Obama rejects Triangulation Politics.

[illinoisprogressive]

MADISON, Wis. – Barack Obama said Monday the nation has had enough of “triangulation and poll-driven politics,” a reference to the presidency of Bill Clinton, the husband of his chief Democratic rival.

Addressing a convention center rally dominated by students, Obama said that he had spoken out against going to war in Iraq in 2002, even as advisers told him it would be a mistake to challenge a popular president, George W. Bush.


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Then an Illinois state lawmaker, Obama said he did so because he did not want to “enter the United States Senate already having compromised on core principles.”

“We've had enough of ... triangulation and poll-driven politics,” he said. “That's not what we need right now.”

Obama never mentioned Hillary Rodham Clinton by name. His reference to triangulation, however, refers to Bill Clinton's eight years as president when some advisers urged him to make policy decisions by splitting the difference on opposing views. The practice became known as “triangulation.”

The remark drew a swift response from the Clinton campaign.

“Senator Obama spent the last week abandoning the politics of hope and attacking Senator Clinton. Looks like he's begun this week by attacking her husband,” said campaign spokesman Mo Elleithee. “The fact is that most Americans believe that Bill Clinton was a good president who moved the country forward.”

Obama, who entered the U.S. Senate in January 2005, promised his young supporters on Monday that he was the presidential candidate who could bring the most change to politics. He said he could reform health care, end the Iraq war and ease the nation's dependence on foreign oil.

“I am confident in my ability to lead the country in this new direction,” Obama said.

He addressed around 4,000 people at a rally, many of them students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Students paid $15 for tickets to the fundraiser while adults paid $30.

Wisconsin, which holds its primary relatively late in the process on Feb. 19, hasn't received much attention from the presidential candidates. Republican Rudy Giuliani is to arrive in Milwaukee on Thursday for a fundraiser.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20071015-1414-obama-clinton.html

[DURHAM D]

1. Lame -

That will really have a big impact on his campaign since 95% of the population does not have a clue what the word means.

If pressed they would say it is that small funny shaped pipe they played with in elementary school along with the sand paper blocks and finger cymbals.

[jefferson_dem]

4. LOL! I have to agree.

They *may* get the "poll driven politics" bit but "triangulation"? No way. Dumb it down, Barack!

[Cha]

47. There've been more than a few

people I've talked to over the years in the Co-op who know exactly what "triangualtion" is in reference to. Not everybody is totally outta the loop on Bill Clinton's policies.

Good for Obama saying that cause I'm wondering what good it did Clinton and our country?

[wyldwolf]

2. Obama: "I won't listen to what the American people want. I won't find a way to make it work."

[geek tragedy]

5. Because the public demanded the V-chip and school uniforms. eom

[cuke]

8. Yes, and balanced budgets and middle class tax cuts

[geek tragedy]

10. And the Iraq war. eom

[cuke]

11. bush* is triangulating?

In which universe?

[geek tragedy]

13. No, but Hillary voted for the Iraq war.

Even though her constituents didn't want a war.

Then again, New York was never anything but a stepping stone for her.

[cuke]

14. Then you don't what triagulation is

[geek tragedy]

18. Sure, she voted for the war and then made some

bullcrap statement about how she wasn't voting for war.

As SNL paraphrased her: "My constituents know that my support for the war was always insincere. If I had known that a person could get elected president without supporting the war, of course I would have voted against it."

[cuke]

20. Keep giving * a pass on the Iraq Invasion

Rove appeciates it

[geek tragedy]

23. Bush gets no pass, but neither do his enablers. eom

[AtomicKitten]

37. word

It's like dealing with a 2-year-old that points to an imaginary friend to blame. If Democrats can't take stock of their complicity in this nightmare honestly and critically, we have no hope of change.

[jefferson_dem]

6. You prefer followers over leaders. No surprise.

In lieu of banners, your candidate hands out these at rallies ---

[cuke]

9. Leaders usually do prefer followers

Guess who prefers leaders?

[jefferson_dem]

15. Are you serious?

I would love to see a principled leader...a fighter in the Oval Office.

...One who has the credibility and competence to spearhead a positive progressive agenda for our Nation.

And we all know who that isn't.

[cuke]

17. Of course I am

Why dont you point out where I was wrong?

If you want a leader to follow, that's fine with me. Suit yourself. But please don't try to dismiss me without even giving me the courtesy of explaining where you think I was wrong.

And around here "we all" are wondering who you're talking about

[jefferson_dem]

26. I elaborated on why I think leadership is important.

I was not being dismissive. Sorry if you took it that way.

Think about the great presidents in our nation's history. In my view, the word "leader" applies to them all...

and I wouldn't call those who benefited from their leadership "followers."

[cuke]

31. I didn't say leadership is unimportant

I implied that leadership is for followers.

I thought you were being dismissive because of the "Are you serious?" with no explanation for it. It came across as "What are you nuts?". But I accept your explanation. Im sure you didnt mean it that way.

And as far as those great presidents go, I bet you'd be hard-pressed to demonstrate their leadership before they became president.

[jefferson_dem]

34. I appreciate your point.

and am always wary of the "sheeple" tag.

By the way, a belated welcome to DU! :hi:

[cuke]

38. Thanks for the welcome

and I don't like the sheeple tag either. It's arrogant.

Not that I'm not arrogant.. I'm just not that arrogant

It's hard to demonstrate leadership in the Senate. Look at Kerry. A fine man, but it's hard to find leadership in his senate career. Btw, I love Kerry, and he did show leadership in the Senate on BCCI, Iran/Contra, and the S&L scandal, but how many people outside of DU know about that?

And I do believe that HRC has shown some leadership, both in and out of the Senate.

[superkia]

48. Kucinich! No wait he said there was no evidence and voted no...

never mind.

[wyldwolf]

44. psst! A leader does what her/his people tell her/him to do.

[jefferson_dem]

51. That's not a leader. That's a tool.

In my world, a leader does what's right, and persuades others along the way.

[wyldwolf]

52. No, that's a leader. Presidents work for us, not vice versa

[AtomicKitten]

3. Hallelujah!!

Triangulating is nothing short of dishonest manipulation.

[BootinUp]

7. This won't work either

Wonder what plan C is?

[Tellurian]

12. We need to hear more about merit pay for teachers....

[cuke]

19. Well, Obama is trying to distinguish himself from Clinton

Merit pay would be a start. After that, we could move to tort reform

[BootinUp]

27. Are you suggesting

he is going to take over Edwards positions? :evilgrin:

[Tellurian]

29. Edwards lights go off in March.. I hope someone can turn them on before Nov 08

[Tellurian]

28. Tort and Port reform...Dubai is still in the cards, they say..

[illinoisprogressive]

16. of course the bots want us to keep living with corruption and triangulation and imperial presidency

[AtomicKitten]

21. The passing of the baton is already in progress ....

We don't need no stinkin' elections!

[Tellurian]

25. Why did Obama oppose an amendment to the BK Act that would have capped credit card interest at 30%?

[Ethelk2044]

22. Yes, Bill was good. It moved us to outsourcing and people who were laid off at Maytag

Motorola really love the NAFTA policy he implement. They are really doing well.

[Tellurian]

30. Why did Obama call the respected Paul Wellstone a "gadfly'?

[hedgehog]

24. For me, "politics of hope" doesn't mean a candidate who talks about

nothing but pretty ponies and cute little bunnies. Among other things, it includes a candidate who stands on principle regardless of the latest poll!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

32. Does Standing On Principle Mean Missing Controversial Votes?

Like the Petraeus-Move On Vote, the Kyl-Lieberman Vote, and scores of votes on abortion when he was an Illionois state legislator?

[AtomicKitten]

33. Sure beats casting the wrong vote, eh?

like, um, well you know

[DemocratSinceBirth]

39. Not According To Dante Alighieri

“The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality”

[AtomicKitten]

42. riiiiiiight

Hillary's propensity for war is the kind of "rising to a moral crisis" this country can do without.

[Tellurian]

43. What? A wrong vote?

you mean like Obama voting for the appointment of the war criminal Condaleeza Rice for Secretary of State?

Uh- obama must be confused.

[AtomicKitten]

45. if you say so

[jenmito]

35. GOOD! I am so SICK of her triangulating!

Not to mention saying a president shouldn't always say what they think. Now anything he says will be called "abandoning the politics of hope"? That's not gonna fly.

[Tellurian]

41. I much prefer Obama's Triangulation...He's a Natural...

[flpoljunkie]

36. The 'politics of hope" is about changing the way business is done in Washington, putting the public

interest before the special interests--change from the bottom up, not from the top down!

Mo, is Rove writng these inane reponses from the Clinton camp? Sure sounds like it!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

40. I Thought The Politics Of Hope Was Missing Important Votes And Hoping Nobody Notices

DSB

[oasis]

46. "My dog ate my memo"

;-)

[tom_paine]

49. K & R That needed to be said.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Colobo]

50. Hit 'em hard, Obama!