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News & ArtsThursday, January 28, 2010
Politics So How'd Obama Do?
Posted by Eli Sanders on Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 9:59 AM
Here's the speech, for those of you who missed it:
Now.
How'd Obama do?
2
He's a great speech maker. He knows how to inspire and make you believe it's going to get better, eventually. Maybe soon.
But until he has some progressive victories under his belt, I'm not gonna get excited.
But until he has some progressive victories under his belt, I'm not gonna get excited.
4
Awesome speech, really excellent political theater too. Watching it was very different from reading it, though; on paper, some of the action plans show their thinness. Overall I came away with a heightened awareness of the gulf between what he appears capable of and what he's done.
I'm left hoping his experience of delivering that great speech inspires him to align his actions more closely with the spirit he espouses so beautifully.
I'm left hoping his experience of delivering that great speech inspires him to align his actions more closely with the spirit he espouses so beautifully.
5
He delivers a great speech. I was feeling awesome about it last night, in-the-moment (watching him work it work it, with four glasses of wine and a roomful of viewing-party friends) than I am this morning, as bloggers have written about the cracks and technicalities in some of the things he said. I'm still pleased this morning, though, more pleased with him than I've been in several months. "Won me back" is exactly right.
6
I usually just read the text of the speech, but I watched last night. I was pretty surprised at how good it was, at least to me. I was relatively pleased with the policy decisions discussed, I thought he "took to task" the right people with the right tone, there were definitely some funny moments. And, dammit, sometimes when he talks I think he's stealing the thoughts from my brain -- both on the policy side and on the more lofty philosophical stuff (e.g., politicians thinking about the next election instead of the next generation).
I am definitely discouraged by how little he's accomplished to date, but he did win me back a bit yesterday. I try to be cynical about it, knowing his 1st year record, but I do think he really believes some of the things he said in his closing paragraphs. I just hope he can be both hold those beliefs about how government should function and be an effective politician at the same time.
I am definitely discouraged by how little he's accomplished to date, but he did win me back a bit yesterday. I try to be cynical about it, knowing his 1st year record, but I do think he really believes some of the things he said in his closing paragraphs. I just hope he can be both hold those beliefs about how government should function and be an effective politician at the same time.
7
Agree @5 and @6 - I've been discouraged, but this helped a lot. It would help to have him speak more often. Still, I am very angry with the Democrats, and I really can't put the blame on POTUS for failing to get much of this done. I guess it isn't in his personal nature to shove things down the republicans' throats, but that is how I get medication into my dog and sometimes you just have to do that. The Dems need to grow some stones.
8
The speech was good, but it would be nice to see some of these things actually happen, and I'm losing faith that Obama and the Democrats as a whole have the willpower to push through their agenda.
My wife and I aren't contributing any more money to the Democrats until they make a real effort to get shit done. When we contribute to a charity, we expect to see results, not empty promises. If the Democrats want more money, they need to show that they're doing something besides dithering and capitulating to every Republican who raises his voice.
My wife and I aren't contributing any more money to the Democrats until they make a real effort to get shit done. When we contribute to a charity, we expect to see results, not empty promises. If the Democrats want more money, they need to show that they're doing something besides dithering and capitulating to every Republican who raises his voice.
10
TOTAL FAILURE. he had no plan to enact health care, he had no real jobs program, he's decided against a second stiumulus, this shit about $30 billion filtering thru banks for credit isn't a jobs program, the crap about a tuition credit so that in 20 years we have more engineers isn't a jobs program, the little bill the house passed isn't a big jobs program, and he ran to the center firmly choosing to be president of the confused independents instead of an effective agent of change.
It's hilarious, or should I say hillaryarious, to see all the obamatrons now praise him for doing exactly the kind of small bore minGOP stuff Bill Clinton did. What we will get is a kind of muddling through bland pro independents presidency, not change, and certainly not enough to really bring down unemployment, to really deal with climate, and to have real health care reform.
his big tactic is going to be to "hold the GOP responsible for governing if it continues to say no!" wow big fucking deal, like that will pass anything.
IT's exactly the problem described prior to his election. He had no record of actual legislative accomplishmemt. And today, he still is not getting the shit done like a Roosevelt or a LBJ. He's done some shit but only a third of what could have been done, but he chose to run to the center and pander to nelson and the gop instead of really going for change. Which he totally coulda. But that would be taking a risk. He's never taken a fucking risk in his life folks, dont' expect him to start taking risks for you now. Look at DADT. Totally not leading. Typical. Truman didn't beg the joint chiefs of staff to work thru this civil rights thing he ORDERED THEM TO DO IT.
It's hilarious, or should I say hillaryarious, to see all the obamatrons now praise him for doing exactly the kind of small bore minGOP stuff Bill Clinton did. What we will get is a kind of muddling through bland pro independents presidency, not change, and certainly not enough to really bring down unemployment, to really deal with climate, and to have real health care reform.
his big tactic is going to be to "hold the GOP responsible for governing if it continues to say no!" wow big fucking deal, like that will pass anything.
IT's exactly the problem described prior to his election. He had no record of actual legislative accomplishmemt. And today, he still is not getting the shit done like a Roosevelt or a LBJ. He's done some shit but only a third of what could have been done, but he chose to run to the center and pander to nelson and the gop instead of really going for change. Which he totally coulda. But that would be taking a risk. He's never taken a fucking risk in his life folks, dont' expect him to start taking risks for you now. Look at DADT. Totally not leading. Typical. Truman didn't beg the joint chiefs of staff to work thru this civil rights thing he ORDERED THEM TO DO IT.
11
@7,
Have you tried wrapping it in bacon?
Giving medication to a cat is more apropos, I think. If you don't wrap the beast in a towel, it'll claw you to death.
Have you tried wrapping it in bacon?
Giving medication to a cat is more apropos, I think. If you don't wrap the beast in a towel, it'll claw you to death.
13
It was a smart speech. Attacking the Supremes puts the Republicans on the defensive, something few Democrats have any conception of.
14
kesh, are you saying that Obama's agenda might go down a little easier if he wrapped it in some pork?
16
I was busy cheering when he p0wned the activist America-hating Supreme Court. Bacon is always good.
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