Andrew Sullivan Nails it: Gregg Was Pwned

[mikiturner]

It gets clearer. When Judd Gregg approached the Obama administration to see if he could be a part of it, he was assuming that his own party wasn't going to adopt a policy of total warfare against the newly elected president in a time of enormous economic peril. Between that moment and the current all-out ideological assault on Obama, his position became untenable. His recusal on the stimulus package provoked fury at home (check out the comments here) and dyspepsia among the GOP who are intent on responding to an open hand with a clenched fist.

I have to say even I am a little taken aback by the force of the Republican assault. Even in a downturn as swift and alarming as this one, even after an election that clearly favored one approach over another, even after the most conciliatory efforts by an incoming president in memory, these people have gone to war against the president. The president should stay cool. The rest of us should realize what motivates the GOP: the opportunism of selective ideology.

Yep.

[vaberella]

1. Yup...my post on Gregg was along those lines but less eloquent. n/t

[w4rma]

17. Working link.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/02/gregg-was-pwned.html

[roguevalley]

34. unless there were other reasons not known yet, Gregg should have

manned up and done for his country first. Now he has to go back to a party that hates him and a constituency that may not elect him again. Way to go, Gregg.

[SpiralHawk]

36. Juddhead was meekly following orders from Rush 'Draft-Dodger' Limbaugh (R- Drug Abuser)

Doing his part as a Republicon Homelander to make sure America fails.

Juddhead -- It's a Granite State of Mind

[Barack_America]

2. The GOP's assault is not just against Obama and Dems, but against moderate Republicans as well.

Which is political suicide, of course, given the direction this country is trending, politically speaking.

But, hey, more power to them in their endeavors.

[tanyev]

7. If they keep this up, they're going to selectively ideologize themselves into oblivion.

Not that I'm complaining.

[Doctor_J]

19. The "moderates" - Collins, Snowe, Arlen, don't seem to feel like

they're under siege. :shrug:

[Jennicut]

21. They will.

Watch the level of vitriol towards the "traitors".

[CitizenPatriot]

24. Did they get the memo that the RNC

is already raising money for their republican opponets in the next race? I thought that showed a particularly outrageous touch of petulance.

Hopefully, the voters won't be duped by the "illegitimate black baby" leaks that come out against these senators in the next race.

[Juche]

26. Think again

The wingnuts are already trying to get rid of Specter (the only one of the 3 up for election in 2010).

[CTLawGuy]

28. did you see Specter on the Laura Ingraham? for example...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/10/specter-to-ingraham-dont_n_165648.html

INGRAHAM: Is it nice to be wined and dined at the White House? And, you're treated pretty well when you're a Republican bucking other Republicans, right Senator?

SPECTER: Now let's get off it Laura. I'm not drinking any wine at the White House and I don't dine at the White House. If the president wants to talk to me -- I talk to him and I make my own independent judgment. Don't give me the wine and dine baloney, young lady.

[Doctor_J]

29. Watch or listen to a hate radio hostess?

I'd rather pass a walnut-sized kidney stone.

[CTLawGuy]

35. well I didn't listen to her either

I picked this up on the Intertubes. The point is he is getting grief from the base.

[Ilsa]

3. Wonderful picture! Too bad Daschle is erroneously in it.

The GOP ate his lunch. Probably ate his grandbabies. No wonder he caved.

But a Democrat in and proceed!

[mikiturner]

4. I'm gonna edit it out at some point

Just being lazy.

[nsd]

5. More from Sullivan ...

The GOP Has Declared War On Obama

This much is now clear. Their clear and open intent is to do all they can, however they can, to sabotage the new administration (and the economy to boot). They want failure. Even now. Even after the last eight years. Even in a recession as steeply dangerous as this one. There are legitimate debates to be had; and then there is the cynicism and surrealism of total political war. We now should have even less doubt about what kind of people they are. And the mountain of partisan vitriol Obama will have to climb every day of the next four or eight years.

link

(Boldface mine. Pretty harsh words, but justified.)

[Raine]

12. Nailed it

and now we need to return the favor and declare all out war on them.

[spanone]

6. k&r

[BlueMTexpat]

8. I'm not entirely a Sullivan fan, but he certainly "gets" it here.

And yes, he has said it so well. What motivates the GOP is simply the opportunism of selective ideology.

[lib_wit_it]

11. I like Sullivan way more in print than in person. Good points here, but he should stay off my tv.

He just creeps me out. He's got that indescribably slimy manner that Republicans almost have patented.

[ginnyinWI]

30. I read him regularly--good insights on politics. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

9. I'm thinking Obama punked 'em with this nomination.

Judd may have an Abramoff problem:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5039324

Here's the White House statement:
"Senator Gregg reached out to the President and offered his name for Secretary of Commerce. He was very clear throughout the interviewing process that despite past disagreements about policies, he would support, embrace, and move forward with the President's agenda. Once it became clear after his nomination that Senator Gregg was not going to be supporting some of President Obama's key economic priorities, it became necessary for Senator Gregg and the Obama administration to part ways. We regret that he has had a change of heart".
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8192284

[BeyondGeography]

10. Obama will stay cool...Everything now points to their total crushing in 2010

[Number23]

13. Miki, your link's not working!

[mikiturner]

15. Grr, can't edit anymore

link

andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/02/gregg-was-pwned.html

[WinkyDink]

14. So why be "conciliatory"? THAT is what baffles me.

[northernlights]

31. why be conciliatory? simple...

There are several reasons why Obama may, with each new bill, start by being conciliatory.

1. A large chunk of the US voted for McCain/Palin. Not *all* of these people are rightwing fundie nutcases. Many of them are decent people, but either don't follow politics closely or bought the lies. Some of them are simply not terribly bright. But some are so decent they can't even concieve of Bush/Cheney/Rove levels of evil, which is why they bought the lies to begin with. They will eventually see how they were duped, and when they do, their minds will turn, hard.

But first, they need to see, over and over again, Obama reaching out with an open hand. And they need to see the rethugs meeting that hand with a clenched fist.

2. Think about how outraged and furious we were to have rethug shit shoved down our throats for the last 8 years. As tempting as it is to give them back some of their own, it will only create that much more rage on the other side, and will turn moderates into extremists. Not helpful over the long haul. So he gives the rethugs a chance to play, they trip all over themselves being the obstructionist scum that they are...and then he can say, with complete honesty and sincerity, "Well, we gave them all they asked for and they still aren't happy. Guess we just have to move forward without them."

3. Obama promised to change how politics are done in DC. He is living up to that promise. But change starts with him.
He can't change how the rethugs choose to behave, of course. Only they can do that. But what he can do is reach out with an open hand, let them swing their fists until they've exposed themselves totally...and then nicely smack them down. Reminds me of my karate instructor reaching a hand out to a misbehaving student...and with a slight twist of 1 finger and thumb, dropping him to his knees.

A few broken patellas, and the rethugs may learn to mind their manners. In the meantime, be nice and keep that iron fist inside the velvet glove.

[northernlights]

32. why be conciliatory? simple...

There are several reasons why Obama may, with each new bill, start by being conciliatory.

1. A large chunk of the US voted for McCain/Palin. Not *all* of these people are rightwing fundie nutcases. Many of them are decent people, but either don't follow politics closely or bought the lies. Some of them are simply not terribly bright. But some are so decent they can't even concieve of Bush/Cheney/Rove levels of evil, which is why they bought the lies to begin with. They will eventually see how they were duped, and when they do, their minds will turn, hard.

But first, they need to see, over and over again, Obama reaching out with an open hand. And they need to see the rethugs meeting that hand with a clenched fist.

2. Think about how outraged and furious we were to have rethug shit shoved down our throats for the last 8 years. As tempting as it is to give them back some of their own, it will only create that much more rage on the other side, and will turn moderates into extremists. Not helpful over the long haul. So he gives the rethugs a chance to play, they trip all over themselves being the obstructionist scum that they are...and then he can say, with complete honesty and sincerity, "Well, we gave them all they asked for and they still aren't happy. Guess we just have to move forward without them."

3. Obama promised to change how politics are done in DC. He is living up to that promise. But change starts with him.
He can't change how the rethugs choose to behave, of course. Only they can do that. But what he can do is reach out with an open hand, let them swing their fists until they've exposed themselves totally...and then nicely smack them down. Reminds me of my karate instructor reaching a hand out to a misbehaving student...and with a slight twist of 1 finger and thumb, dropping him to his knees.

A few broken patellas, and the rethugs may learn to mind their manners. In the meantime, be nice and keep that iron fist inside the velvet glove.

[Egnever]

33. Because it makes Obama look like the bigger man

There is no need to punch a loser in the face to prove they are a loser when it is patently obvious to everyone they are a loser to begin with.

[WeDidIt]

16. The GOP Has Placed Itself Into The Untenable Position Where...

it is more important for them ideologically for Obama to fail than it is for the nation to survive economic calamity.

[liberalsince1968]

18. He was flawed from the get go and never should have been chosen.

[calimary]

20. It just is more glaring proof that these bastards have no intention of playing ball,

OR acknowledging that their way got SHELLACKED last November.

Hey 'CONS, you still can't read the writing on the wall?

Oh, silly me - I forgot. They're still clinging to that alternate reality that they create - while the rest of us in the truly "reality-based community" are merely supposed to study what they do.

[Dappleganger]

22. They're still breathing in the vapors of The Moral Majority...

same stance, different decade.

Thought I recognized their 'righteous' clenched fists.

[MiniMe]

23. No votes, or not voting don't affect the outcome

Only the yes votes matter in the matter of cloture. After cloture, the dems have enough votes to carry it. He wouldn't have been approved because his aide was just caught in the Abramhoff scandal.

[HughMoran]

25. Worthy of a kick

...and Recommendation.

[democracy1st]

27. K & R