For the record, Obama has never been a member of the DLC.

[dailykoff]

Apparently this little misunderstanding was cleared up in 2003, but old fibs have a way of reappearing in an election season:

"Obama to have name removed from DLC list; says 'New Democrats' acted 'without my knowledge'"
The Black Commentator
June 26, 2003

Barack Obama will not be carrying the Democratic Leadership Council’s baggage in his race to become the second Black person to represent Illinois in the U.S. Senate. The state senator and professor of constitutional law has told The Black Commentator that he is acting to have his name stricken from the “New Democrats Directory,” a list of several hundred DLC-affiliated elected officials.

“I am not currently, nor have I ever been, a member of the DLC,” said Obama, in a statement that substantially reflects a telephone conversation with BC Associate Editor Bruce Dixon, this weekend. “It does appear that, without my knowledge, the DLC…listed me in their ‘New Democrat’ directory,” Obama continued. “Because I agree that such a directory implies membership, I will be calling the DLC to have my name removed, and appreciate your having brought this fact to my attention.”

<snip>

BC was shocked to find Obama’s name associated with the New Democratic Movement, an affiliate of what Bruce Dixon calls the “Republican Trojan Horse in the bowels of the Democratic machinery” – the DLC. In a June 19 BC Cover Story that included a letter from Obama, posed three “bright line” questions to the candidate, “that should determine whether you belong in the DLC, or not.”

link: http://www.blackcommentator.com/48/48_cover.html

[truedelphi]

1. This clears up one of my concerns. n/t

[killbotfactory]

2. Edwards was, however

But that's all in the distant past of a few years ago.

[RufusTFirefly]

31. So was everybody's savior, Al Gore

Gore realized his mistake. So did Edwards.

Bill Clinton's charisma and intelligence gave the DLC credibility it never deserved. People are starting to realize this. It was Bill Clinton, not the DLC, that won the elections in 1992 and 1996.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

3. Happy to hear this. Thank You for bringing it to our attention.

k&r

[dailykoff]

4. Sure. He also says he favors universal health care,

renegotiating NAFTA, and pulling out of Iraq, or more specifically not having voted to go in the first place:

"I favor universal health care for all Americans, and intend to introduce or sponsor legislation toward that end in the U.S. Senate, just as I have at the state level. My campaign is also developing a series of interim proposals – such as an expansion of the successful SCHIP program – so that we can immediately provide more coverage to uninsured children and their families.

"I would have voted against the October 10th congressional resolution authorizing the President to use unilateral force against Iraq. I believe that we could have effectively neutralized Iraq with a rigorous, multilateral inspection regime backed by coalition forces. Nothing since the end of the formal fighting has led me to reconsider this stance; indeed, the inability of Saddam Hussein to mount even token resistance to American forces, the failure to discover any significant, deployable arsenals of biological or chemical weapons inside Iraq, and the on-going turmoil currently taking place in post-war Iraq, have only strengthened my views on the subject.

"And although I believe that free trade - when also fair - can benefit workers in both rich and poor nations, I think that the current NAFTA regime lacks the worker and environmental protections that are necessary for the long-term prosperity of both America and its trading partners. I would therefore favor, at minimum, a significant renegotiation of NAFTA and the terms of the President’s fast track authority.

"You are undoubtedly correct that these positions make me an unlikely candidate for membership in the DLC."

link: http://www.blackcommentator.com/48/48_cover.html

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

6. I do not want NAFTA renegotiated. I want it's head chopped off and buried

500 feet deep in the Arctic.

[upi402]

12. I agree

No more corporatism, no more fascism.
Fair trade now! Not give-away-the-farm FREE trade.

[bvar22]

32. Sponsor Universal HealthCare in the Senate?

"I favor universal health care for all Americans, and intend to introduce or sponsor legislation toward that end in the U.S. Senate,"

WOW.
I must have missed it when Obama introduced a Bill for Universal HealthCare in the Senate!!!!
When did that happen?

[never_get_over_it]

34. Its quite interesting that Obama says he would have voted against IWR

I believe we will NEVER know that for sure - BECAUSE there were many many many Dems who had no business voting for it including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and so many others BUT I believe they were "concerned" about their political future if they did not. I think many of them got REALLY BAD ADVISE on that vote. Also this article puts into question how Senator Obama might have voted

http://davidsirota.com/index.php/mr-obama-goes-to-washington/

"Then there is the Iraq War. Obama says that during his 2004 election campaign he “loudly and vigorously” opposed the war. As The New Yorker noted, “many had been drawn initially by Obama’s early opposition to the invasion.” But “when his speech at the antiwar rally in 2002 was quietly removed from his campaign Web site,” the magazine reported, “activists found that to be an ominous sign”–one that foreshadowed Obama’s first months in the Senate. Indeed, through much of 2005, Obama said little about Iraq, displaying a noticeable deference to Washington’s bipartisan foreign policy elite, which had pushed the war. One of Obama’s first votes as a senator was to confirm Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State despite her integral role in pushing the now-debunked propaganda about Iraq’s WMD."


We can't either hold the IWR resolution against him or for him because the plain truth is we will never ever know how he would have voted for sure

But you know what I do hold against him - the Kyl Lieberman Iran mess vote - because he didn't even have the balls to show up and vote one way or the other. Biden and Dodd voted against it and our, I have to act like a warmonger to prove I'm as tough as the "boys", Clinton voted for it.

I will most certainly support him if he is the nominee but I have concerns about just how progressive he is - I actually have concerns about all three top candidates - but what are you going to do.

[Swamp Rat]

5. I read a post here yesterday that claimed Lieberman was Obama's mentor.

Is there any truth to that? If so, what was the nature of the relationship?

[dailykoff]

7. "Lamont gets lift from Obama"

hi SR, I think the way it worked was that Lieberman was Obama's mentor when he was sworn into the Senate in 2005, assigned or chosen I don't know, and Obama originally endorsed his reelection, but then supported Lamont after Lamont won the primary:

"Lamont gets lift from Obama, Lieberman campaigns with Landrieu"
By Andrew Miga, Associated Press Writer
The Boston Globe, October 26, 2006

HARTFORD, Conn. --Ned Lamont got a boost Thursday from one of the Democratic party's brightest rising stars, Sen. Barack Obama. The Illinois senator and potential 2008 presidential candidate sent an e-mail message to his Connecticut supporters urging them to rally behind Lamont's challenge to three-term Sen. Joe Lieberman.

"Ned Lamont has waged an impressive grass roots campaign to give the people of Connecticut a choice in the November Senate election," Obama wrote. "Please join me in supporting Ned Lamont with your hard work on-the-ground in these closing weeks of the campaign."

The Lamont camp said Obama's e-mail went to about 5,000 Connecticut residents. Lamont aides said they welcomed the support of Obama, who has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent weeks as speculation about his national ambitions mounts. "He's a very credible, charismatic and inspiring politician," said senior Lamont adviser Tom D'Amore. "We're thrilled to have his support."

Obama has also given $5,000 to Lamont's campaign through a political committee.

"Ned Lamont and I share a commitment to bringing our troops home safely from Iraq, to achieving energy independence, to helping all our citizens realize the American dream, and to empowering the American people to reclaim their government," Obama wrote.

link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/10/26/lamont_gets_lift_from_obama_lieberman_campaigns_with_landrieu/

[Swamp Rat]

9. Thank you!

Your post clears up that bit of misinformation. :hi:

[dailykoff]

13. bwahaha

another SR classic! :hi:

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

16. Another good clarification. Thank You.

Still standing on my NAFTA soap box though. :P

[Larkspur]

33. This CT Dem can tell you that Obama was a big disappointment to Lamont's campaign

Hillary also gave $5K to Lamont and urged her supporters to help him, so Obama didn't do anymore than his biggest competitor in the Prez field.

Obama was doing a book tour that took him to New York and Massachusetts but he never accepted Lamont's invitation to stump with him in CT. The Lamont campaign tried very hard to book Obama, but Obama blew him and us CT Dems off. This experience of Obama is why I'm cynical of him and am not mesmerized by him. He's just another narcissistic politician to me.

Edwards did appear with Lamont as well as Sen. Kennedy, and Kerry. Feingold would have come but the Lamont campaign sent out an invitation to him too late in the campaign. Of course Dodd reluctantly supported Lamont too.

[maximusveritas]

10. Yes, Lieberman was assigned to be Obama's mentor

Every freshman Senator is assigned to a senior Senator. They don't get to chose.

It doesn't mean much other than they had lunch a couple times as part of the orientation process.

Since being in the Senate, Obama's true selected mentors have been Durbin, Feingold, and Conrad.

[Swamp Rat]

20. I found the source of the misinformation:

Posted by a Hillary supporter:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3669400&mesg_id=3669425

[never_get_over_it]

35. What exactly is the misinformation in the post you reference

the poster states in reference to Joe LIEberman endorsing Hillary Clinton

Pretty ironic, considering Lieberman is Obama's mentor in the senate and then gives a url - that is the total post.

As far as I can tell LIEberman was/is Obama's mentor in the Senate what exactly is the misinformation?

[Swamp Rat]

40. "considering Lieberman is Obama's mentor in the senate"

Ok, what is the Senate procedure for mentoring Freshmen senators? Since you seem to be familiar with Senate mentoring, please explain it to me, as I really want to know.

How is the mentor chosen?

Who chooses the mentor?

What exactly is the role of a mentor for a Freshman senator?

What are the terms and obligations for both parties?

Do the freshmen senators have to agree with the political ideology of their mentors?

[never_get_over_it]

42. Actually I'm not familiar with Senate Mentoring

You were answering a post to which the poster said:

Every freshman Senator is assigned to a senior Senator. They don't get to chose.

It doesn't mean much other than they had lunch a couple times as part of the orientation process.

Since being in the Senate, Obama's true selected mentors have been Durbin, Feingold, and Conrad.


That poster provided no url or actual proof that Obama's true selected mentors are/were Durbin, Feingold and Conrad or that the Senate mentor program in nothing more than a few lunches.

You posted that you found the source of the MISINFORMATION

in which a poster posted a url that does indeed state that Joe LIEberman was Barack Obama's mentor.

I guess I just don't get how the poster that you characterized as a Hillary supporter was misinforming when he/she provided a url backing up the statement.

Perhaps the poster you were answering was providing misinformation after all they had nothing backing up their statement. I just don't get how you could say that a poster who commented on Joe LIEberman was Obama's mentor and then provided a url that stated as much was providing misinformation.


Here are two urls that state LIEberman was Obama mentor - one is from David Sirota who I have a great deal of respect for and trust.

http://davidsirota.com/index.php/mr-obama-goes-to-washington

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/nyregion/02lieberman.html

[Swamp Rat]

43. "It doesn't mean much other than they had lunch a couple times as part of the orientation process."

That was all I needed to know. Thank you.

[never_get_over_it]

44. I am not saying that

I have no idea if

"It doesn't mean much other than they had lunch a couple times as part of the orientation process."


I was quoting from post 10 which you were originally replying to....

Whatever I guess you don't get what I'm saying or didn't read my entire post ....and it really doesn't matter....

[Alexander]

8. Pesky little facts like these won't deter the Obama haters.

[dailykoff]

14. Unfortunately I believe you're right.

But at least not tonight again I hope.

[Flabbergasted]

11. KR

[Canuckistanian]

15. As I recall

Barack's name was once mentioned as a new "DLC Up-and Comer" in some DLC publication.

I think he declined that honor almost immediately.

Does anyone remember what I'm talking about?

[dailykoff]

19. Yes that's what seems to have happened.

In Obamas words, from the same June 26, 2003 article:

As I stated in my previous letter, I agreed to be listed as “100 to watch” by the DLC. That’s been the extent of my contact with them. It does appear that, without my knowledge, the DLC also listed me in their “New Democrat” directory. Because I agree that such a directory implies membership, I will be calling the DLC to have my name removed, and appreciate your having brought this fact to my attention.

link: http://www.blackcommentator.com/48/48_cover.html

[Canuckistanian]

27. Yeah, that's it. Thanks! n/t

[donkeyotay]

17. Thank you. That cleared up 2 worries in 1 post. nt

[LWolf]

18. That's true, as far as it goes.

His platform is DLC-like, without the label. So is his rhetoric.

Which is why he can't get my vote.

[dailykoff]

21. How so?

I keep hearing this but I'm not really sure what you're getting at.

[cali]

22. you won't get an answer. that's simply a stock piece of shit

thrown out by those that oppose Obama.

[dailykoff]

24. I'm starting to get that impression.

Still, it's worth trying to figure out what the link is.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

25. You do the Obama team proud here. Not confrontational, just informative.

At least on this thread.:toast: Still for Edwards though,:*
Hang in there.

[dailykoff]

26. hey thanks!

It looks like we're in for a very interesting campaign! :toast:

[LWolf]

28. At first I thought it was just me.

Having spent some time at the DLC website, and the PPI, reading their stuff, and then having spent some time on Obama's site, and listening to what he was saying, I kept seeing a close match.

I didn't create a nice chart or graphic for you or anyone else, it was just my private conclusion.

I've noticed, though, since then, several other people coming to that same conclusion. Not so much here on DU, but DU isn't the world. :shrug:

[MethuenProgressive]

41. It's not just you. Obama's politics are right from the DLC playbook.

The only people denying it are the ones who are on record hating the DLC and are worried about their candidate's politics of triangulation.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

23. I figure, every attack on Obama, these days, is a vote for Obama because,...

,...the RW-created character assassinations have burned out.

Now, the anger is at situations.

[MethuenProgressive]

29. If it triangulates like a duck, talks like a duck, it's Obama the DLCer.

Obama's just sorry he's been outted.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MethuenProgressive]

38. Typical Obama supporter.

:puke:

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dailykoff]

45. But the fact is that he has never been a member of the DLC and repudiates

their key policies. That's the point of this thread so on earth why are you still trying to pretend otherwise?

[Rosemary2205]

30. kr

[AntiFascist]

36. This is notable, but....

Edwards may be willing and able to change Democratic Leadership from the inside:

http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=106&subid=122&contentid=250711

Remarks of Sen. John Edwards to the 2002 DLC National Conversation: "Putting Responsibility First"

...

Most Americans put responsibility first, but too many people in leadership positions still don't. For too long, our corporate culture has encouraged some at the top to worry more about their own fortunes than the fortunes of their companies or the future of the hardworking people who put them there. For too long, our political culture has focused too much on who's getting ahead in Washington instead of whether the people who sent us there are getting ahead in their own lives.