Does Obama have to meet with Boehner at some point?

[Enrique]

I'm just wondering, I'm hearing Obama demand, "pass this bill", and now I'm hearing Boehner say "no".

I'd like this to be the way it plays out, I think Obama's case is better and he can win in a

But I wonder, will this be the way it plays out, or will they end up settling the matter behind closed doors? And oh God please not a golf course.

But I also wonder, will it be said that Obama does not have any choice in the matter, that the President for some reason is required to deal one-on-one with the opposition leader?

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Only if it's for the sole purpose of reinforcing to Boehner to tell his

membership to pass the Bill as a total package or accept the consequences of their vote.

[scheming daemons]

2. The speaker sets the house agenda ... it can't come up for vote without his doing so.

All the prez can do is continually bash boehner publically for not allowing a vote.

[Enrique]

3. if he stops bashing Boehner publicly

and agrees to meet with him privately and negotiate their differences, is that a bad thing or is it unavoidable political reality?

[saras]

4. It's NOT an either-or unless Obama CAVES. The public bashing is PART OF NEGOTIATING.

[alc]

5. the jobs bill was a campaign tool, not a serious proposal

It had no chance of getting repub support (which is required) and even little chance of Democrats fighting for it. It doesn't have much that hasn't failed before but has less money. It wasn't even an "opening offer" for negotiation with Democrats, much less Boehner. It made a good speech and has a lot of high-level ideas that can be "shown" to create jobs, but the details don't likely result in significantly more new jobs.

The plan had to be to pound on the repubs for refusing to pass it all the way to the next election. If the plan was anything else Obama really needs to listen to Carville (even if that's the plan he needs to fire some people).

[woolldog]

6. Polls are showing most Americans

don't believe the jobs bill will create jobs. So boner doesn't really suffer politically for stalling it.

[Skittles]

7. he sucks up to him on the golf course