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‘What the Hell Is Going On Here?’: Woodward Escalates His War With the White House

Feb. 27, 2013 10:41am Becket Adams

Bob Woodward Escalates His War of Words With the White House on MSNBCs Morning Joe

Watergate reporters Carl Bernstein, left, and Bob Woodward sit in the newsroom of the Washington Post, May 7, 1973. (AP File photo)

Bob Woodward on Wednesday accused President Barack Obama of acting with a “kind of madness” in his handling of the automatic spending cuts set to take effect Friday.

Woodward, credited with bringing down Richard Nixon along with fellow Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein, appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” to discuss his ongoing war of words with the White House over its handling of the impending sequester.

“I think peoples’ heads are about to explode about all of this, you know, what the hell is going on here?” Woodward said Wednesday. “I’m not sure the White House understands exactly what happened in all of these negotiation at the end of 2011 with the sequester and the super committee, because they were really on the sidelines.”

He continued, turning his attention to the White House’s recent claim that spending cuts would prohibit it from deploying aircraft carriers to the Persian Gulf.

“Can you imagine Ronald Reagan sitting there and saying ‘Oh, by the way, I can’t do this because of some budget document?’” Woodward said.

“Or George W. Bush saying, ‘You know, I’m not going to invade Iraq because I can’t get the aircraft carriers I need’ or even Bill Clinton saying, ‘You know, I’m not going to attack Saddam Hussein’s intelligence headquarters,’ as he did when Clinton was president because of some budget document?” he added.

“Under the Constitution, the president is commander-in-chief and employs the force. And so we now have the president going out because of this piece of paper and this agreement, I can’t do what I need to do to protect the country. That’s a kind of madness that I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Woodward has caught a lot of flack recently for accusing the Obama administration of “moving the goal posts” in its budget negotiations with the GOP and for reporting in his book, “The Price of Politics,” that the automatic spending cuts were President Obama’s idea.

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(H/T: Mediaite). Featured image AP. This post has been updated.

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Comments (277)

hslusher
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:44am
So Woodward is finally unable to deal with the complete bullshyt which is Obama.

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Really2012
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:44am
Truth be told….. The sequester was actually Bush’s idea….

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- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 12:27pm
  Truth be told………All things work for the Glory of God. Whatever it takes.
  
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bt1
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:43am
“What the hell is going on here?” Woodward spoke the truth. An inconvenient truth that conflicts with the economic fairy dust this administration is pushing on the people. The people want, no demand, to be lied too lest the experience the harsh economic consequences that profligate spending ultimately leads to. And, no doubt, these consequences will cost a lot of politicians their jobs. Hence, push the fairy dust and all will be well…….the politicians will keep their jobs and the Dependent Class will continue believing they can live off their neighbor’s cash indefinitely

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crusaderx9
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:43am
Bob Woodward knows the Low Information Voter will not be on his side, but history will be.

As he is vilified for not kissing the ring of the boy king, he understands that if acquiesces to the regime’s false narrative then his reputation that he has cultivated and fought for all his career will evaporate and he will be seen as just another partisan hack with a press pass.

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motherboard
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:39am
I was actually trying very hard to get my own mind wrapped around all of this going on in Government late last night. I failed to do so. My only conclusion is how completely out of whack everything seems, and not just Obama. The opposition party seems to stand for nothing now to. Just saw another article where Senate GOP want to give Obama the congressional purse string powers they now hold. Truly, this is a strange and disturbing time. The strangest thing is that all of these people in Washington think they can just continue on this path and nothing is going to happen. I tell you all, yes even the LIBS, this is as dysfunctional as government can possibly be. It truly does feel like not a single one of them have any clue what to do about anything right now. A totally constitutional crisis is upon us folks. Anyone who doubts this is in the same fantasyland with our so called leaders.

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kruzer_mike
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:32am
Let’s see….I think the way its supposed to play out is that Iran and North Korea will bomb the United States with the missiles we didn’t allow them to build and China will send in 12 million peacekeepers just to stabilize the US “just until things settle down”…….

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NigelTufnel
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:28am
For liberals like Bob, the holy grail of budget policy is military defense spending. To them, the over the top, lucrative contractor deals full of waste and promoting a defense build-up hell bent on warring with the first country that steps out of line, was the direct and single most reason we have poor people in this nation. Not one rocket should be built if an American is going hungry!!!! Now that defense is being slashed from 750 billion just two year ago to somewhere around 500 billion next year, Bob, like most people, wonder why Obama isn’t eager to reduce the annual deficit and why Obama needs more revenue when he will be saving so much in military cuts. The libs have gotten 90% of what they’ve been bitchin’ about for the last 4 decades. Now they must come to the conclusion that priorities must be made no matter what your revenues are. Governing’s a bi tch Bob. It’s time to put your big boy pants on a$$-whole!

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- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:58am
  It is not gathering wealth, that is the goal. It is taking wealth out of private hands, and forcing capitulation.
  
  Report this comment
- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 1:40pm
  VERCE? are you there? hello, hello. Anybody there? verce? hey Verce? Just like I thought….I gave him an hour to put up…..maybe, he, now, has, shut up.
  
  Report this comment
Verceofreason
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:28am
Poor Bobby
Rather than admit a big mistake -Conseravative double down.
What happened in 2011?
John Boehner got “98% OF WHAT ‘I’ WANTED”!
Conservatives OWN the sequester and
Ellison wouldn’t let Hannity both pull the same crap
AND ALSO QUOTE WOODWARD AS A SOURCE.

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- hslusher
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:47am
  Wow you not only drank the kool-aid you ate the box it came in.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:52am
  VERCE:
  Your mom didn’t read the warning. Condoms are only 97% effective.
  
  Report this comment
- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 12:08pm
  VERSUSREASON….I like you being here on the forums. You make a near perfect example of the the ‘selective’ thought processes of what, we see, as the clueless left.
  If you would, write a short (or long) comment, and explain to us, here, what you believe are the main intentions of the progressives, in this particular situation. Please do this for us. Here is a chance to reveal what you believe is “really” going on. I, for one, read and analyze all of your posts. Please, do this. Edify us.
  
  Report this comment
- barber2
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 2:03pm
  VERCE just doing the Democrat version of ” Polly wants a ******* ” ..( one of those things parrots always used to want but what we can no longer say because of a totally unrelated PC situation ! ) …. just repeating the ” Talking points” from the Democrat script of parroted phrases and accusations ! Race Card. Discrimination. Transparent. 99%. Fair share. Affordable. Blame anybody. Forward. etc.Occupy. Redistribution. Sequestration.
  
  Report this comment
- Verceofreason
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 3:01pm
  What exactly do you think Boehner meant by that statement?
  What really silly people you are.
  
  Report this comment
- Verceofreason
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 4:36pm
  The REPUBLICAN sequester was blackmail so Obama could get the debt ceiling raised.
  Boehner DID get 98% of WHAT HE WANTED.
  
  Report this comment
- Verceofreason
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:04pm
  I have no idea what progressives want
  or speak for anyone but myself.
  
  And one can’t REGISTER as a conservative. Another Hannity nutso statement.
  
  Report this comment
- Diane TX
  Posted on February 28, 2013 at 12:12am
  You are wrong again, Verce. In New York State, you can register as a Conservative. Here is a link for you because you certainly need to be educated.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Party_of_New_York_State
  
  Report this comment
whatthecrazy
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:27am
Wow this isn’t even about bad politics anymore,we litterally have anarchy going on in our Government and instead of injoying Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,we now have to sleep with one eye open and our first line of defence loaded and within arms reach.I feel so sorry for my children and grandchildren and the many war Patriots that gave thier lives or suffered dibilitating injuries to protect and defend this Country and We the People here ,back home did nothing over the decades but elect the enemies into positions of power.I guess we deserve what we get but our children and thiers don’t.:((

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high school drop out
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:26am
History has shown that sometimes all it takes is one person to say “The Marxist has no clothes” and then others follow….Then it becomes a “Feeding frenzy”…Which one of us would’nt pay big to see Obama torn to bits by the media!

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- NigelTufnel
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:37am
  That would be sweet. But maybe the real stumper would be how fast they would turn back to Marxism after an enlightenment. I’d give em one election cycle.
  
  Report this comment
NewMedia
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:19am
What in the heck was all the sniffling and paper shuffling going on in the background? Leave it to MSNBC to conduct another great interview……doh. Good for Bob Woodward though, way to stand your ground Bob!

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Max jones
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:18am
“A kind of madness”………Yes, truly, madness. My head will not explode, I expect this administration to exhibit more and more instability….and the demonization of ALL conservative thinking. There is evil afoot in this world, and its not just Bah Rahk, its everywhere….Bah Rahk just happens to be “our” little evil.
2 Thessalonians 2:11 (KJV) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
The “cause”, mentioned in this verse, is the exposing of a nefarious plot to subjugate the entire world, and bring All peoples and nations under the flag of the NWO….As more and more sheeple come under the spell of fear that is being woven, the ‘buggers’ get progressively arrogant and sure of themselves…to the point where they will no longer feel the need to keep their true intentions secret.
This expose’ is necessary, for the truth will shine in comparison.

Revelation 3:10 (KJV) Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
YHVH’s plan, YHVH’s will be done.

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- NigelTufnel
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:33am
  That’s right. But it’s not just conservative thinking Obama is up against. It’s anyone who goes against him. Woodward is having trouble understanding why in the heck Obama wouldn’t use these savings to improve America’s sovereignty. Like we’ve said all along….it’s our sovereignty that he’s been after all along.
  
  Report this comment
- Beachmastermax
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 12:01pm
  2 Thessalonians 2:10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they DID NOT RECIEVE the love of the truth so as to be saved.
  
  Report this comment
- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 12:13pm
  BEACHBOY…….AMEN, brother.
  
  Report this comment
kalli
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:16am
“That’s a kind of madness that I haven’t seen in a long time.”

Truthfully, Bob, no one in this country has EVER seen this kind of madness! And, for our congressional leaders to allow him to continue with his madness, we will soon no longer be a Constitutional Republic. We are being destroyed by evil tyrants who have sold their souls to the devil and led by soros who sits at satan’s right hand. They know as soon as they confiscate our guns, we will no longer be able to remove them from our lives. Molon Labe!

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huey6367
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:13am
The White House proposed and signed into “law” this sequester. They wanted it so give it to them. I believe he thought he could use this as some political advantage to get tax increases through the house. Not working. He will still blame Republicans. Get ready with some “ammo” Republicns to retaliate. It is only going to get worse.

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- NigelTufnel
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:42am
  And there in lies the rub. The GOP knows they are going to get blamed no matter what so they may as well do the noble thing. I look for them to let the sequester happen and then when no one notices they push Obama even harder in May when the next debt ceiling rolls around.
  
  Report this comment
- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:46am
  HUEY…..so right you are! It reminds of a “dare”. like:” I double dog dare ya”. We have leaders with the minds of children, and deserve any suffering we get. Dis-honesty breeds suffering and the bottom has not been mapped.
  The rank and file progressives have no idea what lies ahead for them. The blind leading the blind.
  
  When I want to clean one of my aquariums, I must get the fish out, first, of course. I position a large net, and leave the tank alone for a while, so the fishes settle down and accept the net…I withhold food for a few hours. When I feed the fish, they all happily rise, to the feeding ring, and are very easy to net out. ….I believe this tactic is being used on our poor ignorant population.
  
  Report this comment
fastgen1
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:12am
Why all of this talk, why the surprise.. Anyone with 1/2 a brain has already figured out the anti-christ, for the people out there who are on his gravy-train, they believe everything he says, he is the black santa clause, he is the black hitler, he is everything the black people have prayed for and it seems they are too stupid to figure out what he is and what he is doing to them. If the jackarss opens his mouth he is lying, if something goes wrong he says “not my fault”. He is an arrogant POS who is also a closet queen.(ask reggie) He is everything blasphemous and despicable to God. He is an abomination to all Christians, the 1/2 of people in this country trying to hold back the soddamistic actions of he and his wife. Why should we be surprised by anything this creature who has crawled up from the bowels of hell, hellbent on destroying every Christian thing this country stands for. He will meet his at Armageddon, so all Christians be aware and do not be on the wrong side, be on Gods side when it happens….

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Locked
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:11am
The sequester idea originated in the White House, and was approved with support by BOTH parties. Most of the “flak” Woodward has been catching from the left seems to be the fact that he is putting blame solely on the WH, and completely ignoring that Republicans overwhelmingly approved it in 2011.

Well, the “logical” flak. Most of the actual flak is “WHY DON’T YOU LOVE OBAMA!?!” nonsense.

It seems fairly obvious to me that the White House is being deceptive as usual, and Woodward (while he may also legitimately be upset with their behavior) is being outspoken primarily to promote his new book. Every article about his comments references the book; not that the book is wrong, or bad, or faulty (Woodward is generally a thorough reporter), but there’s a clear financial interest here for him. Follow the money, folks.

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UNALIEN
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:09am
‘WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?’: WOODWARD ESCALATES HIS WAR WITH THE WHITE HOUSE..

Bob, it is called Fascism.. Progressivism/Modern Liberalism IS FASCISM

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4everJoy
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:09am
I’ll tell you what is going on…the “free press” in this country is now another arm of this particular Administration specifically and the Democratic party in general. Where is the Mr. Woodward of this generation? There isn’t one. We are all the poorer for it.

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chucksue351
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:09am
they all just don’t get it, maybe because they don’t have this mindset even though they may be liberal, Obama wants to Destroy the USA as we know it period

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- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 1:32pm
  For about a hundred years, the progressive agenda has excluded God and common sense from our education system and nullified accomplishment in business and economics…just to supply Bah Rahk with a large, helpless class of poor people who are in in need of a ‘savior’. That’s what he wants to be….lets hang him on a cross with nails through his feet and wrists, Mock him, and then stab him in his breast with a sharpened spear. Lock his lifeless body in a tomb, for three days.
  See how he does….eh?
  
  Report this comment
Beachmastermax
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:08am
Hey Bob. Where have you been? Got any affirmative action employees working with you? You know, never seen them produce or accomplish anything, can’t get rid of them, yet they always get promoted? Well we have one for President now, thanks to people like you.

Keep pressing on this and you will now learn the historical meaning of the term “useful idiot”.

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- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:26am
  Karl Marx, called the his supporters (proletariat) “useful idiots” as they helped him bring down the producers of his era, and throw eastern Europe into desperation.
  
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RaydocX
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:08am
But the lemming MSM will discount this as the rantings of an old maybe demented man.
It may already be too late for even one journalist to wake up and begin critically assessing the motives and actions of this administration.
Gregory, Matthews, Stewart, and the rest of the ‘journalists’ and pundits are simply too invested in cheering this POTUS on to admit they were wrong or duped or both.

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deeberj
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:07am
When I heard Obama on the TV the other day, chiding the Senators, saying he understands they all have politics happening, but by golly we need to start governing.” I was ready to throw a heavy object at my TV, but I stopped myself. How dare he talk about governing when he can’t seem to even get started doing that.

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- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 12:23pm
  I think that Bah Rahk has re-defined his job description…..From shepherd of the flock to Judas goat.
  
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Mike Benton
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:06am
Mr.Woodward was/is the role model for a whole generation of journalists…maybe his comments will wake some of them up and they will start to do their jobs.

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tozzo
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:05am
I have to pinch myself once in a awile to see if I am still here, alive & witnessing what is going on in this country. Lately, I feel like I have ended up in some kind of alternate parallel universe, sentenced to this kind of tortuous existance, watching these IDIOTS ruin what it took 237 years to build. I try to think back & see if I might have died at some point in the last (5) years, resulting in this “living hell”. To put it bluntly, is it me, or is this world becoming really “FU**ed Up”.

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- Charbet
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:12am
  Wow! I experience the same! I keep hoping I will wake up but…
  
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- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 12:26pm
  Some friends of minr were talking about the end of the mayan calender….one comment was” Well, the world did not end!” my response was….”Prove it!”.
  
  Report this comment
RANGER1965
Posted on February 27, 2013 at 11:04am
Hmmm…that was rather refreshing. Didn’t get a tingle up my leg, but my big toe is kinda numb.

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- Max jones
  Posted on February 27, 2013 at 12:33pm
  RANGER….Wow, dude….mine, too.
  
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