Obama needs to flex his political muscle (WP)

[heli]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/26/AR2010022604354.html

Obama needs to flex his political muscle
By Dana Milbank
Sunday, February 28, 2010

Across the pond, the news has been of bullying. Prime Minister Gordon Brown is accused, in a new book by British journalist Andrew Rawnsley, of shouting obscenities at his advisers, grabbing one by the collar, punching the seatback in his car, abusing switchboard operators and even forcing a secretary from her chair when she wasn't typing fast enough. Workers at 10 Downing Street have called a bullying hotline seeking help.

Here in America, however, we can only watch this behavior with envy. Our president is not a bully; in fact, he is the victim of bullying. He is bullied by Republicans on health care. He is bullied by congressional Democrats on everything. He is bullied by his own Cabinet. Dick Cheney pauses in his bullying of Obama only for the occasional heart attack.

Admittedly, the allegations against Brown have only hastened his political decline, and there's no need for Obama to start kicking furniture and throwing BlackBerrys at people, as Brown stands accused of doing. Still, it wouldn't hurt for the occupant of the bully pulpit to show some force of will.

His predecessor got a narrowly divided Congress to pass his tax cuts, authorize the Iraq war and give him the Patriot Act, not through logic or eloquence but by bludgeoning, intimidating and threatening holdouts (remember Jim Jeffords or Max Cleland?). Lawmakers weren't swayed by George W. Bush's arguments; they feared retribution.

But now, the world's most powerful man too often plays the 98-pound weakling; he gets sand kicked in his face and responds with moot-court zingers. That's what Mr. Cool did at the White House health-care summit on Thursday. For seven hours, he racked up debating points as he parried Republican attacks without so much as raising his voice, but the performance didn't exactly intimidate his foes...

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Dana Milbank?????????????

Some very smart poster once said. "Don't take advice from someone who wants you to lose"

I would add that you should not take advice from idiots, repuke asskissers or anyone who is on the staff of the WP or the NYTimes.

[jaysunb]

2. rec'd to remind what an asshole

Milbank is. :evilfrown:

[cliffordu]

3. Victim of bullying?

He just finished handing the bullies their collective asses.

Milbank is a twerp and an intellectual fraud.

[c brand]

4. AP TODAY: ""Obama ready to compromise with Republicans if they're serious""

AP WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Saturday that he's ready to compromise with Republicans if they're serious about it!!!!!!