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February 24, 2009
Obama Warns Governors About Politicization of Stimulus
By Mike MemoliThe nation's governors wrapped up a visit to Washington with meetings at the White House this morning, which included some strong words from President Obama about the decision by some to publicly reject some of the stimulus funds directed at the states.
In Depth: Analyzing President Obama's First 100 Days
A group of Republican governors has raised specific concerns about allocations for unemployment insurance that they believe would place long-term burdens on the states in return for some short-term assistance for their citizens. Their views ended up dominating the conversation around this weekend's winter meeting of the National Governors Association, with some Democrats also reacting by tagging those opposed as on the "fringe."
Obama told the group this morning that there are "some very legitimate concerns" about the unemployment insurance provisions, but noted that they were only a small part, less than 10 percent, of the overall package.
"I just want to make sure that we're having an honest debate and presenting to the American people a fulsome accounting of what is going on in this program," he said. "If we agree on 90 percent of the stuff, and we're spending all our time on television arguing about 1, 2, 3 percent of the spending in this thing and somehow it's being characterized in broad brush as wasteful spending, that starts sounding more like politics -- and that's what right now we don't have time to do."
Asked about the president's comments, Gov. Haley Barbour (R-Miss.) criticized the media for "shoddy" coverage, saying it focused too intently on what are fairly typical actions on the part of governors as it relates to federal funding.
"What he didn't like, and I agree with him, is the portrayal that states weren't going to take any of the stimulus money. There's nobody that said that," Barbour told RCP this morning. "His concern, which is a good concern, has been portrayed by the news media as if Republican governors were saying have a stimulus package is bad. ... We're for a stimulus package. We would have done it differently, but now we're down to how should it be implemented, and there are some provisions that as a practical matter may be against the states interests."
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) also struck a more conciliatory tone even as he reiterated his concerns with the stimulus bill. He thanked Obama for acknowledging those concerns, and praised his commitment to providing transparency to the process.
"We absolutely -- Republican and Democratic governors -- want our president to succeed," Jindal told reporters after today's meetings. "When we disagree with him we will certainly offer alternative ideas and solutions. But we face serious challenges as a country. ... We're going to look for every opportunity to reach across the party line and work with him. We absolutely want him to succeed."
