Quote For The Day - "He is, it seems, a kind of delicate but thunderingly hardass Illinois pol,"

[Pirate Smile]

"The president is finally toughening up, and I suppose we shouldn't be surprised that his toughening process is taking the same calculated trajectory as it did in previous battles against Hillary Clinton and John McCain. First came Obama's exhortations for reasoned debate and civilized behavior, then came the inevitable unreasonable and uncivilized assaults in retort, and finally came a reinvigorated candidate, giving as much -- and then more -- as he got. Obama is something of a robust self-contradiction, if not a living oxymoron: He is, it seems, a kind of delicate but thunderingly hardass Illinois pol," - P.M. Carpenter, Buzzflash.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/02/quote-for-the-3.html

[Clio the Leo]

1. yep, that hit the proverbial nail on the equally proverbial head! NT

[babylonsister]

2. "...a robust self-contradiction, if not a living oxymoron"

:rofl: I hope so! Keep us guessing, for the right things! :fistbump:

And I'm liking Andrew Sullivan a lot. He's a smart cookie, and I know about his past. I still like him and enjoy smart people.

[MrModerate]

3. Sullivan actually gives me the pip . . .

I don't think the arc of the last few weeks took anyone in the White House by surprise or has required much course correction at all. They knew the 'Licans were going to play by Clinton rules and they knew it wouldn't work anymore.

Obama hasn't executed perfectly (the media has continued its traditional suck-up to 'Lican blowhards, and Obama's press secretary is a bit of a dull stick), but they're certainly letting the 'Licans dig their own grave on the stimulus bill while building up unimpeachable "bipartisan" credentials.

Besides, Sullivan enjoys his own turns of phrase much too much to be seemly.

[Hekate]

17. 'Licans? As in "Obama takes a 'Lican and keeps on tickin'?"

Sure seems to be the case -- maybe we can call him President Timex, because he knows what time it is.
:rofl:

Hekate

[MrModerate]

19. "Takes a 'Lican and keeps on tickin'" -- I like that.

I'm going to use it!

[truedelphi]

16. Okay, I am intrigued.

I agree I like his writing.

But what is in his past?

[MrModerate]

20. Not to step on the poster's response, but Sullivan's been a Bush apologist in the past . . .

I think he's professed admiration for Reagan as well. Not sure where he sits on that one now.

[babylonsister]

21. What do you call someone who's apologized for being an

apologist? :shrug: Andrew has. He's seen the light. I'll take him, warts and all, because I think he's progressed.

[Undercurrent]

4. Kudos!

Andrew is a rare breath of fresh air not to be found in the stagnant main stream media bunker. The pundit-ocracy is scratching their collective asses trying to define our President. The poor scripted babblers are failing miserably now, just like did during the primaries and general. Obama is a unique man, not a cardboard cut out, or flat caricature.

[asphalt.jungle]

7. it's not an A.S. quote though

he's linking to P.M. Carpenter's story on buzzflash and identified that line as one of his quotes of the day.

http://buzzflash.com/articles/carpenter/306

[Undercurrent]

8. Right you are. Thanks.

[Cha]

14. Thanks for making that clear..I wanted

to but you already have..so great!

[BlueCaliDem]

5. Well, it's very much in line with his 10/2008 remark

"We don't throw the first punch, but we will throw the last."

[Jennicut]

6. I love that quote, its so our Prez.

[Aristus]

9. I have a feeling that in some skilled, graceful way, President Obama is gonna put some

serious hurtin' on the repukes soon. And when they started whining and mewling like they always do, he can say of bipartisanship: "Hey, I TRIED!"

And then proceed to do a huge "Fuck You" on the GOP...

[firedupdem]

10. I agree with you on that. n/t

[Lugnut]

18. I think so.

I don't believe for a minute that his efforts are insincere. I do believe that he has a pretty good idea what he's up against and how likely his efforts are to be successful.

[Tutonic]

11. Gonna open up a can of whipass! Bye Bye Repugs.

[Cha]

12. I read that on buzzflash..thanks

for bringing it here through Andrew's blog, Pirate Smile~

[Baikonour]

13. Sullivan used to annoy the hell out of me on Bill Maher's show.

[BeyondGeography]

15. He's a great counterpuncher

Always let's the other guy wear himself out a little, then he pounces.