Even before their rising star and presidential hopeful Louisiana Gov.
Bobby Jindal had flubbed his big debut in the national spotlight, House
and Senate Republicans had decided to behave on Tuesday night.
There was no GOP pouting at President Obama’s speech before Congress,
primarily because it was a difficult speech to protest, purposefully
non-controversial and nonpartisan. In addition, new national polls
released the day before had taken a toll on Republicans. Majorities
gave the new president high marks for bringing about change and
handling the economic crisis. Obama’s job approval numbers not only
beat those of congressional Republicans by 30 points, but 73 percent of
those polled by The Washington Post/ABC News believed Obama was trying
to compromise with Republicans, while only 34 percent polled believed
the opposite was true. In a New York Times poll, 63 percent of
respondents said Republicans voted against the stimulus package for
political reasons rather than policy principles.
With beating him out of the question, Republicans decided to join
Obama’s party. They clamored to greet him, ogled his wife, and one GOP
congressman reported in a Twitter: “Place is on fire.” In response to
Obama’s speech, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) released statements praising
Obama’s “compelling case” and his “commitment to the millions who are
struggling,” and both pledged to work with the president on the
challenges ahead.
But will Republicans work with Obama? And if they don’t, will they pay a price?
Unified and energized though they were by blocking the stimulus
package, Republicans aren’t likely to enjoy the same “win” again in the
months to come. Obama will prove a vexing opponent. While the
government steps in and threatens to swallow the private sector whole,
Republicans will oppose government intervention as Obama argues it is
our only remaining hope for economic recovery. He will challenge the
GOP to come up with new ideas, but he will not scold the opposition
from the microphone, as presidents are tempted to do. Obama will keep
smiling and making offer after offer. There will be more Super
Bowl-like parties, rides on Air Force One, cocktails, Oval Office chats
and plans for basketball games with Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and John
Ensign (R-Nev.).
Obama’s campaign for bipartisanship may not win over Republicans, but
he intends for it to win over the public. Though he may never include
GOP ideas or come near to compromising on policy matters, the optics
alone could punish Republicans. No matter the country’s problems,
should Obama continue killing Republicans with kindness, they risk
being blamed for turning him down.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) supported the stimulus and used
optimistic, forward-looking language to describe how it will help
people “looking for work and searching for hope.” Crist may run for the
Senate next year, and should he oppose Obama’s future policies, he will
be able to say he at least tried working with the president. Unlike the
congressmen — Don Young (R-Alaska), John Mica
(R-Fla.), Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), Greg Walden (R-Ore.) — who sent press releases touting
provisions of a bill they voted against, Crist has bought himself some
credibility. Republican candidates will want to bank some of that
before the 2010 elections.
Stoddard is an associate editor of The Hill.