President Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner will be hitting the links later this month. Politico is calling it a “golf summit” at which time they will discuss the debt ceiling.
Obama’s offer — and Boehner’s acceptance — came six months after White House press secretary Robert Gibbs suggested the two could work out their differences on the course. Both men are passionate golfers; Obama prefers to hit public courses with a handful of friends and White House staffers while Boehner favors private courses, golf fundraisers and schmoozing sessions with other pols.
The game will be at a course in the Washington area, but exactly where – and the names of the other two duffers rounding out the foursome – are yet to be determined, a person familiar with the situation said.
Word of the golf summit also came on a day when Boehner blasted the president for failing to get more directly involved in tense bipartisan talks over the budget and debt ceiling.
“I think there’s a lot of progress that’s been made in the Biden talks,” Boehner said of talks being led by Vice President Joe Biden.
[Obama], he added “could take a more active role. He’s had this hands off approach for the last several months while this conversation has raged on,” Boehner added. “If he wants this agreement done by the end of the month, better get going.”
Maybe they can make a little wager – if Obama wins he gets a tax hike, if Boehner wins we get some massive spending cuts. My money’s on Boehner, even if he’s a little out of practice lately. According to the Washington Post, his handicap is still in the single digits.
According to Golf Digest, Obama is now a 17-handicap. That means that he usually shoots about a 90 on a course with an overall par of 72.
Boehner’s handicap has drifted up from about 5 or 6, before he became the GOP leader in 2007, to an 8.5, according to an official handicap site. Boehner has not broken 80 at his home course, Wetherington, since last May — at which point his campaign for Republicans to win the majority in the November midterms shifted into high gear.
On second thought, I don’t know if I’d trust Obama not to start calling Mulligans, so maybe Boehner shouldn’t bet anything more than a pint of beer.
Update: Scared Monkeys linked and asked if Boehner will cry if Obama calls multiple Mulligans. Thanks for the chuckle, Red!
Golf!
Talk about ruling class elite.
“But Sam, average Joes play golf too.”
Ummm………. No.
You need to get REALLY scared when Obama starts playing the violin.
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Golf is elitist? We’re not talking yachting here.
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It is when they should be WORKING.
Lot’s of peeps play golf, but it’s not exactly a blue collar sport.
When was the last time you hung out at the club house on a golf course?
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I tend to agree with clammens claim that golf is a good walk spoiled. My boss at work however quite enjoys the game.
That aside given that the president and majority leader are discussing the debt ceiling over the golf isn’t that, you know, working? These aren’t factory workers that can only work at a certain site. Anywhere that they conduct the business of governing is a place they are working.
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clemens, not clammens.
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I like golf. If only I had time to play. Sigh.
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This would be the perfect venue in DC for this dog and pony show. http://woodysgolf.com/recreation/miniature-golf Dear Leader’s best hole is the windmill.
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I love to play golf, but I would rather go rolling in barbed wire and get bitten to death by hungry wolves than play golf with Obama. Good grief! Talked about a good walk spoiled.
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[...] tired of this inside the Beltway BS. What will come of the Golf Summit? Will Obama call multiple Mulligans … will Boehner cry when he [...]
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Alot of deals have been cut on the golf course. Could be that one will be cut with this outing. Nice to see leaders gving the appearance of acting like leaders like Reagan and Tip O’Neal when they cut the deal to raise the full retirement age to 67 for Social Security for some baby boomers.
However, want to bet that the deal that is cut does not have much meat, but mostly mashed potato’s. Little entitlement reforms, few cuts now, but in the future when they are not held responsible, many cuts in domestic programs that have small budgets now and alot of hot air for their campaigns.
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[...] HackerSpecial DeliveryLONELY CONSERVATIVEThe Federal Budget in PicturesOn the GOP 2012 PrimaryObama and Boehner to Talk Debt Ceiling Over a Round of GolfUnemployment is Again Above 9%THE OTHER MCCAINBecause I Know What’s NewsUnexpectedly! Unemployment [...]
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[...] on each hole, says Ben Johnson atSlate. Maybe their little wager could have slightly higher stakes, says Karen Beseth atThe Lonely Conservative. If Obama wins he gets a tax hike, if Boehner wins we get some massive spending cuts. Or how about [...]
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