By Clarence Page
“Eric, don’t call my bluff.”
Those words suggest President Obama has had it up to here with the preening and posturing of Republican “negotiators” who won’t negotiate. Who could blame him?
Obama’s warning to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor came at the abrupt conclusion of Wednesday’s talks about the debt-ceiling crisis. The unamused president asked whether Ronald Reagan would have put up with such time-wasting nonsense, then uttered another memorable line: “I’ve reached my limit. This may bring my presidency down, but I will not yield on this.”
By “this” Obama meant Cantor’s insistent demand that the president accept a short-term hike in the debt ceiling, which would mean Congress would have to vote on yet another increase before next year’s election. Republicans know that Obama has ruled out this option. When Cantor raised it again Wednesday, and again, and again, the president lost his patience and went all commander in chief. Read More
