Obama 2.0 -- "common cause w/Republicans" on education reform, trade and energy

[nashville_brook]

so like, Obama thinks he hasn't been nice enough to the GOP. gotcha.



http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/magazine/17obama-t.html?_r=3&hp=&pagewanted=all

Change is coming?

While proud of his record, Obama has already begun thinking about what went wrong — and what he needs to do to change course for the next two years. He has spent what one aide called “a lot of time talking about Obama 2.0” with his new interim chief of staff, Pete Rouse, and his deputy chief of staff, Jim Messina. During our hour together, Obama told me he had no regrets about the broad direction of his presidency. But he did identify what he called “tactical lessons.” He let himself look too much like “the same old tax-and-spend liberal Democrat.” He realized too late that “there’s no such thing as shovel-ready projects” when it comes to public works. Perhaps he should not have proposed tax breaks as part of his stimulus and instead “let the Republicans insist on the tax cuts” so it could be seen as a bipartisan compromise.

(snip)

Rouse and Messina see areas for possible bipartisan agreement, like reauthorizing the nation’s education laws to include reform measures favored by centrists and conservatives, passing long-pending trade pacts and possibly even producing scaled-back energy legislation. “You’ll hear more about exports and less about public spending,” a senior White House official said. “You’ll hear more about initiative and private sector and less about the Department of Energy. You’ll hear more about government as a financier and less about government as a hirer.”

Obama expressed optimism to me that he could make common cause with Republicans after the midterm elections. “It may be that regardless of what happens after this election, they feel more responsible,” he said, “either because they didn’t do as well as they anticipated, and so the strategy of just saying no to everything and sitting on the sidelines and throwing bombs didn’t work for them, or they did reasonably well, in which case the American people are going to be looking to them to offer serious proposals and work with me in a serious way.”

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[villager]

2. Above all else, we must remain terrified, feckless and ineffective in face of the GOP minority!

Otherwise, people with lots and lots of money might be displeased...

[nashville_brook]

5. this message - "GOP, our friend" - is incomprehensible going into an ugly election.

and it's simply wrong. what has the GOP done for him/us so far? how many votes came across the aisle?

[Lorien]

52. Not really. If his goal all along is to pass a centrist/ right wing pro-corporate agenda

then giving power to the GOP makes perfect sense. They're banking on a GOP takeover of the house and Senate. If that happens, they'll blame the "professional Left" and their base, then quietly slap their corporate benefactors on the back while claiming that the Right is "forcing" them to extend tax cuts for the rich, expand offshore drilling, privatize schools, cut social spending and so forth. The Obama administration looks like a helpless victim that we'll need to vote into office again with the hope that THIS time they'll really fight for Change.

[readmoreoften]

56. +1

[WinkyDink]

3. How long does it take to learn a lesson?

[nashville_brook]

6. drug test the left, but invite the right in for their house-warming party.

[Smashcut]

18. For us or for him?

Who needs to do the learning here?

[hendo]

28. Both?

After all some of us drank the kool aid as early as the primaries, myself included.

[Tesha]

23. Just a smidgen under three years and ten months.

From January 20th, 2011 to November 3rd, 2012.

Tesha

[DirkGently]

4. So, no matter how the Republicans do in the midterms, we're to assume they'll be more reasonable?

Ugh.

[nashville_brook]

8. Sharron Angle, Carl Palamino, Rand Paul -- these are not reasonable/sensible people

[DirkGently]

21. Watching KO talk about this now ... Richard Wolf seems to share your concern re:

"navel gazing during a campaign," de-energizing the base, etc.

[nashville_brook]

22. sam seder is on now talking about RE 10-level chess. waving the white flag for victory?

and...he just mentioned Social Security. what's Obama 2.0 going to look like with regard to that?

[dflprincess]

31. I'm not optimistic

if Obama's already worried about looking like a "tax and spend liberal".

Obama? Liberal? :wtf:

[nashville_brook]

47. how f'n DISGUSTING is it for a Dem to actually use that phrase. holy shite.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

44. "..Social Security..."

I am terrified. Really, I am. He has shown himself perfectly willing to sell us out on a variety of issues. Between the faux Dems and the GOPers, he will have ample opportunity to go right on SS and get all the backing be wants. :(

I think the next two years could be a nightmare. Some of Clinton's most damaging legislation came during the second part of his term.

[Brickbat]

7. It's clear to me that this administration isn't interested in the fact that whatever it does, the

Republicans will not change their tune. So I can only assume that whatever the Republicans are doing is just fine, according to this administration. What a complete and utter bust.

[nashville_brook]

10. just when we're actually starting to feel solid ground underfoot, the rug gets yanked out again.

[Brickbat]

13. Oh, I haven't been feeling solid ground on this one for quite some time.

But then, I'm a crabby old bitch. :P

[nashville_brook]

17. heh heh -- i'm feeling pretty crabby too!

[DirkGently]

27. It seems like he thinks whatever problem arises politically, the antidote is to move right. It's not

[ibegurpard]

80. It is if that's what he believes

[geek tragedy]

9. Facepalm regarding the last paragraph. nt

[rucky]

38. I guess the internal polling is not looking good. n/t

[Starry Messenger]

11. And if we object it's because we want the Republicans to win.

:crazy:

[nashville_brook]

12. well, maybe this will put the kibosh on that -- it's about OUR future, not his.

[pgodbold]

14. I voted for a brilliant statesman. I won’t say what I got. Would bring down too much heat.

[MadHound]

15. Well then,

I guess he just doesn't need those votes from teachers and those of us who are actually left of center. Then again, he also said he would be satisfied with just one term.

Enjoy your early retirement Obama, I'm seriously doubting that I can pull the lever for you again.

[Vincardog]

42. No he just doesn't need those votes from teachers and those of us who are actually left of RIGHT

Does anyone think Obama wants a GOP legislature so he can be FORCED to do the OWNER's bidding?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

45. Read my post below --

it is the only answer to this madness we are seeing coming from them.

[Lorien]

53. Yep. The game plan seems pretty clear. nt

[msongs]

16. every dem in the country has learned the lesson about repubs except obama, who refuses nt

[nashville_brook]

20. reading the whole article, he's running AWAY from the good things he's done...

instead of standing up for them.

is this more 10-level chess?

[BuelahWitch]

19. He must be manufactured by Microsoft

Version 2.0 sounds more buggy than 1.0...

[nashville_brook]

24. I downloaded the Obama iPhone app.

It immediately moved to the center of my screen and put up a long message explaining why it wasn't able to do anything.

Then it asked me to pray.


:evilgrin:

[jgraz]

34. Hey!

Somehow that quote rings a bell... :P

[nashville_brook]

60. heheh -- one of my all-time favorites!!!

[Karmadillo]

25. One keeps thinking he can't get worse, but he keeps getting worse.

nt

[BuelahWitch]

29. What did Einstein call doing the same thing over and over again

and expecting different results? Oh yeah...

[bvar22]

26. Obama needs to find his inner Truman:

"I've seen it happen time after time. When the Democratic candidate allows himself to be put on the defensive and starts apologizing for the New Deal and the fair Deal, and says he really doesn't believe in them, he is sure to lose. The people don't want a phony Democrat. If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat, and I don't want any phony Democratic candidates in this campaign."---HS Truman

Or maybe Obama has no inner Truman.

[kenny blankenship]

41. If it's true that he will react by trying to "find common cause with Republicans"

then I'd prefer that he find his inner Nixon and just resign.

[nashville_brook]

65. ouch!

like a hammer to a nail in my forehead.

[Tatiana]

30. Maybe Obama is trying to psych the Repubs out...

If not, he is the one that needs to be drug-tested. I say this as a supporter of the President.

[laughingliberal]

32. More cooperation with Republicans?

All that gets us is more failed Republican policies and blame for the failures. Every time.

[DirkGently]

70. So recent history would indicate. This is a head-scratcher.

[Rex]

33. Obama always plays peacemaker and the GOPukers always

laugh in his face and steal HIS ball and run home. Must be nice to be that serene.

[DirkGently]

37. I admire his composure, and get why Obama can't be as "angry" as some would like. But there's serene

and then there's getting walked on, or giving good faith where none is due. As long as the Republicans are playing an all-or-nothing game, even if Obama wants to be more reasonable than they, he just cannot continue giving them the benefit of the doubt and talking about expecting them to suddenly do the right thing.

[nashville_brook]

59. selling out your party and your people is not sensible in any sense of the word.

[jgraz]

35. Just astonishing

I can't imagine a more politically tone-deaf statement to make 3 weeks before an election, but I'm sure if I wait a bit, Obama will give me an even worse one.

[Lorien]

55. He will. Especially if there's a Dem surge in the polls

the last thing he wants is another solid-or even bigger-Dem majority. Makes passing anti-progressive policy tougher.

[nashville_brook]

61. perhaps he's bought into the Chamber 'O Commerce line about GOP victory will revive the economy

willing to sell us out, much?

[Yuugal]

36. K&R

[bullwinkle428]

39. This will surely fire up the base for 2012!

[nashville_brook]

64. yeah -- the right wing base!

[AndrewP]

40. The President is expecting a reasonable and responsible Republican party

Which is why he is unbelievably wrong if this is how he actually feels.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

43. Holy hell, I called it back in August!

From a letter I sent to O back in August after the Gibbs' Hill article:

"I can see only two reasons for Mr. Gibb's statements:

1) You wanted to polish your "moderate/pro-corporate" cred (and fundraising) before the midterms and feel completely comfortable shitting on your base because you are confident they will take it and still show up to vote for the Democrats come November and 2012. After all, where else do they have to go? Right?

2) You want liberals to be discourage and to stay home. Why? I dunno, maybe it's because it is easier to be in the minority -- easier to explain away why you can't get a solid Democratic agenda (that perhaps was unwanted in the first place) through Congress, easier to huff and puff about how bad the GOP is without having to actually accomplish anything futher or, worse, easier to sell out traditional Democratic values in order to get the GOP support you would then need to get anything through.

Which ever the case, it is wildy cynical. Ugly. Unbefitting a Democratic President."

For the next two years we will have to be MEGA VIGILANT because we are about to be taken for a very nasty ride that will make the "compromises" of the last two years look like the good ol' days.

What will we do when the "enemy" belongs to our camp?

[nashville_brook]

46. Social Security comes to mind as a tender lamb they'd be drooling over.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

49. Bingo.

That is the biggie folks in BOTH Parties would love to get their filthy hands on. Making sure it doesn't happen will be the fight of or lives. :(

[nashville_brook]

58. i never thought we'd have to drag the Dems along with us on this one. my, how times have changed.

[Lorien]

54. Bingo. The worst thing that could happen to team Obama is a BIGGER Dem majority

I'd love it if that happened!

[glitch]

48. Since the House is actually worth something to us, and the most at risk this election

Pelosi needs to come back swinging at how the House is the only thing standing between a GOP/DLC bi-partisan firesale of what is left of our country.

[nashville_brook]

50. Pelosi has actually been swinging, somewhat, lately, which has had me wondering if she wasn't

losing support from the "higher ups."

[glitch]

51. She has been swinging a bit at the Senate.

Have you seen her swinging at the WH? They seem to be actively undermining her ability to retain leadership.

[FiveGoodMen]

57. The right wing is my enemy

I want to vote for representatives (in the House, the Senate, and the White House) who share my views.

Obviously the Democrats do not share my views.

They like and respect those who I consider to be the enemy.

Hmmmm.

[highplainsdem]

62. Not "change you can believe in" but "compromise to appease the right."

I suppose it could be worse, but it's hard to imagine how.

He needs to listen to people like Robert Reich, not Rouse and Messina.

[nashville_brook]

63. this is miles worse than slagging down "the professional left." this is undermining the Dem BRAND

what's there to run on if there's going to be no push back from Dem leadership on the GOP? i actually believe that FOR MOST ELECTED DEMS, there's a big difference between them and the GOP. But he's making it difficult to make that case for the WH.

[highplainsdem]

67. I agree.

[Junkdrawer]

66. Well, we all knew the hyper-liberal first two years wouldn't continue....

:banghead:

[nashville_brook]

72. what a whirlwind of radical change they were!

[Odin2005]

68. GET A FUCKING SPINE!!!

:grr:

[nashville_brook]

71. here you go!

[highplainsdem]

69. kick

[Autumn]

73. More trying for common cause with Republicans

after the midterm elections? Haven't we fucking done that enough already?

[ibegurpard]

74. wow, how encouraging

[Danger Mouse]

75. Speechless. I am speechless.

[nashville_brook]

77. what happened to the barn burning rhetoric from the college campuses...remember? He's back, and all

that? why the hell do he do this -- instead of doing a few more barn burning speeches. why not wait until AFTER the election for the conciliation speech?

[jeanpalmer]

76. What did the Republicans deny him?

Health insurance reform? Financial reform? His troop increase? Unemployment benefits exyension? They opposed him on all but the war, but they didn't succeed. So why was he so concerned about them?

[QC]

78. HOPETASTIC! n/t

[ibegurpard]

79. kicking this disgusting crap so everyone can see just what "progress"

we have in store for us.
:puke:

[Elwood P Dowd]

81. "...passing long-pending trade pacts..." ???? Just what we need Obama.

More leftover Bush negotiated fake free trade deals to ship millions more jobs out of the country. I'm beginning to think the man has lost his fucking mind.

[nashville_brook]

82. maybe he's become a 'Fringe' shapeshifter

[undeterred]

83. Can't wait for the 2012 primary.

I'm eager for a Democratic candidate who acts like a Democrat.