It always surprises me when the Associated Press and other mainstream media outlets actually point out the disparity between the truth and the spin from Obama.
It probably surprises Obama, too.
The latest fact check from the Associated Press regards Obama's jobs bill.
In President Barack Obama's sales pitch for his jobs bill, there are two versions of reality: The one in his speeches and the one actually unfolding in Washington.
When Obama accuses Republicans of standing in the way of his nearly $450 billion plan, he ignores the fact that his own party has struggled to unite behind the proposal.
When the president says Republicans haven't explained what they oppose in the plan, he skips over the fact that Republicans who control the House actually have done that in detail.
And when he calls on Congress to "pass this bill now," he slides past the point that Democrats control the Senate and were never prepared to move immediately, given other priorities. Senators are expected to vote Tuesday on opening debate on the bill, a month after the president unveiled it with a call for its immediate passage.
To be sure, Obama is not the only one engaging in rhetorical excesses. But he is the president, and as such, his constant remarks on the bill draw the most attention and scrutiny.
The disconnect between what Obama says about his jobs bill and what stands as the political reality flow from his broader aim: to rally the public behind his cause and get Congress to act, or, if not, to pin blame on Republicans.
He is waging a campaign, one in which nuance and context and competing responses don't always fit in if they don't help make the case.
Translation: Obama has a plan, but it's about more than jobs. It's a sleazy political scheme.
...John Sides, political science professor at George Washington University, said Obama's approach on the jobs bill is "more about campaigning than governing."
"He's mostly just going around talking about this and drawing contrasts with what the Republicans want and what he wants and not really trying to work these legislative levers he might be able to use to get this passed," Sides said. "That just suggests to me that he is ready to use a failed jobs bill as a campaign message against the Republicans."
The reality is Democrats don't support his bill, Stimulus II.
If Obama cannot get his tax hikes masquerading as job creation to pass, he cannot blame Republicans for his failure. But that's exactly what he aims to do.
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