Obama might as well be in Crawford -- where is he?

[KurtNYC]

Libya day 19. Wisconsin is 3 weeks old.

He lets Wall Street walk, keeps Gitmo open, says nothing (really) about Mubarak, nothing about Ghaddafi, nothing about Wisconsin.

Seriously -- what the heck is this guy doing all day long? If Bush was acting like this there would be criticism but now that Obama is in the criticism seems to be aimed mostly at FNC.

When is Obama going to lead ???

[ananda]

1. Don't get your hopes up.

Obama was never going to lead from any angle except rightwing corporate.

[stevenleser]

2. IBTL

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

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

[dionysus]

3. .

[PBS Poll-435]

21. I have sugar dripping out of my computer

Because that is the sweetest image EVER.

[MineralMan]

28. I am so going to steal that image.

:rofl:

[still_one]

4. My problem is what he is doing, and that is letting the republicans run the country /nt

[The Straight Story]

5. He has some said things - but he just needs to shine his peace prize in the sun

and then, like Shazam, he will turn into candidate Obama and save the day :rofl:

[mmonk]

6. Florida?

[KurtNYC]

25. with Jeb Bush ?

exactly. Didn't think of that.

[mmonk]

48. It was what came to mind.

I suppose he is lining up his budget that won't get passed and working on comparisons of budget cutting in the public sector, business tax cut proposals, education privatization, and comparing it with what the Republicans will try and force. I doubt he will do any considered controversial by the DC elites. An election is coming up.

[BlueIris]

7. Closing up shop.

I am expecting it any day.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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

[KurtNYC]

27. we ARE involved in the M.E. (like it or not, involved up to our eyeballs)

I want a leader! Is that so wrong ?

[MineralMan]

29. Try the gym if you're looking for a leader. President Obama

is busy running the country.

[KurtNYC]

32. that's pretty general. I think running the country involves taking a stand

on Wisconsin and Libya.

[MineralMan]

36. Do you think that? How nice.

Wisconsin is a state issue, and the people who live there seem to have the situation well in hand. What would Obama's input do? As for Libya, what would you have him do there? Bomb Tripoli? You want another ME war? Really? And what makes you think that all sorts of diplomatic communications are not going on? Do you believe that the President is not discussing this situation with other countries?

I'll email the President this morning and suggest that he share his thoughts with you after the morning briefing every day. I'm sure he's very concerned that you be fully informed of his every action.

Bye now!

[KurtNYC]

45. how is what you just wrote any different than what would be said

on a RW board about Bush ?

States rights (check)
don't question aurthority (check)
can't handle debate (check)

[MineralMan]

50. How is what you answered any different from actually answering

any of the questions people have raised here?

Not states rights. It's a local issue, confined within the borders of the state. President Obama can't change anything there, and the Wisconsinites seem to be taking care of business nicely. Again, what would you have him do there?

I always question authority. Then, I listen to their answer and form my opinion afterwards.

Is this a debate?

[sabrina 1]

94. Well, it appears the U.S. is considering military intervention in

Libya along with its NATO allies. Reported already this morning.

The Libyan people do not want foreign intervention. Hopefully these plans will involve what they have asked for, a no-fly-zone over their country but no foreign troops on the ground.

I do not have a problem with the U.S. staying out of Libya. No one trusts this country anymore so it would be counter-productive. Sad that we lost the moral authority to be able to help in situations like this, but that is the way it is now. As the protesters from several of those countries have made clear, they 'do now want our country brutalized by the Western powers as Iraq has been'. Can't blame them for that.

The 'democracy' we created in Iraq has been shooting and jailing peaceful protesters over the past week. Almost as bad as Libya. I don't think the U.S. has much credibility regarding advising people on democracy. Iraq and Afghanistan will stand as examples of that for a very long time, tragically.

However, domestically there are issues that need his attention.

[MineralMan]

100. I am opposed to intervention in the Middle East. Our history

of doing so has been abysmal, and has produced no good results. The people in the countries there need to decide for themselves what their governments should be, in my opinion. A no-fly zone deal might be OK, if supported by NATO and not solely done by the US. Maybe, although I'm not even sure about that.

In any case, President Obama has stated quite clearly, and in public, that he believes Qaddafi should step down. What more than that he's supposed to do regarding Libya, I don't know.

As for domestic issues, there is a lot that needs to be done, I agree. I don't always agree, however, that the President should be involved in issues like the one in Wisconsin. The citizens of Wisconsin have the tools they need to control their own government there. They've been doing a great job, so far.

[KurtNYC]

102. CBS: Libya rebels beg for no-fly as bombings persist

day after day since at least 3/2 they have asked for a no-fly zone to be created. Meanwhile we have Clinton talking about civil war and US/NATO talking ground troops. It is as if the Rebels can't get a no fly zone without taking the ground troops in the deal.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/07/eveningnews/main20040323.shtml

[sabrina 1]

113. Yes, I am sure that behind the scenes, and in public now as we

know that Halliburton/BP et al are objecting to the sanctions, there is a push from the usual suspects to invade Libya, using the pretext of helping the people. All that oil is enough to get them on board for yet another invasion.

For the sake of the Libyan people I hope this is stopped before it begins.

Once the U.S. gets its boots in the door of any country, they do not leave, especially when that country has oil.

[polmaven]

71. And because he is not

telling YOU what he is discussing about that he isn't leading? Because he isn't blaring every action all over DU he isn't leading? Like it or not, there are some things that need to be kept more quiet if they are to be effective. I'm sure he isn't playing online sudoku all day.

[Angry Dragon]

9. .............

:popcorn:

[emulatorloo]

10. Promoting increases in education funding and other parts of the domestic budget

Contentless Flame Bait as far as I can tell.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Why don't you check out his schedule

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/president">here instead of relying on the lamestream luntic fringe M$M to accurately report his activities and assuming he is MIA?

As I have noted in other posts, progressives and liberals need to OWN some "free" public airwaves because little or nothing that we have to say or need to hear makes it to the rest of the populace. In order to even get info, you have to pay (satellite radio and/or internet - including blogs, forums, email), be lucky enough to have a local station that runs a Thom Hartmann, etc (which we don't even have here in Philly) or happen to stumble upon some "liberal-owned" print media.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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

[KurtNYC]

30. no it isn't -- you like what Obama is doing in Libya? then sell me

And btw I love facts far more than someone who loves making baseless assumptions.

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

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

[KurtNYC]

46. attack the speaker -- so weak

didn't say "planes and drones" -- you did.

So what IS Obama's stand on Libya ?

[MineralMan]

51. His stand? He's monitoring the situation and working on a plan

to implement a no-fly zone, if necessary, in cooperation with other nations. He has said that Qaddafi should step down...several times. That is his stand. Perhaps you haven't been paying attention too closely.

[KurtNYC]

57. I have been paying attention and like YOU all I see is "monitoring" and

planning for weeks on end. Maybe our standards of 'doing something' is different.

[Buzz Clik]

52. You didn't say a damned thing except that you don't know what he's doing with his time.

What's your solution? What is your plan? What should Obama being doing with his calendar to please you?

Give us something or get out.

[KurtNYC]

42. that says he is meeting with the PM of Australia

and did you check out what it has for the rest of the week?? "No public schedule"

For the next 4 days! And that is YOUR example of NOT MIA ?

[pinto]

56. I think that schedule is more about press availability than a daily activity report.

I think it's safe to assume he's not "off" Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri. :hi:

[KurtNYC]

59. having never looked at that before I have no idea how full that usually is

but found it ironic that that was the sked which was offered in defense.

And I think it is valid to criticize the lack of press availability that that shows and the lack of Obama selling his agenda to the public. It begs the question -- who is he meeting with?

[pinto]

62. I think the daily WH press briefing usually opens with an update on the daily

schedule. You might check that out. :hi:

[BumRushDaShow]

87. "the lack of press availability that that shows..."

"...and the lack of Obama selling his agenda to the public".

IMHO, you are describing the activities of an election campaigner, not the activities of someone, who per the Constitution, is required to govern as the top supervisor of a number of Departments and agencies with a staff of 2.2 million government employees (who make up the Executive Branch). His job is to meet with the Department heads on a regular basis to get updates and give marching orders. He also meets with Heads of State on behalf of the nation.

And do you think that the RW-owned "press" that comes to the briefings is actually going to accurately report anything that he says or does when it does not reflect their agenda? I have watched briefings in the past, both live and recorded earlier on one of the available CSPANs, and when the M$M got around to summarizing it, I didn't even recognize the garbage and spin that they spewed about what was said.

Whenever he has traveled to town halls or rallies, he's roundly criticized by or ignored by this same media. And "we" here at DU point to this and say "See! He's not doing anything!!!!11!!1!111!!!!!"

Some media is the whack
You believe it's true, it blows me through the roof
Suckers, liars get me a shovel
Some writers I know are damn devils
For them I say don't believe the hype

-Public Enemy

[KurtNYC]

96. I don't watch TV and I don't go by what politicians say but rather

what they do. In spite of everything you cite about the RW media, Obama got elected. He has millions of email addresses. He has a radio address, he has CSPAN and a dozen other ways to get his message out unfiltered so I am not buying this excuse that Fox News ("FNC in my OP) is the problem.

Suppose Obama called for a boycott of Koch industries -- do you think that would have impact? I sure do. Or if he offered a limited 'no-fly zone' in Libya WITHOUT any ground troops / invasion as they have asked for?

[BumRushDaShow]

106. The one thing that is sad

about those who argue so vociferously for someone else to do for them, is that in the end, they will miss out on the sense of accomplishment when they do for self without the requirement of a fictional "leader". As Gandhi has said "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

IMHO, your argument fails when you utter "I don't watch TV" and then also try to argue that other broadcast media is somehow different in terms of blackouts of messaging. Nowhere in any post that I made did I mention Fox, so that argument fails as well. The owners of nearly all of the other large outlets ARE corporations and ARE right wing, And the elitist suggestion that somehow "email" (which often requires account access through some pay service) or access to CSPAN (which requires pay cable) is a fail for an argument about getting a message out in that manner - particularly if one does not have the means to receive it in that manner.

CSPAN (whether radio or TV) has been almost as filtered as (thanks to Brian Lamb) any other M$M - most notably when it comes to who they choose to cover outside of Congress and what they will actually air if they do attend the function. And this applies whether the program is shown live or rebroadcast later. I have seen highly edited versions of their live broadcasts after they have been recorded and re-aired, and more egregiously, they will cover every RW think tank session that they can find but will barely cover any progressive/liberal meetings or events. And if they do, they will re-air the RW programming many times and the left once if you are lucky, with a possible repeat during the graveyard time slots. The vast majority of their Book TV (formerly Booknotes) is filled with conservative lunatics and their 1-off books.

I will repeat - progressives need their own "public" (free) media outlets - whether TV or radio. I'd like to see that list of the "dozen other ways". I'll give you 4 to start that have already been done but are difficult to measure because they are "local" (they are like that tree that falls in the forest and if you're not there to hear it, it makes no sound) - snail mail, bullhorns, pamphlets/print media, town hall meetings. Name the others. Should be an interesting list! And remember "everyone", including yourself, would need to have the access and know it's happening!

And IMHO, you have fallen into the shiny object trap of focusing on Libya. Like the other dictators (outside of Saddam, where it took 2 tries to get him), this one will be swept away in the night to some luxury villa somewhere either in Europe or in the Emirates (or equivalent).

[polmaven]

72. The key word in what you just said is...

PUBLIC! No PUBLIC schedule. I doubt that means he will simply loll in bed all day long. Everything he does is not, and should not be public.

[AtomicKitten]

67. Thanks for the link to the president's daily schedule. nt

[Bobbie Jo]

12. ...

:eyes:

[LaurenG]

13. I think this is about as good as it gets

he does seem to sneak up on issues that are important and make things happen, he's slow and deliberate about the things he works on.

He isn't anything like Bush but I was hoping for sweeping changes and many republican bodies in prison.

[KurtNYC]

49. thanks for a reasoned answer

quite rare here

[pinto]

58. Good point about his working style. Deliberate.

I think it's a contrast to his oratorical style, definitely, but not a bad approach to day-to-day business, imho. :hi:

[iwishiwas]

108. Obama said early on that

he will move forward --not prosecute anyone from the bush regime. My hopes were dashed from the beginning.

[Buzz Clik]

14. This again?

Do you find yourself as boring as we find you?

[Pirate Smile]

16. He is working, #@%$!&*, but the Republicans thank you for pushing their memes.

[Buzz Clik]

19. +1

-1 for the OP

[Andy823]

40. +1000 nt

nt

[KurtNYC]

53. It is not a meme, it is a question

What is Obama's stance on Libya ? It has been days. People are dying and what we get is Clinton telling us there will be a civil war there.

[Pirate Smile]

76. You want us to jump in feet first into what is becoming a Civil War. That sounds really smart.

[Thunderstruck]

98. It's NOT a civil war. It's a rebellion. Stop spreading aroundthis false meme!

[Pirate Smile]

104. Take it up with NBC & MSNBC. Their reporter on the ground is now calling it that.

[KurtNYC]

64. so you speak for the Republicans ?

interesting.

[Pirate Smile]

74. I read their garbage on the internet and see it on TV. You are repeating it.

"When is Obama going to lead ???"

[joeunderdog]

103. I thought the poster asked some fair, concrete questions

about some very serious issues that require his attention and that Americans need some Presidential visibility on.

Seems reasonable.

[opihimoimoi]

17. The man is where he is needed most...that is what he does...at the Oval doing

his thing,,,solving the GOPers fuck ups

[MineralMan]

18. Nice try to equate President Obama with Bush.

Feh!

[KurtNYC]

65. comparing our responses to the 2 = double standard n/t

[PBS Poll-435]

20. Lead what?

The effort in Wisconsin is more powerful because it is not a Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin spectacle.

These are real people holding strong against a dirtbag asshole.


I DON'T want national politicians interfering or obscuring the message.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

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

[emulatorloo]

26. Well said n/t

[TBF]

63. Excellent response, I agree. nt

[Schema Thing]

22. this is far beneath you Kurt.

get some fucking perspective.




also, don't vomit every first emotion you have onto Obama.

[KurtNYC]

66. in hindsight the "crawford" headline is button pusher

but I forgot that because I haven't done an "I'm disgusted -- sell me again" thread in years.

Forgot how poor the counter arguments are here if you even remotely seem to question CW. They aren't arguments or facts -- mostly just not so clever name calling, mockery, attempts to bully and high-fiving each other.

[Peacetrain]

24. I heard this same stuff in 2002 and 2003 get Saddam out,...

We will lose our standing in the middle east!.. Two years later.. Why did we go into Iraq.. blah blah blah blah blah.. (and Saddam was every bit the sadist and mentally unstable as Kadaffy is).. You know, if I went back and looked at the threads during the Egyptian crisis, me thinks I would be reading the same thing.. ahem

Feed the rebels on the down low, get the International community involved on the QT.. what ever it takes ..

BUT SABRE RATTLING AT THE MOON .. may make you feel better but accomplishes nothing.

[Buzz Clik]

55. +1

[KurtNYC]

69. there is no peace in Libya right now

No one would hear any metaphorical sabre rattling over the aerial bombings and heavy weapons fire. I think we know why Obama is silent on Egypt and Libya. Here is part of it:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/07/09/obama_shakes_hands_with_gaddaf.html

at link: >>Last year, then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice became the most senior U.S. official to visit Libya in more than half a century, but Obama is the first U.S. president to shake Gaddafi's hand.<<

[rasputin1952]

33. I don't see what PO can do about Libya...

he's already frozen their US assets and there is an embargo, do you want an invasion?

WI is doing fine w/o the president stepping into a state issue, in fact, he'd be wrong to do so.

Wall Street is being looked into by the Justice Department, as it should be.

I agree Gitmo should be closed, but the RW maniacs would not allow the prisoners on US soil, something that is remarkably stupid, as there would be no mass escape as they claim.

He does lead, but some issues are not Federal, some are local. I don't think he is the only one that has shown a lack of "leadership" in some areas...in fact, in most of what you've mentioned he's done what he can do. He's not the miracle maker some have made him out to be, basically so they can complain when something that is out of venue happens.

[Hutzpa]

68. + 10000

some here are not using their head.

[TreasonousBastard]

34. It's a secret, but I found out...

that since we have no military available for Libya, we are mobilizing the Boy Scouts to invade Libya and capture Qaddaffi. The Girl Scouts are readying to invade lower Manhattan and bring Wall Street to its knees.

Obama is working with a famous personal trainer to get in shape for a fistfight with the Governor of Wisconsin and will then gain the weight for a sumo match with the Governor of New Jersey. This last is causing major trouble with his wife.

[emulatorloo]

37. Best Rep[y Ever n/t

[doc03]

35. Going on dates with the C of C and Jeb Bush n/t

[PBS Poll-435]

38. But he isn't "putting out". nt

[Codeine]

41. Stop carrying water for the far right. nt

[Hutzpa]

43. Goddam!! Some of you cannot help it

but to continue keeping your head buried in the sand.

:banghead:

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. He's considering a no fly zone over Libya

And I'd just as soon he stay out of Wisconsin.

[TBF]

47. The protestors are better off without him. I don't know where these posts

keep coming from but I'm very glad he hasn't shown up in Madison. That would just turn the whole thing into partisan sniping. We are much better off with workers fighting owners. Hopefully others will stand up as well. Obama will just start pontificating about "bipartisan compromise" and we really don't need any more of that.

[Buzz Clik]

54. I'm guessing that Obama knows that.

If the author of the OP gave it a moment's thought, he would agree, too.

[KurtNYC]

78. I'm still here. Still thinking that the Kochs and Walker said this is

a state by state strategy. Win some, build on those, drive wages down further and privatize public utilities.

[grahamhgreen]

60. That is only true if the workers win, which they may not. He needs to be there to make sure we win.

[TBF]

61. What? No, that is wrong. We the people fight this battle.

Mr. Obama is a fine man doing his job as president - I have plenty of criticisms of him but mostly I would say he took the job and he's doing it. The real problem in this country is the capitalism and now we finally have people protesting. His being there turns it into a partisan circus - the only people who win in that case are the rich folks. Is that what you want? We workers have to fight this battle and we do it on our terms.

ETA - I didn't address your last point about "winning". We'll see how this round goes, they didn't really win in Egypt either with their new torturer-in-charge, but they are stronger and the next battle they will be better prepared. It's a process.

[Starry Messenger]

89. +10000

[sufrommich]

75. How do you imagine Obama has the power to "make sure

we win"? Should he federalize the Wisconsin state budget?

[KurtNYC]

80. federal racketeering laws

[sufrommich]

83. Explain,please? nt

[grahamhgreen]

91. 1/3 of the budget comes from the feds - he can pull the funding if they pass the bill.

That's just off the top of my head - but really, he need to inspire the rest of us.

[SwampG8r]

109. he is not in charge of funding

that is the house of representatives

[Pirate Smile]

77. He can't make sure we win. He can't control what the Governor will sign and what the Republican

Senators will vote for.

They have the votes. The only way to win it is to get some of the Republican State Senators to decide to vote against Walker's Bill.

President Obama can NOT make sure we win.

This is that bizarre magic wand theory again.

"Why wont he use his magic wand to fix it?!"

He doesn't control the state government in Wisconsin!

[KurtNYC]

85. So could Obama say something about it? at least

or will he just think about maybe someday re-writing No Child Left Behind. Walker and the Kochs created a "crisis" and now offer contract busting and privatizing public assets to themselves as the answer -- isn't that racketeering?

Doesn't need a magic wand, just a microphone.

[Xenotime]

70. You should really just get off President Obama's case.

[KurtNYC]

82. because I'm wrong? or just bc n/t

[SidDithers]

73. pfffft...nt

Sid

[Township75]

79. It's obvious to me that Obama...

ran for president because he wanted to be the president, not because he had a great idealistic vision or plan he wanted to implement.

He gets caught off guard or just doesn't act in many cases because he was never looking beyond the inauguration...once that happened, it was essentially mission accomplished for him.

[Pirate Smile]

81. That is so ridiculous. You should be ashamed.

[Township75]

84. Not ridiculous. Not ashamed.

Obama just does not have a vision for his presidency. I think that is why it is so easy for Repubs to control what goes on in DC. They have objectives and that drives their efforts. Bill Clinton wanted to be president, but also had objectives, thus a very successful presidency.

Other than trying to be popular with the masses, I can't see what Obama is driving for. Even on HC, he wanted to drop it at one point but it was Pelosi who insisted on trying to drive it further.

[KurtNYC]

90. I think there is a big difference between candidate Obama and President Obama

he was full of ideas and goals when running, mastered the media, got his message out, utilized all the discontent. And now it's compromise and silence.

I'm beginning to think the choice in this country every 4 years is between electing a Rep and being mad or electing a Dem and being disappointed.

[Township75]

99. Well someone gets my point.

One reason he was such a dominating candidate was that he had an objective and a vision for becoming president. Unfortunately, I don't believe he spent much time developing a plan once becoming president. As a result he is very reactionary, responding to every event as if it were the most important thing in the world and thus not making significant progress on anything. It also lets Repubs set an agenda since he responds to them rather than pushing his own objectives.

[Hutzpa]

86. Only a delusional individual will say such a thing. n/t

[Buzz Clik]

88. Is your strategy for Obama to take buried somewhere in this thread?

[KurtNYC]

92. No it isn't. I thought someone out of the 1400 views would make a case for Obama

but what I got was 3 posters who made a case and the rest organizing a stoning.

Obama has the bully pulpit and should set the agenda. He is not going to get anywhere playing defense all the time.

Bill Clinton said "Every time they attack you if gives you a chance to get YOUR message out."
Barack Obama said:"__________________________________"

[TBF]

93. It's not a stoning - it's just really a bad idea.

Obama has his agenda from the folks who hired him and he's doing it. We workers have an entirely different agenda.

[Buzz Clik]

101. So, you have no strategy and no directions to give. Just complaining.

That's your right, but it doesn't make for much of a conversation.

[Name removed]

95. Deleted message

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

[ProSense]

97. "Seriously --

what the heck is this guy doing all day long? If Bush was acting like this there would be criticism but now that Obama is in the criticism seems to be aimed mostly at FNC."

No, you can't be serious.

Start here, more here and if you really want to keep track of him, here

"nothing about Ghaddafi"

Keep up: here

Obama Bolsters Relief Effort at Libyan Border

[rury]

105. This OP is either snark or the writer's head is up his/her ass

[Bluebear]

110. duh

[KurtNYC]

111. actually I got my answer on where Obama was yesterday

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41957269/ns/politics/

at link: WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama approved on Monday the resumption of military trials for detainees at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, ending a two-year ban.

So I'm seeing clearly but where's YOUR head ?

[Jack Rabbit]

107. He's in an undisclosed location

After the news that military tribunals will resume in Gitmo, I will assume it's Cheney's old haunt.

[butterfly77]

112. Where is he?

Working,more than any President I have seen and has triple what other Presidents' have had to deal with..

No,he doesn't need to go to Wisconsin the people need to fight their own battles, what does Ed Shultz want another speech so that the media can talk about that day after day and then what? Should he sleep out with the protestors too.