February 11, 2009
Posted: February 11th, 2009 08:30 AM ET

From
President Obama has chosen pragmatism over ideology as he has navigated the stimulus debate.
President Obama has chosen pragmatism over ideology as he has navigated the stimulus debate.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - It is not unusual for a presidential candidate to try to win friends and influence voters. That's what elections are about, so we tend to excuse political posturing when we see it - because we have come to expect a certain amount of it. Besides, we like people who pay attention to us.

But once a president becomes president, we expect other things. We expect him to keep his promises (particularly if we liked them). We expect action and decision. And, most of all, we expect to come to learn who he is, and where he really stands - by virtue of what he decides.

And what we've been watching over the last few weeks is just that: the very public development of a new president who is more pragmatic than ideological by nature, testing his instincts against the divided realities of Washington.

It's been a balancing act - in which we've seen President Obama as both cheerleader and Chicken Little, as a partisan Democrat and a bipartisan negotiator and, finally, as both an insider leading a well-worn Washington-dominated Cabinet and an outsider railing against Washington's business as usual.

In many ways, the deck has been stacked against the president's instincts: Washington hasn't been hospitable to bipartisanship for decades.

Full story

Filed under: President Obama


lisa   February 11th, 2009 1:01 pm ET

Borger is very astute in her comments. I would add that not only has Obama been pragmatic, he is relentless in action for middle-class americans. He is working hard and has definitely taken his recovery program to the streets...main street tour 2009 is vital! I think he is going to have to get more and more average americans time on television to help our country...we are going to BUILD 21st American healthcare, education, infrastructure and green economy.

ray   February 11th, 2009 12:55 pm ET

i hope and pray everyday all republicans burn in hell soon, let it be done by the lord. these people are obstructionist and will do anything to advance there agenda. they are making threat already, so i hope they all vanish and burn in hell soon.

Kathy   February 11th, 2009 12:52 pm ET

Balancing act???? I think it's all one sided!!! He will get whatever he wants just to prove a point!!! We have our first African American President. That's what it's all about. The thing is... He's not making the rules, he's letting the dems. run this country... right into the ground.

beevee   February 11th, 2009 12:52 pm ET

There are some on either side of the aisle who are pigheaded, obstinate and do not want to reason. They themselves (especially the GOP) have nothing concrete to offer except play as obstructionists. I really feel like putitng some grey matter into their empty heads. The nations's economy is in dire straits and they want to play politics. What kind of idiots are they? Give the president a chance and show, for once, that we are united in times of need.

Latte Sipping Leftie   February 11th, 2009 12:47 pm ET

He's a man of the people and for the people. Did you see how enthusiastic the people in Ft. Myers were to see him yesterday? The President has the people in his corner. As long as he has that, there is no balancing act he needs to put on.

TyWebb   February 11th, 2009 12:47 pm ET

I'd like to have a balancing act with Gloria Borger.

ari from virginia   February 11th, 2009 12:46 pm ET

Gloria,

I think you're Correct. Good article.

It has been rare that a president centers around WE THE PEOPLE rather then we the priviliged. This president has done just that in the 23 days he has been in office. Sad, the "losers of the elections" don't really want america to succeed even though their kind are supposedly "real americans".

So far, I have seen a LEADER who keeps his focus on the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. He feels with the people, not just for the people.
It is refreshing to see this man in action for our great nation.
I wish him and my country the best.

Thank you for point the balancing out.

FAYE, NV   February 11th, 2009 12:44 pm ET

Haters can never be satisfied, if you don't like the President it okay. To continue with hate does not make things better. For all you haters PLEASE LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

Sniffit   February 11th, 2009 12:43 pm ET

@ Virginia

Thank you for proving that GOPers who post here do not read the articles or understand them, but rather just read th eheadline and cook up some nasty drivel to spew about President Obama and the Democrats in congress.

Alice Fried   February 11th, 2009 12:43 pm ET

Americans, Obama's election unleashed the validity of our voting power. Leverage it to help our President accomplish his goals. We cannot sit by and allow the Repbulicans and media actors marginalize the vision for our country that we voted for. Let's tilt the balance meter to what we voted for– Obama and his vision for our country. Write letters to Congress. Call them. Email them. Twitter. Blog. YouTube. Demonstrate. Let these elected officials know that we want the country Obama described on the campaign trail and we won't settle for anything less. Government of, by and for the people.

Spencer/Hampton Roads, VA   February 11th, 2009 12:37 pm ET

I hear all this talk about how the president is trying to down talk the economy. If you ask me, he's telling the American people the truth. Something that we've been missing for the past 8 years. President Obama by far has the political capital to tell the people the truth. That's why he's the president.

Mississippi Mike   February 11th, 2009 12:33 pm ET

There's no balancing act here. He is executing his plan to change America to be a liberal, secular, highly centralized, socialist state. I don't agree with his politics but he was elected so I will live with his policies. I really wish he would just lay out his agenda instead of invoking flowery rhetoric and coded statements. People aren't going to know what he's selling them until it's too late for them to have a say, and that's not how a president is supposed to operate.

Ray Fisher, Albuquerque, NM   February 11th, 2009 12:32 pm ET

I'm hoping the stimulus will be a success and he can concentrate on repairing our nation instead of firefighting. He was not elected to fix the errors of the previous administration but to move us into a new direction yet he is swamped with failed history. Hopefully he can get back on course soon!!!

M Jonah   February 11th, 2009 12:31 pm ET

I am surprised they have not LEARNT THAT IT IS THE SAME FEAR THAT KILLS THE CONFIDENCE OF PEOPLE AND IT ALWAYS LOOSES. Fortunately the COURAGEOUS WILL NOT SUBMIT TO FEAR BUT FIGHT ON.

Did their parents ever thought them how to FIND THE MIDDLE GROUND when confronted with issue of choice and not always trying to throw a fit and lies to have your own way as CHILDREN?

WELL I guess the above goes for both the democrats and the republicans who are playing immature in both houses of the American government.

M Jonah   February 11th, 2009 12:31 pm ET

What a shame that the only WEAPON the Republicans know how to use is FEAR. Now they are putting fear and failure on their own and trying to ditant themselves from the TRUE PATRIOTIC REPUBLICANS WHO have agreed to vote THE RIGHT AND MOST SENSIBLE AND WISE WAY AND NOT JUST A MATTER OF VOTING WITH DEMOCRATS.

I am surprised they have not LEARNT THAT IT IS THE SAME FEAR THAT KILLS THE CONFIDENCE OF PEOPLE AND IT ALWAYS LOOSES. Fortunately the COURAGEOUS WILL NOT SUBMIT TO FEAR BUT FIGHT ON.

Did their parents ever thought them how to FIND THE MIDDLE GROUND when confronted with issue of choice and not always trying to throw a fit and lies to have your own way as CHILDREN?

WELL I guess the above goes for both the democrats and the republicans who are playing immature in both houses of the American government.

Robert   February 11th, 2009 12:27 pm ET

I completely disagree with your evaluation of President Obama.First of all he has had the moral strength and intellect to sift reality from BS. He has been honest to a fault. Determined in his initiative against a smal moronic group called Republicans who are hell bent on his failing even at the expense of our nation.I propose this. Any Republican who doesn't approve of the stimulus and cannot offer a implementable plan that excludes typical Republican rhetoric about "tax breaks" and "hypocritical spending cuts" with refrence to our future, we will not grant stimulus money, projects, nor work to that state. I know this may be unconstitutional but after Bush who cares right? In turn that states money will be dispensed proportionately to the remianing states who support the plan. For those Republicans who cannot understand this it's called putting your money where your big mouth is.Could we get a vote on this? I will be enternally grateful we have President Obama at the helm in this dangerous time rather than the incompetence of Bush and Co. Being pragamatic as opposed to ideological will serve this country far better than we have been served for the last 8 years!.

al in memphis   February 11th, 2009 12:26 pm ET

In many ways, the deck has been stacked against the president's instincts: Washington hasn't been hospitable to bipartisanship for decades.
____________________________________________________

And the end result is a broken government that has forgot it soley EXIST to represent the people. I don't want to hear another politician talk about Republican or Democratic party positions–I want to hear how it is in the best interest of the future of this country. Keep your politics for choosing who you play golf with.

Mary Owensby   February 11th, 2009 12:25 pm ET

Gloria, you are absolutley right. President Obama has the deck stacked against him. You cannot tell me that with all the Republicans, except 3, who did not support the stimulus package that it was not about party lines. I don't care what President Obama does nothing will please the Republicans. They want this president to fail and that means for America to fail. That is very disturbing! Rush Limbaugh is an example of the sentiments the Republicans have for President Obama. If America does financially fail, I blame the Republicans not Prsident Obama. He is doing his part for our country – where are the Republicans?

Amanda   February 11th, 2009 12:23 pm ET

So far President Obama has done exceedingly well. In spite of these old Republican farts.

Karen   February 11th, 2009 12:21 pm ET

President Obama,
America has your back, God Bless You

sjl   February 11th, 2009 12:19 pm ET

Keep up the good work Mr. President. Nobody said it would be easy.

RSR   February 11th, 2009 12:18 pm ET

The headline should read: ......
"Boger: Obama's Presidency The Ruination Of The American Nation".

Joel   February 11th, 2009 12:17 pm ET

Sure. Defend his political posturing. Write off all of his lies and excuse his inability to conduct himself in a bipartisan fashion. In the end, he'sexactly what we told you he was – a liberal, socialist, chicago-style politician whose only real plan is to borrow from the American people to pay off the constituents that helped him get elected.

Just remember one thing as you watch this recession drudge on into a full blown depression – We warned you.

Pelosinomics   February 11th, 2009 12:16 pm ET

Obama does not have the experience or knowledge to get things done in Washington. I am not sure why people are so shocked that Obama is having serious issues less then a month in to his presidency. Obama is just a puppet for the democratic socialist agenda.
Just look at the so called "Stimulus Plan"? The actually people who wrote this plan were Pelosi and Reed. Obama was told what was going to be in the plan, not asked. Its not Obamanomics its Pelosinomics.Obamas job is to try and convince the American people that buliding freesbie parks(Pork) is going to put people back to work and get the economy going again.

The Great Karnac   February 11th, 2009 12:13 pm ET

Partisans please take a timeout and checkout "The American Tapeworm"by Catherine Fitts,to see where your money is really going.

Dan, TX   February 11th, 2009 12:12 pm ET

More jobs will be lost, perhaps at an increasing rate for the next 6 to 12 months, that much is clear. The government intervention will start to reverse that trend, but wiil it be fast enough to keep the republicans for blaming everything on Obama and the democrats? (Of course not). Will it be fast enough to start to show enough effects to satisfy voters before the 2010 elections? It will be a close call.

Deborah   February 11th, 2009 12:06 pm ET

He is a Left Wing Nut Job wearing Training Pants!

What did we expect?

I was hoping we would not be completely destroyed, along with our future generations this soon!

We may never recover from this complete Partisan Theft!

no corporate politics   February 11th, 2009 12:00 pm ET

article: "new president who is more pragmatic than ideological by nature"

translation: The whole Messiah thing was great for getting votes but now it is time do some payback for all the that PAC lobby money he got from banks, wall street, big oil and big insurance. Those bank CEO's will never get any serious trouble.

Google for it – the CEO's banks are in the 100's of thousands of $$$$$ category on the feds own tracking data for Obama PAC money. Is this a different color green from the "lobby" money?

Virginia   February 11th, 2009 11:56 am ET

No, it isn't a balancing act; it is a joke. He has all of his cronies hanging out on one side of the see-saw, along with all the pork of this so called stimulus bill, and us common people trying to get our side of the see-saw down. We are the losers in this case. Nothing is balanced in this administration......

Sniffit   February 11th, 2009 11:52 am ET

You can rest assured that nothing is giving the GOP more pleasure than helping deflate the hope Obama gave so many millions of people.

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