I apologize right off the bat. It might be because I haven’t had enough coffee today, or because I was up late reading govt rpts that even the govt does not like to read. One way or the other, I’m yawning at this: The faux progressive left is whining that Barack Obama is not who they thought he was. Yes, feel free to yawn.
It was not the Democratic base, nor the centrists, nor even the center-left, who put Obama where he is today. The progressive movement rose from near death and kept Obama alive in the primary, eventually proving stubborn enough to carry him to victory over the Establishment candidate. And then, in the general election, it was the progressives whose energy infected the nation, whose enthusiasm reminded longtime vote-the-ticket Dems that elections were about the future, and whose contributions, tiny as each individual one was, funded the revolution of Change that swept Obama into the Oval Office.
Now is the time to hold him accountable — even before he takes the oath of office — because once he’s in there, he will be surrounded by the trappings of Power, the machinery of State, and the inertia of Bureaucracy. If we are to reach him, we must act quickly. Though he has shown us that he is not who we thought he was (for the record, we did know he wasn’t the Messiah), he has also, fortunately, shown us the way to keeping him — and our country — on the right track.
Color me less than surprised. Not a day goes by where we writers and readers here at FA haven’t noticed the growing gap between Presidential candidate Obama and President Elect Obama. Those on the right cannot help themselves in saying, “We friggin’ told you!” While supporters of The One still cling to the pattern of dealing w political grief: denial, anger, excuses, depression, and then acceptance.
Yesterday really should go down in the history of Barack Obama’s powerquest as the turning point where the people should have finally figured out the Emperor has no clothes, no substance, no flavor, and has just been sizzle not steak. The NYT reported (again) that the Democratic Party’s draw issue (Iraq) was just a lie that their base bought wholesale yet again, and those 16-months to end the war were just empty promises. We also found out that Pastor Rick Warren’s gonna be giving the invocation at the inauguration…re-emphasizing that Obama doesn’t support the progressive’s second big draw issue: gay marriage (in fact, he opposes it).
The piece linked to above is well-worth a read for supporters and opponents of Obama will find it interesting, and imo on the mark.
With that, I say, “We friggin’ told you!” OH! And read the comments to the article too. They’re pretty interesting.
Author of “Reparations and America’s 2nd Civil War
Reparations and America’s 2nd Civil War: Malensek, Scott: 9798864028674: Amazon.com: Books
Personally as a progressive voter he is exactly where I thought he would be at this time. He said he would reach to both sides of the Isle and that is exactly what he is doing. This progressive is more than content and happy with Obama’s appointments and his choices so far.
The fact that he chose Rick Warren is part of his reaching to the right. I hear from right wing radio that righties are pissed at Rick Warren for accepting Obama’s offer.
That is to funny.. get over it righties you lost!
RAP
Ever gracious. What do you want to be when you grow up?
I’d be interested in seeing a quote or some reference to the right wing talk radio condemnation of Pastor Rick. Lacking such a thing I can’t put an iota of faith in RAP’s “I hear from the right wing radio…” blah blah blah. There’s no shortage of leftist hate spewed out over this, but I’ve seen nothing akin to what RAP claims. Wishful thinking? Still in the denial phase?
CRAP, you are ever delusional. He reaches accross the aisle for Gates, his only “moderate” departure from the left and suddenly he’s heavy on bipartisanship? No he’s a leftist and his picks prove it.
I’ve heard no anger from the right about Rick. I have heard it from the left tho. Despite the leftist tantrums, Pastor rick is considered somewhat liberal overall. It seems the regressives are angry about his support of the gay marriage ban-one of the areas he agrees with the religious Conservatives.
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/195516.php
For Scott…. and Hardly Right….
Here is just one article I heard talked about on both sides yesterday…
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/504326.aspx
Saying Pastor Rick is somewhat Liberal is a joke… What planet are you living on??
He is Pro Life and anti Gay… the only thing I know of that is somewhat left is he believes in helping the poor.
Oh and Hardly Right…
check out this new appointment…
A Republican for transportation Secretary???
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081219/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama
Not a very left thing to do is it Hardly Right?
Now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ ’bout RAP! Well Done + genuine thanks!
If I haven’t already, here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas!
I’d like encourage and facilitate the lefties efforts to “Take Back Barack.”
Might I suggest we send represenatatives to every Wal-Mart on the day after Christmas and have them available in the return lines for those who might want to “take back barack” and exchange for something else.
We couldn’t give the poor saps back the money they sent that poseur Barack, but at least we could give them back a portion of the dignity they tossed away by worshipping an empty suit.
INRE your original post suggesting that the right is (or can) doing an “I friggin’ told you so!”… I’ll have to count myself out. Frankly, I figured Obama would over reach right from the start. Or at least in the first two years. He only has guaranteed “almost supermajority” power until midterms, so the window of opportunity is narrowly defined to shove thru progressive/socialist welfare programs.
Progressive/socialists say they put Obama over the top. I disagree with Inglis’ (linked article) there. They are not a majority of the left anymore than the “true conservatives” are a majority of the GOP. What put Obama over the top was the conservative promise of tax cuts to the majority of the country.
Inglis also said:
This is the basic battle between Larry W and myself. Larry thinks Obama will continue to “govern from the center left” throughout his term. I tend to agree with Kornacki that Obama will *start* from the center left, and move his way further left when he sees the opportunity.
Either way, Larry’s praise of Obama’s “pragmaticism” really spins on just what he is pragmatic about. What is first to be judged is the quest… and only second, the practiced methodology reaching the goal.
And we have a good start on that with some of this OP link’s mentioned expanded government departments. Yes, more govt departments. This is the only way government can ever create jobs, and apparently that’s how Obama intends to do that… to further bloat the inefficient behemoth the feds have become. And so far most of these departments are focused on federal welfare programs, most aimed at “poverty” areas.
Dunno… looks to me like Obama may be picking “retreads” for appearance, but his quest still remains full bore for expanding US social welfare in a serious hard left turn… all on the taxpayers dime, of course (assuming we end up with more than two pennies to rub together).
So I am in no position yet to sing “na na nanaa naaaaaa” for a couple of years yet. Instead me thinks the progressives doth protest too much, and those like Larry celebrating Obama’s “centrism” are premature in their kudos.
CRAP, you read a lot into somewhat liberal. By evangelical standards he is somewhat liberal. BTW, you do understand that me saying I hadn’t heard anything from the religious right wasn’t the same as saying there was no anger from them? On the Conservative sites I am on I’ve heard no anger, but they aren’t terribly religious either.
As for LaHood, he’s a RINO and a close friend of Rahm. Tell you what, I’ll give you LaHood. That makes TWO, TWO moderates. Wow, the bipartisanship he’s displaying is sooooo overwhelming. In fact, by the same standard the evil Bushhitler was VERY bipartisan with his administration picks.
Now wipe the foam from your mouth.
An awful lot of us got exactly who we thought we were getting.
An awful lot of us got exactly who we thought we were getting.
A standard ordinary lying politician.
What’s that, Fit… a POTUS with a good speech writer?
Before you take his victory phrases as representative of his entire campaign, you might want to re’read his well laid out divisions of Obama’s America in his “A More Perfect Union” speech. Perhaps revisit his policy promises of affirmative action, where he neatly cuts up “the United States of America” into classes as well as race.
Then of course, there was his campaign web page that had “groups” of Americans, divvied up neatly by nationality, race and gender.
Yeah… he’s a “we all be the same” type of guy. What you did was buy a Volkswagon, but you saw it as a Caddie. It’s still a Volkswagon, and you still see it as a Caddie. Try lifting the sucker up and see if the wheels curl in. If it does… yup… still a Volkswagon.
Perhaps your euphoria with your new “caddie” will last beyond two years… or not. Otherwise I’d contact an optometrist if I were you.
Now is the time to hold him accountable — even before he takes the oath of office — because once he’s in there, he will be surrounded by the trappings of Power
Accountable? Like providing a birth cert??
Mata has coined a new phrase for reviewing the quality of the POTUS. The Volkswagon Test. 🙂
An awful lot of us got exactly who we thought we were getting.
A standard ordinary lying politician.
………………FROM CHICAGO!
Mata,
2004 Keynote speech, not a victory speech, and written by Obama.
You distortion of his More Perfect Union speech was so twisted I couldn’t even bother to comment on your post last week.
Your car metaphor is interesting, but it probably doesn’t fit here, you should of saved it.
That’s an inspired analogy. I have to ask: is it original? If it is, it’s the best original analogy I’ve heard in a very long time.
I owned two of those mothers. Wheels curl in? They don’t do that on the new “Beetles” of the past 15 years. I’m wondering how many people on this blog know that old VW wheels curl in when you lift them up? I’m amazed at how many “important” things my kids don’t know. I’m sure that they don’t know that.
LW/HB
Revealing my age again, Larry. Yep… had a 69 bug, and a 65 hatchback prior to that. Even a had a Karmin Ghia for awhile. The bug is the only one I have living proof that the wheels turned in when lifted off the ground. Freaks you out until you realize once you drive, they straighten back out. LOL
It’s my own analogy… at least to the extent I’ve never heard anyone else refer to this in recent times. Old memories bubbling to the surface.
Fit, you are correct, as I looked thru the transcripts of his speeches I have archived. That is his keynote speech. But unlike you, I don’t memorize when Obama uttered one thing or another. We all hear his words, and interpret it differently. So “twisted” is in the eye of the beholder, and I could say the same about you.
You insinuate Obama does not divide America into classes and race… perhaps based on his 2004 speech – yet he has done nothing but his entire campaign.
For all your admiration of his 2004 impression of “one” United States, I notice he did not repeat that mentality in either his nomination or victory speech . Perhaps because it would not fit correctly with his push for class warfare and affirmative action plans on which he campaigned.
The Perception Managers have been very busy making a BHO a centrist.
I don’t think it’s about being a centrist. It’s about not demonizing those who disagree with you.
oh… you mean like the love and goodwill demonstrated by the progressives, liberals and Dems the past five years, Fit?
Mata, you terrorist nazi! 😉
Nope, they’re part of the problem. I believe most of the lefties angry at Obama for “palling around” with Warren would rather fight and argue than actually have any progress.
Good piece by Charles krauthammer a week ago:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121102951.html?nav=slate
“Don’t be fooled by Bob Gates staying on. Obama didn’t get elected to manage Afghanistan. He intends to transform America. And he has the money, the mandate and the moxie to go for it. “
Will the libs who have been breathing fire at Bush on every aspect of his national security policy be placated with national health care, and massive social spending across the board but no gay marriage?
Oh boy! I am always surprised to see that people do not realize what is going out here with that first class manipulator.
To understand this wicked President elect, it is very easy, just remember this:
All his appointments are smokescreen. Betrayal is the name of the game. The strategy is feint to the right, move left.