“Better Late Than Never, Mr. President”

Four years and waiting. . and finally. President Obama reportedly invited a dozen Republican U.S. Senators to dinner Wednesday night at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington. You might say, “no big deal.” I say “it’s about time.” Leadership is about ideas and passion.  It’s also about persuasiveness and gathering all factions around a table and schmoozing them with your ideas, with your compelling arguments, with some carrots and sticks, and, yes, maybe even with a steak, a salad and a glass of wine thrown in for good measure.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to serve as a municipal legislator, a state legislator, a nominee for the U.S. Congress, a Congressional legislative assistant, a U.S. Senate chief of staff, and an official in the Clinton Administration. And, through it all, I have come to understand all too well the importance of nurturing personal relationships to attracting support for any substantive legislative idea or government program. The “care and feeding” of legislators with egos that need to be stroked with information and personal attention is a concept that has been around government circles for decades. Governors and Presidents who understand this concept and practice it are far more successful than those who ignore it.

In the old days in Washington – before the avalanche of campaign money, the advent of cable news and the 24/7 news cycle, and the growth of Congressional budgets – it was much easier for Members of Congress and the President to work out their differences. Then, at least the first year of the two year Congressional term and the first two years of a President’s four year term were less political so a compromise around substantive ideas was possible. The absence of the 24/7 news cycle afforded “cover” for Members of Congress to make a risky, and potentially unpopular, vote and have some time to explain it to their constituents back home before the news framed the downsides of their votes and flooded the country with it. And, with more sparse Congressional travel budgets back in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, Members stayed in Washington more often on weekends and socialized with each other, having dinner at each others homes, catching a play at Ford’s Theater, or playing cards together. When I lived in Washington, I would often see Senators and Congressmen around town on weekends and at church on Sundays. Today, they’re more often than not back home. The chance to get to know their colleagues socially back then and build personal relationships made it easier for them to compromise with each other – and with the White House – come mid-week about thorny issues on the floor of Congress.

Such a concept of personally engaging Members of Congress is so basic that it is a wonder that it has taken President Obama – other than his brief golf outing with Speaker John Boehner nearly two years ago and more formal White House events like the annual Congressional Picnic – so long to understand its importance. Some would say that he is too cerebral, likes to stay above the fray, and is better communicating with large crowds than engaging one on one with legislators. Others might say that he is uncomfortable with schmoozing “the enemy.” Maybe given Obama’s short tenure on the Hill before his presidency, he doesn’t have the built-in relationships like Lyndon Johnson had, or his own VP Joe Biden who has rescued Obama by successfully negotiating several legislative compromises for him on the Hill, most recently with the budget/tax deal at the end of 2012. But, Obama did little to build strong personal relationships with Members of Congress during his first term. And, his practice of bashing Members of Congress at his news conferences and parading around the country with his constant campaign stump speeches – even after the election – only serves to antagonize Members of Congress, make them resent him and not want to cooperate with his legislative proposals, and undermine his ability to “get it done,” as evidenced before the recent sequester deadline and on a host of other issues. And, who suffers – the country.

This is not to say that the Republicans, especially John Boehner and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell – are blameless. Their proclivity for closing down options, like taking revenue off the table in the sequestration talks, and slamming the door in the President’s face are all too common. But, there are 435 Members of Congress. Though many Americans would like to throw them all out for constantly wasting time and not getting the job done, it’s time for leadership. Presidential leadership. The voters have signaled by their vote last November that President Obama’s ideas and policies are fairer and more balanced for the country than those of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Now, President Obama needs to use the bully pulpit and the power of his position as our country’s CEO to show he can get his legislative proposals passed.

And, he needs to personally practice the concept of the “care and feeding” of Members of Congress to do so. In a year or so, the window of opportunity will close as the 2014 Congressional mid-terms and the 2016 presidential race gear up all too soon. Yes, Barack, schmooze those rank and file independent-minded Senators and Congressman. Work the phones like Bill Clinton did so prolifically when I was at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and later a U.S. Senate chief of staff during his Administration. Don’t forget those loyal Democrats in the House and Senate – many of whom have felt forgotten by you during the last four years. Offer them appreciation. And, offer others a carrot or a stick – like the movie, “Lincoln” showed our 16th President so ably knew how to do. And, yes, roll up your sleeves and gather people around to informally visit with you. Throw in a host of dinners and coffees and golf outings – whatever it takes to get the votes to pass important legislation and get this country moving again economically, and off the dime on a host of pressing national issues. Time is awasting.