Jacob Weisberg: Obama can learn from Clinton, but will he?
[The writer is chairman of the Slate Group.]
Early on Wednesday morning, the White House released a photograph of President Barack Obama phoning his congratulations to John Boehner, the presumptive Republican Speaker of the House. It captures Mr Obama working late, with his necktie loosened and his shirtsleeves rolled up. His expression is relaxed, confident as ever, gently smiling at the setback. It is not the image of a man in turmoil.
Perhaps the biggest danger he faces in the coming months is that he will take this midterm meltdown in his stride, as the photo suggests. He is surely relieved that the defeat was not more sweeping. While Republicans gained more than 60 seats in the House, clownish, Sarah Palin-backed Tea Party nominees in Delaware, Nevada and Alaska probably cost their party control of the Senate. This will make it easier for Mr Obama to fend off panic and blame a weak economy and poor communications for his side’s losses, rather than fundamentally reassessing how he governs.
Such a placid response which also describes his unshaken demeanour at his afternoon press conference, would stand in marked contrast to that of Bill Clinton. After losing both houses of Congress in 1994, Mr Clinton did indeed panic, and did fundamentally reassess his presidency. Mr Obama has had an awkward relationship with Mr Clinton personally and with his legacy. He does not regard him as a transformational president and has shown little interest in following his example. But Mr Obama would do well to study how Mr Clinton turned a midterm rout into a second-term resurrection...
Read entire article at Financial Times (UK)
Early on Wednesday morning, the White House released a photograph of President Barack Obama phoning his congratulations to John Boehner, the presumptive Republican Speaker of the House. It captures Mr Obama working late, with his necktie loosened and his shirtsleeves rolled up. His expression is relaxed, confident as ever, gently smiling at the setback. It is not the image of a man in turmoil.
Perhaps the biggest danger he faces in the coming months is that he will take this midterm meltdown in his stride, as the photo suggests. He is surely relieved that the defeat was not more sweeping. While Republicans gained more than 60 seats in the House, clownish, Sarah Palin-backed Tea Party nominees in Delaware, Nevada and Alaska probably cost their party control of the Senate. This will make it easier for Mr Obama to fend off panic and blame a weak economy and poor communications for his side’s losses, rather than fundamentally reassessing how he governs.
Such a placid response which also describes his unshaken demeanour at his afternoon press conference, would stand in marked contrast to that of Bill Clinton. After losing both houses of Congress in 1994, Mr Clinton did indeed panic, and did fundamentally reassess his presidency. Mr Obama has had an awkward relationship with Mr Clinton personally and with his legacy. He does not regard him as a transformational president and has shown little interest in following his example. But Mr Obama would do well to study how Mr Clinton turned a midterm rout into a second-term resurrection...