Should Obama forcefully speak out against the brutal assault on Occupy Oakland protesters?

[Cali_Democrat]

[Arctic Dave]

1. I think the State Democratic Party should tell her to resign.

She is an embarressment to the party.

If they can force out other people for doing things that don't hurt anyone then they should drum her out.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Right after DOJ falls on them like bag of bricks

[FrenchieCat]

3. I think that he should, and sent a letter saying so.....

but that being said, I'm not going to single him out.

Those who need to make statements on this are....
Rep. Barbara Lee, as this is her district
Gov. Jerry Brown, as this is his state
Senators Boxer and Feinstein, as this is their state.

Considering that this is a State ran by Democrats 100%,
these folks to come out strongly, period.

[Irishonly]

7. Harris could also speak out too

I have written although I am not sure it has done any good. It makes me so angry my chest hurts.

[SwampG8r]

19. yes state dems first

it would not hurt to see the locals support this first

[Tarheel_Dem]

20. Thanks Frenchie. As usual, a voice of reason. I can't think of any modern day president...

who was ever expected to:

a) be everywhere at once,
b) speak out on every occurence in a country the size of the US;
c) put on his loafers and march in every protest;
d) control the actions of every overzealous police officer in the country;
e) never go on the teevee and smile while anyone in the world is unemployed or unhappy;
f) drop the hammer of the fed into, what used to be, state and local affairs;
g) dismantle the military cause there are no threats anywhere in the world;
h) never attempt "bipartisanship" (that's reserved for folks like Jane Hamsher/Norquist)
i) get 100% of what "we" want, or nothing at all;
j) stop by and pick up my Mama's dry cleaning on the way home.

And the list goes on & on! :eyes:

[Inuca]

26. I don't know about the rest

but I really thinkyou should pick your mama's dry cleaning yourself :-)

[Tarheel_Dem]

33. I would. However, the point remains that this president is expected to do it all.

Even babysit.



:rofl:

[coalition_unwilling]

21. Feinstein is a member of the 1%. I wouldn't hold my breath that

she will say anything of substance.

But I dig what you're saying, that's for sure.

I'm going to be emailing Boxer today.

[Inuca]

28. Rep. Lee has a short statement

on Kos http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/27/1030603/-Commenting-on-Occupy-Oakland?via=siderec where she also mentions that she contacted the mayor and her support for the occupy movement.

[vi5]

4. Only when he knows it will help him politically.

I mean honestly why should he stick his neck out unless he can be sure "independent" voters will like him more for it.

I mean after all he's President of the whole country and not just a bunch of hippie leftist losers, am I right?

















































:sarcasm:

[bigwillq]

5. Yes

As do US and State Reps. from Cali.

[izquierdista]

6. No

He should wag his finger and remind the occupiers to eat their peas.

[ellisonz]

8. He should condemn any physical altercation on either side.

[Cali_Democrat]

9. It's very one sided. The protesters aren't attacking the police

The police are the ones committing violence by macing peaceful people and launching flash bangs, rubber bullets and tear gas canisters.

The protesters have done nothing to invite this violence.

[ellisonz]

10. Exactly. It's smart politically.

Pokes the police in the eyes while at the same time helping to protect the protestors. I know they haven't really done much at all to justify it (some did throw tear gas canisters back), you know it, the protestors know it.

When was the last time the police were told by POTUS to not be violent? Answer that question, and you'll have won the point.

[certainot]

34. the problem is the republicans dominate messaging so taking sides is dumb

the think tanks can pump the media with a few images of protestors/provocatuers throwing rocks or hitting police and they have 1000 radio stations to keep pounding away.

[quakerboy]

35. Thats only half of it

Play this smart, as you say. He should condemn any violence by either side as you say, but step it up and praise several specific parties who have remained nonviolent. For instance the original OWS group, a police department in a city that has played nice, another city's occupiers who have done an admirable job.

But then he should step it up. Promise to pursue investigations at the federal level of any future acts of violence.

We don't need to have Obama as our advocate. We are our own advocate. And I am all in favor of the weight of the federal government being brought down on violent offenders on either side. It just happens to be almost (possibly without the almost) completely one sided so far.

[EffieBlack]

11. Police brutality and altercations occur across the nation on a regular basis

Is the President supposed to "forcefully speak out against" each incident? Or just those that certain people feel are relevant to them?

Funny how DUers are demanding that the President - who has absolutely no authority over the Oakland police - get involved in this matter, yet have not made similar demands of the elected representatives who are much closer to the situation.

And I thought that the President "speaking up" about things that he won't or can't do anything about was just "pretty words."

Oh, wait a minute. This isn't about getting anything done. This is about finding new and interesting ways to bash the President day after day after day no matter WHAT he says or does.

I almost forgot.

[BklnDem75]

12. +100

[EffieBlack]

13. I remember the outrage and snarking on DU when the President commented on Skip Gates' arrest

He was accused of all manner of ham-handed, amateurish, overreaching, playing the race card, etc. because he said he thought arresting a man (who happened to be his personal friend) in his own house was "stupid."

But now, all of a sudden, he's supposed to weigh in on this.

Hmmmmm.

[BklnDem75]

14. I swear I was thinking exactly of that time

How so many shrieked he should get involved until he actually got involved. Then he was blamed for not knowing the full story by the same 'concerned' citizens.

[TheKentuckian]

31. Yup, the Turd Way was beside themselves.

Me, I was behind his response 100%

Could have been firmer for me. Hmmmm....nothing. The scenario you describe most generally fits the "pragmatic" types

[Cali_Democrat]

15. So did you vote yes or no?

This specific poll does not demand he get involved in the matter.

[Arkana]

17. Yeah, I thought that too.

I thought his speeches were just "pretty words". If that's the case, why do you even care? Why should he bother trying to please you?

[Arkana]

16. This is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" for the President.

If he speaks, the OWS people will accuse him of trying to co-opt the movement.

If he doesn't, you folks will accuse him of supporting police brutality.

He's the President Who Can't Win.

[Cali_Democrat]

18. That's a matter of opinion

I do not think he would co-opt the movement if he spoke out against the OPD, but that's just my opinion. I'm sure other folks might disagree.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

32. agreed, he wouldn't co-opt the movement by doing so

But you can bet that there would be a significant section of DU and 'concerned' Dems on other sites that would be yelling that he was doing so from the rooftops

[Union Scribe]

24. Thank God that Obama isn't nearly the victim you all make him out to be.

[and-justice-for-all]

22. He would benefit more by supporting the 99%

then he would not supporting them.

[treestar]

23. No. What difference would that make?

The all powerful bully pulpit again?

[Bluenorthwest]

25. By his silence we can assume he supports the police in this.

He does not hesitate to intervene when he cares to. And his silence says it all.

[Inuca]

27. Nonsense

Things are not black & white and never that simplistic.

[Chemisse]

29. No. Presidents look foolish and trivialize themselves when they

come out and take a stand on a relatively minor local issue.

Remember how idiotic Bush looked when he condemned the sniper shootings around Washington? And didn't he make some asinine statement about not pulling the plug on Terry Shiavo?

[polichick]

30. Don't know, but he might want to pay a visit to Scott Olsen.