There was a meeting at the White House today between President Trump and the Democrat congressional leadership of Pelosi and Schumer. It was rather hysterical to see, although, as usual, the reporting about it is very much different than what actually happened.
The meeting was to be about getting a budget deal done and funding the government to avoid another of those "shutdowns" when funding runs out in ten days. As usual, the President and the Democrat leaders got together and the media was brought in to see the usual pleasantries exchanged. Normally, the media would then be ushered out and the real meeting would take place. Pelosi used the few opening words to announce that once the Democrats took back control of the House in January, they would push for "transparency" rather than the secretive nature of the current Republican-controlled House. President Trump then went right into discussing the budget and the need for adequate border security funding. When Pelosi said that they should hold that discussion until after the media had left, the President said that he thought there should be total transparency so that there would be a discussion in front of the media. Pelosi got that deer-in-the-headlights look and became befuddled.
After that opening, Schumer went into his prepared position in which he tried to blame Trump for the impending government shutdown. (It's not really that much of a shutdown, however, since most of the government is fully funded.) Trump then totally turned the tables on Schumer. The President announced that if there were not adequate funding for border security, he was fine with a government shutdown. He said that he wouldn't accept a deal that left the border without improvements that would reduce the numbers of people pouring over the border illegally. Instead of running from responsibility for the shutdown, Trump made clear that he would take it if the Democrats blocked adequate border security funding.
Schumer seemed at this point to also get befuddled. And all this played out in front of the cameras.
The media then left the meeting. After it was over, Schumer claimed that the preliminary discussion had been a "temper tantrum" from the President, but those who saw it knew quite well that Schumer was not being truthful. What had happened is that the President had placed the issue of border security in the lap of the Democrats. They can fund it (which would be the right thing to do) or they can put themselves in the position of refusing to fund adequate border security. If there is a government partial shutdown because the Dems won't fund border security, there's a pretty good chance that any blame from the American people will fall on the Dems.
The meeting was to be about getting a budget deal done and funding the government to avoid another of those "shutdowns" when funding runs out in ten days. As usual, the President and the Democrat leaders got together and the media was brought in to see the usual pleasantries exchanged. Normally, the media would then be ushered out and the real meeting would take place. Pelosi used the few opening words to announce that once the Democrats took back control of the House in January, they would push for "transparency" rather than the secretive nature of the current Republican-controlled House. President Trump then went right into discussing the budget and the need for adequate border security funding. When Pelosi said that they should hold that discussion until after the media had left, the President said that he thought there should be total transparency so that there would be a discussion in front of the media. Pelosi got that deer-in-the-headlights look and became befuddled.
After that opening, Schumer went into his prepared position in which he tried to blame Trump for the impending government shutdown. (It's not really that much of a shutdown, however, since most of the government is fully funded.) Trump then totally turned the tables on Schumer. The President announced that if there were not adequate funding for border security, he was fine with a government shutdown. He said that he wouldn't accept a deal that left the border without improvements that would reduce the numbers of people pouring over the border illegally. Instead of running from responsibility for the shutdown, Trump made clear that he would take it if the Democrats blocked adequate border security funding.
Schumer seemed at this point to also get befuddled. And all this played out in front of the cameras.
The media then left the meeting. After it was over, Schumer claimed that the preliminary discussion had been a "temper tantrum" from the President, but those who saw it knew quite well that Schumer was not being truthful. What had happened is that the President had placed the issue of border security in the lap of the Democrats. They can fund it (which would be the right thing to do) or they can put themselves in the position of refusing to fund adequate border security. If there is a government partial shutdown because the Dems won't fund border security, there's a pretty good chance that any blame from the American people will fall on the Dems.
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