–bumped–
“I hear these people saying he’s like George Bush. Those people ought to be drug tested,” Gibbs said. “I mean, it’s crazy.” The White House, constantly under fire from expected enemies on the right, has been frustrated by nightly attacks on cable news shows catering to the left, where Obama and top lieutenants like Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel have been excoriated for abandoning the public option in healthcare reform; for not moving faster to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay; and for failing, so far, to end the ban on gays serving openly in the military. . . . – White House unloads anger over criticism from ‘professional left’
If you want to know how certain the White House is that Democratic voters will come home in 2012, which is what I’ve been writing for months, the interview with Mr. Gibbs is all you need. This poll proves it. The Obama White House isn’t worried about squat.
This “inartful” drivel from Robert Gibbs, who is speaking for Pres. Obama and his administration, is positively Nixonian in its paranoia. Greenwald adds that it comes with a side of “Sean Hannity/Sarah Palin caricature of The Far Left,” which is absolutely correct. All of this coming from Obama central, representing a man who came in with the press at his feet and the political winds at his back, but has massively blown it and not because of anything coming from the “professional left.”
I had no clue that the reason I’ve been so disgruntled with Pres. Obama’s compromising, sniveling, cave-in on health care, forcing a mandate down our throats without a public option, even though he had a Democratic majority in Congress, but also the people behind him, while selling out women’s individual freedoms to Bart Stupak and conservatism was because my meds were off. I guess Obama caving on the Middle East and being tough on the Netanyahu gov., while also missing the signals in Afghanistan on McChrystal’s career ending implosion, aren’t two good reasons to get tough on just what Obama’s actually doing through his foreign policy waffling, which now may even include Iraq.
Over the long term, strong Iraqi security forces will prevent interference from others from outside Iraq, he said. But in the meantime, he offered assurance of continued support from the 50,000 U.S. troops to remain in Iraq after Sept. 1.
“We still have a significant presence here. And we will not allow undue malign influence on the Iraqi government as they attempt to form their government,” he said. “What we are trying to do is provide them the space and time for them to do that. And we will continue to do that post-1 September.”
Nothing to criticize here from Mr. anti Iraq war vote. Move along, whatever you’re thinking is just a figment of some fairy tale.
Who knew that Obama caving on DADT while offering up more word salads instead of actions, while good soldiers get fired for being who they are, while Prop 8 gets overturned but the White House continues to spout talking points the religious right would love isn’t an issue. That neither is Obama sucking up to Wall Street interminably. That “imprisoning people for life with no charges,” to quote Glenn Greenwald, as Pres. Obama moves forward with international assassination plots and the gods only know what else under the radar shouldn’t be confronted. That while completely botching the BP blowout management, which included actually knowing BP couldn’t be trusted but hoisting a ration of unadulterated crap on the American public doesn’t matter and that birds, animal and wildlife aren’t worth protecting. I also keep forgetting that all you movement progressives out there that are the reason he’s in office in the first place don’t matter either.
After the wholesale sell out of Democratic principles so Barack Obama can look “moderate,” while moving the Democratic Party to the right, to a bunch of right-wing Republicans who want to see the Democratic agenda the people approved when they elected Obama derailed, the President investigated, and hopefully impeached, so the right can get another notch on their belt to prove why people end up holding their noses to vote for Democrats in the first place, it’s nothing to—hey, but whatever.
The White House, constantly under fire from expected enemies on the right, has been frustrated by nightly attacks on cable news shows catering to the left, where Obama and top lieutenants like Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel have been excoriated for abandoning the public option in healthcare reform; for not moving faster to close the prison at Guantánamo Bay; and for failing, so far, to end the ban on gays serving openly in the military. [...]
Gibbs said the professional left is not representative of the progressives who organized, campaigned, raised money and ultimately voted for Obama. Progressives, Gibbs said, are the liberals outside of Washington “in America,” and they are grateful for what Obama has accomplished in a shattered economy with uniform Republican opposition and a short amount of time.
I’d really like to know how Gibbs thinks Obama would have been elected without the professional Left, including those in Washington, many of whom are still carrying his water, without any thanks, we now see. But I guess since OFA is half what it used to be if you can get a intraparty war going you might rev the suckers up yet again.
Ingrates. Entitled, arrogant ingrates, all.
But every time you read a story about the demoralized Left in the news, think of Robert Gibbs, who’s talking for Pres. Obama saying he’s upset that people are holding him accountable, because having been elected as The One he actually believed he was.
You know, in June, Kathleen Parker wrote a column about Obama maybe being our first female president “who makes Alan Alda look like Genghis Khan.” I now think she’s got something, however unintentionally and certainly not in the way she meant it. More like a petulant teenage girl in the throes of hormone explosion. They look great, can’t be trusted and think they’re entitled to be worshiped simply because of who they are.
WOW!!!! Fantastic. Nothing left for me to say. You covered most of it Taylor, and beautifully. The burning question is, after writing something like that, can you then pull the lever for him in 2012?
You say “…They look great, can’t be trusted and think they’re entitled to be worshiped simply because of who they are” It sums up the president and his advisers pretty well and explains the quandary they are in.
I don’t know what liberals they are polling (college campus’?,inner cities?) but this outside Washington liberal agrees with every word Taylor wrote!
It must be remembered that Obama is not and has never been his own man. He is the acolyte of Harry Reid and the conservative senate democrats. Their puppet really. We were not privy to this, but it was they who instigated & influenced his presidential run, and they were there to inspire and revitalize his campaign when times were tough.
Now they are the ones who administer or hold sway over all questions of policy in his presidency. He has not screwed them yet, and no reason why he would deviate now.
To date this President has not seriously considered any proposal to the left of these Conservative Democrats. This is why Elizabeth Warren, for example, doesn’t have a prayer in this administration.
Or, as someone else put it, “he was born in Harry Reid’s manger.”
Lol, Pilgrim did you get that from me or somewhere else? Just the other day I said he was born in Harry Reid’s 1950s manger.
well put. uh see rangel on the house floor. wow. rangel attacked obama like 20 times. rangel says he will be tried. leadership is pissed.
Robert Borosage over at Huffpo has a good take on this topic.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-l-borosage/gibbs-on-the-left-dog-bit_b_676895.html
Lake Lady says:
10 August 2010 at 2:33 pm
Great article. Thanks for posting it.
Thanks, Taylor. Reading this column made me feel like I just vented, too. I don’t know what all the behind-the-scenes Reid influence is, but I do know that I’m no “professional leftist.” I wish I could make a living at it, but I’m just an ordinary American who has been a Democrat for over 40 years and thought that meant I supported our society being fair to the working people and “have nots” and not just favoring the very rich and supported the rule of law, including habeas.
For the past year since I learned about the complete sellout of the public option to the insurance and pharma industries, I have been telling every Democratic fundraiser that calls me to ask those industries for money since mine is so little and unimportant. Well, my views are little and unimportant to the Dems obviously.
As someone who has volunteered time and energy and money for a long time, I’m done until the real Democratic Party emerges again. And that does include my vote for Obama. I’ll vote for other Democrats, but he’s not getting my vote in 2012. I’m hoping he’s primaried.
Hey Sagacity, a lot of people share how you feel.
A very good statement, Taylor, of points being made for some time now by what seems to be a growing number of us, nicely framed in the words of a frustrated Mr. Gibbs. The post is a three-point shot, all net.
I think Obama is his own man, in that I think the decisions he’s making are what he wants to do. Plus, he’s responsible for them, however much sway Reid and company have.
Are we (progressives) stuck with Obama in 2012? I, for one, am scanning the horizon for alternatives. . . . but don’t see any movement, to use a baseball term, in the bullpen. I’m still looking.
It saddens me beyond my ability to put into words for, myself,my friends, the country as a whole and the world that your post here is so spot on.
Heya secularh, this bs from Gibbs is channeling Obama’s inner circle. It’s unconscionable considering what so many of you have sacrificed for these ingrates.
rep ellison tells gibbs to resign. and others have pretty nasty words for this fool like lewis. gibbs has pissed off key hill progs- like he cares. its clear wh wants a gop congress to me. they want obama to be a bill clinton forced to investigations and worse. they thinka gop congress will make obama popular like bill. but he aint bill. not close. we are sinking. im eager for 2012 primary to begin against obama.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/10/rep-ellison-demands-that_n_677195.html
Who in the world do you think will primary Obama?
Gibbs is right some of you libs are a bunch of cry babies. If you want changes go get 65 progressives in the senate.He didn”t have the votes to pass the public option,as for Rangel he is the same man who went on cable news and called Obama stupid,when he was running againts Clinton.No love lost. Palin&Beck 2012 baby!
Surely you’re joking… right?
hell no palin-beck 2012
YES!!!
Palin-Beck 2012
‘If you didn’t live through the stone age, now’s your chance!”
Well This is going to happen if you libs dont get off your candy asses and vote,It might be Palin,beck or bachman in 2012. If you want your agenda met get a progressives senate. I dont care if it Clinton, Obama or Dennis the rain man kusinch if you dont have the votes nothing can be done,if you forgot there are three branches of goverment. I read this blog all the time and read a whole lot of bitching and moaning, dont vote and this how you get reagen and the bushes. You know we like our president’s dumb as hell in the U.S.A Palin,Beck,Bachman 2012 getting our county back.
Hey Taylor,
Great, great vent…you speak for all of us!
Gibbs said: “The professional left is not representative of the progressives who organized, campaigned, raised money and ultimately voted for Obama. Progressives, Gibbs said, are the liberals outside of Washington ‘in America,’ and they are grateful for what Obama has accomplished in a shattered economy with uniform Republican opposition and a short amount of time.
Like Sagacity, I too joined Obama’s campaign in late August 2008 right after Palin was announced as McCain’s VP choice. I volunteered every day until the vote in November by going door-to-door, hundreds of homes, calling thousands of Hoosier voters; manning Obama HQ here all hours of the night, etc. Our hard, FREE work turned Indiana BLUE. I even worked election day here from 5AM to 7PM to call in all the Obama voters into HQ that had voted so they knew who needed to still vote. Waste of time.
My euphoria has been downhill since Obama selected his Cabinet. I didn’t want Rahm Emanuel or Robert Gibbs, both I have always despised. I was so upset that I cancelled my membership to OFA and typed a long letter to Obama telling him he was a disappointment out of the gate. Of course, I got no response.
Taylor, its why I struggled last week when you said Democrats tend to come back home to vote. Yes, that is our history, but I don’t see that happening this November or November 2012. Now things could change, but I think only for the worse. Obama has proven his mettle, like you said: A teenaged girl. No thanks.
Sam Stein was on Hardball tonight with Chuck Todd filling in for that idiot Chris Matthews (another jerk I despise!) Chuck Todd asked him if Obama nominating Elizabeth Warren will somehow win back his base. Stein said for the time being. I screamed at my TV, WRONG!!!!! The only logical choice for Consumer Advocate is Ms. Warren. If they don’t pick her, I won’t be surprised and if they do, they don’t win me back.
As far as Rangel, he was an embarrassment today on the House floor. I totally appreciate his military heroism and his 40 years of service to our nation. However, *today* was the Democrats, no matter how little, too late, FINALLY delivering for Americans that are hurting. That alone had to be our UNITED message carried out in the mainstream media. But nooooooo, Charlie typically and selfishly made it all about himself. Truly shameful.
I couldn’t stand Dubya, but you know what, he always gave meat to his base. Obama NEVER has. For many reasons, I will not volunteer for Barack or vote for him EVER again.
Our Progressives in Congress/Senate have been milquetoast up next to the Blue Dogs. Shame on them. I guess they are all owned by the same banks, corporations, insurance companies, pharamceuticals and energy companies. No way can Unions compete with that, especially after the Citizen United ACTIVIST JUDGE ruling.
Lastly, we are screwed. What do we do? I thought we rose up and got the White House, two super majorities and had a mandate that was untouchable. We did, but that is not what Obama and Congress delivered. Hell Bush/Cheney stole the White House and then set out to carryout a mandate they never had *sigh* I have no solutions, sorry.
That’s the problem you cry baby lib you didn’t have a super majority you have dems like nelson, leberman,lincon and repub lite in the congress.Like i said get off your ass and vote them out and put progressive in. Not voting is just plain stupid. I guess getting you foot in the door on heath care dont mean crap, what about two women on the supream court sucks and equal pay for women act. The guy came in office with the country in the dam toilet and in 2years in office he is suppose to change 8 years of bush get a back bone.
How about you vote how you like and leave the rest of us to do (or not) as we please, janquinn.
Your concerns (fluffing for Obama) obviously don’t match up with others here, and your advice should be cheerfully ignored.
Jinbaltimore maybe you should have (fluff) more for Al gore or hillary clinton maybe they would be in office,and if they were in the white house you would still be bitching and moaning, we dont have the public options, we still at war, my mommy didn’t breast feed me when i was a baby. Grow up!Deal making is how you get things done in goverment.If you dont have the votes.
Janquinn,
You make some good points. I think the left feels frustrated because they don’t perceive the President as the fighter they had hoped for. They think he is too quick to compromise with the right and doesn’t start from a strong enough negotiating position when he has the talent to do so. I tend to agree. On the other hand, governing is a lot more difficult than campaigning. Progress isn’t easy at times. I certainly don’t want to see a repeat of 2000 when progressives thought that there was no difference between Al Gore and George W. Bush. I think 8 years of GWB certainly has shown there was a difference. (I don’t think Al Gore would have brought us into Iraq and Afghanistan.) I think the answer lies in the left organizing, getting active, and keeping the pressure on, just as the Tea Party does. Liberals and progressives truly care about their country and feel that we can do better. Robert Gibbs and whoever in the administration shouldn’t take offense to the left – they should embrace the left and consider their concerns. The left isn’t their enemy – the right is.
lynnette, I always look forward to your even-handed comments. I think you are spot on. My only comment would be this. I don’t begrudge the Left pushing for their preferred policy positions. Personally, I think they tend to obsess over talismans — no public option means no meaningful HCR!!!, no Warren appointment means no robust consumer agency!!! — but that is their choice.
What I object to are the inaccurate, and polarizing, characterizations. Obama is not Bush. Not even close. He’s no “corporatist,” either. Okay, so maybe the Left thinks the reforms were of the milquetoast variety. But Bush never would have implemented Wall Street, health care, or education reforms to begin with.
I think the Left undermines its own credibility when they resort to childish name-calling. (“General Betray Us” still makes me want to throw up in my mouth.) Another example — Stupak was so villified over HCR, but he was a real champion on the oil spill in the gulf. The Left needs to stop reducing real people to two- or one-dimensional caricatures.
Not only do I think these practices are childish, I think they are counter-productive. Has it not occurred to any of you that Gibbs is doing this deliberately? He said what both he and Obama believe to be true. But I suspect he also said it as a deliberate ploy to win back independents. Whom he needs far more than the perpectually disgruntled and disaffected faction of the Left. The more the Left hurls overheated invective at him, and the more they disproportionately respond to Gibb’s provocation, the more Obama can counter the Right’s narrative. Which enhances his standing with independents.
So I don’t get the point, strategically, of throwing Obama into the briar patch. Like Brer Rabbit, that’s exactly where he wants to be.
Ogenec,
It’s good to hear from you. I appreciate your thoughts. I think President Obama should embrace the very real concerns of the left who helped to elect him. I have been having trouble getting my reply to go through so hope this does it. Have a great summer – or what’s left of it.
I have never been overly impressed with Robert Gibbs to begin with. To me, he seems like an amateur kid. Rep. Keith Ellison from Minnesota called for his resignation. Keith Olbermann has a good commentary on this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/11/olbermann-takes-white-hou_n_678155.html
I held my nose and listened to KO and Michael Moore’s comments on Gibbs’ meltdown. After listing all the failures of this Administration, and after both had expressed how well they like “Mr.” Gibbs, they concluded they support BO because of the alternative to him. That’s when I muted them both and did not hear the grand finale.
What a great example of going back to your abuser because you cannot think of a better alternative. And there’s enough like KO and MM out there to get BO reelected so he can show professional progressives during his second term his utter contempt for progressives and their policies.
My alternative was not to vote for BO or for the alternative to him when I couldn’t see that one was any better than the other and both were bad.
Hey Gibbs …
Jack an Jill went up the hill
each had a dollar and a quarter
Jill came back with two and a half
do you think they went up for water?
Now that Iraq will become the number one oil producer in the world soon, do you think the war was not really about oil now?
Or is that just another lefty thingy?