Obama (2007): "I'll put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself. I'll walk on that picket line w/you

[Iris]

as President of the United States of America"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA9KC8SMu3o

[Name removed]

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[ClarkUSA]

11. Too bad there's no picket line... it seems that Pres. Obama is not the "bullshit artist" here.

Let us know when reality matches the OP's "gotcha" premise.

[Iris]

14. Tell it to the greatest threads page

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=496993&mesg_id=496993

[ClarkUSA]

16. I did. Thanks for the heads-up.

:)

[NoTimeToulouse]

63. If there had been a picket line do you believe he would have show up?

:rofl:

[jenmito]

18. At today's daily WH briefing, a reporter just happened to mention

this quote from 2007, and asked Carney if Obama is planning on doing just that. Carney replied that as President, Obama made it clear that he stands with the people/protesters/unions with the statements he made.

[bluestateguy]

2. Well that was a dumb committment to make

Can anybody cite an example of a president ever personally walking a picket line with striking workers?

FDR? Truman? JFK? LBJ? Carter? Clinton? Didn't happen.

I'm talking a sitting president, not a candidate, and not some staff-written message or recorded message either.

[Tansy_Gold]

4. Candidates who make "dumb" commitments probably

are the candidates we'd want in office.

'Cause maybe the commitment wasn't so dumb and it's the failure to live up to it that IS dumb.




TG, TT

[NoTimeToulouse]

64. So then he shouldn't have made that statement. Right?

It will be an embarrassment that the GOP will certainly bring up fr the 2012 slugfest.

[bornskeptic]

70. I find it rather bizarre that anyone could believe that he meant that literally,

either in 2007 or now. If I had believed that he was literally promising to walk in a picket line as president, I would have thought he belonged in a mental hospital rather than in the White House.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Where are you now, President Obama?

Do you regret those words?

Do you wish we didn't remember that you said them?

:shrug:

We remember, Mr. President...

We do.

[FrenchieCat]

5. It is strange to me how the strongest ire no matter what is still against this President......

even as the opponents of everything we hold dear continue with their actions....

It is as though SuperObama is supposed to make everything better,
while rocks continue to be thrown at him from all sides.

It has already been clearly shown that OFA had a lot to do in organizing those
intial Wisconsin protest.....but that somehow doesn't count. Yep, the organization
that folks have stated many times here at DU that they were ignoring, had unsubscribed to
and ridiculed for asking for donations.

Same folks continue to find something to dog the president about,
while doing less than nothing about the true folks making the fucked up shit happen;
the GOP, the Corporations and the media. Guess they are so strong and untouchable,
that preferring to find some quote that this President made 4 years ago is a much better
answer to the problems that we face. And somehow wanting to believe that if he showed up
in Wisconsin with his SS in tow, that this would lead to a positive solution. :eyes:

I suggest that folks just don't vote for Obama then....
and face the consequences. I'll be glad when we no longer
have him to use as our excuse......

[young but wise]

6. Well said.

[Iris]

9. I'm not dogging the President. He said this. It's happening and, well, it looks like he lied

[Badfish]

20. who is on strike ?

[NoTimeToulouse]

65. Who is splitting hairs?

Are you suggesting that if they were on strike that he would show up?

[FrenchieCat]

23. Is there a picket line, or just a general protest?

Make up your mind, and then call folks liars, ok?

[Teaser]

35. So he lied?

That's what politicians do. He just

1) does it less than many other politicians

2) does it while working on issues I care about.

[dionysus]

58. oh FFS. "HE'S TEH LIAR11!1! "

*sob*
:rofl:

[Lucky 13]

15. Frenchie, all I want him to do is what he said he was going to do.

It's no attempt to dog the Pres. Do you remember my posts from the '08 primary and election? I remember you clearly because we had such similar feelings about the man.

All I want him to do is what he said he was going to do, because it was those things that made me vote for him and believe in him in the first place.

Don't fall back on, "don't vote for him then and suffer the consequences". We were promised better than that, and I want to hold his feet to the fire until we get it.

[bluestateguy]

17. I can tell you right now what they would say if he came to Wisconsin

"Another empty speech!"

"What took you so long?"

"Obama is only there because he felt the pressure from US on the internet"

"Too little too late"

"He should do more than give a speech. He should camp out over night in the capitol building with the protestors"

[frylock]

19. the president is dogging himself with his conflicting statements

[FrenchieCat]

22. Is there a strike? And if not, why are you holding him to his word

about something different than what is happening here?

picket line
a group of people who stand outside a factory and try to prevent people from going in or coming out during a strike on a picket line. So far, there has been very little violence on the picket line.

Very few workers were willing to cross the picket line.
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/picket-line


pro‧test
1 something that you do to show publicly that you think that something is wrong and unfair, for example taking part in big public meetings, refusing to work, or refusing to buy a company's products.

protest march/rally
hold/stage/mount a protest
in protest (at something)
peaceful protest
violent/angry protest
public protest
street protest
protest group/movement
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/protest_1

[Empowerer]

51. +10

This is getting ridiculous. It's not the President's responsibility to run around the country joining protests. The whining and handwringing and demands that the President physically show up (can you imagine what a logistics nightmare that would turn into?) in order to prove that he is sympathetic is just plain childish.

Of course, if the President DID turn up in WIsconsin, we'd STILL never hear the end of the complaints. Why did he speak there and not here. Why didn't he meet with so- and-so or with this group or with that group when he was there. Why did he say this and not that. Why did he get his picture taken with her and not him. Why did those people get to shake his hand but not those other people. Why didn't he stay longer. Why did he stay so long when he has other work to do. Why is he running around the country doing photo ops when Republicans are in Washington threatening to shut down the government. Why did he go to Wisconsin when there's a big issue in {fill in the blank} and he didn't go there - and so on and so on and so on,

[Name removed]

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[Robb]

7. Excellent. So, where's the picket line?

Has the right to collective bargaining been taken away?

Because if it is, he'd better do what he said. And until it is, he'd better stay away.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

49. True

[uponit7771]

8. The right to collectively bargan has NOT been taken away...good try though

[Iris]

10. Oh, I see. We are supposed to wait until WI state workers lose that right and THEN he'll come out.

[Robb]

12. Sadly enough, exactly.

Unless you want Presidents to start showing up ahead of every state legislative vote.

[ClarkUSA]

13. Well, if you're going to hold him to the quote you posted, then yes, you do.

Nice try at moving the goalpost, though. :rofl:

[Badfish]

21. Thats what he said.

he would join a picket line.

Now , who is on strike ?

[treestar]

24. What is the context?

Besides that is figurative language. There's no way a POTUS can join every strike. But he can be in support of it. He has said he was, hasn't he? What else is there for him to do?

[madamesilverspurs]

25. Well, gee --

Other than his already firmly stated support, maybe the Secret Service would have some concerns about physically putting this President, who has received more threats than all other presidents combined, in a venue where his political enemies are bringing in angry rightwingnuts by the busload.

Word for the day: getagripforshitsake


-

[jefferson_dem]

26. Truth is Wisconsinites don't want him there, and it would be a massive distraction.

Do you believe that President Obama should get involved in state disputes like the one in Wisconsin or focus his efforts on the federal budget battle in Washington?

Get involved in state disputes - 27%
Focus his efforts on the federal budget - 68%

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/02/24/poll-56-percent-of-wisconsinites-oppose-end-to-collective-bargaining-even-split-on-recall-attempts.aspx

[Name removed]

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[BlueIris]

28. Ouch.

Not shocking, but the hypocrisy bites. Some more.

[brentspeak]

29. Obama's too busy these days wining and dining the US Chamber of Commerce

Campaign promises are for the birds.

[Robb]

30. Where's the picket line?

[brentspeak]

31. Kind of hard to form a picket line once a union's been busted

after having their collective bargaining rights annulled.

“And understand this: If American workers are being denied their right to organize and collectively bargain when I’m in the White House, I’ll put on a put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself. I’ll walk on that picket line with you as president of the United States.”

Kind of like vowing to save somebody's life after that person has already been killed.

More goodies from that same speech:

"I will END the tax giveaways to companies that ship our jobs overseas."

Obama's only real skill is telling his audience what they want to hear. Hard to fanthom how little he cares about his own credibility. Thankfully, Walker is making himself look like a fascist and the WI Dem senators are holding strong and don't need Obama -- at least for now.

[Robb]

32. Ha! Oh, that's rich. First say he broke a promise

...then, when it's pointed out he didn't, you go with "Well, it wasn't much of a promise anyway." :D

I'm glad I don't have to be the one to tell you ... oh, heck, maybe I will ... that "I will end the tax giveaways to companies that ship our jobs overseas" bit? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x611296">Exactly what he asked for in the budget last week.

I think the President, at least, is faring well on credibility.

[brentspeak]

34. "Oh, you see, 'technically', he didn't say he'd walk a picket line in this case"

No one is gullible enough to buy your legalese.

The rest of America, after having watched Obama cave pathetically on NAFTA renegotiation and Bush's (now Obama's) tax cuts for the rich, will not wait with baited breath to see if Obama follows through on his offshore tax proposal.

[Robb]

37. The truth is not a "technicality" or "legalese."

And surely you don't mean the tax cuts for the rich he also asked to end in his budget last week, do you? :rofl:

Same link as my previous post. :hi:

Meantime, I'll see your NAFTA and raise you a DADT and a DOMA. Again, his credibility is actually at an all-time high. :)

[brentspeak]

39. Oh, Obama "asked" to end the tax cuts for the rich last week!

After etching them into rock with his Presidential signature last month.

What a guy!

"Meantime, I'll see your NAFTA and raise you a DADT and a DOMA. Again, his credibility is actually at an all-time high"

Obama: Hard on the soft issues, soft on the hard issues. A real warrior, he is.

[Robb]

43. Most Americans understand how bills become law.

I'm also sorry to hear you still don't consider DADT or DOMA important.

[brentspeak]

46. Most Americans understand that Presidents with no credibility are not trustworthy

And I'm sorry that you unscrupulously twist other people's words around. A shame.

[Robb]

48. I wouldn't dream of it. But who said this:

"The Democratic party is the party (or should be the party) of bread-and-butter issues. Not the party of gay marriage."

Hint: It wasn't Obama.

[brentspeak]

50. Who said this? "if you put (a bill out) that says 'allow gay marriage', I'd sign it."?

[polichick]

40. His new BFF!

[dionysus]

60. so is manufactured outrage based on a personal grudge, but hey, who's keeping count

[Name removed]

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[Teaser]

33. Heaven's to Betsy...a politician that tells audiences what they want to hear.

forgive me for failing to get all that worked up.

[polichick]

36. Lawrence O'Donnell played this clip tonight. nt

[FrenchieCat]

38. Corporate media will do that.......

Did he mention that there is no "strike"?
Or did he go for the hyperbole just for effect?

[polichick]

41. It was an appropriate clip to play and the union leader guest said...

...union members haven't forgotten.

[Robb]

44. What was the name of the union leader?

[polichick]

53. Jimmy Hoffa Jr, Teamsters Prez.

[Robb]

55. Wow, I watched O'D slam Democrats for that whole segment.

What an asshole.

Anyhow, Hoffa didn't say what you claim; three times O'D tried to drive a wedge, and each time Hoffa said the same thing, and never once suggested the President needs to go to Wisconsin.

[polichick]

56. I claimed that he said they hadn't forgotten - and he did...

If you listen closely, few people are saying that the prez actually needs to go to wisconsin, just that he needs to be much stronger in his support.

[JoePhilly]

42. And how come Obama did not bluster more to force Mubarack to step down???

[dionysus]

61. he's just a terrible terrible man. this is why consistently, 90% of dems polled hate him.

oh wait...

;)

[Radical Activist]

45. Fifth time today. Where did the talking points come from?

Just curious.

[Name removed]

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[boppers]

59. IMNSHO, FDL.

FWIW.

[Raine1967]

52. oooh! A Gotcha moment!

This is a very childish OP, In my opinion.

As has been stated up-thread, there is no picket line. Aside from that, I see no purpose for this aside from slamming the president. Do people really think he should stop everything and march in Wisconsin? When has ANY sitting president done something of the sort? Goodness, I suspect people would have wished LBJ marched on with MLK in 1964. THIS is how crazy things seem to have gotten around here.

Obama CAN"T march for an issue that, while it has gotten national coverage, is something that is about a States rights. I would hope that people here on DU would understand that.

Passion is great, but it needs to be met with understanding of the issue. This is something that Wisconsin needs to solve. The president can't do that. It's not his place.

[polichick]

54. LOL - so many unrecs for a campaign promise!!

[catgirl]

62. What's the point of this OP?

There's no picket line. Just another manufactured outrage post. What a joke.

How about bashing the real villain here, Scott Walker, huh?

[tekisui]

66. That is such a stupid parse. Picket lines are formed when bosses don't

bargain in good faith. Here, we have a boss stripping the right or ability to bargain at all. It is even more important than a picket line.

[Citizen Worker]

67. Problem is that Obama has two right feet and the shoes don't fit.

[WolfoftheWild]

68. is this the best you can do? Repukes taking peoples' rights is Obama's fault??

I feel sorry for anyone who believes anything so stupid.

[Thrill]

71. If Obama would have went there and done this

he would look like a DAMN FOOL today.