The Rose Garden: Outreach and Opposition Could Pay Off Later

• By Keith Koffler
• Roll Call Staff
• Feb. 9, 2009, Midnight

Washington, for the most part, is driven by three distinct forces: money, power and — while it sometimes becomes subservient to the first two — principle. These forces are immutable and eternal, perhaps in almost any seat of power. If you want to understand why President Barack Obama’s outreach campaign toward the Republicans is foundering over his first legislative initiative, the stimulus, it is because his effort is already colliding with all three.