Obama Endorses Blanche Lincoln In Arkansas Primary

[Bluebear]

President Obama is sticking with Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the May 18 Democratic primary in Arkansas.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed today that Obama will keep with his trend of supporting the sitting senator in party primaries, as he's done with Sen. Arlen Specter over Rep. Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania and in supporting Sen. Michael Bennet in Colorado.

"We support Senator Lincoln as an incumbent senator," Gibbs told reporters today during his daily briefing.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/white-house-backs-lincoln-in-arkansas-primary.php

[DFW]

1. Well DUH

The last thing Obama will do a few weeks before a few key votes come up is tell a wavering Democrat
he is supporting her opponent in the upcoming primary. Even if he is in reality rubbing his hands with
glee at the prospect of a progressive running in her stead, the last thing he will do at this stage is
come out and say so, as that would be the one thing to make her switch parties here and now. He's playing
this the only way he can.

[Bluebear]

3. LOL, yes he is rubbing his hands with glee over a progressive taking her seat.

:rofl:

[QC]

7. You just don't understand chess, that's all. n/t

[Bluebear]

11. Us pony-wishers are more Candy Land types ;)

[QC]

20. He doesn't have a magic wand, you know! n/t

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. +1

[ProgressiveEconomist]

21. Yes--President knows Lincoln still has 10 months to go in any case--

and she could tip many Senate votes his way.

"I'll campaign for you X times" is a very small price for the President to pay to get her vote on HCR, financial reform, and the rest of his agenda for this year.

[xchrom]

2. Of course he does.

This enforcement may be the single most revealing
move of his tenure.

Bush set the bar low for every one.
And this is a great example of how it has been set so
low for us.

Can't say it's unexpected - but we're gonna have fingers
waved in our faces 'but Nader .. But Mcain .. But America
'centrist' horseshit.

She's pathetic -- period.

If all you ever want from leadership is that they not be as
BAD as Bush or senile Reagan -- please shut the fuck up
and get out of the way.

[gateley]

5. I'd think any President would "support" the sitting senator in a primary. Just

political SOP. I think it comes with the j.o.b. :7

[Sebastian Doyle]

8. If the sitting senator was a loyal Democrat, that would be understandable

But she doesn't deserve his support. Or that of any Democrat. And as I said in a similar thread regarding the Colorado primary last week, I wish he and the national party would stay away from the primaries.

[gateley]

12. Well I agree she doesn't deserve his support (because she sure hasn't supported

him or the Party), but that was my point -- that the Prez just does it because it is an incumbent. Kind of like just paying lip service but nobody actually believing he REALLY supports the person.

And it would be great if they stayed away from the primaries -- but this is politics!

[Hawkeye-X]

14. Amen to that - +10000

White House needs to stay the fuck out of state primaries, period.

Romanoff will be the winnah of the March caucus, and will have the votes come August primaries.

Hawkeye-X

[Hannah Bell]

9. i'd think if the incumbent was obstructing the president's agenda, he might not.

certainly the party has run candidates against incumbents in disfavor.

[gateley]

13. I don't know -- I think the President generally would generally go along with

the program -- supporting the incumbent even if gritting his teeth while doing it.

He didn't boot the military bigwig who came out and disagreed with his policy in Afghanistan, but I bet that pissed him off, too. I think Obama would be thrilled to see Lincoln bounced out and replaced by a viable REAL Dem.

But these are always just my observations and assumptions from waaaaaay outside the beltway, just my rube opinions.

But I can't think of any other reason why he'd support her, can you?

[Oregone]

6. This woman sucks. Get her the Medal of Freedom already!

[bigwillq]

22. Or better yet. The Nobel Prize. (nt)

[SlingBlade]

10. From One to Another

Birds of a fuck'in feather huh. By the way, How's his old buddy Joe Lieberman doing lately ?
Setting us up for another one no doubt.

Proff as Grandma used to say is in the pudding.
Isnt this sorry backstabbing sonofabitch STILL holding that Chairmanship of the Homeland Security Cmte.

[Selatius]

15. Obama could've easily played hard ball with Lincoln and remained silent on supporting her.

With the silence in place, Obama could send messages through back channels that her waffling position on the Public Option is the reason for lack of any endorsement from the White House.

[upi402]

17. He intentionally lets opportunities pass

He let his honeymoon period pass, in the main. He could have done ANYTHING. But he licked it around the edges then sat on his hands while his minions handed our tax dollars to criminals.

He could threaten Republicans with any sort of investigation. But he appeases instead. So many missed opportunities that would have put American on the right track, saved the longest enduring democracy, and put the first black president on the cover of every history book 'til his grandkids go to college.

[emsimon33]

16. That's the kiss of death for Blanche

[GreenTea]

18. Of course all sitting presidents must publicly say they support all incumbents of their own party.

That they will do what they can for that incumbent....most important, party unity is at stake here!

It would look like a stab in the back if the president didn't support the incumbents in his own party to the other incumbents in that party....even if that same incumbent in question has stabbed you in the back in the past....

The president must be bigger than that, a uniter and let the chips fall where they may....No matter how he personally feels.

Hopefully they'll come out the way a president really wants them to.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

19. Perhaps the head of the Party should be neutral on this

[Confusious]

23. Good Idea!

Tie your neck to sinking rock!

:sarcasm: