President Obama on Monday reverted to his classic defense posture when faced with criticism of one of his failed policies: Invite a larger discussion on how to improve it, and then never meet to talk.
Obama appeared in Turkey three days after terrorist attacks ripped through Paris, killing 129 people. With Paris calling for war, Obama was faced with tough questions from the press about whether it’s time to send U.S. ground forces into the Middle East to stop the Islamic State once and for all.
But Obama dismissed that, said he’d stay the course, and only offered critics a chance to come up with better ideas than those hatched by his advisers, if that was even possible.
“If folks want to pop off and have opinions about what they think they would do, present a specific plan,” Obama said. “If they think that somehow their advisors are better than the chairman of my Joint Chiefs of Staff and the folks who are actually on the ground, I want to meet them. And we can have that debate.”
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While it sounds inviting, Obama has made similar offers before, only to slam the door shut on actual talking.
The biggest example of this has been Obamacare. For years now, the president has said he’s open to talks about how to improve his signature healthcare achievement.
“Look, I’ve always said I will work with anybody to implement and improve this law effectively,” he said in December 2013. “If you’ve got good ideas, bring them to me. Let’s go.”
Remember that big healthcare summit between Congress and the White House on how to responsibly come together and find a way to make Obamacare work over the long-term? Neither do we.
In fact, changes have been made to the law, but only when bipartisan agreement on those changes exists. Then, Obama quietly signs it into law, but at no point has there been a major discussion of how to sew up the remaining disputes over the law.
On immigration, he was even more brazen. In November of 2014, he introduced his actions by saying — incredibly — that his authority to make the controversial move was derived from the inability of Congress to act.
“And to those members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill,” he said.
That doesn’t exactly sound like someone who wants to hear more from Congress on how to deal with immigration.
And now, opponents of Obama’s feeble prosecution of the war against the Islamic State are left with the same, seemingly open invitation to “debate” and present ideas. Who knows if a date will ever be set.
And who knows if Obama’s mind is really open to a talk anyway. Congress has just passed legislation blocking Obama from dismantling the detention facilities in Guantanamo Bay, and yet talk is already swirling that the White House may decide to go around Congress and close it anyway.
What’s the value of having “that debate” with Obama when he already knows what he wants? Not much.
Pete Kasperowicz is a news editor at the Washington Examiner. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.
