We need to have Obama's back on this Blago thing, and Democratic surrogates need to be out in force

[democrattotheend]

I don't think they have enough Democratic surrogates out there in the media right now driving home the point that Obama is not accused of anything and that it's pretty clear he would not play ball with the governor. I have a friend who does not follow politics as closely as I do, and last night he said he had seen something about this on the news and he wasn't sure if Obama had been involved...we need to get Democrats out there in force and we need to be out in force in the blogosphere making it clear that Obama was not involved if we want to prevent Republicans from using this to torpedo Obama's legislative agenda. I'm all for holding him accountable on policy and on character, but all the evidence suggests he did nothing wrong here and it's not fair nor is it good for the progressive cause for him to take a hit for this. The more popular Obama is, the more political capital he has to advance his agenda once he gets in office, and the fewer bad compromises he will have to make. We can't let this taint him before he even takes office.

[firedupdem]

1. Unfortunately, I think this will be the meme for the next 8 years..

they are going to try and bring this man down with anything they can come up with. I have his back 100% I just don't know how to force others to do the same.

[Dawgs]

2. You better tell "Big Eddie". He's got his panties in a wad about the Axelrod statement(s).

:eyes:

[Born_A_Truman]

7. Year Nora on MSNBC has been playing that nonstop...

Now she has Mike Duncan RNC flapping his face about Obama.

[ellacott]

8. Yes he did

I was disappointed in him. I had to stop listening to him and turn to Thom Hartmann.

[skeewee08]

3. I got Obama back 100%

It's just frustrating to hear and read how the rethugs are having a field day with this.

[Orsino]

4. How can we have his back in this? We weren't there.

Though I suspect that there's no there there, so maybe Obama wasn't, either.

I guess all Obama can do is cooperate with any serious questions that come his way. There's probably no way for him to disclaim all connection to Blagojevich, but so far he and his team look clear. I'm pleased with the way he's handling it.

[Doremus]

5. Sigh. I just spoke to a woman who listens to cable heads all day long.

She just *knows* Obama's involved in this.

I told her read the transcripts, it's right there ("they wouldn't give me anything but appreciation"), but facts don't easily penetrate granite.

Some people will believe the worst no matter what. :(

[gkhouston]

6. Tell her he was too busy receiving terrorism tutoring from Rev. Wright to bribe anyone.

}(

[beachmom]

9. Obama was WEAK yesterday. I mean, what are the talking points?

I think being "saddened" by the news is weak tea. Then "no comment". Geez. Say something else than that. Obama needs to be strong here. I haven't seen him today, so maybe he has gotten stronger today. But he needs to set the tone, and then the surrogates need to reinforce it. So far, that hasn't happened.

[democrattotheend]

10. I agree. He should have been stronger

But that seems to be his instinct, to not want to overshoot before having all the facts. So I am not reading too much into this.

[Two Americas]

11. huh

Yet people here are strenuously denying that there could have been any political agenda behind any of this.