I interrupt my disappointment to note that I desperately wish this team would succeed in office.

[BurtWorm]

I want them to be as cool a presidency in fact as they appear to be in this great photo.

[marylanddem]

1. Style vs. Substance.

I share your disappointment.

[Echo In Light]

14. "VS," or "over?"

[ShortnFiery]

2. Hope Springs Eternal

Thanks to this HRC, the Democratic Congress and The Presidency are out of "Democratic Control" reach for 4-6 years.

Congratulations SPINELESS democrats, Mission Accomplished! :eyes:

[SargeUNN]

3. Howard Dean when I heard him last Saturday said of Obama

that the Obama Admin. has done some really great things, that never get in the news cycle and are ignored. Example he gave was an executive order issued that all depts. must follow Kyoto (sorry about the spelling but I think you know what I mean) Standards will be followed, the lone exception was the military. This is indeed a good move, but most have no knowledge of it. Several things we would applaud has been ignored, or simply passed by us without our notice, so I think we really need to temper our disappointments, which I certainly have, with the realization he has done some stuff we need to give credit for.

[blindpig]

16. The Pentagon uses 40% of US oil consumption,

big fucking deal.

And so it goes, par for the course.

[GeorgeGist]

24. Except the military ...

of which Obama is Commander in Chief. Hypocrisy runs deep.

[babylonsister]

4. I don't know about you, but pls. remind me what president in your

memory ever was this motivated to work for us? Me, I'll give him some time.

Need for results drives Obama's domestic juggle

By BEN FELLER
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's intense juggling of domestic issues reflects all the realities he faces: a vast agenda, a smaller window for results this year and a need to keep promises to constituencies that will have a huge say in the fall congressional elections.

Obama is in the heart of a period in which he has pledged to do everything in his power to make the case for health reform, a time-consuming blitz that he hopes will end in a final vote in Congress this month. That's on top of his commitment to make jobs his top priority.

Yet his agenda this week alone signals that Obama is moving - or at least trying to move - Congress on other matters affecting most every American. The coming months likely amount to his best shot to pass the heavy legislation that defines his domestic agenda and that will help drive the midterm elections in November.

At the moment, health care is the chief campaign. Obama pitched his plan in both Pennsylvania and Missouri this week and will again in Ohio on Monday.

The rest of the week, though, provides a revealing snapshot of Obama's balancing act.

A trade speech took precedence Thursday morning. Then he devoted coveted time to lawmakers and activists involved in immigration reform, a far-reaching and sensitive issue that rose and crashed in the second term of President George W. Bush. Friday he meets with his national security team to assess the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, then assembles his science and technology advisers.

Earlier this week, Obama had 14 senators of both parties to the White House to try to build support for stalled climate and energy legislation. Throw in that twice in recent days Obama promoted his education agenda of boosting standards and graduation rates, with federal money as leverage.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMAS_JUGGLE?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. The thought that anyone here --

wants O to fail is just a load of crap.

I WANT HIM TO SUCCEED.

I just think the paths he has chosen are leading to his (and ultimately our) failure. :(

[BurtWorm]

7. I want him to succeed at being a smart, progressive president.

If he has it in him to be progressive. I'm not worried about the smart part, unless he's too smart by half trying to get Republicans to go along with the program.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

12. I don't think he has true progressivism --

in him. :( He appears to be all about what can be accomplished, even if teh result is crap. Any notion he was progressive was thrown out when he hired Emmanuel as COS. And his deal with PHARMA sure didn't help. Nor did his healthcare meetings sans any single payer participents.

We will continue to have to wait for a President who is truly about the people.

[marylanddem]

8. Well put.

[global1]

6. I'm Hoping This Latest Issue With The Public Option And The House & Senate Is Just Theatrics.......

to keep the Repugs guessing what is going to happen. Keep them off balance. Let them think that the Dems are in disarray - then take them by surprise. I'm also hoping that this is a ploy to get President Obama to come in and save the day - and get the House & Senate on the same page - and come through at the last minute with a 'public option'.

I'm still full of 'hope'.

But if this goes down in flames because the Dems can't get it together amongst themselves - I through with the Dems.

Let the Dems get embarrassed by their lack of guts.

[marylanddem]

10. That possibility has occurred to me, too -

the extreme in wishful thinking...

[TheDebbieDee]

9. You're right. They're cool AND smart.

[Mz Pip]

11. so do I

I say that about all our presidents. I said it about Bush. I remember saying to my son after Bush was selected, "I really hope this turns out alright." I didn't have much confidence that it would, but we would all be in a much better place if it had. what a partisan hack Bush turned out to be. The politization of 9/11, the fear mongering, the war. None of that had to happen.

I certainly don't remember the Democrats hoping and praying for Bush to fail the way the Republicans are of Obama. I've cut Obama a lot of slack because of the huge mess he inherited. I never expected turning this around to be easy. But I am saddened by all that is happening in Washington. I don't think I've ever seen so much hatred in our political discourse in my life time.

I think I am more disappointed in Congress than I am with obama. Obama is right to point out they should start caring a bit more about the people and less about their jobs.

I'm not giving up, though.

[salguine]

13. Let me ask you this: Succeed at what, precisely?

Just saying you want them to succeed without saying what you actually want from them is meaningless. It sounds like you're using, as your yardstick for "success", whatever works out for them, without taking into account whether or not it's good for the People or the country.

Frankly, on pretty much all the issues I care about, this President is moving in precisely the wrong direction, and seeing how completely in thrall he seems to be to people who do not have the best interests of the People or the country at heart, it's very difficult for me to wish him success. Succeeding on those terms is going to help nobody at best, and hurt tens of millions of people at worst.

If I had any reason to believe he was in this thing for the working classes and the poor and the little guy, I'd have a whole lot easier time wishing him success.

[BurtWorm]

19. I want them to succeed at being progressives.

I want them to get health care reform through already, get whatever they're trying to do in Afghanistan done quickly and the troops out of harm's way, enact a jobs program that starts getting people who desperately need work to be hired, etc. And if they can succeed in those ways, I hope they succeed in getting the majority of Americans to support them for a second term.

[EFerrari]

15. Yep. n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

17. nice photo

[lamp_shade]

18. BIG SMILE on my face. Thanks.

[Toasterlad]

20. Succeed At WHAT?

The stuff they promised to do before they were elected, or the stuff they're doing NOW?

[BurtWorm]

21. The former.

Or should I say, the stuff I thought they were promising to do before the election.

[Toasterlad]

22. Yes, We All Wish That.

However, I wouldn't be holding my breath, were I you.

[BurtWorm]

23. I was only interrupting my disappointment to make a wish.

Not holding my breath.

;-)