Michael Medved: GOP shutdown strategy 'dishonest'

SEATTLE -- Despite a meeting Wednesday night at the White House with President Obama, House and Senate leaders remain firm in their positions that forced the government shutdown, and so the deadlock continues.

National radio host Michael Medved, a leading GOP conservative based in Seattle, said Thursday his own party has a lot to answer for in tying the repeal of Obamacare to funding the government, something he argues was never going to work.

“The strategy was built on dishonest premise,” Medved said.  “The strategy was basically built on advancing (Republican Sen.) Ted Cruz (of Texas), not on advancing the conservative cause.”

Medved disagrees with fellow conservatives who argue that this fight includes standing on principle.

“You’re damaging the principle if you lead honest and sincere people into what’s been called a boxed canyon, into a trap,” he said.

Despite his harsh words for the Republicans strategy, Medved is also critical of Obama, who he says needs to show much more leadership.

“The president has no justification at all to say no negotiations.  I mean, how absurd is that?” he asked.  “It’s unimaginable that Bill Clinton, or George W. Bush, or Ronald Reagan, or Harry Truman, or Jimmy Carter, for that matter, would have said I will not negotiate with the other side until they have already surrendered on the basic points,” Medved said.

Medved believes there is a way out of this, something that allows both sides to get a win that should satisfy increasingly frustrated Americans.  He argues that House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, should allow a vote in the House on a “clean” continuing resolution to fund the government in exchange for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid allowing a vote to repeal one small part of Obamacare -- a tax on medical devices.

Medved says both would pass if leaders allowed them to the floor for consideration.

“That way, it sounds like both guys are letting democracy work,” he said.