Bush called Barack Obama the morning after the election and

[Blue_Roses]

Barack also had breakfast with him, Rove, and Cheney. Why does this strike me as weird? Barack being a rising "star" in the Democratic party must make them nervous.

[hippiegranny]

1. source?

link?

[Blue_Roses]

5. He was on "the view" this morning and said it then

I had heard that Bush called him but I didn't realize he had had breakfast with them.

[Rose Siding]

6. Apparently, he talked about it today on The View

[smiley_glad_hands]

2. Keep your enemies close. eom

[BlueEyedSon]

4. that's "closer"

[jules]

9. speaking of which...

I read a small blurb in the Chicago Sun-Times last week (by city gossip columnist Michael Sneed) that said Hizzoner Mayor Daley was in D.C. the weekend of Nov. 13 and met privately with *. It's been bothering me, but I'm new to politics and DU and don't know what to make of it.

BTW, Sneed is connected and gets some real inside scoop...

Link:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/sneed/cst-nws-sneed17.html

[Socialist Dem]

19. Not that big of a deal

The CTA is desperate for funding (as is the whole regional transit authority). They're threatening cut-backs on service if they don't get more money and the state legislature has just "passed the buck". So Daley is probably trying to make some kind of deal to get some federal money slipped into the budget.

Daley may be a Democrat, but he's also a consummate politician.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. Bingo. Too bad Powell didn't figure that out.

[deadmessengers]

3. Think like Macchiavelli

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer"

Believe me, Rove's read the Prince a time or two.

[Blue_Roses]

7. When you put Rove into it

it's kind of frightening.

[TexasBushwhacker]

18. Barack seems like a smart guy

I wouldn't assume that he's thinking any differently. He would have probably won the Illinois senate seat anyway, but certainly not as easily as he did by Jack Ryan dropping out of the race. He's got 5 years to prove himself in the Senate before he gets a serious challenge from a GOP candidate in 2010. I'm hoping that he'll be a leader in a movement of PROGRESSIVE Democrats in the Senate.

[deadmessengers]

24. Perhaps

Like many DUers, I think that Barack Obama's got his eye on the White House. I think his goal for the next 6 years is to keep his nose clean, stay in the political mainstream, and not support any really unpopular legislation. I don't see him making any really big waves there.

[StClone]

8. Why do our guys do this?

Why do we accept calls from the devil? We should not accept offers of cabinet posts that affect our power base either.

Personally, if Bush called me or offered to shake my hand I asked if it was important in the first and decline in the second unless he was resigning.

Donna Brazile is now suspect in her dealings with Rove.

[mazzarro]

10. That is the big question bedevilled our party

It seems that our legislators get compromised every which way we turn. They are suckered in by chimp&Co* and next we hear they singing about bipartisanship that end being agreeing to whatever the reThugs put out. They are ignored and pushed aside, yet they are more eager to please at the next opportunity.

[Blue_Roses]

13. I just hope he watches

his back, because he does represent hope for our party, and you know how Bush feels about hope :eye:

[WI_DEM]

11. this isn't so unusual

it's part of the "treatment"--LBJ was great at it. I'm only surprised Rove was present. Cheney I can understand since he is president of the sentate, but why have the president's chief political consultant there?

[Blue_Roses]

14. Exactly

Cheney I can see, but Rove...

[JI7]

16. Rove and Cheney are more in control of what goes on than Bush

[Blue_Roses]

17. I definitely believe that

Bush just seems like he's along for the ride half the time:dunce::freak:

[RaleighNCDUer]

21. He was needed to operate the * puppet's lips. n/t

[American Tragedy]

23. So that Rove can evaluate the emerging competition.

[Ducks In A Row]

12. he should check for implants. I wouldn't take any chances.

[otohara]

20. Salazar Was At Same Breakfast

and a few other newbies

[Blue_Roses]

25. Okay, didn't know that...

that sheds a different light into it. I still think they are sizing up Obama and know he is very talented.

[American Tragedy]

22. We weren't the only ones watching the Democratic Convention

Needless to say, he was not invited to breakfast in the interest of bipartisan unity. Rove and his political offspring were sizing him up.

Republicans obviously want to destroy Obama because of his perceived potential as a firebrand for the Democrats, and a presidential candidate. Incidentally, there are probably a few Democrats who would like to undermine him as well, for similar reasons. Barack Obama is a serious target. I hope he's careful.

[ArtVandaley]

26. Not a big deal, good move actually

Any senator should try and get to know the president personally, it's just good for politics. It of course doesn't mean that he'll be catering to Bush, he just needed to size him up personally so he knows what exactly he's up against. It also makes him look like a nonpartisan if he is willing to meet and listen to republicans, which will certainly help him in the long run. And in this republican senate, the dem senators are going to have to allign with certain republicans every once in awhile to get stuff done. Kennedy is the most liberal senator, but he also is the co-sponsor of the most bipartisan bills, for he knows how to make smart alliances to get the job done.