Republicans step up criticism of Obama

[OKIsItJustMe]

Source: Los Angeles Times

From the Los Angeles Times

Republicans step up criticism of Obama

Sen. John McCain and House Minority Leader John Boehner object to the economic stimulus plan. McCain also criticizes a Pentagon appointment and the decision to close Guantanamo.

By Peter Wallsten

January 26, 2009

Reporting from Washington — Republicans signaled Sunday that they would not be daunted by President Obama's soaring approval ratings, criticizing his proposed $825-billion economic stimulus plan, his strategy for closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay and his decision to exempt a top-ranking Pentagon appointee from new ethics rules.

Some of the sharpest criticism came from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the party's challenger to Obama in the election and the recipient of aggressive outreach as part of the new president's efforts to forge an image of bipartisanship.

Obama honored McCain on the eve of last week's inauguration with a bipartisan candlelight dinner, and he has solicited his former rival's advice on top appointments. McCain has returned the favor by pressing fellow Republicans to speedily confirm Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

But Sunday, McCain had few kind words for Obama's initial moves as president. He called it "disingenuous" for the White House to impose new rules to limit the influence of lobbyists but immediately claim an exemption for William Lynn III, the nominee to be deputy Defense secretary, who has lobbied on behalf of defense contractor Raytheon Co.

…

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-stimulus26-2009jan26,0,7544832.story

[yourout]

1. You can bet these assholes will fight anything that has a chance to actually help the middle an....

lower classes.

The pukes can not afford to allow the Dems to straighten things out or they will be out of power for a couple of decades.

[Name removed]

74. Deleted message

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

[Ikonoklast]

2. McCain can go piss up a rope.

His pals have stolen enough of the TARP money to last a hundred lifetimes, and the 'tax cuts for business' bullshit is DOA with the American public.

He is going to find out just how much pull he has left in this government.

Increasingly irrelevant.

[emilyg]

3. What - we didn't critize them?

Of course they'll critize.

[The Wielding Truth]

37. They have lost the election, and the power to demand anything.

What makes them think that their opinions are significant after they have caused so much damage with their opinions over the last eight years? They should be given the lack of credence they deserve. It's time to listen to a wiser voice, and let these odd balls bounce their ideas around the board room and not pollute our fledgling working democratic government.

[annabanana]

46. yeah we criticized... pity it got no airtime...

We were the tree falling in the forest...These guys have huge mics surgically implanted.

[marshall]

62. You were listening to the wrong stations

The gang at Air America were towing the line.

[annabanana]

71. I love them but the mic's too small, , Needs amplification. . . n/t

[Bigmack]

4. Can somebody tell me...?

The Dems DID win a handy majority in both houses... right?

WTF???

The Repub theories have been proven to NOT work... right?

WTF???

Pass the shit and get on with it.

Obama wants Repub support, and he ain't gonna get it.

[AndyTiedye]

14. The Repiggies Will Filibuster Everything

Pass the shit and get on with it.

If only that were possible. We still don't have enough votes to break the automatic Repiglickin' filibuster :(

Obama wants Repub support, and he ain't gonna get it.

That IS the problem. Without a few Republican votes, everything dies in the Senate.

[Bigmack]

21. If the Repubs start ...

filibustering things, the public reaction/pressure on them will be enormous. Obama is popular and perceived to be trying to fix things.

Remember when they shut down the government in '95? Gingrich was the bad guy.

[dbonds]

5. Remember what they did to Bill Clinton.

Don't assume because we won this election they are powerless. They will use this to try to smear us and turn the public against us in any possible way. Take a breath, enjoy the election win, but we still have more fighting to do. We have to counter and disarm their very powerful propaganda machine. All the players are still out there and they are not just sitting at home waiting for the next election.

[unkachuck]

6. my goodness, Johnny....

"...McCain had few kind words for Obama's initial moves as president. He called it "disingenuous"..."

....that's not very kind or bi-partisan of you, Johnny....are you and our Republicans Brothers and Sisters discontented about something?....did we hurt your feelings in any way?

....it doesn't matter, we still LOVE each other, right?....following the wishes of our new Father in Washington is very important to us Dems....please don't be mad at us....a little discourse or disagreement among best friends is a good thing, isn't it?....constructive criticism, that's what it is....

[Historic NY]

7. I guess the honeymoon is over...hell they didn't even stop to smoke.

[No Elephants]

33. During the honeymoon, someone usually gets screwn.

[jillan]

8. Wait a minute - McCain said he would close Gitmo when he was campaigning.

Guess gramps forgot that little fact.

[No Elephants]

32. When Pubs say something, there is always a big BUT that follows, though. I want

to close Gitmo, BUT, whatever will we do with the evildoers? Especially the ones whom we KNOW to be guilty but cannot prove anything in court because the confession is not admissible in court because...well, never mind why it's inadmissible in court.

[msongs]

9. "bipartisanship" = republicans STILL IN CONTROL despite "I won"

dems and obama got a rousing vote from the american people - are they gonna still let the repubs run everything or will they take the power they are given and USE IT?

Msongs

[Baltoman991]

12. Yes, they got

a rousing vote from the American people. But if one digs deeper, like Obama does time and again, he also knows that the American people are tired of the divisive politics and want to come together as a country.

Don't let them set the agenda I agree, but listen to them. Eventually one of them may come up with something that actually does work for we, the people.

[Baltoman991]

10. Guys like

Boehner, McCain and McConnell are either to dumb to get it or they really just don't care. It's obvious that the Republicans haven't learned a thing from 06 and 08. Or, they just don't really give a shit about the American people.

To continue to want to be obstructionists just blows me away. I guess when Democrats get to the number 100 in the Senate a light bulb might go off but I somehow think we'll continue to hear the Republicans saying "we know what the American people want."

[bdamomma]

65. the repigs just do not care about the plight of the american people

it is still us against them, and the media needs to be kicked to the curb too. Our fight is not over.

[scytherius]

11. I guess Rush really is the head of the GOP

Which is fantastic! Because all but the extreme right listens to these idiots.

[Optical.Catalyst]

43. The Republicans have nothing but talk, and Limbaugh is the biggest blow hard they have

I am glad Rush is their leader, he has lead them to defeat in 2006 and in 2008. The Republicans have no power in Washington - none.

Democrats hold the House, Senate, and the Executive Branch, all under the leadership of Rush Limbaugh. HA!

Let's encourage Rush to continue in his position as Head of the GOP. It will lead to their complete destruction.

[glinda]

13. McCain and Leiberman were smirking and smiling after the St. John's Service

Snarky buttfaces. Uggggggg!

[AndyTiedye]

16. Will LIEberman Continue to be a Reliable Vote For Repig Filibusters?

Of course they DID give LIEberman his knife back and he will use it on us again (and again).

[scytherius]

15. Um . . . BFD. n/t

nt

[AlphaCentauri]

17. in 6 month those reps will be eating their own political flesh n/t

[MADem]

18. There are so few of them, it just sounds like birdies chirping. NT

[DallasNE]

19. McCain's Entire Campaign Staff

Was nothing but lobbiests so he has no standing on this issue. Also, he choose to pick on $6 billion in spending in an $850 billion bill. Granted, I don't want unnecessary spending but this could best be called nit-picking. As we learned today, many of the problems with Gitmo are because the Bush administation kept terrible records on those held at Gitmo so it is very difficult to quickly determine who the really bad ones are and who the bit players are. Surely McCain didn't expect Obama to solve all of our massive problems in just 4 days.

[nolabels]

73. Why not? God built the world in six

Frankly, i wish Obama would slow down a bit, he is making me dizzy :crazy:

[villager]

20. They're trying to use their "Clinton strategy" of derailing the whole Presidency early

...smothering it in the crib, as it were.

Let's hope we're on to the cold-blooded bastards this time 'round...

[Left Coast2020]

23. I wish President Obama would get mad and tell these morons....

they had their way for 8-years and blew it. Now get out of the way, "I won". Seriously, I think he needs to understand these freaks have no intention of "bi-partisanship.

I prefer he that he would say, "get the F**k out of my face", but that will get them more pissed.

I heard John Boner on NPR today with his "work with us" bull. Obama needs to let these bastards know he won't play kissy-foot with them. I'm looking forward to that day.

[villager]

25. he has to totally call them out -- their tactics need to be exposed

in order to be neutered... Boner, and all.

[cosmicone]

22. Olympia Snow and Arlen Specter are the key....

They would not support a filibuster on everything because they are both vulnerable to lose. Many other repukes from swing states will waver as well. The democrats can remain in control --- as long as they grow a spine and a pair.

[NBachers]

30. They are NOT the key

Stop looking to them for salvation! They will continue to let you down every freaking time.

Christ, I just grit my teeth every time someone bows to these "reasonable moderate republicans" because they'll save us.

THEY WILL NOT SAVE US! THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PULL THE SAME SHIT THEY ALWAYS DO!

[No Elephants]

35. They will vote with us if they think they need to in order to get re-elected.

[BlueManDude]

45. The notion that Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are "moderates" needs to stop.

[Politicalboi]

24. Well President Obama

Should drop Lynn. You either do it all the way or don't. But we did win and there might be some Repubes like Hagel maybe that will go our way.

[freeradicalm]

26. Obama should dispatch and marginalize....

these rat-bastards into obscurity, posthaste, without blinking an eye, making an apology, or even giving an explanation.

[Patchuli]

27. Sore Loserman!!!!!

I smell really stinky sour grapes. Fuck Rethugs! We're always way nicer to them than they deserve.

[Prophet 451]

28. Knew it

I actually wrote a kind of nightmare future of the next four years (it's in my DU journal) about what would happen and this was part of it: The Rethugs filibuster absolutely everything, anything the slightest bit "socialist" (i.e. anything to the left of Gingrich)will not be allowed to make it to a floor vote. Naturally, this comes from the same hypocrites who threatened the "nuclear option" when Dems filibustered just a couple of their jihadist judicial nominations. Then, the right, assisted by their media echo chamber, will accuse Obama of not getting anything done about the economy.

This is how it always works. To the Rethugs, "bi-partisan" means capitulation to them in all significant ways; it means the Dems surrender most of their principles, the right doesn't budge an inch and w'll call the result a compromise.

[NBachers]

34. Then the word "Obstructionist"

has to be welded on to the word "republican."

The term "Obstructionist republican" has to be the catch-phrase that saturates everyone's brain.

High-level Democrats and media allies need to hit every media source and use the term over and over. A blitzkrieg of "Obstructionist republican" messages beating the hell out of these fuckers until it's impossible to think of "republican" without thinking "obstructionist."

Send hit-men and hit-women. Don't follow the usual procedure of using some weak-ass equivocateur who gets steamrolled and looks like a standard mouse democrat wimp.

Let 'em filibuster. Use their filibustering as proof of their obstructionism. Turn the world against 'em.

Beats the hell out of hand-wringing "bipartisan" bog-wallowing. We extended a hand to them. This is how they responded.

Go to War against these fuckers! Don't waste time!

And get Franken into the Senate now!

[Prophet 451]

39. Well said

Only problem I can think of is that the MSM is a right-wing echo chamber. Now, we also have our own media (Air America, Olbermann, Maddow, etc) but it's nowhere near the size or power. One way to counter that would be, when MSM requests a Democrat, don't send the usual milquetoast, send someone tough and eloquent (Franken will be useful there) who can fight just as rough.

[EFerrari]

29. Okay, all you DUers who write. Get busy!

[No Elephants]

31. Let me try to get this straight: No one had ethics rules before, but Obama is bad for

instituting them because of an exception? Without his own rules, Obama could have hired this guy and hundreds like him and no one would have had a thing to say about it. And McCain calls OBAMA disingenuous? It's McCain's trumped up criticism that is disingenuous. I hope more people finally see MMA (Maverick, My Ass) McCain for the doubly dishonest shill he's always been.

[acmavm]

36. What was it that the repubics used to threaten all the time? To haul out

the 'nuclear' option? What exactly would that entail and maybe we should take that baby off the shelf, dust it off, any use it ourselves.

[HillWilliam]

57. Reid doesn't have the testicles

and Pelosi doesn't have the spine. They've both amply demonstrated that, even with overwhelming support from the American public. Pardon me, but I just don't see that happening, even with the backing of the voters and of the POTUS. Hell will freeze over first before either of those two ever stand up to repug atrocities and to what the American public demand of them.

I have a hat here I'll set aside for delectation with hot sauce and ketchup if either of those two milquetoasts ever hauls out the nuclear option. But I heartily doubt I shall ever taste it.

[acmavm]

58. I agree. Unless Obama does a number on the DINOs.

[HillWilliam]

59. Our new POTUS doesn't seem to mind

putting truth out there and letting it walk on its own hind legs. I noticed in the vids the other day he did take a couple of quick glances at the jellyfish at his side as if to say, "Look, here. This is how it's done. Now, go do your job; ie, the will of the people who elected you. Why are you sitting here? GIT!".

With each passing day, I have greater and greater respect and admiration for President Obama (DAMN! that sounds good!) and less and less for the Senate and House Leaders. I could be wrong, but the appearance is if we had a 99:1 majority in the Senate and the lone pug pitched a fit, Reid would still do things the pug way. Ugh. How in the world does that man keep his seat?

I am sick unto death of 30 years of pug wrack-and-ruin, whining, spinning, lying, and theft. Boner and McConnell need to have a boot in their arses and need to be told to SIT DOWN and STFU. We tried it their way since RayGun and -- guess what -- the Trickle-Down Theory turned out to be the Drizzling Shits.

No more Permanent Republican Leisure Class.

[Enthusiast]

38. This was predictable as

the sunrise. Their efforts are to sway public opinion. This is no different than their behavior against Clinton.

[No Elephants]

40. Al Qaida and Pubs criticize Obama--stories within a couple of lines of each on the

front page of this forum this morning.

[AsahinaKimi]

41. Let them moan, groan and bitch..

The people in this country voted with good conscious. They lost. Our side won.
If they think the world is going to end by next year, they will just have to wait and see, won't they?. They are still using the fear tactics with hopes of renewing the fear and divisiveness they brought forth over the last eight years.

They have two choices. Either get on the train or stay behind. Either way, the train is already rolling.

[and-justice-for-all]

42. Quick! Call the Whaaaambulance!!!!!!

Republicans, the only thing that stands in the way of progress.

[BlueManDude]

44. Not a single Republican voted for Clinton's first economic package.

You can't compromise with people who come to the table in bad faith.

[Vinca]

48. Bingo!

If the Republicans are doing anything, it's taping snippets of opposition for campaign commercials to use if they think they have any chance of winning an election in 2010.

[daggahead]

47. To quote our President,

"I won."

[The Wizard]

49. We've tried it their way

and decided to go in a different direction for good cause. Anyone taking these douche bags seriously
has a thought disorder.

[Jefferson23]

50. Say what you will ReTHUGlicans, at your own political peril.

I can't stand these idiots, and if they want to ignore how many Republicans voted for Obama, they will lose more elections.

[Lost4words]

52. this is how the repukes defanged Clinton early in 1993,

my how we have forgotten so much in just 16 years!

Wake up America the time to work is now, otherwise!? same ole same ole!!

8643

[Jefferson23]

61. Nothing has been forgotten, and the American people have learned

a great deal about how well Republicans run the country, they taught them well.

[Lost4words]

51. McCain was a laughing stock, Obama gave him respect

and this is triditional repuke pay back!

[sofa king]

53. They screwed it all up themselves, couldn't fix it themselves...

...and now they're whining about how the next poor guy is trying to fix it.

This reminds me of one of the few times my old man got really ticked off at me. I was a know-it-all teenager with a bad attitude, a date that night, and a Volkswagen Beetle that wouldn't run that day.

"Isn't there something you can do to get it started up, Dad?" I whined.

"What you can do is shut the hell up, open that damned cowl, and start trying to figure out what's wrong with it, or stand aside and pay attention while I show you how to figure it out" he said, tossing an oily rag at me that soiled my hideous polyester date-shirt.

The old man was showering me with wisdom and favors that day, though it took me decades to figure it all out.

[LynnTheDem]

54. EXCELLENT!!! The more the republic party whines and bitches about Obama...

the more seats and the more members the republic party will lose.

Talk about "out of touch" Mccane. Hey John, the vast majority of Americans agree with Obama re Gitmo, and have for years.

Get with it, buddy, it's 2009. :eyes:

[GinaMaria]

55. Wow. What took them so long?

:sarcasm:

[LynnTheDem]

56. John "maveriky" McCane flip-flops yet again!

"Yes. I would close Guantanamo Bay."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/06/60minutes/main2658405_page5.shtml

[Frustratedlady]

60. Someone needs to give Rove something to do...

like work on his defense at one or more of his upcoming trials. He has too much time on his mouth.

[BanTheGOP]

63. This is why the republican party must be banned...

...and let the other political parties, such as the Green or the Socialist parties, have their say. There is enough diversity of thought to allow for a large amount of parties without the republicanist agenda.

[marshall]

64. Some countries get along quite nicely with just one party

It can be done.

[acsmith]

69. idiotic

i think you are an idiot.

[bdamomma]

66. more house and senate cleaning up for us in 2010

we need to vote them out!!!!!!!!

[marshall]

67. After all the deference given to Bush they need to STFU!

Everyone on capitol hill was biting their own tongues after 9/11 to keep themselves from disagreeing with Bush's decisions, and the bending over backwards continued thoughout his presidency. They need to just shut up now and let a new man lead.

[Generator]

68. McCain is such a snotty ass

Seeing him spouting for a clip, I just want to slap him. He drips derision. . He reminds me of a father that is a loser, always thinks he knows best, and is constantly undermining you.

[tanyev]

70. This just makes McCain look like even more of a jerk after Obama held that dinner for him.

[TankLV]

72. I'm shocked, SHOCKED at this news!

I mean, who could have seen THAT one comming...!