On Thursday, President Obama announced that he would focus again on the economy, even as Syria continued its aggressive activity, Russia continued to mock the Obama administration, and the Obama administration itself continued its chaotic strategy with regard to the Assad regime. Meeting with his cabinet, Obama said, “It is still important to recognize that we have a lot of things left to do here in this government. The American people are still interested in making sure that our kids are getting the kind of education they deserve, that we are putting people back to work.” The pivot represents Obama’s 20th back to the economy of his presidency.
The Associated Press reports that Obama and other Democrats are relieved by a postponement of a Congressional vote on action in Syria.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said on Wednesday that Obama would be “focusing” on the economy. With debate over the continuing resolution, which must be passed by the end of September to prevent a government shut down, and debate over the debt ceiling, which will be hit in late October or early November, Obama would prefer to reshift away from his blundering on Syria. Obama originally planned to build momentum for his economic agenda after his college bus tour of August, and was supposed to visit Los Angeles to speak before the AFL-CIO convention. He had to cancel that LA visit based on the Syrian situation.
On Monday, Obama’s Organizing for Action began pushing his domestic agenda again. On Tuesday, Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) heard from White House chief of staff Denis McDonough, and predicted that Congress would have to return to “our typical things, like the debt limit.”