Obama loses an arm & a leg in negotiations with GOP cannibals; touts "progress"

[Hannah Bell]

President Obama was in surgery this afternoon at Walter Reed Hospital, after GOP Senators had finished feasting on his right arm and leg, but Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was upbeat.

"The President thinks we made real progress today toward his goal of bipartisan compromise," Gibbs said. "He gave up an arm and a leg, and Senators McConnell, McCain, Kyle, and DeMint gave up almost an hour of their precious time," Gibbs explained.

He dismissed what he called "dead-enders in the professional left" who complained that Obama had "given up too much."

"I'm sure there are those on the other side who feel that the Republicans didn't get enough," Gibbs said. But then he admitted that another lunch was scheduled for tomorrow...

"We're all encouraged by the President's new spirit of bipartisan cooperation," said Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska. "It's just unfortunate that it's taken so long for him to begin to show some real consideration for the views of others."

http://www.openleft.com/diary/21005/obama-loses-an-arm-a-leg-in-negotiations-with-gop-cannibals-touts-progress

[laughingliberal]

1. K & R nt

[Luminous Animal]

2. When he loses his other arm and other leg, he'll threaten to bite their knees.

Oooh.

[Ken Burch]

3. "It's only a flesh wound..."

[old mark]

4. K&R...nt

[KharmaTrain]

5. All He Cares Is To Placate The Media...

This administration hasn't had a moment to breath without Faux Noise or some other corporate stenographer distorting and spinning whatever this President does in the most negative terms. The spin has gotten worse as this administration has hunkered down and react rather than be proactive to events. Few accomplishments are given credit and those that are always have some kind of caveat. They got caught up in the beltway games...playing to the 24/7 news cycle attempting to appear "above" the partisan mess...to be "bipartisan" or "moderate" and instead have come off looking weak.

The criticisms from the "professional left" (that I still have no clue who that is) was a reaction to a reaction. In their obsession to placate and shut up the right wing noise machines (which they failed miserably) they alienated the left and then felt that by bashing them this would somehow create the "Sister Soljah" scenario to attrack the "moderates". That failed as well. Not only not doing much to pull "moderates" (translation: rushpublicans too embarassed to admit they are) and pissing away those who worked hard on President Obama's behalf. A double fail.

The bunker mentality is deep within this White House and instead of standing firm or rallying those who voted for "hope and change" this administration continues to seek approval from the beltway elite. It's a losing proposition...and will only make this administration weaker.

[vi5]

6. 100% my feelings....

Everything they do seems at least 75% (if not more in some cases) designed to please the beltway village insiders. I honestly believe that they have cable news on 24/7 and have really come to believe that it reflects reality and that is what they are governing towards.

It's pathetic.

[blindpig]

7. 'The Media' is the voice of it's owners.

It is not some independent entity, it is the voice of the ruling class and that is what the President responds to.

[KharmaTrain]

8. An Endless Circle...

I call it corporate media as it is part and parcel of the plutocracy that some people are just seeming to have woken up to. In the best of times it's benign but always will rise to the level of its greed. This has especially been the case for the past 30 years.

Damn right he responds to the corporates...they're the ones who will be giving the millions he'll need to run for re-election. He's gonna need a minimum of 500 million to stave off the money blitz that is sure to flow on the other side (thanks Citizen United) and that money isn't going to come from $50 and $100 donors...it's coming from the "heavy lifters". The only time the electorate matters is in the days preceeding an election after the bulk of the money has been banked...never before.