OPINION:
Smart move, Mr. President.
President Donald Trump bounced back from a week of bashing some of the Republican Party’s biggest tea party base, the House Freedom Caucus, with a reach-out to Sen. Rand Paul to play golf and talk Obamacare.
Trump’s frustration with the Freedom Caucus came after members opposed a bill to water Obamacare — a bill they said didn’t go far enough. House Majority Leader Paul Ryan pulled the bill, admitting he didn’t have the votes.
And shortly after, Trump tweeted: “The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don’t get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!”
Ouch. Not good optics for a president who came into office on a swell of opposition from members within his own party who warned he would run into Democratic arms as soon as it suited.
But Sunday was both reconciliation and rebound.
Paul, an eye doctor, a tea party favorite and a former Trump critic — a pretty loud one, to be sure, on the campaign trail — was also one of the biggest critics of this failed version of Obamacare.
Yet he emerged from Sunday’s golf game with Trump to say this, via Twitter: “I had a great time today with @realDonaldTrump and believe we are getting closer to an agreement on health care!”
In other words: Obamacare repeal is not a dead dog.
Rand also said to reporters after the match, which included the participation of White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, Fox News reported: “We did talk about some health care reform. I think the sides are getting closer and closer together. And I remain very optimistic that we will get an ObamaCare repeal.”
Mulvaney, remember, is a founding member of the Freedom Caucus.
These are good signs. Diplomatic and cooperative signs. And signs that certainly do show Trump hasn’t turned his back on voters and forgotten his “repeal Obamacare” vow.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.