Buzzflash: OBAMA OPPOSES FILIBUSTER according to knowledgable source:

[Nothing Without Hope]

http://www.buzzflash.com/index.php?story=Story

BuzzFlash Has Heard a Rumor that Senator Barack Obama Has Been Opposing a Filibuster of Alito Inside the Democratic Caucus

January 27, 2006

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

We hope this isn't true, but BuzzFlash has been told by a knowledgeable source that Senator Barack Obama is opposing a filibuster of Alito during the debate raging within the Democratic Senate Caucus. The implication is that he is against such a filibuster on "strategic grounds."

BuzzFlash's source for this rumor also correctly informed us that after days of BuzzFlash calling upon Senator John Kerry to live up to his 2003 commitment to lead a filibuster against a candidate with the anti-Constitutional background of Sam Alito that Kerry was now trying to get the caucus to back a filibuster. Indeed, late on Thursday, Kerry's office publicly announced what our source had told us: Kerry would indeed try to filibuster Alito and try to persuade his Democratic colleagues to back him by voting to keep the filibuster alive. He will need 40 other votes.

(snip)

{Additional troubling information:}Someone who attended the weekly D.C. town hall breakfast meetings that Obama and Minority Whip Dick Durbin hold for Illinois constituents said that Obama was distinctly non-committal when the subject of a filibuster came up. He didn't offer to support one, and dismissed the notion with "the votes aren't there" sort of approach. This was said on the morning January 26th.

(In a separate wire service story, "Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin told reporters that he 'can count votes' and concluded that a filibuster of Alito 'would not be likely to succeed.'" Message to Dick: You and Reid are the top two Democrats to make the filibuster happen, not to let everyone run off and do what they want for their own selfish political reasons.)

(snip)

More calls and faxes to Obama are needed. Stoke that fire.
The telephone number for Senator Obama's D.C. office is 202-224-2854. The telephone number for his Chicago office is 312-886-3506.
Fax numbes of the Democratic senators are here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x122095

(for completeness, fax numbers for the GOP Senators are here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x122095#122144)

[fooj]

1. "strategic grounds"...what's with this guy?

Peace.

[patrioticliberal]

2. Um. He had breakfast with Rove on November 3, 2004

And the rest of his good ol buddies at the WH.
fuckin sellout.

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. I have been disappointed with Obama. Here again we appear to have the

"go along to get along" approach that the DLC has been using to run the party and to help the GOP run the country into the ground.

[Canuckistanian]

19. I thought Obama rejected the DLC

Didn't he object to being on the DLC's list of "movers and shakers" sometime last year?

[Nutmegger]

4. I respect Obama

but :wtf:???

A "no" vote does nothing. SHUT IT DOWN NOW! GO JK!

[tritsofme]

5. This fits well with my theory

that there will be about 70 votes for cloture.

[CHORONZON]

6. I really DON'T GET THIS

WHAT IS STRATEGIC ABOUT ROLLING OVER?????!!!!! Are the Dems completely out of touch on the importance of this issue? Passing this man on to the supreme court with bush in office could compromise our constitution. There is no caution in permitting that. The filibuster IS caution.:nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[Nothing Without Hope]

7. I agree. We need to CALL/FAX Obama and TELL HIM SO. n/t

[wookie294]

8. Not surprising

Obama is overrated.

[Nothing Without Hope]

9. And then there is Byrd, who apparently will vote for Alito

despite Alito's record of siding against working people and constitutional balance of power. SHAME!!!! He needs to be bombarded with faxes and phone calls.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x256388

[Nothing Without Hope]

10. ***OBAMA NEEDS TO HEAR THIS: Big 3 civil rights leaders say FILIBUSTER!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x255697
thread title (1-26-06 GD-Alito): "Big Three" Civil Rights Leaders tell Senate: "Filibuster Alito!"

[coffeenap]

13. Just called Washington office--he has no "official" position to be

announced yet. I asked if he has a position. Staffer said yes, but that he, the staffer, doesn't know it. (LOL) Staffer said he will announce today or TUESDAY his position. When I asked if he will be in Illinois this weekend, he said yes.

Then told him about the NUL and NAACP support of a no on cloture, yes on filibuster. Staffer said he would pass that on--didn't say if they we aware of it or not.

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. Nothing but a DLC Baby...Nancy Skinner should have gotten the nod.

I get more and more sure of this every single day.

[Nothing Without Hope]

21. My suspicion is that Obama wants to be president and that is what has

precedence in his planning. As I see it, he plays along with the DLC so they know they can "trust" him to follow their agenda when it really counts. I would not be at all suprised to see a DLC-driven campaign to force nomination of Hillary Clinton as presidential and Obama as VP candidates in 2008. They would value his charisma and oratorical abilities and want to use him to bring in factions that distrust Hillary Clinton. If not in 2008, then in a later election.

A bitter disappointment. I was suprprised at some of his early votes, but not any more.

In the meantime, LET'S KEEP THE PRESSURE ON FOR HIM TO SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTER.

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. self-delete - one of those mysterious DU dupes of a post

[coffeenap]

12. Just called Illinois office--staffer said there is no info "available to

the public" regarding his decision on cloture and no prediciton of when he will announce.

[fooj]

14. No info "available to the public"??? Did you remind the staffer

that the PUBLIC employs him?

Peace.

[New Earth]

15. faxed him too

just a few minutes ago. i'm faxing about everyone i'm seeing the last hour or so who's supposedly against a filibuster....i'm still on the time clock too :o

[Dr Fate]

16. When the GOP/media Swift Boats Obama someday, he will cry:

"But, but- I was so civil and polite- I tried to work with them and pretend they were not liars & criminals- why me? How could this happen to me? I cant believe they did not play fair...Why are they making up all this stuff about my past?- I was NICE to them"

Poor baby.

[understandinglife]

17. Just called his office. Keep the pressure on, everyone.

Peace.

[Just Me]

18. These people need to TAKE the power to redefine "politics".

Look at the incredibly GROSS risks the neoconsters have taken. DAMN!!!

It our turn, damnit!!! Geez, we are the ones who stand for the strength of democracy and the rights of the little guy. THAT IS RIGHTEOUS!!!

Good grief. Where's the conviction and courage and confidence? :shrug:

TAKE A RISK!!! BE BOLD!!! TAKE A STAND FOR THIS NATION!!!! DO IT!!!

[orleans]

20. i also called just now

staffer said he is waiting to see what everyone else is going to do. i said if they all filibuster then we wouldn't have this problem.

i voted for obama. i won't do it again unless he filibusters.

[radio4progressives]

23. Last night I wrote a letter to Obama, and reported back here.. I urge

everyone else to do the same by following the links to his website, or make phone calls. contact information in the pinned threads.

[Nothing Without Hope]

24. One more kick - let's keep the heat on Obama. n/t

[Totally Committed]

25. I keep wanting to like Obama, I really do...

then I see something like this and that little voice in my head screams -- "DLC!"

I know he ran from them like a hen on fire, but this "strategy" as he sees it seems to be right from the DLC Handbook.

If you read his book, he sounds like exactly what's needed for this Party, but if you pay attention to spme pf thepositions he takes, he seems like a dose of the same-old-same-old. I don't know what gives.

Like I said, I want to like this guy.

TC

[Nothing Without Hope]

26. I feel the same way. I think we just have to do the usual, and go by

what he DOES WHEN IT COUNTS rather than what he says or what he does when it doesn't count.

And that adds up to a picture of him as doing a mutual dance with the DLC so as to keep his advertised, public distance and "credibility" with factions the DLC wants to attract while actually being part of their power structure. I see it as a ploy on his part to have access to the power of the DLC to achieve his own ambitions. I would be totally unsurprised if he does show up as a VP candidate on a DLC ticket with Hillary Clinton or some other DINO as presidential candidate.

[Edgewater_Joe]

27. FLASH!! Daily Kos Has Obama SUPPORTING Filibuster!!!!!!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/28/1420/46748

He's #14 on the list!

THAT'S TWO SENATORS that have been pushed to support the filibuster -- KEEP PUSHING!!!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

28. YES!!!!! Let's keep pushing him or he may change back, or it's

possible that this report is overoptimistic.

KEEP THE PRESSURE ON OBAMA!!!!!!

[wndycty]

29. Well we would not want the truth to get in the way of some Obama bashing

. . .sometimes this place just sickens the hell out of me. There is so much knee jerk activism here . . .it is really depressing.

[PBass]

30. Everyone's just excited

I know that I will be happy as hell (and proud) of the Democratic senators who are willing to fight for what they believe in.

Obama will get his props if he deserves them, no doubt. Being new in the Senate he is probably a little nervous about sticking his head above ground. If Obama does the right thing, that's all that matters, he will be rewarded by the base... while those who cowered in fear will not.

[wndycty]

31. Here is the problem with your logic. . .

. . .I don't agree with Byrd's decision to vote for Alito, I feel its absolutely appropriate for anyone to voice displeasure with him or any other Dem who supports this nomination, however many DUers take every vote, every action, every statement and use that to attack the character at anytime. Its just immature, silly and couterproductive. Regardless of the outcome of the Alito vote Byrd will be back to bashing Bush any day now and many of the same DUers who bashed (there is a difference between criticism and bashing) him well elevate him to hero status. This is just silly.

[Canuckistanian]

32. Oh, ya, GREAT strategy

Lie down in the middle of the road and say "I'll get up and fight once this truck has run over me."

Bloody brilliant.