Updated: Obama surrogate comment, re: Hillary having "Democrats disease"

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

I posted this earlier, but since some folks wished for a transcript (which didn't exist), I took note of the precise language on the repeat.

Paul Hodes, NH congressman and Obama national co-chair, on HARDBALL, describing Clinton's message, versus Obama's:

Hillary Clinton has what I sometimes call "Democrats disease," a litany of issues and something to fight against.

Added On Edit: I am a long time critic of the boring-ass wonky, uninspiring Dem approach, but this is hardly the time and place to run against the Democratic Party. Talking about what a drag the Democrats are will garner lots of independent support, but at what cost? Dems are not the problem. The only thing wrong with the Dems is that we haven't done a good job of fighting the Republicans, who are the real enemy. And Senator Obama takes every opportunity to promise to fight the Republicans even LESS, which I would have thought impossible.

[Occam Bandage]

1. It is a problem with our strategy. That isn't a compelling, unified message.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

10. I agree that Obama's inspirational rhetoric is more moving than the standard tedious Dem speech

but I really dislike the phrase "Democrat disease" being used in a Democratic primary to describe tradional Democratic politics.

The Democrats are not the thing to run against, IMO.

[Occam Bandage]

19. It is perhaps offensively worded, but it's not just a matter of "being more moving."

Listing issues and interests we approve of has not at all been effective. Our party in many ways lacks cohesion; our speeches and presentations to the public can be a practically-arbitrary hodgepodge of specific interests. And that, I think, is a disease specific to Democrats. Obama is a unifier, both in terms of people and policies.

[NYCGirl]

44. As I said in the FIRST thread about this, I prefer fighting FOR something instead

of constantly fighting against something.

[BootinUp]

2. We don't need no stinking issues, just Hope!

LOL.

[readmoreoften]

3. Does Obama EVER attack Republicans? I mean, even on principle? /nt

[DURHAM D]

15. I keep having this horrible thought that Obama is not really a Dem. n/t

[NYCGirl]

45. Do you have any idea what a primary is? NT

[incapsulated]

4. Golly, she should be ashamed

Wanting to fight for issues and such.

Unseemly.

[Bicoastal]

5. I'm shocked, SHOCKED that he would say something so vile, so DAMNING...

...wait...what exactly is he saying?

And why am I supposed to care?

[Renew Deal]

6. I was thinking the same thing.

What is he saying?

[incapsulated]

9. She has a litany of issues

And wants to "fight against" a lot of things.

And this is some sort of disease. That democrats are prone to.

Is what he said.

[Renew Deal]

13. He's right to some degree.

Even in the convoluted version.

[incapsulated]

20. He is describing her as a traditional democrat/liberal

In much the same way republicans have, to be honest.

Boring, policy wonks, you hate everything, we are for something. Usually rhetorical and vague.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

26. A wet-blanket... the girl with no date on Saturday night...not cool like Ronald Reagan

[incapsulated]

29. Yup

With a.... *whispers* disease.

heh.

[Proud2BAmurkin]

7. Democrats who talk about issues instead of chanting mantras are DISEASED?

THAT SUCKS

[readmoreoften]

8. Obama and his people criticize Democrats so much they'd be TS'd at DU in a week.

I'm supposed to support the party and they do nothing but trash it. Fuck them.

[Renew Deal]

16. Have you looked around here.

This is mild compared to the stuff on DU.

[DURHAM D]

11. I guess he is saying -

a litany of issues and something to fight against is bad.

But, a substance free campaign of hope and change on a wave is good.

[Bicoastal]

12. But we don't know WHAT he is saying...

...because we don't know the context.

[DURHAM D]

18. Who is we?

You got fleas?

[Rock_Garden]

14. That's the old switcheroo strategy. He attacked her strength.

You criticize your opponent's strength as if it's a weakness. Some people will buy it.

[sunonmars]

17. its those 2 words together that will stick

Democrats disease.

Is the guy retarded or routinely wanting to fuck off Democratic voters.

[Didereaux]

24. he sure as hell isn't helping Obama.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. He's probably talking about arhachia.

Clinton's got a known problem with arhachia.

[shaniqua6392]

22. I guess I must have the same disease as Clinton then. n/t

[Proud2BAmurkin]

34. Me too, I think issues are important and I don't chant very good

:shrug:

[Didereaux]

23. Oh the Shame, the Horror! A dem with a list of the issues, and a cchance of solving them vs?

[Bongo Prophet]

25. How dare she have a deep grasp of issues and propose details of her agenda?

I must confess, I LIKE more nutrition and less fluff.
"Democrats disease" is not a meme I would put out there. Idiotic, if you want Dems to win the framing wars.

We should look to the larger picture when we make these wierd attacks, and think better of them.
BEFORE opening our mouths.

Oy.

[incapsulated]

28. Really, you don't think Democrats Disease will work for us in the GE?

I thought it was catchy. Get it?

CATCH THE DISEASE!!

:rofl:

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

33. Vote for Typhoid Hillary!

[incapsulated]

35. Her message is INFECTIOUS!

:D

[Bongo Prophet]

42. I think I feel a fever coming on. :Sniff:

But watching too much c-span for so many years, I have a pretty good inoculation thang a goin'

:blush:

[Didereaux]

27. what a campaign slogan 'Vote for me and avoid Democrat Disease' boy howdy that's a winner

[Didereaux]

30. are the Edwards and Clinton campaigns paying this guy to work for Obama?

[goku2008]

31. taken out of context

he was answering a question about democrats running a traditional text book campain and losing to pukes

[Didereaux]

32. matters not a WHIT what he meant, it only matters what the public hears. and it ain't good!

[Cameron27]

38. I wanted to throw something at the tv

when I heard him spout off about the Democrats' disease. I don't care what the hell he meant, I'm still fighting for all those things on his list.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

39. "Taken out of context" has a meaning. It's not just a get out of jail free card.

I characterized the context quite fairly in the OP.

"Taken out of context" would apply if he had prefaced the remark with "Here's something a Republican asshole would say..."

He was characterizing Hillary's message in contrast to Obamas and the characterization is free-standing and perfectly comprehensible.

[BeyondGeography]

36. We've lost 7 of the last 10 elections...You actually think this is an issue?

If so, that's what I call Democrat's disease.

[sunonmars]

37. I can imagine that in the next debate

Hillary : So Barack, according to your NAT'l Co Chair, I've got Democrats Disease. Just what exactly is that?

Cue Deer in the headlight look!

[Cameron27]

41. Oh shit

THAT would be a moment to savor!

[tabatha]

40. ... so we have

healthy fairy tales and diseased litanies of issues ...i guess they are all putting their feet where they don't belong

[jackson_dem]

43. Obama should join Lieberman's "independent Democrat" party and runs for its nomination

[NYCGirl]

46. Difficult since Ned Lamont just endorsed Obama.

;)

[unc70]

47. We discussed ages ago (pre Iowa) how Obama uses RW TPs to attack other Dems

He also uses the RW TPs about Social Security and a lot of other topics. While I might be able to forgive that, I am strongly offended when I see Obama and his supporters parroting the RW attacks on progressive Dems, attacks on positions that so many of us at DU have worked hard to defend.

From the beginning of his campaign, Obama has presented himself as the alternative to the those who want to continue the fights of the 60's and says he will move beyond that contentious time and those issues by reaching across the aisle to work with Repubs and Independents. A year ago Obama began his campaign declaring that Baby Boomers needed to get over themselves, quit feuding over the old issues, and join him in practicing a different kind of politics. And last January, the NYT reminded us that Obama was also "cool".

What a pile of bullshit!

I am a Boomer, proud of what we accomplished with those "fights" while acutely aware of how much remains to be done and how quickly we might lose much that many now take for granted. I ask Obama, which fights do you want abandoned so that we can all get along without all that feuding? Civil rights? Womens rights? Abortion rights? Civil liberties? Privacy? Environment? Sexual orientation? Peace? Election integrity? Freedom of information? Family planning? Equal pay? Family leave? Maternity benefits? Nuclear proliferation? ADA? Freedom of expression? Voting rights? Open housing? Health care?

Where would you have us start? Who do we throw overboard first? When are the next re-education classes?

Increasingly your campaign reminds me of those slick ads that use the music and images of the 60's and 70's in a vain attempt to manipulate me to buy something I really don't want or need. Boy I hate those ads. No matter how well you deliver your melange of the touchstone phrases of my generation as they scroll on your tele-prompters (look left and read, look right and read), I shall not "get over" myself, will not disavow all that I know is just and right and good, and will never go away.