[StBernard] Sen. Alexander accuses Obama of building an 'enemies list'

[Westley Annis]

Sen. Alexander accuses Obama of building an 'enemies list'
By Perry Bacon Jr.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, the No. 3 leader of the Republicans in the Senate, on
Wednesday accused the Obama administration of creating "an enemies list,"
comparing the recent criticism by the White House of the Chamber of
Commerce, the Fox News Channel and other political opponents to the behavior
of the Nixon administration.

"This behavior is typical of street brawls and political campaign
consultants," Alexander said in a speech Wednesday morning on the Senate
floor. "It is a mistake for the president of the United States and the White
House staff."

White House officials have over the past week publicly criticized the
Chamber of Commerce as not representing the interests of many businesses and
said Fox is so biased against the administration that it should be not be
treated as a legitimate news outlet. Alexander also criticized the
administration for briefly barring the health insurance company Humana from
writing Medicare beneficiaries to warn them that proposed health reform
legislation could hurt seniors and jeopardize their benefits -- a contention
that the White House disputes and has called misleading.

"Insurance companies, once the allies of the Obama health care proposal,
have suddenly become the source of all our health care problems -- because
they pointed out, again correctly, that if Congress taxes insurance premiums
and restricts coverage to those who are sicker and older, the cost of
premiums for millions of Americans is likely to go up instead of down,"
Alexander said, referring to White House criticism of a much disputed study
sponsored by the America's Health Insurance Plans. Independent experts have
suggested the study incorrectly said health care premiums would go up for
millions of Americans. "Because of that insubordination, the president and
his allies have threatened to take away the insurance companies antitrust
exemption."

Alexander's remarks made him the highest-ranking GOP official to make the
unflattering comparison of Obama to former president Nixon, a Republican, a
line of thinking also recently put forward by former Bush White House
adviser Karl Rove. While a reliable GOP vote and a member of the leadership,
the Tennessee senator's sharp tone was surprising, as he has called for more
cooperation between the two parties and was one the few GOP senators to
support the appointment of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. 


Alexander also served as an low-level aide in the Nixon White House, an
experience he referred to in his speech. He had no role in that
administration's creation of a formal list of political opponents to target
and "use the available federal machinery to screw," in the words of a Nixon
aide.

"If the president and his top aides treat people with different views as
enemies instead of listening to what they have to say," Alexander said,
"they're likely to end up with a narrow view and a feeling that the whole
world is out to get them. And as those of use who served in the Nixon
administration know, that can get you into a lot of trouble."

The White House replied by stressing the president's bipartisan outreach.
"While some Republicans on Capitol Hill seem to be formulating lists of
people and policies to oppose, this president is focused on tackling the
list of critical priorities that Washington has ignored for too long," said
Josh Earnest, Deputy White House Press Secretary. "From the Recovery Act to
health insurance reform to the small business initiatives he announced
today, the president is pleased with the progress that's been made on the
list so far and remains committed to working with Republicans to include
their best ideas, even if he doesn't get their support."