Opinion: Obama says Congress could learn a lesson from his daughters

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President Obama on Wednesday used a simple example to show his frustration with a Congress that seems, in his mind, to be dragging their feet to reluctantly make the hard choices that face them in order to reach a deal on debt reduction.

Instead of waiting until the last minute to make the needed compromises to cut the federal deficit the president held up his own young daughters as examples of how lawmakers, who are eying a recess on Friday, should be working.

‘Malia and Sasha, generally finish their homework a day ahead of time,’ Obama said at a news conference at the White House.

‘Malia’s 13, Sasha’s 10,’ the president reminded reporters. ‘They don’t wait until the night before. They’re not pulling all-nighters. They’re 13 and 10. Congress can do the same thing. If you know you’ve got to do something, just do it.’

Following up on that theme, the president later questioned Congress’s habit of leaving Washington even though there’s work to do.

‘They’re in one week, they’re out one week and then they’re saying ‘Obama’s got to step in,’ the president said. ‘You need to be here. I’ve been here. I’ve been doing Afghanistan and Bin Laden ... Greek crisis. You stay here. Let’s get it done.’

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-- Tony Pierce
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Andrew Malcolm is on vacation

Official White House photo