Obama tells blogger he’s a progressive

[babylonsister]

http://www.whorunsgov.com/politerati/2010/obama-tells-b... /

Obama tells blogger he’s a progressive

Updated 5:14 p.m.




President Obama told liberal blogger Oliver Willis he considers himself a progressive, Willis said after a meeting between the president and five progressive bloggers at the White House.

While nearly every member of the White House press corps also blogs, as do many of the favored columnists Obama has met with episodically during his time in office, this was the first meeting between Obama and this particular group of progressive bloggers and was being hailed on blogs as a sign the president is taking pains to reach out to the Democratic Party’s liberal base.

Also attending the meeting were Joe Sudbay of AMERICABlog, Barbara Morrill (better known by her handle, BarbinMD) of DailyKos, John Amato of Crooks & Liars, Duncan “Atrios” Black of eschaton and Willis of the eponymous OliverWillis.com.

Obama met with liberal bloggers during his time as a candidate, but just as often had a fraught relationship with some of the big blogs, such as DailyKos, on account of policy disagreements.

Obama also sought Sudbay’s help in rallying gay Republicans to the president’s side as he seeks to pass a repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” legislation during the lame duck congressional session. Reported John Aravosis on AMERICAblog, who went super-old media after the meeting and took notes on a report phoned in by Sudbay:

Joe asked the President if he has a strategy for passing the DADT compromise legislation during the lame duck session in Congress. The President did make some news here, by telling Joe that he asked the Log Cabin Republicans in a meeting at the White House yesterday to get him 2 to 5 votes. The President seemed to think that Joe could help persuade Log Cabin to help. Joe told the President that he didn’t have sway with those people.

[kentuck]

1. Oliver used to post on DU...

Haven't seen him in a while. Maybe he will check in and give us an update?

[babylonsister]

2. He did? I didn't know that; I've had him in my favorites for years. And

he met with the Prez; pretty cool. He's young, too, not that that matters, but props to him.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. Herbert Hoover considered himself, and was considered to be a progressive

FDR was not a progressive.

Since there is really no definition for the modern left wing progressive movement, and Obama has passed and signed legislation that made the lives of Americans better, he is a progressive.

[babylonsister]

13. Thank you! nt

[Ozymanithrax]

15. You are welcome.

[babylonsister]

16. Reality sometimes takes awhile to set in. Or never. ;) nt

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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

[ProSense]

6. " He is more a person who wants to split the baby."

Can you give examples of this? Not examples of negotiating to get two or three Republican votes to pass legislation, but examples of where he pushed proposals that were weak in origin.


"After November you'll see Obama jump back to appeasement even if it ends up hurting him again. He can't help it."

So you think he sounds progressive now?

[Exilednight]

7. How many rethug votes did he get for Heatlh Care? Oh yeah, that's right ................

ZERO!

[ProSense]

8. How many did he need?

You say this as if you missed the entire process of voting legislation out of committee, where some legislation failed to pass. A lot of the negotiation took place in that venue. Some measures failed because of Blanche Lincoln.


The other thing is that the Senate passed the bill with 60 votes, gaining back the 60th vote when Kirk filled Kennedy's seat.

It was on passage of the Conference Report that they fell one vote short, and the bill was passed via reconciliation.

People need to stop pretending that the Democratic Caucus is a solid progressive bloc and Republicans are never going to be needed to pass bills.

That is not reality.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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

[ProSense]

11. "I never believed that Obama was the messiah"

That puts your response in context.

[vaberella]

23. Doesn't it though...~sigh~

Prosense, you need to stop fighting these people. They're baiters and turn good threads into almost war zones leading to them getting locked. I'll never forget what happened to Mklutra's post on Obama's progressive moves for the LGBT community. Good thread turned into a flame fest.

[vaberella]

22. These people are insane. n/t

[Exilednight]

5. He campaigns as a progressive, but governs as a moderate. n/t

[angee_is_mad]

10. He is a progressive pragmist

he governs so that he can get things pass and move the country forward. It might not move as far out (left) as you would like but it sure as hell isn't moving backwards and he isn't standing still (centrist).

[Exilednight]

14. He does govern like a centrist ..................

Take HCR as an example. Nothing in the HCR bill actually address the core problem with HCR - namely, the rising cost of premiums. He maintained the status-quo and fixed absolutely nothing.

Sure, insurance companies now have to cover people with pre-existing conditions, but nothing int he bill prevents insurance companies from raising the premiums so high that no one with a pre-existing condition can't afford them. He made it so you can have health care, but did nothing to make sure you have access to it. Or, in other words, you can have it, but only if you can afford it.

[babylonsister]

12. Hmmm. Lots of 'ignoreds' on here. lol! nt

[mkultra]

18. yup, i got em too

probably better off for it. Makes it feel less like FR and more like DU again.

[ibegurpard]

17. He says a lot of things

[DemocraticPilgrim]

19. With blue dog and RepubliCorp, yes he certainly is. 2 women on the Supreme court THAT is Pres. Obama

This bizarre notion he's a progressive dictator has to stop, he can progress as far as congress will let him that's where 2010 counts. As someone else said would Republicans put Warren in charge of consumer protection..no. If people want a public option set up a not for profit insurance company compete in the exchange.

[Exilednight]

20. If you actually read the bill, the exchange is a complete joke ..........

The only thing the exchange does is act as a non-profit broker between you and a for-profit insurance provider. So many supporters believe that this state-by-state exchange is suppose to be a competitive alternative compared to the PO was suppose to be, but many seem to misunderstand how the exchanges are going to work compared to what we could of had with the public option.

As far as his 2 SC appointments, they're not that liberal. Neither is Ginsburg. Sure, they're to the left of Alito and company, but so Liebermann, and I wouldn't want him on the bench.

You want real insight to the Supreme Court and how conservative it has become, including the so called liberals, read Toobin's THE NINE. And pay close attention to the part where he compares their rulings when it comes to corporate interests.

[ProSense]

21. "So many supporters...seem to misunderstand how the exchanges "

Actually, it's the non-supporters who don't seem to understand the plan

[HughMoran]

25. I've read enough

Nothing I can't read somewhere else, yet I come to DU to have intelligent discussions. Off to ignore...

[Exilednight]

28. Apparently not. n/t

[vaberella]

24. Great post...thanks Babylonsister. n/t

[TheKentuckian]

26. Jayhawk conservative running as a Democrat because he is black, doesn't want to live in BFE,

and is a social"moderate".

Total free market, supply side, establishment pol.

[Enrique]

27. does Robert Gibbs know this?

he's going to think his boss is on drugs.

[and-justice-for-all]

29. I believe Obama is truely progressive...

that he wants us to move forward. But the way in which he has to get us there is tricky and can not be done over night.

[Jakes Progress]

30. General return back patting and self-congratulations all around.