I am THRILLED that this man is our president!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

Regardless of how angry I get with him sometimes. Regardless of what some of my liberal brothers and sisters think, I think this nation is very blessed to have Barack Hussein Obama as our 44th President.

That is all.

:toast:

[muntrv]

1. Yes, Barack does speak far more intelligently than Dimson. We

don't have to hear "NOOKYOOLER."

[Kennah]

7. A caller to Ed Schultz some days or weeks ago commented ...

... you can see him thinking when he speaks. He paused, reflects, and responds based upon his thoughts.

I just wish he'd show more chutzpah. Not the Cowboy behavior of Bushie, but the assertiveness and thoughtfulness of FDR or Truman.

[tabatha]

2. Kick

:toast:

[pnwmom]

3. I'm proud of him, too. K & R.

[slay]

4. Why?

n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Good for you!

[deaniac21]

6. Yep, He's a doozy.

[Faygo Kid]

15. A doozy. You know where that phrase comes from?

Duesenberg. I wonder why?

[IrishEyes]

28. Is that picture from a car museum?

I have always loved Duesenbergs.

[Parker CA]

35. Geezus. That is a gorgeous automobile. nt

[deaniac21]

48. I already got one.

[underpants]

8. I am too - well before the election I said that it would take 10 years to crawl out of this hole

We have seen the inescapable reality that "Wall Street" is more powerful than our government.

I don't agree with everything HE has done but for the most part he is doing very well and most people feel the same way.

[Iwasthere]

11. He has made some great strides and gets little credit

When he took office we were saying, "How is he going to dig out this BIG mess?" The real work begins at the beginning of his second term imo. This goes against what most people believe, that second term Presidents produce less in that term. I think all the wackos are in for an awakening, a HUGH awakening!

[TheKentuckian]

43. Has Wall Street's power been diminished, or do they have an even greater hold on the economy?

Are the mega-banks smaller or have they captured even more of our GDP?

Has their influence waxed or waned?

[KaryninMiami]

9. I'm with you completely! K&R

I sometimes think of my relationship with him like one would have with a spouse. Sometimes he's amazing, sometimes he's just ok, sometimes I'm disappointed, other times totally baffled by his decisions and other times, I get really pissed off. But then he pulls one of those amazing things again- like he's doing RIGHT NOW. And I fall back in love.

Yes We Can. That video used to make me cry every time I watched it or heard it playing. Ah. The good old days when it all seemed so simple. It was just about getting him elected! :)

We are so lucky that he is our President. So very, very fortunate.

[here_is_to_hope]

14. Yeah, I know, a speech! Wow!

He knows english! How cool is that?

[Phx_Dem]

10. I am too. He's smart, thoughtful and pragmatic and he doesn't let the

the shrill and usually misinformed screachers on the far right or the far left affect his decision-making.

I can't wait to vote for him again.

[Scurrilous]

12. K & R

:thumbsup:

[JuniperLea]

13. Wait...

Am I in the right place?

Huh... this is really something! REC!

[Chris_Texas]

16. Wow... seriously?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

29. AbsoFUCKINGlutely!!!

:)

[madamesilverspurs]

17. Concur.

K & R

[bluestateguy]

18. There are and will be plenty of times when I disagree with him on issues and tactics

but I agree with you.

Thank God he is the president.

[calimary]

80. True enough.

Yeah it's frustrating, but it could be a LOT worse. At least he's OURS. Think of the alternative.

:scared: :puke: :banghead:

[Milspec]

19. I too

K & R

[leftygolfer]

20. here here

succinct and well stated

[opihimoimoi]

21. KnR way better than President Palin or McCramps ever could....

[krawhitham]

22. Kick

[Auntie Bush]

23. Me too!

:toast: From me to you.

[DFab420]

24. On no! I hit unrec by accident I'm sorrY!

Kick and rec.

[polmaven]

44. I have made up for that!

This is definitely a post to REC :toast: :kick:

[ClarkUSA]

25. There's good reason Pres. Obama restored America's top standing in the world after Bush II.

We're not the only ones who feel this way. He is, after all, the most popular world leader by far. Again, for good reason.

[here_is_to_hope]

27. lol...

hook a brother up with a link please.



And fuck this "we" shit.

[ClarkUSA]

31. Look it up. Google is your friend. Or check DU GDP archives.

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

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

[jenmito]

37. Here ya go, brother:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146771/Worldwide-Approval-Leadership-Tops-Major-Powers.aspx

[RichGirl]

26. Me too!

I question him and then he speaks and I think..."oh yeah, he's smarter than me, he knows more about this than me."

I trust him. And that's a good feeling because I don't have to constantly wring my hands worrying.

[Wait Wut]

53. Amazin', ain't it?

I'm no genius, but I'm no Palin, either. I can have whatever issue "all figured out" and our President has to come out and make me feel like a complete moran. I like that. It isn't easy to get me to change my stance on anything.

[IrishEyes]

30. I think he is great.

He is intelligent, kind, hardworking and diplomatic. I'm less nervous about things because I trust him. I don't agree with him about everything but I know that he listens respectfully to different views. I know that he is highly intelligent. So much better than anyone the republicans have.

[JitterbugPerfume]

32. K&R

I thought the speech was wonderful. I think he is one in a million and we are fortunate to have him.

[The Hitman]

33. Yes. But... sigh...

It's a shame that people like you appear to be in the minority here at DU.

[polichick]

34. The post-speech glow!

[here_is_to_hope]

40. Need a smoke?

:-)

[polichick]

47. LOL - DU could use several packs but none for me, thanks...

I don't tune in for the sweet talk anymore.

[Maven]

52. NYT: "Echoes of Bush in Obama's speech"

But then NYT is not credible, unless they're praising Obama, in which case they're the gold standard.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

60. Better than the stench of bitterness.

;)

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[politicasista]

38. Kick

:kick: :patriot:

[disillusioned73]

41. Actions speak louder than words..

[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

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

[AngryAmish]

45. I am sure you are

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

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

[Kablooie]

49. I agree with another post. His weakness is in negotiating.

There have been leaders who bully opponents to accept their views.
There have been leaders who are fantastic salesmen and persuade opponents so accept their views.
There have been leaders who lie to trick opponents into accepting their views.
Obama is none of these.

He uses pragmatic logic presented with impressive oratory.
This creates an admirable impression but is not persuasive to his belligerent, unintelligent opponents.

As a result he concedes to his opponent's views more often than he should.

[mochajava666]

57. You are right, and that is a flaw that totally cripples him

as a leader.

These are tough times, and we need strong leadership.

He could have been a good president in another time. For these times he is an epic failure.

[tweeternik]

50. Couldn't agree more!!

:fistbump:

[Maven]

51. Whatever it takes to keep that feeling of euphoria going.

I hear sniffing a Vicks inhaler works really well.

[teabaghater]

54. Very disappointed

with Obama. I don't know if the Repubs "got" to him or that was his ideology anyway. He scammed us. He wanted to be the first black president, he made it, that's all he wanted to accomplish. We're still in Iraq, Afganistan and now Libya. Guantanamo is still open for business, single payer never happened, on and on. I'm with Dennis Kucinich. What's to be proud of? Cause he's a good speaker? That's why we voted for him? Because he could speak? I wish Hillary would've won, at least she doesn't have any misgivings about "bi-partisianship".

[Ter]

55. Interesting topic that goes up after Obama gives a pro-war speech

They are no threat to us.

[StarburstClock]

56. Yes, regardless of what liberals think

Well said, that's exactly his platform. According to his ex-adviser we're "f__ing retarded".

[Avalux]

58. Me too. He was clear about Libya.

We cannot force regime change, the people must do it themselves. That one little detail seems to get lost in the cacophony. Sure we can help out by protecting them from genocide, or bombing the evil despot's forces/capabilities, but we cannot do the work for the people; look at Iraq. I don't know why this is so hard to understand.

[babylonsister]

59. Thank you. I agree. nt

[TK421]

61. I would totally drink his bath water!

:-)

[ProudDad]

62. Yeah, Right...

:rofl:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x762816

He should be forced to return the Nobel Peace Prize...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

63. Luckily, I'm not that shortsighted. There's a difference between disagreeing vehemently

with him and--IN THE LARGER SCHEME OF THINGS--being relieved that he is our president.

Dealing in absolutes is for wingnuts.

[ProudDad]

64. There is absolutely no area of human endeavor

economy, war, Peace, survival of the Earth as a viable habitat for large air-breathing mammals...

That the (corporate) selection of Obama over McCain in '08 has changed in any appreciable way...

You confuse form with substance by preferring the one model over the other...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

67. No, I'm a pragmatist and a realist. I see what's on the ground, accept it, try and change it

through my vote, and hope for the best.

If you want more progressive outcomes, writing blogs won't get the job done.

It used to be that progressives worked harder at the grassroots level. For the last 30 years or so, we have abdigated that task to the wingnuts. Were are the true progressive activists? On blogs? Bitching on progressive websites? That's not going to get us the win.

If we truly want change, blaming one man isn't going to do it. We lost a lot because there are cowards in the House and Senate posing as Democrats. Luckily a lot of them were defeated, a la Blanche Lincoln.

Now we confront this reality: Because not enough of us got out and voted in 2010, we are faced with a House full of batshit crazy nuts. In the Senate, there are still cowardly Democrats who are only concerned about being brandished a "liberal" than they are about upholding traditional Democratic Party principles.

Yes, Obama should be a stronger leader. Perhaps he needs to use the bully pulpit more effectively. Perhaps the messaging is just God-awful, a corporate media notwithstanding.

However, as I said before, it is too simplistic to point the finger at one man when all these other conditions are in place.

Asking us to be realistic isn't too much. Working hard to elect more progressives at the local level is what we need to be striving for. wingnuts now dominate most state legislatures, most judges are hard right wing, and most of the governors are Republicans. We have to take some responsibility for that.

[creon]

69. agreed

I agree.

Organize.

Organize at the local level.

Recruit good, competent and honest progressives to run for Congress. Get them elected.

That is how you get the progressive majority that is necessary for the passage of progressive legislation.


And:

Obama has taken note of that the failure to organize and work. Do not think that he has not taken notice.

[ProudDad]

78. Are you in the streets?

Do you put YOUR body on the line?

Do you work dozens of hours a month on demonstrations, rallies and pickets?

I do...

That's why you seldom see me anymore on this silly democrat circle jerk...I'm out there doing shit!

And you're wasting your fucking time with "voting" for either Tweedleedee OR Tweedleedum...

Either way, you're voting against your own self-interest voting for state and national democans OR republicrats...

You ARE right about electing REAL Progressives at the local level being our only chance.

In fact, I've had to give up on the state (Arizona, nuff' said?) and our only chance is local...

But local Progressives in Arizona are mostly a timid group of democrats...alas...

but we continue to try to keep the pressure on...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

65. He's doing a great job and it is a tough one!

[Ramulux]

66. Congratulations

You are the reason the democratic party will never actually stand for anything. Why would Obama listen to anything the left in this country has to say, if you are going to support him regardless of how terrible his policy positions are?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

74. No! You elect more progressives at the local level. That's how you win.

Not by bitching and being a smart-ass on a website!

Work to elect more progressives at the local level, then you can come back and bitch at me.

[Ramulux]

77. Who said I wasn't?

I was unaware that commenting on this website automatically meant that I am not involved in local politics.

[creon]

68. not disappointed

I am not disappointed in Obama. He is one of the few adults in the political class. Most of the remainder are blind kittens.

We are in period driven by fear and anger; an era in which many people are the prisoner of their passions.

Perhaps, Obama is the right man at the wrong time. Obama is too reasonable and too logical and too lawerly for this age of hyperventilation.

We shall see.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

70. He's a better president than any Republican for decades, but not as good as a left-winger would be.

So, about the best that could have been hoped for in a country with an electorate as right-wing as the US.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

72. Until the country changes its views on liberalism, he's probably the most liberal candidate

we'll ever have, sadly. We can change it from the bottom-up! Elect more progressive Democrats at the local level. We are getting killed by wingnut Republicans/Teabaggers on the local level. The Republicans have done such a great job working from the bottom and getting their folks in these lower level positions. It does have an affect on macro-level policy. Are we not witnessing this firsthand with what's going on in the Washington, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, etc. state legislatures??

[ProudDad]

79. Define "Liberal"?

If you asked the right questions you would find that most USAmericans ARE Progressive in their basic value system.

They really believe in fairness, justice, relative equality of opportunity -- even most tea baggers would agree on those basic principles and values...

But they're brainwashed by the corporate capitalist funded repulicrat/democan Duopoly into believing that their enemy is the other working class person of a different "party"...

instead of realizing that our common enemies are easily seen by looking UP in the dominant hierarchy...

The rich fucks who own and game the system to their advantage and their employees both Democan and Repulicrat are the enemy and until a critical mass sees that, we're going nowhere fast.

Cheers;

[Fire1]

71. Me too. Kick. n/t

[lindalou65]

73. Obama

Yes! I agree with you. He has made some great strides and for some reason, people spend a lot of time finding fault with him. Can't they see the overall big picture of the progress he has made---instead we see a lot of nit-picking. Of course he makes mistakes and he cannot please everyone in this country. He is leaps and bounds better than Bush and there are few who could do better than he given what he inherited in terms of the economy, two wars and other issues. I think he should be given more credit and support from his people.

[DeadEyeDyck]

75. As b.b. king used to sing...

The thrill is gone.

[kjackson227]

76. ... and as Smokey Robinson says...

"I second that emotion".