One of the most important commentaries on Speechdategate. Cenk:

[ProSense]

Is Obama Playing Rope-a-Dope?

by Cenk Uygur

<...>

President Obama has now changed the day of his address to Congress to accomodate the Republicans. They were having a GOP presidential debate on the original date he picked. So, Boehner told him to move his speech. He is the president for Christ's sake. Of course, they should have accomodated him, not the other way around. But as usual, President Obama bowed

<...>

These guys in the Obama camp are in for a horrible, rude awakening. Sometime in the next year, they are going to blink and realize they are lying flat on their back on the canvas. Then as they finally stumble up, they'll realize they should have started fighting 11 rounds ago. Then a panic will set in, but I'm afraid it will be too late by then.

Here is what all voters, and especially independents, despise and disdain in a politician -- weakness. Nobody wants to see their leader get beat to a pulp every night and then bow his head again.

There is no secret, brilliant strategy. This White House is in a bubble. They think they're winning when the roof is about to cave in.

:rofl:

[ProSense]

1. No comment? n/t

[MNBrewer]

6. The only thing left in the hagiographer's quiver is the emoticon

:rofl:

That's all.

[ProSense]

8. Was that

introspection?

[Hawkowl]

15. Thanks for posting the truth!

Kudos to Obama the punching bag! He makes Jimmy Carter look like Ali!

[CherylK]

17. +1

:toast:

[rfranklin]

2. I agree wholeheartedly...

People want to feel that there is someone strong looking out for them. This type of behavior will only create a perception of weakness. If the tables were reversed, the Republican president would have been backed by a 24/7 campaign saying "how dare they disrespect the Commander in Chief on such a super important topic critical to the safety of all Americans!"

[FrenchieCat]

4. They want a daddy!

and they will get one.....

meanwhile, they kick the person that they should be standing up for,
if they had any ounce of courage!

[FrenchieCat]

3. A 5th grader who likes to watch wrestling

must have written that!

and I'm sure a lot of 5th graders will agree with the opinion.

We want someone strong and resolute like Bush driving us off a cliff.
We want someone strong and resolute like Clinton, who signed off on
DOMA, DADT, Glass-Steagal repeal, Welfare reform and Nafta.

We want someone we can call BIG DOG!

Then, and only then we will be happy.

The weak black man has to suffer an increase of 400% in death threats, a wife is dogged out whenever possible, and people on both sides of the spectrum call him names daily in print, on the Internet and on the television with much disrespect.....

for that man to continue holding his head up high and going about his business for the nation and still be called weak, reflects only the weakness of those who would proclaim themselves the judge of all things from the privacy of their sound studio.

[Enrique]

5. I disagree

Cenk has a thing for fighting for fighting's sake. But some fights make no sense. It looks like the WH might have picked this fight, if they did, it was a mistake. This was a pointless fight. The fight is over one day difference in when the speech is given. I don't think everyone's like Cenk in this regard, I think if Obama fought on this they wouldn't cheer him they would say who cares about Wednesday vs. Thursday? The best thing to do was to end this pointless fight.

[MNBrewer]

7. Then it was incompetence!!!

shouldn't SOMEONE in the campaign apparatus have thought to check the Republican debate schedule?? Incompetence or weakness.... neither is exactly a great thing in an administration.

[ProSense]

9. Hmmm?

"SOMEONE in the campaign apparatus have thought to check the Republican debate schedule"

So the Obama administration should check the GOP schedule before making appointments?

Really?

Maybe the administration knew, and now it appears that the GOP is more interested in their debate than addressing jobs!

[Logical]

20. You just plain do not get it......

If they knew that day was the debate day then they knew the GOP would say no! So they picked a fight and did not fight!
If they didn't know then they are just flat out stupid!

[sad sally]

21. Could it possibly be that not everybody working for the President

has his best interests at heart?

We know that Boehner and the Republicans will do everything they can to make the President look bad, but did Mr. Daley and/or Mr. Pfeiffer set him up to look weak; did they coordinate their actions? Am guessing things just don't happen by accident in the White House.

"It all started when White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley called Boehner Wednesday morning to tell him about plans for the jobs speech.

The Speaker did not object, but, Republicans say, he had to look at logistics and did not expect WH Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer to tweet the details an hour later."

[high density]

24. When you know your opponent will gin up any lame controversy and use it against you...

... yes, you do check their schedule and try to avoid needless confrontation with them. This is especially true when you don't plan on defending yourself in any confrontation against them, a mode of operation that the White House has exhibited time and time again.

[ProSense]

28. Wow,

"yes, you do check their schedule and try to avoid needless confrontation with them."

Yeah, Boehner wouldn't have done this on any other date?

For all the handwringing about this, it appears the solution is to suggest that the President check the GOP's schedule before making a move or implying that Boehner would have acted reasonable if the President had suggested another date.

The short memory is laughable.

[vaberella]

10. And then sadly, mistakes happen because humans are involved. n/t

[stevenleser]

11. Com'on now Vabs, everyone knows if Obama critics choices were in there, there would be 0 mistakes

and everything they proposed would pass as is. Because they would use the bully pulpit, make a speech and a choir would play Handel's messiah and automatically everyone in congress would vote 'Yea' and then join for the chorus of "King of Kings and Lord of Lords..."

[sundancekid]

12. cenk never sees a sword on which he won't fall ...

the result???? death of his influence by a 1,000 self-inflicted cuts

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Cenk is simply expressing DU sentiment. Nothing new to see here.

This from the same guy who *used* to be a Republican calling someone else weak. Now that's audacity!

[bigdarryl]

14. Cenk makes a living at bashing the President I'm glad they took his ass off MSNBC

[Hawkowl]

16. I'm glad you've discovered spellcheck! nt.

[vroomvroom]

19. Sure Obama is a Center-Right President but damn it Cenk stop bashing my President! *huff/puff*

Yes polls show that America thinks Obama is weak and should fight republicans but i dont care i will accept whatever my president tells me to accept even if it means doing anything republicans want. Cenk is mean. To hell with the people, i love my president no matter what. Now more tax cuts for the rich and drill baby drill!

[Logical]

18. Cent is now on the GDP hate list! Here comes the bus!

[jefferson_dem]

22. What's a Cenk?

:rofl: Tool.

[CherylK]

23. Quoting Rush Limbaugh??!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/13/cenk-uygur-responds-to-ru_n_875792.html

:thumbsdown:

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

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

[jefferson_dem]

29. Actually, it's Cenk who's channeling Limbaugh....

in his persistent, breathless Obama bashing and typically "doom and gloom" electoral predictions for the Democrats.

Whatever. I hope both of Cenk's fans are impressed.

[Jakes Progress]

26. Cenk is right. And those who refuse to listen

are the ones he is talking about. If the administration and the enablers refuse to hear the public, keep demanding that they are the public, and write off the legitimate voices of anger and frustration, they will be the ones to blame for our nation becoming a reagan-topia.

[Beacool]

27. What I would like to know is who was the genius in the WH who decided to schedule

the President's speech on the same night as a Republican debate that had been in the planning for months? This whole mess could have been easily avoided.

:eyes:

[MNBrewer]

30. Someone gets paid a LOT of money to do that.

If they can't do any better, I volunteer for the job. I need one.