It was not too long ago that the WH Chief of Staff told progressives not to run ads against other Democrats. I had donated money for the ad against Ben Nelson, but I think it was pulled after that.
At Dole's Request, White House Tells DNC to Pull Health Care Reform AdThe Democratic National Committee has agreed to pull a TV ad featuring former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, R-Kan., following objections Dole conveyed to the White House that the ad twists his support for a bipartisan compromise for health care reform legislation into something else entirely. The ad, which was set to launch Monday, features Dole and other Republican former officials advocating in general terms for health care reform.
Dole is quoted saying, "I want this to pass. ... We've got to do something," and the ad attempts to contrast that attitude with that of current GOP congressional leaders, which the DNC describes as "siding with the insurance companies and just saying no to insurance reform."
"I wish they hadn't done it," Dole said of the DNC ad in a phone interview with ABC News on Sunday afternoon, saying that the ad's depiction of current GOP leaders "is just not my view."
He found it a bit ironic that "all I've been doing is urging bipartisanship" and that was used for partisan purposes.
That is a bunch of bull. The GOP is playing this bipartisan stuff for all it is worth. And since election day our party has been using the words "post partisan" or "bipartisan"....both of which imply that no one take stands on anything.
The demand for 60 votes on the bill, the pretense that there is no other way. It is infuriating. The recent sudden appearance from nowhere of the "opt out of the public option by state" idea is just on example of the bipartisan games being played instead of taking a stand.
I am in agreement with this statement from
Fire Dog Lake about the opt outIt’s nothing but an escape hatch for a White House that has bungled health care up until now, a political exercise supported by those who want to deliver themselves from the mess they’ve made. Its supporters say that it will help them get the "60 votes" they need for the public option, which is curious because these people generally understand that the 60 vote threshold is for cloture. Not one single Senator in the Democratic caucus — not even Joe Lieberman — has said that they will join a Republican filibuster. Not one. And even Schumer himself says there are 54-56 votes for a public option, a comfortable majority for an up-or-down vote. They’ve never been able to produce 10 members of the caucus who say they will vote against one.
I was also in agreement with Barney Frank several months ago when he said
he was suffering from "post partisan depressionOn MSNBC this afternoon, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) repeated his criticism of President-elect Obama’s decision to invite Rick Warren to deliver the Inaugural invocation, calling Warren’s views on homosexuality “deeply offensive.” Frank said Obama “overestimates his ability” to “charm” conservative opponents to his side, and joked that he missed the days of partisanship:
"I think he overestimates his ability to take people — particularly our colleagues on the Right — and sort of charm them into being nice. I know he talks about being post-partisan. But I’ve worked frankly with Newt Gingrich, Tom Delay, and the current Republican leadership. … When he talks about being post partisan, having seen these people and knowing what they would do in that situation, I suffer from post partisan depression."
Me, too, Barney.
The "post partisan" meme was the idea of Al From and the DLC.
Right after the election last year Al From used Politico to remind President Obama that he must keep his promise of post partisanship.
Keeping the promise of post-partisanshipThat promise is to change Washington, govern bigger than his party and forge a post-partisan political era. He pledged to tackle the country’s most pressing economic, domestic and security challenges by delivering a new kind of politics.
With the superpartisan Bush White House finally history and swelled majorities in both Houses, Democratic constituencies will have plenty of pent-up demands, and some Democrats in Congress may be tempted to engage in political payback.
I can sympathize with those desires, but Obama needs to resist them, for the success of his presidency — and, ultimately, his success in building a lasting political majority — will depend not on whether he satisfies the insiders in Washington but on whether he improves the lives of ordinary Americans who put their trust in him.
..."First, appoint a Cabinet that is, indeed, post-partisan — tapping the best people, not just in both parties but in the private sector as well. Obama must make merit, not party affiliation, the key criterion for participating in his administration.
Not just Al From. Here came Bob Kerrey spouting out his usual spiel against the danger of "liberals" in the party.
Bob Kerrey, Democrat, says Obama faces threat from liberals.From an op ed in the New York Daily News:
By my lights, the primary threat to the success of a President Obama will come from some Democrats who, emboldened by the size of their congressional majority, may try to kill trade agreements, raise taxes in ways that will destroy jobs, repeal the Patriot Act and spend and regulate to high heaven.
This is where Obama's persona is invaluable. He can withstand the arguments and pressure of the liberal wing in the Democratic caucus if, once elected, he is guided by the best instincts he has displayed on the campaign trail.
I believe this is likely because Obama will surround himself with professionals, not ideologues or acolytes. An unprecedented number of patriotic, politically savvy and centrist men and women have been part of his campaign team - and are therefore likely to make up President Obama's governing team.
The warning to liberal and progressive groups from Rahm, telling us not to attack conservative Democrats....the request from the WH to the DNC to stop the ad against Republicans because Bob Dole did not like it.
Plus the sudden appearance of the opt out option for health care...these things show that our party is going the way of bipartisanship, post partisanship, with those who are not supportive of our ideals and goals as Democrats. It's my bet it won't work.
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