Obama (To O'Reilly): I'm not moving to center ("I haven't -- I didn't move to... I'm the same guy,")

[kpete]

Source: The Hill

Obama: I'm not moving to center
By John T. Bennett - 02/06/11 06:23 PM ET

President Obama on Sunday dismissed the notion that his administration in recent weeks has pivoted toward the political center to raise his approval ratings as the 2012 campaign nears.

After ushering through Congress measures to throw a lifeline to troubled U.S. corporations, stimulate the economy and dramatically overhaul the nation’s healthcare system, Obama has since cut a deal with congressional Republicans on taxes and called for a freeze on most federal spending.

But when pressed Sunday during a live interview with Fox’s Bill O’Reilly on what political analysts say is a clear sprint toward the center, Obama dismissed the notion with a "no."


"I haven't -- I didn't move to... I'm the same guy," he said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/142381-obama-im-not-moving-to-center

[Dawgs]

1. He's right. Didn't move, he's always been there.

Too easy.

[harmonicon]

2. agreed. nt.

[molly77]

8. Right wing if you ask me.

[ronnie624]

33. No points for submitting to an 'interview' by Bill O’Reilly, either. n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

52. +1000! Probably always was.

[L0oniX]

7. +1

[No Elephants]

15. Maybe, but Obama the President is to the right of Obama the Presidential campaigner; and perhaps

Obama the Presidential campaigner was somewhat to the right of Obama the Presidential primary campaigner.

[WCGreen]

31. Spot on....

[Citizen Worker]

23. Thanks, Dawgs for saying what I wanted to say and what needs to be said.

[MissDeeds]

26. Agreed

Now, let's all rally around the "Dem" candidate for his re-election.

:puke:

[FourScore]

66. Just to the right of Reagan. Too bad he didn't campaign there so we'd have known. n/t

[Myrina]

80. No shit. Truth in advertising would have been nice.

n/t

[The Wielding Truth]

3. I had to explain while doing house to house for him that he was a centrist.

I'm not surprised, but on somethings I thought that he would be more demonstrative,like gitmo and the development of greener fuels.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Obama never ran on, say, a public option for health insurance

It was actually a hologram made to look like him.

And who can forget his "bankers first, let's cut Social Security" speech in Dayton?

[Edweird]

6. Facts are indeed persistent things. YouTube is a double edged sword.

[Kurovski]

11. Thank you Manny.

+1

[No Elephants]

16. Yep. He ran on public option AND no mandate. And fixing his FISA vote. And, and, and.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

18. Guantánamo

[bvar22]

19. Video is forever. Somebody tell Obama.

Lets check the video:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-june-15-2010/respect-my-authoritah

[The Wielding Truth]

21. This is eye opening.

[PoliticAverse]

22. Anybody that thinks Stewart only picks on Republicans really needs to see that video... n/t

[Youth Uprising]

29. Reading some of those comments from Ron Paul supporters

makes me want to pull my hair out! I can't stand libertarians. They're like a bunch of cultists. They're possibly the most obnoxious type of right-winger. They're all smug, now that Obama has betrayed his base.

So does this mean the Democrats are gonna call Jon Stewart a racist too...just because he had some negative things to say about Obama? Democrat 1: "Did you hear what Jon Stewart was saying about Obama?" Democrat 2: "Yeah, time to pull the race card...again." RON PAUL 2012!!!

No, idiot. Legitimate criticism about the president does not make you a racist, but the utter hatred of this man that came at him from the right, when he hadn't even been in office yet, was based on race.

[MannyGoldstein]

41. Everyone should take a moment and watch that video.

Thanks.

[Enthusiast]

49. Obama was a

manufactured persona. He was groomed to be someone we would enthusiastically vote for, and believe in. What was the motivation for this? Why did TPTB go to all the trouble to bring us this Trojan horse that is Obama? I'm afraid we're about to find out as they dismantle the remnants of the New Deal and continue on the path of the previous corporate/military Bush Administration.

[SammyWinstonJack]

55. Exactly.

:scared: :grr:

[Doctor_J]

62. Pretty grim

I now remember why I voted and campaigned for him.

[Poll_Blind]

84. Yeah, pretty much everybody here needs to see that. Because it speaks volumes about...

...the person we got versus the person we voted for.

PB

[panzerfaust]

58. Yep. I don't even have the will to post my usual "Yes, We Could've" Cartoon

Just too depressed that Obama turned out as I had feared.

So, will just post a soothing image from a few days ago found on my very favorite website

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

65. Wow, what an amazing photo! Thanks for the link. nt

[Dappleganger]

5. Thanks for the reminder...

that you duped me, Sir.

[Raine]

9. I guess he didn't, too bad that he pretended otherwise

when he was running ... CONGRATS to him he sure took me for a ride. I was so made into a fool for believing he really meant the things he said ... it won't happen again. :mad:

[UnrepentantLiberal]

75. That's the worst thing he's done.

We thought for once we weren't being lied to. Suckers.

[MasonJar]

10. He's the same guy alright, just not the one he said he was in the campaign.

[Psephos]

12. that says it all n/t

[Doctor_J]

13. I can't believe he's trying to make friends with Fox "News"

and its addicts. thoroughly disgusting

[MissDeeds]

28. Maybe courting his base?

He sure as hell isn't courting the left.

[Lorien]

36. And legitimizing their insanity. nt

[Capitalocracy]

40. yeah... he's not gonna get a lot of votes from them

no matter how much he courts them

[Skittles]

37. what's not to believe?

he has long kissed repuke ass

[Major Hogwash]

14. "what political analysts say is a clear sprint toward the center . ."

Were these the same assholes who said McCain was a viable choice?

Or kept quiet and didn't say that Palin was lacking any obvious signs of intelligence when she said that she didn't know North and South Korea were 2 separate countries?

Are these the same buffoons that supported Bush in 2004?
Or in 2000?

Because if they are, they are full of shit, and always have been!!!

[No Elephants]

17. How do we know where Obama "really" is?

All his "present" votes, his saying one thing while running and another after his election? I'd hesitate to say Obama is "really" left or "really" right or "really" center right. I'd say only that he is a man who has carefully protected his career options.

Ditto President Clinton, who sometimes seemed to govern more by poll than by principle or conviction and has now disavowed/rationalized away some of what he did as President.

[defendandprotect]

20. I agree -- Obama has moved to the far right in undermining Social Security -- !!

[TheWraith]

24. Your statement has absolutely no connection to reality.

You saying something doesn't make it true, particularly when it's demonstrably false.

[Divernan]

56. Three words: The Catfood Commission

[stevenleser]

70. Seven words: "Which had no effect on Social Security" nt

[defendandprotect]

67. Obama has reduced the FICA tax, undermining Social Security's ability to

draw in sufficient assets -- this is undermining the system --

Further, in 2014, upon Obama's agreement with the Repugs there will

be $500 billion cut from Medicare!

Obama also set up the notororious Repug Alan Simpson in leadership of the Cat Food

Commission -- someone who has always been biased against Social Security -- and a man

who made a disgusting display in attacking Prof. Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas

hearings --

Look at what Obama's FCC just did with permitting Comcast to take over NBC!

Look at his back room deals with Big Pharma to protect them from having to negotiate on

drug prices for Medicare -- despite the fact that every one of these companies has

DEFRAUDED Medicare in the past!

On and on --

Look at every appointment Obama has made -- and you'll see corporate connections --

from the first with Rahm Emmanuel/DLC-corporate wing to the last --

Time to wake up!

It's over --

[IScreamSundays]

25. We need to abandon the left/right paradigm

the divide and conquer strategy has been working for decades.

[No Elephants]

34. +! VERY well said. It has not been about left-right for 20 or 30 years.

[stevenleser]

72. We need to abandon the "We need to abandon the left/right paradigm" paradigm

People who spout this kind of thing remind me of punk rockers in high school. They thought they were being so interesting and against conformity but they were instead mindlessly conforming to a different conformity.

[FourScore]

82. When will we abandon the abandonment of abandonment?

(Sorry. I got abandonment issues.)

[grahamhgreen]

27. He'd have to make a sharp left to get anywhere near the center.

[defendandprotect]

69. Agree ... we now have a right wing party and a radical right wing party ...

if Obama is in the center of that, he's on the far right!

[Roci]

30. I'm sorry, Mister Obama

but it's impossible to say "Yeah, Right!" Loudly or cynically enough.

[Democat]

32. Why is he kissing Fox news butt?

I'll never understand it.

[kirby]

63. It is part of his move to the right that he denies. n/t

[BlueIris]

78. It's an attempt to get the rest of CorpMedia to be nice to him.

So were the bribes to the corporations. It's not going to work.

[Lorien]

35. He'd have to move to the Left to get anywhere near the Center

Just because the RW has redefined what the "center" is for 30 years doesn't change where it truly is in the scheme of global politics.

[Vinca]

61. The "center" has gradually moved to the right.

The "center" is the former Republican party and Obama would fit right in.

[bvar22]

68. The "center" is well to the right of the former Republican Party.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8vOQCnuhh4

[progressoid]

74. That clip is a keeper.

thanks.

[lib2DaBone]

38. Mr. Obama has mastered the art of ..."tell the people what they want to hear".....

Look right at the camera and tell the people what they WANT to hear.. then turn around and do whatever the Republican/Banksters want you to do.

God help us all if he guts-and-cuts Social Security... just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[Skittles]

42. he knows how stupid and gullible people are

anyone who truly paid attention saw right through him

[Tunkamerica]

39. I really wonder what this site would've been like during Clinton's presidency

[MannyGoldstein]

45. Some of us would be flagging bank unregulation,

job-obliterating "free trade" agreements with microwave countries, outsourced torture, etc.

And others would be telling us to grow up and stop our fact-free alarmist posts.

[Tunkamerica]

48. It would be illuminating

my time machine is 50% finished. I just need the science.

[Enthusiast]

50. Great Post!

We could almost write the posts knowing the present day responses from the various posters as we do.

[Buzz Clik]

54. I think we can assume that the same groups who are unhappy today...

... would have been hysterical then.

It's becoming clear to me that the "political left" is merely shorthand for "political leftovers." We don't have a lot in common.

[spicegal]

43. As far as I can tell, Obama has been consistent with his

campaign promises. He's always been centrist, but then this is the popular meme being pushed by conservatives and lapped up by the MSM.

[Enthusiast]

51. Did you watch the video?

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-june-15-2010/resp...

[RegieRocker]

57. Did you watch the video?

[panzerfaust]

60. Took the Blue Pill then? Try the Red One: Watch the video

since memory seems to fail

[barbtries]

44. i dont't think he should be giving time to fox

it just legitimizes them.

[Heywood J]

46. What was that again about the lips of politicians moving again? (NT)

[dotymed]

47. Candidate Obama, I thought (wrongly)

was to the "left" in that he wanted to help average people. President Obama has been firmly on the Right. Billo though, should be fired for interviewing a sitting President so disgracefully. President Obama should have told him "respect the office" and interviewed somewhere else.
We need a peaceful Revolution to rectify the last 30 years that have been sold.

[WVRICK13]

53. True

To move the the center he would have to move to the left. I will not vote in 2012 if this keeps up.

[quaker bill]

59. Unlike the majority here, I think this is accurate

He is precisely the same guy I voted for. Therefore very little of what has happened over the last two years came as a surprise or disappointment.

He was never that far to the left, from his Senate campaign forward. If he were well to the left, he would have never beaten Hillary Clinton to the nomination, and would not now be in the Whitehouse.

He has slightly changed the tone of the presentation, but has not moved a bit. There has been no "rush to the center" because he was there all the time. The notion that he was ever a radical is and has always been an illusion intended to create false fear on the right and self validation on the left. There never was basis for it in reality.

[stevenleser]

73. Exactly. n/t

[U4ikLefty]

85. He ran on the left & governs on the right.

He needed to run to the left of Hillary to beat her in the primaries. He basically told the left what they wanted to heat to get their vote.

Obama may be the same person, but was wearing a disguise during the campaign.

[Astraea]

64. You haven't moved to the right...

but you give Fox News credibility? Does not compute, unless you were on the right already.

[stevenleser]

71. Responses to political events by some here are really starting to be formulaic

1. How can this event/issue be spun to make Obama appear bad

2. When others note how it (the spin) is not fair, bring up red herrings (i.e. the Catfood Commission that had no effect on Social Security)

3. When Red herrings don't work, spout incorrect and previously debunked information (i.e. Obama still tortures)

4. Be sure to label people who defend the President as being cheerleaders/drinking Kool Aide, etc., even though all of us have at least 2-3 disagreements with the President that we will happily share (and have on numerous occasions)

5. Pat those on the back who agree with you and revel in your groupthink.

[bvar22]

76. Goes the other way too.....

This is EASY!

1. How can this event/issue be spun to make Obama appear to be the most Liberal/Progressive/Greatest president EVER!

2. When others note how it (the spin) is not accurate, bring up red herrings (i.e. You just didn't listen during the campaign. He has done exactly what he promised.)

3. When Red herrings don't work, spout incorrect and previously debunked information (i.e. Obama never ran on a Public Option)

4. Be sure to label people who disagree with conservative policy as being freepers, right wingers, Professional Leftist, drug addicts, haters, even though all of us have at least 2-3 agreements with the President that we will happily share (and have on numerous occasions)

5. Pat those on the back who agree with you and revel in your groupthink.

After all the rhetoric, spinning, and broad brush smears,
there IS the Video.
Video is forever:

Campaign Obama vs President Obama:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-june-15-2010/respect-my-authoritah

"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone


"By their works you will know them."

[Myrina]

81. +100

(sorry for the blatant "back patting" and apparent "groupthink") ;-)

[Proud Liberal Dem]

83. +1

Good observation. I'm thinking it's about time to take another brief "respite" from DU. This was the one place I could always come to seek comfort from fellow Democrats/liberals during Bushco's reign of (t)error. I've only gotten more and more demoralized coming here since Obama was elected President.

[underpants]

77. O'Reilly looked like a complete ass mostly because of Obama

Obama ruled that exchange all O'Reilly could do was cut him off and use touchtone words like "hate" "Muslim Brotherhood" "far left" etc.

[Myrina]

79. A case of : Don't believe what I say, believe what I do ...

... Ok, we'll take you up on that. You shouldn't have been our candidate, Sir. You were lying through your teeth and now the economy, our civil liberties, and what's left of the middle class continue to suffer for it.

:(