Obama getting tough

According to the L.A. Times "Obama's partisan turn entails a calculated risk. He cannot afford to see the stimulus bill fail. Without it, he warns, an already painful recession will worsen. With the stimulus in place, he says, the nation will create or save up to 4 million jobs."

Briefing reporters on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs did not rebut suggestions that Obama was opting for a more combative tone.

By failing to take dramatic action, "we'll find ourselves worse off than where we are now," Gibbs said. "We have to take those bold steps."


Personally, I don't think he should bargain for Republican support. At this point, having tried, they ought to just get a majority (partisan or not) on the bill and let the Republicans filibuster if they want. That will make it clear who is trying to hurt the middle- and lower-classes, and it won't cost any more time than fiddling around negotiating with people who have no motive but obstruction. Give them a chance to do their obstructing transparently.

It is simply too soon in the process for nonpartisanship.