Forget the Carter Comparisons, Obama Is Following in the Footsteps of Harry Truman

[Tx4obama]

Forget the Carter Comparisons, Obama Is Following in the Footsteps of Harry Truman -- and That's a Very Good Thing
Ari Emanuel, 11.21.2010

SNIP

For his part, President Obama already has three major accomplishments to his credit. By pushing through his stimulus package, he kept the country from plummeting into an economic depression. He enacted financial regulatory reform. And, most importantly, after 100 years of legislative futility, he oversaw the passage of comprehensive health care reform.

While this trio might not currently be seen as momentous, each will be vindicated by history -- especially health care reform, which will cover more Americans than ever before, and transform how we deliver care, so that keeping people healthy becomes a priority not an afterthought.

President Obama has also spearheaded many other accomplishments that would be lauded under other administrations but have been overshadowed by his other achievements -- or just ignored by his critics. These include: the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (extending the statute of limitations for equal-pay lawsuits); negotiating a favorable renewal of the START treaty; fixing the student loan program (while saving taxpayers tens of billions); redirecting the mission of NASA; and focusing the nation's attention on the epidemic of childhood obesity.

Like Truman, Obama will not be fully appreciated until he is out of office. But, like Truman, he will win re-election. And also like Truman, Obama will one day be considered one of America's great presidents.

Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-emanuel/post_1308_b_786617.html


p.s. I totally agree with and think the last paragraph above is spot on!

[Sherman A1]

1. He is no Harry Truman

Truman was a progressive, Mr. Obama I do not believe to be so.

[pnorman]

10. Compared to FDR, under whose banner he ran , he was NOT a "progressive"!

To conciliate his "Blue Dogs" of the times, FDR replaced Henry Wallace with Harry Truman for the VP slot in 1940. Truman was then a "machine politician" Senator from the corrupt Pendergast machine. But he himself was personally honest almost to a fault, and STUBBORN!

I'm not sure that comparing Obama to any of his predecessors brings much insight to the dialog. But if you must do it, do some homework first!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

17. Hell, NIXON would be considered progressive today.

He signed the clean water, clean air acts into law, he created the EPA, he funded Social Security, he negotiated SALT with the USSR, he opened doors to China. Today's GOP would call him a socialist communist librul.

[pnorman]

19. All true!

Despite his many shortcomings, he (Like Eisenhower} was a "New Deal Republican"! But Reagan changed al that.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

23. and other than being a paranoid criminal, he was smart

Then again, I cannot conceive of running this country. Anyone seeking that office must be a little nuts. The mindset you have to have to even run for office escapes me. That's why Truman is one of my favorite presidents. The accidental president, in many ways. And wow, under exceedingly difficult times, he did great.

[Sherman A1]

38. Thanks for the lecture

welcome to my IGNORED list

[pnorman]

42. IGNORE is a function that I have never used, and most likely never will.

Actually, I fail to see it's usefulness on DU. But a "Keep a close eye on this scissorbill!" button? I'd like that one!

[madinmaryland]

73. That's funny!

:rofl:

[villager]

2. Great! That means we can soon expect Obama to run against a "do-nothing" Congress!

n/t

[Radical Activist]

35. You must have a crystal ball.

I suspect that's exactly what will happen.

[villager]

41. Sadly, all I have is a track record.

n/t

[avaistheone1]

3. Harry gave them hell.

It is not in Obama's nature to do that.

[laughingliberal]

9. Well, he gives someone hell but it's not 'them.' nt

[Number23]

4. Obama is following in the footsteps of OBAMA

But I agree that he has acquired an impressive list of accomplishments. I also think it's entirely possible that one day, he could truly be regarded as one of America's greatest presidents.

Rec'd!

[Tx4obama]

5. It's sad that the majority of Americans haven't a clue as to what all Obama has done so far.

I believe future generations will be very impressed :)

Lists of accomplishments on link below:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9553200

[ChairmanAgnostic]

18. It's sad that a minority of Americans have their heads in the sand

as to how often Obama has taken 1/2 a loaf or less, when the whole loaf was there for the asking. If only he had fought for it.

[pnorman]

48. "has taken 1/2 a loaf or less, when the whole loaf was there for the asking. If only he had fought "

Had Obama been President of California, Washington, Massachusetts, or New York, that sentence would have made some sense. Otherwise............

[pocoloco]

26. How could they fucking forget he won the Nobel Peace Prize?

That in itself set the whole tone of his presidency!!!

Hell he even accepted it.......

[JoePhilly]

45. Talk about your right wing talking point. nt

[demwing]

67. We all know why he won, even if no one will say it

he won because you can't give "The American People" the NPP, so they gave it to the country's leader.

WE won because we did two things:

We finally voted in an African-American to lead the country
The Committee thought we were rejecting the Corporate War Machine

As much as I criticize Obama, I absolutely embraced his acceptance of the NPP. I just wish he had then gone on to earn it, and validate the hope it represented.

[Jim Sagle]

6. More like Marie Antoinette.

[Greyhound]

7. Three lies in the first paragraph.

Let's see if this is relevant in the morning...
:kick: & U

[laughingliberal]

8. Ari Emanuel?

:rofl:

Last thing any Emanuel brother wants is a Harry Truman.

[sendero]

11. Laughable spin..

... Obama has accomplished NOTHING of substance. The health care and financial reforms will be easily circumvented, you wait and see.

[Uben]

12. If you believe that.....

....you won't be satisfied no matter what he does. He hasn't walked on water yet, and I think that's what some are waiting for.

With the current political split in Washington and the republican "say no to everything" attitude, no miracles are going to occur, so if you are waiting for one, I'll save you the wait. What we have seen is a very long list of accomplishments in the first two years whether you agree or not.....it is fact! He has already eclipsed the eight years of Bush and I am totally satisfied with what he has done and am looking forward to more.

[Greyhound]

29. You got it.

"Health care reform" reforms nothing but ensures that the cause of all the problems in health care is now legally ensconced as the only access to health care and will squeeze ever more from the hapless suckers that can't afford to use it. We've already seen the beginnings of this interminable con game taking place.

"Financial reform" likewise does not one thing to reform the finance industry, but does ensure that no messy votes will be required the next time they steal more $$ than exists and locks up the cartel's absolute power to eliminate any competition.

And finally the "stimulus" package that stimulated nothing other than the Wall Street bonuses and made sure that the owner class wouldn't suffer any consequences.

Are we seeing a pattern here?

And let's not forget his brother's history; $14M in a year and a half for stealing little old ladies pensions, that's some resume for a "man of the people".
:rofl:

[Obamanaut]

13. The first advisors were sent to Viet Nam in the Truman administration. There

were already some in the '-stan' countries, so where will some be sent anew in order to follow in those footsteps?

Edited to add: We know how that Viet Nam advisor thing worked out.

[WinkyDink]

22. To send aid to our ALLIES, the French.

[Obamanaut]

24. And, the US taxpayers were paying about 80% of the French war

expenses for the last couple of years of the French involvement.

And then, the French went home because of their own national outcry against this debacle, and the US took over for the next couple of decades, until our own outcry at home against this very same debacle.

And it started with Truman, and went through several presidents until it ended.

[TexasObserver]

14. Don't think so, unless it was "give them what they want, Harry!"

I wish he would give 'em hell.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

15. He's going to nuke someone?

[eShirl]

16. I was thinking Herbert Hoover

but have to admit I don't know enough about Hoover to make a good comparison.

[Laelth]

20. Those are some powerful rose-colored glasses this author is wearing. n/t

-Laelth

[Chan790]

39. The author in question...

is the PR-flack and Hollywood-agent brother of Rahm Emanuel. To say this article is self-serving is to understate it by a country mile. It's a spin-job piece masquerading as journalism.

[WinkyDink]

21. Would that be Harry Q Truman from Brooklyn? Because it ain't Harry "Give'em Hell" S Truman.

[swilton]

30. There must be some Chicago-based Harry Truman

that Ari knows.

Saddly, having this author write this speaks to the desperation of this administration.

[pipoman]

25. Nonsense...Truman used the bully pulpit

Obama can't use the bully pulpit because so few actually would support his causes...at least what I have seen of his causes...of coarse the causes we see may not actually be his causes at all, instead capitulations on positions which may get through congress....which, I guess, is why Truman used the bully pulpit...that is, to minimize the necessity of capitulation....no, I'm not seeing the comparison..

[Radical Activist]

36. Obama gave passionate speeches to Congress

and made countless TV appearances. He aggressively attacked Republicans in many of those speeches. What else do you think using the bully pulpit means?

[pipoman]

43. It means denying

the insurance and health care lobby the sweetheart deal they received by appealing directly to the people to force their individual legislators to abandon the lobbyists. It means not waffling on DADT. It means not allowing money to determine policy, in favor of rallying the people. Money, corporations, and influence is driving this administration just as it did the last one.

[Radical Activist]

46. Obama did appeal to the people, repeatedly.

The netroots responded by attacking Obama instead of putting pressure on the Senate where it was needed.

Obama has not waffled on DADT. He has been consistent about the goal and timing.

You call for "rallying people." Obama did that constantly on every media outlet. What else do you think rallying people is? Were in a coma during the entire debate?

[pipoman]

64. He appealed as a

corporatist trying to sell corporatist policy.

[pnorman]

58. Truman had a "Bully Pulpit", manly because he was the perceived successor of FDR!

Although personally honest and commendably STUBBORN, he was far from being a "liberal" as that term was then used. And he was the FIRST "Cold War Warrior" of the Democratic Party. In some ways, he could have been considered a "Blue Dog" of his day.

[pipoman]

63. I believe he had a bully pulpit

because he took a bully pulpit. Imagine a President who is a populist instead of a corporatist. We haven't had a populist President for decades...there's no money in it. The population would be enthusiastic for a populist. The closest we have come lately, like him or not, was Parot.

[pnorman]

68. Most people liked him, but his clout began sinking frrom 1946 onwards.

His "Dewey beats Truman" victory in 1948 was a "squeaker", but his name stil carried no "magic". It was closer to toxic, and Stevensen's defeat in 1952 was pretty well a certainty. That's not much of a Bully Pulpit. That he was succeeded by a "New Deal Republican" rather than a fire-breathing reactionary, was the most likely outcome, and also incredible luck for this nation. But for a very long time after, Mcarthyism was in the saddle.

But if Obama is "Primaried out" in 2012, he will NOT be succeeded by a`Feinberg, nor even an Eisenhower!

[Edweird]

27. So Rahm's brother, a talent agent, thinks everything is swell. Who gives a shit?

[swilton]

28. Beauty is in the eye

of the beholder - consider the source of this article. Rahm's brother!

[Jim Sagle]

31. Whadda crocka DLC chickenshit bullshit.

[bvar22]

37. Perfectly stated.

Allow me to repeat:

"Whadda crocka DLC chickenshit bullshit."

THIS is Harry Truman:

""I've seen it happen time after time. When the Democratic candidate allows himself to be put on the defensive and starts apologizing for the New Deal and the fair Deal, and says he really doesn't believe in them, he is sure to lose. The people don't want a phony Democrat. If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat, and I don't want any phony Democratic candidates in this campaign."---Harry Truman

The difference between Obama and Truman:
Harry Truman was a LEADER, and believed in traditional Democratic Party values.


"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

[inna]

40. +++

thank you.

[Individualist]

32. No Sale!

I don't buy DLC bullshit.

[gkhouston]

33. Really? Is this the point where he goes bankrupt?

I despise comparing one President to another. Why can't Obama be Obama? Why must he be shoehorned into the life story of some other president?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

34. More like tiptoeing in Bunny Slippers.

[asdjrocky]

44. And I thought I was high.

Seriously man, what are you smoking?

[ProgressiveEconomist]

47. K&R. A beacon of truth in an ocean of lies, including much of DU.

Of course, my recommendation is buried under a sea of unrecs from those who DO "believe the hype" from Fox "News" and its infotainment imitators.

[Bluebear]

49. 'A beacon of truth' - good gravy.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

50. KICK!

[inna]

51. laughable and pathetic.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

53. KICK!

[ShadowLiberal]

52. Truman was aggressive campaigning, Dewey played it ultra-safe campaigning, too safe

A few things that are dead wrong with this comparison.

1) Truman was very aggressive campaigning, Obama hasn't been willing to be so aggressive.

2) Dewey, Truman's opponent, decided it was so obvious that he was going to win that he would say nothing controversial, and not even bother responding to most of Truman's attacks. One reporter summed up Dewey's campaign rhetoric like this, "No presidential candidate in the future will be so inept that four of his major speeches can be boiled down to these historic four sentences: Agriculture is important. Our rivers are full of fish. You cannot have freedom without liberty. Our future lies ahead."

3) Republicans in congress made a big mistake in writing their agenda, they didn't agree with it. Truman challenged the republican controlled congress to pass their own agenda, and they failed to pass a single part of it, not one piece of agenda landed on Truman's desk. This let Truman campaign label the republican controlled congress the Do Nothing congress, and he associated Dewey with the do nothing congress in his attacks.

4) After the great depression there was a huge electoral earthquake that shifted politics heavily in the democrats favor. Despite republicans taking over congress, the groundwork of that shift was still there. Republicans only won congress because of difficulties after WW2 with lifting WW2 controls on the economy, like price controls, and how that effected things in ways not good for democrats. While long term demographics certainly favor democrats today, and ought to make it a bit easier for Obama to win reelection, it's nothing like the demographic base democrats still enjoyed under Truman.

5) Truman's win was so surprising because 1) There were a lot less polls back then, and many pollsters, like Gallup, stopped polling the presidential race by midOctober in 1948, quite possibly missing a late Truman surge in the final weeks of the campaign. Polls back then were also biased in republicans favor because they used landlines, and a lot of poor people (who were more likely to support democrats) didn't have a landline telephone. Pollsters made zero effort to fix this problem in their results. While cellphones do a similar thing today, more and more pollsters are including cell phone only people in their polls, and weighing certain demographic groups more heavily if they don't poll cell phones. The point, we're not likely to have another surprise win on the scale of Truman in the presidential race.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

54. Why is it whenever anyone touts Obama's unprecedented accomplishements, this place

turns into Freeperville?

The biggest health care reform since Medicare;
Fastest post-recession turnaround in private sector employment growth in decades, after one of the deepest recessions since the 1930s;
Most consumer-focused financial reform since the 1930s;
Etc.

No wonder Democrats lost the House with a supposed progressive site like this unable to even TOLERATE an honest assessment of President Obama's considerable legislative accomplishments.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

55. KICK!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

56. KICK!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

57. KICK!

[demwing]

65. Quit kicking yourself. It falls someplace between narcissism and masochism

Like masturbating with sandpaper in front of a mirror....

Stop it!

[ProgressiveEconomist]

72. NO!

[Bluebear]

59. 'No wonder Democrats lost the House with a supposed progressive site like this' - pathetic

Yeah, it's DU's fault that we lost the House.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

74. That's nowhere close to what I said

[Jim Sagle]

60. CROCK!

[Jim Sagle]

61. CRAP!

[Tx4obama]

69. Yes, it is pretty bizarre.

The more that folks gripe when I post threads regarding Obama's accomplishments it just makes me more determined to keep posting them :)

Here's a link to site with accomplishments: http://obamaachievements.org/list

And more links here too: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9553200

[KG]

62. hee-hee.

too funny. :P

[Doctor_J]

66. Back then there was "Give 'em Hell Harry"

Now it seems we have "Give 'em Concessions Barry". I hope you are right, but the president needs to start fighting hard against the reactionaries.

[Little Star]

71. "Give 'em Concessions Barry" LOL n/t

[rug]

70. Truman invaded North Karea.

[Kennah]

75. Ixnay on Orthnay Oreakay

Eway ightmay etyay invadeay againay.