Obama Winning Debate Over Bipartisanship

[babylonsister]

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/05/18/obama_winning_debate_over_bipartisanship.html


Obama Winning Debate Over Bipartisanship


First Read makes an important point about the appointment of Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R) to be ambassador to China:

"Whether it is Specter switching parties, Judd Gregg accepting the Commerce post (even for a few days), or this appointment -- it's going to be hard for Republicans to make the public case that somehow Obama hasn't attempted to reach across the aisle. Of course, the White House has been very strategic in its attempts at bipartisanship, which no doubt frustrates many Republicans because the president isn't being bipartisan on everything."

Remember what Rahm Emanuel told the New Yorker a few months ago: "The public wants bipartisanship. We just have to try. We don't have to succeed."

[denem]

1. Rahm said Obama has an open hand but a firm handshake.

The point of building a coalition is to lock competing interests within it while leaving those outside, marginalized.

Even the President probably did not anticipate how those outside would do such a fine job of marginalizing themselves ;)

[opihimoimoi]

2. The Master plays CHESS with the PUBs.....he still has the Queen and 2 Rooks and the Pubs got shit

[TwilightZone]

3. Judd Gregg ended up being the perfect win-win situation.

Obama got credit for being bipartisan, and the Republicans looked more partisan than ever when Gregg withdrew using a lame excuse.

[Cha]

10. And, we WON big time when he

sniveled out.

[debbierlus]

4. Bipartisan? What the hell does that even mean?

From the bank bailouts to his stance on mandatory private health care...

Obama is not a dem or a republican. He is a corporate representative.

Bipartisanship is the biggest bs smokescreen I have ever seen...it is used to justify corporate fascist policies that don't represent the views of any true liberal or conservative.

What a moot article.

[babylonsister]

5. Not moot to me. I'm glad the attempt is being made, and that might

account for the continued popularity of this prez, so far. Sorry if you don't agree, but I'm not surprised.

[TwilightZone]

7. Considering his approval ratings...

it appears to be working.

[TwilightZone]

6. Most voters aren't rabid partisans

People get elected by appealing to the largest number of Americans, not the largest number of their most strident supporters.

Contrary to popular opinion, most voters actually want there to be cooperation in Washington.

"Obama is not a dem or a republican".

Party affiliation is self-applied. I'm not sure why it's so difficult for people to understand that.

[Cha]

11. It's not moot..

your posts are moot..always complaining about something no matter what it is.

[santamargarita]

8. There is no such thing as bipartisanship, this is War...

we need to go for the throat of the right-wing christian fascist/terrorists!

[Clio the Leo]

9. And all the talk of "the Left is mad at Obama...."

.... isn't hurting his case either.

[Drunken Irishman]

12. No. It helps.

The left isn't going to abandon Obama. It just won't happen. They can piss and whine and cry and a few might say they're done, but as a whole, they'll be there in November 2012 and they'll pull the lever for him.

But the perception it's going to create will be that Obama is putting country over politics and it's going to gain him a far greater base than what Bush had the last eight years and what Clinton had in the 90s.

[Clio the Leo]

13. Exactly ....... even *I* was impressed the last few days hearing....

.... "the left is mad at Obama," ..... and *I* am the left!

(obviously not the part of the left that's "mad" at Obama of course lol)

[Kablooie]

14. Obama is befuddling all of America's enemies, including Republicans. He won't confront them...

directly and they don't know how to deal with that.

They all seem to be anxious to bristle and puff about how they are being wronged but when the opponent respectfully invites you to join the discussion and explain how you are being wronged they get all confused and just wander away to kick a dog or something.