why walk it back?

[kpete]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/14/obamas-ground-zero-mosque_n_682377.html

[5X]

1. More cowardice.

The repubs say jump, he says how high.

[Pirate Smile]

18. Oh, Bullshit. He didn't walk it back. You see a flicker and jump to get outraged and disapproving.

Never good enough.

[5X]

26. I was very proud of his initial statemnet, not a popular thing to do...

but doing what is right. And we all knew it.
the intelligent commentators were praising him for
coming out in support of the "mosque".
Of course, the outrage of the right was predictable.
The very next day, clarification is offered.
No clarification was needed, just stand up for what
you believe in, dammit.

[stevenleser]

25. He's commenting on two distinct issues. Sad you cannot see that.

Issue #1 - Should they be "allowed" to build the mosque there. Obama: Yes

Issue #2 - Was it wise to try to build a mosque there. Obama: No Comment

Why would Obama comment on #2? Its a stupid question. How does Obama know whether there is enough membership to support a mosque at ground zero? How would Obama know whether it will be a good congregation? Etc.

[5X]

27. If your answer is anything other than it is ok to build the mosque,

you are racist or at least cow-towing to the racists.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

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

[Phx_Dem]

33. delete dupe

[stevenleser]

34. Yep. Its a reading comprehension issue, not a political issue

What more is there to say?

[BklnDem75]

45. Moar reading comprehension!

Please?

[Cognitive_Resonance]

2. Pres. Obama didn't "walk anything back" unless you want to

buy-into Fox News talking points. Defending a constitutionally recognized right is not equivalent to advocating the wisdom of an action.

[denimgirly]

3. At least we know deep down obama is Progressive --but in WH he has to play Politics == "Right"

I think Obama is progressive at heart but you can clearly see he is driven and makes his decissions based on what the right would think. I just wish he would stand up for his progressive beliefs regardless and see where the chips fall. I'd really respect that.

I was a bit surprised Obama came out on Friday supporting this thing since his pattern has been to avoid conflict or come out that supports what the right want (never what progressives want). But then i realized it was campaign season -- the time when democrats all become progressives.

So that being said i think he is just walking it back a bit so as to still please progressives for the election period but not freak out the right...in other words...an Obama move (split everything down the middle).

[villager]

8. "...his pattern has been to avoid conflict..."

Ain't that the sad truth...

[27inCali]

52. isn't the very issue we are discussing right now..

flying in the face of what you are saying?

[villager]

62. his working to make a statement less controversial?

Nah, somehow I don't think it does...

[dflprincess]

12. He needs to stop worrying about "freaking out the right"

because he's never going to win them over. Sooner or later he needs to figure out that pandering to them is a losing proposition.

[ProSense]

14. Right, like if the President had simply ignored the RW frame being pushed by the media

some people wouldn't be criticizing him for letting them define him.

How does batting down a RW talking point equal trying to "win them over"?

[dflprincess]

16. I was responding to a comment made in post #3

but don't pretend that Obama pandering to the right is a new concept.

[Scurrilous]

4. He walked nothing back.

:thumbsdown:

[OhioBlue]

5. not walking it back in my mind

The RIGHT to do something and the WISDOM behind a decision are completely different.

I have from day 1 supported the right of the people that want to build the community center that includes an Islamic place of worship and will absolutely continue to do so. That issue - about their RIGHT is absolute with me.

I am however, on the fence about the wisdom of the decision. I would never protest, nor advocate against the construction.. At the same time, I am open to discussion on the WISDOM of the decision.

[OwnedByFerrets]

6. Its called waffling.

[OhioBlue]

9. no it isn't. It is a right vs. the wisdom of a decision.

completely different. I understand the President's position clearly.

[ProSense]

7. Why keep pushing the RW frame?

The second statement addresses the BS RW interpretation.

Josh Marshall understood that.

Obama supports 'the right' for ground zero mosque

The media has no where to go with this BS spin.

<...>

The president's statements thrust him squarely into a debate that he had skirted for weeks and could put Democrats on the spot three months before midterm elections where they already were nervous about holding control of the House and maybe even the Senate. Until Friday, the White House had asserted that it did not want to get involved in local decision-making.

The White House quickly followed up on Obama's latest comments on the matter, with Obama spokesman Bill Burton saying that the president wasn't backing off in any way from the remarks he made Friday.

"What he said last night, and reaffirmed today, is that if a church, a synagogue or a Hindu temple can be built on a site, you simply cannot deny that right to those who want to build a mosque," Burton said.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent who has been a strong supporter of the mosque, welcomed Obama's White House speech as a "clarion defense of the freedom of religion."

<...>

More here.

[firedupdem]

11. +1

Anthing will be twisted in order to be outraged.

[BklnDem75]

10. Fail

The two quotes have nothing to do with each other.

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. kpete, this is ludicrous

You have an opportunity to show yourself to be a thinking person who lodges thoughtful criticisms against this administration, or to be a knee-jerk reactionary Obama hater. You're making the wrong choice with this OP, and it makes your other thoughtful criticisms look bad as a result. This is clear as day, and you're falling for it very badly. It's unfortunate. Step back from your emotional response and think it through.

[sandnsea]

15. And kpete strikes again!

Did you miss this from Burton too? Or the numerous other times it was posted today?

"Just to be clear, the President is not backing off in any way from the comments he made last night.
It is not his role as President to pass judgment on every local project.

"But it is his responsibility to stand up for the Constitutional principle of religious freedom and equal treatment for all Americans.
What he said last night, and reaffirmed today, is that If a church, a synagogue or a Hindu temple can be built on a site, you simply cannot deny that right to those who want to build a Mosque.

"The World Trade Center site is hallowed ground, where 3000 Americans-Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Muslims were the victims of a cold-blooded massacre. We are still at war with the small band of terrorists who planned and executed that attack.
But that does not give government the right to deny law-abiding Americans of one faith the same rights you would accord anyone else."

[CakeGrrl]

17. Oh, come on! Really?

The KKK has the right to march.

Is it wise to do it?

How the hell is he walking back his earlier statement?

Are people so anxious to criticize him they're willing to play ignorant to create a reason to be angry? Never mind.

[VMI Dem]

19. If he walks this back, why not walk back the anti-gay bigotry?

Makes one wonder.

[BklnDem75]

20. Willful ignorance...

does nothing for your cause.

[VMI Dem]

21. Of what cause do you refer?

:shrug:


:hi:

[BklnDem75]

29. The 'Obama is evil' cause

of course.

[VMI Dem]

30. I don't necessarily think that bigotry is evil. Misguided perhaps.

Religion can do that to some people. ;-)

[BklnDem75]

35. I understand

Hate does that to some people too. :thumbsup:

[VMI Dem]

39. I don't think he hates gays. He just feels they don't rate civil rights with respect to marriage.

He himself has admitted he may be on the wrong side of history on the issue. :thumbsdown:

[BklnDem75]

40. Good to know

But I was referring more to the hate that would make someone agree with a fail thread to advance their own stance. Sorry I wasn't clear. :hi:

[VMI Dem]

43. You mean my stance on civil rights for gays and bigotry against them? I'm sure we share that stance

and agree that the President's stance is wrong.


:toast:

[BklnDem75]

44. No, I mean your Obama is evil stance

We've been through this. Pay attention

[VMI Dem]

46. Some may say his homophobia is evil. While I think it is backward and antiquated..

I don't think the man himself is evil.

I do enjoy the efforts to gloss over it though. :rofl:

[BklnDem75]

47. Gloss over? lol

That's why you're attempting to threadjack to push your issue? I have no problem with Obama's beliefs. When he starts pushing his beliefs into the way he governs, then you may have something.

[OhioBlue]

23. he didn't walk anything back.

He articulated very well the Constitutional Rights behind the construction of a Community Center or a Mosque. He did not comment on the wisdom behind the decision of it. Pretty simple if you ask me.

[besdayz]

22. indians

wonder how people would react if indians started protesting building over their burial sites among other things......

would be nice if a witty progressive would throw that in the face of any jackazz voicing irrational bigotry

[jefferson_dem]

24. HuffPost has become Politico's bitch.

Shame. Used to be a decent site.

[Political Tiger]

32. +1000!

[phleshdef]

28. Ok DU, this right here is propaganda bullshit. He didn't walk anything back.

This kind of over the top, desperate brand of spin needs to be called out and then treated for the BS it is. President Obama saying that he won't get involved in the social commentary on this is exactly what you would expect a classy President to do. His whole message on this has remained that its their right to have a place of worship in the place where they are having it and that should be the end of it and if you are really all about the constitution and founders intention and writ and and all that happy horse shit, then you should fully support the right for this place to exist. Thats where he has been going with this and its where he should be going.

[Gordan Shumway]

36. Bullshit

Don't waste my time with this Bullshit. My time is valuable. If you want to spread ass stains at least package it in something that isn't directly tied to Politico. I can see this shit stain thru thick dark pantaloons. Lame.

[Phx_Dem]

37. Not a walkback. Huffington Post has reached a new low.

They're as bad as Fox when it comes to completely misleading readers about something that is very clear and basic.

[Political Tiger]

38. What an embarrassing post! Yellow Journalism at its worst. n/t

[backscatter712]

41. That's the Arianna Huff 'n' Puff for you.

It'd be nice if they even tried to act like actual journalists...

[NYC_SKP]

42. Huff Post Crap. Sad to have to see it here.

Rights and wisdom are two different matters.

Obama defends their right to build it there.

The wisdom behind it wasn't a part of his statement.

Case closed.

[Catherina]

51. Your personal opinion or new DU policy? n/t

[Milo_Bloom]

48. Why does the President fall for RW talking points all the time?

It's NOT a mosque.

[impik]

49. He didn't walk t back. It's two completely different things

He didn't say he was in favor of building that mosque in Friday. He said they had the right to build it.

[Catherina]

50. Of course. Retreat to better attack. Lol. n/t

[BeyondGeography]

53. Rights and wisdom...where's the contradiction?

Your own disconnect is on full display in the OP. Open your eyes (or is it your mind?) and read.

[CTLawGuy]

54. The Huffington Post

is a tabloid rag and will try to turn anything into a scandal.

This "walkback" is nothing of the sort.

I remember when Arianna was a Republican. I actually first saw her when she was all over TV calling for Bill Clinton to be impeached from office.

[Pirate Smile]

55. That is what is most infuriating. The blogs, pundits and people who are supposed to be on the Dem

side but instead take every chance to assist the Republicans and the press in distorting and disseminating RW crap against Obama and Dems.

[CTLawGuy]

61. yup

NT

[AtomicKitten]

56. HuffingtonPost is notorious for inflammatory, flat-out wrong titles.

This one is no exception. Derp.

[Hansel]

57. Why pretend he did? nt

[dogday]

58. Isn't this all a moot point as the building is 2 city blocks from ground zero and

was a department store untouched by the events of 9/11.

Talk about a media fail :thumbsdown:

[johnaries]

59. He's not. Look again at his Friday comments. nt

[geek tragedy]

60. Why dishonestly claim he walked it back?

Oh yeah, it's because Robert Gibbs was right.

[bvar22]

63. My, my...what a revolting development this is.

I wasted a perfectly good positive Obama post praising him for taking a STAND on a politically unpopular position.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=410417&mesg_id=410808

I love being able to commend President Obama when he does the right thing, especially on the too few occasions when he actually takes a STAND for something.
Now its back to Stuck in the Ambiguous Middle....neither FOR it, nor Against It....Whatever!
:(

[BklnDem75]

65. Weird...

Seems more a waste to support a lie. Good luck with that.

[Political Tiger]

66. This is a good example of the effect that yellow journalism has on some people

The sensationalism, exaggeration and hyperbole is designed to inflame those who are not used to using their minds but who instead rely on emotion and bias to form an opinion, and sadly it works.

[DevonRex]

64. Why did kpete post an article from a guy saying he'll voteRepub or nobody?

Hey, just asking, right?

[SoxFan]

69. Hush! HuffPo and FDL are sacred, remember?

They could offer recipes for puppy stew and it would be acceptable.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

67. How is using his own words "unfair"?

That's what he gets for being intimidated by the right wing.

[slackmaster]

68. President Obama is a career politician

That's what they do.

He should not have said anything about it. There is no federal issue on the table.