And Obama’s camp is out in full force trying to shove these appointments down everyone’s throats. Hugh’s analysis of the NYT whoring for Summers is just one example of their full court press.
http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/2272

Greetings, ms Jane!

I suppose it’s payback for all of ‘us’ saying, “What Obama need to do is…”

But jeez, if you are talking holistic medicine, you don’t appoint a bunch of surgeons to diagnose and administer the treatment.

xoxox to you, as always.

Thankfully I’m not on the list but if I have to listen to the someone say I know what you need more than you do, well it better be what the people need. It will be a short 4 years and then we can move on to the next group.
jo6pac

Let me point out, once again, that Obama is not getting a free pass.
Just because he is a Democrat does not preclude criticism and opinions.
After the last eight years of one disaster after another and being called a traitor and told to STFU, I would like to point out that we on the Left are a Hell of a lot more organized and collectively vocal regarding our views. It’s called a Democracy, deal with it.

I have a close friend who was so swept up in Obama-mania during the campaign, we had to cut off all discussions of politics because it was too upsetting to her to hear me say that she was just projecting onto Obama the progressive views she wanted him to have. The other day I asked if she now sees what I meant. She shushed me, and said that now that he’s safely elected she’s not paying attention to what he’s doing because she knows all will be well. And this is a savvy woman. Sigh.

I have a question. When are any progressive bloggers going to either band together or as an individual start writing op-ed pieces that tell our side off the story? Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate it when kos or you or yglesias et al respond to people like Hilebrand on your own blogs. But how much power do you think it would hold if you yourself Ms Hamsher or a collective of popular progressive bloggers got together and wrote a big op-ed piece in say the Washinton Post or the New York Times repeating basically what you just posted and requested that the talking heads stop trying to speak for us? I for one think it would be very powerful and would certainly help curb the propaganda that being put out there to try to marginalize the left by framing us as being extremists who are “outraged” and “who feel betrayed”. The only problem with responding to those kinds of smears on your blog is that people who don’t self identify as liberal or progressive probably never will see it. I really do think that a high profile op-ed will go a long way to change the tone of some of the rhetoric coming out of Washington. Oh and someone should remind Mr Hillebrand and others that although PEOTUS Obama wasn’t elected to govern just the left, without the left he wouldn’t be governing ANYBODY!

If they’re experiencing bruised feelings over what progressives say about them, the wingnuts will put them in the hospital. Suck it up and govern, guys.

Hi eCAHN, been enjoying your Employment Primer. With numbers like that, why are there any working-class Americans not voting Dem?

PEOTUS Obama wasn’t elected to govern just the left, without the left he wouldn’t be governing ANYBODY!

That ship sailed the day after his primary victory. If not before.

Many people on this blog and elsewhere are saying. “Give the guy a chance, wait until he’s inaugurated~!” Then they will say, “Well, why didn’t you say so earlier? Nothing can be changed now!” Do they learn that stuff in the Frank Luntz School of Applied Governance?

I can only hope Jane Hamsher offers to go on shows to speak about the above appointments (particularly these appeasements to the failures in conventional economic wisdom circles). And can the Beltway bobbleheads like Hildebrand stop insulting our intelligence by pretending these selections are anything but sops to the very people who caused this meltdown?

And to think they would rather appoint these failures than any so-called member of the “left”.

stfd n stuf n00b

It’s the Ds fault for not getting out the message. This is where I say that Ds are too dumb to live.

Hi eCAHN, been enjoying your Employment Primer. With numbers like that, why are there any working-class Americans not voting Dem?

Because the media don’t tell them what the numbers mean.

Re Hildebrand, I agree that the “shut up and trust me” meme doesn’t work for me anymore. He misses the point on so many levels. First, progressives happen to have been correct about most of the important issues like Iraq, the Constitution, and the economy. Second, this isn’t carping around the edges. Obama has named no progressives to the top tier slots like State, Defense, Justice, or the Treasury. Third, as Jane says, experience at being wrong and/or ineffective is not the kind of experience we need. Fourth, there were progressive choices out there like Stiglitz for Treasury who had experience and have been largely right on the issues. Fifth, I have never understood the logic that when Republicans win they get to govern like Republicans but when Democrats win they are also supposed to govern like Republicans.

Hildebrand’s

After all, he was elected to be the President of all the people – not just those on the left.

Besides in the marketing side of things, perhaps to spin any DLC decision to calm down the “left”, just where in his administration are those on the “left”?

Funny how so many in Democratic leadership circles never have the balls to tell the Right wing to STFU.

Shorter message to Hildebrand: ”Don’t piss on me and tell me it’s raining!

I’d put money in the pot for that!

Obama never pretended to be a liberal, he’s always been open about being a centrist. So don’t act surprised.

BTW, I just watched a real liberal on C-Span– Donna Edwards. She’s really smart and she’s a great speaker. Brian Lamb asked her where she learned to speak like that. I hope she will be president some day.

i was on that list. the last email i got, i unsubscribed. i put in my comment that during the primary i supported obama based on his promises. i wrote that i have reset my support for him at zero. he will now have to earn my support by his actions. worst thing one can do is fall in love with a politician.

A message to apparatchnik Steve Hildebrand:

Steve, if you could only look up from rimming Power, you’d be able to see progressives hold the solutions to four decades of corporate misrule. Of course, you can’t break suction: you’d lose your rank among the slurpers.

Enjoy the view you’ve chosen, Steve…and try not to choke on the curlies.

There is a lot of speculation right now about what will happen with the 13 million member email list the Obama campaign built

I’ve heard that the people e-mailing the PEOTUS web site are having their missives read and receiving responses. And since each email address is one of we the people maybe the question should be what is the list going to so with Obama.

If you really want to see Obama succeed, and you really believe he is about to, or is in the process of making a mistake–you pretty much have an obligation to speak out.

Everybody says that Obama likes to hear the views of everybody in the room before making a deicision. Maybe HE actually appreciates input from outside the bubble?

Maybe it’s Hiildebrand who is feeling threatened? maybe he advised Obama to make some of the more controversial picks? Maybe he fears that the left’s influence cames at the expense of his influence?

I have no clue, just specualting

Only speaking for myself, I’m not upset about Obama being a centrist. I’m upset he has fallen for the conventional wisdom, in appointing failures on the right to appease the right, and avoiding appointing anyone conceived of as being “left”.

He has gone for the “safe” but wrong conventional wisdom folks instead of those who were correct but bucked the conventional wisdom.

This is “change”?

I would have accepted appointments of Republicans like Bair instead of Democrats or Republicans like Geithner, Summers or Rubin.

Kirk, that was wicked–wickedly accurate, I mean

Thanks! I live to serve *g*

Paragraphs, my friend, paragraphs.

As to the idea of progressive op-eds, the trick is not writing them…it’s getting them published.

Exactly. [aw,darn, epu-ed again….]

We should hold Obama re appts to the same standard he applies to the Big Auto CEOs, yes?

I’m upset he has fallen for the conventional wisdom, in appointing failures on the right to appease the right, and avoiding appointing anyone conceived of as being “left”.

But that’s exactly what “centrist” means, isn’t it?

Thank you, Jane. Anyone interested can read my comment when you DIGG Jane’s diary.

I am not buying that argument. Bill Ayers just had an op-ed published last week. Jane has been on MSNBC several times as have other liberal bloggers like Hays and Markos. If they want to get an op-ed published I am pretty sure they could get it done.

If by “center” is meant the center of gravity, and center of gravity is determined by denseness. ;)

Jane and company have run Op-Eds before, so the issue is not can we, but will we.

As I said earlier in reply to you, I’m ready to throw some shekels in the pot for exactly that!

Jane, what say you?

http://change.gov/page/s/yourstory

An American Moment: Your Story
We’re counting on citizens from every walk of life to get involved. Share your experiences and your ideas — tell us what you’d like the Obama-Biden administration to do and where you’d like the country to go.

So leave a comment and see if it does any good.

I see what you mean. :-)

Jane et al. have purchased full page ads. That’s a damn sight different from getting the Post or the NYT to run an op-ed.

Op-eds are chosen by the editors of the publications — sometimes by looking at submissions (”hey, look what came in the mail”), and sometimes by invitation (”We’d love to have your thoughts on . . .”).

You’re right, Busted, and may I add that we on the Left are also made up of the thinkers who inform ourselves and consider matters with a broad scope the circumference of which is ever expanding. The Right Wingers I have known and those revealed in their writings have a narrow view of issues based on themselves as the center of the circle — “I,I,I,me,me,me, what’s in it for me NOW”, etc., In other words they are stuck at some maturity level ranging from childhood to adolescence. Many seem to suffer psychologically.

I’m no authority (and have at times been wrong); these are just my observations and conclusions at this point in my near 75 years of life experience.

Shake his finger in my face and tell me to STFU?? The worst way to stir up this old hornet! (he,he,he)

Op-Ed pieces need to be topical and relevant. Remember when Obama got to place an Op-Ed piece regarding the bailout, but McCain didn’t?

It appears no one associated with Obama speaks out without his consent (implicit or explicit). Seems safe to assume the message is from PEOTUS.

Thanks for the link, Katymine. I’m on Obama’s e-mail list but just figured my response would sail off into the unknown without even being read.

I want to know (and will ask) why were not Krugman, Stiglitz, Roubini, and Jeffery D. Sachs chosen for the economic team. These are world renowned economists who, to my knowledge, had no influence on the meltdown. Also, why Holder for AG with his baggage instead of a strong advocate for the Rule of Law? (my choice = Bruce Fein).

Good to see you here, Katy. We need you on the front lines! Hope you’re on the road to total victory.

Have you ordered a flute yet? Mine shipped Friday and I’m like a kid waiting for Xmas.

Dear Mr Hildebrand:

We’ve had emough of “trickle down, “top down” and total lack of respect.

STFU. We’re the people. Live with it. Wait until Rubin & Co’s improvements on Bush’s depression have unemployment at 30%. Then try it again.

Synoia

Works for me.

I have a close friend who was so swept up in Obama-mania during the campaign, we had to cut off all discussions of politics because it was too upsetting to her to hear me say that she was just projecting onto Obama the progressive views she wanted him to have. The other day I asked if she now sees what I meant. She shushed me, and said that now that he’s safely elected she’s not paying attention to what he’s doing because she knows all will be well.

Weather forecast: I project a day of reckoning with thunderclouds of disillusionment and tears of realization. It will indeed be a cold day in Hell.

Another excellent post, by David Sirota, on this:

http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=10329

And a cartoon (select “Christmas Past”:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITI…..index.html

Hildebrand is a Dick…but maybe one of these days we ought to seriously re-visit the discussion about our penchant for Being Right, Too Early.

I’m not saying it’s either good or bad, but I think it’s fair to say that the ‘Too Early’ part has gotten US some blowback – at least more than just the simply Being Right part, by itself.

Imho, the ‘Right’ answer here is More Snark. Why More Snark? Because – as some poster coined the phrase a long time ago – Irony Escapes Them.

With Snark, you never really spell-it-out – and that Confounds the Prideful, but Literal, Goopers. And, at the same time, that Confoundment allows US to Fly Under the Radar of the ‘Too Early’ Penalty – which, in its domino turn, is bound to put some slack in Hildy’s over-strained collar, too.

Nothing will disarm that yappy Hildebrand like some Snark!

Hildebrand sounds like an asshole. Of course the Obama campaign owes plenty to the “left wing of the party.” We’re the ones who donated money we didn’t always have, worked our asses off at the ground level, volunteered, canvassed, phone-called, you-name-it, did everything possible to get Obama elected. We were pivotal to the process, so for him to talk so dismissively about us is extremely unnerving, and he needs to be called on it. I’m still hoping for “change” but with jerks like Hildebrand speaking power to truth, I and we may be in for a bitter wake-up call.

I agree with the poster who said we should urge Jane & co. to start placing op-ed pieces questioning appointments like Summer, Geithner, etc. NOT on stupid, distracting style points but on their substantive contribution to the mess we’re in.

Beautifully said. Passing over Stiglitz is particularly disturbing.

Fein, as a constitutional absolutist, would have been a fantastic choice.

The trouble with DFH’s: tell them to do one thing and they’re liable to do its opposite. Not because we’re children who won’t listen to well-meaning “parents”. Not because we’re undisciplined. We haven’t the Reichwing’s love of marching in unbending unison.

We don’t train on the beach on Coronado, but we do prefer individualized and small-team assaults on the bastion of lies and self-protecting, self-aggrandizing hubris that comprises political Washington. We want government to become competent again, sure. But we want it competent at the right things, starting with protecting the general welfare, not just the welfare of those who can afford Georgetown house prices.

We intend to make our voices heard because Obama is a middle of the roader, who hasn’t noticed that the GOP’ers moved the center paint strip to the right edge of the road. His campaign imagery is of sculls or ducks moving effortless across the water. Progressives are mindful of the furious effort that takes place below the surface to make that “gliding” movement seem effortless.

The good news awaiting the Hildebrands, the self-appointed guardians of Obama’s left flank, is that telling DFH’s to STFU is advice most likely to bring progressives’ pungent observations to full volume.

Hey, SD. No, not yet. Still considerin’. I answered you too late on the last thread. I didn’t like the tones. I played all the keynotes. I really liked the tone of the background flute music – can you tell which key that is? What key did you order? The $50.00 range is the highest $$ I can go; if I get to professional stage then I’ll go all out. (heh, heh)

Thanks, mamazboy. It’s great to find someone who agrees that Fein is the best. He also has experience at DOJ and is a republican, but one with true principles and love of Law. He is what we need at the tragically corrupted DOJ we have now.

Hildebrand must want DFH’s to hold their praise for the One until all his appointments have been confirmed, when it would be too late to object to the squalid, the tarnished, the proven wrong, who might squeak onto the list.

If so, that would not be an example of constructive engagement with committed supporters, but a weak attempt at intimidation, using a technique guaranteed to fail. Would that be an example of Obama’s poor judgment or Hildebrand’s?

It’s a simple message and it will continue until we start holding elected officials responsible for following through on their campaign promises.
If you disagreed publicly with George Bush governing by following directions from the voices in his head, you’re not a patriot, disagree with Bush’s idiotic condescension and arrogance, you are a hater, criticize anything the Israelis do to the Palestinians, you’re anti-semitic, question Obama on appointing corporate sleepers to the economic rescue team, you’re part of the far left fringe. Remember, we’re a center right county. Don’t believe it, watch the Main$tream Media, they’ve hired the smartest reporters to interview each other and tell us what to think.
We didn’t elect Obama or the Democrats to vote their conscience. We elected them to represent our views and vote for our best interests. We can and will remove them from office. Obama and the Democrats would not be in power without the left. Don’t let them forget it.

“We can and will remove them from office”, if they don’t represent us.

megan @ hildebrandtewes.com

That’s the only email I could find for Steve Hildebrand’s DC consulting company.

This is laughable. You moronic Obamaniacs voted for someone whom you knew nothing about simply because he kept spouting the “Change” mantra. It was abundantly clear early on that besides being fairly clueless Obama is also a liar. He has never led anyone or anything. He never ran a business and has ZERO experience in pretty much everything else. He is going to populate his cabinet with Clinton retreads and screw things up so bad that come next election cycle most of Congress will get voted out with him and we’ll be stuck with all Republicans. Obama couldn’t even be bothered to help out his poor aunt in Boston or his destitute brothers in Africa. Even now before he’s been in office he’s screwing up by claiming the economy is going to get worse. The stock market and economy are driven by emotion and news. You keep pumping in bad news and companies will keep laying people off. We are screwed now and only going to get more screwed because of people who act on emotion rather than thoughtful logic.

Welcome crackmonkeys4hire.
Have a point, feel free to make it.
Abuse other visitors or staff and your comments are subject to moderation.
We can do this without the name-calling.
Thanks.

Arrogance is not change. If Obama has good ideas that will benefit the country, many progressives will be eager to help. If he chooses to hire nimrods with the motivational skills of Hildebrand, he’ll quickly discover how few zombies and androids there are in our liberal demographic.

We’re looking for a Roosevelt to inspire us with vision and deeds, not an insult-generating nag talking trash.

Progressives didn’t create the crisises the country’s facing and are already well-acquainted with cleaning up the messes of conservatives and corporate-shill moderates. If Obama plans to attack us before he’s even taken office, that’s not organizing the community, that’s setting up a one term presidency with an ongoing skyrocketing misery index.

Hildebrand should be fired for this stunt.

STFU lol you have to admit, Obama hasn’t even had a chance to sit down in his rightful throne yet and he is already being criticized and held accountable for the fuck up’s of the bush administration. Damn people relax and be patient I’m sure if this was an episode of bewitched a snap of the man’s fingers and everyone on this selfish ungrateful planet would be happy. Wait until this dumb ass who doesn’t deserve to breath the same air as the rest of us Americans gets his special ed ass up and you will be able to smell what Obama and his A team is in cooking over there in the DC.

Hurrah for Jane! I have already written a personal letter to Steve-O asking him where I could buy a nice lemming suit with matching muzzle, but he must be busy with backorders as he has not replied.

The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com

crackmonkeys4hire….. Let’s see now. Would this be one of those glorified rabid conservatives who were bowing down to kiss ‘King’ George’s feet on a daily basis, singing his praises no matter how incompetent, how inane, how incredibly stupid the actions of their king?

I am curious as to when Obama became responsible for all his relatives. If he had helped those relatives this crackmonkey person would be among the thousands screeching that this was a sign of things to come, welfare for all those poor people. OR would it be a cry of, “look, we told you that he was Kenyan and not American”?

Has crackmonkey listened to anything lately, like the jobs programs that Obama has planned?

I predict that people like crackmonkey will be among the first to raise their self-righteous voices claiming that those poor people are getting special treatment with those new jobs.

Mr. Hilldebrand & crackmonkey…………….. STFU!

My god, what IS that bitter taste?

Oh yeah…forgot I was at fdl.

I think most of us “libruls” have had enough of paternalistic “daddy knows best” government. for good reason. BTW. I wish Obama would tell his surrogates to stop labelling critics “the left.” Are we all really “left?” I think some of us range from moderate to progressive.