Rachel Maddow on Obama and DADT: This is a Victory for President Obama, and a Difficult Promise Kept

[MadBadger]

Just caught that on MSNBC.

[frazzled]

1. Yes, Rachel, and now ...

I hope you will commit time to trying to revive the DREAM act, having many appearances by the young people Dick Durbin spoke about today, so that they can tell their stories.

I trust you will.

[TwilightGardener]

2. I think this was a tradeoff. He traded something for this--the wealthy's tax cuts? START or DREAM?

The budget bill? I don't know. But something went on there.

[vaberella]

4. I said this since last week. Most of us have. n/t

[TwilightGardener]

6. Yup--I had my suspicions, but had to wait until the vote was successful

to see if the hunch was correct.

[ClarkUSA]

35. Huh? How is your "hunch... correct" if you have no proof?

[TwilightGardener]

37. Well...had this failed, I would just have assumed that it was business as usual--

Repubs obstructing to deny Obama a campaign promise kept. They do that for almost everything else, often out of spite. No reason why they couldn't have done it today. Remember, the GOPers signed a letter saying "no other business until a tax bill"--they did get a tax bill with stuff they (mostly) wanted. Maybe today was "you scratch my back, I scratch yours".

[ClarkUSA]

45. In other words, you're speculating.

The GOP senators who voted for this were good friends of Joe Lieberman, who had been tasked by the WH for bringing some votes into the fold for this.

Read Andrew Sullivan piece on Obama's Long Game:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/12/obamas-long-game.html

[TwilightGardener]

46. I freely admit I'm speculating.

:tinfoilhat:

[Kdillard]

5. I believe he traded guantanamo for this to get done.

[vaberella]

22. No he didn't. This is definitely the tax thing.

The Gitmo thing died before. So when you see a significant push on DADT post the the tax thing..then you know it's about this. But the Gitmo thing had died before a while back.

[dave29]

8. It has been reported that he gave up on Guantanamo for the time being

in order to push DADT. It was a sticking point in the omnibus bill.

[TwilightGardener]

10. Ah, OK. I'll bet you and Kdillard are correct.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

42. The effort to close Gitmo isn't over yet. There was some work in the House and Senate for ways to

to proceed to do this.

[vaberella]

3. Is everyone taping this? n/t

[jberryhill]

7. He is refusing to sign it until next week...delay...delay....delay

He could sign it today if he wanted.

[dave29]

9. Yeah, he usually likes to have a signing ceremony, as he did with HCR

a few days later.

[MadBadger]

11. In front of all those cameras

[bunkerbuster1]

13. can't hurt to have Biden to remind him what a large fornicating deal this is.

seriously, ceremony matters, and he should enjoy putting that W in the column for a change. we all should.

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. You know what, though? This deserves cameras. It shouldn't be a quiet

little footnote. We've taken another step forward for Civil Rights, and it's been a long time in coming. :)

[CTyankee]

36. Yes, it deserves a special moment with everyone paying attention.

A great moment in the history of civil rights in this country. We can all be proud.

And let the RWingers wallow in their own vile sh*t...

[jberryhill]

61. ...and an opening prayer from James Dobson

[CTyankee]

62. what a clever response!

[swimboy]

38. I agree.

Sometimes I think it is a little silly to sign the bills with fifty different pens, or some such, but as you say, in THIS case, it's a huge deal and should be made much of!

:hi:

[CitizenLeft]

67. OMG, it's Jonny Quest!

:loveya:

[Phx_Dem]

56. Damn straight in front of "all those cameras." This deserves to be signed in

front of cameras.

:eyes:

[MadBadger]

59. I agree?

I'm confused.

[obxhead]

28. He rushed that on camera appearance for the tax cut though. nt

[MadMaddie]

12. Hmmm I got to work on imagining the sarcasm smilie

:smoke:

[TwilightGardener]

14. I think it's sarcasm.

[vaberella]

25. It's sarcasm. Me and Jberryhill are too lazy to put in our post. n/t

[jberryhill]

31. Did Mark Twain use smilies? H.L. Mencken?

[lamp_shade]

15. Bastard!!

[Arkana]

17. This is a huge victory--a signing ceremony usually goes along with it.

In the meantime, discharges are being halted.

[Pirate Smile]

34. Are you joking?

[jberryhill]

40. Has half of DU been joking for two years?

He'll never end DADT and is a raging homophobe who had whatshisname give a prayer at the inauguration which went on for months and months.

[Pirate Smile]

51. You can no longer assume hyperbolic and insane statements on DU are jokes.

I know yours was though. :)

[Pisces]

48. "refusing" what garbage.

[jberryhill]

60. He'll invite Rick Warren to give a prayer at the signing ceremony, I'll bet

[phleshdef]

49. Who gives a shit? How many have even been discharged under DADT since October?

I'll save you the time and just tell you: FUCKING ZERO.

[obxhead]

16. It has nothing to do with Obama.

If Democrats can blame Congress and Senate for every promise he alters or breaks he does not get any of the credit when Congress and Senate do something right.

[MadBadger]

18. You get blame and credit for things you deserve it for.

He deserves credit for this, nothing you can change about that.

[obxhead]

27. then he deserves blame for

killing the PO, for extending the Bush tax cuts for the rich, for continuing 2 wars, for keeping GITMO open, etc, etc, etc.

[vaberella]

43. YOU KNOW NOTHING.

The PO was killed by the lack of votes in the Senate. Anyone with any knowledge of what is going on....knows that is a fact. We had Senators on the Dem side such as Landrieu and Lincoln already saying they would NOT vote for the health care bill if the PO was in. So tell me, what he was supposed to do?! Huh! Don't be a clown.

"Extending the bush tax cuts for the rich": Get a clue! Get a clue---Get a clue!!! They voted twice to stop the extending on the bush tax cuts for the rich----it failed TWICE!!!! It was not about to pass---because there were Senate Dems and House Reps who were against it. I don't know how... many times this needs to be said. It had no backing!!! There was nothing to do. Then the Senate Dems weren't making any moves. Resulting---in the expiration on tax cuts for the middle class. Why?! Because tax cuts for the rich is cannot be separated by tax cuts for the poor---when it comes to Bush's tax cuts. What does that mean!? Bush tax cuts are NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE when it comes to the top 2% and the 98% lower. So what does that mean?! He wanted to get things done and protected for us lower people the best he can before the Christmas time. You on the other hand...think he's a failure.

"Continuing 2 wars"----What the fuck?! It's a well known fact that the war in Iraq is basically over. I believe it was around 150,000 soldiers moved out if not more in August. We have the rest of them leaving next year and the beginning of the soldiers removal in Afghanistan next year. He can't just say we're gonna stop the wars when we left a lot of shit fucked up. You people want another Pakistan from the 80s and more shame on the US. We leave now and we leave a mess in our wake. What do you want to say to the millions of people we killed over there?! Sorry---latas?! Shit takes time and he's taking them out. And if you're wondering about Afghanistan...it was on Rachel Maddow's show--she reported this. So he's not continuing them, continuing them---he's bringing them to a conclusion in a safe way.

"Keeping Gitmo open" ---How often do you come on DU? Didn't you see the article of Obama trying to get money from Congress so he can open a maximum security prison in Illinois but was shot down by Congress. Yes, they did. They wouldn't give him the money so he can move those prisoners. All of Congress---dem and goddamned Repub alike turned on him and said they don't want terrorists in Gitmo in their maximum security Prisons. He wants to shut it down and then create a special prison---he got shot down. What do you want him to do with the terrorists. Put them in the White Houses backyard?! Dudes...man, get your goddamned facts before you spout shit.

[obxhead]

47. Tell the troops in Iraq the war is over.

Explain it to my family and friends serving that the war in Iraq is over. They'll invite you to come take a stroll in their shoes for a day.

I maintain my point. If Obama gets to blame Congress and Senate for his failures he does not get to take credit for their positive actions.

You simply can not have it both ways. I do know that much at least. ;)

[vaberella]

52. The 50,000 who are left are leaving next summer.

I don't like it...and they don't and I'm sure the president bloody hates. But they will come home.

[obxhead]

63. Cashing a check before it's written are we?

[vaberella]

68. I'm going by the fact the Pres kept his promise on troops leaving.

Which he stood by and the promise that more will leave next year.

[obxhead]

69. Yes

He did a good job following the Bush draw down that was planned before Obama was sworn in.

I guess we'll just ignore the fact that Obama HAD to pull troops out of Iraq so he could rotate them into Afghanistan.

We'll see how well he keeps his promise to pull out the rest of the troops in Iraq. I don't think any President will ever be able to do that though. We still have 50K in Germany and that war has been over for 60+ years. Actually over too, not just a mission accomplished speech.

[rasputin1952]

66. The logistics alone demand this takes time...

it is far easier to get involved than it is to to extricate.

The wars are bush's fault and I think the Feds should be taking on the war profiteers. The troops will be out of Iraq soon, and hopefully Afghanistan as well. Better look at the Hawks in congress looking to start another war than getting us out of these two.

[Baltoman991]

64. As I've

said many times on this board, to some, it's not going to matter what this President does and you proved that today.

Congrats on shitting on such a great day for many around the country. You should be proud.

[obxhead]

65. I'm not shitting on the day or the repeal.

I'm saying you can't blame Congress/Senate for everything and then when they do act give Obama all the credit.

Thanks for being yet another poster that reads what they want to read, not what is written.

[vaberella]

26. Right....when it was him pushing this and the others were sleeping for a while. nt

[treestar]

32. It doesn't work that way

Congress has to pass something first. Then if a President does not sign it, it's on him.

Here, people blame the POTUS when Congress won't do something, or pass something, as though he should force them.

Posters who blame the President when Congress doesn't pass something are sort of honor bound to credit him where they do.

[impik]

19. Thank you, Rachel. Last week i thought i lost you for good.

[tishaLA]

21. Lawrence O'Donnell tweeted "No one with a microphone..."

"has done more to repeal DADT than @maddow. Congratulations Rachel!"

Without Rachel and the grassroots activists applying pressure, we never would have gotten this thing done IMO

[dave29]

24. +1000

She, and everyone who got involved have been amazing on this.

[Top Cat]

23. k&r

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

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

[treestar]

33. Look into how the Senate is set up and how it works

There are two Senators per state, regardless of population. Low population Wyoming has a much power in the Senate as crowded California.

[vaberella]

39. Obviously you don't understand the political climate.

Do the American people REALLY vote for the President?! Look---we have to have the Congress pass it, everyone knows it. The Public is nearly irrelevant in lieu of that.

[lamp_shade]

41. Here > >

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate

[BlueIris]

44. I'm sad to see anyone giving the Admin (OR Congress) any special points for "difficulty."

Ending an oppressive, horribly misguided, bigoted and ineffectual policy should not have been a difficult decision on anyone's part, should have been done a long time ago and should not have required any so-called "trade offs" to accomplish. So, no, I won't be grateful our government has finally done the bare minimum here.

[Pisces]

50. Shouldn't require it, but it does after 17 yrs. So , yes kudos for the admin are in order. No one

else has gotten it done. If you want to be blue today, go somewhere else.

[Karenina]

57. +1

[Pirate Smile]

54. Oh, Lord ...They have to work in the political reality we have, not some utopian vision of how it

should be and, yes, they should get credit for righting wrongs especially when it is extremely difficult.

[alcibiades_mystery]

58. It wasn't a difficult "decision"

It was a difficult task to execute. If you're stuck at the bottom of a well, making the "decision" to get out is not difficult. getting out is difficult.

This is turning into a real litmus test for who is reasonable in their critique of the administration.

[Bluenorthwest]

30. She's right, and she also has big thanks coming

So many do. Lt Choi and his peers in and out of service, first and above all those men and women who lost careers under this awful, and now dead law.
I hope they stage a big juicy signing ceremony. The issue and the President deserve a big old moment, with good lighting and flourish.
While I'm at it, thanks to my Senator Ron Wyden for his vote and advocacy today when some might have been thinking only of themselves, Senator Wyden stood up for others today.

[JoePhilly]

53. Good for Rachel ... she knows.

[BeyondGeography]

55. Yes, it is