Flashback - Are You Really Surprised? Did President Obama Really "Reconsider"?

[Median Democrat]

Here is HuffPo's story regarding the Senate confirm on Eric Holder. Notice Holder's assurance that he would be independent (He is). Also, notice Holder's refusal to pledge not to prosecute individuals responsible for torturing detainees. So, did President Obama really "reconsider" anything? Are recent events really a big surprise?

Or, did Republicans themselves set themselves up, by making the investigation of torture and the cover up a partisan issue by shamelessly asking for such a pledge?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/02/eric-holder-confirmed-as-_n_163319.html

/snip

The debate turned partisan in its first moments, when Leahy, expressed anger that a few Republicans demanded a pledge from Holder that he wouldn't prosecute intelligence agents who participated in harsh interrogations.

Leahy singled out Texas Republican John Cornyn as one who wanted to "turn a blind eye to possible lawbreaking before investigating whether it occurred."

/snip

[monmouth]

1. This strategy has been in the works for weeks/months. Rahm played

his part very well on Sunday, being subtly evasive with his answers, Gibby not giving straight-up answers. Again, and I am repeating, chess vs. checkers. I'm just going to sit back, relax and let my President and his staff make it all happen..

[Median Democrat]

5. President Obama Seems To Have A Knack For Letting Republicans Overreach

The knee jerk reaction is to take them on immediately. Instead, President Obama just kind of goads the neocons to make crazy demands such that the destroy their own credibility. The best example is remaining relatively neetrual and "presidential" as the Obama administration took their time reviewing Bush administation memos. This, of course, made Bolton, Cheney and Rove nervous, so they started with the partisan attacks to try to spin the memos, but they really couldn't say anything, because the memos had not been released.

Now, after letting them dangle for weeks on end spinning, President Obama simply lets Eric Holder do what he was probably gonna do from the get go. Even better, after dropping the Senator Stevens charges, Republicans really have no ammo to attack him as partisan, since they were the ones making the partisan attacks over the past few weeks.

Talk about giving them their own rope.

[Realtalk]

39. Aww

I love your attitude!

[TheBigotBasher]

43. welcome to DU

:toast:

I also like that post

:bounce:

[AZBlue]

44. And I love yours! Welcome to DU!!

:hi:

[JuniperLea]

2. It should only be surprising to those who were sooooo disappointed with Obama...

Those who assumed too much and have no capacity for nuance.

The rest of us aren't surprised at all, because we recognize a dangling shoe that has yet to drop.

You know what they say about assuming.

[NYC_SKP]

3. They lay in wait for the next move they can criticize....

And in their myopic quest for flaws to criticize they fail to see the big picture.

Sad, really.

[JuniperLea]

7. Exactomundo!

If I had the patience, I'd go bump a bunch of the "oh noes" threads from yesterday, wherein I pretty much told them to think big picture and nuance.

Fiddle dee dee... tomorrow is another day...

:rofl:

Can't see the forrest for the trees.

[ErinBerin84]

4. Howard Fineman

was on Hardball, trying to imply that Obama is just using Holder to scapegoat, and that the "that's more the job of the attourney general" type comment from today was Obama saying that it wouldn't be ALL Holder's decision. Hmmmm, ok. It seems to me like he just wants to clean up after his "It's not Obama's style to pass the buck to Eric Holder" type comment from last night on KO. And of course on Hardball tonight , he was also saying that the people who wrote the torture memos weren't REALLY advocating torture, and that an investigation would get really messy. So funny how people in the media go from grilling Obama about why there would be no prosecutions, to whining about how partisan the investigation would become, overnight.

[Cha]

10. They can pretty much bitch, piss, and moan

all they want as long as Pres Obama and his tag team get their Objective.

[lamp_shade]

6. Our President - "Deliberate, critical and analytical thinker". n/t

:headbang:

[damntexdem]

8. Relieved, not satisfied.

I don't know or care whether it was a reconsideration, as long as the consideration leads finally to some action.

[vaberella]

25. It was never reconsideration on the part of O.

He never said the higher ups would not be prosecuted. He stood by his first position and only position on the matter which means he was behind us all the way. He just said that he felt the issue shouldn't be politicized and people should focus on the facts as presented rather than a witch hunt...and he's right. For all we know Bush could have snuck through every single legality out there and we find that out after the fact. We have to be patient. Shit that took 8 years of damage doesn't get cleaned up in 6 months.

[NoSheep]

9. No. He didn't reconsider. I feel he wanted the memos out there so no one would question his motives.

Imagine the position he's been in.

[wolfgirl]

11. By putting the memos out first,

President Obama has let the American people take the lead by calling/writing/faxing/emailing our reps in DC to do the right thing.
Once it's the will of the people, it's gotta be done!

[Median Democrat]

12. I Recall FDR Making A Comment In A Similar Situation...

It was along the lines of, I agree with you, now make me do it.

[NoSheep]

15. How appropriate! I'm sitting here every day listening to the naysayers-

thinking...will I screw up the strategy if I tell them they need to keep raising hell but know the deal is done as soon as it can be moved forward through this delicate political maze?; not to mention the immediate concerns of the jobless, homeless and soon to be thrust into poverty.

[NoSheep]

13. Absolutely. Nothing short of perfect, I'd say. wolfgirl is on it.

[vaberella]

26. HELL YEAH!! Exactly. It's that 5 days thing he promised. At this point he came through to me

to me. yes the five days was to review bills....but I'm feeling this one for us to reflect and organize an attack to get this taken care of.

[Luminous Animal]

21. Oh indeed...

and that must be why that those of us who "are making him do it" are called Obama haters.

[NoSheep]

33. Maybe people will forget you are an Obama hater if you stop bringing it up!

What? Are you like, 11?

[Samantha]

14. Don't listen to what I say, watch what I do

Inside the Beltway Politics 101.

Sam

[NoSheep]

17. I don't think anything Obama has said contradicts his actions; a lesson, perhaps

for those who have never known a soul who tells the truth.

[Luminous Animal]

19. Indeed. Keep the public out of it altogether.

Bullshit.

[NoSheep]

23. Bullshit? You can take that right back into your mouth, first off.

edited because I'm not done.

Your comments are just silly.
Maybe you could tell me/us why you don't like Obama; a man clearly trying to look out for your best interests; and by some good fortune, probably no thanks to you, is succeeding. Then, I'd like you to privately consider you opinion and why it might be distorted.

[Luminous Animal]

24. Haha!

What are you, like 11?

I am sick and tired of this notion that we are the unwashed rabble that are resigned to playing checkers while our "betters" in Washington are playing chess and that we are too stupid to have access to the rules of the game.

[NoSheep]

28. You, Luminous Animal, are the lowest common denominator.

I reserve this epithet for special people such as yourself. Feel free to rest in a private hell with others of your ilk.

[Luminous Animal]

29. Casting a wide ilky net, I see.

No doubt there will be an ilky pogram.

[NoSheep]

31. Pogram? What exactly are you suggesting? Get thee to a psychiatrist.

Really...you're over the edge. Paranoid, I'd say, using a term like that. Your President has just made a hole-in-one. What are you so upset about?

[Luminous Animal]

34. It was a joke. The word ilk makes me do silly things...

like, I'M NOT AN ILK, I AM AN ICONOCLAST!

[NoSheep]

35. Now you're starting to interest me. Would you be willing to answer why

you are so upset about the news today?

[Luminous Animal]

36. I think I pretty much answered you

via private message...

But it wasn't today that upset me. It is the notion that my response to Obama's strategy towards torture labels me an "Obama hater" or that I've been somehow wrong about his stated strategy all along. I am not an "Obama hater". I've rejected the same simple minded accusation of being a "Bush hater" from the right wing for 8 tedious years. It is a tactic solely employed to deflect discussion of policy to defending oneself.

I reject Obama's stated intent to let the practitioners of torture off the hook. First of all, it's not his call to make. The decision belongs solely to the justice department. Second, it further establishes the erroneous notion, promoted by and pretty much nailed with Gonzales, that the justice department is beholden to political interests (that is, the party in power) rather than an independent agency.


Even today, Obama insinuated himself into a decision that rests with the justice department. He needs to step away and let justice, and the people's demand for it, take its course.

[NoSheep]

41. I happen to perceive that what you are asking for is EXACTLY what he is doing.n/t

[Luminous Animal]

16. The AG is supposed to be independent...

So yes, the rhetoric coming from Obama smacks of reconsidering. He (and Rahm and Gibbs) never should have publicly insinuated himself in the A.G. sphere in first place.

[NoSheep]

20. Smack. Yes. That sounds good.

[Hellataz]

18. Not surprised and don't believe for one second that it was a "reconsideration"

This was Obama's strategy all along.

[NoSheep]

22. Are we really dealing with idiots here or what? I have been blown away by the negativity

and mistrust. Sure I can see a precedent to assume, but no evidence to conclude. These people are not worthy of their new President; a leader and a grown-up.

[vaberella]

27. He never reconsidered. He had one position on the topic and he just clarified it today.

But he didn't reconsider since he always said the higher ups were not receiving any immunity. Rational thinkers knew this from the get-go and said so on this board.

[NoSheep]

30. I have never heard him contradict himself. I fear we are dealing with

folks who have never known integrity or they are just freeper trolls on this board. How the hell can we be in a position to feel we must keep explaining this? Is it possible there are Democrats who don't get it? Is it just trolls we are fighting here?

[depakid]

32. I'm not surprised that Rahm flapped his lips when he ought to have kept quiet

It'll certainly be interesting to see how it plays out from here....

[Undercurrent]

37. I was not surprised by the outcome.

However, I'm usually surprised when I look back at the intricate moves made by Team Obama after they've pulled something off. It's like a ballet performance at a barn dance where everyone else is doin' the Texas 2 Step.

Obama has been underestimated from the jump, and it continues to this day. It's about time folks stop doing that. They just end up looking foolish.

Oh well.

[SamCooke]

38. I hope people realize the courage it took to release the memos in the first place

I see people wanting this and that, I just give Obama credit for having courage to stand up to so many corrupt people.

[Realtalk]

40. I certainly see his courage. All the time

[Arkana]

42. I picture Obama sitting with his feet up on the desk and his hands behind his head, a smug grin

on his face, going "All part of the plan."