Let me finish tonight with this.
I believe the best way to deal with this week – for the President – is to adjust the way he does business.
This is his second term. It’s a dangerous time because it tends to be when Presidents get into trouble.
Think of Iran-Contra. Think further back to Franklin Roosevelt’s second term when he tried to “pack” the Supreme Court.
What happens is that you get surrounded by people who are afraid to challenge you. Maybe they think you’re too great because you’ve been elected twice to the American presidency.
The problem is the people who survive into second terms can include cheer-leaders who don’t help when you need help – when you’re on the verge of doing something wrong.
This president needs a team for offense – a team to find ways of getting things done he wants done – has promised to get done – making healthcare work; writing an immigration law this country intends to enforce; creating millions more jobs. He also needs a defensive team that enforces solid, honest, progressive action by the government agencies and troubleshoots problems. He shouldn’t have to read in the paper that some agency is screwing up… shouldn’t have to learn second-hand about what his Justice Department is up to. Offense and defense. He needs a team that will deliver on both.
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