I want to apologize for a post

[sasha031]

Yesterday I was listening to Thom Hartmann lunch with Bernie. The discussion was based on cuts to the big three, continued tax breaks for the rich, lack of focus on jobs, etc. On the second 1/2 of the show one of the callers asked who would Senator Sanders recommend as a primary challenge to the President. I could of sworn Bernie said something that he is thinking about it.

I immediately posted it on DU, afterwords I was in doubt of what I just posted. So I went over to Hartmanns message board and asked had Bernie had made such a statement.A got a couple of messages back saying he is thinking about it.

My point is, I have been critical of the POTUS out of fear that our whole political system has moved so right it's terrifying. Not having looked at the big picture of what the President is up against at all times as made me somewhat closed minded and disappointed.

Never mind having to deal with the lunatics of the right, debt negotiations, high unemployment and all the other crisis facing our nation, and now trying to deal with Standard and Poors downgrade on top of everything else. One of my favorite quotations that Joe Biden has used in the past is "never judge a man until you have walked in his shoes" too bad I forgot it for a time.

I love Bernie Sanders, Vermont the Senate and all of us are blessed to have him. This is not the time to talk about primary's and not stand behind the President. I will vote, contribute and support President Obama for 2012.

[elleng]

1. Thanks for adding to the sanity, sasha.

[Ineeda]

2. Me, too.

Many of us forget the monumental battles he's fighting, on so many fronts. (Please excuse the war-theme metaphor, which I normally hate, but I believe it's apropos. It really is a war.)

[BeFree]

3. But it is fun

Besides, for the most part it is just chitter-chatter.

I highly respect your position, sasha, it is unifying and intelligent.

My advice, tho, would be to never forget your words:
"...fear that our whole political system has moved so right it's terrifying."

It is a struggle we have to fight on every front. NGU.

[TBF]

11. Fun? Fun for whom? People with too much money and time on their hands?

No, this is not recess. This is serious to 95% of the country that is falling further into poverty with each day (and an assist from our president, not to mention the assholes on the other side of the aisle).

[mrcheerful]

4. Thats ok we all fall for GOP scare tactics especially when the D president starts

talking about cuts to the big 3. I had a gut feeling Obama did that because the public started blaming him for the crap congress was pulling, by putting everything including the big 3 on the table he made it clear that the GOP were not willing to work with him. People tend to forget that D's are held to a higher standard then R's. If Obama had tried making power grabs like Bush 43 did he would find himself up on impeachment hearings faster then you could say Obama. Now even the MSM are calling out the GOP for not being willing to work with the president, Agent Orange, Canter and McConnell walking out of meetings and saying they are going to take their case to the senate to the MSM shows them for what they are.

[wryter2000]

7. Agent Orange

:rofl: :applause:

[sasha031]

10. Thank you, agent orange!!! that's brillaint

:hi: :rofl:

[butterfly77]

17. I believe..

that he also put the cuts on the table because he knew that after this they would still come at him in some other matter to get cuts,after this debt ceiling thing so,he put it all on the table so that they could not say he didn't want to cut anything.


I also think that the cuts he put out there were probably small enough where it really wouldn't effect people that much in the long run but,the republiCONS wanted slash and burn..

Every time,the republiCONS come on television talking about cuts the host/commentator should ask them how much do they want to cut from their pay and benefits package.

Every time the republiCONS say when are we going to stop bringing up Bush the answer should be when they stop talking about how great Reagan was..

[wryter2000]

5. K&R

You heard the discussion right. Bernie wasn't thinking about a serious challenge. He and Thom were tossing around the idea of threatening or doing a challenge to bring Obama back toward the left.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. Thank you, Sasha. It took a LOT to have this change of mind in the environment currently at DU

For me, I cannot believe that a man, who was raised in a single family home, who saw his mother struggle and need food stamps (coupon books back in his time), who watched the woman he loved so deeply fight against insurance companies to get the treatment she so needed, and who was made to suffer what it's like to be black in America, would suddenly go loony-Right.

I just can't believe it, just like I can't believe that a white, privileged male would be a good president for this country since he's never suffered, and he doesn't know what it's like for 98% of the American people barely surviving on minimum wage and long, long work days.

I believe, in my heart and gut, that President Obama knows four years aren't enough to do what this country needs. He knows he needs to appeal to Independents if he's going to win a second term, knowing our history, and that President Clinton won a second term as first Democratic President in decades. He knows he needs to appear "moderate" if he's going to take away the Independent vote from the GOP this election, or they'll win. He understands that.

But I doubt, seriously doubt, he's working to destroy our imperfect social safety net. In fact, he knows what Congress we're up against, and what he has to do to get anything through considering how the minority has hijacked power in Congress, and Reid doesn't appear to be strong enough to do anything about it.

In short, he's forced to work with a Congress we've sent him, and considering Republicans' penchant for stonewalling any progressive policies for 98% of Americans, and for some reason getting rewarded with more seats for this BAD behavior, President Obama needs to put all his smarts to work, strategizing, making shadow-movements, making sure the GOP does not dismantle this country right before our eyes, while finding ways to improve our country.

Even though I'm not pleased with the progress so far, I'm also aware he's the Executive, not the Legislative branch. I will be with you and stand, support, contribute, and vote for President Obama's second term.

Because it's the smartest thing to do.

[freshwest]

8. Thanks BlueCaliDem

[Ship of Fools]

22. Nicely put. Me too. Thanks!

[mmonk]

9. I disagree.

The big picture is that we remain on a rightward course.

[Hissyspit]

12. So he IS thinking about it?

Why apologize? If Bernie Sanders said that, I want to know it. All you did was tell us. Sanders has a right to do it. That's how our system works. You didn't say you approved or not in your original OP or opined on whether it was a good idea or not, best I can tell (unless you edited it before I saw it.)

If the post was factually incorrect that is another matter.

[sasha031]

13. as I said, I went to Hartmann's message board and asked after I posted here

they told me he was thinking about it. I adore Bernie, in 2008 I adore Obama. Now I'm hoping he moves back toward the left.

I do not want to see our party divided and have Romney slip in, that would be a disaster.
More than anything we have to take back Congress and increase seats in the Senate. I believe that is where our entire focus should be.

It's pretty scary, now the right a gaining in polls with poor white folks and all the redistricting isn't going to help.

[Hissyspit]

16. No need to apologize, though.

Yes, division would be bad. Hoped that, if Sanders were to do it as an independent, he would pull out, so to speak before any real damage, and not pull a Nader. But primaries can be healthy things.

[comtec]

14. I disagree now is the perfect time to TALK about a primary

Doing is completely different, but talking about it may rattle obama enough that he starts realizing that he's the g/d president and that it was when he shows spine -even if the gambit doesn't work- THAT'S when I want to vote for him.

When he said earlier NO, LINE IN THE SAND, or words to that effect about cuts in the big 3 (before he collapsed) I was really inspired, and filled with hope....

needless to say he then folded like a house of wet chinese cards, but he had me for a moment. i WANTED to vote for him.

TALK is the best thing we can do.... because god help him if we are driven into actual action...

[CreekDog]

15. not if he's agreeing to massive cuts to Medicaid (that undermine his health care law)...

not if he's agreeing to upping the Medicare age

vote for him? i've been a solid yes, although this actually has me worried about that.

and contribute? right now, thanks to those positions --the contributions to his campaign are OFF.

[Bluerthanblue]

18. this

is a post I'm very glad to have read, and to rec'd.

thank you for sharing your thoughts so well.

:hi:

[wundermaus]

19. unrecommended.

Those of us who have no standards wind up with tyrants and dictators... or worse: extinction.

[mfcorey1]

20. Good post. Kicked all over the board. nt

[rhett o rick]

21. Every time we compromise we lose a little bit more. How long will people go along with this?

You cant negotiate with terrorists, blackmailers and Republicans. You are just prolonging the inevitable. When will you stand and fight?

The Revolution is Waiting.

[bluestate10]

23. I am a supporter of President Obama. But I don't support all his decisions.

I do take a balanced view and look at the alternatives. The tact that some take toward our President is distressing at times, the job that he is doing in the face of difficult issues and hostile conservatives is a very good job. I doubt that any President in my lifetime could do better given the same set of issues.

[Maru Kitteh]

24. Fantastic and very moving post. nt

[Name removed]

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