About the cries of Obama's so-called "move to the Center"

I find it all relatively insane that people here are crying about how Obama is moving to the center. First of all, the people making such complaints are either falling for or participating in the tactics of the MSM to keep perceptions of this race to anything resembling close, which it is not. The RW loves to make you think you've been duped, and so far, many here are falling for it hook, line and sinker.

Did you actually expect to have Obama say and do everything you perfectly expect him to? If so, wow. Obama is his own person and he is the person the party has chosen to be the candidate for the President of the United states. Did I agree with him on every little aspect and facet of every single issue when I became a supporter? No, I did not. I became an Obama supporter fully knowing that there were issues where I had seen other solutions or stances that I would prefer. If you felt you were in synch with Obama 100% when you became a supporter and now are let down because he's not doing or saying things exactly as you would expect them, then you have only yourself to blame.

Do I agree with his statements on the Supreme Court's decision about the Death Penalty. No. But that does not make Obama fully supportive of the Death Penalty either. I am far more agreeable with his stance than I am with McCain's.

Do I agree with his support of FISA? I have mixed feelings on this one. I think much of the discord about the FISA bill has been over-hyped and misunderstood. Many people here are not even reading the FISA bill while making false claims about what it will do. I believe there are some very good changes in this amendment that are being completely ignored by the liberal blogosphere. For example, it explicitly calls out that war-time powers may not be invoked to bypass it. It also clarifies ambiguities about what is allowable and what is not for evidence and procedures on electronic communications. It furthermore makes explicitly illegal any attempt to bypass FISA, which has been the true issue of the Bush Administration's activities. But I also am very uncomfortable with some of the changes that allow for bulk capturing of data and use of reverse monitoring of foreign communications. If I were a Senator, I would find this a very difficult vote to make.

I believe some here pushing these issues not out of a need to move forward a liberal agenda, but more so to take away from the best Presidential Candidate the Democratic Party has run since JFK. I am not saying its wrong to provide criticism of Obama, but I believe, as Democrats and members of Democratic Underground, we should take these criticisms in consideration with caution given the tactics of the MSM and the RW. I believe we should give our candidates the benefit of the doubt before beating them over the head with these issues. We should consider the issues carefully and with direct information first and not necessarily join the throng of those who would excite us.

To do otherwise leaves you vulnerable to drawing false conclusions and perceptions about your best chance for change. You are free to do so, but understand what you risk.

Wait until it's time for our gay friends to keep quiet or for Obama not to take a position too strong on one side or the other so not scare away any middle of the road or "Reagan" democrats over to McCain. It got pretty bloody around here in '04 over that.

to share them, including Obama. And Obama does not get enough credit for his support of the homosexual community. For more info on how Obama supports LGBT, see:

http://pride.barackobama.com/page/content/lgbthome

Polling and focus groups typically determine that. No candidate can get "too far out in front of the parade" without risking a loss.
Many people are leary about candidates doing what's necessary to win. There seems to be something dishonest about it. Where do they "really" stand?
That said, it's Obama and his campaign who have to make these decisions. I, for one, think and feel that things will change dramatically if Obama is elected. Let's let him work it. More than that, let's help him!

for Progressives to bitch endlessly now about what he will or will not do is troublesome but most of us know the realities of politics. Compromise until one builds a coalition to get important legislation done. This takes time and alot of political moxie.
I'm not just going to help him, I'm going to bust my ass working to get him elected!

K&R for your rant! I just posted an excellent article from "beyondchron" entitled "Leftist Obama Critics Should Study FDR" here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6430151&mesg_id=6430151

One paragraph pretty much spells it out re; FISA:

Obama’s FISA stance appears designed to both avoid giving McCain a campaign issue and to reassure moderate Democrats that he understands their concerns and seeks to be their ally. It is the type of political calculation that Obama believes will facilitate passage of his more progressive agenda next year.
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=5820

It's a bloody good article about how it works!

Obama needs to concentrate on winning a majority across the whole country and is not going to base his campaign strategy on the complaints of a few whiners on a liberal message board. He would be an infinitely better president than McHundredYearWar and that's all that really matters at this point.

Obviously the FISA bill is not a good bill. The experts aren't even sure what it means in practical terms.

More critical to fulfilling the constitution is the appointment of Judges and Prosecutors that have "clean hands" approach the law with a higher committment to the law and truthfulness than personal interests.


Obama has learned the lessons from passed campaigns and is not giving the right a cheap shot.

Obama's ACLU rating is 89%. Has there ever been a SUCCESSFUL Presidential candidate that has had a higher rating?