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January 13, 2009
Will Republicans learn from history, too?
Posted: 09:45 AM ET
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Bob Shrum
The Week

Barack Obama is hosting an inaugural eve dinner for John McCain. Try to imagine George W. Bush showing such grace to John Kerry or Al Gore. In ways large and small, Obama draws on the omissions, successes, and mistakes of his predecessors to inform his own conduct.

That was true in the campaign, where he followed Kerry’s successful strategy of betting everything on Iowa and avoided Kerry’s fatal mistake of accepting federal funding (and spending limits) in the general election. It’s true again as the president-elect shapes a consciously bipartisan recovery plan very different from the economic initiatives passed on party-line votes at the start of the Bush and Clinton administrations. Obama has not only included tax cuts to offer a measure of respect to the Republican minority; he’s apparently decided not to expend political capital repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, which await expiration as scheduled in 2010. Obama discomforts purists in his own party, as JFK did when he preferred a stimulus of tax cuts to spending increases. Obama is making history by learning from it.

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14 Comments
More about: Raw Politics •  Republicans
14 Comments
Bill Skeat   January 13th, 2009 9:56 am ET

I doubt that the Republicans will learn. John McCain had a good chance to be President but he blew it trying to makepattycakes with the right wing of his party. He ignored the fact that Americans are mosty are in the center with some swing to the right or left depending on certain issues.

I truely believe that if he had chosen a moderate Republican he would be President but he chose Palin who couldn’t even handle questions from Katie Couric and the rest is history.

Cindy   January 13th, 2009 10:00 am ET

Let’s hope that the reps learned something from history and don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. The last thing that we need right now is a bunch of bickering back and forth between the two parties and nothing getting done. We can’t sit around and watch that happen this time. Our whole country is in shambles!

Hopefully Obama will continue down the road he is on and do things to appease both sides so we can get back on track.

Cindy…Ga.

Peter Coffin   January 13th, 2009 10:16 am ET

Of course Republicans will learn from history. The problem is getting them to acknowledge they are making it, too.

c,ca   January 13th, 2009 11:14 am ET

Unfortunately for McCain, all he will be remembered for is leaving us with the likes of Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber. Two ignorant, nobody, wanna-be’s that McCain used to insult our intelligence by saying that they represented the average American.

I think Obama should ignore McCain. Let him crawl back onto his heatrock, and Sarah and Joe can crawl back under theirs.

Cori from Colorado   January 13th, 2009 12:03 pm ET

Probably not. There will always be Sarah Palin’s and Joe the plumbers out there, knowing jack squat and running for office, spreading their ingnorant right wing conservative christian “values” on the rest of the world, ignoring other cultures, classes, views and beliefs. So no, they won’t change. This is imbedded in politics. Wait and watch, it will be proven in 2012.

xtina, chicago IL   January 13th, 2009 12:05 pm ET

I think losing was the best thing to happen to the Republican party; being the underdog in Washington will be advantageous to people with conservative ideas because the public generally resists anything that comes out of Congress and Washington . Assuming Barack Obama pursues a “bigger government, higher taxes, more entitlements” agenda and moves America towards socialism, I think in a few yrs. people will be ready for real change; change that doesn’t come from more federal intervention in our lives, but less; and that will come from a conservative candidate.

KAREN   January 13th, 2009 12:27 pm ET

MR.OBAMA is a good man MR McCain lied on Obama but thats tipicle ,but PAILEN told her share of lies,but now tables do turn you reep what you soe,,forgivenes is good but always remember,and learn from your mistakes BUSH & his teem thank god there gohn.

Jim,   January 13th, 2009 12:43 pm ET

If Republicans & Democrats had learned from History We wouldn’t be in the mess we are today.

JC- Los Angeles   January 13th, 2009 1:57 pm ET

While Obama, the ultimate face man, may have social graces other Washington hacks sorely lack, it’s time for him to get to work and actually accomplish something of note other than a memoir or two.

Daren Organ   January 13th, 2009 2:14 pm ET

First of all the problem with America is everybody thinks they can do whatever and government will save them. There are ’sooooooooooo’ many people taking advantage of the system and is why we are in the shape we are now. Sick and tired of bailing out people that work the system or cheat it. How about the people who are paying their bills, mortgages etc? It’s like letting your kid run wild and do whatever and rewarding for bad behavior. Now everybody thinks Obama and the dems are going to save everybody. And I assume they will hit the pocketbooks of Americans living within their means and paying their bills. What a country

Catrina Teach NC   January 13th, 2009 2:21 pm ET

Obama is an educated man. He is not only learning from history in progress, but making it. Republicans don’t have a choice. We are running out of money. They should take a class on the way life works. I guess anyone can be Republican. Just like anyone can be President.

xtina, chicago IL   January 13th, 2009 2:26 pm ET

“Daren” is right. The only person who can improve your life is you.

lampe   January 13th, 2009 2:33 pm ET

Obama, maybe the Man Of Change, and he maybe what The country needs right now. but, unless The American People, can stop the bashing and the hate, that comes from both parties, the Country, will never come together. And, no matter what Obama Supporters think he can not do this on his own. The remarks have to stop about McCain\Palin, and Joe, that is the only way to bring people together. Remarks were made by both parties, and remarks were made within each party. So stop with all the negative crap, and get on the other things.

Gene Penszynski from Vermont   January 13th, 2009 3:26 pm ET

The only way the Republicans will even have the ability to learn from this is to dump the stubborn ignorant Red Neck/Christian Fundamentalsit (personified in Sarah Palin and G W Bush) and re-establish contact with educated main stream America with a SECULAR agenda clearly dedicated tobenefit the United States and not their personal trivial dogmatic agendas.

The time has come for INTELLIGENT and balanced Govcernance. Jan. 20th can not come too soon as far as I’m concerned. The long eight year nightmare of stupidity and ignorance is about to end ! Thank God !

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