House leader Eric Cantor blasts Obama's jobs bill (video)
| Washington
Decoder has asked the question before: ?
At a lunch with reporters Thursday sponsored by 海角大神, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, (R) of Virginia, actually used the 鈥淩鈥� word, saying that he had had 鈥渢he privilege of being in meetings with the president, both small and large,鈥� and that although he and Obama disagree on many things,
鈥淚 respect his intellect.鈥�
But Cantor then went on to draw a lengthy and not-so-favorable contrast between the president鈥檚 negotiating style and that of Vice President Joe Biden.
鈥淚t actually was a much different experience, working with the vice president, than I鈥檝e had working with the president. The Biden discussions lasted for almost seven weeks. And the vice president was very deliberate, in terms of reaching out. He and I spoke on a weekly basis, sort of laid out the expectations, tried to manage those, to see if we could produce some results.鈥�
Of course, the clash between Cantor and Obama during the debt ceiling negotiations was , with Cantor telling reporters that Obama had walked out of a meeting, and Democrats countering that Cantor had 鈥渞udely鈥� interrupted the president.
In terms of the president鈥檚 jobs speech, Cantor said he hopes that Republicans and the president will be able to reach 鈥渃ommon ground,鈥� saying, 鈥渞eality 鈥� demands that we begin to practice transcending differences.鈥�
But when it came to possible planks in the president鈥檚 jobs proposal, he didn鈥檛 exactly swoon with enthusiasm.
- On the payroll tax holiday?
鈥淚t鈥檚 not the best way to create incentives for a small business to create a job,鈥� although it is 鈥減art of the mix.鈥�
- Extending unemployment benefits?
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to just have the benefits without trying to get people what they really want, which is a job.鈥�
- Creating an infrastructure bank?
鈥淎n infrastructure bank is almost like creating a Fannie [Mae] and Freddie [Mac] for roads and bridges,鈥� Cantor said, referring to the beleaguered federally-sponsored mortgage giants.
The Bottom Line: Republicans may be trying to show some willingness to work with the administration, but actually coming to an agreement on jobs is still going to be tough.
Want more?
- See video clips from the lunch , including Cantor鈥檚 views on the Obama administration and Israel, Rick Perry鈥檚 comments on Social Security, and the S&P downgrade.
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