I don't know about you, but I'm declaring today's summit to be a victory.

[backscatter712]

What, you didn't actually think the goal was for the President and Democrats to link arms with the GOP and come out singing Kumbaya, did you?

No.

This wasn't actually a negotiation. Those take place behind closed doors.

This was a debate. This was a confrontation.

AND WE KICKED ASS!!!

All the Repubs could do was spew their same tired old bullshit talking points, while Obama and the Democrats tore 'em to pieces.

Most importantly, the Repubs were shown on national TV to be the assholes that they are.

Now we've got all the justification we need to shove health care reform through with reconciliation.

:beer: :woohoo::evilgrin: :hippie: :party: :toast: :smoke: :thumbsup: :hi: :fistbump: :headbang: :yourock: :applause:

[SpiralHawk]

1. It is true that the Republicons revealed themselves as shallow, negative corporate elitists

That was plain...though corporate media did it's best to hide the truth -- what with interruptions and endless, tedious, unbalanced, meaningless bloviating by republicon hacks.

[timeforpeace]

2. Nancy pushing the PO so hard is a puzzler though.

[seeinfweggos]

6. c'mon you got better than that.

you've been really off your game lately.

[OregonBlue]

3. CNN delclared that the Repukes won because it showed they were not just the party of no, that they

had real ideas.:shrug: :shrug: :shrug: They are such reich-wing tools.

[Raven]

4. I think Obama had behavioral scientists in on this one. He got

them exactly where he needed to have them. He spent a good deal of time detailing where Repub ideas were included...then he spent some time blowing them up...then he spent some time watching them blow themselves up...all the while chairing the meeting masterfully and having an amazing grasp of the facts. Good day. The spin will take over but he has them.

[JDPriestly]

13. I think that Obama learned to work with others from his mother.

This is his strength.

He is not all that great at stupid political games of one-upmanship.

But he is really good at listening and responding intelligently.

The Republicans know that Obama's strength is cooperative discourse. That's why they are stonewalling so much.

Obama made the Republicans look like the fools they are today.

They have painted him as this Hitler-fanatic-socialist type.

But today, before all the cameras with over 3 million people tuning in, Obama showed himself to be a rational, patient, gentle but firm listener.

There is no way that the Tea-Bagger view of Obama can be believed by any sensible person after today.

[customerserviceguy]

5. I'm sure the Rethugs are spinning it the same way

They'll use footage of this dog and pony show to demonstrate to their constituents that they "looked Obama in the eye, and didn't blink."

This was not about compromise, this was about the President and the Democratic Congress passing the blame for the failure of HCR to the Pukes, and their seizing the opportunity to claim victory in defeating it.

Mere political theatre, plain and simple. It's not going to embolden Blue Dogs to vote for anything, unless the subsequent polls show a sudden surge for HCR as a result of today, and that's just not going to happen.

[whathehell]

7. I agree...Obama really seemed, at the end, to be saying "If you don't work with us Now

we've no choice but Reconcilliation!

[Historic NY]

8. End of the day its still square one the GOP still isn't voting for anything.

[backscatter712]

9. That's OK.

This summit achieved its desired result - justification for shoving the bill through Congress with reconciliation and zero GOP votes.

[JuniperLea]

10. The Pubbies will no doubt whine about cameras again...

They don't like looking at themselves... that makes most of us, methinks.

They can't hide their lies as well out in the open, in the light, and with adults in the room to keep them honest.

It was kick ass, no question!

So let them whine about being held accountable... all the better!

[theoldman]

11. Obama won the debate but that will not convince the ignorant public.

How many people actually watched the debate and how many of them are intelligent enough to understand what was said. The answer is not many.

[JDPriestly]

12. Obama and Pelosi won this one.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

14. I agree. I'm glad they did it.

[depakid]

15. The only victory that counts is the one that enacts popular and effective public policy

Everything else is just another episode in the serial circus.