We now have a poll – so far (with more to come I\’m sure) – which asks people who is to blame for the Veterans Affairs scandal.
The result? 33% blame Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, 28% blame the local VA hospitals and 17% blame President Obama (23% express no opinion).
Obviously this is not good for the Obama administration. And, for President Obama personally, it is far worse than that 17% number – because a) he is the one who appointed Gen. Shinseki and b) even after becoming aware of the scandal he has kept him on.
If Republicans can successfully tie Barack Obama directly to this scandal (a seemingly easy task…but, let\’s remember, these are Republicans we are talking about) it could have a significant affect on this year\’s midterm elections.
This being the case, I am surprised-bordering-on-amazed that President Obama has not relieved Eric Shinseki of his duties. I would think he is savvy enough to realize the political damage Shinseki is causing him, thus the need to act. But, as I write this, no change has taken place.
On the other hand, maybe the political calculus is that if Gen. Shinseki is removed as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Republicans can then point out that, years earlier, President Bush replaced him as the Army Chief of Staff – so Mr. Obama should have known better than to appoint him in the first place.
For a President who has spent the last five years blaming Bush for just about every one of his failures, that would burn, wouldn\’t it?
In any event, Veterans Affairs is a major scandal in an election year – and as more information comes out it is growing exponentially. There is no doubt that President Obama must do something to diffuse this issue ASAP – and it is hard to see how that could mean anything but dumping Shinseki. If he does not act, he very well may be facilitating an all-Republican congress – both the house and senate – for his last two years.
Stay tuned.
