CNN: "Obama won election in counties Bush won. He cant afford to alienate them with liberal agenda."

[Leopolds Ghost]

CNN's Political Director John King said this.

The bias and disdain for liberalism is obvious.

Every single commentator from Time, to Newsweek, to Charlie Cook has already
talked about how Obama MUST stand up to the "far left liberal agenda" of his
constituents.

But John King's argument is especially creative.

Can anyone point out to me the Catch-22 here? If you do, you get a sticker.

[agentS]

1. If they wanted a Republican

they would have voted for one.

[Leopolds Ghost]

4. Apparently Dems are now EXPLICITLY a Center-Right party and that is what they voted for.

DLC agents are going on-air and EXPLICITLY saying Obama needs to govern from the "center-right"

(I.e. radical anti-New Deal, anti-Glass Steagall, Eastern European "liberal" Reaganism.)

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Yep. It's That Simple

If they were still Bushbots, they would have voted McCain.

They didn't. So apparently they WON'T be alienated by more leftist ideas. It just might be what they voted for!
The Professor

[surrealAmerican]

28. Pretty slimy tactic from those commentators.

If those people vote for republicans, they like republican policies. If they vote for democrats, they want them to act like republicans. Anybody willing to take a moment to think this through can see it's utter nonsense.

[craiga86]

21. If we go far to the left

We will more than likely lose the majority just as quickly as we won it. The reason we've gained so much ground is because the Bush administration was incompetent and far to the right. If we go far to the left we'll probably be in their shoes 8 years from now.

[JHB]

24. Define "far to the left"

Be specific. Just what do you consider beyond the pale, here in this day where raising the capital gains tax or top marginal income tax rate by a few points gets you labeled a "socialist" (apparently we were all Communists under Ike. Who knew?)

"Far to the left" is a boogeyman, a vauge, ill-defined thing you're supposed to be scared of. It's a red cape the right uses to try to stampede people in the direction it wants them to go. It is meaningless, and you should be ashamed for repeating it.

If you're really concerned, talk about real policies.

[okieinpain]

33. gun bans, taxes on individuals below 150,000, cutting military budgets

increasing welfare benefits.

[JHB]

38. Ok, lets take those point by point:

1)gun bans: Interesting you brought this up first. I don't exactly recall gun regulation (much less bans) being a priority of Obama's, so what (other than RW scare-em stories) leads you to think this is a looming problem?

2)taxes on individuals below 150,000: The plan is to cut taxes on people earning under $250K. So where does this concern come from?

3) cutting military budgets: So it's "far left" to think that spending as much as the rest of the world combined on the military budget might be a bit excessive? It's "far left" to think that if you want to get rid of wasteful government spending, the most likely place to find it is in the one area that has practically had a blank check for decades and by necessity operates under some level of secrecy? I'll admit Bush has foisted additional military expenses on us, but don't tell me it's immune to change.

4)increasing welfare benefits: What "welfare benefits"?

And none of what you're worried about are Obama priorities.

[Matariki]

51. Great post. Can't wait to hear craiga86's answer.

;-)

[doc03]

42. After reading all the posts I agree with yours

I hope he can keep the far left under control or that's what will happen. I know even though gun control wasn't part of his agenda the far left will start the gun ban talk. Another one will be the environmental extremists will want to stop (all) fossil fuel use if they can. I just hope he is able to prevent those people from dictating policies. I think Americans do want a more centrist government I certainly don't want us going to far left any more than I liked it the other way. I voted Democrat because Obama and Biden both said they wouldn't take our guns away and if they do he will lose my support. Biden made that gaffe about the coal plants and Obama made the comment about bankrupting all the coal companies but I gave them the benefit of doubt and voted for them. I expect them to keep their word on developing clean coal technologies and not bankrupting the industry.

[closeupready]

23. Thank you. That sums it up perfectly. Voters WANT a liberal president.

The media is trying to sell bullshit.

[okieinpain]

34. no they don't, they want a smart president. n/t.

[Bill McBlueState]

44. but you have to admit, "smart" and "liberal" are well correlated. n/t

[closeupready]

49. They want a liberal president.

Smart, too.

[dennis4868]

2. ummmm...

maybe these counties moves to the far left and that's why they voted for Obama (who is actually not very far left himself)?:shrug:

[Leopolds Ghost]

3. John King: Colorado voted to end Affirmative Action; Blacks in CA voted to end gay marriage

"This is evidence of how liberal America wants Obama to be."

Ignoring for the moment that this is an utter violation and challenge to Thomas Frank's thesis that Democrats have destroyed themselves by allowing liberalism to be defined along a narrow band of social issues and these socially liberal wealthy Dems ENDED the New Deal and DESTROYED economic liberalism, something Reaganites were unable and unwilling to do.

Also ignoring that if Dems had focused on civil unions instead of trying to redefine a religious ceremony, we'd be celebrating the re-election of the UNASHAMEDLY LIBERAL (albeit pathologically non-confrontational) John Kerry.

[Snotcicles]

6. How does an inclusive," liberal agenda " alienate anybody?

It is real sport to alienate liberals though.

[99th_Monkey]

11. Last I heard, voters overwhelmingly were saying "HEY! WE LOVE LIBERALS NOW"

Giving Obama a freaking landslide...

EARTH TO CNN: "We elected the "most liberal US Senator" as our President, not because we're stupid, but
because we've seen the RW alternative for the past 8 years and know how hard it sucks.

What part of "AMERICA LOVES LIBERALS AND THEIR AGENDA'S HUNKY DORRY WITH US" doesn't CNN
understand?

[99th_Monkey]

7. Sort of predictable sadly, that M$M tries to create a lose/lose choice for Obama

fuck CNN!!! I hope John King holds his breath waiting for Barack to fall for this bullshit,
while he watches CNN's ratings go through the floor.

Obama's all about win/win, not lose/lose. We've already had WAY more than enough lose/lose
over the past 8 year.

They're clearly trying to box Obama into a corner he'd never get out of if he buys into this
bullshit narrative. I'll say it again: fuck CNN!

[JDPriestly]

8. If they had walked the precincts in conservative areas of the country

as I did, they would know that people are hoping for a liberal economic agenda and have prioritized economic issues over the so-called "conservative social" issues. I met many voters in southern Ohio who were trying to decide between their pocketbooks and their belief that Obama might murder babies. Apparently they chose their pocketbooks. The MSM had better face the facts: millions of Americans are suffering economically. Just because the newscasters as CNN and ABC can still afford the good life does not mean that the rest of America can.

[annabanana]

9. horseshit

How can he alienate them by running it the SAME WAY HE WON IT????

[Swamp Rat]

10. John King is an idiot.

Obama won because most Americans like his "far left liberal agenda." Duh! :dunce:

[annabanana]

12. Here's John King:

King traveled with Cheney to the Middle East in March 2002 as the administration began to build support for confronting Saddam Hussein. In 2005, King was among the CNN crew that covered the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita from the U.S. Gulf Coast. In June 2006, he accompanied President Bush on a trip to Baghdad during which the president met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the new cabinet. (CNN)


cozy guy

[Snotcicles]

13. If only John King had worked a little harder on those hand gestures, maybe if he had worn

those special cuff links, maybe more of an oval while circling those counties.

[d_b]

14. whew

thank god john king isn't president.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

15. Not exactly said this way but was the talking point of MSM yesterday. They are

trying to bully him to the right.

On MSNBC, 2 airhead newsmodels upon the news that Emanuel was selected for chief of staff, started to whine that Emaunel was a Democrat and Obama promised to be bipartisan in his hirings.

It was pathetic.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

39. They were surprised that a Democrat might actually hire some Democrats for key positions?

*ROTFLOL!*

If I remember correctly, Obama said that he would include SOME Republicans in his cabinet and I'm sure he will. However, Obama never said AFAIK that his cabinet would be EXCLUSIVELY Republicans. If that was the case, we might as well have John McCain as President-elect right now because that's what we'd get and I don't think he promised to nominate ANY Democrats (Lieberman wouldn't count) for cabinet positions either AFAIK.

I guess those two newsmodels either haven't been paying attention or don't know anything about how Presidential administrations are normally staffed (i.e. you don't put the opposition party in all of the important positions! Duh)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

40. The newsmodels probably graduated from the Sarah Palin School of Journalism!

:rofl:

[Proud Liberal Dem]

41. I wouldn't doubt that for a moment

:rofl:

[madrchsod]

16. 75% of the folks here in illinois elected him in 2004

because we thought he was a "far left liberal" ? i do`t think so.....

these guys are pissed because he won and they know he just may get something done to restore our republic...

[ixion]

17. Actually, Mr. King, what I'm really tired of

is bogus quasi-journalists such as yourself shilling for the Corporate Theocracy, and pretending to be a "proud 'Murikan" while simultaneously supporting policies from the Right that would be Stalin blush.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. The people elected a communist socialist muslim negro terrorist

apparently that means they wanted more neocon neoliberal center right bullshit.

[JHB]

22. Warren, you have my vote for best short summation

"The people elected a communist socialist muslim negro terrorist, apparently that means they wanted more neocon neoliberal center right bullshit."


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:toast:

[whosinpower]

19. Who is leading who?

I thought it was Barack Obama that was elected - on his vision, his policies and his insight. NOT on what the spinmeisters say.

[gollygee]

20. These people voted for Obama

So it's reasonable to infer that's what they want. If they wanted a Republican, one was on the ballot.

[JHB]

25. Is there a link for this n/t

[shadowknows69]

26. The country wants a liberal agenda they just don't realize it

Obama can sell it.

[Dark]

27. He laid out his agenda already. Whether it's really liberal or not

is a valid argument.

But voters approved it.

[baldguy]

29. Obama won "red" counties because Democrats turned out.

John King better face the new reality or else he'll be out of a job.

[Crankie Avalon]

30. Thank you for your concern, John King...

...but I'm sure Barack Obama is a little too smart to follow your sage counsel.

John King, among others on CNN, was also the one who kept saying how well McCain performed in the last debate and how much "Joe the Plumber" would resonate with the audience, right up until the actual audience weighed in with its polls showing they weren't buying John King et al's fantasy, at which point he finally, blessedly shut his piehole for the next five minutes, before uttering dusting himself off and popping off another of his off-the-wall opinions.

[JI7]

31. Bush never won based on the issues, it was always about fear and lies

and the character attacks on opponents.

[gollygee]

32. Bush needed voter suppression and a supreme court nudge to win

and even then BARELY won.

Obama on the other hand won by a landslide!

Do the math here. Are we right-center? If we were, it would be the other way around.

[Bluebear]

35. I'm sure Obama will take your sage words under advisement, asscarrot.

[spanone]

36. bullshit, i was offended in 2000 and 2004

[corpseratemedia]

37. oh poor John King

Maybe if he and the other pundits say "center-right,
center-right" over and over and over again, and click
their heels while they're at it, it'll come true!! Just like
that magical yellowcake
and throwing flowers and candies in Happy Land
Iraq.<sarcasm>

I hope they know they're losing more than half their audience.
Maybe if people start cancelling the cable they'll get a clue.


I know Obama knows what's going on with these Fourth Estate
Thugs/Liars.

Hello to DU, I've been lurking since 2003~~

[Bill McBlueState]

43. I wish these commentators would give examples

of what constitutes the liberal agenda. I haven't heard any of them state which policies would be acceptable and which wouldn't be acceptable for Obama to pursue.

[RedCappedBandit]

45. Liberal Agenda?

Like what.. peace, equality? Fighting poverty? Helping those in need?

Yeah, those fuckin' libruls..

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

46. CNN looks more like Foxnoise all the time.

[The Craw]

47. The fact Obama was elected is proof Americans want a more liberal direction for America

The Republicans LOST- They need to get that through their heads- Even still,some Repugs want to govern further to the right than Bush..

[Julius Civitatus]

48. John King: do you think they voted him for good looks?

Seriously. Do you think Americans are as dumb as to blindly vote for Obama without looking at his agenda?

Bush got less in 2004 and all you talking heads at CNN were declaring it a "mandate" and "political capital".
I can see the double standard, asshole.

[Ioo]

50. TOTAL BS!