Obama Didn't Fold--- More Huffington Crap! - by whamfan (Update: Huffpo Full of it)

[kpete]

Obama Didn't Fold--- More Huffington Crap!
by whamfan
Thu Nov 11, 2010 at 03:20:17 AM PST

According to Huffpo President Obama "folded" on tax cuts. He is apparently going to allow tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to be permanently extended. This would be very big news (and contradict what he said in his Weekly Radio Address just a week or two ago). And it would be extremely depressing.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/10/white-house-gives-in-on-bush-tax-cuts_n_781992.html

Since this is such big news, I immediately looked for ANY sources other than Huffington Post discussing this shocking development. I found NONE. Not the New York Times. Not CNN. Not even Talking Points Memo. Even a Google News search found ONE internet link on this topic---Huffington Post. Hmm, real interesting. The President makes a major decision on a key issue, and no one except Huffington Post even discusses it. There are two possible reasons for that:

1. Every other newspaper, news network or internet news source chooses to ignore it (which seems unlikely, especially in the internet area of 24-hour news and instant information) or

2. Other news sources view an informal chat with a presidential advisor as NOT being indicative of the Commander-in-Chief's decision.

I don't think I am revealing anything shocking when I say that Huffington Post has an agenda, to promote "progressivism" as they see it by making our President look BAD. They have done it before, and they'll do it again. Spreading rumors to anger his liberal base. The sad thing is, we here at Daily Kos fall for it. The giant headlines must scare us somehow!

...............

Update: I want to make it clear I am NOT advocating that Huffington Post hide away and not report about its interview with David Axelrod. But when they take an informal, off the cuff interview with a presidential advisor and turn it into gigantic headlines claiming that Obama had reached some kind of decision and "folded" on tax cuts (when the actual interview says no such thing), Huffington Post is engaging in its own form of tabloid journalism, exaggerating what was actually said and turning it into the President's decision, when it is no such thing!

more:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/11/11/919608/-Obama-Didnt-FoldMore-Huffington-Crap!

UPDATE:
WHITE HOUSE DENIES FOLDING ON TAX CUTS!!!!!
There is not one bit of news here. I simply re-stated what POTUS and Robert have been saying. Our two strong principles are that we need to extend the tax cuts for the middle class, but we can't afford a permanent extension of the tax cuts for the wealthy.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/the_morning_plum_129.html

some more:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/11/11/919624/-Once-AgainAnother-MSM-LIE-taken-as-fact

[SidDithers]

1. K&R...nt

Sid

[babylonsister]

2. "Spreading rumors to anger his liberal base"- BINGO! And it works! nt

[bushisanidiot]

5. Yep. It DOES work as evidenced by the KNEE JERK responses here on DU.

Sad that our own people are so damned quick to criticize OUR president over anything and everything!

Give him some credit! He's GOT THIS!

[treestar]

13. republicans are much better at manipulation

A liberal who lets themselves be manipulated is just proving that and is the reason it is harder for the Democrats to get things done.

[pattmarty]

42. Yeah, this AND the catfood commission. Get fucking real.

[ProudDad]

49. And what in the last 2 years of ultimate compromise

to the republican position...

would lead you to believe that he would suddenly grow a spine on this issue?

He ain't got shit yet except to become the Bush III Admin...

[SusanaMontana41]

64. I'm with you. I'll believe Obama stood strong when I see it.

Not holding my breath.

[Hawkowl]

62. Leadership FAIL!!!

Obama needs to come out and absolutely, unequivocally reject extending the rich's tax cuts AND cutting Social Security/ raising retirement age. No trial balloons, no proxy statements by staffers. The president couldn't lead himself out of paper bag.

[molly77]

47. Huff Po frequently has headlines that are not backed up by the post.

I read it. Obama would end the tax cuts to the rich. I still love my president.

Unfortunately, he cannot do the things that we need right now to survive due to corporate take over.

[The Uncola]

3. Maybe Obama should ...

... tell his staff not to say shit that isn't true to reporters then.

You don't quite get the concept of "floating a trial balloon to gauge public reaction," do you?


... or perhaps...

It's just the lube being applied.

[ProSense]

4. Where did Axelrod say anything that wasn't true?

Not a single quote in the piece matches the headline and lede.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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

[ProSense]

18. "Believe whatever the fuck you like"

Ditto!

Greg Sargent:

Axelrod emails:

There is not one bit of news here. I simply re-stated what POTUS and Robert have been saying. Our two strong principles are that we need to extend the tax cuts for the middle class, but we can't afford a permanent extension of the tax cuts for the wealthy.

And White House comm director Dan Pfeiffer adds:

The story is overwritten. Nothing has changed from what the President said last week. We believe we need to extend the middle class tax cuts, we cannot afford to borrow 700 billion to pay for extending the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and we are open to compromise and are looking forward to talking to the Congressional leadership next week to discuss how to move forward. Full Stop, period, end of sentence.

[no limit]

20. In other words: "The fact we are giving in is not news"

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

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

[ProSense]

27. Wait

like reality is smacking you?

Never happen, I'm realistic.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

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

[dave29]

29. "I'm well aware of what you are"

that's pretty good via the intertubes. Impressed with your psychic prowess, and others in this thread who were smacked upside the head by this story being refuted.

"It will happen, you wait and see"

OK. Maybe it will. But not today, and if so, probably not in the way you seem so certain of. This White House has stated it's position. That position has been contorted to match with everyone's personal feelings about those in office. Maybe we wait and with-hold judgment?

Could it hurt?

[The Uncola]

31. Like we ..

... "with-held judgement" on the Public Option? Or DADT? Or Guantanamo? etc, etc, etc ad nausium?


Yeah. Right.

[dave29]

35. one of the greatest lessons I learned in life

was how to move past disappointment. Sometimes, remarkably, I wound up not being disappointed in the long run -- and I was a happier person to boot. Did not stop me from fighting for what I believe in either. Amazing, that.

[The Uncola]

39. I've learned a lesson or two myself.

One of them is that if you ignore history you are condemned to repeat it. So no, I'm not going to play sucker and give a free pass to those who have "disappointed" me. I'm gonna hold their feet to the fire, no matter how much they whine about not liking it.

[sabrina 1]

38. So it wasn't 'news'. Well, he's right there.

It was 'overwritten'. Iow, they are 'open to compromise' which means an extension of the tax cuts will only be temporary.

we can't afford a permanent extension of the tax cuts for the wealthy

What he should have said is 'we must allow those tax to expire as they have cost this country far too much in terms of jobs and money'.

So, he's right. You have to watch the adjectives. Once they are temporarily allowed to continue, as a 'compromise', the Republican majority will make sure they become permanent, then Dems think they will be off the hook.

Dems are in the majority when they expire. If they compromise, they can expect increased anger so I hope they are not going to be that stupid. This should have been done before the election, but we knew why it was not.

Axelrod should go also. Another one who hates the base of the party. They have not served this president or the American people well.

[glitch]

54. "They have not served this president or the American people well." Well said. nt

[druidity33]

60. exactly...

it's called Parsing, and i'm surprised people aren't familiar with it by now. The word permanent literally jumped off the page at me. Maybe i'm just sensitive to that sort of manipulation... i'm constantly word watching (drives my wife crazy).

:shrug:

[pattmarty]

43. Thank you!!!! Some just don't want to accept reality.

[Moosepoop]

6. K&R! n/t

[no limit]

7. Give me a break kpete, you know they did fold In a few weeks huffington post will be proven right

[wndycty]

8. Is that what you want? I see the rush to believe the worse about the Obama administration. . .

. . .:kick:

[treestar]

10. Exactly it is very clear today!

It's to the point of insane.

If it's a psy-op, it is being overdone today and becoming obvious.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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

[jberryhill]

33. I don't think it is a psy-op

But there is a clear psychological and sociopathic phenomenon being demonstrated.

[no limit]

14. What a bullshit argument, you have got to be smarter than that. It is not what I want

it's what the Obama administration wants.

[jeff47]

56. Have they given us much of a reason to believe the best?

They've done an awful lot of hippy punching in the last two years.

[Phx_Dem]

9. It doesn't even make sense that they would make a public statement

supporting the huge debt-raising tax cuts that Obama has always been against before the new Congress even convenes and discussions begin. And while Obama's debit commission is trying to find ways to significantly cut the deficit, including tax increases, the White House comes out and supposedly says we're going to increase the debt by $4 trillion so we can give tax CUTS TO THE RICH. Bull. Shit.

Sorry, not buying it at all. If Axelrod said this, he needs to go. But whether he said it or not, I don't believe it because it doesn't make sense.

[marlakay]

11. Even if not true at least Obama will

see that if he doesn't hold strong he will have zero support from us next time.

[dave29]

25. so as long as it keeps the White House in check, it's OK for the media to make shit up

gotcha.

:crazy:

[jaxx]

36. What is -0?

[whistler162]

71. Not this SH** again!

Same old same old excuse for believing every lie!

[tularetom]

15. Of course it's crap - Howard Fineman wrote it

Hacky McHackson is now Huffington Post's political editor.

[no limit]

19. I can't wait till this is thrown back in your face after the white house gives in on these tax cuts

[tularetom]

21. I don't have a lot of confidence in the white house

But they have to sink way below where they are now to get lower than that whore fineman as far as credibility is concerned.

[no limit]

26. I don't know what beef you have with Howard Fineman. Even if the beef is valid it's irrelevant

the fact is that the white house will give in on this. And the statements Axelrod made to the huffington post is just more evidance of this.

What pisses me off the most is they won't just come out and say it, instead they play these stupid word games just as the administration before them did.

[ProudDad]

50. It's the frog in the pot of ever hotter water...

they apply the heat...

pretend to remove the heat...

Apply the heat...

Pretend to remove the heat...

Then crank up the burner...


They've done it over and over for 2 years now...

Why expect anything different...

[hulka38]

68. When the cave in becomes official, it will not register

one iota with the apologists. Take it to the bank.

[Whisp]

32. *saving this one.

so you can't wait for this. like Christmas gift for you is it?

like a sharp beaked raven waiting to peck peck peck.

[phleshdef]

40. Of course, thats all you really care about, you could give less of a shit about the actual issue.

[playstation]

17. ...

http://mrand.us/AHV6

Alexander Mooney / CNN: Axelrod says Obama will agree to extend tax cuts for wealthy
Alex Wagner / Politics Daily: Obama Will Accept Extension of Bush Tax Cuts to All, Axelrod Says
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly: AXELROD SIGNALS SURRENDER ON TAX POLICY....
Dan Spencer / RedState: Obama caves on tax increases
Dan Amira / New York Magazine: The Obama Administration Is Ruining the Taliban's Summer 2011 Plans
Samantha Henig / News Desk: To-Do List: Iraqi Prime Minister, Bush Tax Cuts Look Like Keepers
Bcook / Fox Nation: Obama Caves on Bush Tax Cuts
Brian Beutler / TPMDC: White House Signals Intent To Cave To GOP On Bush Tax Cuts
Chris / AMERICAblog News: Report: White House collapses on tax cuts, will go along with GOP
Emptywheel: David Axelrod's Quaint Idea of Middle Class “Security”
Michael Tomasky / Guardian: Axe gives in on taxes | Michael Tomasky
Steve M. / No More Mister Nice Blog: RAND PAUL IS YOUR NEW OLYMPIA SNOWE
Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute: The Obama Tax Cuts
John Byrne / Raw Story: Obama reportedly agrees to allow rich bigger tax cut than middle class
George Stephanopoulos / George's Bottom Line: Sen. Conrad: Extend All Tax Cuts; Time to Get ‘Serious’ About Deficit
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire: Obama Will Extend Bush Tax Cuts
Laura Conaway / The Maddow Blog: Axelrod: Yes to the Bush tax cuts
Attaturk / Firedoglake: Not fancy and no feast for the lot of you
Mark Thoma / Economist's View: “White House Gives In On Bush Tax Cuts”
Glenn Reynolds / Instapundit: READER RON BAAKKONEN WRITES, CAN WE START CALLING THEM THE OBAMA TAX CUTS NOW?
Phil Kerpen / Americans for Prosperity: Victory over pending tax hikes?
Jill / Brilliant at Breakfast: Obama caves again

[ProSense]

24. Interesting.

What does this prove in your opinion?

[dsc]

34. one of the points in the OP

was that since this didn't appear anywhere else it had to not be news. Apparently it appeared a whole lot of places.

[druidity33]

61. and they all link back to HuffPo. nt.

:shrug:

[dennis4868]

23. There are progressives in the media....

who do the same thing as the Huffington Post does...example is Cenk who is on MSNBC alot and takes off the cuff statements from staffers and turns them into "this is what the President has decided!" He tries to weaknen the president....

[MsPithy]

53. I think you've got this backwards!

Cenk can not "weaken" the president by talking, the president is weak and Cenk talks about it.

[dennis4868]

55. Disagree...

The media has weaken the president with lies and a narrative that is totally false....this is from the right wing media and most of the MSM....with regard to Cenk, he jumps on any little rumor or off the cuff statement by a WH staffer as fact and hold Obama to it even though he has not made up his mind yet....Huffington Post does this all the time.

[grumgrum]

70. Surely you must realize that Obama WILL be accepting a Temp Ext for the Rich?

One thing that is very clear is that Obama is and will sign such a bill that contains this. History shows Obama has a weakness for giving in to things like this and this is no different. He has already signalled he would in his remarks. The only thing that can save America from an evenbigger debt now is Nancy Pelosi and the hope that demorcats gain the balls to take care of this right now with just a single bill for perm ext for the middle-class. If not, the repubs in January will force feed Obama the tax cut extensiosn for the rich and everyone knows it will happen. The very least is repubs will get 2 years extension which is enough for 2012 issues for Obama. Terrible strategy by the WH if they dont take care of this now while they have the majority.

[truedelphi]

57. Bingo. n/t

[GOTV]

30. Maybe today's denial is BECAUSE of the Huffington headlines ....

.... I hope they continue to jump on any weasel words in any statement made by any member of the Obama admin or Dem leadership.

[jaxx]

37. Mostly they'll jump any words and turn them into weasels.

Some pundits do that for a living....make up stuff.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

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

[savalez]

44. [phone]

[jenmito]

45. K&R! n/t

[Phx_Dem]

46. The last link from DailyKos really spells out the bullshit that Huff is peddling and

how they twist shit to fit their narrative. Axe never said they were going to allow the tax cuts for the top 2 percent to continue.

But also, Axe is not a very good spokesperson, at least not anymore. He needs to stop talking. He tries to say something without really saying anything at all -- keep it vague -- which opens the door for the morons in the media to interpret his words to fit their narrative.

[gibby2433]

48. I guess if you want to look at the bright side of this...

When or if Obama DOES really fold on the tax cuts...it's gonna be REALLY BIG NEWS! We're all sitting on the edges of our seats waiting to scream bloody murder if these tax cuts do become permanent for ALL. So maybe this mistake will let the White House know...we're watching you ;)

[texshelters]

51. Time will tell

but what in the recent past tells you that Obama will follow through?

Uh oh, did I criticize Obama? Did I sin and break your precious rules of the Democratic apologists?

Vote for local Democrats, forget Congress.

Peace,
Tex Shelters
http://texshelters.wordpress.com/

[texshelters]

52. Not to defend HuffPo, but

sometimes I think they post this "shit" to get people to pay attention to what is happening. HuffPo has in general been supportive of Obama, but when they think he is in the wrong, they don't hesitate to say so.

http://texshelters.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/glory-glory-we-have-tax-cuts-for-those-that-don%E2%80%99t-need-it/

Peace,
Tex Shelters
http://texshelters.wordpress.com/

[ProudDad]

58. Political Theater

http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/328278/first_deficit_recommendations_are_political_theater_to_make_the_coming_brutal_assault_on_the_middle_class_seem_reasonable/#paragraph3

What's for sure is that we'll get screwed and the rich will get richer...

[MisterP]

59. whamfan's strategy is brilliant for the WH: putting out this "debunking" (corpspeak for "denial by

shady spokesmodels") induces many of those who would protest and write in to suspend their judgment, thereby cutting the legs out from under any timely and vocal response that would pressure the WH into actually backing off from the tax breaks and service cuts

and then people will wonder why American politics is so enervated and non-participatory

[grahamhgreen]

63. You don't know how to read the WH. HE HAS FOLDED.

[political_Dem]

65. K and R

[golfguru]

66. WaPo article on Obama compromise on tax cuts for the rich

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/11/AR2010111105824.html

[hulka38]

67. We shall see. The WH can't tip its hand often enough.

Somewhere Boehner must be laughing as the WH begs him for something that could be spun as a compromise. But the wealthy will get their tax cuts. Meanwhile, the same people rec'ing this OP were no doubt also claiming all the polls were wrong about the Dems losing the House. It's a shoot the messenger - I'll believe what I want to believe mentality. At some point, your denials are going to seem odd even to yourselves.

[grumgrum]

69. #1 The HP article didnt say Perm, it said the WH wants Temp Ext for Rich...So HP is right