes!'” NBC, 10/18/11)

• BIDEN: “People say we're campaigning. We sure as heck are campaigning.” (VP Biden, Remarks, 10/18/11)

“David Axelrod… released a campaign memo on Tuesday signaling that Obama would make his American Jobs Act a major component of his reelection strategy, pummeling Republicans who obstruct his attempts to revive the economy.” (“Axelrod To Raise Obama Dough In Arizona,” The Hill’s Ballot Box, 10/12/11)

BOB WOODWARD: “The White House has a secret plan to win the election and it's complex and it's secret, but it--look, Barack Obama wants to win so badly, as I understand it, everything in the White House is driven by the election…” (NBC’s “The Chris Matthews Show,” 10/30/11)

• CHRIS MATTHEWS: “[JFK’s] single goal was to avoid the Cold War becoming a shooting war. But this week's big question, what is President Obama's biggest goal on the world stage? Bob Woodward?” BOB WOODWARD: “Win the election. Win—and I mean, that is the driving force, and I think, you know, it's political, but I think it is becoming an internal commitment because like most presidents, they think that they're the person for the job.” (NBC’s “The Chris Matthews Show,” 10/30/11)

JOE SCARBOROUGH: “The president knew when he formulated this bill -- when the president formulated this bill, he knew the republicans weren't going to vote for it. We had Chuck Todd saying it from day one, that this is a political device.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 10/21/11)

JOHN HEILEMANN: “They put out a plan that is much more driven to trying to be a more populist approach to try to drive their base. Right now, that is where they are politically. Fact.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 10/21/11)

“President Barack Obama didn’t do much to bring along lawmakers on his jobs bill — and it showed… the relentless focus on the American Jobs Act wasn’t about racking up a legislative win. It was always about laying the foundation for … 2012.” (“Obama Looks Past Hill On Jobs Bill,” Politico, 10/11/11)

“…narrowly targeted exercise in 2012 politics.” (“The Obama Bus Trip: A Political Guide,” Politico, 10/17/11)

“…Obama's latest attempt to combine campaigning for his jobs bill with campaigning for his re-election.” (“Obama Touring To Support Pieces Of Jobs Bill,” AP, 10/17/11)

 

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