First thoughts: Back to candidate Obama

Posted: Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:17 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** Back to candidate Obama: The president is ramping up the rhetoric as he tries to get back on offense to sell his economic stimulus plan. It started yesterday with two events, where for the first time in public he reminded folks who won the election, pointing to the scoreboard. And now he has an op-ed in the Washington Post. The op-ed's message -- not to the public, but rather to Washington (i.e. Congress and the media) -- makes another case for passage of the plan. Of course, the irony of this ramping up is that it's the Republicans who have come after this bill like a campaign, finding the negatives in the smallest of places and creating bumper-sticker attacks on them. The White House didn't seem ready to deal with the small-ball campaign tactics, hoping they could stay at 30,000 feet when selling the stimulus. Well, think again.

*** One year ago today…: Sticking with the campaign theme, today happens to be the one-year anniversary of Super Tuesday, when Hillary Clinton won the big states (California, New Jersey, New York), but Obama ended up netting more delegates. Seems like a lifetime ago, right? Super Tuesday, in fact, was perhaps the ultimate example of how well Obama's campaign did the little things right -- like organizing for the Idaho caucuses. But in these first 16 days, the Obama White House hasn't done the little things in this battle for the stimulus, and that's why they seem to be losing the spin war. The good news? They'll get their stimulus and learn a valuable lesson: They need to remember what got them here and never stop learning those "little things" lessons, like dispatching more surrogates to TV.

*** At least he didn’t use a Nazi metaphor: When you’re in campaign mode, it’s probably best to choose your words -- and metaphors -- wisely. Texas Rep. Pete Sessions (R), the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, didn’t exactly do that when speaking yesterday to editors at The Hotline. Sessions referred to the Taliban when talking about the GOP's resistance to the stimulus, as well as its strategy as the minority party. "Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban," he said. "And that is that they went about systematically understanding how to disrupt and change a person's entire processes. And these Taliban -- I'm not trying to say the Republican Party is the Taliban -- no, that's not what we're saying. I'm saying an example of how you go about is to change a person from their messaging to their operations to their frontline message. And we need to understand that insurgency may be required when the other side, the House leadership, does not follow the same commands, which we entered the game with." Wow, we can think of plenty of other examples of insurgencies (American Revolution, Indian resistance to Great Britain), but the Taliban? Imagine what Drudge would do if a Democrat said this.

*** Today’s moving parts: It’s another busy day in politics. President Obama just finished speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast (where he's talking about his vision for faith-based policies); he will later sign an executive order forming his advisory council on faith; and then he gives remarks at noon ET at the Energy Department.

Video: Obama talks faith and good works.

In addition, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, per the New York Times, that a final vote on the Senate’s stimulus legislation could happen tonight (which would allow senators to attend this weekend’s conference in Munich). And Obama’s pick to head the CIA, Leon Panetta, has his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee at 2:30 pm ET.

*** The intended effect: While plenty of day-after reports about Obama’s CEO pay announcement note that it lacks some teeth and has its share of loopholes, the reaction from Wall Street firms seems to suggest that the plan might have its intended impact. Check this out: "On Wednesday, for instance, David A. Viniar, the chief financial officer of Goldman Sachs, which received $10 billion from the Treasury Department, told analysts that his firm wanted to repay the government as quickly as feasible to ‘be under less scrutiny and under less pressure,’ according to Bloomberg News."

*** Dodd and 2010: Earlier this week, Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd announced that he was refinancing the controversial VIP mortgages he received from Countywide.

And given that Dodd’s up for re-election in 2010, the National Republican Senatorial Committee pounced on that news. While Connecticut is a fairly blue state, it will be interesting whether the Countrywide controversy or even Dodd’s own presidential bid could make him vulnerable next year. Remember, when the recession began, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee wasn’t in Washington or Connecticut -- but in Iowa. That's an easy 30-second TV ad to write. Republicans in Connecticut, of course, have not fielded a competitive candidate for federal statewide office since Lowell Weicker, and he's now (basically) a Democrat. The one Republican Dodd may fear the most is recently ousted moderate Republican Chris Shays. If Obama wants to do Dodd a favor, he'll find a job for Shays. Perhaps the Peace Corps?

*** The never-ending recount: In the latest activity in Minnesota, Franken’s attorneys today will bring a case before the state Supreme Court, arguing that Franken -- because he was ahead by 225 votes when the vote was certified -- should be seated in the U.S. Senate, despite the ongoing legal contest over the recount. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reminds us, “Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, a Democrat, have declined to sign an election certificate because state law says none can be issued before the legal battle ends.”

Countdown to NJ GOP primary: 117 days
Countdown to VA Dem primary: 124 days
Countdown to Election Day 2009: 271 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 635 days

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Comments

From the day Ronald Reagan walked into the White House, there has been a game plan by the Republican Party to ridicule union workers in this country. A game plan to get rid of the unions. We have been told for years and years - they are paid too much - they have too many benefits … and so on.

And now we look at Wall Street, who evidently “deserve” their bonuses. But union workers deserved nothing. The GOP to Detroit: We will give you money as long as you lower the wages of the union workers. Pay them what we pay our workers in the south – practically nothing.

I work in corporate America, and we need clients in order to survive. So we take them to dinner, to Red Sox games, to Patriots games, to the Celtics, we take them skiing. It’s called networking. And during a recession, you have to work even harder to maintain these clients. Everybody understands this concept.

But what Wall Street did was a disgrace. They thought they could walk on water. Hand outs is the business they were in. Yet it was the union workers who took the hit. For years. Their reputations were ruined.

All they asked was that they not be exploited by corporate America. They just wanted to raise their families with decent wages and benefits. Well they WERE exploited. By corporate America and the Republican Party since the day Ronald Reagan became President.

Wall Street – everyone just looked the other way. Afterall, there was money enough for everyone.

The GOP and Wall Street were the biggest sell outs to hard working blue collar America.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:30 AM)

RE: At least he didn’t use a Nazi metaphor...

Talk about foot in mouth disease!

Tim, Harrisburg (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:32 AM)

Obama needs to rip into the repougnant ones for their destructive whining that is stopping the progress of the stimulus package. The Democrats are bending ovber backwards to mollify these miscreants and if the miscreants want to keep crying then the Dems ought to just cram the stimulus package down their throats.

David Shuster did a great job subbing for Keith last night on Countdown. It seems he found his voice last night as he was really ripping the repugnant ones. It seems that Liberal Comedy will not die out after the loss of the bushwhacker, not when there's Lord Lush, Billo the Unculture Clown, Sean Insanity, Joe the Deadbeat Taxpayer and Blamey Whinehouse Palin to make fun of. Even without the bushwhacker and Darth Cheney to kick around the liberal comedians still have a target rich environment. Stephen Colbert did two masterful The Word segments this week, I really enjoyed the second one where he ripped into Mount Lushmore and cleverly compared him to a pig.

Prison for rove!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:35 AM)

Richard Wolffe, on MSNBC, made a very clear, cut-to-the-chase comment when he said, "The big banks are bankrupt, that't why they need bail-out money." Yet they give huge bonuses and huge salaries. They just don't get it!! That is right on.

Question for Chuck Todd (or anyone else who can give an intelligent anwer)
Pundits say that the magic number is 60 senators to be filibuster proof. CW is that filibusters are a bad thing because it stops or slows down the legislative process. So...Why don't the Dem Senators let the GOP senators filibuster and watch what happens. 1) the economy will continue to drop. 2) the GOP will be viewed as obstructions. 3) the GOP will on the short term be blamed for further decline. 4) thousands of emails will be sent to GOP senators, 5) the media will be on this like grass on dirt? By allowing the GOP to filibuster, doesn't that strengthen the Dem position of wanting to get something done?

Tell me Chuck...I really would like to know.

Ron Indiana (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:36 AM)

Some 2010 news as well, with a new poll of Ohio's Senate race showing Democrats crushing GOP star Rob Portman by double digits. (http://campaigndiaries.com/2009/02/04/quinnipiac-polls/) That's certainly worrisome news for Republicans.

Daniel NY (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:37 AM)

Another day, another issue for Obama to put out there. No wonder support for all his huge bills is tanking. He's talking up eight different things at once.

Shiny Things (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:38 AM)

That is so funny that a repugnant one compared the republic party and the Taliban, what's even funnier is that he is so correct. We Dems don't need to worry about 2010 running against a minority party of the braindead.

With Joe the Deadbeat Taxpayer being a consultant for the repugnant one's losing party he will ensure they remain big losers. Considering how many different jobs he's had the past few months one thing is for certain, he's just as incompetent at them as he was as a plumber.

Prison for Criminals Bush and Cheney!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:38 AM)

Please stop posting those countdowns to the next election. They're so depressing. We are all still exhausted from the last go-around. Remind us later - much later.

Barnstable, Massachusetts (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:39 AM)

Barack gave a moving speech at the prayer breakfast this morning, carried live on all cable news networks, but when he got to the part about "God and killing" I thought about his pro-abortion views and I wondered if he even knows he's being hypocritical in his delivery. He should have left that part out.
Otherwise, it was a good speech, whether he believes it or not.

Palomino (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:41 AM)

'...he good news? They'll get their stimulus and learn a valuable lesson: They need to remember what got them here and never stop learning those "little things" lessons, like dispatching more surrogates to TV....'

They have stumbled a bit after the Inauguration
They have to do better

Remember Bush tried to nominate Linda Chavez as Sec Labor (what a clown)

Chavez was victimizing illegal aliens to save money on household help
Bush also tried to nominate crook and con man Bernie Kerik to be the head of Homeland Security
I think he did this on the suggestion of Rudy Guiliani

It seems some people have selective outrage
What have Geithner or Daschle done in comparison to Bernie Kerik's crimes ??

Take back the initiative on the Stimulus package
The Country's economy depends on it

Strip out the pork,
NO bail out for Hollywood or the Nuclear industry

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:42 AM)

So Snowe and Collins go to the White House yesterday and say they need to pare back the simulus bill by $200 billion to $about 600 billion. As his his habit, Obama nods and says he'll do something about it. Trouble is, he never does, and by the time Collins and Snowe got back to the Capital, the bill had balloned past $900 billion.

Barack, you really need to get to work if you want this bill. The election is over, and by the looks of things, you're not even close to being ready for Prime Time.

Prime Time (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:42 AM)

It looks like Obama is scaring the Wall Street criminal execs straight. About time someone in power made these robber barons stop ripping us off for grossly exhorbitant salaries and bonuses. We need more regulation to stop these frauds from doing stupid things that make them rich while they bankrupt the rest of us.

I so enjoyed David's report last night that criminal Monica Goodling fired a very competent attorney for being a lesbian and then the bushwhacker's administration hired her back after an exhaustive national search. I love the poetic justice that the fired attorney is back in business while good for nothing Goodling got fired.

Prison for Crooked Wall Street Excecs!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:44 AM)

Obama's real "screw up" was assuming that Republicans in Congress could be dealt with as rational adults who want to see the country survive the economic crisis. In reality, most of them are insane cry babies who want to see Obama fail, even though that means America will also fail, just like their leader Rush Limbaugh.

I think the Democrats should start talking about the "nuclear option" if that's what it takes to prevent the Repubs from filibustering the economic recovery. If the pubs could threaten it merely to get a wingnut appointed to the Supreme Court, why shouldn't the Dems use it to save the country?

Houston (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:46 AM)

Of course, the irony of this ramping up is that it's the Republicans who have come after this bill like a campaign, finding the negatives in the smallest of places and creating bumper-sticker attacks on them.
- First Read

***************************************
But in these first 16 days, the Obama White House hasn't done the little things in this battle for the stimulus, and that's why they seem to be losing the spin war. The good news? They'll get their stimulus and learn a valuable lesson: They need to remember what got them here and never stop learning those "little things" lessons, like dispatching more surrogates to TV. -First Read
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
So basically, First Read is admitting that the media just runs with whatever is hand fed to them.

Is your position that because the Republican Party was able to dumb a complex issue like the financial meltdown into a bumper sticker talking point(PORK! PORK! PORK!), the media had no choice but to go with that angle?

Are you telling us that he who dispatches the most surrogates to TV, regardless of the validity of what they are say, wins the "spin wars"?

Are you admitting that what we are calling "news" is actually just a free platform for opposing sides to get out their talking points? So THAT'S what you mean by the "free press".

If this is all true, what exactly are the employees of MSNBC and other networks getting paid to do? Why are they needed at all?

I mean, I'm no expert, but I can read a cue card and let somebody rant for 3 minutes - where's the "expertise" in that?

Has ANYONE on ANY NETWORK asked ANY REPUBLICAN to explain how "more of the same" is going to lead to different results? Why are they not held accountable for the policies they promoted that led to this bloodbath in the first place?

What a joke.

Nashville_fan (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:46 AM)

Let's get on the ball
Don't hand over control to Mitch McConJob !!
Anybody think he'll suggest anything useful ??

From WashingtonMonthly:

'...Obama's desire to begin a "post-partisan" era may have backfired. In his eagerness to accommodate Republicans and listen to their ideas over the past week, he has allowed the GOP to turn the haggling over the stimulus package into a decidedly stale, Republican-style debate over pork, waste and overspending. This makes very little economic sense when you are in a major recession that only gets worse day by day.... Obama has allowed Congress to grow embroiled in nitpicking over efficiency when the central debate should be about whether the package is big enough. When you are dealing with a stimulus of this size, there are going to be wasteful expenditures and boondoggles. There's no way anyone can spend $800 to $900 billion quickly without waste and boondoggles. It comes with the Keynesian territory. This is an emergency; the normal rules do not apply.

But the public isn't hearing about that all-important distinction right now.

Opinions obviously vary, but I suspect the president and his team believed common sense would prevail, and perhaps that political norms really did shift in November. (I loved DougJ's line: "[L]et's admit that what we have here is a media and Congressional Republican assault on economic common sense. No one expects an assault on common sense. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition either. But when either comes, you'd better react."...'

The way to deal with a snake is to crush it
Forget Bi-Partisan
You CAN'T negotiate with McConJob or the Boner

Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe are different stories
Listen to them, but not the Republican goobers

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:47 AM)

>>>Sessions referred to the Taliban when talking about the GOP's resistance to the stimulus, as well as its strategy as the minority party. "Insurgency, we understand perhaps a little bit more because of the Taliban," he said. "...I'm not trying to say the Republican Party is the Taliban -- no, that's not what we're saying." "...we need to understand that insurgency may be required when the other side, the House leadership, does not follow the same commands, which we entered the game with."
==========
But he's not saying the Republicans are the Taliban, right?

>>>So...Why don't the Dem Senators let the GOP senators filibuster and watch what happens. 1) the economy will continue to drop. 2) the GOP will be viewed as obstructions. 3) the GOP will on the short term be blamed for further decline. 4) thousands of emails will be sent to GOP senators, 5) the media will be on this like grass on dirt? By allowing the GOP to filibuster, doesn't that strengthen the Dem position of wanting to get something done?
Ron Indiana (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:36 AM)
==========
Great question, and I agree. Instead of bending over backwards for the GOP, Obama should let them follow the orders of their Lord Limbaugh so the public can see what slaves to the extreme right they really are.

http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:48 AM)

FR - I must slightly disagree with you - President Obama is not "ramping up his rhetoric.

He's simply telling the truth and the way it is – this way he can tone down the rhetoric coming from the republicans.

Also - Does Chris Matthew ask questions to get answers or ask them to have something to say.

It's like his questions are not meant to be answered, but to cast doubt.

My question to you Chris - is ask your questions to yourself and then if it seems ridiculous - 9 out of 10 it is.

Thank you and GOD BLESS AMERICA

The - Democrat Soldier (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:48 AM)

I'm rather disgusted hearing on MSNBC tv right now that "Randy Andy" Andy Card is whining about Obama not wearing a suit jacket. No wonder the bushwhacker's administration is the worst ever because they were more concerned about looking pretty instead of being smart and ready to work. Andy Card should shut his ignorant mouth since he's never had anything intelligent to say before. I like seeing Obama look like he's working for us people.

Suits are for Losers!

Eric, Salinas, CA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:49 AM)

Us voters who demanded and got change stupidly believed these career politicians will stop the partisanship. Yeah right! It's back and we the voters get the proverbial shaft as always. Let the spin games begin along with the bumper sticker lame catch phrases that the left and right are engaging in. Can you say caste system? Banana Republic? Rome burns while these morons that suppose to represent us argue like spoiled brats. God help us!

Juan, Ft Lauderdale, Fl (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:51 AM)

Can anyone tell me why they think Obama chose Judd Gregg for Commerce? I watched Rachel Maddow last night and I agree with her. Why? I hope there is a good reason that I just don't know right now. Does anyone know? And supposedly there's an investigation about him? He's being replaced by a Republican, and he's not going to vote either way on the stimulus bill? I just don't get it.

New Independent (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:52 AM)

Pelosi still sticking with the 500 million US jobs lost number she threw out there in the last couple of days if the stimulus is not passed? It's going to be quite the scene, 100% unemployment in the US.

Some one needs to get that woman on a leash. Where's the Dog Whisperer when you need him?

Chicago Mike (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:53 AM)

Sessions referred to the GOP as "The Taliban"?!

...and they wonder why they're losing seats.

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:54 AM)

With our country sinking faster than the Titanic, why is pres. Obama opening up a Pandora's Box of trouble for himself? The right wingers are saying he is opening up the religion thing because he is really a Muslim and not a Christian; and the left wingers are saying he planning to throw the gays under the bus again like Bill Clinton did with DOMA. With all Obama did to seduce the gays to vote for him, it would not be wise for him to do this.

gepa (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:55 AM)

Ron Indiana: '...Why don't the Dem Senators let the GOP senators filibuster and watch what happens. 1) the economy will continue to drop. 2) the GOP will be viewed as obstructions. 3) the GOP will on the short term be blamed for further decline. ...'

EXACTLY !!
The filibuster threat is a paper tiger

I REALLY DOUBT the republicans would DARE to filibuster the bail out bill

Just get rid of the pork !!
It's inexcusable, hand outs for Hollywood ?
Handouts for the Nuclear industry ?
Dump that and push this bill through

The Obama team has stumbled, but they're smart enough to recover
I remember the feeling I had prior to the Philadelphia debate
I was dying for Obama to attack Clinton and wondering why he didn't
Obama recovered and triumphed

Bedtime for Bonzo McConJob

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:56 AM)

Have you fired your tax cheat today?

Wilson O-CA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:58 AM)

Dear Republicans,

Your presidential candidate in this last election ran with a motto of "Country first." That was a great slogan. Unfortunately, his ideas didn't actually put country first and he lost. Now, with the economy tanking daily and thousands of people (maybe your voters?) losing their jobs every day, isn't time you adopted your last candidates campaign slogan and truly put our country first? Pass the stimulus bill.

Thank you.

Bailey Quarters, Twin Cities, MN (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:59 AM)

I found the segment last night concerning Dick Cheney disturbing to say the least. Why is he coming out just 2 weeks after he's left office and dissing the Obama administration? What is behind it? Here is the most obnixous former VP in the history of this country, who, by the way, got EVERYTHING wrong during his administration (there were NO WMD's now where there?)making negative comments about the current administration who has only been in power 14 days. Has this guy truly lost it? How can he NOT know that people are sick and tired of the doom and gloom coming from him now and during the last 8 years? Does he NOT understand (or care) that he left office with the lowest approval ratings in our HISTORY? Just hearing his voice again made me angry all over again. Can't he just crawl under and rock and stay under it for the next 15-20 years? He has been the most disgusting, dangerous VP I've witnessed in my entire lifetime. He makes Limbaugh almost seem human.

Diane from Illinois (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:01 AM)

How many republicans lost their jobs and benefits today? I love to hear about how none of them are taking that socialist unemployment benefit because they can make it on their own blah bah blah

Rick, NC (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:02 AM)

Why are Pelosi and Obama using scare tacticts to sell their Pork Bill?

Newsie Dayy (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:02 AM)

Nobody knows how to be President from Day One and President Obama is experiencing a learning curve. Hillary could not have done any better and McCain would be a lost ball in high weeds. Backseat drivers (Repubs) and Monday morning quarterbacks (media pundit types) are full of advice about what he did wrong in selling the Stimulus Pkg.

Repubs are very good at making a mountain out of a molehill and transforming a politician's assets into a huge liability. They did that with the Stimulus Bill by squawking endlessly about controversial points that are about 1% of the entire package.

In the end, the Stimulus Bill will pass and the Repubs will look like feet stomping, breath holding obstructionist. Not a good look or an endearing mental image for the American public and it will have its consequences.

J. Ellis, Virginia (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:03 AM)

Josh Fielder, Tampa (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:04 AM)

DoH-bama..who's in the white house Homer simpson?
Doh-bama= failure

DOH-Bama Cabin et of Corruption (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:06 AM)

Libs! You complained when the Republicans had some control of the government, now you complain when the Republicans have no control of the government.

You sure complain a lot.

Republican Convert (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:06 AM)

The Terrorist and Rush Limbaugh wants President Obama to fail.

A.M. Noel (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:06 AM)

New Independent(9:52 AM):

So YOU were the one who watched Rachel Maddow last night.

Tombstone Shadow (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:10 AM)

Stimulus bill is sinking faster then a frog full of buckshot.

D. Rather NY NY (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:10 AM)

Bailey Quarters, a lot of lawmakers feel that passing this bill is putting country last. And an increasing majority of Americans are against the bill. If this was such a great bill, surely more people would be inclined to support it. Even Claire McCaskill is opposed to this, so you can't hang it on the GOP.

Erica (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:11 AM)

I can see why Cheney is worried.

Call me old fashion, but having the politcal hack Leon Penetta in charge of the CIA just isn't the right thing for a country that needs to protect it self from terrorits.

Kind of hoping they find out Leon didn't pay his taxes, then they have to throw him out and get a real Top Spy.

Bond, James Bond (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:14 AM)

"Imagine what Drudge would do if a Democrat said this."
------------------------------------------------------
Why on earth are you holding that drama queen up as some sort of standard-bearer? Feeling a little defensive, First Read?

This is the problem with the corporate media- you were cowed for 8 years by a bunch of criminals. Now we have a President that is trying to get this country back on track for all of us- and NOW you are going to pretend to be tough guys, and hold this administration's feet to the fire? You are still allowing yourselves to be spoon-fed the destructive agenda of the right. Don't pretend that you are somehow more principled than Drudge, if all you are going to do is regurgitate GOP soundbites, without any intelligent analysis. For crying out loud, does anyone there know how to think for themselves? Quit being the GOP's lapdogs. The steady increase in Keith's and Rachel's ratings ought to give you some clue as to which way the wind is blowing. Sheesh.

Suburban Mom paying attention, IL (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:20 AM)

New Independent(9:52 AM):

So YOU were the one who watched Rachel Maddow last night.
Tombstone Shadow

The Home usually has someone switche the channel to Hannity, but the guy that does that was out sick last night.

Hanna Puttman, Ohio (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:21 AM)

Did anyone else almost hear the hope in Cheney's voice when he talked about America being attacked?

New Independent (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:22 AM)

Ron-Indiana--I agree with you. Let the Republicans organize a filibuster and Keith or Rachel could start a filibuster watch--have cameras on it all the time--and see how the country reacts.

Steeler Fan Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:22 AM)

To Larry,Moe and Curley,why do you have to refer to what the President is trying to do ,you called it rhetoric,the same thing the repubs are calling it.why not call it his plan instead,and stop playing to the Rushies.Or is it that you agree with those repubs that are tearing apart the one percent they seem to be so stuck on?This hole that the Bush admin dug us will not be addressed until Obama and his team are given the chance to start filling his mess.To the obstructionest grab a shovel,or get lost,and shut your yaps,you have caused enough pain.

jesse St.Paul Minnesota (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:24 AM)

The sheer gall of these conservative sheeple is astounding. These are the people who saddled us with 8 years of Bush the Kleptocrat, and they still think they have the right to an opinion (or at least one which people should heed). Unless you're ready to apologize, keep your mouths shut and your hands off the keyboard.

Ross, Harrisburg, PA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:29 AM)

"Harry Markopolos, an independent fraud investigator, said in more than 300 pages of testimony before a House committee that he was repeatedly ignored or given the brush-off by SEC officials.

In the documents provided to the committee, he describes his efforts, which began as early as 1999, like a military intelligence operation. Mr. Markopolos said he and his team of investigators collected "intelligence reports from field" operatives and developed networks of contacts to provide information on Mr. Madoff's operation and the feeder funds that allegedly contributed to the Ponzi scheme.
__________
It looks like Barry Bonds is going down. Next up: Roger Clemens.

Steroids. Evidently it wasn't just the athletes who were on "steroids". Corporate America was as well.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:30 AM)

your highlighting about sending more surrogates to TV to explain ( sell ) the stimulus are the key words. and they have to rely more on the credible Senators such as Claire McCaskill.
Media can to their bit, too . Not to sell the stimulus, but explain it and not focus on the selling.

GW, Vancouver, Canada (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:31 AM)

Diane... Cheney said what he said for one very plain reason... it's called plating the seed. The ditto-heads will start repeating it ad nauseum and then voila... if there is an attack, the narrative as to why will already have been written.

First Read: Forget about how Drudge would react if a Dem compared the party to the Taliban, how about the media in general? If Reid had done this you all would be tripping over each other to report it.

Jen Columbus, OH (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:31 AM)

Libs! You complained when the Republicans had some control of the government, now you complain when the Republicans have no control of the government.

You sure complain a lot.
Republican Convert (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:06 AM)
_______________

I see the Taliban has recruited another member.

Jackson, Seattle (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:34 AM)

Bond calls Panetta a political hack, yet Mr. Appoint-Myself-VP and run a shadow government that ignores the rule of law is a-ok in his book. Then again, what would you expect from someone who's "old fashion" and worried about "terrorits"? The adjective is "old-fashioned". Bell bottoms are old fashion. Idiots!

Ross, Harrisburg, PA (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:35 AM)

Obama run his campain that he will change america.He say you can believe it.So far i see no change just the same old same old.He is even chosing the ame old no good people.

Dolores Fleming (Sent Thursday, February 05, 2009 10:35 AM)

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