Obama told Senate Democrats he wished "left-wing groups" would back off attacking Blue Dogs

[Robbien]

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/05/thinkfast-august-5-2009/

MoveOn.org recently announced it would place ads to pressure centrist Democrats on health care reform but yesterday, President Obama told Senate Democrats that he wanted “left-wing groups” to back off. “In this context about the less productive tone of the debate in Washington, he said he didn’t like to see ‘left wing groups attack fellow Democrats,’” a While House official said.

-------------

Blue Dogs have been attacking the Democratic party every single day, every single minute. The moment the non-Blue Dog Dems stand up for themselves, the President tells them to back off.

[cynatnite]

1. I hope he had his fingers crossed when he said that. n/t

[spanone]

21. bet he did. he's getting the shit from every direction.

[gratuitous]

22. Well, if Obama wanted it to stop

Wouldn't he have directed his remarks to the "pressure groups," and not the folks feeling the pressure?

[yourout]

2. Well.....the Blue Dogs are attaching Dem principles. What the hell do they think we should do?

Just roll over like the majority of the Dems in the Senate.

[redqueen]

3. That white house official can forget about that having any effect.

Obama doesn't get to dictate the reactions that people have to this corporatist bullshit.

[mitchtv]

4. Isn't that special,

He defends the crowd working against health insurance reform, and for the insurance companies.

[aquart]

6. Impressive.

[Bolo Boffin]

5. He's the one that quoted FDR on making him do things.

I expect that he will learn to live with it.

[babylonsister]

7. But not really...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8570215&mesg_id=8570215

snip//

...there's very little evidence to suggest the White House is doing anything to pressure those applying the pressure, beyond saying nice things to members of Congress about how awful it must be to feel so much pressure.


http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/president-obama/senator-nelson-obama-agrees-with-me-lefty-groups-attacking-me-are-bac/

snip//

Obama’s own political operation, Organizing For America, has been known to pressure members of Congress, Democrats included, to support Obama’s health care plan. And Nelson doesn’t seem like the most credible of messengers here.

[redqueen]

15. Isn't Organizing for America the group that ran ads in Blue Dogs' states?

Weird.

[babylonsister]

17. Yes, quite possibly with Obama's blessing, which is why this OP

isn't quite accurate, depending on your POV.

[Botany]

8. my letter to the president

Dear Mr. President

No.

Botany

p.s. Co-ops are just a way to keep the insurances companies that have been
screwing us for years on the gravy train. Single payer national health care.

[stuball111]

23. Let Me add my name to that...

Dear Pres... Ditto... NO... I'll back off these rebel dogs when I see single payer and ONLY single payer on the table...FORCING me to pay a trillion dollar a year or so industry for shity health care will only make me move to Canada, and I'll take my friends with me...:toast: :grr: :pals:

[Bonhomme Richard]

9. "he said he didn’t like to see ‘left wing groups attack fellow Democrats,’

but was thinking to himself that it needed to be done.
My thoughts.

[lib_wit_it]

35. I don't see how the Blue Dogs qualify as "fellow Democrats." They are, to me, DINOs, estranged

from the party by their tendency to impersonate Republicans.

[Bjorn Against]

10. There is a double standard that has existed long before Obama

When the so-called "center" goes against the party and sides with Republicans it is said that they are "willing to work across the aisle and find common ground", when the left speaks out against members of their own party on the other hand then they are vilified as "extremists".

The truth is that the real extremists are those who support illegal wars of aggression, support torture, and support a health care system that values profit over health care. It doesn't matter whether they call themselves conservatives or centrists, an extremist position is an extremist positions and many of the Blue Dogs are far more extreme than anyone on the left who I have ever met.

[mod mom]

11. Huff Po: WH Has Not Told Progressive Groups To Stop Targeting Dems

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/05/white-house-has-not-told_n_251917.html

[mvd]

14. Could be a case of telling them one thing but not..

really believing it. We'll see what happens.

[redqueen]

16. The divide and conquer crowd is really working overtime now...

with billions at stake, I can't say I'm surprised. Anything to distract people from the goal... anything at all.

I love this response:

"Since they are obviously working, we guess it's time to increase our ad buy a second time, shaming Nelson for putting his out-of-state insurance contributors ahead of his own constituents," said Green.

[Uzybone]

12. read more..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/05/white-house-has-not-told_n_251917.html

[napoleon_in_rags]

13. ITs a tough one.

One one hand, the seemingly obvious fact that we shouldn't attack our own side. On the other hand, the PEOPLE chose progressive government, filled the Oval Office and congress with large Dems, expecting progressive government. And then they magically STILL can't get anything done because blue dogs, who are actually twisting the will of the people to the right.

edit: On further contemplation, we probably should do as Obama says. I will. Grudgingly.

[zbdent]

18. so we're trusting Politico (with their agenda) to tell us what an unnamed "White House official"

said that Obama said?

REO Speedwagon did it pretty well ... "Heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another ..."

Politico's leanings can be guessed at by: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8536113#8536160

[gkhouston]

19. I've heard this before and nobody had to stay after class to clean erasers.

Color me unimpressed.

[elleng]

20. 'Stand up for themselves'

is not what he wants, perhaps because its so much 'us' vs. 'them,' and he'd like to reduce that approach w/in the 'party.'

[Robbien]

27. The only way to reduce that

Is for non-Blue Dogs Dems to become corporate loving, gun toting, warmongering greedy SOBs, or in other words Blue Dogs.

[Vidar]

24. Obama's way too cozy with the corporate types.

[kjackson227]

25. I think this is taking Obama's words out of context to a certain extent...

Obama said that instead of attacking each other, we should be more focused on spending resources that help push HCR through. This was an article published by the Washington Post back in July of 2009, but I can't find it, but I did find a copy on someone's facebook (it is longer than four paragraphs).

Edit- The link below does work after all.
****************************************************************************************************

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/03/AR2009070302309.html?wprss=rss_nation

President Obama, strategizing yesterday with congressional leaders about health-care reform, complained that liberal advocacy groups ought to drop their attacks on Democratic lawmakers and devote their energy to promoting passage of comprehensive legislation.

In a pre-holiday call with half a dozen top House and Senate Democrats, Obama expressed his concern over advertisements and online campaigns targeting moderate Democrats, whom they criticize for not being fully devoted to "true" health-care reform.

"We shouldn't be focusing resources on each other," Obama opined in the call, according to three sources who participated in or listened to the conversation. "We ought to be focused on winning this debate."

Specifically, Obama said he is hoping left-leaning organizations that worked on his behalf in the presidential campaign will now rally support for "advancing legislation" that fulfills his goal of expanding coverage, controlling rising costs and modernizing the health system.

In the call, leaders of both chambers expressed optimism that they will hold floor votes on legislation to overhaul the $2.2 trillion health system before Congress breaks in early August.

For his part, the president vowed to use his strong approval rating with voters to continue making the case for sweeping reform, according to one congressional staffer with knowledge of the conversation. Obama also hinted that efforts are under way to discourage allies from future attacks on Democrats, according to the source, who did not have permission to speak on the record about the discussion.

In recent weeks, liberal bloggers and grass-roots groups such as MoveOn.org, Democracy for America, Service Employees International Union and Progressive Change Campaign Committee have targeted Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Arlen Specter (Pa.), Ron Wyden (Ore.) and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.).

A fundraising video produced by Democracy for America suggests Landrieu is a "sellout" because she has received $1.6 million in campaign contributions from the health-care industry and has yet to endorse the concept of a government-run health insurance plan to compete against the private companies. The public-option concept, which Obama supports, has become a litmus test for many pro-reform activists who accuse the insurance industry of failing to deliver affordable, accessible care.

"Tell Senator Landrieu to support the people of Louisiana, not insurance companies," the spot concludes.

Founded by former Vermont governor Howard Dean, Democracy for America argues that inclusion of a Medicare-style public option in health-care legislation is "non-negotiable."

[provis99]

26. Obama needs to start LBJing their blue dog asses

I wish he would quit making excuses for them. They don't need coddling, they need strict disipline!

[depakid]

28. Good luck with that

First of all, it's not his style but more to the point, he's essentially one of them himself on most issues.

[mmonk]

29. When they quit attacking us and progressive causes.

Fair is fair.

[Individualist]

30. Blue dogs "fellow" Democrats?

Hardly. Blue dogs are neocon enablers.

[Bluerthanblue]

34. this is the kind of stuff that doesn't help anything-

:shrug:

Criticize the position- state why their position is wrong, rather than the "they suck" namecalling. I think that is what Pres.O was asking for.

Which isn't too much, IMO-

:hi:

[madrchsod]

31. good god it `s another piece of shit from politico.

"staff writers" and "unnamed source"...

an eight grade english teacher would give that article an E.

[Better Today]

32. To heck with that. Unless he has some scheme up his sleeve

if the Blue Dogs manage to pass a bill that doesn't have a public option or better yet single payer option in the bill. I sort of wonder at his tactics to date. He's not gotten involved in the writing of the bill or pushing fellow Democrats, or even demanding certain considerations. It's all been commenting and requesting and such. I wonder if he has some idea as to a solution that will only work if and when the Congress fails miserably, like perhaps what one fellow DUer mentioned a few weeks ago, lowering the age for Medicare eligibility with an executive order or something similar. (Secretly hoping, but seriously doubting)

[Bluerthanblue]

33. the word "attacking" is key, I believe- there is a difference

between questioning the position of the "Blue Dogs" and letting them know why that doesn't sit well, and "attacking".

Feedback is vital, I don't believe Pres.O is discouraging that, but rather the vicious, condemn the person- kind of crap that is so common everywhere lately.


:shrug:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

36. "Left Wing Groups" attacking "fellow" Democrats.." Red Scare much?

[Vincardog]

37. If BO wants the progressives to leave the Blue Cross Dawgs alone, he needs to Tell the dawgs to act

and vote like Democrats.

[Jakes Progress]

38. But, but. maybe we can compromise on something.

How about we do whatever they want and they block all progressive legislation.

See. Working together.

[bvar22]

39. The "Centrist"/DLC has been attacking the Left Wing since the 90s.

Waaaaaa!
Those poor "Centrists".
:nopity:

Centrist/Moderate = 1/2 Republican