If Obama is voting no and then pissing on the guys who started filibuster

[blm]

and saying they were wrong to do it on NATIONAL TV, what kind of signal is he sending to his constituents and the senators who are still on the fence?

He's telling his constituents that he's not voting for cloture out of his own convictions, but is being forced (I guess by them). Coercion not conviction - pretty damn INELEGANT, Sen. Obama.

He's telling other senators that the filibuster isn't legitimate in this case. Which is BULLSHIT!

I have never once said one untoward thing about Obama - but his performance today was DEPLORABLE.

[Totally Committed]

1. I totally agree, blm...

I am appalled. WTF is up with this guy?

TC

[The Backlash Cometh]

42. He's getting citified.

Too bad. The transformation is beginning.

[mom cat]

57. HE IS NOW ON BOARD. HE WILL FILLIBUSTER!

[The Backlash Cometh]

62. Good. Because I expect Obama to play a big role in the Dem

counter-punch, and if all goes as I hope, it started two days ago.

[mom cat]

56. HE IS NOW ON BOARD. HE WILL FILLIBUSTER!

[Mass]

2. That was not the only thing I had problems with.

He basically said the Democrats did not work enough with the Republicans to get things accomplished, that they were too partisan.

That did not strike me.

I stopped after this one.

[mom cat]

58. HE IS NOW ON BOARD. HE WILL FILLIBUSTER!

[tblue37]

78. I think he is mainly about his own

political future, as he sees it, not about doing what is right for America. He is about Obama, not about us, so he is trying to "triangiulate."

[MoonRiver]

3. I'm horrified.

Didn't see the segment, but :wtf: does he think he'll accomplish with such talk?

[mom cat]

59. HE IS NOW ON BOARD. HE WILL FILLIBUSTER!

[babylonsister]

4. Perhaps he's not jaded enough yet due to lack of experience.

He sounds way too idealistic to me, and needs to wake up and smell the coffee.
I like Obama, but this is a bad move IMO.
And I'll be sending an e-mail or phoning to let him know that.:grr:

[MoonRiver]

5. I don't know about that.

What he said doesn't sound idealistic to me. It sounds very DLC like.

[Totally Committed]

6. "It sounds very DLC like..."

Couldn't agree more. I was so goddammed disgusted with his "schpeil".

TC

[debbierlus]

8. I don't trust him, I think he a party politician above a people politician

I think it is more about him then people realize.

I haven't trusted him for awhile due to a few of his votes.

I am not overly impressed with the guy.

[Edgewater_Joe]

16. He's Doing Better This Week Than Last Week

Obama needs to stop talking like a Senator, but he's still drawing contrasts.

I thought the little dig about working with "reasonable Republicans" was pretty good: Democrats will try to offer solutions, and REASONABLE Republicans will too.

Then we'll be left with NO Repunks, and the conclusion becomes obvious: THERE. ARE. NO. REASONBLE. REPUBLICANS.

A pretty good and accurate Democratic message, IMHO.

[mom cat]

60. HE IS NOW ON BOARD. HE WILL FILLIBUSTER!

[Chicago1]

7. IF, IF, IF He DOES NOT join the Filibuster...I WILL NEVER EVER

VOTE FOR HIM AGAIN.

This is sooooooooooooooooooooooo disgusting. It's a slap in the face to Kerry and Kennedy and I have a feeling THAT HE WILL PAY for this in the future. (HE BETTER!!!!!)

I'm going to wait to see what he does. HE BETTER WATCH HIS BACK AND VOTE FOR THE FILIBUSTER. (I can't believe he's doing this)


START THE REVOLUTION
START THE IMPEACHMENT

[mom cat]

61. HE IS NOW ON BOARD. HE WILL FILLIBUSTER!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

9. I just cursed him out on my tv..not a great way to start my Sunday.

I honestly believe that he is a GOP plant. The GOP put in a ridiculous candidate to run against him, and I thought then it was very deliberate. The minute he voted to confirm Rice, I wrote him off.

[marions ghost]

10. I agree w your assessment blm

In the interview with Steph Obama is undermining the use of the filibuster and talking about "when Alito is confirmed" ...also he's pretty vague on why he believes the Dems didn't do enough in the earlier stages (given a sham hearing I thought they did OK).

What's up with Obama? I hope Illinois will get on his case.

[ProSense]

11. The problem is they still view this

as an issue that relates to them representing their constituents. And as Kerry pointed out it is an American issue. There is no doubt that the 38% number CNN put up is way off, if only because the number of unsure was so high. Given that this is a lifetime appointment and nearly half the country (or more than that in reality) opposes this nomination, not only should a filibuster ensue, but many should be calling on Bush to pull the nomination. This is extremely divisive. It was divisive before the filibuster efforts began.

[MuseRider]

12. Man can give a good speech

but apparently it means nothing. I am tired of those that talk a good game and sell you out when you are not looking, at least he is selling us out right before our eyes. :banghead:

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

13. He said on "This Week" that he will support the filibuster

He said he is outside of American values, not just Democratic values.

But he felt that Democrats needed to rely less on inside the beltway procedural maneuvers in the future.

[Totally Committed]

15. If he did... he said it when I was no longer listening...

and the lead-up to it was not encouraging enough to keep me there without bursting a blood-vessel.

I was very upset with him and his "bi-partisan" bullsh*t. That ship has sailed!

TC

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

19. It was the first thing he answered. He looks stressed. He is a bit

mealy mouthed, I must agree.

[Totally Committed]

24. I tuned in just after he started... must've missed it.

The rest of his interview SUCKED! Who would have known he was SUPPORTIVE in any sense of the word after that performance? What is the matter with him???

Where the hell are the LOUD and PROUD to be a DEMOCRAT Democrats? JUst wait until Biden hits CNN at noon... I can't wait to hear what THAT bozo has to say. If ever there was a Sunday when the country and this Party needed to hear a POSITOVE and UNITED Democratic mnessage, it was today. And what do we get? The same lousy Democratic Party Gumbo of pessimism, bi-partisanship collusion, and bullsh*t.

I may just turn the tv off before I need a paramedic!

TC

[blm]

22. He will vote for it but spoke against it which is nonsupportive.

People who SUPPORT a filibuster will speak up for it. Obama made clear that he will vote no but is not taking a supporting role.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

25. Yea, he will give the bare minimum. A NO vote on cloture, while

condemning his own party's tactics.

Oh Barack, you cannot ride your high horse in Washington DC and get anywhere, if that is what you're trying to do.

I'm so disappointed.

[benburch]

14. Obama will be a ONE TERM SENATOR unless he filibusters.

I am in his state. I will work as hard as I know how to see him defeated in the next Primary he stands for.

[in_cog_ni_to]

21. Me too, Ben! I will do everything in my power to see him defeated

and I told him so in my email last night.:grr: This is bullshit.

[benburch]

23. How can a young fellow seem so promising...

and be such a jerk once elected? :(

[in_cog_ni_to]

27. I don't know, but I am SO disappointed in him! I worked my behind off for

his campaign, donated money, went to rallies, bought his campaign buttons and handed them out to everyone who wanted one, wore Obama t-shirts and put his bumper sticker on my car....AND HE ENDS UP LIKE THIS? *sigh* I am BEYOND pissed off at this point.:grr: That was a SHAMEFUL thing he just did.

[benburch]

30. I worked for Nancy Skinner in the primaries.

And I really wish she had won.

[in_cog_ni_to]

31. Me too. Maybe she'll run again. I'll work for her! n/t

[benburch]

32. She moved to Detroit...

So I think she is a Michigan resident now.

[herbbrown]

38. She Did

She's running for congress in my district against Knollenberg, I'll work for her. I live in Royal Oak a suburb of Detroit.

[TayTay]

50. And didn't John Kerry give Obama the keynote speech

at 'Kerry's' convention and sort of give Obama a national stage on which to introduce himself to the nation? Heck of a way to say thanks, IMHO. I can see grumbling about the tactics. (Most people at DU wish this effort had started weeks if not months ago.) But at least Sens. Kennedy & Kerry are doing something about it and trying not to let a dangerous extremist ideologue sit on the Supreme Court for the next 30 years or so.

[tblue37]

79. My son encountered him as he got off a plane in

Washington. My son identified himself as a constituent (he lives in Chicago) and thanked Obama for his work. Obama blew him off. Not polite at all. Mind you, my son is 26 years old, was dressed in a business suit, and looked quite professional. He didn't look like some silly or immature political groupie trying to suck up to power. He was just trying to politely express appreciation for the guy's work.

Now my son is pissed. He feels personally insulted, and I doubt he will ever vote for Obama again.

I know that is foolish--we need Dems in the House and the Senate, and it is wrong to harm the party and the nation because of personal pique. But that does happen, and politicians used to be aware of that.

What ever happened to gladhanding politicians who thought you had to be polite to constituents to win and hold office?

I think Obama might be getting a big head from being considered such a rising star.

[AzDar]

17. Unbelievably TRAITOROUS at this point. We stand together or fall

apart on this particular issue. Obama should be a one-termer.

[in_cog_ni_to]

18. He's being a COMPLETE ASS. Can you believe what he said???

The Democrats are using Senate procedure to stop the repuke agenda/Alito confirmation instead of going out and talking to the peole? WHAT A FUCKING ASSHOLE. I hope the Dems make him eat those words.:grr:

Obama is not my kind of Democrat. Damn. I had such high hopes for the guy. Now, I'm not so sure I even LIKE HIM.:( shit.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

20. This was a really disappointing performance on This Week

Seems like he's shooting for the middle, to be one of the gang of 14 moderate types.

Not what we need.

[Generator]

35. That is just absurd

Are Americans voting on this? No. Are the lockstep Republicans ever going to waiver from WHATEVER Mr. Emperor says they must do? Apparently not. We are a miniority in the senate. But not in the country. So maybe the ordinary citizens should storm the bastille of the supreme court or something?

Obama is a fool. I'll say it again-he still thinks it's 1995. He doesn't seem to realize that things are a wee bit different now.

[mzmolly]

44. If Dems weren't talking to the people, every senate office would not have

FULL voice mails and fax machines.

[balzac]

26. Obama is just like the rest, i suppose.

I guess it shouldn't suprise us anymore.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

28. His wonderful speech at the Dem Convention gave us a lot of hope.

Maybe that is his main strong point, giving speeches.

:(

[O.M.B.inOhio]

29. I'm still sore from his comments last January re: Nov '04 election

He declared that he was "Absolutely convinced" that Bush won the election in Ohio. A person with an open mind would have been open to the facts. Him and 98 other Senators.

[Nutmegger]

33. DLC trickery comes home to roost

How disappointing, let's change his mind okay?

[bigtree]

34. he can't decide whether to be a club member or and activist.

Slick stuff from the freshman. He needs some re-education of what he was sent there to do.

[Blue Belle]

36. We need to keep faxing/emailing/calling him...

this time with a critique of his "This Week" preformance. Just let him know that while we appreciate his support on the filibuster, his comments undrmine all the hard work his Democratic base has done. Remind him that the sanctity of the US Constiution is ALWAYS a legitimate reason to filibuster... and it should be a concern for EVERY SENATOR - not just the Democrats.

[MelissaB]

37. We need one more vote for the greatest.

He needs to know we are pissed. I couldn't believe my ears watching him on TV this morning.

[robbedvoter]

39. Small minds, no souls - I hate the strategerists!

If he can't see what's at stake, he is in the wrong place.

[ananda]

40. Yeah, WTF is going on with Obama?

How did they get to him?

He's obviously running very very scared.

[ginnyinWI]

41. This fillibuster thing has separated the men from the boys. n/t

[mzmolly]

43. I think his issues are with our sales pitch, not so much the filibuster???

On this I agree with him:

"We need to recognize ... that, if we're going to oppose a nominee we've got to persuade the American people that their values are at stake," (shortened version of his comments.) Obama said.

We DO need organized/persuasive/marketing if you will. If we oppose Alito and America doesn't understand WHY, then we've got "issues." However in the interest of time, we have to filibuster FIRST and educate later.

:shrug:

He certainly isn't helping the cause he speaks of though, by going on national TV bitching about "tactics." Has he heard of a telephone? Call Reid, Kennedy and Kerry and share your thoughts PRIVATELY Mr. Obama!

[blm]

47. But that's what one says in private meetings NOT on national TV.

.

[mzmolly]

48. ITA!

Absolutely right!

[Kurovski]

65. But how does one " persuade the American people"

when the press is more interested in reporting on Mrs. Alito's theatrical blubber-fest instead of her hubby's creepy take on the Unitary Executive Doctrine?

When the Constitution is in trouble it is Barack's job to protect it.

Even when the media does their best to dissemble upon and twist ANY message the Dems have, it is his duty to rise above it and do the right thing.

[mzmolly]

66. Excellent point. Though, according to a thread by prosense in GD

Americans are leaning toward the "persuaded" side.

[Kurovski]

67. Then, I'm guessing that Barack is speaking to someone other than

the Democrats.

And I just thought of this: there was absolutely no other way to go BUT a filibuster, given that the Republicans number 55 and appear to be voting in their usual lockstep by command of the Chimperor.

I don't know what DLC adviser worked with Sen. Obama on his comments, but I guess there must be some method to the madness of his statements. :shrug:

[karynnj]

81. Also, if his issue is that they have to do a better job making the case

HE was on TV - complaining about the "tactics". He COULD have used the same time to give a cogent coherent argument for why Alito should be stopped. Obama taught law at the University of Chicago, this should have been child's play. Kerry has written some very good arguments, but he seems able to speak only on the Senate floor.

[mzmolly]

83. Hard to argue against that! I totally agree with you.

Obama is an amazing orator, he should have taken an opportunity to show how it's done if he felt it was being done "wrong."

[samhsarah]

45. Agreed.

I have been on the fence about Obama. He's new to the senate, have been waiting to see where I stand with him. He has straddled pretty well until now. Today has shown an aspect of Obama that we just don't need any more of in the Democratic Party.

[dsc]

46. The filibuster has a pretty shitty history in his neck of the woods

The civil rights acts of 48, 52, and 55 were all filibustered to death. The civil rights act of 64 endured a massive filibuster as well. For someone with his backround the filibuster is hardly a great thing. On edit The Senate never outlawed lynching in large part due to filibuster.

[mzmolly]

49. Thanks for a different perspective.

eom

[dsc]

51. thank you

I hate to see Obama savaged for a natural adversion to a tool which as been used so harshly against his people in the past.

[beaconess]

53. Obama is saying that Dem leadership didn't do its job weeks ago

He's not criticizing them for filibustering now - he's saying that the filibuster - especially a last minute, cobbled-together, one - should not be our only hope from day one. Dems did NOT do their job on this one. They caved on Roberts, they ducked on Alito and hoped that they could get away with just voting no but not having to take a real stand. Now that they've been pushed into it, they're scrambling.

A filibuster would have been unnecessary if they had been more effective and organized at the outset - they could have convinced the public how bad Alito is. And they should have been laying the groundwork for a filibuster weeks ago instead of cutting and running and having to have Kerry and Kennedy pull their butts out of the fire.

THAT'S what Obama is talking about.

[blm]

54. I agreed with him on that part, but that's NOT what should be conveyed

on National TV the day before. I grant that it was a newbie mistake, but, it still hurts with overall perception.

[quiet.american]

68. Dupe.

[quiet.american]

69. Dupe.

[quiet.american]

70. Don't mean to be harsh, but applied to Obama, this reasoning is nonsense.

Firstly, Obama is not someone whose experience has only been confined all his life to one location. He was born in Hawaii, and his childhood was spent primarily there and in Indonesia. He then spent his young adulthood in New York (Columbia University) and Boston (Harvard). After he finished law school and worked for some time in the corporate world, he then ended up in Illinois in public service.

Secondly, Obama is very seasoned in the public realm and is used to pushing back against entrenched bureaucracy, as related in his book, Dreams From My Father, which details the many struggles he worked through as a community organizer and civil rights lawyer in Illinois.

Lastly, suggesting he is frightened off the filibuster because of it's so-called history just doesn't add up. There are many ways and means of government which have been used to advance less than decent objectives -- if he's frightened of the tools of government, he just did an awful lot of work to become a senator, apparently all for naught. Obama is much more sophisticated and intelligent than this.

I would hazard my own theory is that Obama is actually far too fair-minded for the present state of our government, a government so one-sidely corrupt that one majority leader is under indictment, and the other is the target of a serious securities violation investigation. This is Obama's wakeup call that his honeymoon is over with the Democratic party base. He's got roll up his sleeves to the fact that this country right now is in a state of, as Al Gore put it, "a kind of cold civil war," and our party needs every fighter we can get.

It will be interesting to see where he goes from here.

[beaconess]

74. Very interesting perspective

Thanks

[dsc]

77. No matter where he goes he is still black

and the filibuster is not highly thought of by blacks. I didn't see This Week but from what I gather the jist of his comments were that winning by filibuster doesn't make him feel warm and fuzzy and that we should have done our work getting a majority of the people to oppose this man. Given that the filibuster was used for literally decades to keep people like him down it is more than reasonable for him to find winning using that method more than a little distasteful.

[quiet.american]

80. Sorry, still doesn't wash.

I'm not sure what you're basing your ideas on, but I'm an African-American, and we don't sit around moaning about how the filibuster has kept us down, and how we don't like it! I've never heard anything remotely like that ever.

Obama's reasons for opposing the filibuster are politically based -- it has nothing to do with this curious "race" theory.

[beaconess]

52. He's NOT pissing on the guys who started the filibuster-he's pissing on

those who DIDN'T plan for it weeks ago. He's obviously ticked off - and rightly so - that the Democratic leadership did nothing to lay the groundwork for defeating Alito, that they were so disorganized that we've reached this point in the final days of scrambling to mount a filibuster.

Listen to what he's saying - he's not annoyed with Kennedy and Kerry - he's angry at the lack of leadership!

[blm]

55. I hear ya...but that is what private meetings are for not national TV.

It really came off to alot of people that those who started the filibuster are wrong.

[beaconess]

72. And when he gets nowhere in private meetings, what's he supposed

to do?

The word is that Obama has been warning the Democratic leadership for more than a month that they had to get their sh*t together on Alito, to no avail. And since he's a freshman Senator down at the bottom of the pecking order, there wasn't much he could do - except refuse to be a good boy and cover up for the inept leadership when he was asked his opinion.

[Vincardog]

63. Could that be because the "leaders" were going to let aLIEto slide

until they heard from US? Keep the calls FAXES and emails flying. The Fundies are preaching today Lets keep those in boxes full of OUR message.

[beaconess]

73. Bingo!

They were just hoping it would all go away and they wouldn't have to take any tough stands that would make them look "obstructionist" - something they fear more than Superman feared cryptonite.

As if going along with Bush has been working for them.

[raysr]

64. It's been front page on

Google News All Fucking Day for krissakes!!!!!

[RazzleDazzle]

71. Glad to see you wake up. Obama has been a disappointment since

his election, in the main. Taking instructions or at the very least "ideas" from the DLC and its consultants and so-called strategists will do it for ya every time. That's being charitable toward him -- I'd really rather not think all these times he's disappointed were his own failings, unassisted. But it's one or the other.

[seabeyond]

75. i am not an obama fan, but from what i understand reading his

words, it agreed to the filibuster, he doesnt like how they have to do a filibuster on a technicality. i gathered from his comment he is saying, sad state of affairs this is how we have to do the filibuster. i dont know if it is because dems are the minority or because no repugs came to the other side. but that is what i got from his words. i dont know for sure

[BigYawn]

76. Actually Obama is smarter than I had thought initially

He is laying groundwork to be a statesman and not just
another party hack, me too, yes sir, kinda guy.

I smell a presidential run coming in 2012. He has figured out
he can never win presidency by getting only the left leaning
democratic votes.

[jmatthan]

82. I have condemned Obama for almost ALL

his actions after his speech at the Convention.

And I am not even American!

He got a great big head for that speech and since then has behaved Republican Lite!

And because he got so much criticism, he cut off accessto himself through email!

[davidinalameda]

84. locking

per request of original poster