I think Joe Scab and Mika just laid out what the President should have done.

[Ilsa]

Joe said that Obama should have said "okay, then I'll address the nation from the Oval Office and start the speech by hammering Boehner by saying that he wanted to address the nation about the most difficult problem we are facing from the People's House, but petty partisanship got in the way."

I want the same thing from my president: not backing down.

[Javaman]

1. I was hoping for some force, but as usual, we got the cave. nt

[cwydro]

2. I am astounded by this story..

Obama is so weak.

I am really astonished he lets himself be pushed around like this.

No one has any respect for the man; I certainly do not.

Pathetic.

[BeyondGeography]

3. Common sense at the WH

Lacking.

[negativenihil]

4. so what next?

I swear, this is beyond frustrating. To allow the GOP to dictate the terms for something so PETTY... after everything they've done to obstruct the president's agenda... madness.

This should have been a case where President Obama simply said "Tough shit, I'm the president".

sigh.

[DearAbby]

54. Oh yes, a Debate is more important than jobs

shut up and sit down, wait your turn, we have a campaign we have to fund, er run.

[livetohike]

5. The day anyone should take advice from Joe Scarborough and

Mika is the day people lost all common sense.

Perhaps we should go back to George W. Bush's swagger and bullying. Guess some people here miss those days.

[CTyankee]

10. god, they were bad today! And Jon Meacham was doing his own version of false

equivalency that was as lame as I've seen him. "We've become so polarized," he says. WTF, Jon? Yeah, people who want to deal with reality, that's really polarizing!

What's the matter with that crowd? Don't they have any new, fresh ideas to talk about?

I've never seen MJ so boring, old and weak...

[livetohike]

11. I know and I've been watching for years

That show needs taken off the air, or else shake up the on-air staff. Scarborough and his 15 year old Congressional experience is lame and does not apply whatsoever to today.

Perhaps the show's days are numbered and they know it ;shrug:.

[CTyankee]

13. Mika looked pissed. Maybe she's tired of the same old, same old.

Then the Cheney thing really took the cake. Old crap and boring as hell.

[livetohike]

14. I could not watch the Cheney interview

:toast: to you for having a strong stomach :-).

[CTyankee]

20. He was just a damn bore, that's all. I muted him several times for

dullness, not for anything outrageous. We all know he's a liar and a war criminal and needs to be prosecuted in The Hague...

The panelists lived up to my expectations that they would prostitute themselves in front of him. And they obliged. Barnicle was the absolute worst...

[doc03]

25. You got to admit "W" got what he wanted, that is what we

elected Obama for not to cave in on everything. "W" was an idiot but he was the most effective president as far as getting what he wanted as any I remember.

[snooper2]

30. It fucking mindboggling...I can't wait until the GOP Fuckers pick Perry as the nominee

Then when these trolls start saying, "Perry waxed Obama in that Debate!", "Perry did have a good point", maybe the mods will have more leeway to smack their accounts to the grave.

[livetohike]

36. Too bad I can't rec this reply

:toast: I have done my share of "Alerting" in the past few days.

[Generic Other]

48. Do you really think anyone on DU will say this? Ever?

I can't see that happening, frankly. The anger and frustration with Obama isn't about stupid ass Republicans. They are beyond hope. Obama still has a chance to redeem himself. No one on DU thinks he's worse than Perry. Do they????

Asking a man not to abandon his principles in exchange for your support is not the same as being a Perry troll. That's a ridiculous insinuation.

[adhd_what_huh]

6. Obama haters can pound sand!

[Warren Stupidity]

8. ah yes civil discourse - what DU is all about

[DrDan]

12. has anyone here ever said they "hate" Obama? I kind of doubt it.

Just a bit of drama I would guess.

[dionysus]

21. LOL... did you type that with a straight face?

:rofl:

[DrDan]

23. can you point me to a post that says "hate" - that the poster "hates" Obama

[dionysus]

26. are you serious? people don't have to type the word to express it...

and no, not every critic here runs on hate.

[DrDan]

27. I see - so you know of no one who actually hates Obama here either

[dionysus]

28. LOL, fail. if you can't see it randomly browsing threads here, i can't help you.

there are posts seething with it here all the time.

[DrDan]

29. LOL, fail.

[bahrbearian]

34. LOL, fail

[MessiahRp]

40. This might be news to you but that's not hatred, it's frustration.

Almost every one of us voted for Obama. We want Obama to do the right things. We want to be on his side. It's he and his advisors that decided that we are not worth the effort while the mega rich are his real constituents.

It's not hatred, it's deep, unbridled frustration. (And yes, resentment since the President only attacks us while he tries to buddy up to the right over and over and over again... you know the ones who actually DO really hate him.)

But let's see if you can understand that or if it is your hate of the so-called haters that blurs your vision.

Rp

[K8-EEE]

32. +1 nt

[bahrbearian]

35. -1

[DrDan]

37. -1

[sabrina 1]

50. They're not pounding sand, they are bullying this WH every chance they get.

His democratic supporters would like to see him put a stop that. I'm assuming you, since you are on DU, are a supporter of this president, so my question is, why do you support tolerance for the criminal, anti-everything-democratic Republicans when what they need is the exact opposite??

Are you happy with what Republicans are doing? Are you happy with giving them what they want each time they pout and stamp their miserable little feet? Are you happy that each time the President treats them with a respect they are not due, the public becomes even more frustrated?

Do you care if he wins or loses? Because those here who are angry at the way he handles Republican recalcitrance are very concerned that if he doesn't start standing up to them, he WILL lose, and I'm sure you know what that would mean to this country.

[Ilsa]

53. I don't hate the president. I like him, but I'm having a difficult time

with some of the way he does things. He did some great things when he came into office, and he is still the best person for the job amongst the candidates out there.

I'm having a hard time getting excited about doing phone calls or standing outside in the heat (we sometimes have warm Novembers in south Texas) for my candidate that concedes on so much. I need for him to have the backs of Democratics and the have-nots, not the plutocrats and corporations.

[Warren Stupidity]

7. yup, that is what he should have done.

He was dealt a good hand and he folded.

[Ilsa]

24. Thank you. I'll be voting for the President again. nt

[K8-EEE]

33. Nooooo he's the same as Rick Perry so don't vote for him!

:sarcasm:

[jtrockville]

9. It does beg the question....

Why did Obama schedule it for the same day as the GOP debate?

I don't believe Obama (and his team) didn't think this through. Surely he/they knew the GOP would object. Was this their intended outcome (they'd reschedule the unveiling of Obama's jobs plan)?

[nevergiveup]

15. You nailed it

I can't twist this story so it makes any sense.

[formernaderite]

44. agreed

I think this was their intended outcome... to make the GOP look petty. I think folks around here are simply looking for ANY telltale sign that Obama is weak.
It doesn't really matter... it's not like there are DUers who are going to pull the lever for the other side. Best to let them vent now.

[Generic Other]

49. How far in advance are events planned? They might have genuinely not known...

the only other possibility is that they did this for show -- to attract ratings. Like the way wrestlers glare and puff up their chests at each other before a match. And now GOP look like they don't think jobs as important as their dog and pony show that no one was go8ing to watch anyway least of all the president and his team who didn't even know it was happening. Haha. Talk about slighting the opposition! If this was the intent, it's kind of funny.

I lean in the direction of thinking it was a gaffe. I know if it was me, I could easily create such a scheduling conflict by mistake. Like when my school scheduled the first day of class on the highest Jewish holiday. Someone should have known better. But it was not done with malicious intent to be disrespectful or to gain some political advantage. It was a lack of cultural awareness.

It is understandable that Obama's team might not have advance notice of every event the GOP plans. I mean are they calling the WH saying "Tell POTUS we are gonna burn him in effigy today." CLICK. Some events probably slip by. I cannot even imagine planning a president's calendar, but I bet it is in place months in advance and is a CONSTANTLY changing nightmare of times and places.

Anyway, it does suggest he thinks the GOP primary candidates are so insignificant he n3ever even planned to watch their debates. THat suggests supreme confidence or total absentmindedness. Or maybe he just hoped someone would TIVO it.

[Oceansaway]

16. dead intern Joes advice?...nt

[dionysus]

17. when you have to use Dead Intern Joe to support your argument....

:rofl:

[spanone]

18. and they would have then shit on Obama for doing just that

[Doctor_J]

19. this should have been the tone beginning on Inauguration Day

The voters in 2008 kicked the Repukes to the curb. Obama's response was to move over to the curb with them

[doc03]

22. I heard that this morning too, it is pathetic when a Republican

gives better advice on how to rescue his presidency than anything from the Democrats. By the way where are all the Democrats in Congress? Nobody takes Obama's back, nobody, they just leave him out there hanging. If this was "W" every Republican mouthpiece in Washington would be hitting the Democrats for disrespecting the Commander in Chief during a time of war.

[dgibby]

31. I'd say that's indicative of a problem between him

and the Congressional Dems. No love lost there.

[Tatiana]

38. I think the Congressional Dems are pissed at him over his negotiation tactics.

Many have stated the President hasn't included him in on negotiations or asked for their opinions on issues before publicly putting things "on the table."

So I don't expect for him to have a lot of support coming from them at this point.

[bahrbearian]

42. If only Pelosi and Reid , Golfed, he might talk to them.

[ChiciB1]

39. For Me The Sad Reality Of It All Is That Me & Mine Are Going To HAVE To

vote for Obama anyway. It's all I can say because the alternative is so dire. I have NEVER in my life felt so horrible about voting as I do now.

But in the end, is there ANY choice? However, I have already been called locally and nationally and asked to either donate and/or participate in his election to which I WILL NOT!

I come here less and less, but I do still post, but I watch less and less news because it has really become something that deeply depressed me. I've voice my opinion before and kept wishing things would change, but I no longer have any faith left. I feel lost and so alone. We as a people must also blame ourselves because we haven't found an effective way to mobilize enough to make our voices heard.

I've tried so very many times to keep people up to date and informed, have tried to gather others together to fight back and I have not been able to be effective. Living where I do I know I will only be able to be part of a movement on a national level because locally, NO PROGRESSIVES ever have been elected here! At least none that I know of in the last THIRTY or more years! A very Red County, one that many, many rich people have 2nd homes at, and one that many, many people vacation at. And of course, IT'S FLOR-EEE-DUH!

My husband believes that Obama WILL get re-elected and is one person I have FINALLY gotten through to about how very important politics are to every day life. He once complained all the time about my activism, where now I simply say to him I so wish YOU and so many around would have listened a long time ago. I'm NOT looking forward to the election in any way, but I will vote. Still, I wish I could feel good about it.

[A Simple Game]

43. Don't wish things would change, help them change.

You say you wish things would change, but say you are going to vote for more of the same.

We as a people must indeed blame ourselves, but there is an effective way to start change. You can start by not accepting the status quo any more.

Democrats and Republicans expect people registered to their parties to vote for their candidates, good or bad. Don't do it if they are bad.

In my state there are always alternatives on the ballot , I'm sure you have them also. Find the best one and support them. If enough people do this the major parties will figure it out and change, if not they will eventually be done.

No more lesser of two evils. I vote my conscience from now on.

[ChiciB1]

45. At This Point In Time It's Just Too Risky... IF Obama Has A Good Lead

there is NO DOUBT that I will vote for another candidate, but right now with the likes of a Perry, or even anyone else running on the other side, I don't see an option.

Obama was NEVER my 1st, 2nd or even 3rd choice in 2008, but he became the candidate of our Party and I worked hard for him. It wasn't a racial thing for me, he was just too moderate for me.

Even here in this very Red county he almost won, and there was a lot of enthusiasm. An amazing thing given where I live. But right now, even the WHOLE of Florida is in doubt for him. Voting for "the other" would be the equivalent to voting for Nader in 2000 in this state. If I lived in a different state, one that goes blue I would have no qualms, but I HAVE to consider the consequences where some here at DU might not. Florida could EASILY go RED!

Believe me, I AM NOT HAPPY about this!!

[A Simple Game]

46. Change isn't always easy and is sometimes painful.

Would Nader have been a better choice than Bush? Gore was the best choice in my opinion, but some must have thought that Nader was.

Will Obama be the best choice in 2012, we don't know yet. But we do know that our best choice will not win if we don't vote for them.

I will no longer vote for the lesser of two evils. I want to control the direction of the car, not the speed that it is going when it drives off a cliff.

[ChiciB1]

51. I Can't Say You're Wrong & I Too Am Disgusted By What This Country Has

become, but I also see WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much apathy by WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too many of our own. Even right here at DU. It IS up to "we the people" but I don't think many believe that anymore.

Two nights ago I watched the Pat Tillman movie and so much hit me in the face about where we are. This family spent YEARS, even got a Congressional hearing and in the end... NOT ONE PERSON of real authority was or has been held accountable. I saw Rummy backslapping people on his way out of the hearing as if it was all A GAME!

People's lives, people destroyed and even a Congressional hearing and these people were left UNFULFILLED! They weren't happy about it, but they were glad they took it as far as they could. Still, they had been betrayed by TPTB!! I was glad they fought so hard and went as far as they did, but how many people even remember EXACTLY what happened??

Worst of all, Tillman would not have wanted all the HOOPLA, he nor his family ever wanted the hero worship. It was only because he had been a Pro football player that he got all the attention. All the many thousands who have died and whose lives have been impacted didn't seem to faze any of those at the top! It's SICKENING, but it's not really a Democracy anymore!

I never knew I could become so cynical, I always felt I could fight back. Unfortunately I no longer feel that way. I'm not even sure MY VOTE is going to count! Screwing with voting rights is rampant and I don't know where it will stop! I'm a Boomer and it never seemed it was so awful, maybe it was and I had my head in the clouds, but it DID seem we made a difference. I'm not a follower, I rant all the time but my problem is that nobody's listening to me. Every avenue locally for me is covered with Repukes and they sure don't acknowledge my existence. I am a Liberal (see that's BAD) and I'm a NOBODY to far too many people. Even here at DU! So I don't post as much as before, but I'm a political junky who's trying to quit! I'm older and much more jaded. Is that what becoming wiser means? There is a possibility I won't be around to see THE VERY WORST OF IT, so that's a plus!
:shrug:

[A Simple Game]

52. Many of the problems we have are common to both conservatives and liberals.

Conservatives are now starting to be against the wars, maybe not for the same reasons, but they are against them. Many see the problems with the patriot act and unauthorized wire tapping. Many of our problems have to do with class, not ideology. We all want and need jobs. The disagreements often come down to what is the solution that will work not the problem itself. Many lower and middle class conservatives seem to be starting to understand that the tax cuts for the rich are not working and never have or will. We truly have more in common with the "enemy" than we realize.

With age comes wisdom, and with politics the way they are now, comes cynicism and most certainly frustration. I'm also a boomer, I'm 60 and when the Vietnam war ended I really thought it would be the last war we would be foolish enough to start. I also assumed that most of the worlds problems would be solved by now. I now realize that too many people profit from the direct and indirect suffering and death of others. Too many others are just apathetic and want to just get by, not a solution that may disrupt their lives. Others are just too busy trying to survive.

I too may not see the very worst of it, although I hope to. For the sake of my children and grandchildren I hope to see the worst and that things are getting better before I die. I fear we have not yet hit bottom.

I plan to do nothing to make the downward spiral I see us in worse, and that includes voting for someone just because they have the proper letter behind their name.

I will no longer vote for the lesser of two evils, it is still evil.

[ChiciB1]

55. You Know... You ARE Correct! I Too Have Children & Grandchildren...

I had wanted better for them too. Tomorrow I'm going to be blessed with having my 2 yr. old grandson for the week-end and it always hits home when I have him. I am LUCKY that both of my children live within 15 minutes of me, and we have actually discussed the thought of having to pool our resources and live in one place if it gets too bad.

Just talking about it is something I NEVER dreamed would happen. At least the week-end will be a VERY busy one. A 2 yr. old runs circles around me, but what are Grandma's for?

It's just too pathetic that they're so PATHETIC!

[A Simple Game]

56. Got to love the grandkids.

our youngest is 2 years old, also the only girl out of six grandkids.

Have fun.

[CTyankee]

60. I'm old enough to say "been there, done that." I now bitterly regret

voting for 3rd party candidate John Anderson in Jimmy Carter's second presidential campaign. I don't know what I was thinking! We got Ronald Reagan, a disaster!

I know what you are going through since I went through the same torture back then. I'm glad you know to vote for Obama no matter what. I have seen...and regretted...what happens when you don't take that stand.

Good for you! You are wiser than I was back then...

[joeybee12]

41. Agree....never negotiate with terrorists...knr

[Doctor_J]

47. I think some Repukes are getting worried about having Perry or Palin

as president. And maybe even about living in teabagger nation.

[bertman]

57. This is probably the FIRST TIME I have ever agreed with Scarborough. REC. nt

ON EDIT.

Oh shit. I'm sorry. I must have UNrecced when I meant to REC.

[pa28]

58. Roland Martin said something similar in his opinion piece this morning.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/31/martin.obama.jobs.boehner/

President Obama could have turned this incident to his advantage but chose to just swallow it. Sad that even some Republicans seem to be cringing over the negative symbolism here.

Boehner, Cantor and McConnell have learned they can just push through every time even if it's just for the sake of fucking with him or making him look ineffectual. Painful to watch.

[ecstatic]

59. But wouldn't such a snap sound petty, thereby making him a part of the problem?

Here's the deal: At no point have we ever seen Obama behave as a rude, spiteful, sarcastic person. If that's what you wanted, you should have kept Hillary as the nominee!