Democratic Congressman: Obama Has Been Disappointed by Pelosi’s Pork
EmailOn Liberadio (!) on Super Bowl Sunday, Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., said that the White House has conveyed to Democratic leaders its displeasure at the amount of "pork" in the stimulus package.
Cooper, one of 11 Democrats who voted against the bill, said that he "actually got some quiet encouragement from the Obama folks for what I’m doing because they know its a messy bill and they wanted a clean bill."
Continued Cooper, a conservative "Blue Dog" Democrat, "Now, I got in terrible trouble with our leadership because they don’t care what’s in the bill, they just want it passed and they want it to be unanimous.
They don’t mind the partisan fighting cause that’s what they are used to. In fact, they’re really good at it. And they’re a little bit worried about what a post-partisan future might look like."
He implied that Members of Congress don’t "read the bills and figure out whether they’re any good or not. We’re just told how to vote. We’re treated like mushrooms most of the time." As opposed to the past, when the erstwhile Democratic Study Group would analyze legislation and provide pros and cons, "now we don’t get good information about the bill. They don’t really want you think about it. They want you to vote blindly with the Democratic leadership every time."
Democratic leaders are often right in their analyses, Cooper said, but "they’re not perfect, (and) sometimes they’re disappointing our President."
The Obama White House is in a "tough" situation, Cooper said: "They want to keep the Speaker happy and the traditional Democratic leaders, but they’ve let them know privately they’re not interested in all this pork."
The Liberadio (!) interview was first flagged by the Nashville Post and given more attention by our friend Glenn Thrush at Politico.
– jpt
UPDATE: Cooper today released the following statement:
“At no point did any member of President Obama’s staff encourage me to vote against the House economic recovery bill. I told them I believed that the bill had too much long-term spending and didn’t meet the president’s goal of getting 75% of the money into the economy within 18 months. After the conversation, I felt encouraged that the administration understood those concerns and shared my longstanding commitment to fiscal responsibility.”
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Obama really is just a spineless, weak little wimp, isn’t he?
“Now, Nancy, I don’t like all that pork, you hear? What? You do? Oh. Okay then.”
I can’t wait until he sits down one-on-one with America’s worst enemies.
Posted by: marylou | February 4, 2009, 8:17 am 8:17 am
Pelosi can straddle a fire hydrant. She has no clue how to be a responsible memeber of congress in a time like this.
I looked up her other bills as well, hr 45 and hr 1022. Both are for banning guns. Both are impeahcable bills for infringing rights.
Posted by: Heidi | February 4, 2009, 8:24 am 8:24 am
Cooper is a piece of work… this “democrat” derailed Clinton’s health care reform and now he’s attacking a party leader to try and get some conservative creds in a district that isn’t even conservative. This congressman is a joke…
Posted by: Mike | February 4, 2009, 8:25 am 8:25 am
Nancy Pelosi doesn’t have a clue and neither does Obama. Throw the pork out or forget the bail out. Any of the politicians who do not read the bill inits entirety should be replaced by someone who are willing to do what they are paid to do.
Posted by: Jack Rose | February 4, 2009, 8:28 am 8:28 am
Obama rails against bailed out CEOs for being “irresponsible” in giving huge bonuses to fellow executives. Unfortunately, these guys didn’t run their companies into the ground by being responsible. It’s unreasonable to expect them to suddenly start now.
It’s time to simply declare the bailout program a failure, and declare publicly no more bailouts under any circumstances. Let the markets do the discipline. “Do it right or get eliminated”. If we have another great depression, so be it. We survived one with our society intact & will again.
Posted by: Aaron | February 4, 2009, 8:37 am 8:37 am
Obama represents the higher bar being set. All this congressional posturing is just that. None of represents what Obama brings to Washington – a mandate to change the culture of Washington and the entire county for the better. As for the Stimulus bill – if the repubs are against it… it must be good, given their unmitigated failures of the last 8 years.
Posted by: David | February 4, 2009, 8:39 am 8:39 am
I voted for Obama, I worked hard for Obama. Pelosi has to go if Democrats want to retain control of Congress. Either that, or divorce her husband, the $17 million of stock he owns in a certain company with locations outside the United States, and which benefited tremendously from the Stimulus Bill. Pelosi must stop acting like a Republican
Posted by: Keith Newman | February 4, 2009, 8:39 am 8:39 am
@Mike, as usual.. someone don’t agree with Nancy or Harry.. they are evidently wrong and a joke??
Hmmm… you really want them to VOTE FOR SOMETHING not even knowing what is on it!????
Plus… you truly want GOVERNMENT run HealthCare in this Country? You need to travel more and read much more. Nationalized Health Care does not work and there are quite a few Countries out there that can prove it.
Posted by: ajax | February 4, 2009, 8:44 am 8:44 am
I did not vote for Obama and for once.. I applaud him. If he puts Nancy and Harry in their place and throw out the pork in this Bill and Get the Republicans ideas into this Bill.. I will be very Happy with him. Hell, if he keeps it up.. I might vote for him next time myself.
Posted by: ajax | February 4, 2009, 8:49 am 8:49 am
@Heidi,
Yea… HR 45 and HR 1022 scare the hell out of me. I get a feeling they pass what is in 45, there may be a damned war in THIS COUNTRY. :(
Posted by: ajax | February 4, 2009, 8:51 am 8:51 am
“Plus… you truly want GOVERNMENT run HealthCare in this Country? You need to travel more and read much more. Nationalized Health Care does not work and there are quite a few Countries out there that can prove it.”
I guess that’s why everyone I now in England says, “Thank God for the NHS… I don’t have to worry about my health.” And my friend in Canada gets to see her specialist twice a week. I’m lucky to see mine once a year! Health care shouldn’t cost $20,000 a year like it does for folks with cancer.. and those are the well insured!
Posted by: Mike | February 4, 2009, 9:03 am 9:03 am
I’m glad Obama won and hope he is able to change the status quo in Washington. When the Democrats started calling after obtaining a majority in Congress, I expected some action – in particular a move to Impeach Bush/Cheney. When Polosi stated “not on the table” that became my response when asked for support/money. It is no wonder Congress had a lower rating than the blundering Bushco group. We have been watching the largest theft in American history, right out in front of everyone – our tax dollars. I have written over and over to representatives regarding many things and last year registered a webpage for future use – recallall. Maybe it is time.
Posted by: Steve Engelhardt | February 4, 2009, 9:03 am 9:03 am
i dont know if national health care works, but in spain, you go to your neighborhood clinic
they then refer you to a specialist as needed MRIs, medication its all free
so it certainly works as far as the patient is concerned
i spent 30,000 dollars for a hospital stay in california , had the work repeated here for free
spending money on the public health makes more sense than giving tax dollars to a few big companies to pay for silly wars
Posted by: wofat | February 4, 2009, 9:05 am 9:05 am
This bill is a joke. It is one big welfare giveaway.
Posted by: Steve | February 4, 2009, 9:06 am 9:06 am
“And they’re a little bit worried about what a post-partisan future might look like.”
Someone tell the Republicans about this “post partisan” future… they are anything but!
Posted by: Mike | February 4, 2009, 9:10 am 9:10 am
Why does Cooper harp about not getting good information on the bill? The House Appropriations Committee posted a a copy of the bill two weeks before the house vote, which was available to the public. It didn’t make for enjoyable reading at 645 pages, but it was comprehensive and organized well from what I saw. Furthermore, you could also find graphs and further explanations on parts of the bill and the corresponding spending on a host of government sites. Apparently, Cooper is a good old boy out to get kudos from Blue Dogs and the Republican Reds, and to push his own ego driven definition of bipartisanship.
Posted by: kathy | February 4, 2009, 9:14 am 9:14 am
Can we put a salary cap of $20,000 on congressmen who don’t bother to read the bills and waste taxpayer money?
Posted by: Jas | February 4, 2009, 9:24 am 9:24 am
So the President can’t stand up to his Cheif of Staff (Isralei Rahm Emanuel) when he cracks his knuckles in his ear. And he’s too intimidated to stand up to Mafia don/daughter Nancy Pelosi… Hmn, did we elect the 1st mixed/Woman President for office. If you can’t stand up to your own party, you sure as hell can’t lead America. Grow a pair Obama, if you have ANY principle SHOW IT NOW!!! If you allow members of your own party to run right over you? Why should any Republican be threatened or even listen to you… at all???
Posted by: hmn... | February 4, 2009, 9:29 am 9:29 am
Keep watching! Everytime Obama gets bad press, he’ll try to pin the blame on someone else: in this case, Pelosi. He did this throughout his campaign. Obama NEVER takes responsibility for his actions, and he has a long history of this. Why did anyone vote for this “bone-headed” jerk?
Posted by: tina | February 4, 2009, 9:30 am 9:30 am
@Mike, I agree with you on Health Care Costs. But, CAN YOU IMAGINE THE IDIOTS IN CONGRESS RUNNING HEALTHCARE? Have you noticed our Social Security is running out of Money? I understand when I retire, it will not matter what that little pc of paper the SS Admin. sends me telling what I have paid in and what I will draw. Because, they want to pass a law basing what I draw (OF MY MONEY) to what I make from my Retirement.
Posted by: ajax | February 4, 2009, 9:31 am 9:31 am
I am an Obama Supporter and I say Pelosi MUST GO! She is too Partisan too far to the Left, Obama is not she Is going to get In the way of Obama trying to Bring Bi-Partisan to Washington.Time to stand up to her Mr President! make her Realize things cant be all her way And she must learn to work Across the Aisle!
Posted by: Angie | February 4, 2009, 9:35 am 9:35 am
@wofat, Does Spain allow for Doctors/Clinics/Hospitals to be Sued for Millions of Dollars? What is Spains cost of R&D on Drugs, Surgical Equipment is?
Major problem I see with Drugs in this country is.. We are the only ones that Pay for the R&D where other countries force the Drug Companies to sell for a cheaper price. Who was it.. Canada(I THINK) the other year forced an American Company to sell for the price they wanted or they would violate Patents and make it themselves.
Posted by: ajax | February 4, 2009, 9:39 am 9:39 am
In response to Heidi: No! that would be your boyfriend. lol
Just thank the gods that Gore or Kerry are not our president.
Posted by: Marty | February 4, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am
The geniuses have come out to comment on this one, haven’t they?
Posted by: me | February 4, 2009, 9:45 am 9:45 am
Under the bus for you Nancy Pelosi. How dare you embarrass our messiah?
Of course, if Obama is such a weak leader that he cannot control the mental midget known as Nancy Pelosi then I don’t think he is up to the job.
Posted by: James | February 4, 2009, 9:46 am 9:46 am
Why doesn’t the little weasel just tell Nancy Pelosi himself? Who’s running the government anyways? I’m afraid our enemies are seeing just how weak Obama really is and will attack us.
Posted by: jim | February 4, 2009, 10:06 am 10:06 am
Angie: “I am an Obama Supporter and I say Pelosi MUST GO”
Whoa.. I find myself agreeing with Angie!
Posted by: ajax | February 4, 2009, 10:07 am 10:07 am
PBO was perfectly OK with the porks in the first place.
Now he is displeased, only after the outcry of the public that he sees benefits himself no more.
Typical PBO judgments repeatedly demonstrated but ignored as a CBO.
Posted by: fat cat | February 4, 2009, 10:18 am 10:18 am
Ajax
Yahee we finally agree Maybe there is hope afterall!
Posted by: Angie | February 4, 2009, 10:30 am 10:30 am
Members of Congress don’t “read the bills and figure out whether they’re any good or not. We’re just told how to vote. We’re treated like mushrooms most of the time.”
Yeah … this is how the Patriot Act came to be. Considering their sickening poisonous properties, “our” Congressional mobsters, er, “representatives” are pretty EXPENSIVE mushrooms.
Posted by: Human Intelligence | February 4, 2009, 10:31 am 10:31 am
In other news, more cracks in Nancy’s facade:
“A group of more than 50 House Democrats has penned a letter to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) imploring him to “restore this institution” and see that the House returns to a “regular order” process of legislating.
The letter, signed by a large number of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition and the centrist New Democratic Coalition, has not yet been sent. Members are still gathering signatures in an effort to send the strongest signal possible to all top House Democrats that the caucus is up in arms over the top-down method of legislating employed by Democrats since late last year.”
Posted by: BertieW | February 4, 2009, 10:38 am 10:38 am
@Angie LOL!
Posted by: ajax | February 4, 2009, 10:40 am 10:40 am
Obama needs to remind Pelosi that she is Speaker, not President!
This is something he should have done BEFORE she & Bumbling Barney Frank created that pile of decaying liberal pork!
It is something he should re-enforce by having a one-on-one with her after the Senate completes its work!
Again, I implore Obama to demand that each appropriation in the stimulus bill be attributed to the proper senator or representative AND an estimate of the jobs it will create in each year!
If we dont add that in, there will be no way to really know if someone understand what they are doing. This will also help the American people see with complete transparency who is playing the “funneling” game and who is really serious about creating jobs for the people!
Posted by: Mike_C | February 4, 2009, 11:14 am 11:14 am
I guess Pelosi and Obama are not getting alone too well. Pelosi is the worse Speaker of the House and she should have been replace.
Posted by: anonymous | February 4, 2009, 11:25 am 11:25 am
As long as the press treats governing like a football game, where only one side can win, then The Press remains part of the problem. Isn’t this what sausage-making is all about? It’s messy. If there is real pork in there, get it out. That shouldn’t be a partisan issue.
Obama will be scolding both sides, watch.
Posted by: thebob.bob | February 4, 2009, 1:37 pm 1:37 pm
Obama throws another Democrat under his bus. When are you stupid Democrats going to learn its all about Obama.
Posted by: mary blue | February 4, 2009, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
Is Obama more afraid of Rush or Pelosi?
He knew going into this that Pelosi and Soros would be calling the shots..
Posted by: sammy | February 4, 2009, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
Pelosi’s pork is squarely between her two ears. She’s a nutcase. But not as bad as Rush Limbaugh who’s the paragon of nutcases.
Posted by: buzziea | February 4, 2009, 2:15 pm 2:15 pm
My my, you buy a pig in a blanket and it turns out to be a pig and a used dirty blanket. Gee, such reasoning power. I bet they didn’t think things through like this down on the streets.
Botox causes brain failure.
Posted by: bill-tb | February 4, 2009, 2:26 pm 2:26 pm
Obama says we need more bipartisanship. Then he immediately attacks a talk show radio host and makes fun of Fox News in a roomful of Republicans.
You try the bipartisanship first, Cupcake. Then the rest of Congress might follow.
Posted by: Ron | February 4, 2009, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm
Is Obama, the major employer of tax cheats, still claiming to have the most ethical administration in the history of the country?????
Posted by: Sherry | February 4, 2009, 6:43 pm 6:43 pm
Yes, Obama is so disappointed by the pork that he hasn’t publicly commented on it.
And speaking of pork, in the SCHIP bill he signed today he said that states can decide whether to cover illegals or not. Huh? I thought Bambi was concerned about Americans tax paying citizens.
Oops. I forgot, he’s the primary employer of tax cheats.
Posted by: Sherry | February 4, 2009, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm
Are we forgetting that it was Barney Frank and the Dems that got us here. Frank lying about Fannie and Freddie and Pelosi and Reid taking us down the Pork-ridden Path.We had no recession until Dems took over congress 2 years ago. Soros is the other HUGE factor. There will be no solution until THESE real problems are dealt with. In the meantime Dems are helping themselves to our money!!!!!
Posted by: B M | February 5, 2009, 11:40 pm 11:40 pm