are not are real spending cuts, real spending restraint and not tax cuts, but spending cuts. greta: that s a huge political cost. exactly. there s also political advantage. this is what mystifies me fort pierce. had come out a month ago and said, let s get this deal done. and it going to be robust and we are going to let a to get a lot votes because it going to be strong and effective. we will up with a deal but he s going to look hike he s being dragged kicking and screaming. saying one thing in public, resisting in . i m mystified. also, it was a bad joke. is this man politically tone-deaf? what about the people on the podium with him, laughing. this was not funny to 13 million americans. greta: indeed it wasn t. i think what is more terrifying is getting it wrong, than having sort of laughing
maybe there will be a chance to do this again. but it is a plus for him, no doubt about it. chris: let me bring kevin in. how successful has obama been in rebranding, repositioning himself? let s not confuse a moment with a trend. this was a moment. but it was a moment that i think the president had to be dragged kicking and screaming, too. he was very, very slow to declare victory. announced the deal and not even 24 hours later called republicans sanctimonious for criticizing him. we have to see whether or not the president is going to find cull pability and decide not to be a reflective liberal and instead find a way towards pragmatic achievement going forward. chris: i think, juan, we would all agree that senate leader mitch mcconnell was a big winner in the session.
he made this deal and it was popular. the question now is was it a one off thing or is it a model for other deals like this on other issues going forward? i think there will be knockdown dragout fights where there won t be common ground on a lot of issues but maybe on the budget and deficit and we will have a huge debate about that, maybe there will be a chance to do this again. but it is a plus for him, no doubt about it. chris: let me bring kevin in. how successful has obama been in rebranding, repositioning himself? let s not confuse a moment with a trend. this was a moment. but it was a moment that i think the president had to be dragged kicking and screaming, too. he was very, very slow to declare victory. announced the deal and not even 24 hours later called republicans sanctimonious for criticizing him. we have to see whether or not