Unfortunately, I have to say that I agree with Gibbs in many ways.

[Windy]

There has been a noticeable absence in of acknowledgment of the administration's many accomplishments. Unfortunately, there has been plenty of Obama= Bush, not only here, but on other websites and with some progressive radio and tv hosts. Mike Malloy springs to mind.

There has been absolutely no recognition of the fact that we DO NOT HAVE THE VOTES IN THE SENATE!!! That Obama has gotten ANYTHING through the Senate is amazing. Not to mention that he has just appointed two women to the supreme court, one of whom is a hispanic. The list goes on....http://www.yeswecanli.org/2010/07/05/rachel-maddow-on-the-accomplishments-of-the-obama-administration/

Go ahead liberal brothers and sisters, shoot yourselves in the foot by not getting behind the President. Criticism is fine, but the venom against the president and the lack of any appreciation of his achievements despite the atmosphere in washington is delusional!

I'll never forget a meeting of OFA just after the inauguration and one of the people who participated in the meeting was actually pissed off that he hadn't brought all the troops out of Iraq by then. It was just beyond the pale.

Keep it up people and we will get a right-winger president... and before that, a senate that is even more right-wing and potentially, the loss of the house. See how much gets done then!!!!!!

Should Gibbs have spouted off his frustrations right now, probably not considering the venom and vitriol of some of my fellow liberals, but I for one, don't blame him at all.

[Individualist]

1. Of course you do.

[Windy]

6. Yes, Of course I do.... you are correct. Nothing of interest in rebuttal?

Of course not!

[K8-EEE]

36. Of course I do too, Windy! K&R! nt

[HipChick]

2. K&R!

[BzaDem]

3. K & R.

[SeattleGirl]

4. Agreed.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[kstewart33]

5. Agree with everything you said. K&R! nt

[regnaD kciN]

7. I'm sure you'll get flamed...but you're absolutely correct

Right now, while I detest the right, I'm thoroughly disgusted at...well, not the "professional" left, but at the "If we can't be handed every single thing we want, we'll be the first to throw our side under the bus -- that'll show 'em!" left. I've been around long enough to see the same pattern repeated over and over again: we get into power (meaning the White House and Congress) and, two years later, we've walked away out of a sense of "outraged purity," and handed Capitol Hill back to the G.O.P. Every flippin' time. By contrast, when the Repugs take over, no matter how their elected officials may let them down (thirty years since Reagan, and abortion is still legal, for one), they still have the sense to come out and pull the lever for their candidates, knowing that the alternative, for them, is much worse. If we ever learn that, we might be spared the "two years in power, two years of gridlock, eight years out of power" syndrome that is typical of us progressives, and the main reason why this country always seems to be moving to the right.

Seriously: progressives are, on the whole, much brighter than conservatives but, in terms of political sense, we can be amazingly stupid when we get stubborn.

[Windy]

8. I'm well aware of that, but I really have been frustrated lately.

In msny ways, Gibbs spoke for me as well

[Windy]

10. And by the way RegnaD.... +100

[eridani]

44. How about expecting our representatives to avoid compromise--

--BEFORE the negotiations start?

[Barack_America]

9. Yes, it is unfortunate.

[Pirate Smile]

11. K & R

[uponit7771]

12. Gibbs tells the truth, most complaining aren't willing to help get congressional resources WH needs

[TheKentuckian]

16. They are doing almost exactly what they want. The missing resource is want to.

[Windy]

21. Really??? We have control over the Senate? What the he** are you talking about?

Use a bit of common sense!

[uponit7771]

24. Dems do NOT have a CONTROLLING majority of the senate they have a simple majority and since the GOP

...has been filibustering 90% of Obama's agenda it'll take that controlling majority to get more progressive

[Windy]

32. That is what I'm saying... some choose to ignore the facts because they like to whine I guess.

Well, we will get what we get in NOvember them. I will blame the left for losing the house and making it worse in the senate with a different and very right wing majority leader...

[TheKentuckian]

39. Um..yeah and they are essentially passing exactly what they want

Mitch McConnell is not setting the agenda. Rarely in history had there been filibuster proof majorities and business was done on both sides and for a stretch we even had that and spent the session creatively watering down bills and negotiating with Republicans and incorporating their horrid ideas without turnabout.

[saracat]

17. You mean like THESE people?

Dem Congressman: Robert Gibbs Should Resign For Attacking 'Professional Left'
Rep. Ellison: 'Gibbs Crossed The Line'

Progressive Democrats fired back at Robert Gibbs on Tuesday, following the White House press secretary's sharp critique of what he called a "professional left" that is perpetually unsatisfied by President Obama.

"I hear these people saying he's like George Bush. Those people ought to be drug tested," Gibbs said in an interview with The Hill.

"They will be satisfied when we have Canadian healthcare and we've eliminated the Pentagon. That's not reality," he added. "They wouldn't be satisfied if Dennis Kucinich was president."



Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), an active member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Gibbs went too far. "This is not the first time that Mr. Gibbs has made untoward and inflammatory comments and I certainly hope that people in the White House don't share his view that the left is unimportant to the president," he said. "I understand him having some loyalty to the president who employs him, but I think he's walking over the line."

Ellison said that Gibbs's resignation would be an appropriate response. "I think that'd be fair, yeah. That'd be fair, because this isn't the first time. And, again, people of all political shades worked very hard to help the president become the president. Why would he want to go out and deliberately insult the president's base? And why would he confuse legitimate critique with some sort of lack of loyalty. Isn't this what the far right does? Punishes people who are not ideologically aligned with President Bush?"

It's wrong to suggest that progressives want to eliminate the Pentagon, said Ellison, adding that he doesn't know a single Democrat who has espoused that view. "I know of none. So I think that was an inflammatory remark that is emblematic of his careless use of language and is an example of why he may not be the best person for the job," he said. "Gibbs crossed the line. His dismissal would be fair."



Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights legend who has been critical of Obama from a progressive direction, laughed at Gibbs's suggestion that liberal critics should be drug tested. "Should be drug tested? They think we're on something? Smoking something?" he said. "It's very hot in Washington and we've come back at a peculiar time. I just think we all just need to finish and get out of here."

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, also lashed out at Gibbs on Tuesday.

"I think before Gibbs or the White House points figures at liberals and progressives, they ought to check their own record," Grijalva told HuffPost. "The whole drug testing thing -- our dissatisfaction is based on the fact that we haven't met the expectations and we're hearing that from our base, period."

Grijalva was critical of the White House for abandoning the public insurance option during the health care reform debate, and for otherwise compromising too quickly with a Republican Party uninterested in bipartisanship. Gibbs had the misfortune of having his comments published on a day in August when the House is back in session and members of Congress are easily accessible to reporters. Gibbs has since walked back his criticism of what he deemed the "professional left."

"But two," said Grijalva, "that drug testing, if that's the case, would probably have to extend to 50 percent of the American population at this point. They're kind of feeling dissatisfied too."

That would require millions of drug tests, HuffPost noted.

"They can do hair follicles," quipped Grijalva.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/10/rep-ellison-de...

[EFerrari]

20. Oh yeah, I almos forgot. Thanks for slamming Dennis who is up for

re-election. That was the icing.

[uponit7771]

23. WTF does he have to do with the price of Tea in China?!?!?

[EFerrari]

38. Do you or do you not want to keep control of the House? nt

[saracat]

13. Funny thing about that. Apparently we will NEVER have enough votes.

There is always an excuse.Always. The GOP somehow always gets what they want, even if they are the minority. Funny thing that.

[uponit7771]

25. FDR had an 83% dem congress, LBJ had a 69-ish% congress Obama has MAYBE a 58% dem congress...

[provis99]

40. half of FDR and LBJ's "Democrats" were Dixiecrats, not Democrats.

and FDR and LBJ still got stuff done. Your bullshit may work at freeperville, not not here, where some people actually think.

[Carolina]

42. touche!

excellent points, provis99.

Some folks have selective, historical insight (memories, knowledge, whatever) of what FDR and LBJ faced. Good for you for pointing out BS!

[bvar22]

46. And Bush had 52%...

..and STILL managed to get his Hard Right agenda passed.
So whats Up with THAT? :shrug:

[Vinnie From Indy]

14. Isn't that special!

I see it all so clear now! The OP offers,

"Should Gibbs have spouted off his frustrations right now, probably not considering the venom and vitriol of some of my fellow liberals, but I for one, don't blame him at all."

So, the reason Gibbs should not have spouted off is because the groups that the Obama Admin has already thrown to the wolves might get a wee bit offended at being insulted to boot? The nerve!

[Windy]

19. No one has been thrown to the wolves. This is exactly the kind of crap that Gibbs was talking about

ridiculous

[Skittles]

31. you just do not get it

you DON'T.FUCKING.GET.IT.

[eridani]

45. Like fuck we haven't. If you are age 50-64, HCR classifies you as disposable human garbage n/t

[Skittles]

30. GET WITH THE PROGRAM, VINNIE

"THANK YOU SIR; MAY I HAVE ANOTHER!!!!"

[KansasVoter]

15. -1, Obama didn't start LEFT enough on most issues! Started too center!

[Carolina]

43. actually slightly right of center

[EFerrari]

18. When you're not getting enough credit from your team the answer is

not to publicly kick them in the teeth.

It doesn't work, any way. You still won't get the credit and your team will be screwed up. :shrug:

[apocalypsehow]

22. Kick, Rec. n/t.

[savalez]

26. K & R

[DCBob]

27. The fringe left is getting "fringier" by the moment..

I really dont think there are all that many remaining. They are noisy but not numerous.

[depakid]

28. Even around here, it's pretty rare to see Obama = Bush, except when he's continuing Bush policies

in which case- the shoe rather fits, doesn't it?

Gibbs threw out a bogus strawman- and lost his professional cool. Seems to me it's high past time for him to be "spending more time with his family."

[FrenchieCat]

35. it's all over the place.....

Here's a few: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=404852&mesg_id=405016

[depakid]

37. You'd look for it and find it in the mildest criticisms

OTH: On the issue of Domestic surveillance for instance Obama DOES equal Bush- and even worse, given that at one point he taught (though admitted was never a scholar of) constitutional law.

Time was when he (or any other president) would have been impeached for that.

[Skittles]

29. LOLOL

yeah, OK :rofl:

[tabatha]

33. Why I turned off Mike Malloy at the beg of 2009

I loved his Bush bashing. That is all.

[asdjrocky]

34. And I support you're right to say that.

Even if it is totally bogus.

[Gormy Cuss]

41. I have news for you. If you support Gibbs here, you're not a liberal.

You may be a solid Democrat and supporter of the president, but you're not a liberal if you think criticizing this administration is supporting the right wing.

[librechik]

47. I agree n/t

[bvar22]

48. And Mr. Gibbs wants to be my Latex Salesman.

FAIL

credit "Seinfeld"

[Nye Bevan]

50. LOL nt

[Nye Bevan]

49. I am generally a centrist by DU standards

but I respect the opinions of those further to the left of me, even though I do not always agree with them, and I would never belittle or ridicule any wing of the party as Gibbs did. He needs to go, for the good of the party.

[EOTE]

51. We don't have the votes!!!

Funny, that never seemed to stop the Bush administration. Is it that our votes are less powerful than theirs? If that's the case, I think that's what so many of us are pissed off at. We can't get nearly as much accomplished with ~59 votes as they did in the minority. Why is that?

[county worker]

52. We could get anything through the Senate that we wanted to.

We can get rid of the 60 vote rule. We don't need bipartisanship. My guess as to why we don't get things we want is because of loyalties to corporations.

[mmonk]

53. We're sorry. We'll stay in line and take our insults.

We won't unfairly force anymore unprompted attacks on ourselves. We have no worthy opinions and are always unreasonable about any subject. We never know what we are talking about. We are always wrong and exist only to cause trouble for the Democratic Party and its positions. We have nowhere to go and have earned no right by our support.

[NJmaverick]

54. K&R

[Scurrilous]

55. K & R

:thumbsup: