Compare and Contrast: How Obama Treated Dennis Kucinich vs. Blanche Lincoln

[slipslidingaway]

http://firedoglake.com/2010/03/17/compare-and-contrast-how-obama-treated-dennis-kucinich-vs-blanche-lincoln/

"In light of today’s news, it’s worth revisiting a post about Obama’s supposed powerlessness over Congress by Matt Yglesias...

President Barack Obama hasn’t reached out to lobby Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) on healthcare, the senator said Wednesday.

“I made it pretty clear that I didn’t support reconciliation,” Lincoln said during an appearance on MSNBC, by way of offering a reason as to why the president would let her be. “I think he hates asking people to do things contrary to what their gut tells them to do.“

The strong-arming of Kucinich makes Yglesias look more than a little silly today. But the idea that the president is simply an impotent bystander in the face of the awesome powers of the United States Congress was always an absurd position — especially in light of the ample evidence that Obama White House gleefully puts the screws to liberals.

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2009/12/16/white_house


So Blanche Lincoln can threaten to filibuster her own party’s bill, and she doesn’t get so much as a phone call.

But Dennis Kucinich, on the other hand, stands up for a key principle of health care reform that the president campaigned on — and gets a personal visit from Air Force One.

See how this works now, Matt?"

[Renew Deal]

1. I think you misunderstand the conclusion.

Lincoln said she was non-negotiable, so they didn't talk to her. Kucinich was willing to be convinced, so they spent time on him.

[Cali_Democrat]

8. That's what I think also. n/t

[SoFlaJet]

2. Or maybe, just maybe

DK actually CARES about his constituents and Blanche Lincoln is so far out of touch to be considered a lost cause and Obama won't have to deal with her anymore anyway after she loses her primary.

[mzmolly]

3. Senator Lincoln isn't needed.

The Senate bill is a done deal.

[MineralMan]

4. Lincoln only cares about her phony baloney job.

Screw that.

[mzmolly]

5. dup

sorry.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Kucinich represents a safe Democratic district

He can vote for the bill without fear of any political repercussions. Lincoln represents a red state and risks losing her seat if she supports HCR. The President is smart enough to know this.

[Winterblues]

7. There are fifty votes in the Senate so it isn't that much of a concern

The House is where the problem now lies..

[berni_mccoy]

9. Wow, how many times is this FDL Garbage going to get posted today? They're going after Kucinich too

so if anyone needed any proof as to the Norquist/Teabagger-backed insanity of FDL, they should have a clear view of it now.

[slipslidingaway]

15. FDL is not going after Kucinich n/t

[LynneSin]

10. Lincoln is "Dead Woman Walking" in her senate seat re-election

She is the most vulernable democrat up for re-election and may not even win her primary where she has a popular and PROGRESSIVE democrat running against her. Since we have the 50 votes she need I think Ms. Lincoln is a pariah in her own party. Even Emily's List, a group dedicated to election more democratic women to office, won't spend a dime on her.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[goclark]

12. He did not have to get on the plane

If I had strong feelings about the issue, I would have not put one foot on that plane.

He was not put in ball/chains.

[Enrique]

13. Obama didn't strong-arm Dennis

I'd rather see Dennis riding on the plane with Obama, rather than Blanche Lincoln on that plane. I think Greenwald is excellent, but I wonder if Lincoln had been on the plane whether Greenwald would see that as Obama strong-arming her.

[slipslidingaway]

16. Let's face it there was a lot of attention on Kucinich as the person

holding up HC, even many disgusting posts on DU about how he did not care if people died.

We did not see those posts or media attention on other Dems.

Interesting to see where the pressure was placed, on someone who wanted universal HC, a word that the Dems no longer use.

[Kitty Herder]

14. K&R

[slipslidingaway]

17. Thanks :) n/t