Login HereI think a lot of progressives, myself included, had reservations about Barack Obama's ability not merely to win the presidency but to handle the office once elected -- based not so much on his inexperience but on the kind of rhetoric he favored. All that talk about a "new politics" and "transcendence" smacked of Bill Clinton's 1992 rhetoric which, while refreshing, also proved refreshingly naive over the subsequent eight years.
Any liberal Democrat who wants to succeed in the political environment created by the unholy commingling of movement conservatism and a compliant media had better be ready to take on the inevitable onslaught of lies, prevarications, mendacity, distortions, and other forms of mass bullshit that would be headed their way.
Warm fuzzy talk wasn't gonna cut it. Indeed, just ignoring it --which helped lead Al Gore and John Kerry to oblivion -- wasn't going to work as a tactic either. It has to be tackled head-on if progressives want to win.
But today, by hitting back hard at Preznit Bush for his inexcusable remarks claiming that Obama intended to "appease" Hamas, Obama made clear that he's not going to follow in those footsteps. In the special speech he made, covered by all the cable networks, Obama castigated Bush for his own manifest malfeasance in the Middle East elsewhere:
Now that's exactly the kind of appalling attack that has divided our country and alienates us from the world.
And then he castigated McCain for piling on with Bush, pointing out that only three years ago, McCain himself had said he'd be happy to negotiate with Hamas. McCain has tried desperately to swim away from those remarks, but it won't work.
Most of all, the speech once again made clear that McCain=Bush. That's not just smart politics, it's also reality.
But the whole speech was a clear indicator not only of a campaign that's being run well, but a candidate who in fact "gets it." Let's hope this is just the beginning.
UPDATE: I especially appreciated this line:
If George Bush and John McCain want to have a debate about protecting the United States of America, that is a debate I am happy to have anytime, anyplace. And that is a debate I will win, because George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for.
So it some more, Mr. Obama.
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GOBAMA!
This probably came up in the last thread, but Bush’s big oil plan for the future just hit a brick wall in Saudia Arabia.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05.....ref=slogin
It’s true Bush’s remarks were inexcusable, but to be fair, he’s been “on message” with the same dangerous policy for his whole Presidency. He’s always said that negotiating with your enemies (who all become terrorists, in his eyes) is naive. You would have thought that now that he’s proven that this is a shitty policy, he might shut up about it, but he just keeps right on rolling.
From our estimable Therapod,
Attack, Attack ,ATTAAAAAAAACK!
Bush’s rant (and McCain’s echo) has the same psycho “pay attention to me!” quality as Britney Spears going through her public disintegration, except that I am enjoying watching Bush come apart.
my first impression of obama’s speech today (available for streaming on cnn - is there a transcript anywhere?) is that it was a very, very smart political response.
however, it wasn’t a statement of a progressive foreign policy - especially the bit about not negotiating with hamas. but then i wasn’t expecting obama to start making as much sense on foreign policy as the good rev wright. obama’s sane imperialism sounds awfully good when compared to bush’s insane version.
overall - very impressive. very smart.
My background in Yoga/Meditation gives me a unique perspective into people’s natures.
I strongly feel that, once the GE campaigning officially gets under way, Obama will turn into Ali, heavy punches and light on his feet …
The Dems have to unite and fight all the way. They have to answer every right wing talking point 100 times greater in volume and substance.
More importantly, they have to hit first, not wait to react, which makes the Repugs call the shots …
I’d like someone to bring up Prescott Bush on national tv. We need to learn to give as good as we get.
Float like a butterfly. Sting like a bee.
;)
It’s clear that chimpy’s speech writers (he clearly can’t do anything without them), just like his mouthpieces ala Kevin James, have NO grasp of history - where it’s been - and the disaster they are creating for the rest of us lowly citizens for the future…
We need to find a way to hold these ass-clowns accountable for their distortion of reality and try to put ourselves back on a somewhat reasonable course with the rest of the world.
When the pres’nut is REQUIRED to go to the middle east to BEG for more oil and the leaders there say ‘naa… but give us the nukes anyway or else”….it’s time to take stock in what we’ve become. A non-player.
What now chimpy?? Grow more corn?? Oops, I forgot - no money in that, let’s grow soy!! Ooops, can’t convert that to fuel - WHO CARES!!
The sooner these bozos who have gotten us into this lunacy are in cells at the Hague and some rational folks are in their place the better. IT will take at least a century to recover..we may not have that long.
The sins of the (grand)father?
In order to make that work, Daddy and Son need to be tied to Prescott’s policies and beliefs. While I believe that Bushes will do whatever is needed to make money, I’m not sure the rest of the country is that far down the road.
BC
“I think a lot of progressives, myself included, had reservations about Barack Obama’s ability not merely to win the presidency but to handle the office once elected…”
_________
Well, that was why my wife and I ended up, on balance, caucusing for HRC in Nevada. The Ready-on-Day-One argument was a net tipping point for my wife, given the pandemic exigent circumstances the new President will face in the wake of the Bu’ush disaster.
But, then she lost me at “Sniper Fire,” cemented by “hardworking white Americans.” She even managed to lose my wife — no small feat there.
Gonna be interesting.
This is another bone-headed move by GWBush, who can’t politick his way out of a paper bag without Rove stage-managing his every step. Bush attacked Obama without preparing the FAXcrew with appeasement talking points; he attacked Obama on the day McSame was making his “2013 Vision” speech; and, worst of all for the GOPs, Bush elevated Obama to the level of the presidency, making it clear to Americans that Obama is running against a third Bush term.
Stupid “look at me!” idiocy from the Toddler-in-Chief.
I think dubya went to SA because it is one of the few places that won’t throw his ass into his own personal Gitmo.
Obama is really dialing it up in a good way. And there’s so much to work with, he doesn’t have to get personal. But MSM will tell us he’s getting personal like MSNBC did by saying “oh he’s just doing what any politician would do by trying to hang this bush stuff on mccain”. Well if McCain could STFU or disagree with Bush, that would be different.
Bush is addicted to power (among other things) and he will probably unravel…I like the Britney comparison!
Why is Obama so angry and shrill?
But it is also fundamentally dishonest.
Bush is currently negotiating with North Korea.
He is currently paying, PAYING cash to Al Qaeda and Iraqi Sunnis to stop fighting the US in Iraq.
There were meeting with Iran recently.
So it is not consistent.
-G
Yep. Bush had me cheering on Sen. Clinton as she rose to Obama’s defense. Biden went on the attack…..Pelosi, Reid, Rahm, Kerry all stood bolt up….
Bush is making the election about himself. Arrogant and egotistical mofo.
-G
The transcendence thing is very real, but 95 percent of us don’t get it. That’s fine, though. It certainly doesn’t imply ANY kind of weakness, which is how it’s usually misunderstood. This nominee has self-awareness out the gazoot and will turn the old system upside-down. Obama is high-carbon steel underneath the suit.
If I’m wrong, what the hell. No one’s salvation depends on whoever’s president, anyway.
good point - this wasn’t just obama and his speech writers - it was a coordinated (or at least so it appeared) push back. good for all of them.
But, but, but — the McCain campaign coordinates every day with the White House political staff.
Which means, I think, the McCain campaign gets the same FAXed talking points, whenever the White House deigns to include them in the list.
Which is, apparently, not often.
I agree. North Korea, India, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Israel, Egypt, for each of these countries we have a different policy on nuclear development, one that often contradicts the position we have taken with one or more of the others.
Well, if Obama isn’t a failed one-term prez, you can color me surprised.
more please?
it’s teh Scary! /s
Yeah, Biden went all hellfire on Blitzer yesterday. friggin awesome! practically bit the beard off him when blitz asked which dem he would endorse as a follow up.
Actually it means he receives all the RNC initiated chain letters. “Barak Hussein Obama refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance!!!1! Forward this to all your Friends!”, “Obama Discovered to be Closet Muslim, if elected will force all Americans to Burn Bibles & Convert!”, “Flash! Michele Obama seen kicking puppies, laughing!!!”…
Even the not so venerable David Brooks is underwhelmed by McCain’s “traditional” campaign strategy and says it’s not going to work.
which of course is just bs for it’s not bush’s policies that will bury the gop but mccain’s strategy. but still.
I would have liked to hear Obama hit him back a lot harder. I would have liked for Obama to have said outright that Bush’s policy of not speaking to anyone who doesn’t resoundingly support your position has been an abject failure and has made all the countries of the middle east, especially Israel, less safe with the exception of only Iran. I would have liked for Obama to have pointed out that Ireland and Britain would still be suffering terrorist attacks from each other if they went with Bush policies. I don’t just want a successful speech or two, I want knock out punches, and I want them repeatedly to the point that the Rethugs are afraid to open their mouths!
and sorry to go OT, but bushit just announced he is going to allow even more rape of the environment before he leaves. why again isn’t there an impeachment trial? it is not funny any longer, it is more the mark of accepted insanity by a people.
Intuition only. I’ve learned that when my snap judgement about a person is negative, I’m often right. (Other way around, when snap judgement is positive, my record is very mixed.) Don’t like Obama right from the getgo, though can’t srticulate why. Yeah, he gives a good speech, but that doesn’t guarantee that one will be a good prez. On the charge of inexperience, his supporters point out that JFK had none either. But JFK had something VERY important that Obama doesn’t have, which was a network of very powerfull supporters who would gather round and bail him out when he screwed up (as any prez is bound to do).
I’ve read “Audacity” and it didn’t impress me. More semi-empty rhethoric.
So there it is. Nothing very difinitive to hang my hat on, just a feeling that I have learned to pay attention to over the years.
Oh, and the objective fact that he will be under severe attack, not only in the election, but continuously throughout his term. Very difficult to function under those circumstances.
I, for one, will be glad when Blitzer crawls back under his rock.
McCain has flip-flopped on everything! He flip-flopped on torture, negotiating with Hamas, tax cuts. What happened to this guy? I never liked him, but he used to at least appear to have some integrity.
Exactly right. The only thing which disappointed me a little was that nobody got to pay much attention to the bizarre “2013 speech.” I couldn’t help but compare it to the Peter Faulk role in Princess Bride.
Well, Biden did speak to many of your points, in quite a strident fashion.
I gotta say I find it annoying when an article ends with a link saying “Read More”, but there really isn’t anything more, just comments.
Heh. Just got an email from Move-On. Watch the Bush-McCain Challenge video.
I thought it was a pretty good response. I agree with you, but, I think he made his point.
P.S. selise,
Of course, I’ll vote for him anyway.
oh me too. It was quite a treat for me to hear Biden just blast the question away with words to the effect of “I TOLD you, Wolf, I would NOT endorse either candidate but I will work like the devil to support our nominee.”
Blue Texan upstairs.
That’s because no one was looking at McCain very closely. As soon as we and others did, all the maverick, straightshooter BS fell apart.
Over at TPM, Morsus mihi pointed out that Prescott Bush was a member of a group that tried to pull off a sort of coup to depose FDR:
Seems to me that GWB is just implementing a lot of the policies first tried by his ancestor before we gave him the Presidency.
I do not agree. Obama’s campaign soared from November 1 through the end of February. Since that time it has scuffled along. It still is.
This week has really not been all that great. Certainly, Edwards endorsement was a good development. But, it was a day late and dollar short in my opinion.
Now, perhaps, I am wrong about this week. Tuesday may shed some light on that.
There is an update if you click on Read more.
I agree, bizarre, disturbing, detached from reality. I wish it had gotten more play.
well, i don’t’ think i’ve been one of his defenders…. but in this particular case, i think he did good - and as GregB pointed out, there were quite a few people who pitched in with the push back.
in my opinion, we just don’t have that much to go on. he’s pretty much a cypher and i think that’s been purposeful.
and that may be why, in one thread, we have someone relying on mediation insights and another on intuition to try and figure out what kind of president he will be… and we don’t really have much of a way to reality test either one.
i think i’m just going hang out in the corner with the agnostics.
When have we ever known what kind of Prez a person will be? I disliked Bush from the first moment I say him but never would I have thought that he and his buddies could cause the kind of destruction we have seen. We never know what anyone is going to do - even ourselves - until they are confronted with the situation. I wish Obama well - if he fails, the whole country fails. It’s really all about us and what we demand of our officials.
i do think this is the most important factor - but elections matter too even if that is only one of the ways we have to participate.
Good catch….I did not expect anyone to get that part. To me this is a start. I want to be fair to Senator Obama and this was a good attempt but….
Until a Democrat leads with and pins 9/11 on Mr. Idiot Decider I really can’t take the whole meme of ‘Mr. Bush has a lot to answer for….’ very much to heart.
Until this nation confronts what happened and why it happened on that day we’re not going to be able to move forward to a real progressive future. I see no sign of that ever happening but that doesn’t alter my opinion.
Let the usual Hosannas of Praise Ascend to the Skies for ‘The One’ has spoken!’ I give it a C+.
He’ll occasionally respond critically as long as he can frame it as a response to the other guys’ divisiveness, and in that way he avoids looking divisive himself (”divisive” is bad). The pattern seems to be that he will then turn around in the next few days with praise for Reagan, using Republican framing of issues, talk about accommodating good Republican ideas, etc.
Three months ago I would have agreed with you that it would be very difficult to decide who Obama is. Sadly, the work Larry Johnson has done at No Quarter shows me a lot more than I am happy with about the Senator. His dealings with Rezko and the ultimate outcome of same and it’s effect on the constituents of Obama who were depending on him to help them pretty much makes supporting him impossible for any one who would remain a progressive. This was classic corrupt policy. Made and supported for the benefit of the few at the cost of the many.
The resolution of Rezko’s Federal trial will be big news when it happens…probably after the GE is over.
maybe this will help understand Obama’s priorities, and they ARE the People,plus when you consider the options available to the former President of the Havard Law Review, Constitutional Law Prof. in Chicago..yep surely ‘WE’ would go for the poverty rate wage of community work with those creds..hmmm?(jest)…this is what he was doing early on and I think his campaign management tells us something also..’competency’ http://www.chicagomag.com/Chic.....onfidence/
I think the corporate media and the monied interests have nearly won. They own two of the three horses left in the race. Only Hillary stands in the way of a guaranteed win. The media will be happy with McCain, but my guess is that they really want Obama. Sounds strange but I believe Obama, who is not a Democrat, but plays one in this contest, is the one they can depend on to destroy the Democratic party and to pander to his corporate backers and will gladly thow any and all progressive interests under the bus. Just like Bush was able to throw the true conservative interests of his followers under the bus, (hence a deficit that balooned as far as the mind can imagine), Obama will be able to do that with liberal interests. The left is bamboozled and will not be able to muster the strength to oppose Obama because they will be too busy rationalizing why they supported this fool. Obama will be able to call on the poor and middle classes to sacrifice to save the country (as we will be in dire economic straits). This sacrifice will only extend to the Democratic base. The monied will always escape the sacrifice. He can keep us schmucks in line, for the most part…they think.. Something McCain will not be able to do. That is why I will vote for McCain over Obama if Hillary has the nomination stolen. Better to deal with the devil we know from a Democratic Party that is still intact.
Just wanted to correct one point. Sen Obama was not a Constitutional Law Professor. He was a lecturer who taught Con Law. If you teach in a University you will understand the big difference.
What a ludicrous justification for your antagonism of Mr. Obama. What if any information do you have to support yourself and then how it would be any different for Hillary, and then how it would be better to go with McCain?
Spoiled grapes, sore . . . and all that.
Larry Johnson lost me with his posts on Wright - and i haven’t been back… so i’m in no position to evaluate his take on the rezko matter.
Every couple of days it’s another giant level of crazy over there. All rumor and innuendo.
It’s sad, but not for the people they attack.
So?
May 6,1937–The Hindenburg airship burned and crashed in New Jersey. The people mover had no place in Hitler’s weaponry. Did Prescott Bush have any
hand in helping his Saudi?
I agree with Ann. Dave, you call this hitting back, or stepping it up a gear?
This was more tepid brush off than anything else. The media tried to make it into a big deal but the reality is that surrogates struck harder than Obama. And if Obama is now running his campaign with an eye toward the GE then he should be stridently blasting Bush, then tying that failure so tight around McBush he can’t breath.
And really - sending out Kerry to make a response? That may be the worst tactical move possible.
this is what you got from that link? also his listing for that job IS Professor…what else did you see in that profile? community organizer? different path than Wal Mart for sure.It is what people do out of the sight of others that tells the most about someone, and that part of community organizing, voter registration tells me a LOT..empowerment of people in lieu of corporations… sincerely, a 57 year old vietnam non-participant