No Drama Edition

[Bloggingheads]

[ohcomeon]

Perfectly titled.

[sdkramer]

http://bloggingheads.tv/diavlogs/122...3&out=00:10:05

[bjkeefe]

Ho hum. Yet another horse race conversation with hardly a word spoken against John McCain.

Here's one example: If you're going to talk about Obama's change of mind on public financing, why wouldn't you mention the games that McCain played with the same system during the primaries? (See here and here for a quick refresher.)

Why wouldn't you point out the positive reasons for Obama to have changed his mind? For one thing, his donor base has a huge number of small-dollar contributors, which is arguably more in the spirit of real public financing. For another, there is the RNC war chest to consider, not to mention the well-funded rightwing 527s, not to mention Cindy McCain's fortune.

Here's another example: Why isn't there even a hint of analysis at the emptiness of McCain's proposals for lowering gas prices? Why isn't Obama given credit for "straight talk?"

It's been clear for a while that Politico is a fairly Republican-leaning outfit, so if Ben Smith comes back, I hope he'll be paired with someone who doesn't just agree with everything he says.

And a larger message to the bookers on BH.tv: The Democratic primaries are over. It's time to start subjecting McCain to the same level of scrutiny as you have been applying to Obama (and Clinton) for months now. If you're going to have on a regular parade of people who parse Obama's every word and speculate about the downside of every action he takes, then please do the same regarding the other presumptive nominee. I hope we won't have to go through the summer and fall with nothing but a parade of commentators who dare not speak ill of St. Maverick McWarHero. We've already had that spring.

[Globalcop]

Yeah, sorry to be a negative nabob, but that was pretty boring.

[ogieogie]

A couple of conventionalwisdom parrots, overdosing on Valium, nodding into a shallow stupor.

[Christopher M]

Thus proving that it wasn't just GFR's fault.

[nojp]

For all the potential of these two for a compelling diablog, they spend over half the time discussing VP choice. This is the most boring conversation for reasons that are to obvious to mention.

[graz]

In keeping with your attention on McCain theme:
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/davidcor...doesnt-kn.html

WTF?

[bjkeefe]

graz:

Good one. Thanks.

I do have to say, though, that it is not unusual for top executives to know little to nothing about computers. It has become a cliché that the CEO has some top-of-the-line machine on his credenza, but "accesses" his email by having his secretary print it out.

That said, I think Corn is right. This is something a president shouldn't be completely ignorant about.

The thing that's kind of amazing is that I'd think a former hot-shot pilot would be more interested than the average person in gadgets.

[graz]

It makes me wonder if all the press shots of him on the cell phone are just props. Do you think he knows how to make an outgoing call?

Mickey: Can you hear me now?... gossip fodder.

[bjkeefe]

Heh.

On a related note: I wonder how much of this conversation John McCain would be able to follow.

It's a good one -- lots of discussion about how the rapid pace of technology makes for bad reactive law, especially as regards privacy.

[Incompetence Dodger]

Originally Posted by Christopher M

Thus proving that it wasn't just GFR's fault.

LoL. Now that is an incredible feat of memory.

[deebee]

I absolutely do not expect this to happen because I feel that a strong and unequivocal message was hammered home when Obama selected Patti Solis Doyle, who was sidelined by the Clintons, as their Chief of Staff for a newly-minted VP candidate. Several commentators also saw this as a "f-u moment". It's also clear that BO prefers to be the center of attention and not to share a stage with any competing force.

Clintonites saw this as the sort of over-the-top, thumb in the eye offense that Obama seemed to relish towards the end of the Primary season and that totally turned off a fairly large segment of her supporters. For this and several other reasons, I also feel that many Hillary voters actually do not want to see this pairing.

I agree with those who think that he will go the safe and boring route.

[Sgt Schultz]

Obama never said, "No Drama."
Too rhyme-y.
"Obama Say, 'No drama'."

Risible.

Hillary's people had been floating HerSelf as VP. Obama said:

Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Hey! You! Get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
On my cloud baby

Then Michelle chimed in.
Then - office wide dance-off, baby!
Cisco arranged an ObamaGirl emergency videoconference. Good times!

Some drunken gay white staffer came up with the "Obama Say, 'No drama'." thing.
He's under the bus now. With the Obamadential Shield guy.

[renzo]

Originally Posted by deebee

I absolutely do not expect this to happen because I feel that a strong and unequivocal message was hammered home when Obama selected Patti Solis Doyle, who was sidelined by the Clintons, as their Chief of Staff for a newly-minted VP candidate. Several commentators also saw this as a "f-u moment". It's also clear that BO prefers to be the center of attention and not to share a stage with any competing force.

Clintonites saw this as the sort of over-the-top, thumb in the eye offense that Obama seemed to relish towards the end of the Primary season and that totally turned off a fairly large segment of her supporters. For this and several other reasons, I also feel that many Hillary voters actually do not want to see this pairing.

I agree with those who think that he will go the safe and boring route.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10450.html
Ben Smith himself (5/19/08) was speclating about the rationale for PSD.

Note also that her brother is Chicago alderman Danny Solis, president pro tem of the Chicago City Council & a member of Hillary Clinton's Illinois Steering Committee. This can't hurt Obama's courtship of the Latino vote.

So wait ... Hillary Clinton fired a woman at the end of February, and then people who worked for Hillary or Clintonites were upset that she sought employment with Obama?

So you still see everything Obama through Hillary colored glasses?

Why not try to accept that Hillary is as responsible for not being placed on the ticket as any other factor. But you, me or Ben Smith have no greater reason to believe that it was an FU gesture rather than a likely political outcome.

[look]

Originally Posted by renzo

Why not try to accept that Hillary is as responsible for not being placed on the ticket as any other factor. But you, me or Ben Smith have no greater reason to believe that it was an FU gesture rather than a likely political outcome.

Let's just say it had the added benefit of being a FU gesture, the icing on the cake being Hillary doesn't have a leg to stand on because she fired Solis-Doyle. That Solis-Doyle has Chicago connections makes it even more understandable.

[handle]

Originally Posted by bjkeefe

The thing that's kind of amazing is that I'd think a former hot-shot pilot would be more interested than the average person in gadgets.

And risk crashing more computers than he did jets? Maybe if his dad owned HP he would have taken more of an "interest"....

[graz]

Thanks. Another great link.

[bjkeefe]

graz:

Thanks for checking it out. Glad you liked it.

[deebee]

I don't think it was out of line to sign her up to work for his campaign for the reasons that you state. My only objection was that he immediately and specifically put Solis Doyle in charge of the VP office which was an offhand way of saying "Go to Hell Hillary -- we're not even considering you". And, and I have mentioned, many observers, including the likes of Chris Matthews (of all people) thought that it was way out of line.

I know that Hillary is out of the picture and I'm not pining for her return -- only watching the drama unfold and observing how Obama handles himself. In this particular instance, he did not do himself any favors.

[deebee]

Renzo: So you still see everything Obama through Hillary colored glasses?

Sorry, forgot to include this Renzo quote (re: Solis Doyle) in my last entry.

[renzo]

Originally Posted by deebee

I know that Hillary is out of the picture and I'm not pining for her return -- only watching the drama unfold and observing how Obama handles himself. In this particular instance, he did not do himself any favors.

Can you offer one example of him "handling" himself in a way favorable to you?
And keep in mind that there is a five word minimum required by the forum software.

[deebee]

[QUOTE]

Quoting Renzo: Can you offer one example of him (BO) "handling" himself in a way favorable to you?

Hard to think of one.

[bkjazfan]

Obama wants to win so the "change" motto has taken a new meaning: he will change his mind on important domestic and international issues to insure himself a victory. I can't remember the exact wording but Reverend Wright, his former spiritual mentor, said something like is a typical pol. Nothing new or unusual about that. Sure, for some it's disappointing, but nothing to get cynical over.

John