Thursday, October 14, 2010

Time Gets It Right!

Every once in a while, someone on the left gets a clue. This time it was Mark Halperin of Time. What has Halperin discovered? That Obama is failing badly. And for once, he makes some good points as to why. Of course, Obama still doesn’t get it, but it's interesting that someone on his side finally does!

Check out these quotes from Halperin’s article in which he discusses the scope of Obama’s problem:

“With the exception of core Obama Administration loyalists, most politically engaged elites have reached the same conclusions: the White House is in over its head, isolated, insular, arrogant and clueless about how to get along with or persuade members of Congress, the media, the business community or working-class voters.”
This view, according to Halperin, is shared by “executives and anchors at the major old-media outlets, reporters who cover the White House, Democratic and Republican congressional leaders and governors, many Democratic business people and lawyers who raised big money for Obama in 2008, and even some members of the Administration just beyond the inner circle.”

Sounds like a total loss of support except for the most brainwashed, doesn’t it? But it gets worse:
“Moreover, there is a growing perception that Obama's decisions are causing harm — that businesses are being hurt by the Administration's legislation and that economic recovery is stalling because of the uncertainty surrounding energy policy, health care, deficits, housing, immigration and spending.”
Wow.

Of course, Halperin concludes that Obama’s problems are largely the result of Republican obstructionism. But he doesn’t stop there. He also blames the media for allowing “the right’s activists and gabbers to run wild with criticism without furnishing legitimate alternative solutions.” No doubt he means something specific like “hope and change”?

But what’s even more interesting, he also blames Obama!

Indeed, he notes that Obama “exacerbated his political problems” not only “failing to enact policies that would have actually turned the economy around, but also by authorizing a series of tactical moves intended to demonize Republicans and distract from the problems at hand.” In other words, not only have his policies failed, but Obama was more interested in demonizing the Republicans than getting things done. . . so much for the lefty argument about “too much bipartisanship.”

And who did Obama demonize? “Through out the year, we have been treated to Obama-led attacks on George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, Rush Limbaugh, Congressman Joe Barton. . ., John Boehner, and Fox News.” He then notes that even in the past few days, “we have witnessed the spectacle of the President himself and his top advisers wading into allegations that Republicans are attempting to buy the election using foreign money laundered through the Chamber of Commerce”. . . an issue that even the MSM has rejected as utterly lacking proof. In fact, Bob Schieffer of CBS News took David Axelrod to task for making this allegation without any proof. And when he was confronted with a demand to produce any evidence he had, all the stunned Axelrod could say was “do you have any proof it’s not true.” That’s called getting caught red-handed.

Of course, the media can’t quite bring itself to point out that Obama set up his campaign to avoid knowing if his campaign contributions were from foreign sources or that the Clintons were notorious for taking Chinese money, but at least pointing out the Obama lie is a step in an unexpected direction. . . toward the truth.

Halperin is hopeful that Obama will recover in January once he and his fellows can get back to blaming the Republicans for everything, but I think that's just more false hopes. Obama doesn’t get it. He has never been challenged in the past or held to account for his failures, so he doesn’t know how to deal with those now. In fact, the evidence for that is overwhelming: Obama’s approach is to get snippy and then walk away from problems.

What’s more, Obama can’t stop polarizing the electorate. Indeed, Obama is currently on a tour of black voters at black colleges and black neighborhoods where he’s been equating opposition to himself with whites trying to re-impose slavery. So while Halperin might get it, it’s pretty obvious Obama isn’t. And while the politically correct and the media will forgive him this, the voters won’t.

27 comments:

patti said...

oh my, it just keeps getting more delicious the closer we get to nov 2nd.

Anonymous said...

Andrew: As the old saying goes, "even the Devil tells the truth occasionally, when it suits his purpose."

AndrewPrice said...

Patti, Doesn't it though! You can literally see their side falling apart as they all desert the sinking ship.

I hope this election is even worse than they expect, so that they go from running away and pointing fingers to outright anger and betrayal mode!

AndrewPrice said...

Lawhawk, Yep. They still don't fully get it, but large part of this have become so obvious that even the blind can no longer ignore them.

Tennessee Jed said...

You have gone to Time Magazine too ofen here, Andrew ;-D. Seriously, if that is what passes for getting a clue among left wing writers, liberals in general are in over their heads, not just the Obama WH. I find the following phrase telling in understanding Mark's use of the term "politically engaged elites."

If Maggie were not already housebroken, I think a Halperin article would make a great . . . . you know.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, I do apologize for going back to Time once again, but it struck me as an interesting article to see a leftist point out that all the leftists he knows think Obama is a failure.

And you're right, I thought the phrase "politically engaged elites" to be very telling, especially from people who claim to speak for the common man. It struck me as a real acknowledgment that there is a political class, and they do think of themselves as better than the rest of us.

StanH said...

Oh no! Barry is a full bore ideologue, he believes his own BS. As for Halperin he’s covering his own anointed ass. He doesn’t want to be the last man standing when the music stops 11/2/10.


Headline on Drudge: Federal Judge allows suit against Barrycare to proceed, good news.

AndrewPrice said...

Stan, That's one's going to the Supreme Court and everything else about it is just preliminary.

I think you're right about Halperin, he wants to be able to smugly say "I saw it coming."

AndrewPrice said...

Wow, Stan, the Judge criticized the Democrats for advancing an "Alice in Wonderland" argument in trying to call it either a tax or a penalty depending on what's most convenient:


“Congress should not be permitted to secure and cast politically difficult votes on controversial legislation by deliberately calling something one thing, after which the defenders of that legislation take an 'Alice-in-Wonderland' tack and argue in court that Congress really meant something else entirely, thereby circumventing the safeguard that exists to keep their broad power in check.”

That's a bad sign for the Democrats.

StanH said...

Will some kind of a “trial” take place in front of this judge? And then the loser team will appeal, and then to the Supreme Cour, is that the route, and how long will it take?

AndrewPrice said...

Stan, Yes.

Based on what the judge has said, some kind of "trial" will take place. But I put "trial" in quotes because it will most likely be just written briefs with an oral argument, rather than a full trial with witnesses.

Once the judge issues a decision, then there will be an appeal to the Circuit Court, which will probably take around 3-6 months. Then the Supreme Court appeal will follow, which probably won't happen for a year after that.

What's more, depending on the decision, this could just become the first in a series of appeals if the judge throws this out on a procedural ground. That would mean, this could take 4-5 years to resolve.

StanH said...

When we flip congress, now we can attack Barrycare through legal, legislative, and 2012 the executive, this will coincide nicely.

AndrewPrice said...

Absolutely. Plus, this will keep the issue in front of the voters for 2012, so people will still be threatened with the idea that they will be forced to buy health insurance if they vote the Democrats back in. Politically, this should work out very nicely!

patti said...

i came here to see if y'all had picked up the judge's decision on barry care. thanks for the thoughts. BOOM!

AndrewPrice said...

Any time Patti. . . we do requests! LOL!

Individualist said...

Andrew,

I agree with most of your analysis but I guess I digress in this way.

It seems to me that what this guy is doing is blaming Obama for the way the message was told. What he gets is that Obama while a great campaigner for the first time is lousy on defending his record.

I think the Times guy while outstretching his hands is not yet in reach of catching the real clue. It is Obama's policies that are the problem. If they worked he could get away with his Caligula act. I dont think the Times guy fully understands that yet which is why he thinks the answer is better ways to blame Bush.

AndrewPrice said...

Individualist, Don't get me wrong, I don't think he fully gets it either.

Clearly he still blames Bush and the Republicans. . . but it is a start for him to admit that Obama has caused his own problems. Moreover, I think he does admit that it's not just a communications issue, but is also a policy issue. Notice, for example, that he concedes at one point that Obama's policies didn't work. He may not understand the full implications of that thought, but it clearly indicates that Obama's policies have failed -- and it's the first time a leftist hasn't just leaned on: "the economy mysteriously turned against us."

Also, notice that he says that there is a "growing perception that Obama's decisions are causing him" and then he mentions hurting business and the economy.

I see that as progress, though I think Halperin will ultimately reach for the same conclusion the left always does -- "we just picked the wrong guy to put our policies in place, someone else could have done it right."

What's even more interesting to me is that he's clearly reflecting the views of a significant number of important Democrats who are deeply disillusioned with Obama and think that what he's doing is hurting them and will only get worse. That's the first sign of a growing insurgency.

Ed said...

You can almost hear the anguish in his voice. He is on the verge of accusing Obama of failing him!

Ponderosa said...

Wow. Just wow.

Driving off a cliff (HCR) ignoring warning signs (Brown) at full speed wasn't the better approach after all? Weird.

It is as if this Obama character has almost no prior political experience. Who knew?

Hmmm...perhaps charges of sexism will be more effective?


Seems like a trial balloon.

CrispyRice said...

I'm with Ponderosa! Just wow... I honestly didn't think I'd see the day when the libs would actually start complaining about him.

Can I change my vote on the poll about whether he'll run again? ;)

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, It seems that way. This really feels like he's on the verge of getting very upset at Obama. I can't wait to see how this plays out!

AndrewPrice said...

Ponderosa, It does seem strange. . . like somehow picking someone with no history of achievement and little evidence of intelligence or political skill wasn't the greatest idea?! What was in that Kool-Aid? LOL!

Seriously, it's hilarious to see the left slowly coming out of the delusion they've put themselves into. And now they're shocked that picking the guy they knew nothing about, sight-unseen, turned out not to be the best way to pick a leader!

Of course, the real irony is that we know they'll repeat this mistake the first chance they get when they see a shiny new leader just waiting for them.

AndrewPrice said...

Crispy, LOL! Sorry, all votes are final. . . at least until November 2! ;-)

I figure they would eventually start complaining about him, but I never suspected it would be this early -- especially since they can still plausibly blame Bush and point to this "mysteriously collapsing economy." So in that regard, they are way ahead of schedule!

It will be interesting to see if this continues at this pace and turns into anger and hate soon. I'm thinking it will, and that could very well lead to a challenge to Obama and/or him stepping aside.

Losing the far left is one thing, losing the money and power players in the party is a completely different matter. And that's what he appears to have done. Those are the people who could force him out -- or impose a new team upon him.

Ed said...

Me neither. I will savor every single "Obama lied to us" article I can find! LoL!

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, Me too.

DUQ said...

Yeah, I've got to admit that I'm enjoying watching the implosion.

AndrewPrice said...

DUQ, It is fun to watch, isn't it!

Nice avatar!

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