Dowd: "impossible to sum up what Obama’s presidency is about right now, except saving his own job."

[Bluebear]

Sometimes she's catty, and sometimes her cattiness gets in the way of an important message. This time, the NYT's Maureen Dowd hit a home run:

So while the country has grown ever more scared, miserable, broke and broken, the president has too often been absent, quiet, ambivalent, impenetrable and inscrutable.

The master of his own narrative in print let the Republicans define the narrative in politics. And Obama likes to come in late, after the other players have staked out positions. It’s a strangely risk-averse tact, given the fact that he took two of the boldest risks in history — jumping into the presidential race in the first place and giving the kill order on Bin Laden on sketchy intelligence.
He always must be chided and cajoled before he gets re-engaged. Among other times, it happened during his campaign, when key donors went public with their displeasure at his laconic attitude.
When the president stays insulated with his little circle that doesn’t know how to push his messages, and he lets the nihilist Republicans go unchallenged in their crazy claims to be saving the country they’re hurting, he sets the stage for Rick Perry.

It’s still impossible to sum up what Obama’s presidency is about right now, except saving his own job.

http://www.americablog.com/2011/09/excellent-analysis-of-problem-that-is.html?m=1

[MadHound]

1. Yep, the truth in a nutshell n/t

[dionysus]

2. .

:rofl:

[SidDithers]

3. Maureen Dowd through Americablog. A winning combination...

:rofl:

Sid

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

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[Raine]

5. Sometimes I wonder if he even cares about his own job. nt

[dionysus]

8. right. he's just a lazy freeloader...

:eyes:

[Raine]

11. "lazy freeloader" ??? WHERE are you getting that from???

:eyes:

I'm wanting him to put up a real fight, sometimes he seems ambivilent about the job. Obama even said he would take one term rather than be mediocore. You're the one who threw lazy "lazy freeloader" in. x(

[Union Scribe]

29. From the same place his other posts come from

And it's not his head or the content of posts he's replying to, that's evident.

[1StrongBlackMan]

40. I wonder ...

And this is not directed to you, specifically, but you might be able/willing to provide an answer.

For those that want President Obama to "put up a real fight", do you all just stop reading when other DUers go in great detail explaining "putting up a real fight" thing is a waste of time and effort?

I mean what does the tough guy persona get, besides others trying to prove how tough they can be? So do you and others just want to be able to say we have a tough guy too? ... Rather than someone quitely and unassumedly getting stuff done?

It may not be all us Democrats/liberals/Progressive want, but do you really think that President Obama "putting up a real fight" is gonna somehow get us more?

Do you really think that is going to make republicans/teapartiers see the light? For that matter, do you really think that is gonna convert Blue Dog democrats into card carrying members of the Progressive Caucus?

[readmoreoften]

42. Yes I do. And I don't think we should bother voting for Blue Dogs.

They're not Democrats. Furthermore, I don't think that Obama's problem is entirely that he doesn't "put up a fight." He fights progressives and the left wing of his party all the time. I want him to fight the privatizers and the bankers. Failing that, I don't want him to help them.

[Raine]

43. I want him to get out there and tell the public the stimulus was a good thing

that and many other things he's letting the repubs claim was a failure. I want him to control the language not let them keep on saying "entitlement" like it's a dirty word.

[ProSense]

6. Wait

Maureen Dowd?

Aravosis: "This piece is an excellent distillation of the critique that many of us - left, right and middle - have of the President."

What?

:rofl:

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluebear]

23. ProSense why dont you comment on the piece instead of ridiculing the author?

Hmmm?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. That pretty well sums up this self serving administration's only real "priniciple".

[UTUSN]

10. Hey, MoDo, how're all those cocktail accomplishments working out for you?!1 n/t

[Bluebear]

14. Nothing about the article, just the author?

[UTUSN]

18. Gawsh, I've gotta do content against everybody who hates me?!1 n/t

[Bluebear]

19. Nobody hates you

I don't get it

[UTUSN]

20. Uh, I *do* detest MoDo for being a snarky whatever. She's always been against my Dems.

Do you empathize with enemy-HER more than DU-me?!1

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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

[Union Scribe]

30. You?

Why do Obama's ardent supporters always make it so personal? This isn't about you. Dowd sure as hell doesn't know you. And criticism of Obama is not about you, either, so why you and a lot of other posters seem to take it that way is a mystery.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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

[PufPuf23]

13. Sad but true.

We have a choice of between a POTUS that was an inspirational candidate but as POTUS was status quo with treaks and who staffed with neo-liberal and GOP appointees left in place. Bad legislation is passed on exchange for crumbs and touted as success. War and financial crimes are awarded.

Our other choice is some version of batshit crazy GOP.

This statement is tragically true: "So while the country has grown ever more scared, miserable, broke and broken, the president has too often been absent, quiet, ambivalent, impenetrable and inscrutable."

[Dragonfli]

26. More and more people are becoming aware of how screwed we 98% are with no help

to be expected from anyone on the political horizon, no matter the party.

We have allowed the party of the people to devolve into a co-conspirator that would have us all as slave labor feeding the wealthy, a country where those that have nothing to contribute to the wealth of the few are left to perish as useless eaters. A country where bloody empire for the profit of of an out of control military industry and a thriving new mercenary industry are gorged on the blood of those that are no threat to us in any military sense. A modern form of feudalism that is developing before our eyes.

Without a party to protect us from the unwavering desire of some to re-create this nation as a neo-feudal fascism it's rebirth will continue unabated on it's course toward the neo-feudal goal.

They are beginning to see that they are on their own now against the purchased post-partisanship that will lead us to that goal faster or slower, but on the same course, ever rightward ever more cruel and ever more a threat to their well being and happiness.

We are almost there and there appears to be nothing to stop it.

I blame us that are on the front of liberal thought for allowing our party to so easily be taken over by the republican castaways that dare claim to be more than what they are, purchased lackeys of the wealthy elite.

I blame myself for allowing myself to be used as shamelessly as any trailer park GOP member that would support and vote for what is demonstrably against their best interests and the interests of over 98% of the citizens of this country.

I blame the party faithful for so easily adopting and even cheering well known and deeply damaging right wing policy simply because they follow the party line (policies that they are well educated about and once fought against).

I blame the party itself for being so easily bought and co-opted by the policies of the Heritage Foundation and The Chamber of Commerce simply for a pittance in campaign contributions.


Without a party to oppose the neo-feudalists, what is left to stop them?
What can we do?
What can YOU do?

WHAT THE HELL CAN I DO!

The last sentence describes not only my feelings, but also the feelings of a growing number of citizens that can not help but see what is happening because it grows more blatant every day.

[struggle4progress]

15. Dowd's always superficial

[treestar]

16. What is it supposed to be about?

She can check Article II of the Constitution if she needs to know that.

All Presidents want to be re-elected and try if they have any chance and aren't ill. That's human nature.

[madinmaryland]

17. Dowd is relevant? Isn't she still concerned about what Al Gore is wearing??

:rofl:

[Blecht]

21. Thought she retired

Nothing Dowd has to say interests me in the slightest: Unrecommend and hide thread.

[Bluebear]

22. Bye....but everyone is shooting the messenger. Not a good sign.

[Number23]

41. Yeah, I don't think this is going the way the OP wanted it to

:rofl:

[Zax2me]

27. Consensus here last week - Greatest Speech EVER

What happened in a week?!

[Bluebear]

28. He makes great speeches that hasn't changed

[amborin]

31. i remember how his activity level seemed to sag at times during the campaign

[Broderick]

32. Not helpful

Just sayin

[Bluebear]

34. Journalists aren't supposed to "help"

[Broderick]

36. I disagree with Truman

Just sayin.


She is not a journalist.

[Major Hogwash]

33. She can't get hired on Michelle Bachmann's team fast enough now.

I wonder what Maureen's first priority is in life.

"When the president stays insulated with his little circle that doesn’t know how to push his messages, and he lets the nihilist Republicans go unchallenged in their crazy claims to be saving the country they’re hurting, he sets the stage for Rick Perry."

Yeah, it's President Obama's fault that ol' crazy jackass from Texas, Perry, is running for President!!

Damn you, Obama!!!

[Bluebear]

35. Did she apply? Is this a joke?

[Major Hogwash]

37. Well, there's an opening since Ed Rollins quit last week.

Ed Rollins said Michelle won last Wednesday's debate.
No one else agreed with him.

Ed Schultz laughed and asked Ed Rollins if he was still on Michelle's payroll when he said that.
Ed Rollins blushed and said "well, yes, I still am."

[Bluebear]

39. Have another drink

[blkmusclmachine]

38. The Beatles' "Nowhere Man" lyrics:

"He's a real nowhere man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody..

"Doesn't have a point of view
knows not where he's going to
Nowhere man please listen
You don't know what you're missing
Nowhere man, The world is at your command..

"He's as blind as he can be
Just sees what he wants to see
Nowhere man, can you see me at all
Leave it all till somebody else
Lends you a hand.."

:smoke: