"The cool president has turned hot" (Politico)

[jefferson_dem]

Barack Obama feels the heat, changes the play
By BEN SMITH | 7/19/09 7:33 AM EDT .

Finally, we’re starting to see him sweat.

President Barack Obama made his personal icy cool the trademark of his campaign, the tenor of his White House and the hallmark of an early run of successes at home and abroad. But as the glamour wears off and a long, frustrating summer wears on, he is being forced to improvise — stooping to respond to political foes and adjusting his tactics and demeanor for the trench warfare of a legislative agenda.

<SNIP>

The cool president has turned hot on the stump, stripping to shirtsleeves to lambaste doubters in New Jersey Thursday. He departed from his prepared remarks last week to accept a Republican challenge to take personal ownership of the economy: “That’s fine. Give it to me,” he said.

Even Obama's scripted speeches are deliberately more forceful, aggressive and direct in taking on critics, aides say. Friday remarks at the White House had a trash-talk edge – count me out and you’ll be sorry.

Obama’s political operation has dispensed with its post-inauguration cocktails for Republicans – or more often, ignoring them outright — in favor of the old politics of engage, attack and cajole. Obama’s even engaging in a little Democrat-on-Democrat politics, as his ex-campaign arm is beaming TV ads into the home states of moderate fence-sitters on health care.

The tightly programmed White House also is champing at the bit, kicking off what officials say will be a relentless three-week push on health care, starting with the hastily scheduled Friday address. But its first event might have backfired a bit. Its main consequence was proving that the magnetism of Obama’s personal appearances has worn off, as it drew little media attention and a dismissive tweet from the key Senate Republican, Chuck Grassley of Iowa: “Waste of time.”

The sum has been a new sense of uncertainty and strain, and a growing murmur among Democrats in Washington nervous about the White House’s tactics, and a rising tide of concern in the states as local Democratic parties eye midterm elections that are traditionally a challenge for a new president.

“That honeymoon period is over, “ said Chris Redfern, the chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. “Now they’re having to push back, and push back hard.”

<SNIP>

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25114.html#ixzz0LhkPQbVi

[MADem]

1. Brought to you by POLITICO, an Allbritton Corporation subsidiary...

and we remember Allbritton...they're the (very far to the) right wing nuts who shut down Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect program because they didn't like the words coming out of his mouth.

It needs to be pointed out every time they trot shit out like this. Every single time.

[sundancekid]

3. THANK YOU - needed that reminder this morning!

[ray of light]

4. hey. I didn't know that. You're right. It needs to be pointed out whenver they're used as if they'r

a credible source.

[City Lights]

7. Your post prompted me to do some Googling. Here's more info for those not familiar...

Glenn Greenwald

Friday May 4, 2007 13:08 EDT

Who funds and runs the Politico?

(Updated below - Update II - Update III - Update IV)

In the middle of an article by The Politico's Mike Allen regarding last night's GOP presidential debate, one finds this paragraph:

She was escorted out of the hall by Frederick J. Ryan Jr., chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation, and president and CEO of The Politico.

So the President and CEO of The Politico, Frederick Ryan, is also the Board Chairman for the Reagan Library. And that makes sense, because Ryan is a long-time, hard-core Reaganite. From a November 1987 Press Release:

Appointment of Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., as Assistant to the President

November 4, 1987

The President today announced the appointment of Frederick J. Ryan, Jr., to be Assistant to the President.

Since February 1985 Mr. Ryan has been responsible for the White House Office of Private Sector Initiatives as well as serving as Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling. Mr. Ryan began serving at the White House in February 1982 as Deputy Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling. In February 1983 he was appointed Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Appointments and Scheduling. Mr. Ryan was previously an attorney with the Los Angeles law firm of Hill, Farrer and Burrill. While engaged in his practice, he published several articles on various aspects of the law.

Mr. Ryan graduated from the University of Southern California (B.A., 1977) and the University of Southern California Law Center (J.D., 1980). He was born April 12, 1955, in Tampa, FL. Mr. Ryan is married and resides in Washington, DC.

So the President and CEO of The Politico worked in multiple positions in the Reagan White House, and was continuously promoted until he rose to the level of Assistant to the President. And his close connection to the Reagan family and the Reagan presidency continues through today.

Are we supposed to treat this fact as irrelevant or something when assessing what The Politico is and what type of political coverage it churns out? There is nothing wrong per se with hard-core political operatives running a news organization. Long-time Republican strategist Roger Ailes oversees Fox News, of course. But it seems rather self-evident that a news organization run by someone with such clear-cut political biases ought to have a hard time holding itself out as some sort of politically unbiased source of news.

The Politico's biggest boosters are Matt Drudge and George W. Bush, and it is run by a Reagan loyalist. At the very least, those facts are worth considering. Given that Editor-in-Chief John Harris has repeatedly vowed to be more "transparent" in how they conduct themselves, shouldn't we have some understanding of the role played by Ryan, and what his connection is to "Allbritton Communications," whose "deep pockets" are (partially? fully?) financing The Politico?

More enlightening info here.

[Cali_Democrat]

16. Thank you for that information.

The Politico is indeed a reich-wing rag with a bunch of filthy mediawhores posing as journalists.

[nc4bo]

13. Yes every. single. time. because they are wolves dressed in sheep's clothing

They put on the fair and balanced part just enough to draw people (Indies, conservo Dems, weak Repubs, fence straddlers) to deceive them into believing they are neutral and credible source.

Politico is built on a deep foundation of corruption and everyone should be reminded of that every single time a piece is linked to or credited to them.

Look out!

[jaxx]

2. Grassley says it's a waste of time, imagine that!

The party of no just got another spot at Politico. Tweet that.

[glowing]

5. Actually, if you watched this man over the last 2 yrs, this is exactly what he does.

He suggests and prods and tries to implore their better angels.. but when the idiot congresscritters refuse to progress, he rams the bullhorn thru their asses.. and now, he's got 60 senators.. he's going to use them or they will lose his support on the campaign trail.

[Jennicut]

6. He IS turning it up a notch but leave it to Politico to make that a bad thing

[Robb]

10. Leave it to Politico to dance around the Angry Black Man. nt

[Thrill]

8. RW rag. Liberals should stop giving that piece of shit website hits

.

[Frustratedlady]

9. Cool! We've been waiting for Obama to kick it up a notch...and another, and another.

He's been too polite to these "No"wards on the right (my term for RW cowards) and I'm sick to death of the Boehner-types and their whining.

If Obama turns it up another notch, maybe they'll come up with a new strategy. This old one of "no" is getting on my nerves.

Politico, or not, I have noticed...particularly during the NAACP speech,,,that Obama is losing his patience and that is a switch for him. Bless his heart, he has asked, begged and treated the RW as equals. They are far from that, and he needs to show the public he has what it takes to kick a$$.

We all know what the Boehner-types will call him, publicly or in private, but that's their problem. We have major problems in our country and we finally have 60 senators.

Kick, Obama, kick!

[liberalmuse]

11. I stopped going to Republico several weeks ago...

and I have to tell you, I don't miss it a bit. Their interpretation of political events skews right, meaning it just doesn't mesh with reality.

[Phx_Dem]

12. Obama has always been hot! lol

Seriously, this is his MO. He tries to win people over with diplomacy, but if that doesn't work he gets tough and verbally kicks their ass. He did this throughout the primary with the Clintons (remember the Annie Oakley comparison? And all the Reagan jabs aimed directly at pissing off Bill?), and all through the general election with McCain (confused and out-of-touch old man).

While the pantywringers were wetting their pants every day because Obama was "too nice," or "not tough enough," he kicked everyone's ass and won in a landslide.

[HopeOverFear]

17. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

While the pantywringers were wetting their pants every day because Obama was "too nice," or "not tough enough," he kicked everyone's ass and won in a landslide.

EXACTLY.

[Aramchek]

14. Ben Smith is an ultimo-tool

[FrenchieCat]

15. Fuck Politico!

Obama didn't make personal Icy Cool is campaign trademark. He was plenty hot when it was required, but was mainly warm.....

"....but as the glamour wears off" ???

The fact that Politico feels the need to announce where Obama fits in the box tells me more about
Politico than I care to know.

Like I said...Fuck 'em!

[Arkana]

18. Those "Democrats" that are worried about WH tactics are worried

that Rahm will give them wedgies.