In the President's interview, of course the most immediate question is whether we're going off the so-called fiscal cliff and even though Mr. Obama can not say the words 'I don't know,' but his answer sure indicated as much. Chuck Todd observed, suggesting that we go over, that the President showed no sense of urgency, not making the next, at this point, 24 hours 'do or die.' In his interview, Mr. Obama outlined quite simply what measures would be taken if we do go post the deadline. Ultimately, the Senate Democrats would have to introduce a bill that would cut taxes for 98% of Americans and then in essence dare the Republicans to block it.
In a previous column, we said that we were optimistic, but at this late hour, we not so sure. At the top of the program, Mr. Gregory did report that Congress was going to reconvene today for a special Sunday session. But let's face it, Republicans are acting stupidly, David Brooks called it 'shambolic,' but they're not being shrewd in any sense. Granted, the consensus of the roundtable is that the President has no inside game when it comes to cajoling congressmen, and using the leverage [read: opulence] of the White House itself to get votes. However, later in the program, Doris Kearns-Goodwin said that the President had to get out in front of the people more to educate them about gun laws. They way they make it sound sometimes - he's got no inside game; he doesn't get out enough - give it a rest a bit - he was elected President... twice.
But the infighting amongst Republicans is rendering themselves unable to negotiate. The leadership can't make a deal that the rank and file will accept and the pragmatists are continually under threat of a primary challenge if they compromise in any way with the Democrats. Jon Meachum, in reference to the gun lobby, described two sides as the well organized lobby versus the common sense, but unorganized general public. But these are the sides on practically every issue, and the republicans, though unorganized themselves blindly are following the small, but organized powerful lobby.
But what about the President? Mr. Gregory noted that it has been widely reported that Republicans can not particularly say 'yes' to this President. Just look back to the healthcare fight and the ugliness that was illustrated by the Tea Party then - the fascist, socialist, otherness rhetoric. There is enough of the Tea Party left, the 'faction' that the President referred to them blaming them for the impasses that we face, in Congress that enable such absolutism of you're either with us or against us mentality. Remember, John Boehner's 'Plan B' was essentially to raise the individual tax rates for people earning over $1 million, and the Tea Party didn't give him the votes.
In outlining his priorities in a second term, at the top of the President's list was immigration, followed by economic stabilization, then infrastructure and energy. And then he took time to reiterate that his first, most immediate priority was to make sure that taxes didn't go up for the middle class. However, Mr. Gregory stepped right over those to go to gun control, referenced earlier.
Mr. Obama said he was 'skeptical' about more guns in schools, and it is in our informed opinion that teachers - civilians - should not carry guns in school. Surely, the students will learn which teachers are carrying guns, which can only contribute to a deterioration of trust between teacher and pupil. And then there's the whole scenario of a bigger, stronger student taking the gun away from a teacher and then using it. How does a policeman get to that situation in time to stop it? That is not to say that having a police officer in the school is a bad thing. It does make students and adults alike in the school think twice about doing anything illegal - drugs, guns, inappropriate behavior even.
But to say that banning assault weapons or at the very least high capacity clips wouldn't help, we would say that it wouldn't hurt. Decreasing the number of assault type weapons in our society to decrease gun violence, just seems like a common sense idea. There is a compromise there for sure - we'll let you have the assault weapon, but not the high-capacity clip - but how do you as the President go back to the families of the Sandy Hook and say we've reached a compromise? How does an official from the NRA or the Republican Party go there and say the ban is not necessary. And the answer is you don't.
Round Table: NBC’s Tom Brokaw; historians Jon Meacham and Doris Kearns Goodwin; the New York Times’ David Brooks; and NBC’s Chuck Todd.
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