"And if American workers are being denied their right to organize when I’m in the White House..

[Fumesucker]

.. I will put on a comfortable pair of shoes and I will walk on that picket line with you as President of the United States."

-Senator Barack Obama, November 03, 2007, Spartanburg, S.C.

[Born Free]

1. That was before he was elected

My wife and I suspect he will be a 1 term president if he doesn't soon stand up for his base

[somone]

2. That was pretty specific

[Tx4obama]

3. There is no 'picket line', the teachers/public employees are NOT on 'strike'. n/t

[ReggieVeggie]

6. given the situation and its implications...

shouldn't there at least be a strong statement coming down on a particular side?

[Name removed]

45. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ReggieVeggie]

50. Thanks! I'll go out and buy one today!

Obama hasn't really said much of anything about what's happening in Wisconsin. He's either politically timid, which is true, or he just doesn't want to support unions and collective bargaining.

[doc03]

8. Oh give me a break, while workers are fighting to retain

the right to collective bargaining he was having a meeting with CEOs on ways to cut taxes and regulation on big business. When will people run out of excuses for that guy?

[SammyWinstonJack]

42. "When will people run out of excuses for that guy?"

Never it would seem. :shrug: :puke:

[markpkessinger]

10. Split hairs much? n/t

[upi402]

40. then if there is a line... the line wont be straight enough ...

It's not gonna happen, no matter how bad he looks for compounding lies.

[fishwax]

30. you don't need a strike to have a picket line

:shrug:

[Badfish]

44. Thats the truth.

But there are alot of people who don't give a shit about the truth.

It has been brought up many many times that there is no strike , there is no picket line , their rights have not been taken.

The spin on this board is getting pretty bad.

[Marr]

47. Weakest fucking excuse yet.

And there have been a lot of weak fucking excuses.

His "comfortable shoes" line wasn't a legal document, to be parsed word by word. It was a statement of principle, and one he has not honored.

[Bluebear]

57. You said it. nt

[tekisui]

55. Pathetic attempt to distinguish. Ridiculous.

[TBF]

58. If they were to go on strike you can bet his response would be identical - nada. nt

[AleksS]

4. He'll be here

He'll be here. He's decided lately to appeal to the base--note his stance change on DOMA yesterday (or was that two days ago).

I have a feeling he'll get here. I just wonder if it'll be a surprise or an announced visit. Tomorrow would be great, the crowds ought to be huge. But I don't think he'd want to do it as a surprise, so maybe next weekend. One way or another, these last few weeks he seems to have remembered that he's not just there to represent republicans and moderates--he's remembered that actual democrats are part of his constituency too.

[rfranklin]

5. He never said anything about collective bargaining....

Weasel, weasel, weasel...

[markpkessinger]

7. Uh, yes, he did -- here's the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4GijYxk_RI

And here's the full quote:

"If American workers are being denied their right to organize and collectively bargain when I’m in the White House, I’ll put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself — I’ll walk on that picket line with you as president of the United States of America."

(emphasis added)

[Tx4obama]

9. But the fact remains 'there is no picket line'. The workers are not on strike. n/t

[markpkessinger]

11. Like I said: split hairs much? n/t

[Tx4obama]

13. If people are going to hold President Obama to his words, then use all of his words. n/t

[markpkessinger]

14. You win the Robert Gibbs Weasel Award for Journalistic Evasion

And if it comes to an actual strike, will you still hold him to his words?

[leftstreet]

16. "The Bill I sign must include a Public Option" n/t

[markpkessinger]

18. Ooops. That's another one of those things we're not supposed to talk about ;) n/t

[SidDithers]

35. Can you find that exact quote and link to it please...

that exact quote.

sid

[leftstreet]

39. July 17, 2009 Radio Address

The actual quote:

Any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange: a one-stop shopping marketplace where you can compare the benefits, cost and track records of a variety of plans - including a public option to increase competition and keep insurance companies honest - and choose what's best for your family.

To quote it correctly, we SHOULD place it as "Any plan I sign must include....a public option"

I have no idea how the more iconic statement got started, but it's the one you see most often

You can listen to it here
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/obama-demands-the-bill-i-sign-must-include-public-option.php

[SidDithers]

51. Right. So he never said what you posted...nt

Sid

[leftstreet]

53. Correct. He voiced his support of a PO in a different manner than I posted n/t

[tekisui]

56. They are fighting for their right to bargain. That is exactly what he was talking about.

This is a false distinction you are trying to make. I don't think Obama would ever attempt such a weak argument.

[fishwax]

31. "because workers deserve to know that there's someone standing in their corner"

nice idea, anyway ...

[akbacchus_BC]

41. President Obama will be there when you least expect, do bear in

mind that he inherited a shitty situation and probably did not realise how bad it was until he took over the Office of President. I am not making excuses for him, sometimes am critical when I feel that he is trying too much to be bipartisan. He did say that he is the President of all of the people of the US not only his base and for that I really admire him.

He is the first President in the history of the US who came under attack even before he was inaugurated and is dealing with a lot of negativity from the republicans, the teabaggers, the GLBT community, the left, the liberals and the progressives.

He is the President yes, however, he is a father and a husband too and with all the conceal and carry of weapons, you really want him to go walk on the streets of WI?

Just my humble opinion!

[doc03]

46. "He is the first President in history of the US who came under

attack even before he was inaugurated." I think not, President Clinton was under attack the day he was elected. He was attacked for every appointment he made from day one. He was even attacked for getting a haircut.

[Tx4obama]

12. Did it ever dawn on ya'll that ......

maybe the heads of the unions (and maybe also the state dem senators) have asked President Obama NOT to get involved 'yet' ?
We have no idea what the over all plan is.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

23. Care to share the inside info?

Or is it a "dawn on y'all" strawman?


:shrug:

[Tx4obama]

27. Thas was my point, we don't know the inside info.

We don't know who Obama has talked to or what they discussed or what the plan is.
We don't know if the heads of the unions have asked Obama to 'wait' a bit.
Right now Walker is doing a fine job of political suicide.
As long as the Senate Dems are in Illinois the bill is not going to pass.

In my opinion, let the republicans hang themselves a bit longer.
The dems are uniting.
President Obama will come out when the time is right :)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

28. We know.

:think:

Is it happening or isn't it?

[Incitatus]

38. Maybe it's just more of that 3D chess that we are too dumb to understand. nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

43. Free pass. Always. It's getting old.

:eyes:

[Marr]

48. It's one of those "I'm sure he knows more than we do" things-- like Bush

with his WMD claims, or Obama's Public Option "fight".

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

54. "We have no idea what the over all plan is." More mega dimensional chess?

:rofl:

[PeaceNikki]

15. Ken Layne, editor of the internet's best war blog "Wonkette", put it best here

http://wonkette.com/439247/workers-nationwide-fighting-for-basic-labor-rights-barack-obama-totally-invisible

"You know, Barry, you are president right now. It’s one thing for you to be a clueless spectator on something like Egypt or Libya, but it’s very much another thing to be out to lunch on midwestern labor battles. If you stood for anything, you could get a hundred thousand people to join the Madison protests. You could put Scott Walker in jail for planning to hire thug violence against legal protests, the same way your betters protected the protesters during the Civil Rights Movement."

[Tx4obama]

17. President Obama has NOT been a clueless spectator Libya. Turn on you TV.

Just because Obama doesn't tell 'you' what he is doing every minute of every day doesn't mean that he isn't doing something.

[bobbolink]

20. "doesn't came out"

:rofl:

That belongs on a sign. :evilgrin:

!!!!!1111!!!!

[Tx4obama]

22. I'm glad I gave you a good laugh. I have a bad migraine right now and didn't proof what I wrote.

So, you've never typed something and then backspaced to say something else
and then didn't catch an error?
Must be nice to be perfect :)

[bobbolink]

25. Actually, it was in response to the haughty tone you used with others.

Stones and glass houses, you know......

[Bluebear]

36. Spinning so rapidly must cause migraines. nt

[Marr]

49. Do you realize how absurdly worshipful that is?

Excusing actual actions with spin and parsing of words is one thing. I expect that from a devoted supporter. But assuming the man is acting boldly, nobly, and wisely in every instance-- and we just can't see it... that's religious devotion. President Almighty moves in mysterious ways, his wonders to perform, yeah?

[somone]

21. Great write-up

[markpkessinger]

33. The Fierce Urgency of Whenever the Political Price is Low Enough n/t

[robdogbucky]

19. Fierce advocate not so fierce, eh? n/t

[BlueJac]

24. Obama=disappointment

[bobbolink]

26. Quickly moving up on "disaster".

:(

[Baclava]

29. No shoes, no hat, no cattle

It is what it is.

[L0oniX]

32. Figures!

:eyes:

[Karmadillo]

34. But, but, but those are such pretty words. Isn't that enough? Do we always have to insist

on action that matches the words? What's wrong with us? Why are we so demanding?

[Incitatus]

37. Come on now. He said that over 3 years ago

:sarcasm:

[Critters2]

52. The poor president apparently doesn't own any comfortable shoes. How sad for him.

Perhaps someone should send him some.

[Hubert Flottz]

59. Shoes For Industry!