Obama's strongest priority now seems to be the peaceful

[suffragette]

transition of power after the election.
I keep wondering what is behind the scenes on this.

[femmocrat]

1. I don't think there is any more.

This is it. He is off to Hawaii and then it will be doomsday in less than 5 weeks. We're screwn.

[suffragette]

5. Sadly, I'm not thinking if something positive

Behind the scenes. Agree that we're screwed.

[Hekate]

2. I wonder as well. I hope I live long enough to read the history book that details it.

[suffragette]

6. Me, too. And that we're okay by that point.

Last edited Fri Dec 16, 2016, 05:22 PM - Edit history (1)

[whathehell]

3. Do you think it's possible he may be keeping mum until

the electors meet in three days?

[suffragette]

8. Doesn't seem like it.

[whathehell]

10. You mean judging by his demeanor right now?

If so I'd have to agree. He so "relaxed", I half expect him to start yawning.

[suffragette]

11. Actually, judging by his emphasis on hacking if DNC

But not possible hack of election process.

[whathehell]

13. Yeah, I tuned in late to him,

but so far he's not said much.

[moonscape]

19. 'Relaxed' is in his DNA, but I don't think he seems

content at all. And his activity now behind the scenes bespeaks of anything but sleeping.

Seems to me he's working nearly 'round the clock to shore up whatever he can.

[Lurks Often]

4. There is nothing he can do now

There is nothing in place that allows a new election and he can not remain in office past 1/20/2017 without declaring martial law which would result in a violent civil war.

[suffragette]

14. He could have stressed more about impediments

That kept people's from voting or having their vote counted.
Instead he is focusing on building bridges.
I get that. There is much that is valid there.
But that still leaves us with a deeply flawed election system that has significant problems.

[loyalsister]

22. It has to be dealt with locally anyway

He can't tell counties what to do. There has to be action coming from grassroots and local democratic parties and elected officials (he did mention that, BTW).
If we want to do something about voting issues we need a massiv campaign to get our folks elected to county clerk and secretary of states offices.

[suffragette]

25. I think both federal and local are important for voting rights. I agree with what you have said here

About the importance of local action and that Obama can't direct how that works.

I do think he has a powerful voice and impact from that and could have used it it more to make the point that our system is fragile and could and should be much stronger.

[loyalsister]

28. Pounding the drum about a fragile system would have done damage

People see no point in voting when they don't trust the mechanism. Planting ideas like that has consequences as we saw with Trump talking about a rigged election and a very low turnout.

[malthaussen]

7. Question of leverage, you know.

One presumes he doesn't have much.

-- Mal

[suffragette]

15. Which raises the question of who does.

[malthaussen]

16. Internally? Those in the GOP who would raise holy hell...

... if Mr Obama did anything to undercut their takeover of the government.

-- Mal

[suffragette]

18. True that.

[LisaM]

9. I'm sickened.

He's hanging us out to dry.

[suffragette]

21. It's not surprising to see him take this path. I imagine he regards it as his duty

To calm the waters and to try to bridge the rift we have in our country.

The problem is that many of those across the rift from us do not have honorable intentions, far from it.

And they will work to make it even harder for us to have anything resembling fair elections.

[Skittles]

34. he should have learned that tactic SUCKS

when he let BUSH INC off the hook

[suffragette]

36. I agree that Bush Inc. should not have been let off, not only for what they did, but

Also for the precedents they set.

That opportunity to correct our path as a nation was lost and now we are set on another dark path. Even darker than Bush and Cheney with Trump in charge,

[cwydro]

12. I expected nothing more.

Sad.

[suffragette]

20. It's pretty much in line with what he's said since this election.

[FarCenter]

17. Obama and Trump are both captives of the national security apparatus, although different factions

[suffragette]

33. They certainly have influence, and agree that different factions are of the apparatus

Look to be pushing against each other.

I wonder if we'll ever know the extent of it.

It's remarkable that Comey and the FBI interfered in the way they did in the election.

[milestogo]

23. I am disappointed in Obama.

[loyalsister]

24. Do people expect him to throw a tantrum?

He's the POTUS! One of the most offensive things about Trump is I see no possibility of showing class or even the most basic manners.
I'd like to enjoy a president who is a decent person with grace for as long as we've got him.

[suffragette]

37. No. Of course not. But he is a gifted orator, the best of this generation, and it would have been

good to hear him speak with passion about the need for election reform in our country. He did speak to it a bit, but it seemed muted and in one instance would depend on Trump actually moving on that.

And we all know Trump is all about sticking the fears about phony voter fraud, while ignoring the real issues of voter suppression and legal and mechanical manipulation and fraud.

[loyalsister]

40. That is a message for his audience

.... for us.
He was speaking to the press as president of everyone, even those who are never going to agree with us or him on anything but we would hope would take hacking of their country's computer system seriously.

An eloquent speech about voting rights is for and about Democrats because we are the ones who support greater access. Bringing up a generally partisan Democratic agenda for repubicans to argue against defeats today's goal.

It was not a rally-the-troops campaign speech. Nor should it have been.

Stoking hysteria about voting machines is the republican equivilent of republican scare tactics. I hope he never jumps on that paranoid train.

[polichick]

26. With everybody suddenly agreeing with him and the CIA...

it seems like some deal has been cut.

[Drahthaardogs]

27. He probably realizes that the Republic is in grave danger

But he is too late. Democracy has already fallen an the Republicans lead the charge

[Proud Liberal Dem]

29. What else do you expect to have happen?

Things suck something awful, but at least so far, everything is proceeding legally/Constitutionally as it should.

[YOHABLO]

30. Perhaps he is holding back because of classified info that he cannot reveal.

I can't believe that he isn't as outraged as the rest of us. We're not going to ever hold hands with these neocons and Trumpsters and sing kumbaya. Not gonna happen.

[AlexSFCA]

31. he said

before he leaves office, CIA report will be released. We can only hope that it could lead to some sort of bipartisan movement against russian interference and fake news...

He did a great job as president, the future of the party is in our hands now.

[Skittles]

32. spinelessness

THAT'S what

[Kingofalldems]

35. Did he call for an Independent Counsel today?

[Horse with no Name]

38. Honestly?

I am wondering.
Have we experienced a coup?
I read Obama has moved out of the WH to allow trumps to move in.
I just have a very uncomfortable feeling about all of this.

[suffragette]

39. "Very uncomfortable feeling." Yeah, me too.