Glenn Greenwald: Obama's allegedly "new" centrism and his ABC interview today

[Fumesucker]

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/01/11/centrism/

The central tenets of the Beltway religion -- particularly when a Democrat is in the White House -- have long been "centrism" and "bipartisanship." The only good Democrats are the ones who scorn their "left-wing" base while embracing Republicans. In Beltway lingo, that's what "pragmatism" and good "post-partisanship" mean: a Democrat whose primary goal is to prove he's not one of those leftists. The Washington Post's David Ignatius today lavishes praise on Barack Obama for his allegiance to these Beltway pieties -- and actually seems to believe that there is something new and innovative about this approach:

...

Whatever else one might want to say about this "centrist" approach, the absolute last thing one can say about it is that there's anything "new" or "remarkable" about it. The notion that Democrats must spurn their left-wing base and move to the "non-ideological" center is the most conventional of conventional Beltway wisdom (which is why Ignatius, the most conventional of Beltway pundits, is preaching it). That's how Democrats earn their Seriousness credentials, and it's been that way for decades.

Several weeks ago, I documented that this was the exact approach that fueled Bill Clinton's candidacy and the Clinton Presidency. That's what Clinton's widely-celebrated Sister Souljah moment and his Dick-Morris-designed "triangulation" were all about: "moving toward the center in a way that upsets some of his liberal allies," as Ignatius put it today as though it's some brand new Obama invention. Clinton's approach even resulted in his own GOP Defense Secretary. And, during the Bush era of the last eight years, moving to the Center and spurning their base was about the only "principle" that ever animated Congressional Democrats.

(snip)

More at the link...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. "Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice."

Thomas Paine

[TahitiNut]

2. Amen.

:applause:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Here's another from Tom you'll like TN.

"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death." Thomas Paine

[burythehatchet]

3. good call.

[Fumesucker]

4. Eh, Tom Paine would be rode out of today's Washington DC on a rail..

There are damn few people in DC with principles these days and the ones that have principles are called things like "Kookinich"..

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. Bravo

Perfect quote and so true!

[leftchick]

17. perfect!

from the quote man du jour!

:)

[babylonsister]

23. Greenwald is doing his job in 2009, Paine was doing his.

I love the thought. What principle has been scrapped? Where has Obama fallen down on his principles now?

[rockymountaindem]

6. Great, more conciliatory BS from Obama

How are we supposed to stop crime in the future if we don't punish the perpetrators of past crimes? Seems to me that would be an important way of ensuring we're on the right track "going forward".

[Fumesucker]

7. The column wasn't so much about Obama per se as about the beltway meme

That "pragmatic moderate centrism" on the part of Dems is a new thing.

Although I agree about Obama, at least to some extent.

[rockymountaindem]

8. The last third pretty much was about Obama

specifically his unwillingness to close the prison at Guantanamo immediately and his seeming refusal to actually hold anybody accountable, because that would be "looking backward".

[Fumesucker]

9. I didn't mean to say it wasn't about Obama at all..

But here is the summary paragraph from the end of the piece.


So Obama can't be fairly criticized for hiding his devotion to this approach. But whatever else one wants to say about it, one cannot call it "new." This is what Democrats have been told for decades they must do and they've spent decades enthusiastically complying.

[KoKo]

10. Yes ....Beltway Meme and Baiting by McCorporate Media...

But, it does mean that we have to keep involved and not just expect that Obama will not be getting tremendous pressure and that Congress won't push him hard to be a compromised centrist who caves to the RW and enables them to take back power in 2010.

[Fumesucker]

11. There are those here who do not like seeing criticism though..

I ran into one today already.

[KoKo]

18. Yes..there are..but it doesn't mean the rest of us relinquish our Responsibility to do what is ...

Correct for the rest of us Democrats....does it.? :shrug:

[Fumesucker]

20. I didn't mean to imply that it did. n/t

[KoKo]

21. I understood what you meant....just added a little to it...No offense...

[Fumesucker]

22. None taken..

:hi:

[kentuck]

13. Very true.

Why is it that Democrats act as if circumstances never change and therefore, they never need to change to the times? Give me a shovel! I'll throw the first shovel of dirt into the face of dead Republican Party.

[LWolf]

14. Of course it's not new.

I've recognized it since '04, when I first started paying attention to him.

Which is why I didn't want him as the Democratic nominee.

That's what you get when a candidate campaigns on ambiguous themes like "hope" and "change." Voters project their OWN hopes for change onto the candidate, regardless of his very transparent agenda.

[SammyWinstonJack]

15. !

:thumbsup:

[Still Sensible]

16. This truth is undeniable, but

I suspect this where Obama starts. It is a logical place to begin his administration ideologically, especially considering the incredible PE approval ratings we are seeing. I expect from this starting point, we will see the Obama agenda drag the nation moderately leftward. A lot will depend on the issues he chooses to make a priority and how events stack up to be dealt with. Naturally the economy is top problem right now and the crisis in the ME right up there, too.

[KoKo]

19. He's learned from the past mistakes of Dems we've elected (so few) but he's learned...

but that's more reason for many of us who've been here since 2000 Selection to be ever more vigilant on him. Obama was a "Community Activist" and he knows what the hell it's about to be "grassroots" with no power but the poor and disenfranchised you are trying to protect. He's in a different position,now, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want "feedback and blowback" for the decisions he makes. I think he's up to the TASK of dealing with this and WANTS the FEEDBACK....:shrug:

[alarimer]

24. It is the same old, same old.

Obama is nothing new under the sun and, while he will likely not make things worse, is unlikely to make things much better. Unless he (and the Democrats in Congress) embrace a new New Deal, we are are screwed. Hero worship will not pay the bills.