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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAndrew Sullivan seems to have changed his mind about who he wants to be President in 2012:
You hear it everywhere. Democrats are disappointed in the president. Independents have soured even more. Republicans have worked themselves up into an apocalyptic fervor. And, yes, this is not exactly unusual.
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A president in the last year of his first term will always get attacked mercilessly by his partisan opponents, and also, often, by the feistier members of his base. And when unemployment is at remarkably high levels, and with the national debt setting records, the criticism willand should beeven fiercer. But this time, with this president, something different has happened. Its not that I dont understand the critiques of Barack Obama from the enraged right and the demoralized left. Its that I dont even recognize their description of Obamas first term in any way. The attacks from both the right and the left on the man and his policies arent out of bounds. Theyre simplyempiricallywrong.
A caveat: I write this as an unabashed supporter of Obama from early 2007 on. I did so not as a liberal, but as a conservative-minded independent appalled by the Bush administrations record of war, debt, spending, and torture. I did not expect, or want, a messiah. I have one already, thank you very much. And there have been many times when I have disagreed with decisions Obama has madeto drop the Bowles-Simpson debt commission, to ignore the war crimes of the recent past, and to launch a war in Libya without Congresss sanction, to cite three. But given the enormity of what he inherited, and given what he explicitly promised, it remains simply a fact that Obama has delivered in a way that the unhinged right and purist left have yet to understand or absorb. Their short-term outbursts have missed Obamas long gameand why his reelection remains, in my view, as essential for this countrys future as his original election in 2008.
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If I sound biased, thats because I am. Biased toward the actual record, not the spin; biased toward a president who has conducted himself with grace and calm under incredible pressure, who has had to manage crises not seen since the Second World War and the Depression, and who as yet has not had a single significant scandal to his name. To see what is in front of ones nose needs a constant struggle, George Orwell once wrote. What I see in front of my nose is a president whose character, record, and promise remain as grotesquely underappreciated now as they were absurdly hyped in 2008. And I feel confident that sooner rather than later, the American people will come to see his first term from the same calm, sane perspective. And decide to finish what they started.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/15/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-s-long-game-will-outsmart-his-critics.html
Response to jenmito (Original post)
peacebird This message was self-deleted by its author.
AtomicKitten
(46,585 posts)Ooops post #1 has since been deleted. Oh well.
Andrew Sullivan: "But all this is why a conservative like me is for Obama. What we are talking about here is who to support in a primary dominated by extremes, resentment, absence of ideas and Obama-hatred."
Hi Jen.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)I saw that line, but I could only post so much. Thanks for posting it.
Hi AK!
ETA: I read this in Sullivan's Dec. article, "Re-thinking The Paul Endorsement"-is that where you got it from?
Edit again to add: I see that you were trying to let me know that Sullivan was endorsing Ron Paul for the PRIMARIES. Thanks for the quote again.
FrenchieCat
(68,867 posts)Don't know if it fits here, but I do want to post it.
Subject: Lost
A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him,
"Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
...
The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.
She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be an Obama Democrat."
"I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."
The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Republican."
"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"
"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are -- or where you are going. You've risen to where you are , due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem.
You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's my fault."
VERY funny (not in a ha-ha way, but then again, kinda in a ha-ha way). And very appropriate for this thread, especially for certain readers who haven't posted on this thread (yet).
p.s. It's good to see you here! I haven't seen any posts from you until this one.
FrenchieCat
(68,867 posts)Because I realize that nothing I say to those on our side who prefer to continue piling negatively onto this President is going to make them stop and think about what it is that they are actually doing to themselves, and to the rest of us. In fact, they have so successfully turned me off politics to a point where I almost wish they'd get what they have worked hard for (the defeat of Obama), so that I can witness them in their deepest & darkest of despair if they were to successfully get their way....
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)"I'm not going to vote for Obama because he didn't give me what I want" But when we get to Nov 2012, most will fall in line. So don't waste your time with them. Just laugh it off.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)but I selfishly wish you'd continue posting here. I get lots of ammunition to use against others from your informative posts.
immoderate
(20,885 posts)The problem with these is that they are recyclable. I'm sure you'll find it on the net about Bush and Clinton, or many other politicians. I bet politicians tell it at rallies about each other.
But it's a cute story.
--imm
Enrique
(27,461 posts)he briefly endorsed Ron Paul, but that was for the GOP nomination, not for president.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)Last edited Mon Jan 16, 2012, 05:12 PM - Edit history (1)
was endorsing Paul for president.
ETA: It was YOU who started a thread and then deleted your OP about Sullivan supposedly saying Ron Paul '12=Barack Obama '08.
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)that I would support Obama too.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)so the less fortunate could do better in this country.
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)Ha, he gave in on that. After his election, the Bush tax cuts for the rich lasted for 4 more years, and he even increased them, throwing a payroll tax and estate tax cuts on top of them.
And just look at Obama's FIRST principle for tax "reform"
1. Lower tax rates and fewer brackets
http://tax.cchgroup.com/downloads/files/pdfs/legislation/deficit-reduction-plan.pdf
That is, he proposes 'reforms' to make the tax system LESS progressive.
How could a rich person not like that?
jenmito
(37,326 posts)and he said he'd veto any attempt to extend the tax cuts for the rich next time they expire, unlike the Repub. candidates, who want to extend them and lower them even MORE.
opihimoimoi
(52,426 posts)Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)He also voted for John Kerry in 2004. Seems like he'll be voting for Obama again in 2012.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)positions, and of all of the candidates on the Republican side, he likes Paul the best. (That bothers me, by the way.)
But, he does support Obama and wants him to be reelected.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)simple-minded neocon liar.
spanone
(135,792 posts)better than i've heard from a lot of dems
jenmito
(37,326 posts)brooklynite
(94,352 posts)His endorsement of Ron Paul only applied to the Republican Primary; I think it's been obvious for a while that he would be supporting Obama in the Fall.