Glenn Greenwald on Obama The Chess Player, and HCR. Sure sounds familiar.

[timeforpeace]

From Salon 12/16/2009

White House as helpless victim on healthcare

Of all the posts I wrote this year, the one that produced the most vociferous email backlash -- easily -- was this one from August, which examined substantial evidence showing that, contrary to Obama's occasional public statements in support of a public option, the White House clearly intended from the start that the final health care reform bill would contain no such provision and was actively and privately participating in efforts to shape a final bill without it....

UPDATE: It's also worth noting how completely antithetical claims are advanced to defend and excuse Obama. We've long heard -- from the most blindly loyal cheerleaders and from Emanuel himself -- that progressives should place their trust in the Obama White House to get this done the right way, that he's playing 11-dimensional chess when everyone else is playing checkers, that Obama is the Long Game Master who will always win. Then, when a bad bill is produced, the exact opposite claim is hauled out: it's not his fault because he's totally powerless, has nothing to do with this, and couldn't possibly have altered the outcome. From his defenders, he's instantaneously transformed from 11-dimensional chess Master to impotent, victimized bystander.

The supreme goal is to shield him from all blame. What gets said to accomplish that goal can -- and does -- radically change from day to day.

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2009/12/16/white_house/index.html

[babylonsister]

1. Ahh, you finally contributed something like a link! Props! nt

[QC]

3. Maybe someday you'll manage to contribute something other than snark and bullying.

I'm not going to hold my breath while I wait, though.

[polichick]

6. I was going to say, "Don't hold your breath," but you already covered it! nt

[Cha]

7. Shows you don't anything about whom you're addressing.

.

[QC]

8. Shouldn't you be freshening up the flowers on the shrine? n/t

[Cha]

11. Yeah, you have nothing.

[babylonsister]

9. Huh? Because I don't have the same opinion as you, I'm

contributing snark and bullying? I think I contribute a lot of news that might otherwise be ignored. I'm very sorry you have such a bad opinion of me. And there ain't a damned thing I can do about that. But thanks for letting me know where you're coming from.

[ProSense]

2. He wrote a post about Obama playing chess?

:rofl:

Go ahead, blame him.

[FrenchieCat]

4. Everyone is Blaming Obama, including Greenwald.....

So why in the fuck is Greenwald writing an article about how everyone is saying no to blame Obama, when every single article, including Greenwalds, says exactly that Obama is to blame?

Is Mr. Greenwald playing his own game of "Twister"?

[ProSense]

5. .

:rofl:

[Cha]

10. glen greenwald is a hyperbolic

disingenuous asshole.

[chill_wind]

12. "Why did Gibbs never publicly criticize people like Blanche Lincoln

, Ben Nelson, Joe Lieberman and the like if they were supposedly obstructing and impeding the White House's agenda on health care reform (this is a point Yglesias acknowledges as a "fair" one)? Having a Democratic White House publicly criticize a Democratic Senator can be a much more effective pressure tactic than doing so against a former Governor who no longer holds office."

Yes, indeed.

[Phx_Dem]

13. Gee, maybe because we need their fucking votes.

Ever think of that? You people behind closed doors, not in public.

:eyes:

[chill_wind]

14. Yglesias makes the same point.

http://twitter.com/mattyglesias/statuses/6740709543

Don't know what to tell ya.