The Progressive Left and Obama; Two Interesting Columns for the Post and the Times.

[kennetha]

Two progressive columnists who were strong Obama supporters during primaries and GE express some disappointment at his appointments so far. Frank Rich doesn't like the economics team and David Corn says that progressive need to adopt a "hope but verify" attitude toward Obama and his new administration.


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/opinion/07rich.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink">The Brightest Are Not Always the Best


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120502602.html?hpid=opinionsbox1">This Wasn't Quite the Change We Pictured

I know that when people express similar such sentiments here on DU, a flame war always seems to break out. But the fact that two prominent progressive columnists express similar sentiments suggests that there's something of a spreading meme afoot.

My own two cents, for what's it's worth, is that the dynamic between progressives and centrists within the party and the administration will be interesting to watch over the next couple of years and that it's much too soon to get bent out of shape about this. After all, the guy just proposed a massive stimulus package that should make everybody on our side happy. And once the new Congress starts up and the new President starts proposing real legislation, we'll see where the action really is.

[Ozma]

1. I like your comments more than I like the 2 columns. n/t

[paulk]

2. both Rich and Corn have made careers complaining about

anything and everything. It's what they do. It's what pays the bills...

They are only mirroring their audience, and whining about not getting their way has practically become the definition of "progressive".

I thought it would take at least a few months for the so called "progressive left" to turn on Obama - I guess I was wrong.

It's taken a few weeks...

[kennetha]

3. Rich seemed pretty gung-ho Obama

both during the primaries and during the GE. Or maybe it was just that he was very negative toward Clinton and then McCain.

[paulk]

4. he was gung ho Obama

because it gave him the opportunity to trash the Clintons, imho.

Remember back in the 2000 election when he and Mo Dowd tag teamed Gore? The guy is a peice of shit, afaic.

[Raineyb]

5. Turn on him? Neither article has bashed the man they're merely expressing a difference of opinion.

Since when has the Democratic party been unable to handle such a thing?

Regards

[leftstreet]

6. "hope, but verify"

as Corn says

[Raineyb]

22. Not a damn thing wrong with that.

Seems like a wise lesson to learn.

Regards

[Uzybone]

7. Frank Rich, a progressive? Laughable.

Yes Rich was a strong Obama supporter in the primary and the campaign, but I think thats mostly because he found the other options intolerable. He and MoDo were the worst at attacking Al Gore and Kerry in 2000 and 2004 so I don't think he is a progressive by any stretch.

I haven't read Corns column yet but I take his opinions far more seriously.

[Uzybone]

8. Just read Corns column, and its a dumb one

basically whining and saying that Obama is actually trying to be bipartisan. Wow...imagine that, Obama doing what he promised to do on the campaign trail.

[kennetha]

11. I do think that Obama was taken by many to be more of a leftist than he is.

And I also think that he sort of let himself be taken that way. I think this mainly had to do with his stance on the war and his call for a "new" politics. So when his choices are more centrist and old school than many expected, it's not entirely surprising that there's some negative reaction.

[mwei924]

12. But "new" politics was always about being bipartisan.

He never marketed himself as a leftist or said that "changing the way Washington runs" means switching from right to left. I would say he's not really a fan of ideology in general, and I doubt he would want to be labeled like that.

[kennetha]

13. I don't necessarily disagree with your bottom line.

And I'm not attributing nefarious motives to him or anybody else. But it does seem that some on the left took him to be something that he isn't quite, that he sort of let himself be taken that way, that now there's a little adjustment going on in the perception of him by those on the left, and that as a consequence there's a little wariness in some corners and a little disappointment in others.

Again, I personally think it's way too early for anybody to get bent out of shape about any of this. There's lots of innings left to play in this game -- a whole lot. So let's see where it really goes.

[mwei924]

21. People see what they want to.

No candidate is ever going to say, in the middle of the campaign, "Oh no, you got me all wrong. Please, don't vote for me". I have never heard Obama claim the "leftist" agenda. Kucinich, Yes. Edwards, probably yes. But I suspect after Edwards dropped out, a lot of his supporters decided that Obama was the slightly more progressive of the two remaining and then decided to project all their lefty fantasy on him. I've followed Obama since he started out, and he's always claimed to be about common sense and pragmatism, or at the very least "post-partisan".

[kennetha]

10. Don't you think he fancies himself a progressive?

[Festivito]

9. I thought Obama was supposed to be MY CLONE.

And not disagree with me at all!

[Radical Activist]

14. The meme started immedeately.

The Corn editorial is far more reasonable than many of the doomsday DU posts or the editorial that started, "Ralph Nader was right." "Hope, but verify" is a good policy. Some people are still too cynical to hope and are eager to see disappointment before Obama begins.

[political_Dem]

15. Thank you for the two columns. In turn, I've kicked and rec'd your post.

I also agree that your comments are truly fascinating. I also would like to see how this set of dealings works out. However, my sentiments coincide with the Open Left Blogger which asks (to paraphrase his question), "Since when in America is it all right to govern with a government full of Republicans or with a bi-partisan government with a mixture of Republicans and Democrats, but it isn't all right to have a government filled with Democrats?"

I do know that ever since Reagan came to power (although Nixon did use "liberal" a lot too), that liberalism has turned out to be a dirty word. How long do liberals (and the left, respectively) have to be punished by being told that their ideas are not needed in the federal government by both parties?

That's why I will wait and see to see how this will turn out--especially with the dynamics you mention between the centrists and the left. I'm sure that this set of power-relations will be highly prickly, knowing that it is filled with a cabinet filled with "rivals".

Despite this, I am highly excited about the plans Mr. Obama has submitted to move this country forward. Within the space of a month, he has done more than Bush has ever done in eight years. And I am thrilled that if things work right we might see an America in which the citizens benefit.

That is--if the corporations do not weasel in and overpower the government with their influence.

[brianna69]

16. The progressive left will become the enemy of Obama

Mark my words. I expected it to happen eventually but I really didn't expect them to start trying to cut his feet from under him before he even took office. Look at all the bitching that has taken place and the man hasn't even reached office and attempted to pass any legislation yet. Whatever he does, it will never be good enough. Alot of whining and complaining. Not one good word about the bold proposal of much needed spending that will be coming as soon as January 20 with his proposed economic recovery plan that will deal with critical areas of infrastructure, making us more energy efficient, improving our healthcare system by computerising our medical records, repair and upgrade to schools and putting many people back to work. Instead of posts celebrating what is to come and discussing ideas to make things better we instead have 24/7 bitching because some don't feel cabinet posts choices are "progressive enough".

[Thrill]

17. Democrats as usual love to eat their own. Read this nonsense

“He has confirmed what our suspicions were by surrounding himself with a centrist to right cabinet. But we do hope that before it's all over we can get at least one authentic progressive appointment,” said Tim Carpenter, national director of the Progressive Democrats of America.

OpenLeft blogger Chris Bowers went so far as to issue this plaintive plea: “Isn't there ever a point when we can get an actual Democratic administration?”

There’s a concern that he keep his basic promises and people are going to watch him,” said Roger Hickey, a co-founder of Campaign for America’s Future.

“There don't seem to be any liberals in Obama's cabinet,” writes John Aravosis, the editor of Americablog.com. “What does all of this mean for Obama's policies, and just as important, Obama Supreme Court announcements?”

“Actually, it reminds me a bit of the campaign, at least the beginning and the middle, when the Obama campaign didn't seem particularly interested in reaching out to progressives,” Aravosis continues. “Once they realized that in order to win they needed to marshal everyone on their side, the reaching out began. I hope we're not seeing a similar ‘we can do it alone’ approach in the transition team.”

“At his announcement of an economic team there was no secretary of labor. If you don’t think the labor secretary is on the same level as treasury secretary, that gives me pause,” said Jonathan Tasini, who runs the website workinglife.org. “The president-elect wouldn't be president-elect without labor."

One of the Campaign for America’s Future blogs commented on Obama’s decision not to tax oil companies’ windfall profits saying, “Between this move and the move to wait to repeal the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, it seems like the Obama team is buying into the right-wing frame that raising any taxes - even those on the richest citizens and wealthiest corporations - is bad for the economy.”

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16292.html

Keep in mind this is a man who hasn't even taken office yet. Hasn't even set any policy. Has a solid liberal record and a strong pro labor record. And look at this bitchin and whining. These idiots aren't happy unless they are complaining about something.

[brianna69]

18. Well stated BrentTaylor

As you put perfectly once again as always the left is eating its own - not surprising by any means. I expected it but I honestly didn't think it would happen before the man even took office. They aren't happy unless they are bitching about something 24/7. Hardly any talk by the so called progressive left of the positive measures the incoming administration has already put in place. For example - Between now and the end of December, grassroots meetings will be taking place at the invitation of the campaign all over the country inviting supporters to offer their suggetions for health care reform. Daschle will even be stopping by at one of them. Valerie Jarrett recently met with grassroots supporters to encourage their ongoing interaction. Instead of seeing many posts discussing these avenues opened up to us to actually effect policy by our upcoming administration(an invitation for grassroots participation in policy that has never been offered by another administration), we get whining and complaining that Obama didn't choose who they wanted for a particular cabinet posts. The far left will be Obama's enemy just as much as the far right lunatics, mark my words.

[mkultra]

19. people are way to comfortable with current democratic leaders

The fact is that the Dem congress has been pretty lack luster so far and they are going to clash with Obama's methods. Its a new world and we are going to fix this crap. If you have any doubt about that, your confused.

[LWolf]

20. "The dynamics between progressives and centrists."

I think progressives just got our asses kicked by centrists with a disingenuous "He's not DLC!!!!!" campaign.

The stimulus package is good, although not as good as those proposed by DK in the primaries, lol. It's the one thing he's worked on so far that I approve of.

In reality, though, I don't see progressives gaining much, if anything, from an Obama administration.

As you said, "And once the new Congress starts up and the new President starts proposing real legislation, we'll see where the action really is."

I dare the new PE to prove me wrong.