E. J. Dionne Derails Gregory’s Segment On Obama ‘Leadership’: You Mean ‘Adopt Republican Positions’

[Purveyor]

Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne threw cold water on NBC host David Gregory segment’s calling for more “leadership” from President Barack Obama on Sunday when he explained that people were mistaking the “leadership” for capitulating to Republicans’ demands.

During an NBC’s Meet the Press segment titled “Presidential Leadership,” Gregory wanted to know when Obama was going to “demonstrate he can bring along converts to his side and actually get something meaningful accomplished.”

MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell agreed that leadership was the “real test” for the president.

“The question he’s never answered in all these years is, ‘How do I build a government majority in this circumstance?’” New York Times columnist David Brooks opined. “He’s got 40 House Republicans who are never going to be with him. How does his siphon them off and get the other Republicans on his side to get a majority coalition? You have to anger the left a little to build that bipartisan coalition.”

Dionne, however, concluded the segment by disputing its entire premise.

“A lot of times, though, when people say the president should lead, what they want him to do is adopt Republican positions and then push for those,” Dionne explained. “That’s not leadership, that’s capitulation.”

MORE...

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/10/20/dionne-derails-gregorys-segment-on-obama-leadership-you-mean-adopt-republican-positions/

[gopiscrap]

1. yeah no shit!

[malaise]

2. I love EJ

He's a genuine liberal

[Purveyor]

3. Indeed he is. I'm going to have to fire up the Roku tonight and watch that segment. eom

[tularetom]

4. The president has already shown way too much "leadership" IMO

If leadership means what Dionne says, he's been doing that for most of his term. It's only recently he's decided that trying to reason with crazy people is a waste of his time and begun doing what he thinks is right.

[Plucketeer]

22. Absolutely! nt

[RandySF]

5. David Gregory is a member of Rove's posse.

[cui bono]

8. And dance partner.

[City Lights]

6. Way to go, E. J.!

[Liberal_Dog]

7. K & R

When the Rs win an election, they get to do whatever they want. When Dems try to fight them, we get the "elections have consequences" and "sore loser" horseshit from the media.

When the Dems win an election, that same media demands that the Dems reach out to the Rs and build bipartisan consensus.

Funny(in a sick way) how that works, isn't it?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

17. Hit the nail squarely on the head!

Glad I'm not the only one who has noticed this phenomenon.

[Enthusiast]

37. We have seen it long enough to

know what you say is true. They have been doing it for years now.

Essentially Democrats are not allowed to govern after they win an election. The Democrat's job is to shut up, bring down the deficit and not spend any money.

When the Republicans take office they cut taxes and wage war wasting all the fiscal improvements made by Democrats. Rinse and repeat.

[grahamhgreen]

42. Well put

[Major Hogwash]

49. The corporate mainstream media will be totally worthless to the Republicans by 2016.

Because no one will believe anything they say about Democrats, as they all try to win the race to the bottom in a vain attempt to emulate their news source heroes -- Faux Snooze!!!

[Cha]

9. Please! David Gregory on "leadership"? Brawawaaaaa..

get his own houlse in order before he starts pontificating on anyone else's .. much less the POTUS.

You don't reason with terrorists or negotiate.

thank you EJ Dionne, for knocking the gop water right out of DG's hands!

mahalo Purveyor

[CJCRANE]

10. Where's that cartoon...?

You know the one where Obama moves to the right, but the GOP just moves further to the right, leaving Obama where they used to be.

(Even worse, during the shutdown the Repubs went so far to the right they went over the edge).

[arely staircase]

11. did dancing with rove gregory suggest any of the president's position

The teabaggers need to addopt to show leadership?

[DallasNE]

12. That David Gregory Would Adopt Republican Spin As Fact And Call It A Given Is Given

If Gregory was really interested in getting to the bottom of the problem he would have to answer why Boehner wouldn't bring the Senate bill to the House floor on the eve of the shutdown. That Senate bill was bipartisan. It was a compromise, the very thing Gregory falsely claims Obama was unwilling to do. But of course Gregory would avoid going there because it would not further the Republican agenda that he so strongly supports. How NBC allows Gregory to be so openly partisan just amazes as even Chris Wallace on Fox News kisses Republican butt less than David Gregory does.

[dreamnightwind]

27. He knows the path to a succesful career

in T.V. "journalism". Never anger the money party (the corporate wings of both parties), that's who owns the media. Those types don't want progressive reform for the people, they want a cheap and desperate workforce, and few taxes and regulations for their corporations to operate under.

Some people very naturally have a knack for pleasing just the right people to further their lives and careers. Gregory strikes me as just such a person.

[uponit7771]

56. +1

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. These millionaire not so closeted right wing shills should be kicked off the air.

[Justice]

14. The real proof this is right wing spin is that this mantra was repeated on every show today

It is not just that Gregory said it, it is that very host on every show and every republican said it.

[Enthusiast]

35. The US media is worse than useless.

Every program is full of misleading propaganda, including the "liberal" programs on MSNBC.

[Hekate]

47. The Sabbath Gasbags are not worth watching

(with thanks to Calvin Trillin for that marvelous term)

Sunday morning finds me up for Fareed Zakaria. Some of the individuals on MSNBC who do in-depth interviews are likewise good (Melissa Harris-Perry comes to mind).

But Meet the Press and its ilk are part of the vast wasteland.

[dballance]

15. Good Grief. How can they possibly be so partisan?

Obama will never bring along converts because the Republicans won't compromise. They completely ignored the fact that the GOP is the problem - of course.

[spanone]

16. gregory & mitchell. two good reasons to watch something else.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

18. I quit watching the show.....

when Gregory took over. Can't take the boy too seriously.

[SoapBox]

45. Ditto.

I even stopped listening to NPR, as I can't take Inskeep any longer.

[DonCoquixote]

19. If op's had a wall of fame

this would deserve the honor. Obama has angered us on the left because he has given them what they asked for, he cannot do that anymore!

[ThoughtCriminal]

20. When he does adopt Republica positions

then the Republicans dump that position, move farther right and call their old position "Far Left Communism" (cough - health insurance mandates -cough).

They live on the edge of a bottomless memory hole.

[SoapBox]

46. Perfect!!!!

[AverageJoe90]

21. Whatever respect I may have had for this guy Dionne, I just lost a little.

Whatever faults Dave Gregory has, and they are many, I suspect, he's not the only one who got this wrong. Sorry, folks, but E.J.'s conclusion in this case holds little water and leaves a lot to be desired; even if this: "“A lot of times, though, when people say the president should lead, what they want him to do is adopt Republican positions and then push for those,” Dionne explained. “That’s not leadership, that’s capitulation.”" is usually correct, this isn't the case.

President Obama hasn't quite been able to accomplish everything we've wanted, but time and time again, he has indeed shown the leadership qualities we clamor to see, even if it isn't always obvious at first sight. And yet, neither of these two mentioned the constant obstructionism on the part of the GOP, especially the Teabagger. Not *once*.

C'mon, folks, get with the program, would ya?

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

32. But what Dionne said is entirely correct.

When the right say Obama needs to show "leadership," what they really mean is that he should capitulate to the demands of the Right.

When you say "neither of these two..." it is not clear which two you refer to.

[AverageJoe90]

54. That's not really quite what was implied, however. He said people in general, not just the Right.

While your point is *usually* true, Dionne doesn't take everything into account, and that's the problem. Often, the cries for Obama to show more leadership have come from some of the radicals on *our* side as well, even if in a different context, but he fails to mention that as well.

The point remains that neither Gregory or Dionne got it right; the former implies that Obama ought to be more submissive to Republican demands, while Dionne omits the fact that the Republicans have consistently blockaded the Prez, as well as the other fact I've stated here(look above).

Obama isn't perfect, but he's doing the best he can......despite the jokers to the far left of him and the crazies and raving assholes and wingnuts to the far right.....

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

55. Sorry. I guess I shouldn't have commented because I didn't watch the segment and was just referring

to what was in the article. Watching Rs on tv just raises my blood pressure. And watching Ds fail to make a great point that ought to be made does the same thing. "Our side" is playing Tiddlywinks compared to the Rs as far as messaging.

I know journalists aren't supposed to be taking sides without reason, but there are plenty of reasons to object to what the Right is up to, and many positives about the Ds and our president that ought to, in actual fairness, be given more air time. But it's that ridiculous idea that you can't report more negatives on one side, even if that side has more negatives, out of "fairness." It's nonsense and explains why many people still say, "Well, both sides are just as bad." It's a lie, but how would they know?

[annabanana]

38. Average

If you have one total idiot it kind of skews the average, you know?

[tartan2]

23. OMG is it any wonder we're fucked up?

Those idiots who think they are the news media, just what the hell planet do they live on. President Obama is a leader and as far as I'm concerned it's the damn Replugs who are the problem. Not once but twice on both days that President Obama was sworn into office the so called replugs were meeting to make sure they all were in agreement to make sure they block any and every thing that President Obama tries to do. President Obama's presidency is just killing the bigots!

[nashville_brook]

24. it's disgusting framing, that Gregory/Mitchell peddle here

gee, when's POTUS going to push more Republican policy that Republicans get behind.

good on EJ for pushing back on that frame.

[Enthusiast]

34. It's so typical of the media.

We are supposed to watch this complete bullshit and "make believe" it is a quality product. This "product" should face a total boycott.

No Democrat should appear on any of these Sunday Morning "news" programs until the networks stop framing every discussion to favor the right wing position. It is just plain ridiculous.

[Jake2413]

25. Tank you EJ

[Doctor_J]

26. Under the bus, EJ! Didn't get your pony?

Learn chess, for god's sake. That's not capitulation, that's bipartisanship! Being the adult in the room! Ignoring the emoprogs!

One of the last few journalists who's an actual Dem

[russspeakeasy]

28. Thanks EJ.. One of the very few I trust.

[silvershadow]

29. How does he "cooperate with" those whose sole governing philosophy from day one has been

obstruction? David Gregory is a tool, and so is Andrea Greenspan.

[The Wizard]

30. Pox News

is blatant propaganda, giving tools like Gregory and the rest of the corporate shills cover.

[Blue Owl]

31. Shamed and de-framed

I like it!

[Enthusiast]

33. We have had quite enough of the Republican appointments and positions from Democrats.

No more capitulation!

[annabanana]

36. GOOD! It's about time Gregory got called-out on his BS!

He has been pumping republican memes for over a decade now.

He is WAY past his sell-by date.

[fasttense]

39. What RepubliCONS and Democrats alike seem to forget

Is that Obama IS NOT A LIBERAL. No matter how much the Teabaggers jump up and down calling him names, Obama is still NOT a liberal or a socialist.

He is a Democrat. He said himself, a few years ago he would be considered a middle of the road Republican. Today, he is considered more liberal than the crazy RepubliCONS who want a religious monarchy, but he would never be labeled a liberal by any sane people.

[RadiationTherapy]

40. Our Divided Political Heart is an excellent book about competing for history.

The competition to contextualize history to one's own agenda and thus ending up with divergent national stories is a fascinating component of our republic.

[RainDog]

41. k&r n/t

[AlbertCat]

43. Since when

...is it the President's or the Executive Branch's job to make the opposing party's Legislative Branch members DO THEIR JOBS?

[grahamhgreen]

44. "The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes."

[indepat]

48. Now, now, Mr. Dionne, Mr. Gregory did not know the President had already given Speaker Boehner

98% of what he had wanted while not betraying the Republicans' pledge of allegiance to Grover Norquist not to raise taxes. Besides, there's that other 2% to extract from the President without giving anything in return.

[bvar22]

50. Huzzah!

Been saying that here since 2008!!!

"Compromise" is when BOTH sides get something equally valuable.
Caving to Republican demands is "capitulation".




[font color=firebrick size=3][center]"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[/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]

[Gothmog]

51. Dionne was in good form

EJ hit it out of the ballpark yesterday

[jmowreader]

52. Assume Obama were to adopt every Republican position

The Republicans would simply adopt new, even more extreme, provisions then claim the president wasn't showing leadership by working with the Republicans. IOW, exactly the situation that exists today. And if President Obama were to adopt all the new positions, they'd move farther to the right. Eventually we'd be at the point where you had to be a white male landowner to vote, Barack Obama would legally be three-fifths of a person and the flag would be back to having thirteen stars on it, and they'd STILL be looking to move farther to the right.

A lot of us say this is because of Racism - because the president is not white, they have to fight him tooth and nail. That's got a little to do with it, but the real problem is the president is not a Republican. If Herman Cain was president, they would work with him. But Herman Cain is a Republican, and Barack Obama is Not. Therefore, Barack Obama cannot be worked with even if he does everything exactly the way they want.

[dawnie51]

53. Hey! NBC!

the ruse is up! This Republican shill Gregory has disgraced himself over and over; he has no cred. He is making you and your venerable MTP a national joke. EVERYONE knows what is up; you need to replace him with a journalist.

[klook]

57. When reasoning with 2-year-olds

who are screaming and kicking, just give them what they want, no matter how stupid or destructive or expensive the demand. That is good parenting, according to Gregory's logic.