Rep. Darrell Issa: Obama Should Channel Reagan Abroad
EmailABC News’ Rick Klein reports: With President Obama accepting a slice of the blame for the world financial crisis on behalf of his countrymen, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., told us today that the president should model himself on former President Reagan on the world stage.
“I think if President Obama were to act more like a Ronald Reagan, a champion of greatness of our country and of free enterprise and of what we can do, I think he would get more support and be very popular,” Issa told us on “Top Line” today. “Right now, he’s tending to say the previous administration was bad and I’m less bad, and that’s not necessarily what the Germans, the French or the British really want to hear.”
Issa, the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, took issue with Obama’s putting the blame for the crisis on the lack of regulation under the Bush administration, “rather than taking what is probably a more legitimate . . . blame . . . which is that we created these [financial] products, we exported these products.”
“I would’ve wished he would have said that because it wasn’t a secret or an absence of regulation; it was something America was, for better or worse, proud of until we realized the downside of it,” Issa said.
He also hinted at the dissension within the GOP ranks over the party’s alternative budget proposal, which was finally introduced by House leaders today, after they offered only the shell of a budget last week.
“I don’t think that this budget proposal that my own party is putting out is ambitious enough on the cutting back and spending and the reducing of the deficit,” Issa said. “So I would like to both on the tax side and on the spending side see a more ambitious package. But when you look at this package compared to the Democratic proposal, the Democratic proposal spends more, taxes more and pushes more onto future debt, and that’s really the challenge, is doubling the national debt in the next five years.”
Also today, we chatted with Ana Marie Cox of The Daily Beast and “Air America,” getting her take on the Ted Stevens news and how she sometimes wishes President Obama could stand in for her husband during family disputes.
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Ya sure tell them over there we were proud of it all until it turned on us. I think this guy is as loopy as all the rest of the right wing. Surely you don’t think that the other side of the world is so stupid it doesn’t “GET” what happened. They thought lease of us than you can imagine, I have family in Europe and they think we are fools for going along with the Bush regime.And to not say we own up to the corruption is really dumb.This is just another example of how 50% of America seemed to think Bush was OK until it all went south. I know they don’t get it even now and it really is a sad commentary on how this country works…if you scream and call names they will listen. Not understand but listen , that is your Rush Limbaugh effect in action.
Posted by: Bonnie Kimberly | April 1, 2009, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
Rick Klein thinks Obama should copy Reagan??? Obama is already very popular abroad and doesn’t need to model himself after anyone. It’s a totally different era now than when Reagan was president. Free enterprise is what got us into this economic mess in the first place, to embrace it would be moronic. Free enterprise can be good, but it needs to be tempered by a sense of responsibility. Even Alan Greenspan admitted that he was wrong in assuming that government regulation was wrong. Obama is the president, not his critics.
Posted by: Dave in NM | April 1, 2009, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
another republican idiot – this is the best they can do???. the party of lincoln is dead. time to pack these guys up and send them home. Obama is doing just fine and will change the future of this country for the better.
Posted by: cjr | April 1, 2009, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
It doesn’t matter how it happened or who did it, the Europeans would still blame us…so who cares?
Posted by: david | April 1, 2009, 4:26 pm 4:26 pm
Issa is a NUT, and it is obvicious that he is still living in the past, if he thinks that Ronald Reagan was right. It only shows that even after the american public was “SCAMMED” for more than 29 years, they enjoyed it. The only mistake that we made was keeping the southern states on after the civil war, because they are the ones who buy into this republican foolishness.
Posted by: Peristeri4 | April 1, 2009, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
Issa should channel Sonny Bono.
Posted by: Clint | April 1, 2009, 4:47 pm 4:47 pm
Has Issa been listening to anything the president has said on or before his Europe trip?
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | April 1, 2009, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
Obama is right. It was deregulation under Bush that got us into this mess.
Posted by: Sara | April 1, 2009, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
What planet is this guy from?
For 8 years Bush and Cheney told the world what to do. When the world said Iraq didn’t have WMDs and had no Al Qaeda, Bush and Cheney became upset and invaded.
Heck, 8 years of Bush and Cheney made most Americans stop listening to them.
Find the common ground, work together. Working together leads to more trust. More trust leads to achieving more together. Obama has hit a grand slam by reaching out to other countries to find the common ground.
Posted by: Dan | April 1, 2009, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
First Issa is “loopy” and “He’s a very arrogant politician!” Now he wants President Obama to either “look like an idiot” OR be “a Liar” on an “International Stage.” Issa is suggesting The President say; “I’m an idiot; I don’t understand what the “Gramm related (Enron) Loopholes” caused, globally!” OR, I’ll Lie, saying; “WE caused the problem/s.” NO WE didn’t, Wall Street did, with the intent of the Gramm legislation and a “Wink & Nod” of the Republican Party, thereafter!
Personally, it’s a bit refreshing to have a POTUS who believes in “Telling The Truth!” (Even if it hurts!)
Posted by: bobj72 | April 1, 2009, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
Sorry, President Obama doesn’t have to channel anyone….Reagan was 30 years ago. It’s a new day, with different focuses. Oh, Issa is so yesterday and out of touch.
Posted by: sngeorgia | April 1, 2009, 6:37 pm 6:37 pm