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Arianna to Obama: Moving to the Middle is For Losers

Go Arianna! Check out her latest at Huffpo, Memo to Obama: Moving to the Middle is for Losers.

The Obama brand has always been about inspiration, a new kind of politics, the audacity of hope, and "change we can believe in." I like that brand. More importantly, voters -- especially unlikely voters -- like that brand.

Pulling it off the shelf and replacing it with a political product geared to pleasing America's vacillating swing voters -- the ones who will be most susceptible to the fear-mongering avalanche that has already begun -- would be a fatal blunder.

Arianna references the LA Times article on Obama's move to the center. My post on the article and Obama's move to the center is here.

It's not just guns, NAFTA, FISA, expansion of the death penalty and the promise of a stepped up fight in Afghanistan. It's also his outreach to evangelicals -- the radical right. It's something to keep in mind as he makes his faith speeches tomorrow and Wednesday.

More...

I also think his choice of a VP candidate will be very telling. If he chooses a conservative or military expert, what then? There's only so much unity Hillary can bring -- unless she's the VP candidate, of course.

I'm still not sure I want her to join the ticket. A large part of me believes Obama needs to win on his own.

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    Is it too late? (5.00 / 3) (#2)
    by Fabian on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:41:09 PM EST
    I suppose that's my biggest concern - that it may be too late to convince Obama and the DNC that pandering doesn't have to mean abandoning core progressive principles.

    Yes, it's too late (5.00 / 3) (#64)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:01:22 PM EST
    Obama's candidacy would not have been possible from the get-go without it.  This is what he's about and he's not going to change it, IMHO.


    Parent
    Arianna's use of the term "brand" (5.00 / 2) (#112)
    by BernieO on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 06:52:55 AM EST
    says it all. The Obama brand was always just that - a marketing ploy. One look at his record shows him to be all over the place for political expediency. He is anything but a different kind of politician, yet millions voted for him because they believed him to be. What happens when -if?- these people realize that he panders with the best of them? And that Axelrod plays dirty they way Republicans do.
    It may be that people are so emotionaaly invested in the Obama myth that they will hang on to their bias, but if not there will be a lot of disillusioned voters, many of them young, out there. I understand why they bought the branding, but not why seasoned political people like Arianna did. Did she and others just let her hatred of the Clintons and desire to see them destroyed cloud her judgment?
    That being said, if all these people want is for a Democrat to win, they will probably get their wish. One thing you can't say about Obama's campaign is that they are too passive the way Kerry was.

    Parent
    I wonder if the reason Obama was seen (5.00 / 5) (#3)
    by MarkL on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:41:29 PM EST
    as such a fantastic candidate is simply that he beat Hillary, something so many in the Democratic elite and in the press devoutly desired.
    Ok, he's done that---does he impress now?
    Doesn't he come across as a very ordinary, even mediocre Democratic candidate?
    How is he better than Mondale or Dukakis?
    I really don't see it.


    Actually he impresses me (2.60 / 5) (#76)
    by tben on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:54:59 PM EST
    more and more each day. I am finding constant affirmation of my hopes that he is capable of defining, and being an effective leader for the new progressive era.

    And more and more Americans are feeling that way too. If you havent noticed, he is at least 5 pts up on a very well known and respected war hero, is well over 300EVs in every state-by-state count, has approval/disapproval splits that no other national figure does (including you know who) and is well on his way to the biggest Democratic victory in 44 years.

    It certainly will be interesting to see how the haters deal with all this. I wonder how many will really vote for McCain, because they need so badly for some justification, because the one thing that bothers them more than anything else is having to admit they were wrong, horribly, consistenly wrong about Obama.

    Parent

    if only the election were today (5.00 / 0) (#79)
    by sancho on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:02:14 PM EST
    and as for after the election, should obama win, then he'll really get to walk in the clintons' shoes.

    Parent
    Keep on smiling and clenching those teeth (5.00 / 3) (#99)
    by Joelarama on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 11:41:04 PM EST
    harder.  That's what I see from the hard core Obama people.

    Everyone else I know thinks Obama is losing a little luster.

    Parent

    Could you explain what this means? (5.00 / 2) (#102)
    by nycstray on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 02:01:57 AM EST
    effective leader for the new progressive era

    Just a brief bullet point outline would be nice . . .

    Parent

    Progressive? (none / 0) (#113)
    by BernieO on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 06:55:16 AM EST
    He even agreed with the court on the gun control issue - that there is an individual right to bare arms in the constitution! That statement about a well regulated militia must have just been filler.

    Parent
    I think the t-shirt industry (none / 0) (#116)
    by tben on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 08:32:22 AM EST
    would be devastated if there werent some guaranteed right to bare arms.

    Actually, I have always felt that there was an individual right to bear arms, coming not so much from the second amendment, but from the ninth - using the same approach as how we derive a right to privacy. Namely, that these are all part and parcel of our basic freedoms - the Constitutional burden must always be on the gov't to show that it has some power, not on the people to show that they have some right.

    Neither the Court case, nor Obama's take on it, nor my take on it preclude the type of sensible gun control measures that city-dwellers have always found to be important.

    Parent

    Andrew Sullivan seems undecided btw. Obama/McCain (none / 0) (#19)
    by catfish on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:50:23 PM EST
    sully just have a right hand signal (5.00 / 1) (#53)
    by hellothere on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:30:52 PM EST
    is that a surprise? no!

    Parent
    Funny. (5.00 / 10) (#4)
    by Fabian on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:42:48 PM EST
    NOW they notice!

    Who really changed?  And when?
    Many of us think that Obama is what and who he has always been.

    Yeah, amusing, isn't it? (5.00 / 8) (#20)
    by ruffian on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:50:29 PM EST
    What was her reaction to the 'party of ideas', Reagan praise, etc?  Of course she was a Republican back then, so she probably agreed with Obama on all that.

    Parent
    They'll still never (5.00 / 4) (#54)
    by BackFromOhio on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:36:11 PM EST
    run away from their own mythic figure

    Parent
    Exactly! (5.00 / 8) (#55)
    by sociallybanned on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:37:05 PM EST
    I don't even bother going to Huffpo anymore.  When they trashed Hillary so bad, I would comment how Huffpo will be one of the major blames for a democrat to lose this November.

    We have you to thank, Arianna.  I guess that's what happens when you trash and lie about another Democrat candidate.  

    Parent

    i know this sounds crazy (5.00 / 1) (#62)
    by sancho on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:56:25 PM EST
    but if obama loses then i'm going to wonder if that was the goal the ex-republicans (arianna, markos, sort of sulivan) had hoped for. you hear stuff about cia disinformation and if you fear that kind of stuff, wouldnt the left blogs be a great place for it? remember, lbj had hoover taping mlk and other democrats at the '64 democratic convention!what would nixon do to stop the effectiveness of left blogs? and is cheney any better?  or maybe the obama bloggers just did not want the clintons but that still raises the question if they did not want the clintons b/c the clintons were not their kind of democrats--that is, were "too" democratic. anyway, i hope this is delusional and that arianna is just taking a belated krugman-like line.

    Parent
    Maybe they aren't EX repubs... :) (5.00 / 4) (#63)
    by PssttCmere08 on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:58:13 PM EST
    Thanks for the "1" again Tben....can't (5.00 / 1) (#80)
    by PssttCmere08 on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:03:09 PM EST
    ever make you happy....If you disagree, the preferred rating is "2"

    Parent
    Y'know, if it were that simple (5.00 / 0) (#65)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:03:38 PM EST
    it'd be a heck of a lot easier to fight.  The explanation for their behavior, unfortunately, is a lot more complicated and much, much harder to root out and deal with.

    Parent
    what about the theory that pelosi and reid (5.00 / 4) (#70)
    by sancho on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:13:43 PM EST
    would rather be "opposition" leaders than have to pass meaningful, controversial leglislation? and what complicaed explanation do you have--in the space of a talkleft box? :)

    arianna's attacks on hillary were pravda stuff.

    Parent

    Shannon....I am not too sure the words (5.00 / 1) (#81)
    by PssttCmere08 on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:05:46 PM EST
    "accountability" and "responsibility" are in obama's vocabulary....just sayin'

    Parent
    I'm sure he'll be giving a speech... (none / 0) (#117)
    by pmj6 on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 08:42:53 AM EST
    ...about these things soon...

    Parent
    One look at his record (5.00 / 1) (#114)
    by BernieO on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 06:57:54 AM EST
    would have told them that. And I do not mean what he claimed was his record, look at what he actually did. His cave in on reporting radioactive leaks is a prime example. He claimed to have passed a law forcing the industry in Ill to report any leak, but the truth is he backed down and all they got was a weak voluntary reporting law.

    Parent
    Don't worry, (5.00 / 0) (#7)
    by Wile ECoyote on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:44:01 PM EST
    he'll turn left for the convention, but alas, he will have to go towards the center for the GE.  

    I find it very interesting guns are worth mentioning everywhere in these articles.  Imagine, some people wanting to own a gun!  Sort of the same disdain when the right mentions abortion.  

    Why do you think he'll turn left for (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by MarkL on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:45:51 PM EST
    the convention?

    Parent
    Wile (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:46:30 PM EST
    isn't a Democrat, keep that in mind.

    Parent
    Well, yeah. But he's right. He'll come out at the (5.00 / 4) (#59)
    by derridog on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:44:55 PM EST
    Convention sounding like a cross between Ghandi and Lincoln.  He'll have to.  If nothing else, it would be very embarrassing to him to have many superdelegates reconsider at that point.

    Then he'll go back to being the "real" Obama -the Chicago thug who does what he has to do and says what he has to say to get power and money.

    And I'm a Democrat.

    Parent

    Yes but he will probably (none / 0) (#115)
    by BernieO on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 06:59:10 AM EST
    just speak in generalities rather than specifics as he did in the primaries. That way he can sound inspiring without taking any risks.

    Parent
    Bet I am (none / 0) (#108)
    by Wile ECoyote on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 05:33:55 AM EST
    correct.  Any takers?

    Parent
    name calling and personal insults (5.00 / 2) (#13)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:47:19 PM EST
    are not allowed. A few comments with them have been deleted.

    TalkLeft is a breath of fresh air, Jeralyn (5.00 / 1) (#111)
    by BoGardiner on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 06:29:37 AM EST
    Just wanted to say how much I appreciate your maintaining one of the key bastions on the Web for civil progressive political discourse.

    TalkLeft is a model for strong advocacy and opinion proving that impassioned and heartfelt expression can be something other than HuffPo- and DailyKos-style hatefests.  It's my hope that the large Democratic blogs one day get your message.

    Parent

    So does Arianna think she can get him to change (5.00 / 3) (#15)
    by samanthasmom on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:48:23 PM EST
    how he's campaigning, or is this just buyer's remorse?

    Hard to say (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by Lahdee on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:53:58 PM EST
    I just hope she's not disappointed that he's a politician. I know that's not saying much, but didn't he walk on water a couple of weeks ago?

    Parent
    I think she and others (5.00 / 3) (#31)
    by ruffian on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:56:47 PM EST
    just want to be able to point to one cautionary post if it all goes to hell in November. Big time CYA going on in the last couple of weeks.

    Parent
    Lecturing, mostly (5.00 / 2) (#73)
    by Valhalla on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:32:22 PM EST
    is what I got from reading her post.

    Funny thing is, I agree with her in principle, but now that she's said it I find myself reconsidering.  She's so not credible as a source of analysis after her CDS.

    Parent

    It's buyer's remorse (none / 0) (#120)
    by mikeyleigh on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 08:59:28 AM EST
    and she won't be the last one.  Some of my friends, most fervent Obama supporters all, are beginning to wonder what he's up to. Oh well, I tried to tell them, but all I ever got was a "Hillary voted for war" response.

    Parent
    I don't like (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by Edgar08 on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:48:59 PM EST
    Arianna Huffington.  Her scorn may be the only pathway I have to supporting Obama.

    I liked her enough that (none / 0) (#34)
    by Grace on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:58:24 PM EST
    I wanted to vote for her for governor at one time.  

    I haven't liked her very much for the last year or two.  

    Pfft!  Her news is secondhand anyway.    

    Parent

    An ex-republican (5.00 / 6) (#40)
    by Edgar08 on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:03:35 PM EST
    telling you how much Republicans suck seems appealing at first.

    An ex-republican telling you how much Democrats suck, not so much.


    Parent

    I do not like Arianna (4.66 / 3) (#52)
    by IzikLA on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:19:23 PM EST
    At all because of the way she treated Hillary in the primaries with gleeful hatred.  She deliberately misconstrued so many things and perpetuated falsehoods about her as a talking head on the networks.

    The only good thing I have to say is that at least she is now being consistent with her comments about Obama.

    Parent

    She always had a thing about (5.00 / 1) (#90)
    by MichaelGale on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:32:20 PM EST
    the Clintons. Rarely had a good thing to say about either of them.

    Parent
    The way she treated Hillary... (5.00 / 1) (#101)
    by weltec2 on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 12:49:25 AM EST
    actually I have never liked her though I think she has made some interesting observations from time to time. But the point here is that it sure took her a long time to figure out what many of us have seen and have been saying for a long time about Obama. She doesn't get any points from me for fiiiinally coming to this realization.

    Parent
    The typical voter---especially the (5.00 / 4) (#21)
    by MarkL on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:53:13 PM EST
    typical swing voter---does not choose the candidate they feel best qualified. They choose on more superficial grouns. Obama is really the Republicans dream of a candidate: he has hints of radicalism in his background, but now he is a milquetoast Republican wannabee.
    They can hit him from both sides, quite easily.

    ah there you are. (none / 0) (#42)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:05:12 PM EST
    heh indeed. Roadkill and Blownout tires.

    Parent
    Now she notices. (5.00 / 7) (#22)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:53:13 PM EST
    What a kooky Oxford grad for missing this character trait in Obama.

    Or sinister journalistic negligence cough cough...

    I still can't go to Huffpost, but (5.00 / 6) (#27)
    by bjorn on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:54:49 PM EST
    I am really glad somewhere there is calling Obama out, even if it is a gentle call at this point.  I find it endlessly depressing that so many people didn't vote for Hillary because they were afraid she would tack to the center and now that Obama is doing it most people have been giving him a pass.

    meant someone, not somewhere! (none / 0) (#30)
    by bjorn on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:56:37 PM EST
    If Obama moves back to the left now (5.00 / 2) (#28)
    by catfish on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:55:04 PM EST
    will it make a difference? He's been the presumptive nominee for less than a month.

    Today he dissed 1) MoveOn, yesterday it was 2) Wes Clark, before that it was 3) FISA, the 4) death penalty, 5) guns, and 6) public campaign financing.

    So that's 6 backtracks or position changes, moving to the center. In less than a month.

    the only thing saving him so far (5.00 / 2) (#33)
    by bjorn on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:58:14 PM EST
    is the fact that McCain has been doing the same kind of pandering to the right.  So both are changing positions so fast when they criticize each other for it -- it just seems stupid.

    Parent
    You have to itemize the shifts. (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:03:06 PM EST
    If you'd (5.00 / 4) (#36)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:00:09 PM EST
    put Atwater, Rove, Nixon, Haldeman, Hannity, O'Reilly, Murdoch and oh I dunno know Randolph Hearst, Conrad Black and Lord Beaverbrook in a room and asked them to cook up a Democratic candidate of their wet dreams--they couldn't have come up with anything better themselves.

    Parent
    Read my 7:53 comment (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by MarkL on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:01:33 PM EST
    Thank gawd he hasn't been out there (5.00 / 2) (#45)
    by Grace on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:08:39 PM EST
    campaigning much!  ;-)

    Parent
    And don't forget... (none / 0) (#118)
    by pmj6 on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 08:46:39 AM EST
    ...the faith-based crap (a "stunning development" to certain former Kossacks...). At this stage, I doubt it is even possible for Hillary to become the nominee, not with the DNC in Chicago. So if Obama wants to become Bush's third term (as he's shown in the last couple of weeks), there's now nothing that can be done. Thank you Obama supporters.

    Parent
    oh puhleazzzzzzzze! (5.00 / 6) (#41)
    by cpinva on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:05:04 PM EST
    who takes (or ever did) ms. huffington seriously? no serious person does, or ever did.

    to move to somewhere, you have to be somewhere. since it's never been clear, to any thinking person, that sen. obama has ever had a starting point, to suggest he's "moved" anywhere is disengenuous. or stupid. you make the call.

    geez, if you're going to cite someone, find a person who's not as intellectually vacuous as ms. huffington. it's an insult to yourself, and everyone here.

    I thought she liked him... (5.00 / 2) (#43)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:07:19 PM EST
    ...because he was such a centrist.

    my bag.  Her site was instumental in Obama's rise to power.

    Parent

    Yes, what is left or right of (4.88 / 9) (#44)
    by MarkL on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:08:03 PM EST
    "Not Clinton"?

    Parent
    Ever wondered how good (5.00 / 4) (#48)
    by Grace on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:16:54 PM EST
    Arianna is at reading people?  

    I'll bet, if you asked her ex-husband, he'd say she's not that good...  ;-)

    Parent

    Huffington ought to be a verb (5.00 / 6) (#51)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:19:04 PM EST
    for getting the wool pulled over your eyes.

    Parent
    Kind of like (none / 0) (#69)
    by Grace on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:12:04 PM EST
    Ashton Kucher's "You've been punk'd!"

    "You've been huffington'd!"

    Yep!  I can see it in print already!

    Parent

    Does anyone know how to say (5.00 / 2) (#46)
    by janarchy on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:08:40 PM EST
    "I told you so" in Greek?

    You know I really had hoped maybe, just maybe, I was wrong about the situation and that the Obama supporters would prove to be right. Sadly, no.

    Same old same old. He's not the Messiah, he's just a naughty boy.

    The latin idiom is buyer beware of course. (none / 0) (#50)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:17:26 PM EST
    The Greeks probably roll it up in rotten wine skins and infertile goats.

    Parent
    What does Obama stand for? (5.00 / 2) (#47)
    by Barbara D on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:10:24 PM EST
    It sure doesn't beat the annoying Reagan question of "Where's the beef?" but given his quote that others project on him what they want to see, he seems wide open to criticisms that he has no political core. Obama will easily be branded as a flip-flopper who will say anything to win.

    McCain's biggest (and only true) flip-flop is on the Bush tax cuts. That's a big one, but he can certainly weasel out of committing to the tax cuts by saying we need to rebuild the military. Given the high dollar quotes for simply rebuilding the military (without the cost of expanding the ranks), he has a perfect excuse to back away from tax cuts he knows we can't afford.

    To be clear, I find both candidates are not honest about the Bush tax cuts. We couldn't afford them and continuing them or spending the money on something else will continue the pattern of deficit spending, borrowing from the Chinese and a weak dollar.

    Obama will say that McCain's changing opinions about off shore drilling is a flip-flop, but there is such a thing as responding to the situation. We can't drill our way out of the problem, but we may need to drill until new technologies are affordable. Heck, at this point we still need petroleum to fill pot holes.

    Obama on the other hand has changed on several issues in a span of a few weeks. He looks like he's flopping in the breeze. How long will the still mostly swooning Democratic Party and the media types make excuses for him before they realize they made a mistake?

    Just a note. Drilling offshore wouldn't (5.00 / 1) (#60)
    by derridog on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:48:36 PM EST
    produce any new gas for 20-30 years. Let's hope it's a moot point by then.

    Parent
    "Where's the beef?" was Mondale (5.00 / 1) (#67)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:07:40 PM EST
    not Reagan, said to Gary Hart in a debate.

    Please don't deny Mondale credit for his single moment of brilliance in the whole campaign...

    Parent

    i don't watch that many cable pundits (5.00 / 0) (#56)
    by hellothere on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:40:18 PM EST
    these days but it seems to me the long honeymoon with obama is showing some wear and tear. i haven't seen any real campaigning that says in glowing signage "vote for me". the attemtped surrogate by clark was not all that. the idea of getting ahead of mccain's military background was good in concept but the delivery was "well" not great. and i was a clark supporter in 04.

    i haven't heard any positive news about paying for the convention. maybe someone knows more about that than me. i don't hear about any block buster fund raising. again, i am sure others know more about that than me. and the beef is where?

    Brand Obama never unveiled a product line. (5.00 / 6) (#58)
    by RonK Seattle on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:43:08 PM EST
    it never published a catalog of particulars. What can we order -- and at what price -- if we adopt the B.O. designer lifestyle.

    What are we going to Change, and what are we going to change it to?

    How is the Defining Moment defined?

    In what direction, or to what destination, is the Movement moving?

    What is the Status Quo, and how does Brand Obama depart from it?

    What are the New Kinda Politics, and how can we tell authentic NKP accessories from all the OKP baggage taking up space in our closets?  [And in light of today's Louis Vuitton judgments against eBay ... how can we tell counterfeit NKP's from the genuine articles?]

    Long ago, I was heard yelling (5.00 / 2) (#66)
    by RonK Seattle on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:07:26 PM EST
    "Obama'08 is vaporware!" (in my best Charleton Heston voice) ... but to no avail.

    Parent
    A classic oif a comment (none / 0) (#103)
    by Cream City on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 02:54:45 AM EST
    that cracked me up.  I found myself envisioning a revamped Home Shopping Channel -- the Obama Shopping Channel!  Hip-hopping hosts would demo the product line, and we the people could just order up the social programs and governmental services we need, without ever having to leave the comfort of our living rooms and actually participate in society.

    Mail-order catalogs, of course, would be supplied to the luddite elderly, I presume.  Y'know, anyone who actually remembers not only the awful '90s but even born in those "excessive '60s," for which they must do penance by being stuck with paper and not ever getting to be party of the virtually kewl voters.

    Parent

    I think Arrianna is a corporate shill (5.00 / 3) (#68)
    by WillBFair on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:11:05 PM EST
    assigned to get rid of the Clintons. Now that's accomplished, she has to maintain the facade that Obama is the golden child. But the rest of the media will do the heavy lifting of chipping away at his lead in the polls. If Arrianna did it, she would look like the hired gun that she is. Her false witness againts the most accomplished democrats of our time is proof enough that she's still a republican; she only plays a democrat in the media.
    http://a-civilife.blogspot.com

    Ariana who? (5.00 / 1) (#71)
    by koshembos on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:20:51 PM EST
    Anyone who can say "a new kind of politics, the audacity of hope, and "change we can believe in." I like that brand. More importantly, voters -- especially unlikely voters -- like that brand" deserves no respect.

    If you cannot tell the difference between propaganda and the real thing you should not be a topic of serious discussion.

    Unfortunately (none / 0) (#96)
    by Grace on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 11:24:24 PM EST
    What you are saying is true.  Obama is like a massive brand marketing campaign.  Who knows what he really stands for or what he is really going to be like if he gets into office?

    It's kind of like pre-ordering a case of new toilet tissue based on the following facts:  

    It smells good!
    Comes in a variety of colors!
    Your guests will love it!
    So gentle you'll want to order more of it!
    Biodegradable!

    And then discovering that your new "pinkish/brownish" toilet tissue is actually made of pressed cow uteruses.  
       

    Parent

    It's very interesting (5.00 / 2) (#75)
    by Steve M on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:51:17 PM EST
    to see how many progressives have completely lost their nerve at this point.

    The netroots used to be virtually unanimous in support of Fighting Dems, bold politicians who would stick up for progressive and Democratic values and refuse to back down in the face of opposition and GOP demagoguery.

    Now, whole masses of faint-hearted progressives want nothing more than to play it safe.  "Don't take any bold positions!  There's no way a majority of the country agrees with us right now!  Just move to the center and worry about everything else after you win!"

    We were more courageous when we were playing from behind.  Maybe there's a lesson in there.

    Kos, too... (5.00 / 2) (#78)
    by Dawn Davenport on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:59:39 PM EST
    ...has put down the Kool-Aid, according to this FPP.

    I found it interesting that Markos has never given any money to Obama, while I gave hundreds to Obama last year before ultimately deciding to vote for Hillary.

    Yeh, There is this phrase (5.00 / 2) (#87)
    by Cream City on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:17:36 PM EST
    about the test of life being putting yer money where yer mouth is.  Kos = all chattering mouth.

    Parent
    I scanned the comments. (none / 0) (#107)
    by Fabian on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 04:31:03 AM EST
    Should have popped some popcorn first.

    Common sentiments:

    "We need more fighting Dems and we thought Obama was one."  (oh rilly?)
    plus
    Resentment at Kos for not being 100% in the tank for Obama.
    and
    "We helped Obama to defeat Teh Evil Hillary and this is how he repays us?"

    Parent

    Grand Scale Arrogrance Kicking In (5.00 / 1) (#84)
    by fctchekr on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:16:45 PM EST
    All the things that have been said about him about how he has navigated on a smaller scale were indicators of what he could be like in the larger political arena, and now all these attributes are  kicking in...

    How are many of us, who are Hillary Clinton supporters, are going to feel like he is cloning the politics of Hillary and Bill after telling us all they were the old style politics, has beens....kick em out..If Huffos and Daily Kos are mad, Hillary supporters are madder!

    I think without her on the ticket he will absolutely NOT WIN.  

    Is anyone else feeling... (5.00 / 2) (#94)
    by Marco21 on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 11:14:49 PM EST
    the sensation of schadenfreude?

    I admit to it.

    hey, don't knock it till (5.00 / 1) (#95)
    by cpinva on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 11:17:06 PM EST
    you've tried it!

    and religion-bashing.

    i'm working on the video game version. it'll be rated "PG", fun for the whole family! each player takes on a different character, from "vestal virgin" (my personal favorite!) to "rev." haggard (is that perfect irony in a name, or what?).

    you get to start your own purges, intifadas, jihads, inquisitions, etc. many will appreciate the opportunity to, vicariously, own and run their very own televangalist enterprise. economy size jars of makeup will be available, for a reasonable price!

    the burnings at the stake will be especially realistic looking, with 3-D holographic effects. you'll hear them screaming in agony in your sleep!

    i'm making a special, one-time, talk left only pre-release offer, of $39.95 for the one disk set. included will be some incredibly life-like reproductions of some favorite torture implements of the past, including the time tested "thumb screw".

    act now, this is a limited offer, and will not (hopefully ever) be repeated!


    Marketing/pricing tip: $19.95 (none / 0) (#104)
    by Cream City on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 03:02:55 AM EST
    seems to be the optimal dollar figure to charge -- even if in increments.  Spouse and I have seen enough of these infomercials to spot this.  No matter what the product, no matter how many free add-ons -- and no matter how many increments of $19.95, that's your golden number.  You could charge three payments of $19.95 and sell more than a per-unit price of $39.95, I swear.  Watch and see.

    Oh, but of course, you have to promise free shipping.  It's a crucial come-on . . . since there is that handling fee of about, well, another $19.95.:-)

    Parent

    It's simply laughable that Arianna et al (5.00 / 1) (#97)
    by Joelarama on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 11:39:01 PM EST
    didn't see this coming, after villifying Hillary as a triangulator and uncritically hyping Obama's "Change" branding.

    These people in the left blogosphere -- Kos, JM (TPM), Arianna -- aren't naive or stupid.  

    They just hate Hillary.  It makes no difference that they won't admit it to us (themselves?).

    Vote Obama!  (And I mean it.)  He's the typical politician we've got as our nominee.

    My frustration with Obama followers has always (5.00 / 1) (#109)
    by stefystef on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 06:15:23 AM EST
    been their inability to see through the rousing speeches and well-crafted messages from his campaign, to see Obama as what he is... an opportunist and a politician.

    When Hillary gave an interview to the CBC (Christian Broadcasting Co.) back in February, the Obama campaign chastised her for pandering to the religious right.

    Now Obama does the same thing and the Obama followers call him genius.  

    Did the so-called progressive left, the netrooters and the adoring blog/media who made his campaign think he was going to be loyal to them and the liberal message?  Did you think Obama was really a liberal?

    Oh, really?  From the articles I'm reading, the Kool-Aid is starting to wear off... next stop, buyers' remorse.

    Why the change BTD? (none / 0) (#5)
    by Saul on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:43:06 PM EST
    I remember many past post where you wrote on how important and critical it was to have Hilary as the VP.  What has happen to change this now?  Just curious.

    He turned into Jeralyn, that's why. (5.00 / 7) (#6)
    by MarkL on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:43:57 PM EST
    snort. (none / 0) (#26)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:54:26 PM EST
    BTD didn't write this (5.00 / 4) (#8)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:44:27 PM EST
    I did, and I have always been lukewarm on a joint ticket.

    Parent
    Sorry I thought it was a BTD post (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by Saul on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:47:26 PM EST
    Sorry I thought it was BTD (none / 0) (#11)
    by Saul on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:46:17 PM EST


    The One Last Issue He Has Yet to Move right On (none / 0) (#16)
    by Dan the Man on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:48:30 PM EST
    is affirmative action.  Affirmative action is almost never popular.  Will Obama finally support ending affirmative action and get himself a few extra voters that way?

    He's against it for his daughters (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by ruffian on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:53:59 PM EST
    I believe because he thinks their financial and educational advantage will make up for any racial or gender discrimination. I have not heard about his broader opinions on the subject, but it sounds like they probably are not firmly in favor.

    Parent
    I'm not sure (5.00 / 1) (#49)
    by mmc9431 on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:16:58 PM EST
    The Republican's will allow him to ignore the issue.

    Parent
    How much are you paying attention? (4.50 / 2) (#29)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:56:26 PM EST
    It's on the frigging ballot in many states.

    Morons the these DNC chumps, Morons.

    Parent

    Don't you know (5.00 / 3) (#35)
    by ruffian on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 07:59:01 PM EST
    If Obama does not bring it up, it never comes up!

    Parent
    OMFG that's a good one. (none / 0) (#37)
    by Salo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 08:01:14 PM EST
    You don't think it'll be the way they get him in the debates?

    Parent
    The Dems put it on the ballot? (none / 0) (#82)
    by Cream City on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:06:19 PM EST
    Huh?  Are you following this?

    Parent
    I believe (none / 0) (#85)
    by Steve M on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:17:07 PM EST
    that Obama could win by like a zillion votes if he were seen as the one who will reform affirmative action in a sensible way.

    Parent
    I was accepted (5.00 / 3) (#89)
    by MichaelGale on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:31:01 PM EST
    and graduated from a great college because of affirmative action and I am female and Italian.

    Affirmative action has helped millions of women through the years attend college and gain access to graduate schools; particularly medicine, engineering and law.

    It may go but I will always be appreciative.

    Parent

    Well (5.00 / 2) (#91)
    by Steve M on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:41:59 PM EST
    to be clear, I am a "mend it, don't end it" kind of guy.

    I am a believer in affirmative action, and I think the only way to keep it politically viable is for someone to take a hard look at where it's serving its purpose and where it isn't.

    If we stubbornly refuse to mess with it, I think that not only will it be electorally painful for Democrats, but we'll end up losing it altogether.

    Parent

    I agree with (5.00 / 1) (#98)
    by Grace on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 11:40:39 PM EST
    "mend it, don't end it."  

    Affirmative Action should only exist to provide diversity in the workplace/schools, etc.  

    I don't believe in quotas but I do believe that a diverse workplace is a dynamic workplace.

    Parent

    I agree n/t (none / 0) (#110)
    by MichaelGale on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 06:18:30 AM EST
     

    Parent
    arianna has gotten on my LAST NERVE (none / 0) (#72)
    by thereyougo on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:26:45 PM EST
    since Hillary. Her interns are the ones who "monitored' the trashing that Hillary got. Now, strange you don't hear them anymore. Who let the dogs out? Who called them back?

    This is what alot of us Hillary supporters don't like about how Obama ran his online smear campaign against her. Now he's kissy kissy smooches, like nothing happened.

    Well they were downright mean and Arianna was at the head of the pack. Now she's trashing Obama, who does she even pick for  president? Puzzling to me.

    If Obama had pulled his bait and switch stuff on Fisa, and accepting pubic funding for his campaign, BEFORE I bet he would not be the nominee presumptively of course.

    He is doing himself in little by little because people are just paying attention more. More people can afford computers, Heck, I saw one for 399$ at Best Buy. You don't even have to sign up with cable or phone, since wifi.

    Things have changed and Obama would do well to keep his word lest MCcain runs away with the presidency. He's already saying Obama doesn't keep his word.  
    People tend to dislike those who go back on their word so flippantly as Obama has. It just doesn't sit well in Topeka. He has enough trouble with the other stuff to deal with.
    Thus far his pedigree appears unremarkable. He doesn't stand out like the populist candidate anymore. He should proceed with CAUTION.

    I wandered into Orange DK country and some of the diaries are voicing concerns over their support for Obama post primary and there are some websites forming to make Obama keep his word.  There is still time to get him to.
    At this point Obama seems hell bent to say or do ANY F'n thing to get at the presidency. ANYTHING

    ObamaPleaseKeepYourWord.com? (none / 0) (#74)
    by catfish on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:37:53 PM EST
    I wandered into Orange DK country and some of the diaries are voicing concerns over their support for Obama post primary and there are some websites forming to make Obama keep his word.  There is still time to get him to.

    Oh this should be good.

    Parent

    Oh, please do keep us posted (5.00 / 4) (#83)
    by Cream City on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:15:23 PM EST
    on this.  They can make Obama keep his word, huh?

    It will be sad to watch, really.  Gnashing of perfect teeth, post braces paid for by second mortgages on houses now declining in value, as parents cannot continue to support progeny finding themselves.

    Banging of heads on ergonomic keyboards.  Anguished attempts to explain away the epiphanies as the result of sugar highs from overly sweetened lattes.  And omigod, Starbuckses are closing on every other block, so it's like such a long walk now of three blocks on platform wedgies now, omigod.  How will they get through the return to being reality -- that pols are not paragons but pols?

    Parent

    Sounds desperate. (none / 0) (#93)
    by sallywally on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 11:14:17 PM EST
    Is there really no chance that another candidate could still become the nominee at the convention if this right (not center)-tracking continues, he continues to be a weak, dull candidate, and former supporters loudly back away from him?

    Could buyer' remorse kick in far enough to bring that about?

    Parent

    I WANT THE PREDICTION TO COME TRUE (none / 0) (#105)
    by thereyougo on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 03:29:27 AM EST
    darn it ! that Hillary will be nominated - psychic twins the tarot, and the cosmos too said so.  They predicted 9/11,among other predictions.

    after the convention, I'm going to just stop my nonsense, but I still hope against hope.

     

    Parent

    Huffo Solipsism: I'm , I , me..... (none / 0) (#77)
    by fctchekr on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 09:55:52 PM EST
    Extreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one's feelings, desires, etc.; egoistic self-absorption.

    "I'm----- still not sure-- I--- want her to join the ticket. A large part of-- me--- believes Obama needs to win on his own."

    Knock, knock Arianna, are you there? Didn't your ego kick in on this one? Obama did not win on his own....media types like you helped him by trashing the real winner.

    Evangelicals are a subset of Protestants (none / 0) (#86)
    by daryl herbert on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:17:10 PM EST
    All Catholics are drunkards, all Muslims are terrorists, and all Jews are socialists.  No, you can't say that.  But apparently you can say:

    It's also his outreach to evangelicals -- the radical right

    Wow.  Most of what Ariana wrote is correct, but this is total garbage.  Evangelicals are not all right-wing, let alone "radical right."  (If they were, they wouldn't be voting for Sen. Obama.)

    It's pretty harsh to dismiss an entire group of people based only on a stereotype of their religion.  Downright intolerant, I would say.

    But you know how those people are in Hollywood.  They get all bitter and cling to open borders, fair trade, gun control, and religion-bashing.

    Fascinating article in the New Yorker (5.00 / 3) (#88)
    by Cream City on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:22:31 PM EST
    a week or so ago on evangelicals to the left -- quite a sizeable percentage.  Perhaps Arianna lacks literacy?  That would explain her ignorance on this as on so much.

    Btw, I first saw the state on the evangelical left in a comment on this blog, some weeks ago.  Just an indicator of the intelligence of the commenters here, from whom I learn so much.  I've hit up the library for a stack of books at my bedside, all recommended by commenters here -- and much appreciated for expanding my knowledge base.  And heck, I work with people who write books and read voraciously as well, but it's so important to move beyond the usual group, the comfort level, to learn.

    Arianna and too many other pundits do not seem to have truly inquiring minds but are only echo chambers for each other.

    Parent

    yup and the shame of it is she (5.00 / 1) (#92)
    by hellothere on Mon Jun 30, 2008 at 10:53:02 PM EST
    has brains and ability. but she seems caught up in the same mindset that besets the beltway insiders.

    Parent
    The following scares me more than anythng else! (none / 0) (#106)
    by suzieg on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 04:11:35 AM EST
    Obama to expand Bush's faith-based programs
    CHICAGO - Reaching out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans that would expand President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and - in a move sure to cause controversy - support their ability to hire and fire based on faith.

    Why open this Pandora's box just to garner new voters? Why do we have to become the Republican "lite" party?

    Because Obama said so... (none / 0) (#119)
    by pmj6 on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 08:50:34 AM EST
    ...that's why. It's "his" party, right? And, as you know, you have nowhere left to go!

    Parent
    I preferred Hillary: Affirmative Action truth is (none / 0) (#121)
    by rottodamn on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 09:00:13 AM EST
    White women have been the largest beneficiaries in the Affirmative Action creation. I'm pretty tired of people wanting to put a black face to it. Put a white woman's face to it because that is the truth and those are the facts in both jobs and education.

    I worked in a major corporation and all save one mid-level and upper level manager were white women. 1 was a black man and there were other qualified black, Latin and Asian people in this company who were applying.

    Democrats let Karl Rove and the MSM pit two minorities against one another: a black man and a white woman. The hard Left did their part to show they can be as vicious as the right.

    I was very disappointed in the Left though as I consider myself Left. Right now I hate the Left and the Right though my politics are definitely Left.

    The thing about the young left is they don't know how Karl and company plays. They are too green and couldn't be reasoned with which was the infuriating part and why I stopped going to most blogs. They were frothing at the mouth with lies and half-truths!

    Arianna & Maureen Down are 2 (none / 0) (#122)
    by rottodamn on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 09:10:19 AM EST
    ridiculous women. They were slaying Hillary just as bad as Keith Olberman, Tim Russert, Tweety, the Fox gang, and WAPO.

    They couldn't say one kind word about the woman which I found disgusting. It was like Hillary was Satan with these two (Arianna) especially. To me it seemed like they didn't want this woman to reach her dream and rather than be fair they took pleasure in being mean spirited and denying her.

    Arianna is DEFINITELY still Republican. Dowd just likes to hear herself and marvel at her careful use of words. I am bitter, but I'm still a Democrat!

    Many progressive democrats fell in the trap (none / 0) (#123)
    by NYC26 on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 01:55:00 PM EST
    that the Republican sheeps set up.I am only 28 years old Latino that was born in NYC, but I've been following politics since I was 17, and I can tell you that a republican will always be a republican. Arianna  Huffington created a left wing blog knowing well that if you smart enough you would see that she is a republicon. Many people fell in the trap about the evil clintons, and decided to vote for obama a guy that is simple not electable. Now an elections that we could have won with the eyes closed in november is up for grabs.In september the media will completely destroy obama giving Mccain an win in nov.
    The republicans finally figure out that the only way to put the clintons away was to turn at least half of their supporters(democrat base) against them, and now that they accomplished that, they are enjoying the moment.

    Obama may be electable (none / 0) (#124)
    by rottodamn on Tue Jul 01, 2008 at 04:16:40 PM EST
    I'm certainly not going to claim he is not. I just felt he wasn't the best candidate right now. The guy has his pluses and has good people around him.

    I will still support the Dem candidate. I just wish the rabid left could have been reasoned with. I am very left I am just not a robot-lefty. I think things through!

    Parent