White House's Melody Barnes To Progressives: Don't Jump Off The Bridge!

[Ramulux]

"You know that scene in "It's A Wonderful Life" where George Bailey is standing on the bridge ready to end it all? That's where White House Director of Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes sees liberals now, as they await the GOP takeover of the House. In her metaphor, Barnes is a guardian angel of sorts, trying her best Thursday night to pull progressives back from the brink.

Speaking at the American Constitution Society's holiday party at the Center for American Progress last night, Barnes drew parallels between the famous Christmas-themed movie (one of her favorite films) and the situation liberals find themselves in post-election 2010.

Yeah, it's bad, Barnes acknowledged. But, she implored, think of how much worse it would have been if Democrats hadn't been in power at all.

For liberals, Barnes told the audience at the progressive legal organization's event, 2010 has been "a year of great accomplishment, but it has also been a very tough year."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/12/white-houses-melody-barnes-to-progressives-dont-jump-off-the-bridge.php?ref=fpb




The white house still really doesn't get it. This is a pretty depressing article. You know when you hear them making the whole "at least we arent republicans" argument, that we are in a real shit situation.

[wtbymark]

1. I won't jump IF.....

you stop cowering like pansies

[RandomThoughts]

2. On a positive note.

If you are thinking about jumping off the bridge, then it is still there :D.

Would be pretty silly to jump off a bridge you fight for for so long, heh.

[Vincardog]

3. When the RW is mad they worry about them bringing guns. When we are mad they worry about jumping off

bridges? WTF?
I want them to be scared of US.

I want to see primary challenges for every DLC 'moderate' elected official of the so called DEMOCRATIC party.

[EFerrari]

4. And they don't get that *we* are not on the brink. n/t

[monmouth]

5. I take her remark as sort of flippant...n/t

[hughee99]

6. Don't jump off a bridge, instead, go fly a kite or pound sand. n/t

[Donnachaidh]

7. liberals aren't on the brink -- they are pricing pitchforks and tar buckets

The attitude of some of these folks in this administration is disgusting.

[mmonk]

8. Quit burning it.

[Orsino]

9. It's warm and cozy in your office, and convenient to believe in angels.

But we need your boss to talk us off the bridge.

[ibegurpard]

10. for fuck's sake

so clueless...

[Wind Dancer]

25. +1

:thumbsup:

[xchrom]

11. Paging Melody Barnes: please pick up the nearest Courtesy Obvious phone.

Mr Clue has a message for you.

[Nite Owl]

12. Not contemplating jumping off

anything. They are the ones need to worry if we don't come out to vote, it's their jobs on the line.
No, the WH really doesn't get it.

[ProSense]

13. They get it

The message makes perfect sense, especially when a lot of pundits are telling people to jump, lose hope, give up.

[Octafish]

14. Keep your powder dry.

And leave it on the bridge.

[msongs]

15. obama = better than nothing. there's an inspiring leader for u lol nt

[madrchsod]

18. or...who else are we going to vote for?

[DeSwiss]

19. LOL!

:)

K&R

[valerief]

16. Well, you're just gonna push us off anyway. nt

[WilliamPitt]

17. DERP

[NuclearDem]

20. HUURRR DURRRR

[kgnu_fan]

21. Obama and his government needs to show he/it stands for true Democracy

[Warren DeMontague]

22. "Yes it's bad"... right, and whose fault is that?

Face it, you blew your mandate.

[asdjrocky]

23. The GOP take over?

When have they not been in charge?

[somone]

24. "So you PROMISE you'll CHANGE?"

LOL

[Bonhomme Richard]

26. Who's jumping? I'm being pushed. n/t

[northernlights]

27. earth to Melody...tell your boss to quit SHOVING US OFF THE BRIDGE....

for some reason I keep thinking about Randy Pausch's last lecture, or maybe it was one of his final interviews. I remember him talking about the one thing that saddened him was knowing that some day someone would shove his wife and kids off a cliff and he wouldn't be there to save them. That all he could do was try to stitch together as many nets as he could, while he could.

I didn't understand then what he meant. Boy do I understand now.

When I was a kid, I had a recurring dream about falling off a cliff. My family was always at the top of the cliff, sometimes ignoring me, other times watching. Once, my sister shoved me off and then stood there watching me fall...

Betrayal. Simple betrayal.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

28. I've met her several times and haven't been impressed. Seems like she's bored,

awaiting her next hair and nails appointment than she is about policy...or about liberals. No, thanks.

[Riverman]

29. Got it Wrong! Its the Here, George Bailey, who dispair for letting his townspeople

Down. He is the who listens to his "bettor" angel and decides to not dispair to fight the greedy old bastard (insert Republicans, Blue Dog Democrats, some of his advisors, Wall Street and CEO's of Big Oil, Coal, Energy, Banking, etc) Mr Potter, who is making life miserable for the people. That's who the hero is. Obama needs to see Its A Wonderful Life and get some courage!

Or metaphorically, jump aside, step back and let a real leader come to the fore!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

30. I hear you! A colleague of mine told me to go and rent It's a Wonderful Life. We all need to see it

again...and again...and again...

...and perhaps mail a copy to the White House.

[derby378]

31. Who said anything about jumping? We're just drafting Howard Dean for 2012

We voted for a Democrat in 2008, and we're still waiting for a Democrat to preside in the Oval Office. Dean would get shit done.