Savaging the Stimulus
Day 6
Jan. 25, 2009
"I think a lot of Republicans will vote no, because they see this as a lot of wasteful Washington spending."
—John Boehner, House minority leader, on Obama's stimulus package during an interview with NBC's Meet the Press
Obama kicked off his presidency vowing to reach across the aisle, but the GOP isn't making it easy for him. Boehner graces the Sunday talk circuit less than a week after Obama took office to set the tone for the Republicans' view of the President's stimulus package. Former Obama rival John McCain also jumps on the stimulus-bashing bandwagon, telling Fox News Sunday that there needs to be major rewrites in the bill (including more tax cuts) if it's going to have a real effect on the economy.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden tries to convince Americans to get behind the economic-recovery plan, telling CBS's Face the Nation in his first interview since becoming Vice President that he has spoken with a handful of GOP Senators by phone and that the bill is garnering "a lot" of bipartisan support.
But senior White House adviser David Axelrod, ever the pragmatist, makes sure to manage expectations, telling the New York Times that "you can't solve problems overnight" and that the major challenges the Administration faces will require patience. His interview comes amid reports that the Administration is planning on implementing stricter regulation for hedge funds, mortgage brokers and other players in financial services.