Woodward: Obama ‘not a good negotiator’

Legendary reporter Bob Woodward said on Sunday that the new budget deal is gaining bipartisan traction because President Obama has not been involved in any of the negotiations.

The House on Thursday approved the two-year deal with a 332-94 vote. With the Democrat-heavy Senate expected to vote on the measure this week, Woodward said Obama’s lack of negotiating skills would have crushed the deal.

{mosads}”He’s not a good negotiator,” Woodward said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Woodward praised Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the Republican House negotiator of the deal, for his ability to compromise with his Senate Budget counterpart, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

“I think Paul Ryan comes off as somebody … who is conservative, but the philosophy that he employed here is very significant,” Woodward said. “Sitting down with the Democrats and saying, ‘What is our common ground? What can we agree on?’ “

Woodward said the House vote bodes well for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who last week chided outside conservative groups who pushed to shut down the government while knowing it still wouldn’t be enough to defund ObamaCare.

“[Boehner] got way over 300 votes for this,” Woodward said. “He castigated the ultra-right wing, and the outsiders, so I think he is in a position where maybe they can deal on some of these things.”