September 7, 2010 5:27 PM

GOP Strategist: If Obama "Dog," Republicans "Fire Hydrants"

By
Christine Delargy
Topics
Republicans ,
Campaign 2010 ,
White House ,
Washington Unplugged

Marking Labor Day at an event in Milwaukee on Monday, President Obama went slightly off prepared remarks on the economy, and Republicans have been quick to counter.

At the Milwaukee Laborfest, Obama commented on special interest groups, saying, "They're not always happy with me. They talk about me like a dog. That's not in my prepared remarks, it's just - but it's true."

Republican strategist Cheri Jacobus responded Tuesday on CBSNews.com's "Washington Unplugged," calling Mr. Obama's dramatic language "ineffective" as a campaign tool.

"The president thinks he's been treated like a dog by Republicans and Congress. He should probably stop treating them like a fire hydrant," Jacobus told CBS News chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford.

"Democrats can't turnout new voters," she said. "That's why you hear this red meat from the president because they have to get their left wing very, very angry and the only way to do that is to say they're kicking me around in Washington."

Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons joined Jacobs and Crawford for the webcast's political roundtable. "The president's talking to surge voters who Democrats need to turnout who were Obama voters two years ago," he said.

Responding to a series of polls released early Tuesday indicating that the GOP will win big in midterms this fall, Simmons remained confident.

"It is going to be a tough year for Democrats but it's not going to be one that we lose the House and the Senate."

"The polls are reality," Jacobus countered.

CBS News congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes and Politico's Kiki Ryan also appeared on Tuesday's "Washington Unplugged," which you can watch in full above.

"Washington Unplugged," CBSNews.com's exclusive daily politics Webshow, appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 2 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.

Christine Delargy is an associate producer for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. For more of Washington Unplugged, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.


Add a Comment
by RobAla September 7, 2010 9:19 PM EDT
President Obama, himself, has spent more than two years bad mouthing President Bush. He is good at dishing it out at President Bush, the Supreme Court, Republicans in general, CEOs, banking Executives, Wall Street executives.... everybody and anybody that hasn't gone along with his extremist ideas. However, when it comes to some criticism of him.... he has extremely thin skin.

He has earned the criticism he is experiencing. The unemployment rate has been over 9% for more than a year, and he recently made the outrageous statement that he sees it being over 9% into the year 2012. This is unacceptable. He has spent the nation into a record breaking $1.47 trillion deficit. He crammed a health care bill down the throats of an American population (the majority of which did not want it, ans still does not). Since being in office, he has expanded the federal government on the backs of business and taxpayers. He has earned every bit of criticism. Now he lashes out at anyone who complains. I have news for him. He is not King or Emperor, he is an elected President. He is not a dictator, and we have freedom of speech in this nation.
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