There haven’t been that many moments of levity during the past week’s White House briefings. And rightly so. Between the tragedy in Connecticut and the congressional and presidential impasse on the fiscal cliff, there really hasn’t been a lot to joke about.
But today when White House Press Secretary Jay Carney stepped off the fiscal cliff metaphor ledge (sorry), laughter ensued.
During today’s briefing, Carney derided Republicans in the House for not accepting the president’s latest fiscal cliff offer. “Instead of taking the opportunity that was presented to them to continue to negotiate what could be a very helpful, large deal for the American people, the Republicans in the House have decided to run down an alley that has no exit…while we all watch,” Carney said.
Of course, no good journalist would let the alley-metaphor go to waste, which led to this question from Real Clear Politics’ Alexis Simendinger:
“After the Republicans run down the alley from which there is no exit, will the president be standing there or calling them?”
Carney’s answer:
“The dangers of throwing out metaphors is that people pick them up and, what I am confident of is that they don't have, at the end of that alley, like, a Batplane to fly out, you know, to their own rescue… Do you remember that scene? It was good. It was a good scene.”
Which of course begged the question from another reporter, “Does the president have a Batplane?”
Carney was ready with his response, “I can't talk about that. It's classified.”
So to review:
- Yes, Jay Carney has seen the latest and supposedly last installment in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.
- Yes, Jay liked it.
- And, it is currently unclear if the president has access to a Batplane.
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Wow , That is a crazy thought , But an admirable one !
What did you Think they spent all the money in the Black budget on? He also has a giant robot!!
I wonder if shaming Boehner publicly by pointing out that he doesn't have the votes to pass anything would help? I'd like to see a lot more of that in say, WaPo. Despite MSM reporting, the President really does have all the cards, still.
Reminds me of a line from an episode of "Numb3rs":
"The Pentagon has no contracts with aliens or afterlife entities. …That I'm aware of. …At this time."
Michelle : My mother told me, never get in a car with a strange man...
Barack : It's not a car...
Dear Rachel:
Obama is currently ahead in the popular vote by 4,734,970. This is without a significant number of New York votes yet to be counted. You continue to say Obama won by 3 million votes. This grossly understates his popular victory. P.S. Love the show!
Charlie
The GOP is not playing politics. They seem to believe instead that this is a game of poker. Plan B was just raising the bet. Please remember this day. The only thing these folk will respond to is being voted out of office. Also please remember the 2010 votes. They are depending on us Democrats not voting in the mid-terms ….again.
I'd never want to play poker with the President unless I was wearing two sets of clean underwear.
I agree give him another free plane at least this one he can fly to the moon and stay there.
Maybe he can destroy the moon if all you liberals go with him. But he will need all your money first and it will be unionized for control.
Surfnby,
Sorry, the Moon is reserved for Newt and the rest of the bat-crap crazy crowd that calls the shots in the GOP. Newt called 'Dibs'.
John, don't insult the bats that way. lol
Keep dreaming sweety. Realty will be too much of shock if you ever pull your head out of your ass/
But does the President's Batplane have a ready supply of Oceanic Repellent Bat Sprays?
Am I the only one thinking that the House Republicans shorted the stock market earlier today? Can we find out if they did? Because if they did, they should all be indicted for insider trading. That may be our best hope of ridding ourselves of them!
Sally...
Unfortunately, Congressmen are exempt from rules on insider trading... Boehner and Cantor both have stock in the Keystone XL company, which is why they fought so hard to get the pipeline built...
You don't think it was for energy independence, do you?...
I still don't understand why Obama doesn't just wish everyone a happy holiday season and announce that he'll meet with Republican leadership sometime after the first of the year--once they figure out who that's going to be.
At that point, Obama can re-establish his position, removing some of the potential cuts and even increasing some of the revenue options. For example, if Boehner believes that those with income over $1 million a year should pay higher rates than those below, let's use that. Create a 43% (or even 45%) bracket for incomes at that level. For many of those folks, the income number is just scorekeeping anyway.
At this point, Obama is negotiating with himself. Stop it, Barack. Put all the toys away until after January 1. Then decide which ones you want to play with.
Not only that, but the President isn't bargaining with someone who can deliver on promises. Boehner doesn't have the backing of his caucus, and can't reliably make a deal or even bring legislation to a vote (thus the collapse of "plan B for Bungle"). When the GOP decide who can negotiate in their name reliably, they can send that person, and things can get done.
Or they can keep masturbating in the House cloakroom, and accept the "cliff". After which, they can watch themselves fracture, fragment, and splinter as the rational, below-$250k cuts are pushed through with their anti-tax defectors supporting it because it'd be political suicide otherwise.
I'm sorry, Rachel, I normally have nothing but admiration for your broadcasts, but you really must stop referring to the current plan B as a 'compromise'.
Boehner has offered nothing other than the dept ceiling for one year (how gracious), & it is Obama who has offered up all the goodies once again leaving the GOP salivating for more. This is not a compromise. I would submit it's weakness on Obama's part, but that's my opinion.
Anyway, it certainly should not be reported as a 'compromise'.
Rachel, I really like your show and admire you a lot. I am shocked to see you misuse the term "begged the question." It does not mean "raised the question."
http://begthequestion.info/
We should be able to slip that in to the next defense appropriations bill..... ;)
Anyone else find it ironic that the GOP aborted their Plan B?
If the President has a batplane, Michelle better be allowed to fly it. There are some areas where marital commitment trumps classified information.
I'm 62 years old and a lifelong democrat. Maybe this could be a starting point. Thanks http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol30_No2_KatesMauseronline.pdf
I am sad that Obama is a wimp when it comes to fighting the rich republicans. I knew a long time ago that Hillary had more balls them him but I don't think most Americans' are smart enough to know that. It saddens me to say he is nothing more than a democratic republican caring more about his religious beliefs that people can come together, than the American people. The American people are actually in charge and don't have the intelligence to know it. For instance the ones that want smaller government and they are the first that want what the government has to offer them. I have learned a lot being a 66 year old disabled Vietnam Vet who grew up in the state of Maine where people at that time cared about each other not what they could get for just themselves.