Talk me out of it: Obama as wimp?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

I don't really think so, but ...

He's caved on so many issues that are important to us that I wonder...

Did he find DC too intimidating?

Or was some sort of pressure exerted on him that caused him to pull back?

Or........what?


I had so many hopes for him, and us.

He needs to kick some Republican (and some Dem} ass.

NOW.

But can he? Or will he?

I just don't know anymore...

[xchrom]

1. Recommend

[Solomon]

115. How can anyone say this about a man who every single

time he goes out in public, appears in front of a crowd, risks his damn life.

What absolute nonsense to talk about wimp.

The man is obviously fearless. Even Martin Luther King ducked at sounds. You guys kill me with your gross disrespect.

I wonder how many would have the guts if they could step in his shoes for just two minutes.

[fadedrose]

2. I'm with you, Pal...

What in the world happened to the man I thought would be the greatest Prsident in history.

So far the only change is that he's the best speaker..

Why, why, what the hell is going on anyway?

He still has a chance to fulfill my prediction if would just get rid of his advisers - ALL of them...

Keep the dog, tho.

[JuniperLea]

3. Even The Economist says it's time for him to get tough!

I've resisted the desire for him to do as Bush had done before him, and just muscle his way through to get things done... but I'm pretty near done myself!

[CreekDog]

105. I hear you

you've effectively defended his actions many times (I have also).

now look at us? he's either lost us or is losing us.

how does he govern when his own fans are heading for the exits? he lost a lot of them before all this, but now core supporters are upset.

mind-boggling.

[JuniperLea]

111. Scary, isn't it?

I've been a staunch supporter... late to the decision to support him (after the fall of Edwards and Clinton) but clung like a pit bull!

He is either holding cards up his sleeve (there's that wishful thinking, probably) or still playing backgammon while we argue about checkers and chess, or he's just missing the point altogether.

He needs to get tough.... hard-ass tough! Bush "I'll do whatever I damn well please" tough!

Do you think it would help to flood the Obama and White House websites with a DEMAND to be tough?

[msongs]

4. ya can't get people to like you if they hate you. he hasnt learned that yet it seems nt

[CreekDog]

106. or that being liked matters all that much

for what does it alone deliver?

[budkin]

5. No talking down. He is.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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

[tekisui]

6. The time for him to act tough was this year. I am afraid it may be

too late.

Maybe he can show us that fire that we saw on the campaign trail and kick some ass. But, I am not sure he has it in him. He plays it too nice, too cute.

He tries to be too many things to too many people. He need to be a Liberal Leader. That is why he was elected.

[secondwind]

90. why don't we save these OP's until after the SOTU? I feel that everytime I come into DU,

it's all the same old s***. Let's wait and see what OUR PRESIDENT tells us next week, then I'll be happy to jump on the

DUMP OBAMA wagon.

[tekisui]

92. Seriously? We're always being told to wait to criticize.

On the war escalation, for months it was wait until he makes an announcement. With the Health INsurance bill it was wait until you see the bill. We're done waiting.

I know he can give a good speech, and the SOTU will put a good spin on it. But, I no longer hold expectations of strong and forceful leadership from Obama. If he surprises me at the SOTU, I'll be happy to acknowledge that.

[CreekDog]

108. You're right, and I think I'm done doing that

Things are what they are. You like them or don't like them.

No chess games or strategery.

If I don't like something I'm going to say so and if I like it I'll say so.

If I don't like something but it's the best I can do, I'll go along.

But telling people it's all covered --no it isn't.

[Tesha]

101. Why? He's just giving another speech. It's what he does. It's all he does. (NT)

[CreekDog]

107. i don't want to dump him, i want him to hear us and make some adjustments

this is all slipping away from him right now but it's not too late to save it and come out ahead.

but the time is coming when it will be too late.

[rockymountaindem]

7. He's not wimpy, just misguided

I see this as being one of two things....

1) He thinks that "Third Way" solutions and fixing what ails our country with some strange public/private solution is the answer to everything.

2) He is on our side ideologically, as indicated by his campaign's support for things like the public option, but sincerely believes that he can somehow bridge the partisan divide and the only way to do things is through consensus. A consensus which strangely seems tilted toward the RW every time.

He seems to prefer not to compete than to lose. He doesn't want to be associated with anything that doesn't ultimately succeed. He thinks the Republicans are worth listening to and that they will behave in good faith.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. If he really thinks the way you've put it...

Then we're in a much bigger mess than I ever anticipated.

Ever.

How can he possibly think that he is succeeding?

And I'm not talking about the Mass election. Just in general...he's caved on so many issues. This is not winning.

I'm really discouraged.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

If it were you, how would you get Blue Dog Dems to vote your way?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. I would take them privately aside...

And threaten them with non-support from the national level for their re-election.

Some sort of leverage has to be possible, even with them.

Enough being the nice guy, for sure.

I have to say, though, that I'm not sure it would work.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

21. If you did that, some might jump ship like Specter did

It wouldn't make a difference--they'd still be a pain in the ass to us.

Plus side: We could run a real Democrat in the next election
Negative: For the rest of the term, we'd have someone grinding an axe

One problem is that Obama is president when things are more polarized than they have been in a very long time. People compare Obama's success to LBJ. LBJ passed the CRA with a Senate of 64 Dems. Yes, he had to deal with 21 Southern Dems, but he had crossover from 6 Republicans AND there was no such thing as a procedural filibuster.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. I know you're right.

This polarization, combined with Obama's reluctance to push for the things we want, makes for a truly awful situation.

[timeforpeace]

54. That is what any real leader would do.

[JVS]

76. You're nice. I would threaten them with the bloated security apparatus that has been constructed...

over the last 10 years.

[dgibby]

116. That is exactly what he did when he was getting Dem resistance

on war funding/escalation. The WH took those freshmen aside and explained that they either got with the program or they would have no support or access to the WH. Worked then. Evidently, the Blue Dogs have not run afoul of the WH, which makes me think Obama has their backs, not ours.

[roguevalley]

84. pick one out and strip them to their shorts. worked in the old days

would work now. I nominate Evan "Jackass" Bayh.

[CreekDog]

109. One motivation is fear and Blue Dogs have lots of things to fear, except for one thing:

The Democratic Party.

Everyone seems to scare and make Blue Dogs jump and yelp...except for the Democratic Party (which doesn't even try).

Is it any wonder that when caught between a rock and a hard place, the Blue Dog lashes out at the thing he doesn't fear: The Democratic Party.

It's as if the party says: "look, I have two hands, but I'm going to keep one tied behind my back...now will you do what I say?"

[rockymountaindem]

23. I'm sorry CP. I've been discouraged since Lieberman nixed the Medicare buy-in

and the White House let that pass with nary a word. That's when I realize they weren't going to do what I wanted. I mean, I thought maybe we'd still manage to get some good work done even with Summers and Geithner dragging us down, but I guess that was just naive.

I remember Bush coming out in 2005 telling us how "elections have consequences" as if he had won a huge majority and everything. Obama actually DID get that and acts as if the election had no consequences. Not to mention that he has, again, surrounded himself with the gurus of privatization and subsidization like Arne Duncan, Summers, Geithner and Emmanuel. Look at the threads that have been posted around here recently about Zeke Emmanuel (WH health care adviser) and his scheme to end Medicare. So ultimately I think it is a little of both of the two things I suggested. Obama really thinks that this Third Way stuff is the new liberalism, and that he isn't willing to stand up to McConnell and others because that would look bad in his opinion.

[dgibby]

If he's what you think he is, then he's delusional.

(Oops! This should be in response to #7, not original op.)

[Cha]

9. NO. ..but,

carry on with whatever the latest is on Pres Obama while he does all the heavy lifting for our country.

[frazzled]

10. No, he's a long-term strategist caught in a short-term, tactical world.

I think that's about it.

[WCGreen]

19. I understand having seen politics up close and personal for 14 of

the last 30 years. Two different eras, one similarity.

Politics is mostly tactical, how do I win the next term is the most important item on any politicians mind.

Even with term limits, the urge no to piss of the bureaucrats so that you can get that cushy job when you are termed out.

And in the long run, very few politicians are visionaries. Most are pragmatic and view the long term as the next friday.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

24. OK, so politics is mostly tactical.

But if he is really thinking about winning that second term, he's not going about it in a way that would guarantee that success.

[WCGreen]

33. I was just renforcing the poster...

I don't believe he was being tactical enough. If he had been, he would have shortened the horizon for when the benifits kicked in.

That appears very odd to me.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

37. That four year horizon looked strange to me too.

[frazzled]

44. He said he's willing to be a one-term president

if it means getting the things done he wanted to accomplish. I get the feeling he set out a four-year plan, and where he wanted to be by that time. And if the people were not happy then, so be it. I don't know that he realized he was only going to get 4 or 5 months.

But he perhaps should have: I remember how Clinton got hounded from Day 1 of his presidency, and his numbers were lower than Obama's at the end of his first year. But he clawed his way back up. Of course, he didn't try to accomplish much after that.

[The_Casual_Observer]

12. Either that or he is so middle of the road & nonpartisan that it just looks that way.

[VMI Dem]

13. He's a grandmaster Bobby Fischer badass. This is all part of the game.

Be patient. Everyone will get their pony.

[Xipe Totec]

16. That sounded really sarcastic

If you're sincere, I apologize...

[tbyg52]

17. Thank you. Everyone needs to laugh out loud from time to time.

Even if they are shaking their heads sadly as they do it.

[rhett o rick]

30. Didnt you forget your sarcasm emoticon? We dont want a fucking pony.

We want decent health care, we want jobs, we want to stop paying for wars that make people hate us and makes the military-industrial-media complex rich. We want the end to DADT. We want the end to domestic spying and torture and we want heabus corpus back and posse commitatis back. We want the Patriot Act repealed and the MCA repealed. And NAFTA, CAFTA and every fucking AFTA repealed. We want to dump the fucking WTO and the world bank.

But some how Rahmbo let MA lose a strong Democratic Senate seat. Now the pressure is off the Democrats. Now they have an excuse. NO fucking ponies for anyone.

[tbyg52]

39. Perhaps I don't know the poster who mentioned the pony -

I just assumed it was sarcastic, because I didn't see how it could be anything else.

[Generator]

48. You know this irritates me

I have never and I will never use the sarcasm icon. It should be abolished. This is TWENTY TEN, people. We can handle a little confusion on an internet message board. I hate this over earnest p.c. shit. (can I count on your vote?) If you don't get the sarcasm, then it's pointless. It's like telling a joke and saying you must laugh. Who the hell knows what anybody means anyway?

[MissDeeds]

14. Possibly

Maybe he just doesn't have the zeal for the issues we think are important. But he ran on the promise of change, and so far, it isn't happening. Yes, it's 'only' been a year, but as a wise poster on DU said, "It's not about the speed, it's about the direction". Too many concessions have been made to corporations, big business, and the Republicans. I'm not happy, and the excuses aren't working anymore.

Edit to add: I think he said whatever he thought necessary to get elected. I had huge misgivings, but voted for him when faced with the possibility of McSame-Palin. Now we have a weak, cowering president who is too intimidated by conflict to do what has to be done to get this country back on track.

[rug]

18. Barack Chamberlain

Health care reform in our time.

[tbyg52]

20. No can do. It's either that or a corporate tool. Pick one. nt

[jgraz]

22. My Dear California Peggy

I'm sorry to say, I don't think he's a wimp. I think he's doing exactly what he planned to.

[suzie]

78. Really, just look at his history.

His mother, that sellout foundation, working in underdeveloped countries person?

His grandfather and uncle, those no-account World War II veterans?

His grandmother, working to get him a good education?

Obama was raised to sell people out--it's part of his heritage.

[jgraz]

79. Let's look at your history

Have you even written a post that made the slightest bit of sense? Ever?

[suzie]

80. Have you ever responded to any post without being insulting or demeaning of the

other poster?

No, I didn't think so.

[jgraz]

81. I do that just for you, Snookems.

Cuz I know you love it.

[suzie]

82. Your posts would be more interesting if that were true.

But since it's not, they're just sort of boring, don't you think?

Condescension is never all that interesting unless the person doing it is really clever.

[Name removed]

96. Deleted message

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

[pa28]

25. The one unforgivable sin with the voting public is weakness.

They'll howl with rage when you cram down some measure or law they don't like but it's always forgotten quickly. They never seem to forgive or forget weak leadership though.

I don't want to point the finger only at Obama. Our friends in Congress deserve their fair share of the blame as well.

The good news is I don't think it's too late. Obama can say he tried be bi-partisan and Republicans rejected it. He's got plenty of time to flex his muscle and redefine himself as a tough President who is not afraid to use the huge majority he still enjoys.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

26. Absolutely agree.

I would consider most of my family to be average voters. They always vote Dem, but don't really pay attention to politics. They used to complain about the tone in DC, that they wanted people to work together ,etc. But since the Republicans have played absolute obstructionist, the fuzzy thoughts of bipartisanship have faded.

[amborin]

28. both that, and, too closely aligned with big banks, Big Pharma, big insurers, elites, in general

actions, not words

who benefits from his decisions?

not working class and middle class Americans, but rather the ruling elite

now we have empty populist rhetoric, such as "punishing" banksters, and "getting every bit of money back," when the reality is, the newly proposed bank tax, as one example, is a joke

[ProgressOnTheMove]

29. Whatever it is, it appears thevoters have to kick their behind and ditch the bill or clearly ...

November and every seat will be out the window folks are democralized. This isn't a starter house it's a train wreck, the people can deal with the banks by moving to credit unions and keep opening new credit unions too as banks will try buy them up.

[MrMickeysMom]

31. I'd like to think of something reassuring, my dear Peggy, but...

... frankly, I'm still a little too pissed off. I'm sure I'll get past this stage. When I do, I'll write the WH again (like so many times before). But, if they turn a deaf ear, if they act as thin skinned as Gibbs did this afternoon on the Ed show, then we really are down the hole, aren't we?

I think more than anything, I'm mad because this, of all times, would be the time Obama sheds some of the dirt loose.

Starting with his chief of staff, boom, boom, boom, their heads should spin around as they get shoved out the door.

He must hear us. He has misused year one, and I think you and I are both admitting, it's time to act during year two.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

35. Year two won't be too late.

He'll be playing catch-up, but he can do it.

But WILL HE?

My suspicion is that he won't.

Damn it.

[MrMickeysMom]

43. Look at it this way...

... He's not going to have much of a choice by mid-year, and he's not deaf, dumb and blind.... (I think)

[Enrique]

32. his kicking our asses n/t

[timeforpeace]

66. OUR asses, yes. What's up with that?

[treestar]

34. What would a nonwimp do?

With Bush we rejected the unitary executive, so maybe we were just too used to that. Some sound like inside-out republicans who want the same thing. I thought that was to be rejected.

People just through that term around because they are not getting what they want.

If the President said he would veto the bill because it had no public option, would that be "courageous?" What would be the consequences?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

36. I think a nonwimp would not be so quick to compromise.

It's fine to extend the hand of friendship and compromise early in the game. But once the Republicans showed that they would not go along, then it was time to get tough.

Call their bluff.

I think it would have been courageous to veto a bill that didn't have a public option. But maybe that's just my anger talking.

[treestar]

42. That would be refusing to compromise

And ending up with no bill as a result.

I have a feeling DU would be full of posts about that unfeeling President who could have at least gotten something.

saying failure to compromise was acting like Bush.

So a lot of the time I think the courage/wimp meme is sort of meaningless. Just a way to insult the guy because they're not getting what they say they want out of it.

[ima_sinnic]

86. sticking to his "word" that he'd veto with no PO would be courageous

it would set the standard right from the start.
the PO would be an untouchable part of the plan.
but since he's known to cave, Congress can just disregard anything he says he wants.
he's now known to stand for nothing.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

38. He needs to come out blazing now. He has 3 years to prove he is a LEADER.

Let's hope he does.

[tbyg52]

41. Hope springs eternal, I guess. It's not looking too good now.... nt

[sandyj999]

40. I think the aliens got him. This is not the change I thought I would get.

Sad.

[Awsi Dooger]

45. My dad has warned of that repeatedly

He liked Obama but preferred Hillary because his instinct was Obama was simply too weak and would come across that way in office. It startled me. I've only heard him express similar fears one other time, and that was Jimmy Carter during the 1976 campaign.

I'm still patient with Obama but I'm reminded of his bowling form, which could not have been more dainty.

He needs to find an enemy, real or invented, and don't let go of the anger for a month.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

46. Your dad was right.

And Obama has enemies. Maybe he doesn't see things that way.

I just don't know.

[vaberella]

47. I won't waste my time, but your concern is noted.

You obviously don't pay too much attention to some of the issues or your not realizing possible underlying factors. You consider him caving on what Idon't know. The man supports things and then the Senate and House have they're own way of thinking and he is not the overlord of the Dem party as so many of you wish and hoped he would be. If you can't see that...then it's whatever.

[BootinUp]

49. what if that involves

characterizing you as being a wee bit unrealistic?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

51. It could very well be true that I am being unrealistic.

That's why I asked that you talk me down.

There's a lot I don't know...

[BlueIris]

50. We're through the looking glass here, people. Up is down...

and CaliforniaPeggy is posting that Obama is a wimp.

That being posted...I don't know. I lost the faith a looooong time ago, so I don't have much to offer those now accepting their own disillusionment.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

52. I didn't say he was...

I was just wondering.

[BlueIris]

61. Oh, okay.

Still...when you've got CaliforniaPeggy questioning your leadership skills, you've lost hearts and minds.

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

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

[RetroLounge]

69. ...

:applause:

RL

[FrenchieCat]

55. Politics is the art of the possible.....

if we end up having avoided a deep depression,
the American auto companies rescued,
the Iraq war wounded down,
Guatanamo closed,
Torture specifically outlawed,
Terror not the way that government keeps citizens in line,
The Afghanistan War on a near sane footing with an end in sight,
Health Care policies improved, even if the problems are not totally solved,
the world seeing us as allies again,
Nukes significantly reduced,
Environmental issues addressed,
Science elevated,
Education rethinked,
Labor seen as a friend,
Student loans federalized,
Banking companies with more regulations on them then before,
Haiti helped greatly,
No longer on war footing with Iran,
good solid supreme court justices appointed,
Net neutrality saved,
and yes, more transparency to government than ever before....

So I'm not sure where the wimp factor comes in at. :shrug:


Sure, what I am projecting is the minimum that he might accomplish by his first term....

no matter what the vocal critics say on a day to day basis,
that is quite a list, and I'm sure there will be more added
as we go.

Those of us sane ones who try to look at the big picture,
instead of wanting each day
for this President to do and say
exactly what we would wish are doing fine....
We appreciate what is going on....and history will bear us out.

the rest of you are fucking gonna go out of your minds,
and for what? Because ya'll are still waiting for a miracle....
a tall tan Kucinich with a better look but with the same ideas.
The news is that Kucinich couldn't win a primary, let alone a general election.

So Y'all keep micro-managing yourselves into despair,
but in the end, he getting stuff done,
and that will be what is counted....

Sorry.

[BootinUp]

63. Back in 2003 before

I had delved much into the political realm, I read something about Kucinich, all his various positions and things he has said about this and that. Had never heard of him before, had never seen him before. I was ready to vote for him in the primary. The next day I saw where he was polling at like 1% vs the other primary candidates. The end.

[flamingdem]

104. It's like Haiti

They failed they failed no aid is getting through it's their fault it's their fault

... we need to keep our critical thinking intact during these times.

Imagine if EDWARDS had won, now we learn he doesn't even read, we have a great pres!

[timeforpeace]

56. At least that theory is better than the theory that he is incompetent.

[asdjrocky]

57. Total. Fucking. Wimp.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Van Jones, the TSA guy, health care... the list just goes on and on.

My daughter could take this guy.

[firedupdem]

58. wow, just wow n/t

[ProSense]

59. Evidently calling the President names is going to effect change. n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

60. Did you read my OP?

I was asking if he could be seen as a wimp. I don't think he is, but his actions are not what I expected.

That's all.

[BklnDem75]

95. Did YOU read your OP?

You made a 'crap on Obama' thread and the stench attracted all the flies.

[FrenchieCat]

85. Sad, ain't it?

[rufus dog]

62. Democrats have a long history of being called wimps

McGovern, Carter, ,Kerry, Clinton, and now Obama. A few of those mentioned did some heroic things, took more guts than Reagan, Bush 1 and 2.

Whatever, it is easier to place blame than look in the mirror.

[donheld]

64. Peggy, I'm right there with you

I cannot talk you out of it. I don't know what the hell is going on. I see who he's surrounded himself with and the way it's all heading and it just disheartens me to no end. I'd love to be a constant cheer-leader like some are but I have to weigh the evidence I'm faced with. Mainstreet is not considered like it has to be in order to keep the dems in power.

[Splinter Cell]

65. Speak for yourself.

I'm not unhappy with him at all.

[QC]

67. I honestly don't think so, Peggy.

I think that he actually wants these tepid, corporate policies that we are getting stuck with.

[NYC_SKP]

68. He can. He will.

And he's the very best who could have been elected in our lifetimes, Peg.

I think it's a combination of the incredible hurdles and roadblocks he faces and the fires he's had to keep under control this first year.

And I think he needs for as many of his party as possible to keep the faith, even as we hold him accountable.

I don't see a lot of support here on DU lately, most of what I see is unproductive and harmful.

But I think the president has a long term plan and this first year will not be the the year that defines him.

I still have faith.

:patriot:

[akbacchus_BC]

70. My dear CP, must be business as usual. Change was just a buzz word,

Even though am in Canada, am not sure what this President is doing. MA is lost and health Care is in dire straights. Keep fighting!

[Number23]

71. You are just all over the map, aren't you??

One minute he's a great guy, the next minute you're wondering out loud if he's a wimp, the minute after that he's a great guy again, 10 seconds later you're fed up with him.

I'm not saying these aren't normal emotions to have about a person, it just seems like you're all over the place.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

72. I guess I am all over the map, as you say.

There are things about him that I respect and admire...

And then there are things that I don't.

Maybe I'm just more open about it than most people...

You have a problem with this?

[Number23]

73. "You have a problem with this?"

Couldn't care less to be perfectly honest. Just an observation, nothing more or less...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

74. No worries! I was just wondering...

[FrenchieCat]

87. I have a problem with you referring to this President as a wimp.....

that's a republican term.

The wimp title for democrats goes all the way back to JFK and even as far back as
the McCarthy years. In McCarthy years dems were weak and allowed commies into Hollywood, they were wimps. JFK was a wimp for allowing the Bay of pigs. Dem's were wimps because they wanted out of VN. Carter was a wimp because he didn't attack Iran over the hostages. When you use republicon terms to decide how presidents handle the country, your just feeding into the monster of misinformation.

We called Clinton "Big Dog", even though he did so many harmful ass shit till it ain't even funny, and yet, he got respect. Now why is that?

[Zomby Woof]

103. Don't sweat it

Tomorrow she'll give her *K&R" to a thread praising Obama.

[Jennicut]

88. I feel the same way as you do.

Things about him that I like but I want him to try harder, fight more, show some passion. I think that is the message from the election in Mass.

[Juche]

75. He isn't a fighter

That is the problem. I guess during the election he intentionally ran a vague campaign, and those of us who wanted a fighter felt like we were getting one. People who wanted a compromiser felt they were getting that too.

He is great at getting elected. Not so much at leadership.

No idea if he ever was a fighter though. I doubt it. I guess he just knew how to run a campaign to make people think he was.

[Vidar]

77. Wimp, sellout, or some combination thereof.

[FrenchieCat]

83. Was Bill Clinton a Wimp?

[Fire1]

93. I guess not! NAFTA, Glass-Steagal, etc. etc. etc. etc. n/t

[lunatica]

89. I think he's cut himself off from liberals in Washington

They weren't invited to his table and the people he has there don't like liberals. It's puzzling and worrisome. He talks the talk so well and so convincingly, yet he simply doesn't walk the walk.

He tells us he reads the letters of despair about people losing their jobs and their homes and about people losing loved ones because they didn't have health insurance, yet there doesn't seem to be fire lit under him to do triage when it's needed. He wants to give everyone an aspirin and call him in the morning. I don't get it. I really don't.

And he refuses to deal with too many things that are simply criminal and unconstitutional like high crimes and misdemeanors and the whole gay rights issue.

[Name removed]

91. Deleted message

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[potone]

94. I don't think it is that.

But the problem is that he truly wants consensus, and the Republicans are not willing to negotiate in good faith. They simply don't want him to succeed, no matter what the cost to the country. Obama is in somewhat of a bind because he largely ran against partisan politics and on a message of unity. That was uplifting and inspiring to many voters and helped get him elected. It doesn't help that the Democrats will not present a united front as the Republicans always do.
This health care fiasco should teach him that it is time for him to start bullying his own party, especially in the Senate, and stop courting the Republicans.

[centristgrandpa]

97. as of today, i can't ! n/t

[SunsetDreams]

98. I think this post is wimpy.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

99. Oh, he's no wimp.

He made sure to sic Rahm on Reid, the Progressive Causus, and a few others when he wanted to.

The problem is I don't agree with how he has chosen to use his hammer. :(

[TexasObserver]

100. I reject all right wing themes in criticizing the president.

I am critical of his shortcomings, but being constructive means pointing out what he can do better, not calling him names heard daily from the GOP.

I don't like the use of such terms in thread titles, even when used for elucidation.

[Blue_In_AK]

102. I don't believe so, Peggy.

All I'm feeling now is relief that I never bought into the whole "hope and change" meme in the first place. I wish I had been wrong.

[branders seine]

110. I can't.

He is.

[FiveGoodMen]

112. Not wimp. Trojan horse.

[FrenchieCat]

113. Your trojan horse is over there in SCOTUS......

cause if you think you think Obama is bad,
just wait till you get a load at the GOP candidate
and his corporate money in 2012!

That's gonna be your horse, your pony and your ass.

[Name removed]

114. Deleted message

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

[FrenchieCat]

118. That pony is your ass.

[depakid]

117. Obama's more a diplomat and conciliator- than an advocate

an approach that often works well with foreign policy- but fails miserably when dealing with domestic policy, politicians and corporate interests that aren't amenable to reason- and don't care one iota about solving problems with effective public policy.