Seriously. I can not take four years of wankfests like this:
I wanna know why that jackass Lieberman is being supported by Obama. Now Obama is starting to piss me off. Lieberman should have been booted last week.
Or this:
Obama Transition Team “Clarifies” Position On Torture: He May Be For It
You see the proposal is to have greater oversight over the torture. Change we can believe in!
Speaking for me only, it has not even been a week since he won the office, he has appointed approximately two people to his staff (Emanuel and Gibbs), has just barely gotten change.gov off the ground, and has made no cabinet appointments. We are months away from him being sworn in. He has not even settled on a school for his kids, and the left-wing circular firing squad is already in “Ready! Fire! Aim” mode.
Just please shut the fuck up until he actually does something you disagree with, you WATB. Hillary Clinton wouldn’t have been any better. We are at the end of an eight year nightmare and you loudmouth morons are cutting off Obama at the knees before he even sets foot in the damned White House as President. Wankers.
*** Update ***
All of you need to take a lesson from Linus here:
Chill out for a few weeks until he actually does something. Relax. We won. Savor it.
*** Update #2 ***
What he said.
Grumpy Code Monkey
Welcome to the Democratic Party.
Dan
There is a huge – YOOOOOOJ – blogging vacuum now that the election is over. Nothing to write about the latest McCain transgression. Nothing to write about the latest polls. Palin’s 15 minutes are ticking to the last few seconds.
People don’t know what to do with themselves. And it especially hard for the professionally outraged.
The Other Steve
If he doesn’t get his kids a Bichon Frize, I am so done with Obama!
andrew
Welcome to the democratic party! We just *love* disillusionment!
On the plus side, those nutballs
aren’t trusted to play with stringhave very little influence beyond their vote…MattF
Yeah, well… bloggers and commenters are kind of a self-selected group. In any case, I’m still happy– and, um, that’s what counts..
Josh Hueco
The Democratic Party – Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Self-Immolation, since 1792.
The Other Steve
If Obama doesn’t nominate John Edwards to be AG, I am so over him!
God I love me that John Edwards.
Gemina13
Thankfully, the same pragmatism Obama showed during the campaign has leached off on many of his supporters. But it’s clear that we on the left need to deal with our crazies, just as the right has to deal with theirs.
I’m in favor of a few head-knocks and a swift kick in the ass to all, myself.
Royston Vasey
Ivor Bigun says…
Geeno
@Josh Hueco:
Now be fair. The party wasn’t founded ’til 1796. That’s four fewer years.
Xecky Gilchrist
@Grumpy Code Monkey: Welcome to the Democratic Party.
Beat me to that one!
You see, John, the difference between Democrats and Republicans is like this: When Republicans win an election, they immediately double their attacks on Democrats. When Democrats win an election, they immediately quadruple their attacks on Democrats.
MobiusKlein
It’s all the third hand rumor crap that you have to ignore.
It’s usually safe to ignore unsourced spin / rumor / kvetching. It’s often just leaks by interested parties to try influencing the result, box folks in by saying shit.
HyperIon
TOS, I don’t think he swings that way regardless of what Coulter called him.
Josh Hueco
I think the issue now is that we no longer have the luxury of heckling from the wings. I just wish I knew where that magic middle was between holding to our principles and making the inevitable compromises that come with wielding power.
4tehlulz
HAHA like Big Tent Democrat is going to do anything but undermine Obama…
Geeno
Actually, I think a lot of people who have been upto their eyeballs in this for months are going through withdrawal and just latch on any little thing to get their commentary fix in. There just isn’t that much to talk about right now.
Comrade Stuck
Well, good luck with dat. The real fun hasn’t yet started with the lib special interests demanding that Obama "do something" about their pet projects. Then the WATB fur will start to fly for real. It is highly frustrating for sure, but it is also an integral part of the dems caucus, especially after 14 years in the congressional minority and the 8 years of pure Bush/GOP wingnuttery. As someone in a previous thread mentioned, it does have a self regulating effect of an opposition party within the dem family. And it also dilutes the GOP counterclaims of dangers coming from single party government. However, as it helps with self regulation for dems, the WATB’s must also be regulated. And that’s where we come in, in our small way. Obama knows this, and it’s why he didn’t hesitate to sign up noggin’ knocker Emmanuel as his COS.
Woodrow "asim" Jarvis Hill
It turns out, after all that yelling, that the business is being handled the way it should — caucus vote in the Senate.
Mnemosyne
Gosh, TalkLeft has some crazy Obama rumors after stifling themselves long enough to get him elected? I never would have seen that one coming!
I’m getting quite annoyed with the "Off with Lieberman’s head" crowd. I realize that we’re Democrats and therefore have no sense of strategy, but could you calm down for half a sec and think about what’s a better strategic choice: make Lieberman into a martyr who can then run to the media with his sob story about venomous partisan Democrats, or strip him of his committee assignments but let him continue to caucus, which would make him look like a WATB even to Fox News?
It shouldn’t be a hard choice, people.
KRK
On the plus side, the OMG UR DOIN’ IT RONG posts at some joints are helping me with some overdue winnowing of the blogs I read.
As for the BJ commenters in this vein, maybe some pie script that converts to "Hold me"?
South of I-10
Thank you!
Now, more cats please!!
J.
Well, if global warming keeps up at its current pace and sea levels continue to rise (plan that trip to the Maldives now, while it’s still there!), you won’t have to! We’ll all be underwater and out of luck.
On the subject of Lieberman, as a resident of the Nutmeg State, I say "throw the bum out." But I think Obama is practicing the art of keeping his friends near and his enemies nearer, and kudos to him.
Xecky Gilchrist
As for the BJ commenters in this vein, maybe some pie script that converts to "Hold me"?
Why not? Cleek’s disemvoweller/pie script is pretty easy to tweak like that. I fiddle the "Redacted" option so that the classic "I like pie!" shows up in the nifty white-on-black.
Paul L.
The mask keeps slipping there.
Youth Indoctrination.
At least its not the Freikorps
Gun Banning
Hiding The Agenda
HyperIon
Pascal, a 17th French philosopher, said "All man’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone."
And that was 400 years ago…before the intertubes even!
I imagine that most folks today read the Pascal quote and wonder "WHY would one ever want to sit quietly in a room alone?"
jenniebee
Mmmmm… I loves me some Palin! I really need to send her some money, just to make sure that gift keeps right on giving.
Robert Chaviano
The fact that he’s not in office yet and is already sending out signals like these is what’s most disconcerting to me.
Do you think that the Republican party leadership would tolerate for one second a back stabber like Lieberman?
More importantly, Obama is hinting that he will not roll back the egregious domestic intelligence abuses of the Bush administration. WTF?!!!
Say what you will about the Republicans, they go after what they want. I am so sick and tired of a spineless Dem party leadership offering tea and crumpets while the Republicans savagely butt f**k them in wild pursuit of their agenda. 58 Senators. 59. 60. Does it really matter? The count could be 98 to 2 and the Republicans would still roll all over us.
I’m sick and tired of a DC establishment that seems to think that the only Americans that matter, those whose sensibilities one must never offend, are those in the Republican base.
Those of us in the Democratic party base, the ones that have worked our asses off these past eight years to turn this around, well back to the DLC indoctrination camps, eh?
Fucking Dems.
Len
Sheesh, John, it’s lookin’ to me like you may be the one who needs to chill out. We’re Democrats. Big D Democrats. We’re supposed to act this way. It’s in our genes or jeans or something. We don’t seem to be bothering our new President-elect. He’s a Democrat, too. He knows how Democrats are. He’s just gonna go on about his business and let us go on about ours. It’s what we do. Chill, bro.
John Cole
@Robert Chaviano: Do you drink? If so, go pour yourself about 4 fingers of Laphroiag and chill out. If you do not drink, start. Get back to me on 20 January.
mr. whipple
Amen, but you’ll have to get used to it. There is an old truism attributed to LBJ that describes liberals better then any(roughly, from memory):
A few weeks back, when it looked like Obama might win, I began to wonder who would bitch first: the left or the right. I predicted the left, because that’s just what they do.
I was chastized, of course, because the way liberals see it, their job is to keep Obama’s feet to the fire. Marching in lockstep is something they just can’t do, by nature. They are more loyal to ideology then a person or success. Of course, what bothers one person may or may not bother the next. They are the quintessential ‘glass half full’ people.
Get ready for 4 years of daily bitching, and precious few hurrahs when something good happens.
Punchy
Dammit Cole, I was just going to post a comment on that Big Dick Democrat TalkLeft post. Stoopid slow fingers.
Armando couldn’t even go a week without regressing back to the Bash Obama, Where’s My Hillary schlock.
Prick bastard extraordinaire.
Indylib
@Josh Hueco:
WIN
Xecky Gilchrist
@jenniebee:
From the article:
Phoebe
what is watb?
Ok, I agree it’s annoying, but I think the kneejerk fight-the-power reaction is the mirror of the "we never do anything wrong, ever, and to question us is un-American" miasma we’ve all been choking on for what seems like ever. Extremism tends to spawn opposite extremism.
And there’s nothing wrong with a little pinch of doubt. That’s what makes us self-correcting.
Hilzoy has this right:
http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2008/11/trusting-obama.html
Gemina13
For the last time, we are NOT the fucking Republicans. They thought they’d built a permanent majority too, didn’t they? Thought they’d made the Democratic Party a permanent minority, didn’t they?
Every purity troll needs to pull their heads in, and I am NOT referring to the ones on their shoulders, sit quietly, and let the man do his job. If they think they can do better, then let ’em run for President. We’ll see how fast their "let’s bust every ball belonging to someone who doesn’t do what I want them to" agenda survives in DC.
Gemina13
@Phoebe:
WATB = "whiny ass titty baby."
Michael
Just leave a "Rahm dead fish award" comment on the site that is off base!
jenniebee
This morning, my husband woke up and told me that he’d had the weirdest dream. He dreamed that Ford had developed an experimental pick-up truck that used Wii technology to replace the steering wheel with instrumentation that turned the truck based on the way the driver was leaning. He was trying to steer the damn thing, but I kept snuggling up to him in the car, making him swerve off course.
I asked him what he thought the dream meant, and he said that he thought it meant that steering wheels are good ideas. I said that maybe it meant that he was worried that I was over-influencing him and moving him in ways he didn’t mean to go. He said it was more likely that he was worried about Ford’s engineering department, and trailed off muttering about redundant back-up steering wheels.
Now we know what stuff Paul L’s nightmares are made of:
zomg! College students making $40 an hour toward their education by doing things that help the people around them! THE HORRORS! Won’t somebody, please, think of the children!
Oh wait… they did.
John Cole
I agree. My problem is with people whinging in pure agony over the alleged sins of Obama FOR THINGS HE HAS NOT EVEN DONE YET NOR CAN DO BECAUSE HE IS NOT PRESIDENT.
tim serbo
if anyone lives near paul l., would you mind driving over to his place and kicking him in the balls?
thanks in advance.
Clio
I’ll cite something that I said on the open thread last night. Chris Matthews was hilarious yesterday because he called out a GOP hack on the bs double standard of GOP wins, by the slightest margin, and it’s licence to do whatever they want and a huge mandate. Obama wins, by a fairly large margin, and he’d better be "oh gee, I’m sorry for being here, I don’t want to offend the conservatives." It was fantastic, it’s why I enjoy Matthews, when he goes for it he is usually right on the money. I think that double standard has been standard operating procedure in Washington since Reagan.
However, Barack has shown repeatedly during this campaign that he does not operate this way. One of the biggest reasons that I supported his candidacy is that he did not appear to have the need to argue from the defensive crouch that Dems have been operating with since 1984. It’s made them look like pussies, which is why they have lost consistently since then, and why even when they won, Clinton felt the need to "triangulate" to prove that he wasn’t some liberal nut. Obama says what he believes and does so with passion and conviction. He will fight for what he believes in and be a powerful advocate in convincing the public to go along with him, which is why the Repubs fear him so much. He can make fairly liberal policies seem sane in a way that no politician has in a really long time. The paradigm has also shifted. After Bush, people don’t buy into the old arguments of "tax and spend" or "shrinking government". They want a government that works. However, liberals need to get that the paradigm has shifted, too, and they aren’t going to be able to go back to the Great Socitey because that’s old news as well. Obama will chart a new course that will likely be centrist-progressive. Give the man a chance and quit fucking whining. This crap makes me remember why I was so loathe to call myself "liberal" in past years before Bush destroyed the country.
One last thing, though. I will fight and fight hard to completely restore the Constitution. No equivication on torture. No equivication on domestic spying. I’m sorry, but those aren’t left/right issues. Those are issues about who we are as a people and I trusted that the constitutional lawyer would fight to preserve and protect our principles. He will hear loudly from me if he lets me down on that.
Joshau Norton
That doesn’t mean we’ve signed a suicide pact either. The ideological opposite or Republican isn’t sympathy, hugs and magic unicorn love.
The man who told Glenn Beck ‘I Fear’ That ‘America Will Not Survive’ If Democrats Get 60 Senate Seats needs to have his head handed to him.
DFH no.6
Got a college-age son who rightly (though unpragmatically) wants to see the Bush-Cheney cabal hauled up to The Hague. Na ga happen, of course, but he’s hardly alone in those sentiments, I think.
He’s already unhappy over the Rahm selection and the Lieberman deal, and he’s sure that President Obama (man that feels good to write!) will be too DLC, but I’ve been talking him down (much like Rachel Maddow’s segment) as best I can. I’ve been watching all this since ’68, so I take the longer view (and my son respects his old man enough to give me credence).
He’s no WATB, it’s just that his liberal principles have the passion and purity of youth or whatever. I’m just proud that he cares as much as he does. He, and millions like him, are why we won this time.
Comrade Kevin
Armando’s using an an unsourced article in the WSJ to base his opinion on? BWAHAHAHAHA. What a tool.
He’s getting bashed by bunch of the commenters on the thread, as well. Also.
bellatrys
My problem is with people whinging in pure agony over the alleged sins of Obama FOR THINGS HE HAS NOT EVEN DONE YET NOR CAN DO BECAUSE HE IS NOT PRESIDENT
It is worse than that – they’re freaking out over things that SOME UNNAMED SOMEBODY TOLD SOMEBODY AT A NEWS STATION THAT GOT REPEATED ON A BLOG SOMEWHERE where none of the people making these allegations have any a) authority to say so, b) evidence for their allegations, c) even any names to themselves, most of the time.
It’s like freaking out over something a toddler repeated from a game of Telephone…
I’ll be the first to shout about stupid decisions made once the transfer of power is complete. Until then it seems slightly premature – and panicking about unsourced rumours (not to mention that they’re often coming from our adversaries!) is always premature.
Nylund
I actually have no problem with Obama holding on to the scary Bush powers for a while. The eavesdropping, the torture, etc. Just long enough to scare the crap out of the wingnuts that Obama has such powers so that they realize maybe it isn’t such a good thing to let a president do all those things.
If Obama gets rids of them immediately, they’ll just push for the next GOP president to get them back.
Or maybe Obama got some inside super secret information or something now that he’s being briefed.
Or maybe, just maybe, Obama is just another politician…far fetched, I know!
Polish the Guillotines
@Robert Chaviano:
Dude, what John said. And while you’re sipping the Laphroiag, read the Constitution.
There’s this thing called "separation of powers" which the Republicans conveniently ignored for six of the last eight years. Obama’s more than passingly familiar with our form of government. He understands that the Senate is the Senate and they dance to their own tune.
For fuck’s sake: Rejoice in the fact that the constitutional order is on its way to being restored.
And another thing… The bedwetters pissed an ocean during the campaign over every little move Obama made, didn’t make, or should’ve made. Guess who the fucking president-elect is? The guy knows what he’s doing.
TheHatOnMyCat
Let me get on the record about Barack Obama:
I am astounded that anyone as smart and capable as he is, with as much going for him as he has, would sacrifice to the extent that he has, and put himself in the hardest position on earth, essentially, for us. For the country.
I admire him beyond my ability to put it into to words for what he is doing. I regret, also beyond words, the endless conveyor belt of shit that will now be dropped at his feet for at least four years, and what that might do to him.
"Country first" takes on a whole new meaning, when somebody actually means it.
rts
Thanks John. It’s about time someone voiced this. I’m already tired of reading and hearing about what Obama could/should/would do. Before we aim our fire let’s actually have a clue what we are shooting at. I was just thinking that this afternoon as I was surfing the regular sites and that it might be time to disengage from the process for a couple weeks as basically nothing is happening and the blogs (as well as the networks) are just filling space with random musings and speculation.
Xanthippas
You can always count on Big Tent Democrat to be a jackass and jump on any chance to criticize Obama (just like in the primary where, as he would remind you at the end of every damn post attacking Obama, that he actually supported Obama.) That idiot will find treat any thinly sourced column about Obama as an opportunity to jump on the contrarianism bandwagon because the one thing he apparently hates more than anything in the world is to agree with other liberal bloggers.
TheHatOnMyCat
Just give me the address, I’m on it.
Josh Hueco
@rts:
Agreed. I’m not saying the guy is infallible or shouldn’t be criticized. But he’s a 47 year-old black man with a funny name who took down both the reigning dynastic family of the Democratic party as well as a war hero. I’m willing to trust him to know what he’s doing.
Comrade Stuck
This is also mystifying to me. The only thing I can figure is that people who are like this have a strong need for their president to provide them with a reflection of themselves. To say the right things and hold himself a certain way. It is personal to them, and seems nutty to the rest of us.
I think there are far less of them in the dem caucus than in the republican party. Rove had Bush parrot repeatedly every wingnut talking point daily to keep the crowd happy. But he went ahead and did what he wanted that was not always conservative, and the mob didn’t wake up until everything started to turn to shit.
However, they are loud and very annoying in the dem caucus, but most of the dem party will have enough sense to hold their ire until Obama gets into office and either does something they don’t like, or doesn’t do something they want done. And I might very well be one of those myself, depending on the issue.
Punchy
Holy fucking Christ at a strip club….not 1 hour a week! Not one-half of one day once a month picking up roadside trash!
Only lazy, POS fucks like Paul L. could Code Brown himself over asking a bunch of punk-ass 8th graders to paint a fence for a few hours. Not like childhood obesity is a concern in the country. Not like fresh air is so fucking deadly nowadays.
Wow, you righties digust me with your bullshit.
p.a.
National Treasure Will Rogers: "I’m not a member of any organized political party; I’m a Democrat."
Any guess on a timetable for when we (Democrats) push John’s political worldview into dyspeptic misanthropy? (redundant, I know, but work hasn’t required any use of my college education for a while, so blog comments give me a way to express the kind of overblown vocabulary I get no chance to use elsewhere. almost used ‘choleric’. Now if I could only remember what ‘inchoate’ means!)
scarshapedstar
Dude. Lieberman really does need to fucking go. Son of a bitch will not vote to break a filibuster even if they let him keep his committees. Anyone seriously disagree with me here?
smiley
@HyperIon:
Simpson, a 20th-21st century philosopher, said "Here’s to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems."
BooBooBear
That is my one big issue as well. I don’t care what amount of politickin’ goes on re: the economy, health care, global warming, yada yada yada.
I want some semblance of the rule of law returned to our governance; that means going after the lies that got us into Iraq; the domestic surveillance; the torture/rendition; the abuse of the justice depart (US Atty firings, violations of the Hatch Act); the use of signing statements; extensions of executive power; And pretty much everything that falls under ‘faithful execution of the law’ part of the swearing in ceremony.
I want to see investigations, indictments and legislation where needed, followed by various members of the Bush crime family doing the perp’ walk. And I don’t care how high it goes.
Clio
@TheHatOnMyCat: All I can say to this is, right on dude. Those on the right who were talking about "personal courage" and "Country First" in the campaign didn’t seem to understand that this amazing young man, who had a great life, a beautiful wife, and two gorgeous and adorable daughters, was literally risking his life every day on the campaign trail. He has signed up to lift us out of this endless, seemingly insurmountable pile of shit left for us by President Putz because he has the ability to do so and to make real change in this country. Yes, he’s a pol, yes, I’m sure he has an ego, too, but I don’t think that he was in this because he had some insane drive to have the words "POTUS" on his resume like McCain did. He recognized that he was the man for our time. Thank God he is willing to make the sacrifices that we as a country so desperately need him to make.
Josh Hueco
@Punchy:
I’m definitely in favor of requiring teenagers to perform community service. I think demographically we have a rising generation of young people who are more group- and service-oriented than their Boomer and Xer elders (and I say that as an Xer). Also, I think it serves the Dems well to remind voters that they’re the party of "ask what you can do for your country."
However, I admit I have two concerns about Obama’s community service proposal. First, what exact activities would count as service? The righties will undoubtedly cry that service will entail teaching kindergartners how to have sex or forging voter registrations for ACORN. I’d just like to know what’ll be on the menu so I can argue back against my wingnutty colleagues.
My other objection is the potential for abuse of such a program. There were reports that many faith-based program funds were spent on abstinence programs (which don’t work) as well as greasing the palms of religious groups that supported Bush. I’m afraid of what would happen if the GOP were to reclaim the presidency and Congress, and how they could use such a program as a patronage tool.
Indylib
@Clio:
I agree. If I don’t see evidence of a batch of executive orders for closing Gitmo, ending extrordinary rendition, stopping torture, and requiring warrants to wiretap Americans in short order after Jan. 20 I am going to be a very unhappy camper.
That said, Obama deserves some credit for playing this close to the vest. It would be stupid to broadcast all of his moves before he even takes office.
Valerie Jarret, one of Obama’s transition leaders and a personal friend of his from Chicago, said on MTP that he would not be announcing every move he’s going to make before he makes it. I have a feeling we can take her at her word.
jake 4 that 1
I’m still semi-incredulous that he actually won. I almost admire people who are already onto everything that is wrong with Obama’s presidency before it even begins.
Almost.
tim serbo
a grateful nation salutes you, Mr. or Ms TheHatonMyCat (i’m a bunny man m’self; once you go lagomorph, you never go back.)
jake 4 that 1
Is this really so unusual? I had to do volunteer work to get the hell out of high school, but I went to one run by DFHs and I can’t remember what my sisters had to do, so I really don’t know.
Punchy
@Josh Hueco: I’m pretty sure he couldn’t make it compulsory, but probably offer an incentive like a certificate of accomplishment (when they complete) that a highschooler could show to a prospective college and expect favorable admissions considerations or something like that.
poopsybythebay
Thank you for stating the obvious. I am already getting pissed off because everyone is acting as if rumor is fact–it’s not. Let the man get into office. A portion of this stuff is being thrown out there by the very people it would help if he did do some of these things. Maybe not the Lieberman info, but the torture items for sure. As far as Lieberman I believe Obama is playing good cop and he should play that role.
Tymannosourus
Lieberman gives spineless chickenhawks a bad name. He is a cancer and deserves whatever political doom comes his way.
I understand that he could be useful in the power-grab for democrats, but so could several cattle prods and 42 rolls of duct tape… neither seem like very noble strategies.
Michael D.
@Robert Chaviano:
You are right. They wouldn’t. Because the Republicans are more interested in idealogical purity than in someone whose ideas might differ.
I don’t agree with Lieberman on much foreign policy, but I have to say, I’m more worried about Democrats who want idealogical purity in their own party.
Vincent
I agree on taking anonymous rumors with a grain of salt. On the other hand, sometimes these rumors are trial balloons to get a pulse on what people think about certain issues. So I would give my opinion if I see an interesting bit of news but I won’t hyperventilate about it when I have no basis for panic.
CT
What did we learn about the Obama team during the campaign? They don’t leak. The MSM, like the blogs, have very little actual information to talk about right now-all they got is some guy musing about what "Obama may or may not do, it depends." My blog reading is way down since last week (not BJ, its all good here) rather than read about what an anonymous Kos diarist feels about the signs being sent by the seating chart at Obama’s meeting with his econ advisors.
Tsulagi
I’d go with that.
That too. Sometimes a little good scotch enables a proper perspective and clarity.
Lieberman certainly wouldn’t agree, but he’s a pissant issue. The success or failure of an Obama administration isn’t going to revolve around Joe and whether or not he has a certain committee chairmanship.
Obama’s public statement of support didn’t include Joe the Asshole keeping his current chairmanships. Obama could also have privately told Reid it’s your house, and if you happen to sweep Joe into a dust bin, I won’t lose any sleep and still look forward to working with you. Or have Emanuel, his new Chief of Staff telling Reid that. Obama can keep his unity image, and still have Joe’s nuts cut off. Win/win.
However, when the next Congress convenes if Joe still has and keeps his Homeland Security chairmanship, would pretty well signal Senate Dems are still content with and would likely continue their sternly-worded spinelessness. And while they’re a little slow, even Senate Pubs could figure that out. Would make Reid’s and Obama’s jobs harder.
Cruel Jest
Thers, not surprisingly, has a take on this.
BooBooBear
Well everyone should be encouraged by this report from Al Giordano from the press conference by Obama-Biden Transition Co-Chair John Podesta.
Pretty stringent rules on lobbyists serving on the transition and what’s going to happen on a number of fronts. It’s what I expect from what was a tight campaign team, transitioning to the White House.
Mnemosyne
I was just talking to G. about that this morning — all of the old lefty Baby Boomers who think they’re going to be able to pick up where they left off in 1968 are in for a heck of a surprise.
When Obama was talking about "change," he didn’t just mean that the right had to change but that the left could not continue on the same way we have for the past 30 years.
p.a.
It’s not about ideological purity, it’s about supporting your own party. Differences can be hashed out in caucus and in committee. But to Zell fucking Miller your presidential nominee when he tried to pull your ass out of the fire during your primary challenge, when you begged him to help your fucking flagging campaign and he came!!!
Lieberman=Scumbag.
Garrigus Carraig
@p.a.: Yup.
Really, if he brought anything to the table, I might be inclined to want him around. But besides being a backstabber, he seems to have become a one-issue senator. That’s lame, weak, and dangerous. Because as we’ve seen, he’ll engage in the kind of behavior that normal people condemn in anyone around them.
tavella
I don’t really give a shit if they let Lieberman stay in the caucus; it’s not going to make him less of a whiny destructive little bitch if he’s in the Republican caucus, and the "in the tent pissing out" principle probably makes sense. Hell, I don’t even care if he’s running Small Business or some other committee where he might actually pretend to be a Democrat. However, leaving him in charge of Homeland Security is nuts. As has been pointed out, he A) ran it incompetently and did zero oversight over Bush and B) will immediately use it as a platform to sabotage Obama in all ways possible.
So yes, if the Democrats do their usual spineless routine and reward him for attacking their candidate with one of the plummest committee chairmanships, I’ll indeed think they are both weak and stupid, and say so. Loudly. It’s not like he’ll be any kind of reliable cloture vote, so they shouldn’t be deluded by the phantom of 60.
sstarr
Excuse the all caps but WHY CAN’T STUPID RIGHT WING BLOGGERS GET THER GOD DAMNED HISTORICAL REFERENCES CORRECT?!? I’M TALKING TO YOU, PAUL L! The Freicorps were voluntary right wing militias that battled the Communists in Weimar Germany! As such, they are much more like the NRA or the Militia of Montana than the Peace Corps, you mouth breathing moron! I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO SAY OBAMA IS A SLAVE DRIVING COMMIE-NAZI! Why don’t you use an actual Nazi organization, like Hitler Youth? Or you could use a Communist equivalent, like the the Young Pioneers?
If I have to read one more right wing blogger talking about how Obama is going to force the youth of America to join the "Freicorps" I’m going to have to…
Watch video of the celebration in Grant Park again. Ha!
Steve S.
One of your commenters plus one blogger equals a firing squad? You really need to relax more.
He already has done a number of things that various lefties disagree with. Naming the odious Emanuel to an important position for one, and a few other things he did before the election but after he was de facto head of the party, like FISA. So folks should just STFU until he breaches your personal Maginot Line of incorrectness? My personal feeling is that folks should talk about anything they feel like talking about. Granting a period of deference to politicians is your right if you so choose, but my personal feeling is that the person with the greatest amount of power in the world should be held to the greatest level of accountability in the world.
"We" didn’t win jackshit. All "we" got was the less objectionable binary choice that "they" gave us.
DrDave
Let this be your mantra for Obama’s first 100 days.
The mutt didn’t come out of nowhere, take down the Clinton machine and whup the GOP without having a clue where he came from or where he was going.
Ye who bitch today have little faith and less patience. You need more of both. If alcohol helps you in your quest, imbibe freely. Regardless, please STFU and let us enjoy this.
Comrade Stuck
@Steve S.:
In the spirit of free speech, I will say that you sir, are an idiot!
gbear
@Comrade Stuck:
Imagine Obama’s complete surprise that people are making demands of him. I bet it’s got him reeling.
I’m realizing that I’ve stockpiled enough books and CDs to keep me well occupied until 2012. I may just trust that this new guy can do something right without any OMG!!’s from me. Joe Leiberman may not get an atomic wedgie in public, but political karma is smiling on the Dems right now.
& Go Franken! And also you betcha.
edit: and in the spirit of working together, I will agree wholeheartedly with Comrade Stuck above.
Chris Andersen
1. If Obama does something you don’t like, criticize it.
2. If a policy proposal, cabinet appointment or political maneuver that you don’t like makes headlines, criticize it.
3. But don’t criticize Obama for those proposals, appointments or maneuvers UNTIL SUCH TIME as he publicly embraces them.
Give the guy the chance to play around a little. Let him float a few ideas to see how they play.
And keep counting the days until Jan 20th.
gwangung
And a lot of various lefties DISagree on that.
Food for thought.
demimondian
@Chris Andersen: I agree with 1. and 2., but don’t agree with 3. I would say, instead,
3. Criticize Obama, but keep in mind that he’s President, not you. You will not get everything you want; that’s just The Way Things Are. If you lose this time, look for ways to find allies to make sure you win next time.
That is, *KEEP IT IN PROPORTION, HORTON*
Moustache Frank
How about that. My cat’s name is Linus, too.
kommrade jakevich
I’ve watched enough sci-fi movies to know black presidents are a sign we’re way the hell in the future so if I don’t get my mother fucking flying car before a meteorite takes us out, it will be Obama’s fault.
Church Lady
Get used to it. Just like the right, the left is never happy. Remember the comments here when Obama came out in favor of the FISA legislation? Welcome to the next four years.
ilsita
As the mom of a small boy, I do this thing where I tell him a hojillion times not to — whatever: moon me while he’s perched on top of a rickety barstool or faceplant into the couch at top speed while aiming a pencil at his face… And then I realize that most of these things are not going to register for him until the disaster happens. So, (depending on the worst case scenario) I hold myself back from saying, "How many times have I told you!!" and, with some (I admit) obnoxious smug indulgence, I let it unfold as it will.
It’s the same obnoxious smug indulgence from the Adults in the Republican Party that is pissing me off to no end right now. They’ve got the "OK, little man, take the wheel. You’ll see what happens when you don’t listen. We’ll just sit here with our arms crossed, waiting to clean up the mess."
The other thing is that Obama didn’t just squeak in there, he blew in there. It was a wooosh! We’ve been watching him throughout the campaign season with the wheel in hand, and he navigated himself right in there, artfully, undistracted. And already, we’re here going, "He didnt….! He should have…! He better…!" as if we didn’t just see him do it.
But, I really think that’s because this is novel. Or maybe we’ve been hearing for so long that we’re not grownups that we don’t trust ourselves, believe that it really happened. We’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, or maybe feel like we’re playing a game of chicken with the chickenhawks. We have to prove that we’re not toeing the line? I know that I am feeling that way still — still feeling like I won the damn lottery and I’m going to find out that there was a typo somewhere…
There’s also that dysfunctional dynamic were you don’t want to alienate the big bully — like getting embarrassed for the asshole who has no capacity for embarrassment.
However, as Clio says,
There are certain things I will not abide. I can’t tolerate any compromise on that matter of torture. I sure won’t shut up about that, but we haven’t crossed that bridge yet.
Steve S.
Hush, peon. Since I am nominally in your tribe you are obligated to mindlessly support everything I do or say.
Steve S.
That Emanuel was named to an important position? Who disagrees on that?
Comrade Stuck
@gbear:
And this will be your first mistake. :–)
Charity
@Chris Andersen: 4) If a vote comes up, call your senator and/or congresscritter. Tell them how you feel about it.
5) If there is a facility in the new White House to send (moderated I’m sure) emails, email President Obama. Tell him why you agree or don’t.
Batocchio
So far, most criticism of Obama seems to depend on uncharitable readings of news stories that often appear incomplete. Has Armando/BTD ever written anything that hasn’t been disingenuous? Since I only read him when someone else points out his latest straw man or bad faith effort, I don’t know. Criticism of Lieberman is more than fair, but his fate lies with the Senate Democrats more than with Obama, and they can be called about that. And yeah, the honeymoon period for Obama shouldn’t end before he’s even taken office.
Vermonter
Thank you… Thank you… Thank you…