WASHINGTON (CNN) – A prominent Democratic strategist said Sunday that Republicans are trying to turn President Barack Obama’s administration into another “failed presidency” like that of former Democratic president Jimmy Carter.
“They’re going to keep gunning,” Democratic strategist Joe Trippi said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, referring to conservatives’ recent - and ultimately successful efforts - to target Obama’s green jobs adviser Van Jones over controversial comments he made before becoming a part of Obama’s White House team.
Related: White House adviser resigns amid 9/11 controversy
“This administration has the potential to be FDR or Jimmy Carter and I think the Republicans are going to do everything they can to make him Jimmy Carter, to create a failed presidency. That’s, unfortunately, what many of them want.”
Trippi, who served as the campaign manager for Gov. Howard Dean’s bid for the White House, also said he believed that Obama was genuinely interested in bipartisanship but that Republicans are not likely to respond to Obama’s efforts to reach across the aisle.
Obama has to “realize he’s sticking his hand out but many Republicans are just not ready to embrace it,” Trippi told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King.
Republican strategist Ed Rollins disagreed with Trippi’s assessment of Obama’s relationship with the GOP.
“Presidents don’t come down by what the opposition party [does] and that’s what we are, we’re an opposition party,” Rollins said on State of the Union, “There are many things that Obama is offering that we don’t believe in, so why should we compromise on our principles? [Democrats] have got all the votes, you can do whatever you want.”
Rollins also said that Jones was right to resign from his post as an Obama adviser.
“When you embarrass the president as [Jones did] and become part of the focus, . . . he did the right thing, he got out of there.”
From CNN Politics
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GP (which stands for Get a Grip): No one, and I mean no one, is more hateful than the liberal dogs of this nation. Just take a look at the guy who just got pitched (Van Jones). Listen to his speech of the last 20 years. Listen to the Sodos (sodomite dogs in California) and what they did to private property after they lost Prop 8.
JOE TRIPPI IS CORRECT. GOP LEADERS and TALK RADIO HOST HAVE STATED THEY ARE OUT TO DESTROY THE PRESIDENT
The GOP's primary interest is their political party. Not the interest of the middle-class, or inexpensive health insurance coverage for 47-million uninsured and 35-million under-insured.
Democrats tried to make him into another Lincoln or Kennedy, but the TRUTH shows he is another Carter, I have been saying that for months, this is nothing the GOP is doing, Obamas is doing it all on his own. Carter was the worst president in history, but Obama has taken over that title.
The Truth hurts!
Nearly 30% of the voters identify them as republicans
I don’t what GOP is thinking
Right on target. The current republican party is a sad representation of american citizens and sad representation of a failed political party.
I emailed the GOP website listing specifically the lies that they have been telling over the past three months. Then I asked for a written apology – which I honestly don't expect to see from a party that has become so self-righteous, rigid and just plain evil. People who lie and torture will never lead this country for more than a short amount of time. For the Republicans, the time of reckoning has arrived. If they think we're fooled by this transparent attempt to hold back Obama's mandate, they will only end up keeping themselves in the minority for that much longer. It's obvious GOP and we're not falling for it this time!
As long as both parties carry on like this nothing will get done. Dems and the GOP do the exact same thing when the other is in the White House. This is the pot calling the kettle black on both accounts. This stuff needs to stop!
"Why can't Republicans be like Democrats?"
Because if they were there would be nothing to destroy, no good policy to stunt, no people to hurt. Good things would happen and the GOP does not stand for good things.
no wonder the gop's are such failures, thats all they look for.
Republicans may have pushed Van Jones out... but the question to ask is why WAS A RACIST LIKE THAT EVER IN THE WHITE HOUSE?, His speaches are on Youtube just go check them out yourself..
"Gunning" is only possible when there are tergets.
BULL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just a different color lipstick on the pig !
What's next Joe? The race card ???
Joe Trippi is right, the Republicans are hell bent on destroying the presidency, not in cooperating to move the country forward.
It's knee-jerk reaction against everything Obama does, it's laughable.
what your sayin is
political party's give a fat rats butt about America.....its about beating the other guy....
Dang CNN, where'd you find this genius oracle?
Republican Zealotry got us here, got allota people kilt along the way. Dont matter whose in charge now.
Always remember....... Republican Zealotry got us in this mess.
That's how they are.. they only think of nobody but themselves, selfishness and that's too bad for them.
How shocking! The party that wants to move into power attacking the ideas of the party that is already in power! Certainly this has never happened before now.
Mr. O. needs special protection from the democratic process – yes, he certainly does.
All you Democrat delicate flowers out there – GET REAL.
STOP WHINING.
DO SOMETHING BESIDES MAKE EXCUSES FOR OBAMA'S PROBLEMS.
Obama doesn't need any help to be the next Jimmy Carter, he's taking care of that all by himself. He's already making George W Bush seem like a genius, and, of all things, he's even making Jimmy Carter look good. That is no small feat for a man who has only been in office 6 months!
I could have sworn I heard all this during Bush's term.
Ahh..to long for a day for an Independant president.
When is one party not gunning for the other. Both parties employ the same tactics and in the mean time we suffer. These people are supposed to server us not themselves or there parties. Our political system needs a major enema. We need to vote people in to office that are willing to listen to the majority and do what is right.
It always amuses me how Democrats squeal about how "hateful" Republicans are while being so utterly tone deaf to their own snotty malevolence. Have any of you even read the commentary out there over the last 10 years coming from the left side of the fence? Good grief, talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
LED BY RUSH LIMBAUGH, , , the GOP started their campaign of destruction when it was clear candidate Obama would win the presidency.
its waaay past time for obama and the weak knee dems to counter.some or all these lies that the right wingers are putting out there.the dems need to wake up.AMERICA VOTED FOR CHANGE.DEMA.BE TRUE TO VOTERS.GET SOME FIRE IN YOUR BELLY.OR WE WILL REPACE YOU.
Hey, crybabies, stop blaming everything on the Republicans!! Obama hasn't kept his campaign promises!! We all were unhappy with the direction America was going in with Bush. We wanted and desperately needed Obama to clean up D.C. Well, he hasn't reined in wasteful spending, only made it worse. He isn't focused enough on problem number 1: JOBS. He hasn't earned our trust with rushing bills through too fast. I don't hate, but I'm fed up with the behavior of everyone in D.C.!!
Mr. Obama has gone through so much and this is not gonna shake him nor his administration. Sorry@ Beck !
Van Jones – One of 37 "Czars" appointed by Obama. No background checks. He should have been named "Red Czar" – not Green. Only 1 network reported his outlandish comments – FOX. What's up with that? Just wait – what else will be learned regarding the 36 remaining? Socialists/Communists?