Will Sunstein Stun?

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 01:09:48 PM EST
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Matt Yglesias is "stunned" by Stuart Taylor, who writes:

Obama will have a choice: He can give the Left what it wants and weaken our defenses. Or he can follow the advice of his more prudent advisers, recognize that Congress, the courts, and officials including Attorney General Michael Mukasey have already moved to end the worst Bush administration abuses — and kick the hard Left gently in the teeth. I’m betting that Obama is smart and tough enough to do the latter.

The advisor to watch on this is Cass Sunstein, who is no doubt advising Obama to do precisely what Taylor wants. Yglesias is "stunned" to read this from Taylor - I have no idea why, Taylor has always defended Bush abuses. Will he be stunned to learn that Obama advisor Sunstein has defended Bush abuses too?

Speaking for me only

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Will Sunstein Stun? | 21 comments (21 topical)

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SunStein Watch (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by squeaky on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 01:25:43 PM EST

Not good news, that he has Obama's ear.

Thanks. Please continue (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by oculus on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 01:29:40 PM EST

exposing Sunstein's views to the harsh light of day.

P.S. For the record, this is o.k. with me:

Just say no, even to mild forms of coercion such as angry yelling and threats.

[Taylor]

Jaw Dropping (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by ruffian on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 01:41:55 PM EST

Is it really only the hard left that does not

recognize that Congress, the courts, and officials including Attorney General Michael Mukasey have already moved to end the worst Bush administration abuses

I haven't read the Yglesias post yet, but I sure am stunned that anyone could write such a paragraph.

The thought that Obama may not be serious about ending the Bush abuses is extremely disturbing. There will never be another chance if he does not do it now. If they make it through his administration they will be carved in stone.

: Obama is the pick... (none / 0) (#15)
by Salo on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:50:53 PM EST

...of the foreign policy establishment for various reasons. One thing he can do is (as a former war critic) is sell the war better than Bush. He can run a a war without hate and racism. He can run a a war without exploitation and enslaving.
He's the wet dream of the eminence gris that run things around here.

Sunstein is a major reason I supported Hillary, (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by magnetics on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 02:16:17 PM EST

and Palin is the only reason I didn't sit this election out. I have never liked Obama -- he is the only Democratic nominee for whom I have conceived a visceral dislike; and I have been voting Democratic since McGovern -- and I honestly feel that he swept the left with massive inundations of kool-aid.

His response to the Bush abuses will tell us (soon enough I believe) whether I was a misguided alarmist, or whether I saw closer to the heart of the matter.

We will all stay tuned, I am certain.

Tend to agree (none / 0) (#6)
by koshembos on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:00:52 PM EST

My expectations form Obama are none. I didn't support him in the primaries because he is to the right of Hillary and he employed hate as a major tactic.

I still hope that he'll do well although I see him as just an average person who got lucky, not very differently than Bush did.


Nah...not "an average person" (none / 0) (#7)
by oldpro on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:25:37 PM EST

but I agree he got lucky.

The average person doesn't go to Harvard, doesn't go to law school or become editor of the law review.

Obama has above-average political skills as well, not unlike W who also got lucky. We should know soon if one of those skills is actually 'leadership.' We found out with W that it wasn't. Jury's out on Obama.


Not sure. (none / 0) (#12)
by Salo on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:38:36 PM EST

I know know plenty of blithering idiots and mediocrities from Harvard and Oxford.


: So....you're saying then (none / 0) (#16)
by oldpro on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 04:09:18 PM EST

that 'the average person' is mediocre and/or likely to be a blithering idiot?
I think you left out one of the steps in your reasoning...

Waaal... Bush is a skillful demagogue, I believe, (none / 0) (#19)
by magnetics on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 05:38:04 PM EST

-- in fact way above average in that unfortunate department, and that (unfortunately) counts as a political skill. Otherwise, why would Rove have backed him?

On the other hand, I'm sure we could agree, in the words of an eminent lexicographer, that it is 'impossible to settle a point of precedence between a flea and louse', i.e. between Bush, and any random member of his self declared body politic.

I'm leaving Obama out of this one.


: Agreed. Bush currently says he (none / 0) (#20)
by oculus on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 05:40:51 PM EST

never could have anticipated U.S. would be in Iraq for such a long time at such a great expense in $$ and lives.

Matt Yglesias is a key member of the club: (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by pluege on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 02:22:41 PM EST

The "Obama Is My Fantasy Progressive Cupie Doll Club".

Markos Mouliatas is club founder and president, Josh Marshall is Booster in Chief, Ariana Huffington Director of Doublethink, and Olbermann is Director of Newspeak.

: Heh! (none / 0) (#17)
by oldpro on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 04:09:53 PM EST

No matter what, Sunstein won't (5.00 / 3) (#8)
by oldpro on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:28:11 PM EST

get the blame.

You know who will.

Yup. The Clintons.

If only Obama chose to listen (5.00 / 2) (#9)
by oculus on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:30:56 PM EST

to his former professor Lawrence Tribe.

and i will not be particularly (5.00 / 1) (#18)
by cpinva on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 04:55:06 PM EST

stunned if a pres. obama decides to do exactly...............nothing, about the people responsible for the worst violations of law in the bush administration.

i don't trust obama as far as i can throw him. it's my fervent hope that my attitude towards him changes in the future. it's my belief that it most likely won't.

: I could forgive him not prosecuting them (none / 0) (#21)
by ruffian on Sat Dec 06, 2008 at 01:30:20 PM EST

I can't forgive him emulating them.
The very least he has to do is say loud and clear that the spying, torture, politicization of the justice department, and other legal and constitutional violations will stop.

If only Obama chose to listen (none / 0) (#10)
by oculus on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:30:56 PM EST

I was an admirer of Sunstein's (none / 0) (#11)
by Joelarama on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:34:39 PM EST

in law school, admin law/fed cts. junkie that I was. My estimation of him has fallen.

I suppose what I'm saying is, I know what Obama admires about him, especially given the academic bent to some of Obama's background.

No one mentions he's an (none / 0) (#13)
by Salo on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:42:24 PM EST

International Relation major. Seems stunning than noone emphasizes this.

Who where his professors in that field? Columbia must have a famous bunch in the faculty.

My old professors are artists like Charles Ray, John Baldessari and Paul McCarthy for by BFA and for my masters military historians like Lawrence Freedman, Barry Paskins, Hew Strachan, Brian Bond and Andrew Lambert.

I know they have all influenced me in rather profound ways.


: The faculty at Kings College... (none / 0) (#14)
by Salo on Fri Dec 05, 2008 at 03:46:10 PM EST

...are all writing the policies for the UK and the US. Half the students are American military officers now running the war on tactical, operational and strategic levels. for the most part Blair based his tenure on Lawrence Freedman's suggestions and Blair launched the concept as the Chicago Manifesto in the 1990s.
Why are they so effing silent on Obama's undergraduate professors/or his time, in the IR department?