Obama in Senate: Star Power, Minor Role

[Maribelle]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/us/politics/09obama.h...

My take:

Two serious opponents in Illinois self-destructed, smoothing his path to election in November 2004.

Once inside the Senate, Obama was 99th in seniority, in the minority party his first two years.

He voted against the withdrawal of troops and proposed legislation calling for a drawdown only after he was running for president and polls showed voters favoring it.

He did not play a significant role in passing much legislation and disappointed some Democrats for not becoming a more prominent voice in other important debates.

Mr. Obama took few bold stands and diverted little from liberal orthodoxy, for the most part stuck to party lines, with few examples of the kind of bipartisan work he advocates in his campaign.

He disappointed some Democrats by not taking a more prominent role opposing the war; he voted against a troop withdrawal proposal by Kerry and Feingold in June 2006.

To others, the mismatch between Obama’s outside profile and his inside accomplishments wore thin. His dropping in only occasionally to closed-door meetings over immigration prompted complaints that he was something of a dilettante. He joined a bipartisan group, that agreed to stick to a final compromise bill, but when the measure reached the floor, Obama distanced himself from the compromise, advocating changes sought by labor groups. The bill collapsed. To some Obama’s move showed an unwillingness to take a tough stand. “he folded like a cheap suit” said Lindsey Graham.

But all the while he had this minor role in the Senate, Obama had lots and lots of star power, and played it up to the hilt. Obama never seemed to let his job as Senator interfere with his higher ambitions

The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious

[angie_love]

1. I read the article, it wasn't really unfavorable. It was mixed. Meh.

[Maribelle]

10. It was mixed, I agree.

But truly heavy on the star power, and again heavy on the didn't really do much in the Senate - my point.

[FormerDittoHead]

51. I thought this article here was more incisive.

http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-02-28/news/barack-obam...

1) Won State Senate unopposed after he bumped out competition due to technicalities.

2) Passed no legislation for 6 of his 7 years.

3) Lost a bid to Congress in that time.

4) Then, the new democratic governor hand picked him for Senator (direct quote in article). New governor has Obama's name put on a bunch of bills that other state senators had worked on for years. All of "his" accomplishments were given to him in his last year.

5) (as this NYT article says) Opposition to Senate all but self-destructed.

6) Started to run for President 2 years after that.

The article is NOT a "hit" piece.

He may have the issues, I think he will win, but he SIMPLY does NOT have the experience to get things DONE without SOLID Democratic majorities...

[JoFerret]

59. "Folding like a cheap suit" - (GOP creep)

...is what worries me about BO. he talks partisan and reaching out etc. In reality that means rgetting rolled.

[JoFerret]

58. Yes. Mixed. Interesting - an excellent article

...not a partisan piece.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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

[MadBadger]

3. SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM

[JoFerret]

37. How is this spam?

You don't like it. Because it suggests your favored candidate is more talk than trouser, more style than substance, but that does not make it spam.

[skipos]

6. They better not be including MI and FL or the WA primary in those totals.

That would be deceptive as fuck.

[tabatha]

7. I wonder how many of those votes were "Rush Democrats".

[DJ13]

8. Alerted for spamming the boards

Try posting original thoughts for a change, if you're capable of it.

[rodeodance]

18. don't you know it is against the rules to say you alerted?

Alerted for spamming the boards
Posted by DJ13


Try posting original thoughts for a change, if you're capable of it.

[KAZ]

54. And you do it all the time. and encourage others to join you.

[JoFerret]

35. Snide

.

[Cali_Democrat]

17. Your including Michigan and Florida

Nobody campaigned in Florida and Clinton won there because of name recognition. Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan. You can tout these Soviet-style numbers all you want.

[rodeodance]

19. thanks. I had not seen that.

[Maribelle]

22. lol I didn't even get to see what you had not seen.

that one was sent flying fast

[NashVegas]

4. Great Article, Very Telling

Obama's a great guy. Too bad he's not his own guy just yet.

[angie_love]

5. I like that he hasn't been corrupted by washington yet.

[indimuse]

41. no.

just Chicago!

When asked if Obama would hold these financial institutions accountable for losses incurred by homeowners and investors, his campaign refused to comment.
Pritzker's campaign contributions
Penny Pritzker is a generous patron to both Republican and Democratic political candidates, including Barack Obama. In 1999, she contributed $1,000 to his

unsuccessful run for the U.S. House of Representatives. She contributed to the Obama for Illinois campaigns: $1,000 in 2002 and $2,000 and $9,000 in 2003. In

February 2005, Pritzker was an early contributor to Obama's Hopefund, donating $5,000. On January 16, 2007, nearly a month before he officially announced his run

for president, Pritzker had already donated $2,100 to his primary fund.

In November 2007, Pritzker was listed among Obama's super bundlers, having raised more than $200,000 for his campaign.

UPDATE: Taking a closer look at Federal Election Commission records for Obama for Illinois—2002, 2003 and 2004—reveals that the Pritzker family have contributed

heavily to Obama's campaigns: Jay Robert Pritzker, 9/9/04 - $2,000; Thomas Pritzker, 2/27/03 - $2,000 and 2/3/04 - $250; John A. Pritzker, 9/22/04 - $1,000 and

9/24/04 - $1,000; Lisa S. Pritzker, 9/22/04 - $1,000 and 9/24/04 - $1,000; Margot L. Pritzker, 4/30/04 - $1,000 and $1,000; Marian Pritzker, 5/5/03 - $500; Mary

Kathryn Pritzker, 9/9/04 - $2,000; Nicholas Pritzker, 3/26/03 - $5,000; 9/4/03 - $7,000; and 5/7/04 - $2,000; Penny Pritzker, 10/15/02 - $1,000; 2/27/03 - $2,000; and

6/27/03 - $9,000; Rhoda Pritzker, 10/13/03 - $250; and Susan Pritzker, 2/27/03 - $1,000 and 3/24/04 - $1,000.

Going back even further to Illinois State Board of Elections for Obama's state campaign finance records for Friends of Barack Obama shows that Penny Pritzker first

contributed $1,000 to Obama in April 2001


http://obamasdeckofcards.blogspot.com/2008/02/obamas-su...


::::>>> for entire story :::>>>> man, the friend's THE OBAMA'S surround themselves with.....BIG questions!

[indimuse]

42. and..

Penny Pritzker is the National Finance Chair of 2008 Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign. Yet the Obama campaign's national finance chair served as chairman of the Superior Bank from 1989 to 1994, before this savings and loan institution collapsed in July 2001. Yet according to Ely’s Oct. 16, 2001 statement, “Superior’s trick, or business plan” under Penny Prtizker’s chairmanship was apparently “to concentrate on subprimelending, principally on home
mortgages, but for a while in subprime auto lending, too,” after the Pritzkers’ bank acquired its wholesale mortgage organization division, Alliance Funding, in December 1992.

http://www.bostonnow.com/blogs/oldmole/2008/02/12/obama...


Not only was Penny a board member but her family owned half of the bank along with Alvin Dworman.
http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA398956

During the debates I have noticed that Obama doesn’t show a true relief plan for the Mortgage crisis. Why would a Presidential Candidate hire a person that was involved in the worst Bank failure up until the time of hiring? Did Penny help him write his proposals to close the loopholes from personal knowledge of how to get around the auditors? These questions and more will come out in the Vetting season.

*Follow up note Dworman is also the principle owner of Northern Trust (Bank that Obama has his current Mortgage.) pm



Intersting:::>>>> WHO is Obama?

[Maribelle]

45. Thanks for this.

I have to log off for the day soon, and will have to take the time to digest this tonight. Thanks again!

[indimuse]

49. yep.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. Will they be disappointed when takes the oath?

I bet they will.

[sandnsea]

11. They don't put his record in the article

Gloss over what he did accomplish, and then beat him for their own lapse in journalism the rest of the article.

This is what non-proliferation legislation gets from these two pinheads.

"He sought out senior colleagues, traveling to Russia with Senator Richard G. Lugar, Republican of Indiana, an advocate of nuclear disarmament. (Later, they passed legislation to reduce stockpiles of conventional weapons.)"

This kind of 'journalism' is how we ended up in the war.

[Maribelle]

14. They said he didn't have much of a record in the Senate except for what they mentioned.

Please feel free to add to his Senate record here =====>>>>

[sandnsea]

21. I've given it directly TO YOU before

You obviously don't give a shit about the facts.

[Maribelle]

23. Now, sandnsea - - to moi?

Say honest.

[NashVegas]

34. How Much of His Record Is Even *His* Record?

For instance, voting to confirm Chief Justice Roberts would have been his choice, but an adviser convinced him not to.

[JoFerret]

44. Indeed

Look - the record is thin and short. Not surprising - he was not there long.

[Submariner]

12. At least he doesn't endorse McCrazy like McsHillary does

or pad his resume like McsHillary regarding CINC-like decision-making. Don't forget McsHillary was a repuke before she met Bill, and she votes with Dumbya on the war in Iraq and likely Iran invasion. She fooled us for long time, but her game is over. She has been found out to be a shill DINO for Bush policies.

I had to deal with assholes like her when LBJ lied to us and sent us to war, AIN'T going to happen again if I can help it.

[rodeodance]

20. you are one of those Obama folks who can't read!!--where do you see the word "endorse" ??

[Tom Rinaldo]

25. Show me an official Obama campaign spokesperson saying Clinton endorsed McCain

and I will believe you. If not you are nothing more than a liar.

[rodeodance]

52. Its a lying Urban Legand and obama folk keep repeating it--just like a Rove would do.

[Dinger]

13. Wow, They Actually Let You Post This!

I'm impressed, and keep up the good work!

[Maribelle]

16. You too, Dinger.

You make me laugh.

[Double T]

15. Sounds like obama should take his 'star power' and look for a job in Hollywood...........

instead of the WH; washington dc already has enough BAD actors.

[rodeodance]

24. hollywood might offer him a job when he loses the nomination??

[Double T]

27. We will aahh..........

HOPE.

[rodeodance]

28. HOPE HOPE HOPE

[IndianaGreen]

26. Obama, Lugar Secure Funding for Implementation of Nonproliferation Law

Obama played a minor role? My ass! Name a major piece of legislation with Hillary's name on it. (crickets)

Press Release of Senator Lugar

Obama, Lugar Secure Funding for Implementation of Nonproliferation Law

$48 million funding increase to be used to destroy conventional weapons stockpiles, intercept weapons of mass destruction and respond to proliferation emergencies

Thursday, June 28, 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) today announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee accepted their request to provide funding to implement the Lugar-Obama nonproliferation initiative. The Appropriations Committee expressed support for the initiative and provided $48 million for Lugar-Obama, $36 million for programs to destroy heavy conventional weapons, $10 million for efforts to intercept weapons and materials of mass destruction, and $2 million for rapid response to proliferation detection and interdiction emergencies. This is the culmination of an 18 month effort to authorize and fund the Lugar-Obama initiative.

First introduced in November 2005 and enacted in 2007, the Lugar-Obama initiative enhances U.S. efforts to destroy conventional weapons stockpiles and to detect and interdict weapons and materials of mass destruction throughout the world.

“I applaud the decision to provide funding to implement the Lugar-Obama initiative – a major step forward in addressing critical security challenges faced by the United States and our allies,” said Senator Obama. “Much of this funding will prevent conventional weapons from being used against our service members in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan and from falling into the hands of terrorists and fueling civil wars around the world. This funding will further strengthen our ability to detect and intercept illegal shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction, enhancing efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism. I commend Senators Leahy and Gregg for their support on this critical issue.”

“We believe that eliminating conventional weapons stockpiles and assisting other nations in detecting and interdicting weapons of mass destruction has been underfunded, fragmented and in need of high-level support,” Lugar said. “For example, we want to ensure that our government has the capacity to deal quickly with vulnerable stockpiles of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, otherwise known as Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS). Such weapons could be used by terrorists to attack commercial airliners, military installations and government facilities here at home and abroad. Al Qaeda reportedly has attempted to acquire MANPADS on a number of occasions.”

The Lugar-Obama initiative is modeled after the Nunn-Lugar program that focuses on weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union. Lugar and former Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA) authored the program in 1991. It has provided U.S. funding and expertise to help the former Soviet Union safeguard and dismantle its enormous stockpiles of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, related materials, and delivery systems. Among many accomplishments, the program has deactivated 7,000 nuclear warheads and reemployed 58,000 scientists in peaceful research. Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan are nuclear weapons free as a result of cooperative efforts under the Nunn-Lugar program. They otherwise would be the world's the third, fourth and eighth largest nuclear weapons powers, respectively.

The Senate Appropriations Committee report language on the Lugar-Obama initiative is as follows: “Materials of Mass Destruction.---The Committee supports sections 10-12 of Public Law 109-472 which strengthens U.S. efforts to interdict illicit shipments of weapons or materials of mass destruction and secure vulnerable stockpiles of conventional weapons. The Committee provides $48,059,000 to implement these programs, of which $10,000,000 is under Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance, $36,059,000 is under the Small Arms and Light Weapons Destruction program, and $2,000,000 is under the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund.”

Lugar and Obama traveled together to Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan in August 2005 to oversee a number of Nunn-Lugar projects. Obama and Lugar introduced the legislation in November 2005.

Operative sections of Lugar-Obama became law in January 2007. Later in 2007, Lugar and Obama pressed the Appropriations Committee to provide funding for its implementation.

Senators Obama and Lugar are members of the Foreign Relations Committee. Lugar serves as the Committee’s Ranking Member. Obama is Chairman of the European Affairs Subcommittee.

http://lugar.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=278019

[Maribelle]

39. Lugar was one of Obama's mentors and allowed this junior senator

to attach his name to previous republican efforts - nothing more.


But with Lugar's help, Obama helped Bush along with the largest percentage increase in foreign assistance since the Marshall Plan.

[ProSense]

29. I especially like this part

But inside the Senate, Mr. Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, was 99th in seniority and in the minority party his first two years. In committee hearings, he had to wait his turn until every other senator had asked questions. He once telephoned reporters himself to draw attention to his amendments. And some senior colleagues were cool to the newcomer, whom they considered naïve.

If there was ever a bogus spin, this story is full of them.

Countering bogus MSM spin: here, here and here.

[Maribelle]

33. Too bad Obama's puff doesn't match what other Senators thought about him.

And the most dangerous is what the republicans have to say about him, especially Lindsey Graham. All the puff in the world will not deter this.

[rodeodance]

38. You no likey spin? from mr Rove spin!

[Diane R]

30. Enough bashing Obama. Hillary hasn't been particularly steller in the 'experience' realm.

[rodeodance]

53. how many pillows do you need to whin on?

[Muttocracy]

31. don't this criticism of Obama also apply to Clinton for the most part?

Token opposition to getting her Senate seat (also had opponents drop out).

Came in with big name recognition, star power, media attention.

Clearly more interested in personal ambitions than serving a state in the Senate.

Like all freshmen senators, they mostly join onto other senators' bills, name post offices, etc.

Debating which one of them is the least inexperienced is absurd. If legislative experience mattered, we'd be talking about the Richardson/Dodd/Biden race (and I for one would be happier).

[Maribelle]

32. Hillary bravely went up against Rudy Giuliani in 2000.

Giuliani was then replaced by Rick Lazio due to Rudy's illness. But both Giuliani and Lazio, both popular with their republican constituents, provided formidable republican opposition for any Democratic candidate.

Hillary's win against Lazio was hard-fought. They were neck-and-neck weeks before the election.

[Muttocracy]

46. you're rewriting history a bit; and "brave"?

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE2DF...

"In truth, most of the polls taken from the moment Mr. Lazio got in the race last May, replacing Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, suggested that there was never really that much variation in this contest, until the end. He always scored between 40 and 45 percent; in the end, he attracted 43 percent of the vote."

And what's with the choice of "brave"? Do you apply that to every candidate? Was Rudy going to punch her or something? The only thing the Clintons had to lose was their brand new house in a state where they didn't live, and her presidential ambitions.

[Tennessee Gal]

36. Did he fulfill his promise to serve a full tem before running for President?

No. He did not.

[Maribelle]

40. Evidently,Obama's ambition means more to him...

than his word to his constituents. This reminds me of his NAFTA pomp to the good folks of Ohio.

[Tennessee Gal]

43. He made this promise. Does no one care?

Mr. Obama: "I will serve out my full six-year term. You know, Tim, if you get asked enough, sooner or later you get weary and you start looking for new ways of saying things. But my thinking has not changed."



Mr. Russert: "So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008? Mr. Obama: I will not."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AI...

[annie1]

48. i care. it was lame, he's full of crap.

[annie1]

47. He followed the "hillary model"...

"He met with nearly one-third of the Senate, from both sides of the aisle, including his future rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, to learn about the institution and solicit advice on how to succeed. That shaped a strategy: work hard, tend to your constituents, and, above all, get along with others. He spent many weekends traveling across Illinois for town-hall-style meetings.

Mr. Obama’s advisers referred to it as “the Hillary model,” patterned after Mrs. Clinton’s approach when she joined the Senate in 2001. But while Mr. Obama expressed admiration for her at the time, he dissuaded reporters from making too close a comparison."

I see this happen a lot in Obama's path, just taking bits and pieces of what others have done, following what other people do, his campaign is just a 'best of'. Just like his speeches are sort of the greatest hits of rhetoric. Ugh. HOPE. CHANGE. "Heal the world" "not black or white, all people" "uniter" "repair the nation". ugh.

[annie1]

50. Oh yeah, this is the kind of experience I want....

"Mr. Obama had visited Washington only a handful of times before taking office, and he was fresh enough to its ways that he bubbled over about his first trip on Air Force One in June 2005. He fretted about getting lost on his first trip to the White House, for a reception the day he was sworn in, and later marveled that there were flat-screen televisions in the Lincoln Bedroom."


bubbled over about his first trip, fretting about getting lost on the way to white house and marvelling at flat screen tv's? IN 2005!? i feel like i'm in the twilight zone watching people go gaga over this guy.

[rodeodance]

55. ha ha, puts his 'experience" into perspective doesn't it. What a hoot

"Mr. Obama had visited Washington only a handful of times before taking office, and he was fresh enough to its ways that he bubbled over about his first trip on Air Force One in June 2005. He fretted about getting lost on his first trip to the White House, for a reception the day he was sworn in, and later marveled that there were flat-screen televisions in the Lincoln Bedroom."


bubbled over about his first trip, fretting about getting lost on the way to white house and marvelling at flat screen tv's? IN 2005!? i feel like i'm in the twilight zone watching people go gaga over this guy.

[DemGa]

56. And now he's a "transformative figure"? Oh, you gullible Obamas!---NT

[rodeodance]

57. — he voted against a troop withdrawal proposal by Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts &Feingold

But for the most part, he stuck to party lines; there were few examples of the kind of bipartisan work he advocates in his current campaign.

He disappointed some Democrats by not taking a more prominent role opposing the war — he voted against a troop withdrawal proposal by Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin in June 2006, arguing that a firm date for withdrawal would hamstring diplomats and military commanders in the field.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/us/politics/09obama.h...

[jody]

60. "Minor Role"? More like a bit part! n/t