The masterful deflation of Donald Trump shows the power of Obama's chess.

[LoZoccolo]

[cliffordu]

1. That is exactly right. Played to absolute spot on perfection.

Trump eviscerated.

I am happy.

[LoZoccolo]

When you're really good, they call you "Cracker Jack".

[Schema Thing]

9. don't say cracker

[LoZoccolo]

10. You are obviously not a member of Generation X.

[monmouth]

2. Ain't it the truth? n/t

[KittyWampus]

3. He certainly has decent comic timing.

[gratuitous]

4. Now, if only T Rump were running for president

Yeah, it's a master stroke against a self-important martinet enjoying his vanity non-run for president. I wonder if President Obama could be troubled to use the power of that chess for something like running the country in a manner that benefits more citizens?

[cliffordu]

5. Only if it completely annoys you.

[LoZoccolo]

6. I think he does so day after day.

[KittyWampus]

Snuffing out that crap about the birth certificate was vital.

[WillyT]

11. And Something Else That Should Be Noted...

Seth Myers To President Obama: “I’ll tell you who could beat you: 2008 Barack Obama. You would have loved him.”

:shrug:

[Electric Monk]

14. +1

[gratuitous]

15. Shhh!

Apparently, we're supposed to be singing Kum Ba Yah tonight.

[LoZoccolo]

16. Seth Myers is now on the "automatic unrecommend" list.

[WillyT]

19. ROFLMAO !!!

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

You really do crack me up!

:evilgrin:

:hi:

[Hotler]

85. +2 n/t

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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

[BlueCaliDem]

31. Yep.The same idiots who were so bitterly bitter in 2000 who whined that Gore was no different than

Bush, but who, to this day, refuse to take responsibility for helping destroy this country under a Bush reign.

Ideologues with rose-colored glasses, with a few closeted racists tossed in, make up the bitterly bitter who come grace us with their bile, pretending to be Democrats.

[Armstead]

46. You're sounding pretty bitter here, yourself

[BlueCaliDem]

52. That's not bitterness. That's exasperation. Know the difference. eom

[Armstead]

83. I do know the difference -- Apparently you don't though

Has it ever even remotely occurred to you that what you call the "bitterness" of "the left" is actually exasperation at over 30 years of Democratic and policies that are not helpful?

The very fact that the same reasons for frustration in 2000 are being repeated under the current Democratic administration might legitimately be cause for exasperation.

[BlueCaliDem]

91. No. It's bitterness. The fact that many (not all) on the Left threw their vote to Nader in 2000

because "there's no difference between Gore and Bush", and gave us Duh-bya, speaks of bitterness, not exasperation.

If "the Left" were exasperated, not bitter, they would've moved quicker, campaigned more efficiently, to get their preferred candidates elected on town/city/municipal levels, and build their Party from the grassroots up, rather than commit kamikaze voting for Nader whose never held public office, for a party still struggling at the lowest level of government.

If I knew there was a viable Progressive Party, a real Progressive Party, and I knew they'd done their homework, building from the roots up, and I my vote wouldn't help the Repugnant Party into power again, I would vote straight Progressive.

By your own admission, it's been THIRTY YEARS. What are you waiting for? When will Progressives stop whining, get organized, and get serious for the Big Time?

[Armstead]

98. You haven't done your homework

You want to blame a symptom, rather than looking at the cause.

First of all if you think that "many" on the left voted for Nader you are overestimating how many chose that route rather than bite tongues and vote for Gore. Comparatively speaking, I think you'd find that a vast number more went for Gore (who did win more votes nationally than Bush).

But more important, you're weren't paying attention to the previous 20 years, if you think that "the left" (whatever the hell that is) had suddenly had a temper tantrum,. They HAD spent the previous years working in various ways on various levels to bring about constructive chgange -- including trying to at least nudge the Democratic Political Class further away from their embrace of the corporate ethic and right-wing Greenspan/Ayn Rand free-market policies.

Not all of their efforts were in the realm of partican polics either. Many had (have) worked hard on the community and state and national levels to bring about constructive chgange -- and in many instances did so. Just because it was not "partisan" doesn't mean it wasn't productive and iumportant.

That prior history is one reason many liberals and progressives were (and are) so exasperated at the Centrist Democratic Party. While grass roots progressives were working for positive social change, their knees were regularly being cut off in the political/governmental realm by the Centrist Democrats like Clinton.

[SidDithers]

48. +1...nt

Sid

[aikoaiko]

8. or it shows he should have produced the birth certificate years ago to end the BS.

Trump was never a serious threat. He's just a showman.

[LoZoccolo]

12. By doing it now, he made a bigger spectacle of all birthers.

[murielm99]

42. That is exactly right.

And people who would have laughed at the birthers and moved on might not have stopped to examine the issue in depth. They might have taken the birthers for crackpots, but not racists. And they are racists.

I think more people get it now. And the people who get it are thoroughly disgusted by the thinly disguised racism of the whole non-issue.

This was well-played.

[checks-n-balances]

13. Perhaps, but he sure is emotionally vested in his public image

Maybe he doesn't realize that's all he is, because he took himself oh SO seriously tonight!

[aikoaiko]

22. Yes, but this whole thing is classic Trump PR.

He constantly inserts himself into things, creates controversy, looks like an ass, and somehow is happy because people are saying his name in the news.

The Donald somehow endures he innate douchebaggery.

[seabeyond]

18. the short form bc works for ALL of us. except obama, huh? nt

[aikoaiko]

20. huh?

:shrug:

[seabeyond]

23. he produced his short form bc years ago. short form works for everyone... but it seems, obama

he must provide a long form to appease people he belongs in this country. whereas i and everyone else get to belong with a short form bc which is what obama had provided years ago

[aikoaiko]

27. yes, obviously. That's why he produced it.

It isn't right, but there it is. I just hate that this who thing manufactured controversy even existed and was effective with so many people.

[seabeyond]

44. doesnt matter. reason doesnt matter to racist. nothing will be enough for racists. nt

[aikoaiko]

79. I agree, but I think there were folks who went along with birth certificate controversy

uncritically and not particularly out of racism. They were just gullible.

Yes, the racists will still be racists, but they will have to find a new way to manipulate the gullible.

[John1956PA]

33. Right! Today, my local paper published my LTTE stating that the long-form precedent is dangerous.

As it now stands, any one of us who is is challenged by the opposition might be required to produce our long forms (which are almost impossible to obtain) or else be at risk of having our citizenship rights nullified. What really gets me perturbed is that voices for the other party (e. g., Andrew Card) said - after the long form was released - that President Obama should have produced his long-form years ago. It seems that many members of the other party did not openly endorse the birthers, but definitely enjoyed seeing them raise doubts about the President's citizenship.

[BlueCaliDem]

38. I have mine. It was standard issue back in 1976 when my late father had to get it

in order to get my passport.

[BlueCaliDem]

36. Yep. Apparently, Pres. Obama didn't get the memo that as a black man

he's got to work three times harder than a white man in everything.

Who did this uppity black man think he is to expect to be treated on equal footing with a white presidential candidate? :sarcasm:

Edited to add sarcasm symbol - for those who might not get it.

[seabeyond]

43. i hear ya.... pisses me off, disgust me. nt

[aikoaiko]

80. I don't think its right that the President had to produce his longform BC to end the birther bs ..

...but my only point was to that if he was willing to disclose it I wish he had done so years ago.

I was fine with him essentially ignoring the birthers because I thought it was beneath him.

[malaise]

81. I disagree

He has forced the racists/ReTHUGS to expose themselves for the world.

[BlueCaliDem]

92. I agree with you in theory. In practice, that's what Kerry did,

ignoring the Swiftboat bullshitters because it was beneath him. Look where it got him. And us.

This is the age of the internet where rumor becomes truth if it's not snuffed out. Pres. Obama attempted to ignore it, but the Birthers only got stronger, as the poll numbers were showing.

To be clear, it should've been strong-voiced surrogates denouncing the BC myth, but Democrats aren't known for standing up for their fellow Dems when it comes to things like this, and Republican-favoring corporate media weren't looking up Democrats to denounce it, either.

It was essential President Obama used the bully-pulpit to produce the long form BC to stifle the growing belief he wasn't a natural born citizen. He did the right thing.

[seabeyond]

95. i dont think kerry ignored because beneath. but because factually/documentary it was lies

and obvious lies.

it had come out the april prior to aug, and stayed around for an afternoon. EVERYONE nipped it in the butt. media, and all. they scoffed. laughed. EVERYONE knew better

that is why kerry idd not immediately address

history revision is lame

[BlueCaliDem]

96. "History revision is lame". I agree with you, so why are you trying it?

The Swiftboat bullshitters were around day after day after day, day in, day out, and corporate media perpetuated those lies ad nauseam, but even today, you'll find people who stillbelieve it was all true.

To claim it was "around for an afternoon", and "nipped in the butt, media and all" is a prime example of revising history, because that's an outright lie right there.

[seabeyond]

97. the first time a presser was called was an afternoon in april. it last one newsday and put in trash

where it belonged.

over four months went by before it was ever brought out again. bush had broken the law extending his declaration and was still funded. kerry had followed the law and was no longer funded. aug when all were on vacation. that is when swiftboat brought it out a second time. and yes, it was day after day. and yes, people believed it. and yes, media fed it. it took a couple weeks before kerry responded

now, do tell me who know that history.

[BlueCaliDem]

99. No. I think you're right about the timeline there. Fact remained, Kerry ignored it until it was too

late. Then he simply wouldn't address it, thinking it would go away like it did that first time.

He should've fought harder to squash the rumors and the Swiftboat bullshitters.

It didn't go away as a result. The media did not nip it in the bud as they had before, and the media ensured people got the message that Kerry lied (when he didn't) and that he was unfit to replace an unfit misfit, Bush (which he wasn't).

I guess in this we are both right. We just addressed different periods. You addressed April, and I addressed August-October.

[cliffordu]

25. Trump represented the - distillation - of the most virulent of the shit heads

and served as proxy for the dog whistling Republican asswipes.....

Obama, in the last week, eviscerated all of them by shoving the long form up the Donald's ass.

and then mocking him in front of the big players in the Washington press corp.

The birth cert is a dead issue as of tonight. Obama buried it with the body of Donald Trump.

And that, folks, is serious chess.

[aikoaiko]

28. I see what you're saying, but allowing the lie to flourish for 3 years hardly seems worth it.

your mileage may vary.

[cliffordu]

30. I dunno - it was forgotten for a while (in a relative way) until recently -

And then the Donald picked it up and ran with it.......

But MY take on the timing here is this:

The Swiftboat asshole - the one that basically deep sixed Kerry has a book coming out about Obama's birthplace -

It's all garbage like the attack on Kerry - but that won;t matter - it's a FUCKING BOOK!!!!!

This book would give the press at LEAST a year of mindless jacking off to the theories, no matter how inane - and the birther meme could grow serious legs with the 'independent' voters - and effectively kill any discussion of the issues in the next year.

It would make Obama the issue and not the economy, the wars, the Chinese or the Ryans of the world.

He just killed all of that. I'd like to think it was planned, but I'll accept a happy accident.


As of tonight all the questions about his birth, his schooling, his grades, his SAT's and his hair color will be moot, rendered as stupid as they really are by the Prez and Seth Meyers, in front of the Washington Press Corps.

[turntxblue]

29. Loved your comment!

"The birth cert is a dead issue as of tonight. Obama buried it with the body of Donald Trump." Cliffordu, you DO know how to coin a phrase!!

[cliffordu]

32. Aw, shucks, thanks.

:hi:

[BlueCaliDem]

34. Riiiight. Because as a black man, Pres. Obama had to work 3-times harder than any white man

running, and becoming, President, because he's BLACK and he OWES it to us.

Until I've heard ONE person tell me which white president had to undergo such national ridicule, having to produce his long form BC to prove his legitimacy, yet continue to defend Birthers and TeaBaggers' idiocies about President Obama ending the bullshit controversy trumped up by corporate media, I call racism.

[aikoaiko]

41. Racism may have been behind the "controversy", but if he is willing to produce the long form BC

I would have rather he ended the "controversy" three years ago.

But if folks think that this was an exquisite strategic move to undermine a flake like Donald Trump, so be it.

[BlueCaliDem]

55. Trump was only ONE chump who needed undermining. TeaBaggers, the Birthers, the Afterbirthers

and other miscellaneous idiots, got their asses handed to them.

I guess President Obama shouldn't have given the American people undeserved credit for being critical thinkers. Many Americans who claim this to be a controversy, don't have the wherewithal, and just plain aren't the types for analytical, rational thought, so in that, you might be right.

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

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

[aikoaiko]

78. Oh for fuck's sake.....

The OP declares that our President was brilliant for presenting the long form BC now and crushing the birther BS and everyone cheers.

I say I wish he had done it years ago, and I'm an RW apologist. That's some bizarre criticism.

My comments won't be "shut down" on this site because your bullshit authoritarian approach to a discussion board is fucked up.

[Name removed]

87. Deleted message

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

[aikoaiko]

88. fortunatey you dont decide wihich posts get 'shut down' and which stay

Lol

[Name removed]

90. Deleted message

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

[msongs]

17. now if Obama would only do this to congressional republicans in the real world eh? nt

[Bluebear]

21. +

[LoZoccolo]

24. The reason that it's chess is that it is not immediately apparent.

[Forkboy]

47. Unless you're another chess player.

[LoZoccolo]

49. Even then, the first chess player seeks to decieve the second.

[Forkboy]

50. But the first player isn't always the best of the two.

[LoZoccolo]

53. Or the second player derides the game of chess altogether and wants to play "pencil break".

[Forkboy]

54. Which is why comparing life to chess is pretty simplistic, isn't it?

[LoZoccolo]

56. It might be, or it might be what checkers-players say when they can't understand chess.

[Forkboy]

58. Maybe. Or that might be what people who think they're clever just tell themselves to feel smart.

[LoZoccolo]

60. Donald Trump probably thinks that Barack Obama is smart.

[Forkboy]

61. You're trying too hard.

[LoZoccolo]

62. I also think that you are smart.

[Forkboy]

64. LOL

[LoZoccolo]

65. That was my chess.

[Forkboy]

67. Stick with Go.

[LoZoccolo]

68. I have found great reward in it.

[LoZoccolo]

72. Only when I set them to begin with.

[Electric Monk]

57. Would you like to play a game of chess some day? I think I'd enjoy that.

I'm sure we could find a way, on this interwebthingy :)

[LoZoccolo]

59. Do you play go?

[Electric Monk]

71. Do you shift goalposts?

[LoZoccolo]

93. #72 was meant for you.

[SharonAnn]

26. Are there some in the real world? I though Republicans were not officially

in outer space. or Loonyland. or right-wing heaven.

[Fool Count]

35. If now he would only use that awesome power for something

we care about slightly more than deflating of Donald Trupm's ego. Wouldn't it be something?

[BlueCaliDem]

39. He does. But against 100 Senators and 538+ House Reps, it ain't

that easy, especially when we have traitors in our midst in the Democratic Party. It's easier to play chess with one guy than it is with 638+ opponents, dontcha think?

But I know you understand the Executive is only ONE branch of our three co-equal branches of government, and Congress is the power, not the Executive, right?

[Fool Count]

45. Branches-shmanches. Everyone can make excuses.

That's even easier than making fun of Donald Trump. What exactly did he do for us, lately?
And by "us" I don't mean the richest 2.5%. That's you and his other faithful supporters who
he is playing his chess against. And gets them checkmated all over the board.

[BlueCaliDem]

63. Not excuses. Facts. But if you don't even understand that, maybe you should

read up on how our government works, and where the REAL power is. Hint: it ain't in the Executive - unless the President declares martial law.

[Fool Count]

73. Yeah, sure, silly me, how can't I understand that the Congress

has all the power and the President has none. That's why the Congress started to bomb Libya
without even asking Obama's permission. That's why the Congress didn't let the tax breaks for
the rich expire when they should. Obama surely could do nothing about it, could he? I'll ask you
again, what the hell that brilliant "chess player" did for us lately? I know he is not superman
but he does have at least some powers, does he? I am not really sure, I may be just too stupid to
grasp what those powers are. Enlighten me, please.

[BlueCaliDem]

75. You're right. You don't understand much. That''s why you needed to change the subject

I was referring to national policies and laws that pertain to U.S. citizens, and you cite Libya?? Libya is a whole different ballgame, and very much under the Executive powers because of power the U.S. gave the U.N. long before Obama became President. It's also much more complicated than you would probably want to understand.

Congress, and ONLY Congress, has the power to let laws - including tax laws - expire, or to extend them. The Executive does not. Congress is not for nothing the Legislative Branch of our government.

The President has urged Congress to address the expiration of unemployment benefits ever since June or so 2010, but Congress appeared to be deaf, waiting until nearly the end of the year when those benefits were set to expire right before Christmas, giving the Republicans the opportunity and power to force extending the Bush tax cuts (most in Congress are millionaires who would benefit greatly from the Bush tax cut extensions) while holding unemployment benefits hostage. To lay the blame on the President for extending the Bush tax cuts, is shortsighted at best.

To belittle Obama's chess playing prowess merely to deflate an overblown ego like Trump's without recognizing and giving credit for all the good things this President has been able to accomplish for us 98%ers, only shows your ignorance.

[Fool Count]

76. Not to make too fine a point of it, but I am pretty certain that I

understand way more than you ever will and not only that, I also do it much better, so spare me your
dimwitted condescension. Every idiot knows that Obama could have easily vetoed any extension of tax
breaks for the rich and that veto would have stood very safely. So it was fully in his powers to let
them expire but he chose not to. I am still waiting on any examples of those "good things" he allegedly
has done for us 98%ers. To equate a couple of flat jokes directed at the easiest target for ridicule
on earth to "chess playing prowess" shows your ignorance of what chess is.

[BlueCaliDem]

94. Not to blow my own horn, but you are so wrong it isn't funny anymore.

And, apparently, you don't know squat. That's pretty clear in your comments, so spare ME your ignorant condescension.

Every idiot paying attention at that time, knew there was NO way President Obama could veto extension of the Bush tax cuts without jeopardizing the unemployment benefits for hundreds of thousands of people right before Christmas. To do so would jeopardize keeping the WH and the Senate in 2012. But you, apparently, don't give a good goddamn about them. The President simply didn't pass your version of a purity test. Well boo-fucking-hoo.

I've explained, at length, in my previous comment how the process went, but you choose to ignore it and instead, reverted to TeaBaggerish patronizing. Take heart, I'm very good at it, too, Fool.

If you really want to know what he's done for the 98%ers you don't really give a shit about (since you have NO problemos allowing them to suffer just as long as you can spew your bile about the President, try googling. It's not only for dirty pictures and movies, you know.

And no one, least of all me, is equating a few jokes directed at a Republican favorite for pres as his "chess playing prowess". Fortunately, I'm not as shallow as you.

Despite all attempts by Brithers, TeaBaggers, GOPers, BigPharma, the whining Professional Left (who never voted for him to begin with) a recalcitrant Democratic Congress more in line with Republicans than the President, he's pushed the ACA through. It ain't perfect, but one bird in the hand is better than two in the bush, and it's a start. Rome wasn't built in one day. Civil Rights didn't become the real deal until a decade AFTER the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and ACA is the best we could get through this Congress.

Am I 100% satisfied with this President? Hell no. But I'd rather have him than a McCain or a Romney.

[Beth in MN]

70. I dare Trump to bring up Bradley Manning

The White House should be held accountable for their claims of transparency and protection of whisleblowers. Kucinich has tried but hasn't been allowed a visit to see for himself what the hell is going on.

[Fool Count]

74. I am sure if Trump brought up Bradley Manning, Obama would

just come up with another brilliant chess move ending up with Trump being ridiculed
and embarrassed and Bradley Manning still being tortured. That's why they call it "chess" -
because it is not obvious.

[AtomicKitten]

37. jujitsu

[Marr]

40. He's very good at campaigning, yes.

If only he used such sharp tactics to achieve the things he claims to want during campaigns.

[JackRiddler]

86. Yup. Suddenly he's a genius when it's about his own re-election, but policy?

Oh, nothing's possible on that front.

[fantomas]

51. Obama can take a joke. Trump can't.

Trump came off as the sore loser.

[AsahinaKimi]

69. Where is the footage?

I understand there was video footage of Trump walking out, never saw it. Anyone ?

[undeterred]

77. OK, Now lets see him do it to the oil industry.

[Motown_Johnny]

82. The guy was a joke to begin with. I see no victory in beating someone with no chance to win

Waiting for some birther to win the nomination, and Then releasing the long form birth certificate would have been a much stronger move.

[Better Believe It]

84. It was very funny and well done. But, let's also give some credit to his comedy writers!

They wrote the lines and Obama delivered them as well as any professional I've ever seen.

[Phoenix63]

89. Um.. more like checkers..

Don't need to be a chess player to outwit the incredible genius of the Republican party. Or Trump for that matter.

Hell even checkers is a bit much, maybe Connect Four?

But yeah Obama is a hell of a player.