Obama campaign: he's the one Democrat who loves America

[lwcon]

From TalkLeft:

Honestly, people think I just look for reasons to criticize Senator Barack Obama and his campaign but they must admit I do not need to look very hard. Look at what one of his key advisors Samantha Power said:

I got to talk a little bit about it with Samantha Power, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author on the subject of genocide and an informal advisor to Mr. Obama's campaign who is helping to write the speech. "We're going to hear something very unusual on the left, which is a genuine pride in what America can be again," she told me.

That is outrageous! This is Obama and his campaign in a nutshell — 'look how great I am, I am not like those other Dems who hate America, religion and Republicans.'

This is right out of the Joe Lieberman school. I am really fed up with the whole mindset of the Obama campaign - belittling Dems to try and make yourself look great is simply awful.

Good gosh, this guy has potential. Could he just stop trashing his party and lose the gratuitous phoniness?

P.S., Pre-emptive response to uncritical Obama lovers: I am not trashing my party. I just want one of our leading candidates to stop elbowing the rest of his party in the ribs to score cheap points. If he's our nominee, I'll vote for him in a heartbeat over whichever authoritarian scumbag the GOP puts up. But somebody needs to get the word to the Obama campaign that he should celebrate his party, not denigrate it as a way to make him look good in comparison.

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[renie408]

1. DUCK!! INCOMING!!! n/t

[bluerum]

2. It's called a primary. The main objective is to distinguish yourself from

the pack within you own party. Once you win the nomination - you run against the winner from the other party.

It's a pretty simple concept actually.

[Honeycombe8]

19. True. The only verboten thing is not to make it a personal attack.

Other than that, the candidates MUST distinguish themselves from the others. Anything good you say about yourself implies that the others do not possess this good quality.

That's what campaigning is all about.

Plus...if that's what Obama thinks, he has the right to say it.

[lwcon]

21. Disagree

Attacks on the rest of your party are in some ways even worse than personal attacks.

I frequent Democratic Underground because I support the Democratic Party. I want us to keep the GOP away from power until their corrupt agenda is nothing but a fading memory. Validating rightwing memes is bad business for us, and a lot of that comes out of the Obama campaign.

He has a lot to offer. He's, IMHO, a very legitimate contender for president based on the current field. But I think we should repudiate this kind of talk coming from his campaign.


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[Bitwit1234]

3. He already has been trashing his opponents.

I think all our democratic candidates love America...why are they trying so damn hard to be president and kick the bastar* republicans out.

[TwilightGardener]

4. Obama is gearing up for the general election. Smart. And it's always

a good idea to promote pride in America--that's just good politics. It's what won Reagan the WH.

[lwcon]

7. Pride in America = good

Claiming the rest of your party doesn't have it = bad

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[renie408]

8. I am ready to be proud now. I am ready to hear about some plans NOW.

I like Obama. But he keeps telling us that SOON he is going to have a plan or offer a new vision. I would like to hear about these things NOW. Which is why I currently support Edwards. It seems like he comes up with something every week and they are specific and not just vague inspiration speeches.

[saltpoint]

5. I don't see exactly how Obama is out there "scor(ing) cheap points" on

the issues you cite.

There's been a little elbowing among the campaigns, but I'm told that there's been some elbowing in politics ever since, well, let's see... forever.

Politics is a pretty tense game. Not that many soul-pure angels play it, or play it successfully. There's going to be an elbow or two under the basket. Rebounds add up.

I'd like to see a much greater emphasis on our candidates' strengths and virtues. Using strengths and virtues as our starting point might place us collectively in a far better position.

[w13rd0]

6. Wow, just when you think people can't be more stupid...

...look at the quote.

"We're going to hear something very unusual on the left, which is a genuine pride in what America can be again."

For one thing, a candidacy actually ADDRESSING "those on the left" is pretty f'n novel for the past 20 years. Secondly, as one of those "on the left", I'm actually NOT feeling a lot of "pride" these days. Matter a fact, I'm fairly dissappointed at the way we squander our wealth and influence in the world, the manner in which we've been led, and the way in which we care for the "least among us" like children and the elderly and veterans.

So tell me again, why am I supposed to be outraged by this?

[lwcon]

10. I'm supposed to be impressed...

... when a Democrat's campaign people say it's unusual for the left to have pride in what America can be?

Yeah, that's a great way to market the political left in America.


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[Connie_Corleone]

9. So, are you going to post the cheap shot or what?

Or, am I supposed to be offended by the quote you posted? Because I don't see anything wrong with it.

[lwcon]

11. So, it's all good then

Having Democratic campaigns say that most lefties don't have pride in America. That's such a healthy message to send about us. Gonna get us a lot of support down the road.

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[CTLawGuy]

22. he's saying he wants to detail how he is going to make this country

into the great country it once was. And he's saying that that is unusual. It makes sense, because but for Dean, Kucinich, etc. the Dem party has been led and represented by a bunch of appeasers who accepted without question the republican framework for understanding America.

[jakem]

12. Not following you on that one...

How does a focus on 'what America could be" a negative thing?

I understand the resistance to blind patriotism, but that is different from the message that Obama has consistantly expressed.

I think you theory may indeed be from the nutshell...

[lwcon]

13. Answer

Q. "How does a focus on 'what America could be' a negative thing?"

A. When you act like you're the only person in your party who wants that.

If I were Karl Rove, I would salivate over the Democrats running a candidate who says things like:

"The discomfort of some progressives with any hint of religion has often prevented us from effectively addressing issues in moral terms."

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[zulchzulu]

15. Your protestation to the Obama quote is precisely what he is talking about

First of all, where is that quote from?

Secondly, if that is what Obama said, your protestation about how some progressives find using religion and morality a forbidden subject is precisely what he is talking about, if I understood the quote, which is probably taken out of context and cheery-picked from some speech, thus losing its full meaning.

[lwcon]

18. That speech, which had some nice things in it too...

... was riddled with horrifying kowtowing to the Religious Right. Full text here, my commentary (also linked in the OP) on it is here.

It's not just "cherry picking." In the same speech he said:

Our fear of getting "preachy" may also lead us to discount the role that values and culture play in some of our most urgent social problems.

So, Democrats discount values and culture. Great.

But what I am suggesting is this — secularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion at the door before entering into the public square.... To say that men and women should not inject their "personal morality" into public policy debates is a practical absurdity; our law is by definition a codification of morality, much of it grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

And who are these party members that are doing that? But, hey, thanks for validating the Right Wing's straw man.

Having voluntary student prayer groups using school property to meet should not be a threat, any more than its use by the High School Republicans should threaten Democrats.

Sure, Jews, Muslims, and atheists will feel right at home when the other 95% of their class bonds at the Bible meetings. Separate is equal, right?

In that same speech, Obama praised Bible literalists like Rick Warren for their handling of the AIDS crisis.

Whatever, as long as it gets Obama elected, to hell with the separation of church and state and to hell with the people we kill and abuse by preventing honest sex education, stem-cell research, and gay rights because we allow -- with cheerleading from otherwise decent folks like Obama -- Christianists to set our national agenda.

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[CTLawGuy]

24. That was a really great speech

I especially liked the part where Obama felt guilty about the pro-choice language on his website. "We will fight the right wing extremists who want to take away a woman's right to choose."

It's toward the end of the speech. A doctor, who is pro-life, tells Obama that he was offended by the language because he and many other pro-life people are not pro-life becuase they hate women. He said he didn't want Obama to change his views, but rather to respect that people have legitimate differences.

Obama ended up changing the language. Now he is no less pro-choice, but he is expressing his views in a way that is diplomatic and respectful rather than devisive.

The two things that will go a long way in politics: (1) taking strong firm moral stands (ex: being against the Iraq war, being pro-choice, being pro fair trade, etc) and (2) being diplomatic and respectful.

Obama can combine both in a way I haven't seen before. He can take strong liberal stands, and at the same time respect people who have legitimate disagreements. It makes him seem very un-politician-like. It's hard to be nasty to someone who is respectful. (Respectful != pandering or captiulation)

[lwcon]

30. As far as I know...

... Imus might have said twenty terrific things on the day he made his Rutgers comment. Doesn't change what he said about those basketball players.

When Obama isn't being a rightwing enabler, he has a lot of good stuff to say. But he still deserves to be criticized for when he disses the rest of his party and progressive values in general and plays into the hands of the people who want to tear down the separation of church and state.

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[loyalsister]

38. I agree

As an athiest, I was very impressed with that speech as well. I have read a few pages from The Audacity Of Hope. It is amazing!

I have watched a state legislature battle exactly the way the dems and GOP have been fighting at the national level. I have also seen what kinds of monumental suffering comes from it.

My impression has been that he is the most qualified to bring the kind of change I would most like to see.

[zulchzulu]

14. This cheap, gratuitous attack on Obama brought to you by...

...People For An Unelectable Candidate Institute. We promise defeat and enjoy circular firing squad political theater.


:boring:

[lwcon]

16. So lame

Because you like Obama, he's beyond reproach, even when he throws the rest of his party under the bus, which he assuredly does.

When he and his campaign people trash other Democrats, friendly fire is A-OK with you, no one else is electable, blah, blah, blah.

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[zulchzulu]

17. Right back at ya

Just because you don't like Obama, you gravitate to lame web site blogs where a post says where "an informal advisor to Mr. Obama's campaign" makes a comment and somehow the entire Obama campaign team must think the same thing...

Pathetic...disjointed...inaccurate...desperate... That's what I read from the commentary and the responses to the article. But thanks for playing!

:hi:

[lwcon]

20. Actually, I do like Obama

In the OP, I linked to two things he said that I like a lot. But he has a flaw of being glib in order to get votes. A kind of glib that is disempowering to the rest of his party. I'd like to see more progressives shame him and his campaign out of doing these cheap ploys.


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[zulchzulu]

23. Nice backpedaling...

You posted the thread to trash Obama for what some informal advisor to the campaign mentioned in some interview that is not affiliated with the official Obama campaign to try to frame Obama as some kind of holier-than-thou phoney. He's never made a point that he knows more about morality than anyone else ANYWHERE, but the intention of the post on the blog is to play off someone other than Obama saying something by sloppy inference and conjecture.

It's bullshit. Period.

[lwcon]

29. OK, keep supporting anti-left talk from the Obama camp

Me, I wish Obama would cut the "centrist" triangulation shit. At heart, I'm sure he's better than that, but without enough complaints from progressives he's going to keep validating anti-liberal memes.

For example, it screws up Obama's anti-war cred when he says stuff like this:

"I am absolutely certain Connecticut is going to have the good sense to send Joe Lieberman back to the U.S. Senate so he can continue to serve on our behalf," he said.

Lieberman, of course, was then being challenged by an anti-war progressive, but Obama decided to rally behind a candidate who was turning more and more blatantly into a rightwing DINO with each passing day. Why would Obama do that? Presumably because he felt he was hitching himself to the power elite. Or did he want to make sure that America didn't lose out on Lieberman's reliable votes in support of Bush's failed war policy?

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[zulchzulu]

31. Sickening...

"Anti-Left" talk from the Obama camp...ferchrissakes...are you out of your mind?

I'm betting you support somebody who will get jackshit in the primary season...go for it. I know what camp this assheaded gibberish is coming from.

Pinning the Lieberman antic on Obama doesn't work since he supported Lamont in the election after Lieberman lost. Lamont lost because he sucked as a candidate. He had the damn race in the bag and blew it. Blame Obama for Lamont losing while you're at it...that has about as much credibility as the blog you referenced came from.

[Colobo]

36. Why are Obama detractors so pathetic?

They come up with the most insignificant attacks... I mean, it's like they know they got nothing...

[cadmium]

44. I think Obama's appeal frustrates

his detractors. As silly as the attacks on him have been it is going to get worse. Then if he wins he will be getting it big-time in the general election. I don't like Maureen Dowd very much generally but she had a comment for him after some early attacks (I dont remember the specific attacks). She said, "We're just trying to toughen you up." In the end though it will have little to do with his toughness but the organization and media saavy of his supporters.

[ripple]

34. Virtually EVERY Senate democrat supported Lieberman in the primary

It's considered customary for democrats to support their fellow democratic incumbents. Once Lamont won the primary, these same democrats threw their support behind him- Senator Obama included.

If you believe Obama behaved poorly by supporting Lieberman in the primary, it stands to reason that you would feel the same way about all of the other Senate dems. Given that, it seems to me that you are guilty of exactly what you accuse Obama of.

[AtomicKitten]

46. that's your first mistake, ripple

it stands to reason ...

[ripple]

49. I know, my head's starting to smart

from all of the :banghead:

LOVE that pic, though!!!! :)

[bcoylepa]

25. I respect Samantha Powers

and think that it is very good news indeed that she is working with Obama- says a lot about him that is good!
She is an extraordinary advocate for human rights.

[mckeown1128]

26. Everyone is misreading this...

The "Informal" adviser is not saying that the Democratic party doesn't have genuine pride in the country. She is saying that it is unusual to "HEAR" it on the left. The rethugs have for too long laid claim to patriotism and pride in America. Democrats don't normally feel that they have to scream like the rethugs. I am glad that Obama is trying to stop the rethugs from laying claim to pride in America

[ripple]

27. Your thread title is misleading

Neither Obama nor his campaign said anything of the kind. Ms. Power simply pointed to one of Obama's strengths- and that is the ability to again inspire hope and pride in a nation that has gone astray.

Every candidate looks for ways to distinguish themselves from their opponents. Show me a candidate that doesn't do that and I'll show you a sure loser.

[Colobo]

28. What a lame attempt to make Obama look bad.

[MODemocrat]

32. If he's THE ONE Democrat who loves America

Where's that putting all the rest of us? That's a poor choice of words. He only needs to say he loves
America, the rest is self explanatory. He doesn't need to do this to be popular. He's already loved. :think: :shrug:

[ripple]

33. He didn't say he's the ONE democrat who loves America

The thread title is grossly misleading and nothing more than a cheap shot.

[zulchzulu]

35. Thanks for clearing that up...

I can't comprehend how anyone would even believe that Obama would say he's the "one Democrat that loves America..."

:crazy:

[cadmium]

37. This is also a second or third hand quote. Who knows what she

really said or in what context. I heard through the grapevine that his name was Osama and that he wasnt black enough. Politics is full of bullshit once in a while.

[MODemocrat]

39. If he didn't say that, then I apologize

It must have been said differently than what the thread says. I thought it very unlike Obama to be
unfair to other members of his party. I just wonder what he did say exactly.

Thanks ripple for pointing that out. :blush: :beer: Maybe this will make me feel better!

[ripple]

40. No problem

Samantha Power said this about Obama's campaign: "We're going to hear something very unusual on the left, which is a genuine pride in what America can be again."

She's purported to be an informal adviser to Obama. I haven't heard that elsewhere, but since she's an accomplished humanitarian, I wouldn't be disappointed to see her involved with the campaign. Anyway, someone creatively paraphrased the comment and attributed it to the Obama campaign.

Obama talks about hope and lifting people up to meet the challenges our nation is faced with. I see you are a Hillary supporter, so the spin from the OP would be similar to saying that because Hillary touts her experience as an advantage, she's saying that she is the ONLY democrat that can keep our nation safe. Such a distortion would be just as unfair to Hillary as it is to Obama.

It's gonna be a long primary season. I think we'll need more than a few :toast: :hi:

[Gloria]

41. I'm sitting here looking at this guy for months and I can honestly say

that I have never been impressed by him at all. I've been waiting for the veneer to peel away. There's a Daily Kos addressing a bunch more of these Obama "contradictions."

When he was first elected to the Senate, he immediately signed a 3 book deal (1 for children, no less) and my antennae went up. Very ambitious very early. There's always been something about him that I can't put a finger on...but my gut is telling me to beware.

[BenDavid]

42. SUCH COCKINESS! but soon that

will end when one of the other candidates will confront Obama on why he decided to support Joe Lieberman in the General election in the u s senate race in 2006 and not the democratic nominee and the anti war candidate Ned Lamont..(YES! HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON SUPPORTED NED LAMONT IN THE GENERAL)....Obama is getting to look a look like george bush with that swagger and self importance....my my.....Obama speaks and says...NOTHING!!
Oh maybe you Obama supporters are trying to hide that little tidbit, but it is there right under the surface and will when the time is right, be brought to the fore....

Oh and one other thing about this,"We're going to hear something very unusual on the left, which is a genuine pride in what America can be again," EXCUSE ME! For 8 years the Clinton presidency did just that. Putting people first and taking us the country across that bridge into the 21st century. Folks remember those years of peace and prosperity and they know the woman that was with WJC all the way through and also believed in America's greatness lays ahead of us was Hillary Rodham Clinton....

[CTLawGuy]

43. umm

he didn't support lieberman in the greneral. He supported Lamont. The beef from some people was that he didn't do enough to help Lamont.

Please get your facts straight before attacking, thank you.

[Kerrytravelers]

45. I don't get it. Obama just wants the left to be proud of America again.

I don't get the complaint. :shrug:

[Colobo]

47. The complaint is that Obama is actually a strong candidate

and that Hillary will have to fight to win the nomination. :)

[Kerrytravelers]

48. Ah. I see.