After Mr. Gibbs' now famous comment, do you feel our party is at war with you?

[Stinky The Clown]

Let me start with this unequivocal statement: I am a DEMOCRAT and I am NOT leaving.

My answer to the question I posed in the OP? Yes, I feel the party is at war with me. I say "the party" because, at any point in time, "the party" is its leadership. I know that isn't technically true. The party is the amalgamation (look the word up, it was intentionally chosen) of all its members. Of late, however, a goodly portion of the members, me included, are openly treated with disrespect by the leadership. We are clearly being heard and intentionally being marginalized. I do, indeed, feel as if we're at war.

If this post doesn't sit well with you, too fucking bad.

And no. I will NOT go.

[AlabamaLibrul]

1. Quite frankly, yes. n/t

[Touchdown]

2. Is the sky brown over Los Angeles?

[Donnachaidh]

8. ahh, but is it CHEW-able?

The LA I remember had atmosphere that looked like layered jello :rofl:

[zipplewrath]

3. Absolutely

All I can do at this point is try to get progressives elected who will pull Obama to the left.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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

[geek tragedy]

So, is Obama the worst President ever or just bottom five?

The pure of heart here insist that he's more conservative than Reagan and Nixon, with economic policies as bad as Bush and Hoover.

[Jackpine Radical]

39. I put him about even with Clinton.

Better than any Republican, but still pretty much serving corporate interests.

[havocmom]

5. Yes

And more yes to your last three sentences.

[Individualist]

6. The DLC controlled party has been at war with progressives for a long time,

so the answer is an emphatic yes.

[FiveGoodMen]

7. "I am a DEMOCRAT and I am NOT leaving"

My party left me.

And called back just to hurl a few final insults my way.

They are not forgiven.

[geek tragedy]

16. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. nt

[havocmom]

22. What?

What the devil is that about?

[geek tragedy]

Quoting Ronald Reagan to trash the Democratic party. nt

[PBS Poll-435]

9. I think the whole topic is hilarious.

It is August, not October.

[walldude]

10. No actually... not that we are at war..

But that all the work I did, all the donations I made, and the votes I cast that were done under the guise that these people would work towards my best interests, were made by a fool. A sucker who thought he was helping people who were going to help the people. I kept hearing "change" and now I'm told "change takes time" so shut the fuck up and trust us. Well I don't trust you and I'm tired of waiting for pathetic politicians to figure out what the difference between right and wrong is. Fuck it. I GIVE UP.

[YOY]

11. The Republicans got jacked by the religious right wingers...

Then since the rest of them couldn't steal back their party from the fanatics they stole our party while we were down.

No amount of rebranding the word "liberal" is going to do it. I know what FDR stood for.

That's what I stand for.

[seabeyond]

12. what did he say. i am going thru threads to see what he said. lots of posters talking about what

he said. but i have yet to find what he said

someone help

i am still gonna look anyway

thanks

[Turborama]

17. “I hear these people saying he’s like George Bush. Those people ought to be drug tested,”

Gibbs said. “I mean, it’s crazy.”

The press secretary dismissed the “professional left” in terms very similar to those used by their opponents on the ideological right, saying, “They will be satisfied when we have Canadian healthcare and we’ve eliminated the Pentagon. That’s not reality.

From the article in LBN: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4498155

[seabeyond]

20. i see. thank you. cause i was still looking. appreciate. nt

[Turborama]

32. You're welcome.

As you can see, the thread in LBN is on fire! lol

[LWolf]

41. Oops. Wrong spot. nt

[laughingliberal]

23. Here:

During an interview with The Hill in his West Wing office, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs blasted liberal naysayers, whom he said would never regard anything the president did as good enough.

“I hear these people saying he’s like George Bush. Those people ought to be drug tested,” Gibbs said. “I mean, it’s crazy.”
The press secretary dismissed the “professional left” in terms very similar to those used by their opponents on the ideological right, saying, “They will be satisfied when we have Canadian healthcare and we’ve eliminated the Pentagon. That’s not reality.”

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/113431-white-house-unloads-on-professional-left

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4498155

[seabeyond]

38. appreciate it. thanks LL. nt

[earth mom]

13. Let's see...retard, druggie, drunk, hippie. That's what the powers that be think of the left.

Funny how that's exactly what the rethugs think of the left-assholes that they ALL are.

[havocmom]

26. guess what they are gonna hear when they come asking for $$

'Sorry, I only donate to FDR Liberals. Go take a drug test yourself' Then I turn then in for violating Do Not Call List.

[earth mom]

43. ...

:spray:

[sendero]

80. LOL

.... sounds like a plan.

[geek tragedy]

14. So, you believe the President is your enemy.

Well, then, don't expect much sympathy from non-DINO's.

[Uben]

15. Who you gonna call?

I don't believe my party is at war with me. I am not the "professional left". I don't even know what the fuck that means.
I also don't let a few misconceived words ruffle my feathers.

[PBS Poll-435]

18. Now that just seems too reasonable and less emotionally trigger-happy

You be down with DLC/New Democrat/Pub Lite

[Bonhomme Richard]

19. No. They are the foot soldiers.

Basically cannon fodder for their commanders. The difference is that they are only voted out of office and their leaders just bring up another one to take their place. They aren't the real enemy any more than the poor drafted Russian was during the cold war. I am at war with their leaders...Wall Street, The Big Bankers, Republicans, greedy Corporations and yes, any democrat that does their masters bidding. Think of the money controllers as a country that has declared war on you. They are shooting economic bombs that are destroying this nation more effectively than explosive ordinance could ever do.
The difference between the Democrats and the Republicans is that I believe the Democrats can be turned...the Republicans, not so much because they are ideologues.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. Making the Left the enemy worked ever so well for LBJ.

[laughingliberal]

24. I believe I've thought that for a while, now. Nice to have confirmation, though. nt

[Sapphocrat]

25. No.

I felt the party was at war with me long before Gibbs' meltdown.

[EFerrari]

27. No, because the Geneva Conventions don't apply.

I feel more like a battered spouse. They use me to make themselves look better to the other guys in the room that they want to impress. And then, they tell me they didn't mean it, that it wasn't that bad and that it's not their fault.

[mitchtv]

28. they want to call names?

That will buy them a lot now won't it?. I've been a Dem longer than most of them , so they can continue to alienate others. I will keep sending money to individual dems I like and ignore the sycophants

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

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

[jgraz]

36. Seriously, this is the best argument for voting Democratic this fall.

Imagine the OH SHIT look on their faces when they realize they still have to govern. :rofl:

[enlightenment]

61. Good point!

If you can't get off the tracks you might as well laugh at the on-coming train . . . :rofl:

[jgraz]

30. No. We're at war with the same people who we've always been at war with.

The monied caste interested in perpetuating and solidifying the status quo.

It looks like Bobby Gibbs just picked a side, that's all.

[EFerrari]

35. I bought his act for most of 18 months. I give him credit

for snowing me that long.

[madinmaryland]

31. No.

I think anyone who thinks President Obama is the same as George W. Bush is wrong. I wouldn't use the same language as Gibbs, but there is no comparison between the two men.

Yes, I agree that President Obama has not accomplished nearly what I was hoping for, but he is still a vast improvement over the previous administration.

[K8-EEE]

33. SIGH, Operation Mountain Out Of A Molehill

I'm agreeing with Gibbs more and more looking at the 10,000 bellyaching threads here.

[EFerrari]

44. Well, no. When the party you back consistently

insults you in public, that's not a molehill. That's someone you need to attend to.

[K8-EEE]

76. It's Pout-rageous!

Attended to in what way, does anybody really want a bunch of poutrage or cheesy apologies over THIS?

He is correct when he says equating Bush & Obama is nutty -- I hope he doesn't apologize, Jesus, it just reminds me of teabaggery to be so outraged-I-tell-you over nothing.

[sabrina 1]

104. I don't want any apologies, I just want him fired. He never

should have been hired to begin with. Thanks to some good research by DUer Madfloridian, we know that Gibbs has been a sleazy, dirty political trickster for quite some time. And always working against Democrats.

I don't think he's referring to us at all, I think he's referring to Howard Dean the man he set out to destroy in 2004. He was behind the smear campaign against Dean. He and his DLC buddy Rahm, hate and fear Dean and the power he still has to motivate the base, something they will never be able to do.

They need to be fired because as long as they remain, along with the rest of the DLC and Republican advisers in the WH, there is a very good chance that they will hand Congress over to Republicans in the Fall.

If they are not fired, then Congressional Democrats, who have already expressed their own fears that the WH is not on their side for November, will have to distance themselves from this WH. And so will we, because there is one thing we cannot let them do and that is hand the majority we worked so hard to get, back to Republicans.

[End Of The Road]

46. +1 with thanks for taking the words right off of my keyboard. nt

[Touchdown]

69. As opposed to the 20,000 hero worship threads?

:eyes:

[Mz Pip]

92. Compared to the crap

coming from the Right on an hourly basis this was pretty benign. Sometimes there are disagreements within the party that lead to frustration. Not everyone can have their way all of the time.

I just can't bust a gut over this.

[Rex]

34. Gibbs comments come from a frustration of overall failure in many big

areas of the administration and with a shrinking economy and always bloated military budget - did what any simpleton would do, he blamed the people that put him in office (indirectly).

Gibbs = simpleton.

[EFerrari]

47. That's sounds right to me. And that is his privilege

but it would be better for everyone if he didn't do it into a microphone.

[Rex]

65. Agree 100%

Somethings just should NOT be said, though I am glad in a way he said It so now we all know where we stand.

[LWolf]

37. Yes. Blatantly.

It's a rare political strategy that takes on the party base in a midterm election year, but the White House apparently sees no problem in doing so.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/08/gibbs-condemns-criticism-from.html

[kath]

102. Yep, "it's a rare political strategy" -- it's multi-dimensional chess, don'cha know??

Friggin' brilliant!!

[Octafish]

40. They're trying to consolidate their power over the Party.

Which means to remain a Democrat we'll soon have to stop believing and working for those things that make us Democrats, like peace, justice, equality, freedom, Public Education, the New Deal, Social Security, Universal Health Care, people are more important than corporations...

[EFerrari]

45. What you said, Octafish. They're trying to make actual Democrats who support Democrats

and the Democratic platform unwelcome -- as if this was their party.

[Ignis]

60. Bingo! The first step is to pretend the party platform is meaningless.

If we can't get our own elected (D) officials to uphold the platform of their party, who the hell else is going to do it?

But I will give them this: I appreciate the honesty, for a change.

[Cleita]

96. Yep, it looks like the DLC are our tea party version of who

is taking over the Democratic party and they do look the same. It seems the corporations and churches have successfully infiltrated and taken over both parties. This chess game might get interesting though if all the pieces are black and the only thing that distinguishes them are the squares they are trying to own.

[MrSlayer]

42. There has never been any doubt in my mind about whose side they are actually on.

There are a few good guys in there fighting for us but the entire Republican party and most of the Democratic party are bought and owned by the corporate oligarchy. That's just the way it is and it's only going to get worse. I just can't seem to look away from the car wreck and that's why I stay involved with the doings of Congress and politics in general. It is probably best just to look out for yourself because help is not on the way from any politician.

[tom_paine]

53. You nailed it. I can't take my eyes off the car wreck, either.

I can't stop believing in all that apparent bullshit they taught us in school, and I can't help feeling like Hunter S. Thompson, that whatever else happened we could have TRULY been "the last, best hope of humanity" but instead we're just yet another grasping polyglot empire with only one goal, that of ALL Empire, that the rich should maintain their power and privilege, and the Plebeians should STFU so the Empire maintains it's power and privilege for the over privileged forever. But it never works like that, for reasons the Founding Fathers and others illuminated in their writitngs centuries ago.

What I wouldn't give to be able to close my eyes to it all.

[L0oniX]

93. +1

[johnaries]

48. No. I agree with Gibbs. There is a difference between criticism

and bashing. And what I have seen from many "professional left" pundits and bloggers and some here at DU who parrot them is unadulterated bashing. I have seen facts twisted and spun to give the impression of exactly the opposite simply in order to bash Obama and his admin.

Yes, there is some legitimate criticism that can be leveled at all levels of this admin. But that is not what I have seen. I have seen Rovian tactics that should embarrass all Liberals and Progressives.

I thought that Liberals supported the Truth and strove for facts. Obviously, in some cases I was wrong. I feel that the "professional left" bashers have declared war on Truthfulness.

I support those who strive to rely on facts and honest assessments.

[MannyGoldstein]

98. How's the attack on Social Security going these days?

Or the secret prisons?

Or am I being unfair?

[Scurrilous]

49. Famous?

Oh god that's funny.

Keep them coming clown. :thumbsup:

[Binka]

108. Clown?

Is your avatar going to explode soon? Waiting.

[jpak]

50. Gibbs is a WH spokesperson - not a Democratic Party Official - so your question is ridiculous

only the anti-Obama crowd was offended by the truth

yup

[MannyGoldstein]

100. yes- he speaks for the president

Unless he apologizes, or the president disavows, then they are the president's words.

[felix_numinous]

51. It's those stubborn bus tread mark stains

that are so hard to remove. Still working on that.

But I am still standing my ground, too ornery.

[hfojvt]

52. well the executive director said

he hoped I would run for office again, so I am not sensing a war there, although they did not come out and support me in a meaningful way either, like they did for other candidates.

[mike_c]

54. the democratic party has been "at war" with liberals since the 1990s....

Nothing has changed.

[Raineyb]

89. You're right. Nothing has changed including the talking points. n/t

[xchrom]

55. Shit -- I'm gay -- everybody's at war with me. Nt

[handmade34]

57. not me n/t

[laughingliberal]

58. I am so sorry about that. I was hoping for better for our LGBT brothers and sisters.

:cry:

[madrchsod]

64. i`m not......

[Stinky The Clown]

75. Not everyone.

I'm on your side.

[handmade34]

56. remember this??

http://www.democrats.org/a/party/platform.html

or

http://s3.amazonaws.com/apache.3cdn.net/8a738445026d1d5f0f_bcm6b5l7a.pdf

Democratic Party Guiding Principles: We are in a critical moment that will reverberate for generations to come. We see us through these times, Democrats will work to end the war in Iraq and refocus our nation's efforts on those who attacked us on September 11. We will turn our economy around with millions of new jobs, and free ourselves from our oil dependency and invest in renewable, alternative energies. As Democrats, we will restore our civil liberties and uphold the civil rights of all.

[L0oniX]

91. That's exactly what it is ...a memory. n/t

[Bluebear]

59. The DLC is at war with progressives, clearly.

[jefferson_dem]

73. Leaving aside the DLC label (which should be moth-balled)... I would argue that...

"pragmatists" (homage to your avatar) are only at war with progressives, insofar as they are, because progressives are at war with them.

I also have no doubt which side is more prepared to move beyond any schism, to mend fences, and join forces, united against the real enemy. And it's not those Gibbs singled out today.

[Bluenorthwest]

82. DLC is far more accurate

Pragmatists can not also, on some days, announce that they make decisions based on unproven and unseen belief. The President defines himself as a man of faith, he says his anti equality position stems from his relationship with an invisible being. He is not a Pragmatist, and if he is, he needs to come up with a Pragmatic rationale for his bigoted views.
Pragmatism is a philosophy, and simply does not apply to many of those who want to take the label because they mistakenly think it means 'reasonable'. The word has a meaning. And it does not fit with the faith based policies and prejudices at all.
Most who want to call themselves Pragmatists can not even discuss what it means. In the actual Christian world, Pragmatism is a heresy. But here, one can be a Christian Pragmatist. Because words mean nothing in some strange quarters.

[madrchsod]

62. if they don`t like me--fuck`m...

i`m to old to sell out now:dem:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

63. No, but I also don't think Obama = Bush, as Gibbs was saying of some people.

[LoZoccolo]

66. Of course not, because I don't equate Obama with Bush*. n/t

[kctim]

67. Nope

In fact, myself and 80% of all Democrats don't really feel like the party or this administration is at war with us at all.

We have no plans to go anywhere either.

[mod mom]

68. Why alienate the base that works to GOTV? Stupid move!

[jefferson_dem]

70. War? Please.

I feel some within my party are struggling find appreciation for what real progress looks like...and others are occasionally getting frustrated with that fact.

[Hippo_Tron]

71. Quite frankly I think all of his statements were pretty accurate

Lets review what he said...

1) If you think that Barack Obama is exactly the same as George Bush you're crazy

2) The left will not be satisfied with Dennis Kucinich as President

3) The left will not be satisfied until we get Canadian health care and eliminate the Penatgon

One and two are pretty spot on. Barack Obama is not as bad as George Bush, period. The left would not be satisfied with Dennis Kucinich as President because he would run into the exact same problems dealing with Congress that Obama has and he would be a disappointment.

As for the third one, count me among those who won't be satisfied until we have Single-Payer and drastically reduce defense spending (I assume eliminate the Pentagon was hyperoble). But just because I'm unsatisfied doesn't preclude me from recognizing political reality nor does it make me arrogant enough to believe that I could actually get single-payer and a drastic reduction in defense spending through Congress if I were the President right now.

[blindpig]

72. Capital is at war with all workers. n/t

[CBR]

74. No. nt

[madinmaryland]

77. Aw Jeez...

[Stoic]

78. My party leadership is. n/t

[Barack2theFuture]

79. has been since reagan

[Pisces]

81. No , I feel like Democrats are doomed to implode even when given the best

person out there to lead us in this difficult climate.

[philly_bob]

83. Yes. My friends and I look at health care plan and sigh, well it's a compromise.

What I fear is that Obama and his peer group actually think it's a good bill and that insurance companies are the best people to run healthcare.

Ditto on education and war.

[girl gone mad]

84. Yes.

[LanternWaste]

85. No... I got tired of playing

"do you feel our party is at war with you?"

No... I got tired of playing the dramatic martyr quite some time ago and currently leave that up to those who are much better at walking around with nails in their palms.

And I would imagine that if my answer doesn't sit well with you...

[AngryAmish]

86. People with values should be very worried about Gibb's comments

If you care about other people, one should be worried.

[lunatica]

87. I feel insulted

[Political Tiger]

88. Gibb's comment is only "famous" to the self absorbed who declared war

on this administration even before Obama was sworn in!

[Scurrilous]

116. LOL

Famous my arse.

It's mostly gone from the news already.

[Overseas]

90. No. I just feel that Van Jones said things much more effectively.

Yes, you are heartbroken that we haven't achieved our 21st Century Green FDR dream, but we've achieved a lot, especially leading the Titanic after it hit the iceberg of Bush Gang Rule. Please don't give up now. We have achieved a lot and need to keep building on it.

[glitch]

94. Forget the DLC. Fight for a Progressive Congress.

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/activities/357-dean-corps-organizer-application

[Cleita]

95. I guess the part about wanting the Canadian

health care system brought it home to me. Yes, we do. We want our Medicare system improved, updated and extended to everyone. They don't get it. They are in utter contempt of us unwashed masses, who contributed money to them, worked the election for them and voted for them. I'm amazed and frankly speechless.

[Warren Stupidity]

97. I got the memo.

I should go fuck off now.

[liquid diamond]

99. No. He was just calling out the implacable fringe of our party.

The republicans have their teabaggers and we have our Veruca Salts.

[depakid]

101. You mean the non-Republicrats who've been proven right time and time again?

A smart person or administration would learn- but apparently, as I've suspected from the outset, they and their leader were overrated.

[Kalun D]

103. BS

he said "the professional left" which is about 3 people, he could have called them

he's addressing the "left" because he singles out our visible leaders

the White House is right of center

the left is a bit larger than an "implacable fringe"

just look at the 100's of recs for Gibbs bashing threads

and the ZERO recs for Gibbs supporting threads

people like you and the White House need to stop the delusion

bash "the left" at your peril.

[Bluebear]

106. And DU has you. Everybody wins.

:sarcasm:

[scheming daemons]

105. If you are a "Democrat who is not leaving"... then you aren't the target of the ire

The ire is directed at the "Nothing is ever good enough, Obama's every action is bad" group of leftbaggers who have created an alternate reality in which Obama and the Democrats are the enemy.

[JoeyT]

107. Yep.

But that's ok. I'm trying to decide on which "Funny" answer I should give them when they ask if I'll phone bank or knock on doors like I did in the last presidential election. So far I'm leaning toward "Sorry, I'm too busy taking drug tests in an oil slick that doesn't exist, which makes me retarded, since I can't afford health insurance anymore."

The disdain for the left is trickling down pretty well too. I don't mind that very much either. The opinions of unprincipled D's won't bother me any more than the disdain the R's carry for people like me, for pretty much the same reason. Obama isn't exactly like Bush, but the die-hard supporters sure do resemble one another.

[McCamy Taylor]

109. No, i think the corporate media WANTS me to think my party is at war with me.

Fortunately, I know how to spot RNC propaganda.

[red red red]

114. My feelings exactly!...

Sure, Obama and the Dem's are not doing every single thing that I wanted them to do, nor are they doing it as fast as I wanted them to, but I understand the problems they have encountered along the way. I also believe the situation was worse than they thought, so I look at it like this: There was an 8 year Sunami touching everyone in this country - we voted in Obama to fix the problem - He took the job not knowing that each and every home and building in this country had to be totally rebuilt at almost zero cost, some worse than others. So he took his Congress critter workers and they started the work. Well, early in the process he encountered a group of workers that refused to work - yes, in fact, they blocked the entire work jobs so that the workers had to take longer routes to get the tools needed, which took time away from the task at hand and increased the cost of the job. Also, some of the jobs ran into deeper problems (like when you tear down a wall and there is live wires in it, or mold, etc. which has to be fixed and wasn't planned and cost more). Further problems with weather delays and accidents caused more costs on these projects, as well. So... here we are 19 months later, and not only are the Right fussing because Obama and his workers coud not totally repair every single building and home in this country, but the Left, the guys that voted them in are complaining as well. Seems like everyone expects Obama to have totally rebuilt every single building and done the jobs at no or almost no cost. Well, he has many buildings to go and there has to be some costs somewhere, somehow, and they are probably getting frustrated just as we are. In the end, I picture one of the workers (Gibbs) coming home after 19 months of hard days work, hearing some groaning and griping at work and, like we have all done about one thing or another, complain how unappreciated they are - Now, does his wife say, "Suck it up and do more, Jerk" or does she bring him a beer and say, "I know, its tough, but it will get better". Call me a sucker, but I would say the latter!
Sorry if you do not understand my simple analogy. I forgive Gibbs and I will not give into the RW way of thinking and slam my own party. JMO

[disillusioned73]

110. Yes, but at least we (Libs/Progs) up here in PA....

won one of the skirmishes - Sestak v Specter

[Lorien]

111. Yes. The DLC (GOP) "leadership", now firmly in control, seeks to completely destroy

the base of the Democratic party which was it's intent all along. The DLC's purpose was to defeat liberalism and make the Democratic party an extension of the GOP. They have mostly achieved that at the top, but the base has, for the most part, remained the same. They can never destroy liberalism in America, but they are succeeding in leaving us without any representation...which I'm sure is good enough for them.

[Individualist]

115. Hear, hear!

You're correct on all points, Lorien.

[mmonk]

112. Unless my comprehension skills are off.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

113. I didn't need Gibbs' words to know it. Actions speak louder than words and there

were enough actions to inform Liberals/Progressives that we were irrelevant.

[bigtree]

117. no

. . . neither do a clear majority of self-described Democrats polled who are in support of this presidency.

I guess it depends on how 'you' define yourself and how you're actually affected by these unresolved and ill-managed issues.

[Laelth]

118. Yup, and it has been for a while ... especially here on DU. n/t

-Laelth

[Kaleva]

119. No