Are We Really Going to Argue Over Who Gets Credit for Today?

[PopSixSquish]

President Obama either changed his mind or he didn't but so what? That's not the issue. Rahm and Gibbs either mis-spoke or they didn't again so what? That's not the issue.

Eric Holder will make the decision. Eric Holder needs to hear from us, all of us working together to stand up and say "The United States does not torture. We want those people who perverted our Constitution to be investigated and prosecuted." When and if that happens, then we can argue about who can take the credit, except that it won't be an argument because "We, the People" will have ALL done this.

[vaberella]

1. Actually I take it as an issue.

Why? Because so many on this thread and definitely in the media don't want to give the President the credit he is due. Rarely, when an issue is contentious and gets a lot of hoopla from people who don't listen to him or don't read the transcripts and the publications he puts. But listens to everyone else and runs around in circles bashing him on this site. I will have problem.

I'm sorry...this is a real problem because this is NOT the first time this has happened on this thread. A lot of hate starts building up and I have sit there and listen to people seriously bash our President. I hear comments like "he's a the banks bitch" or he's taking the lead from corporate entities" or "this is the second strike and if he does this again I'm leaving" and "he's just another politician" or the infamous and overused Repub meme "this isn't change we can believe in."

What the hell? I'm really pissed about. Then people start giving credit not to him and what he said already in regards to the issue that was on the ball from the beginning and he has been forced to further clarify in simple terms to fools who like running amok on righteous indignation his position. Give me a break!

He gets the credit because he did not "flip-flop" or "switch positions" or "backed down" or "passed the buck"----he stuck to his position. End of story and he takes full credit for standing by the damn the law and upholding his position as a constitutional lawyer.

I'm waiting for Turley to come on Rachel's show and talk nonsense and probably say some more negative shit towards the Pres.

If this is petty of me. Then so be it.

As an aside I will be putting heat on my Senators and AG Holder to make this happen as it should have been done.

[grillo7]

9. That's absolutely correct...and I'm not saying I'm entirely innocent either n/t

[Occam Bandage]

2. I consider it an issue, though only a petty one.

All too commonly here, people are happy to pounce on ambiguous statements, interpret them in the worst possible way, and then screech for days that Obama has failed them based on nothing he has done in the real world, but rather what they imagine he might later do. Then, when it turns out that they were incorrect in their interpretations and assumptions, they credit their own internet screeching for turning around the ship of state--as if Obama said, "hey, guys, we need to completely change our policy on X, because ProgressiveDude on DU has figured out our secret plan and he doesn't like it." It displays an infuriating level of self-deception.

[ruggerson]

5. the New York Times had it on the front page

about the left's pressure on Obama on this.

Frankly, I don't care whether he changed his mind or not.

But there is an outside world that sometimes mirrors DU fairly closely.

[Number23]

8. My understanding is that the pressure came from Dems in Congress

And human rights advocates, not just your day to day "leftie." And that the pressure from the human rights guys is centered on the creation of a bi-partisan 9/11 Truth Commission-style committee to review any alleged crimes.

A Truth Commission on torture would be a hell of a thing...

[AtomicKitten]

3. I think President Obama gets credit for his words and actions.

I think that's a pretty standard clause in his contract.

I can't imagine how anybody else could "take credit" :shrug: for his position on this but, hey, I've read weirder shit on DU before.

I just listen to what Obama says himself or his press releases. Monday a press release from the White House said Rahm was full of shit about what he said on the Sunday talk show, and Gibbs is one evasive mofo. He never said anything to construe what people think he said. He gave the stock line of "harrumph, moving forward ..." That's really all he said.

So, hey, good for the president, eh? I was worried he might do the Republicans a solid like Bill Clinton did and bury investigations/prosecutions. Not this time.

[BlooInBloo]

4. Clinton supporters tried to take credit for Obama winning...

Now the ihateobama crowd (mostly the same people) is gearing up their 2-point-0 version: take credit for their primary whining point being wrong (if it turns out to be wrong).

Fuck them.

[Luminous Animal]

6. Fuck you for using a right wing meme

to characterize criticism of Obama's stated positions. It's a right wing tactic to deflect the discussion from policy to personality. Obama was wrong to reject prosecution of torturers with no investigation as to whether that rejection is warranted. It was not, is not, his call to make. Even now he inserts himself, a political decision, into a justice department decision that should be independent of politics.

Well respected civil libertarians reject Obama's position with substantive arguments. Dissing those arguments with a simple-minded knee-jerk response of "ihateobama" is playing hannitysavagelimbaugh lizard brain politics.

[LittleBlue]

7. lol Of course he changed his mind. This is a reverse from his previous statement

Thank god for those people who "bitched and moaned", though I won't be fully placated until it actually happens.