Please cut Senator Obama some slack.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

If I wanted to harm Obama's chances I would work overtime trying to convince people that he has drawn a line in the sand on the bail-out, and that there is any chance that he will vote against a final bill which everyone on both sides knows will be a very imperfect piece of legislation.

His hands are tied. Senator Obama will vote for the final bill and everybody knows that. If it grants AIG board members a lifetime supply of champagne and requires ducks to wear pants he will still have to vote for it.

This issue is 100 times hotter, politically, than FISA. You say what you would prefer be in the bill, have some amendment votes, and hope the final language isn't too awful... because either way you vote for it. He is not on the phone with party leaders telling them what to do. He is finding out what THEY plan to do so he can shape his campaign message to mesh with what congressional Dems are going to do this week.

The guy is running for president... in like 40 days. That is a practical fact.

Dems cannot afford to make our electoral prospects hostage to the S&P 500... creating a situation where any possible big drop before election day would hurt us rather than help us, as they do now. And Obama would not be wise to stake out a position at odds with the national Party.

All big-time Dems will gravitate toward an emerging national Democratic Party line. (Every congressman and 1/3 of senators have elections the same day as Obama; a fact that will help define the Party stance.)

Obama's job this week is to 1) not take too much 'ownership' of a process he cannot control, 2) say the right things while not painting himself into a corner in a way that would seem to preclude voting for the final bill, and 3) vote for the final package which will pass almost unanimously in the Senate.

The final bill will have some improvements. There will be some oversight and accountability provisions. There may be more stuff... expanding the existing mortgage relief program, for instance. But since Senator Obama cannot dictate the final bill by fiat it would be political folly for him to take any inflexible stances. There will be a couple of amendments to vote on to provide cover or make partisan points. One hopes McCain will end up on the wrong side of an amendment or two. But when push comes to shove Obama and McCain will both vote for the final bill.

So please cut Senator Obama some slack. He has to win the election for any of this to have any meaning.

_______________

PS: If polling suggests a NO vote would be better politics then that's a whole different equation. But at this point in the campaign it is too late to educate... you have to play public opinion as it exists.

[NYC_SKP]

1. Thanks for your proactive wisdom. K & R

I hope folks hear you and don't repeat the FISA infighting.

We have to win.

We HAVE to win.

:patriot:

[BlooInBloo]

2. I predict this thread will not go well....

There are a large number of DUers who don't really support Obama, and have been looking for *anything* to "legitimately* tear him down with. They're sure to think that *this* is the issue they've been waiting for, and will jump on your post as a "call to march in lockstep", and various other jackass phrases.

[Tarc]

3. and here come the Drama Queens, rattling the "its all PUMAs fault!" chains

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

4. LOL. Looks like once again I have the right folks on ignore. (I can't see the comment you refer to)

[TwilightZone]

6. Actually, the poster was noting that your post would probably be met with derision...

by DUers who aren't really for Obama and are looking for an excuse to cut him down.

In other words, it essentially agreed with you.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

7. Oh, I apologize then. Sorry ignored!

[Tarc]

8. No, you had it right the first time. Ignore liars like Twilight, pls

The person I was replying to was trying to raise the same old and tired boogeyman of disgruntled Hillary voters being the main cause of agitation and Obama criticism on the DU. As a former Hillary primary supporter, I can assure you that it is not the case, and that this primary-lingerings fissure is a media-driven myth.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

10. I would expect my stance to be fairly common among former Hillary supporters who support Obama

I supported Hillary because I am pragmatic and she had the highest probability of being elected.

Now that Obama is the nominee I remain devoted to that which offers the highest probability of election.

I really don't LOVE either of them. I just want our side to win.

[TwilightZone]

16. Liars?

Perhaps you should read the post and then read my post again. I did not misrepresent it. It is you who seems to be seeing that which doesn't exist.

Here's a clue, smart guy: not everyone who isn't supporting Obama on DU is a disgruntled Hillary supporter. Spend a little time on some other 'progressive' sites and you'll realize that the trolls on DU aren't limited to Hillary fans. Far from it.

[NYC_SKP]

5. I wish it was not so, but you are probably right.

And it's an example of the utterly stellar way that progressives sometimes shoot their chances of success int the collective foot.

Failure to see the big picture, to compromise, to prioritize, to win.

[yellowdogintexas]

9. Obama is practical, pragmatic, a thinker and he has very smart advisers

I hold to the premise that immense slack will need to be cut for his and Biden's potential votes on this issue.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

11. Nicely put... "immense slack will need to be cut "

[yellowdogintexas]

17. Thank you. nt

[flamingdem]

12. Thanks, everyone has to understand Obama's position in this

and how critical this will be to the election.

[blondeatlast]

13. So true; I want a studied, rational approach to all of this and talking points

don't lend themselves to wisdom and broad thinking, undortunately.

Even if I have a tremendous dislike for a few of Obama's financial advisors, I appreciate the broad perspective all of them bring. I KNOW they will do a hella lot better than the opposition!

[stillcool]

14. It almost seems like people...

think he's already the President, rather than a Senator from Illinois. I have no doubt that if this bill is destined to be passed Obama and Biden will be covered should they elect to vote no.

[grantcart]

15. It is a terrible dilemma and you have hit the nail on the head

The only silver lining in this is that it is now understood by 100% of the American people that this meltdown happened on Bush's watch.

Can you imagine the shit we would have been in if this happened 6 months from now.

I just wonder what would happen to the country if we put $ 700 million into jobs instead of financial paper.

It would generate more jobs and more taxes and pay for itself.

[MadrasT]

18. Too late to rec, but happy to give it a kick...

Thanks for the rational words. I agree.