JK to appear on Meet the Press This Sunday! (12/5/10)

[ObamaKerryDem]

With Mitch McConnell (yuck..lol) appearing alongside (not clear if they will be on together, aka a debate though that would be awesome and I think we all know who would win that one! :D :kick: :

http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2010/12/previewing-the-16.php

[MBS]

1. ooh-thanks!

I can't wait to see him crush McConnell. : )

[karynnj]

2. Thanks - that should be good

It would be great if they were together debate style - but I think republicans kind of know that is a sure loss for them. Bush, McCain. and Lindsey Graham all looked bad next to him.

[wisteria]

3. Thank you for the info! But, McConnell? Like you said, yuck! n/t

[YvonneCa]

4. This ought to be good. I wish he'd call him...

...out on his lack of real leadership...when the country needs it most.

[politicasista]

5. Good. Some of Obama's supporters were wondering when

were Dems that defend him were going to step in. It's ok. Got attacked for defending the Senator and others from people that think that no one has stood up and defended this Administration from the get go. :hide:

[karynnj]

6. Saw that - you were good

It may be that they will keep him on questions of START and foreign policy - likely with a healthy Wikileaks component as that is in the news.

[politicasista]

7. That may be true

It's a Pro-Obama blog, and I still support this President like they do, but you would think that they would see that that Obama Administration/and Obama is not out here by himself as they think. Neither is Biden.

Have they forgotten what Kerry did for Obama or do they expect more? I understand that Kerry isn't a favorite (given the rich pol label) and Obama (sometimes Biden) is the only pol they trust, but doesn't he deserve to listen to someone knowledgeble? It's not like he is threatening the President (or boxing him in). Just because you bring up Kerry's name you get asked about an agenda or something negative. They are saying he is part of everything that's wrong with the Democratic Party. Being silent is not enough. It feels like a losing battle.

I am not a fan of all Democrats, but there are some that are working hard to make the Obama agenda a reality.

That being said, hope he does well Sunday. He won't please everyone, but he'll have the ear of the Pres and VP.


And thanks. It's almost time for another internet pol break. The holidays are a good time for that. :hi:

[karynnj]

8. That thread was not pro-Obama - it was disappointed with Obama

The op ended up liking Kerry's Dissent speech, which was vintage Kerry - and the opposite of the media stereotype. The OP was both disappointed because he was highly committed to Dean. Just as some Hillary supporters will always have a regret that she did not get the nomination and likely the Presidency.

I don't know if the internet played a role, but in both 2004 and 2008, you had people far more invested in primary candidates and unable to emotionally move on to the nominee - which was the norm in most years. (1980 was bitter enough that it might be an exception.)

The sadness for me, was that if most of the Dean people could have seen Kerry being Kerry and a typical puff piece biography - theta ONLY Kerry, of all candidates since I was old enough to follow politics did not get. (They all were histories that create narratives that becoming President seemed to follow from their lives - 2000 Bush was a real challenge, but they did it. Kerry's life would be simple to make into that - after all how many 27 year olds are seriously asked by a pundit if they want to be President?

[politicasista]

9. Yep. Got that one, but the reply was about

a response to a blog post at another site in the link above. There was a poster that complained that no one has stood up for Obama or the O Administration and pointed out that like you said earlier that Kerry has been very loyal to Obama, but "he is been silent, he should say something NOW!" "he is part of the problem in the Democratic Party" to no avail, just snark.

Maybe it's just a mistrust with wealthy (white) pols, as if the yacht and TSA stock thing didn't help much. (Maybe he should use it for charity or something) Hope he has a nice fundraiser, maybe there are people that appreciate him more than Obama supporters of some in MA do. Of course, they can always have Alexander and Corker, (but keep Brown!) and see what life is really like in this state where the GOP has a lock on everything.

As for the old primary wars, people will never get over it. People haven't even gotten over the last primary season.:(

[Mass]

10. They have forgotten nothing. Their only goal, like rock star fans, is to

support their star, in this case Obama.

Therefore, if he is perceived as failing, it must be somebody else. It does not matter what their idol proposes. It has to be correct.

We have this behavior with all important politicians. Deaniacs behave like that. Hillary Clinton supporters behave like that. We sometimes behave like that. It is human nature. If you want to bring Kerry or anybody else in this discussion, you need to get a thicker skin, because it is not about Kerry, it is about their guy. Once again, if he is not succeeding, it must be somebody else's fault.

This said, Kerry has been very absent on these issues recently. May be because they keep him on foreign policy issues. May be because they want to keep the domestic agenda in the White House (not that people like Gibbs communicate well when they cant punch), but I agree he has been absent. This said, as a person from MA, I would hope he fight and speak out for MA, not for Obama.

[politicasista]

12. Oh, ok

After being away from the computer for hours, the way it was interpreted was like we are sick and tired (of being sick and tired to quote Fannie Lou Hamer) of the media, both left, center, and right disrespecting our President and his Administration and NO ONE backing him up."

Do agree about the behavior of important pols. We all protective (and defensive) of those we like.

That said, if MA doesn't want him (they may, but they act like they don't), they can trade for Alexander and Corker (But keep Brown). They are loaded too, but no one cares about that or what they do for TN or in Congress. They could actually get to experience what it's really like seeing red with on every branch of state government. It's funny, but embarrassing.

[MBS]

13. yeah, having spent most of my life in red states or red parts of blue

or purple states, I share somewhat the same frustration. Those in liberal bubbles like Cambridge, or western MA, or SF Bay area, etc,who like quibble about alleged imperfections of this or that hard-working Dem representing them, have NO IDEA what the rest of the country has to endure, how hard their Dem representatives have to fight to move anything forward, and how truly awful(and, lately, even dangerous) the Republican alternatives are.

[politicasista]

14. Bingo

Hoping the post didn't read "concern" all over it, but it's part of the reason of political disillusionment and 11/02/10 made it worse. :hi:

[Mass]

15. MA does not want him? Really? Where do you get that?

From a couple of bloggers? There are stupid people everywhere. No reason to generalize.

[politicasista]

16. Ok

From MA DUers. :hide:

No need to say more because will look foolish. It's out of habit of forgetting that DU isn't the real world (bad apples in disguise). Ok, poli lives in a bubble. It's ok if piled on.

They don't speak for all MA people. However, it would be nice to hear what the real residents (i.e. Dorchester, Mattapan really think, they have been having issues with crime of late) think.

Will stay out of MA related issues from now on. It's NOMB (none of my business), being from the South and all.:)

[Mass]

11. Hopefully, they will move the discussion from START and Wikileaks to things that are more

substantial to American people.

[MBS]

17. blurb from NBC website

get the popcorn out : ):popcorn:(ok, maybe a little early for popcorn: cinnamon buns?? bagels and cream cheese?)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/

This Sunday, with unemployment now at a 7-month high and after Tuesday's high-profile White House meeting between President Obama and Republican Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell and his House counterpart Speaker-elect Rep. John Boehner, both sides must now decide where to fight and where to compromise on tax cuts, the deficit dilemma, unemployment benefits, the New Start Treaty and gays in the military. We'll find out where the battle-lines are drawn with two key players in the Senate: the Republican Leader of the Senate Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Democratic Senator John Kerry (D-MA).

Then, Battleground 2012: How vulnerable is the President in 2012 and what does he need to do to get back into a position of strength? What Republicans are poised to challenge him? We'll also discuss this week’s Wikileaks document dump: how damaging is it for U.S. foreign policy? And how will the politics of lame duck session and the debates on tax cuts, New START and gays in the military set the tone for the 112th Congress in January? Our roundtable of political journalists and strategists weighs in: New York Times columnists David Brooks and Tom Friedman; BBC World News America’s Washington Correspondent Katty Kay; and Republican Strategist Mike Murphy.

[ProSense]

18. Cool

definitely don't want to miss that. Thanks.

[karynnj]

19. That does sound good - and though we know which side Gregory will lean to,

Kerry can take both of them on.

I have already set this to record as I have a jazz brunch a synagogue group I belong to is having for Hanukkah.

[Mass]

20. He was excellent. I wished he did that more often.

[MBS]

21. I agree n/t

[MBS]

22. * * video link to Kerry part

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/40517103#40517103
Had to dig a little to find it. . it wasn't on MTP front page (thus conofirming karynnj's suspicions about Gregory's bias. .)

He was great (McConnell was insufferable- you can see that on separate video if you're tough enough .nausea alert! : ))

Round table (also slanted heavily to the right) was not great. But one of the Talking Heads did say something that stuck with me: namely that Americans will be more willing to sacrifice, and (implied) generally get more on board with Pres Obama, if they sense that Obama is signing them up for something big. . . that Obama needs to go big to move forward. I agree;I think that people do want something big to happen (I'd submit that weirdly, that might even have been the message sent --albeit sent in incoherent, surly, and nihilistic fashion--in the last election) and that it's because people sensed he was the guy to do something big that he won.(Certainly,at least, it's why I voted for him) So I hope that he will just go for it. That's what I want for Christmas.

[ProSense]

23. Thanks

I saw this. Kerry was great. Posted this in GDP.

[YvonneCa]

24. I agree with every word. Kerry did a...

...fantastic job setting out the foundation for that big idea this morning. I posted the link in GD too. This needs to beseen.

[fedupinBushcountry]

26. Thanks for posting

I missed it and did a stupid thing and went to Huffpost for their write up by that snarky Jason Linkins. This is how he started his take on it "Okay, now it's time for John "Treebeard" Kerry, Democratic Senator of Fangorn Forest", arggghhhhh!!!! You wouldn't have thought that we saw the same show according to his snark ass take on it. I responded to his disgustful immature reporting.

[beachmom]

27. Stay away from the Huff Puff, my friend.

It's bad for your health!

[ObamaKerryDem]

28. Pft! I swear, some of the people over on Huffington Post are no better..

..than the folks on FreeRepublic. Two sides of the same coin, imo. And the sad thing is, I don't think they even realize how much they sound like Freepers when they say things like this.. :thumbsdown:

[Inuca]

38. Thanks a lot for the link

Super interview!

[wisteria]

25. +1 n/t

[ObamaKerryDem]

29. Totally agree. He was brilliant! :) And it's lucky for McConnell that it wasn't..

..a head to head debate..he would've been clobbered! }(

I can't say it enough--I am so proud to have JK for my Senator! :D

[MBS]

30. but frustrating that, so far, I've seen/heard very little mention in the media

that anyone besides McConnell spoke on MTP! Even worse, no mention that anyone might have anything substantive to say in criticism of his POV.
Just now on NPR, for instance . . quoted McConnell, without comment or criticism, on one of his preposterous statements about everyone needing tax cuts . .then NPR went on to say that yesterday the Repubs blocked the Dem tax cut plans, which (according to NPR) approved tax cuts (=exact quotes here) "with some limitations".
This is NPR, not Faux News, not your average AM radio stuff. Very, very frustrating.:banghead::banghead::banghead:

[ProSense]

31. Meet the Press

"Restoration of Democratic Pride" edition.

From this Daily Kos diary

Awesome!

[karynnj]

33. Did you see this comment with a hilarious version of Kerry

Gregory: what’s up John?

Kerry: Republicans want to cut unemployment insurance so they can give $100,000 to very rich people

Gregory: but rich people are very uncertain about how rich they will be

Kerry: the GOP is morally bankrupt and reckless

Gregory: but they’re so handsome and responsible

Kerry: the Chinese are making solar panels and we lead the world in per capita dancing with stars

Gregory: so why is Obama going to cave to the Republicans?

Kerry: he’s not!

Gregory: that’s not what I heard!

Kerry: Mitch McConnell is a prick

Gregory: Obama does nothing to make Republicans squirm

Kerry: not true - every morning he’s black

Gregory: good point
http://moonshinepatriot.blogspot.com/2010/12/meet-press-december-5-2010.html

[MBS]

35. : )

[ProSense]

37. LOL! n/t

[MBS]

36. thanks for this link -- it made my day!!! n/t

[politicasista]

32. Cool comment from

WEE See You (if no one minds this):

Kerry's on MTP and I think he had some Gangsta Flakes this morning!

[MBS]

34. : ) n/t

[MBS]

39. WaPo blog commentary by "Blue Virginia"

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/politics/blog-network/2010/12/john_kerry_rips_republicans_wi.html

article invites comments. . just saying. :)

[Mass]

40. As far as I can see, blackout on local media.

Channel 7 showed several excerpts of McConnell, but not Kerry, BlueMassGroup is busy BJing Brown for saying again he supports the repeal of DADT as is the Globe(could we at least wait to see how he votes on the floor before congratulating this time), and his results on the PPP blog.

Seems to be an excerpt on NECN

http://www.necn.com/12/05/10/John-Kerry-hints-at-tax-cut-compromise/landing_politics.html?blockID=366835&feedID=4212

[MBS]

41. yeah, I can't find anything either. Here's a bit from NYT

but note that McConnell got most of the ink.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/us/politics/06talkshows.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=%22john%20kerry%22&st=cse

Mr. McConnell said raising taxes would hurt the nation’s 700,000 small businesses, which generate jobs. Democrats have argued that there is little evidence that individual income over $1 million is invested in job creation.

Interviewed on the same program, a combative Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the Democratic presidential candidate in 2004 and the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Republican position on tax cuts “would put money in the pockets of people who may never invest it in the United States.”

To retain those tax cuts for the wealthy, he said, the Republicans were “willing to hold unemployment compensation hostage.”

Also NYT had front-page story on the fear of a "tax bite" on part of corporations so they're generating their bonuses early . :mad:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/business/06bonus.html?ref=todayspaper

Worried that lawmakers will allow taxes to rise for the wealthiest Americans beginning next year, financial firms are discussing whether to move up their bonus payouts from next year to this month.

At stake is a portion of the hefty annual payouts that are a familiar part of the compensation culture on Wall Street, as well as a juicy target of popular anger. If Congress does not extend the Bush-era tax cuts for the highest income levels, a typical worker who earns a $1 million bonus would pay $40,000 to $50,000 more in taxes next year than this year, depending on base salary.

gosh, my heart bleeds for them. :sarcasm:
They're right about popular anger, at least. I've never never been so enraged about the political situation as I have been the last week.

[Mass]

42. James Fallows has a write up on Kerry.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/12/an-effective-presentation-of-the-dems-tax-cut-case/67516/

An Effective Presentation of the Dems' Tax-Cut Case

Note to Administration officials: make these points, and just keep making them. The Administration is offering a plan with tax cuts for everybody, and the Republicans are saying no -- to that, and to extended unemployment benefits during a time of record joblessness -- unless there is a hugely expensive extra tax cut for the very people who are least likely to spend the extra money they get.

Repetition and consistency of message have become great strategic strengths of the right. On Fox, from Rush, from the Republican leadership, you hear the same themes day after day. They allow their audience to "frame" each day's items in the news. "Oh, I see, the Democrats are supporting 'job-killing tax hikes' once again." Democrats, by contrast, can seem embarrassed and and afraid of seeming "unoriginal" if think they are making points that are "obvious," or that they've already made. But this is one to hammer home until it's absolutely clear:

"You care about unemployment? We're committed to extending benefits that can help families stay above water, hold onto their houses if possible, and have at least some spending power as they keep looking for work. You need a tax break in a recession? We agree -- we want to cut taxes for every household in the country. And that's why we're in a fight with the Republican minority that is determined to stop tax relief for you, and deny help to families who've lost jobs, unless we give huge extra tax cuts for the people who've already enjoyed the greatest tax-cut benefits and are least likely to spend that money to keep the economy strong. We're saying: tax cuts for everybody on income up to $250,000 -- and for money above that, to control the deficit, let's go back to the rates of the 1990s, when the economy boomed. They're saying: no tax cuts for anybody, unless there's a special bonus for people at the very top.

We're all for compromise -- but not with bad, destructive, budget-busting ideas. That's why we're drawing the line here."

I mention this both because I think Kerry's argument is right on the merits, and because it's worth recognizing political arguments presented competently.

[MBS]

43. thanks -- this also has the video clip embedded in the post

. .so I got to watch it again.
Ah, my favorite line (commenting on "American exceptionalism")

Yes, we are exceptional but we're exceptional when we do exceptional things, and we're not doing that today

Brilliant. And totally accurate