I guess I'm not a good liberal.

[Drunken Irishman]

I hear how much Obama is upsetting many on the left and I don't see it. I just can't find any reason to be upset about having a guy like Barack Obama in the White House. I've tried, but for the last month and few days, I've been beaming the largest shit eating grin known to man.

I don't think I'm doing this liberal thing right.

[firedupdem]

1. Me either! I'm as excited and happy as can be! What the hell

is wrong with us?

[madfloridian]

2. I'm happy, too. But why are his spokespersons warning the left?

Why are the same fellows back out in public warning the left not to fuss.

[Shiver]

10. The Steve Hildebrand piece?

I've read through it four times now, and I can't find anything about a warning. The message I picked up was that there is a huge mess to clean up from the last guy, and in comparison to the the biggest economic disaster in decades, health care, two wars, global warming, etc... being upset over the first few Cabinet picks just seems kind of trivial in comparison.

The closest to a 'warning' that I see is where he says it may not be the best time to let ourselves become divided... just my own interpretation, though. :shrug:

[Shakespeare]

14. I did NOT read Hildebrandt's piece as a warning.

More as an explanatory response to criticism, and a "please give us a chance." I don't get the whole "warning" thing at all.

[backscatter712]

3. Same here. I went into this election with open eyes...

and Obama's doing pretty much what I've expected him to do, and what I voted for him to do.

Maybe not as fast as the more hard-core progressives want, but we will make progress. The war in Iraq WILL end. There will be health care relief for us, though it might not be how we all like it, we'll have better health care. We will have a better, more stable economy.

[DevonRex]

4. I guess I'm not either. I also guess it's somehow dumb to wait until

he actually does something to complain.

After this, I'm suprised we get any democrat to run for office.

[Skittles]

5. no one person is going to please everyone all the time

especially a politician - it is NORMAL - and HEALTHY - debate

[old mark]

23. NO! They are all sick bastards

and should be gassed.

mark

[FrenchieCat]

6. The media only need about 1,000 pissed lefties for it to be a revolt from the left,

They only need 18 people praying in front of the Supreme Court, to report a non issue such as Obama's citizenship.

They only need 1 PUMA to report that a movement is afoot.

They only need 1 million marchers to ignore an AntiWar protest.

and the media only need to hire a few know nothing reporters to bring it all together.

[Median Democrat]

20. Or, Rush Limbaugh To Declare It As So...Remember Rush and the PUMAs?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. just depends on what you care about as a liberal. ending the war?

no - he hasn't said we're not getting out - but his tone about it when asked was very lukewarm - no strong urgency
like he had.

[qwlauren35]

27. He started to shift his tune in September.

I think we should have seen it coming.

McCain is probably laughing his head off. "We'll be Iraq for 100 more years."

The fact is, world opinion says we should not leave a mess behind. I think Obama is taking that into account.

[Pirate Smile]

8. You are not alone.

:)

[LaydeeBug]

9. I'm not upset with him at all either. I hardly know what the fuss is all about.

But then again, I wasn't too upset with any of them to begin with.

[EFerrari]

11. I'm glad to hear Obama will be everyone's President and not only The Left's

because The Left has been dominating our political discourse for too damn long. :)

[TexasObserver]

12. I'm so happy with Obama and everything he is doing!

I do not have the angst many have over his appointments. They're advisers. They're underlings. He can fire them. They take their orders from him.

I have confidence in his judgment. He has earned that confidence, and that means he does not lose it unless he really, seriously, chronically fucks up. I never stopped defending Bill during his entire presidency, even when he took positions I did not like. Being the leader of a centrist nation means governing from the center.

[mwei924]

13. I support liberal ideas, but sometimes liberals can be just as annoying as conservatives.

[BlooInBloo]

15. " The Irrational Angry Left"...

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2008_12_07_archive.html#7599617851451721675

The Obama campaign didn't exist to make me feel good, and the Obama presidency won't either. I don't especially like his people punching the dirty fucking hippies under the bed, but on the other hand if they manage to convince people that Obama is a sensible centrist who wants to do sensible centrist things like build SUPERTRAINS, get out of Iraq, not torture people or invade random countries, strengthen labor protections, reduce income inequality, improve education, provide health care for people, and reduce poverty, while those DAMNED DIRTY HIPPIES just won't shut up about their magic ponies, it's fine by me.

For years we've had Democrats railing against those crazy hippies as an excuse to not do all of those things. If Obama's people are going to rail against the hippies and use it as an excuse to do them, fine with me. If.

(My emphasis)

I'm with Atrios, noting that in a PERFECT world, we would have a large stable of deeply executive-experienced, Newton-level genius, Dali Lama-esque intentioned, brave-as-a-lion, progressive as Kucinich (without teh crazy) Democrats from whom Obama could select his cabinet.

That world is not this world. But it doesn't have to be, since there is more than one way to skin a cat

(What a macabre phrase - lol!)

[Bobbieo]

16. Will the Angry Left ever be appeased at anything a Democrat does

if he or she does not follow their agenda?

[BlooInBloo]

17. Nope...

All they *know how to do* is bitch and whine.

That's not completely their fault, of course - given the craptacular people running America for the bulk of the last 30 or so years.

Which is why it would be good to get some power in the hands of younger people - just skip over the the hippies. Their mold has set, and is frozen on "bitch and whine". Get some power to those who haven't been completely ruined by recent history.

[NaturalHigh]

18. No.

Irrational left-wingers are just as annoying (and dangerous) as irrational right-wingers. Did the lefties really think that Obama was going to take a hard left after the election was over? If so, they're as delusional as the freepers.

For the most part, I've been very pleased with Obama's direction so far.

[DrPresident]

31. You're right, some of those left-ers ARE dangerous

one asshole actually said in madfloridian's thread "If Obama wants a war with the left, we'll give him one" WTF is that supposed to be mean? Who said anything about a war with the Left? How the hell could you say some shit like that? I guess even so called liberals want to fight wars too, not just conservatives. ANY excuse they can find to have strife with people.

[EFerrari]

24. Probably not since "The Angry Left" keeps getting redefined

as whatever is not convenient.

What utter cr@p.

[Cha]

29. Good points..I think Obama's doing

the best things that he can right now to get our country back on the track(being analagous to a derailed train).

[Median Democrat]

19. Exactly, Who Is Saying That I, A Life Long Democrat, Am Angry? MSM Bulls*&t

I guess this the latest effort to create a controversy by the right wing MSM. Obama has not even taken office, yet Obama is suddenly under fire by the left. What?

Who the fuck elected these alleged speakers of "the left" to speak on my behalf? Air America has been largely supportive. However, I do hear Rush Limbaugh saying that Obama is upsetting the left, so I guess Rush is now the spokesperson for the "left" these days.

[leftofthedial]

21. relax. you're still more liberal than the 28% on the far right.

[EFerrari]

25. LOL

[old mark]

22. I think the complaining ones just haven't caught up to the rest

of us yet.


mark

[EFerrari]

26. Sure. We haven't "caught up" with nominating torture defenders

or deregulators or intel tweakers and since we've been so influential, it certainly is time to put us in our place.

We are truly the bad red-headed children and we must be stopped.

[old mark]

37. Thank you for your understanding and support. nt

[Cha]

28. I don't even try...my first job

on DU is to hide threads that clutter my screen. And, then I can enjoy the celebration that is an Obama Prez Elect:fistbump:

[Grateful for Hope]

30. I so agree

i think he is amazing, and, I think he will surprise those who are worrying right now when he finally takes office.

[Mark E. Smith]

32. They're lonely. And what you hear aren't attacks on Obama ..

.. they're really cries for our attention.

[Clio the Leo]

33. Apparenlty "liberal" means "doesn't pay attention"

I always thoughut "liberal" meant "intelligent supercool person."

But since Barack is only doing what he's been saying he thinks we need to do for the last 8 years, (working across the aisle to get things done) I'm guess I was wrong on what "liberal" meant.

[shaniqua6392]

34. Hannity and Limpballs are telling everyone we are angry

because Obama is being "center-right". WTF? Personally, I am very pleased with everything he has done. My only complaint would be that I really wanted Bush to leave office on November 5th, but I guess I will not get my wish. I can't wait to get started in our effort to help President Obama repair everything that Bush has done to our country.

[Erin Elizabeth]

35. I know, I don't get it!

I mean, I'm pretty damn liberal. Very liberal. And yeah, I line up more with Kucinich, but I haven't been unhappy with Obama. Am I supposed to be?

[Thrill]

36. 70-80% of the country approve of Obama's appointments

The more they bitch and whine about them, the more they look like crybabies.

[question everything]

38. The trick is not to let others define you

or Obama, for that matter.

We know what liberals are: we believe in the good that a government can do for all the people. We support plurality and democracy even if the results do not always please us.

And we certainly believe in free speech where no one can tell others what they are because they do or do not follow one's orthodoxy.

We have had people telling us what being a "good American" means. Or a "good Christian," and now "a good liberal?"

They are our own Taliban. Who determine their rules and how everyone is expected to follow them.

I regret that I did not see the post on time to recommend it but, hey, when so many here demand (in CAP letters) that their thread be recommended, take this as a badge of honor.