No Difference Between Candidate and President Obama

[Undercurrent]

While I appreciate Arianna Huffington's kind words about my book on the 2008 Presidential campaign of Barack Obama, I could not disagree more with the suggestion that somehow the President Obama of 2009 has lost touch with candidate Obama in 2008.

Frustration about the pace of change, even disagreement on select issues, of course is understandable. But stepping back a bit, as those of us in the Obama orbit have learned to do, reveals an administration that already has made a significant down payment on the change so many fought for last year. I remain confident in the president's unique ability not just to lead us through the many challenges and crises of the moment, but also to accomplish the tough, smart, long-term projects of energy and health care reform -- problems that Washington has long ignored but that will secure a more equitable and prosperous future for all Americans.

During the campaign, the president offered three core promises to the American people. First, he promised to wake up every day thinking about how to improve the lives of the middle class, a task made more urgent by the historic economic calamity that greeted him as he took office. Some suggested that all that could or should be done was to perform triage on the financial system and allow economic events to take their normal course. But the president undertook strong action to stabilize the banking system, as well as the auto industry. These were things he had to do--not things he wanted to do--and of course they had little political upside. But President Obama is a leader; he did not run to occupy the Oval Office but to lead from it, and many times that means playing a bad hand as effectively as possible.


more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-plouffe/president-obama-and-candi_b_343985.html

[Clio the Leo]

1. Go GET HER Plouffie!!!!!!

And reminder to everyone, his book came out TODAY!!!

Just downloaded mine from itunes!

[vssmith]

2. He promised change

Larry Summers is not change--just more of the same.
So is Tim Geithner
Where are the people that were against the Iraq war in his administration.

[phleshdef]

3. The only more of the same I see is more of the same unoriginal, cliche bullshit lies from so called.

...dissenters.

[vssmith]

6. Arianna Huffington just today revealed:

1. Larry Summers has undermined the influence of Paul Volckers--in essence he knee-capped him.
2. Larry Summers was arguing against extending unemployment benefits.

BTW what do you mean by cliche lies--I am not a liar, Thank You

[123m456h789d]

5. Change

Where do you live under a rock. I see change,(less people losing homes,jobs,ect.) I feel change,(the mood of this country is must better) and I am experiencing change (after a year I now have a job.) Keep hope alive, if not hope than what? Tea party Parade. NO thank I take my Hope

[babylonsister]

8. Welcome to DU! nt

[vssmith]

9. Do I live under a rock?

Do you treat people with disrespect when you talk to them face-to-face or only when it is safe at long distance.

I am glad you have found a job gut unfortunately I have friends that are still losing jobs or are in danger. I do believe Obama is trying and I do believe it will turn around. My big fear is that big banks are going to go back to the same old practices if they haven't already

[HopeOverFear]

4. RIGHT ON PLOUFFE!!!!!!!

[impik]

7. Plouffe is a better person than me

I would never be so polite to this woman.