Speeches by Obama, Boehner achieve political ends, but little else

By Dan Balz,
WashPost
Published: July 25

The president and the House speaker couched their words Monday night in the language of compromise and reassurance. But at the start of a critical week of legislative maneuvering, each delivered a partisan message that cast blame on the other for a breakdown that threatens the nation’s credit rating, its financial markets and the fragile economy.

By the time they finished, it was clear why Republicans and Democrats are no closer to agreement.

White House officials saw President Obama’s prime-time speech Monday as an opportunity to frame the debate on plans offered by House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) to raise the federal debt ceiling, and to drive home to a larger audience the consequences of a failure to meet next Tuesday’s deadline and the importance of compromise.

From their vantage point, the president continues to hold the high ground in public opinion. Many more Americans support an agreement that includes spending cuts and some new taxes to one that cuts only spending. Monday’s speech was a way to reinforce that message and to bring new pressure on Congress to find a compromise.

(More here.)