Where Is The Love?

Obma advises his fellow Dems to get out of the bubble, talk to real human beings and turn off the television news and "the blogs":

The president’s advice came in answer to a question from Sen. Mike Bennet, D-CO, who is facing a difficult re-election fight back home and wanted to know what Democrats and Republicans can do "to fix this institution so that our democracy can actually withstand the test that we're facing right now."

"You know what I think would actually make a difference, Michael? I think if everybody here -- excuse all the members of the press who are here -- if everybody here turned off your CNN, your Fox, your blogs," Obama said, before being interrupted by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA, who piped up, "And MSNBC!"

Obama, appropriately reminded of the network with shows more friendly to liberals, continued, "Just turn off the TV -- MSNBC, blogs -- and just go talk to folks out there, instead of being in this echo chamber where the topic is constantly politics. ... It is much more difficult to get a conversation focused on how are we going to help people than a conversation about how is this going to help or hurt somebody politically."

...And among a number of candid admissions from the President Wednesday, which evoked an applause, this: "We've got to, I think, get out of the echo chamber. That was a mistake that I think I made last year - was just not getting out of here enough. And it's helpful when you do."

As much as I would like to believe Obama is stinging fro the lash of Just One Minute, I suspect his real problem is with the empowered Nutroots who can't seem to pipe down and accept his drift back to the center.

Speaking of which, if I were an aforementioned empowered Nutroots blogger who had spent years toiling for the election of Democrats progressives, I would be modestly apoplectic at this message of "Your check has cleared, thank you, shut up."

By way of example of ire on the left, check out the reader revolt at Steve Benen's Washington Monthly blog.  Steve loyally praises Obama's repeated rhetorical commitment to health care reform, then closes with a modest call to arms:

Looking back over the last several days, Obama has delivered some great speeches, making it abundantly clear that his commitment to health care reform hasn't wavered. That, to a very real extent, gives the initiative a shot in the arm, and I don't want to discount the significance of the comments.

But by all appearances, it's now time to make the shift from talking publicly about getting this done to talking privately about how to get this done. I'd be delighted if lawmakers were able to get this done on their own, but they're not.

And some reader reax, from the first few comments:

"he certainly sounds serious" - Who cares? You can't believe any word he says... : Gray

...all signs indicate that he has no idea what to do next.  : Felix

We don't need speeches. By this late hour, it should be obvious that Obama's oratory has had negligible impact on HCR. ...If Obama thinks the journalistic cavalry will ride to our rescue, he's deluding himself. : Walt

Trouble in Paradise, but help is on the way!

Comments

[Paul from Boston]

"We've got to, I think, get out of the echo chamber."

Finally, Obama gets a clue! How about shutting Congress down nine months of the year. It would be a good start.

[jimmyk]

As I believe Sarah pointed out, is he actually interested in listening to people or in hectoring them for not coming around to his point of view?

In any case, those 165 AF 1 flights suggested he's gotten out quite a bit, and it hasn't seemed to have had much effect.

[bgates]

Obama, appropriately reminded of the network with shows more friendly to liberals

Yeah, because not everybody is as venomous towards Obama as CNN.

[clarice]

I wish I could honestly express how sad this turn of events makes me.

[Danube of Thought]

If I were Obama or Reid I would think the likeliest road to Obamacare still runs through Olympia Snowe.

The reconciliation scheme just looks like it can't actually be done.

[centralcal]

Speaking of bubbles . . . Flotus can relate.

Scroll down to photo no. 2.

[centralcal]

I like that "run(ning) through Olympia Snowe" part. Oops, guess I meant running over. Sorry, off topic.

[Captain Hate]

I wish I could honestly express how sad this turn of events makes me.

I think I've pulled out all my eyelashes trying to generate a tear.

[Danube of Thought]

For those not already bored to tears with the whole thing, this interview with a very sharp lady makes clear what a disaster was (or is) in the making with Obamacare.

[LouP]

And just who is the windbag who makes a speech-a-day for the benefit of the media, and his own exposure?

Is he saying that we shouldn't listen to him any more? OK, by me. Wish everyone else would get the message...

[Strawman Cometh]

Or turn off Obama and read the blogs.

[hit and run]

Obama:
That was a mistake that I think I made last year - was just not getting out of here enough.

Yeah,he's been a real slave to the office,that guy.

By October 25,Obama had matched the http://thevimh.blogspot.com/2009/10/presidential-priorities.html>number of rounds of golf President Bush played during his entire presidency.

Hell,less than two weeks into the job he was http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/02/obama_wanted_out_of_the_white.html>whining to second graders about being in the White House.

[Gmax]

Am I a lone wolf and sick puppy, or did some of the rest you laugh hysterically like I did at all of the progressives calling Obama a LIAR? Now that was what I would expect out of a bunch of bible thumpers clinging to their guns, but not erudite and enlightened progressives. This turd is circling the bowl, he wont be able to get an invite to campaign with anyone by the fall.

[odama]

I think the guy who said Obama doesn't have any idea what to do next is right. Executive leadership for him seems to be, have some confabs, give some speeches, and issue a date when you want Congress to wrap it up. If that doesn't work, he does more of the same.

[Danube of Thought]

Pleased to report that The Archfiend is now underwater at Pollster.com, and the ripples are lapping gently at his lower lip in the RCP Average.

[MarkO]

"But by all appearances, it's now time to make the shift from talking publicly about getting this done to talking privately about how to get this done."

Right. Yeah, that's the ticket. How silly to have tried to do any of this out in the open. Let's, you know, talk privately--not on C-Span for God's sake(although the Animal Channel is nice)--and that way, the private, not in public, not on MSNBC way we can do something. We need to talk about getting this done, privately, and not about the political consequences of it, because those things might be dire, you know, like not having any popular support for what we are going to do in private.

And, another thing. I just haven't done enough talking and that's why we have to talk some more, but in private. Hey, is a private like a corpseman? With all due deference, please stop reporting what anyone but I do. (Is that "anyone but me does?") Don't pay any attention to the media. Really. I like private. I would have saved Private Ryan. Was he a corpseman?

Anyway, God bless America. You may worship me.

[RichatUF]

Just turn off the TV -- MSNBC, blogs -- and just go talk to folks out there, instead of being in this echo chamber where the topic is constantly politics...

I seem to recall when Democrats were trying to sell HCR during the summer recess they got an earfull and they still went ahead with HCR. Then Dems got wacked in NJ and VA and they still proceed with HCR. It only ground to a halt because the House and Senate are so far apart and then a Republican picked up the MA Senate seat.

So who is it that has been living in a bubble?

[The Law of Unintended Consequences]

Dear President Obama,

Be careful what you wish for.

Cheers,

[sbw]

It's not just a bubble. It's a whole bubble bath.

Never will I forget the NY Times Magazine hit job on Bush by Ron Susskind who took a side remark by a staffer and concluded that George W. Bush was a religious zealot who lived in a bubble and was out of touch with the country.

I argued the point on Jay Rosen's PressThink blog and couldn't get any glimmer of intelligence out of people so convinced of their feelings that "Rational" was the name of their fantasy world.

Massive public derangement. A bubble bath.

[Porchlight]

Massive public derangement. A bubble bath.

sbw,

You know, if they'd been more honest with themselves and with the country about Bush, they might not be in this pickle now. Instead they kept their blinders on and facilitated the election of a tyro ideologue who is singlehandedly reinvigorating the conservative movement. Now it's all falling down around them and they have no one to blame but themselves.

[Rob Crawford]

Never will I forget the NY Times Magazine hit job on Bush by Ron Susskind who took a side remark by a staffer and concluded that George W. Bush was a religious zealot who lived in a bubble and was out of touch with the country.

The "reality-based community" crap? I always found it amusing how eager they were to accept such an obvious fiction.

[George L]

Newsflash: Obama says it's still Bush's fault -

"Obama blasts Bush for ‘dereliction of duty,’ touts economic progress
By The Daily Caller 02/06/10 at 3:26 pm

Speaking at the Democratic National Committee winter meeting at the Capitol Hilton in snow-drenched Washington today, President Obama touted new figures from the Labor Department showing a 0.3 percent decrease in the unemployment rate and took a few shots at former President Bush.

Faced with mounting national opposition to his party’s platform, the president reminded voters the real reason the trillion-dollar stimulus package still hasn’t reduced unemployment to 8 percent as promised: Bush did it, and it’ll take a lot of time to undo it.

“The country cannot return to the “dereliction of duty that helped deliver this recession,” Obama said. He added that the previous administration’s role in the economic meltdown was the “real outrage.”"

LUN

[BumperStickerist]

Hmmm ...

Dear Obama,

regarding the "Previous Administration" stuff ---

"That dog won't hunt."

"That poop don't flush."

Take your pick.

[Porchlight]

Palin to begin speaking soon at the Tea Party. Fox is covering it live and HotAir has an open thread.

Will she channel Reagan on his birthday?

[Barry Dauphin]

Obama blasts Bush for ‘dereliction of duty

Ahhh, bipartisanship.

[DrJ]

Anyone here live blogging?

[Jane]

She's great.

[Porchlight]

Oops, might want to go to C-SPAN for live coverage since Geraldo is MCing on Fox.

[narciso]

A shoutout to President Reagan, to the troops and Scott Brown, in just the first few minutes

[Jane]

And lots of praise for SCott Brown. "It's your agenda Obama"

[narciso]

"If you're 0-3, you should start listening"

[PD]

Sarah's also being shown by CNN. Gosh.

[narciso]

"There is no perfect candidate, they will dissapoint,on occasion"

[PD]

She's even on MS-NBC! Wowser.

[narciso]

This is about the people

[narciso]

WE can't spin our way out of this threat

[Porchlight]

Ah yes, old irrelevant fringe-y quitter Sarah whose speech everyone is covering live. Heh, the times they are a changin'.

[Ignatz]

--the president reminded voters the real reason the trillion-dollar stimulus package still hasn’t reduced unemployment to 8 percent as promised--

This is probably a rather small point to the lying little jughead but he didn't promise to bring it back down to 8%. He promised it would never get there, since it was under 8% at the time of porkulus's passage. First he had to drive it to over 10% before he could whine about not being able to bring it back down because of Bush.

I don't think we have anything to fear about this idiot ever changing his tune and lulling the independents with his siren song of centrism.

[Jane]

"[Tea Party movement is] Bigger than any charismatic guy with a teleprompter"

[PD]

Oops. "...wondering if Alaska is still that beacon of freedom..."

Meant "America" I assume.

[Flodigarry]

Sarah es en fuego!

[RichatUF]

She's out there slaughtering a sluth of polar bears.

[PD]

Well. I like that she's calling out Obama, but somehow this seems like a pretty weak speech.

[Flodigarry]

I wonder if O is watching. Probably fuming and smoking up a storm as Sarah provides the beat-down.

[narciso]

Nobody messes with Joe

[narciso]

How's that hope and change working out for you

[PD]

O's not watching. He's not aware of the tea parties, remember? Told us so his own self.

[narciso]

Do you feel very stimulated?

[Flodigarry]

PD -

Oh yeah. I forgot.

[narciso]

I think she must come across this site on occasion

[Flodigarry]

But he does have this weird obsession with Sarah....

[PD]

Flodigarry, He does indeed. And seems not to realize that responding to her as he does makes him look insecure and ineffectual. A President who feels it necessary to fight a Facebook page, now that's strength.

[Flodigarry]

Narciso - It does seem as though some of the esteemed posters here could have written this speech. Very Deja Vu on some of the themes...

[narciso]

They need to get government out of way. . .reset button for Congress. . .insurance reform across state lines

[PD]

Need to deliver carbon-free energy. Meh.

[narciso]

We need more than words, we need a plan, expedite the regulatory process for offshore
drilling

[narciso]

We don't a title to bring about change

[RichatUF]

Need to deliver carbon-free energy...

Nuclear?

[Jane]

I think it is a good speech but it's not being delivered well - not like her acceptance speech, and it is a bit disjointed.

[PD]

Jane, yeah. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, I think you have.

The early part was long on slogan, the second half is better on that score. But it seemed tentative most of the way through. She's finally getting warmed up now. And its just ending.

[PD]

Nuclear?

I was reacting to the idea that carbon emissions are a problem.

[Flodigarry]

Bad chair for Sarah. Hard to sit in a "lady-like" manner.

[PD]

Thinking of "Basic Instinct"?

[Flodigarry]

Hard to be at your best when you are constantly worrying about flashing the audience.

[RichatUF]

I'd give the effort a solid B+.

And PD, I've linked to it before and it is probably worth pointing out again. Obama's campaign handbook.

On her resignation: law 3, 22

On this speech: law 6, law 25, *law 33*, law 44

I think that she understands and knows Obama's thumbscrew and can twist it better than any other politician or commentator in the country.

And its brilliant move too, she's a private citizen now with a best-selling book and a facebook page. The President is going to waste his time (and the DNC is going to waste resources) attacking her and her family?

[RichatUF]

PD-

Yea. Regarding the carbon monster, some will be able to recover quickly that the monster isn't real, but for others, it is going to take a while to sink in. Not many realized how quickly the Soviet Union was going to collapse once the Hungarians cut down their boarder fence.

[PD]

Obama seems not to have noticed law 45.

[PD]

I'm blown away that CNN and MS-NBC are even carrying the Q&A. Heh.

[RichatUF]

PD-

I said it was his campaign handbook. I would have been worried if he kept it around for his administration.

[Melinda Romanoff]

"boarder fence"

Hmm, gotta file that one too.

[RichatUF]

Awww crap. "border fence"

[PD]

RichatUF: Well, okay, but it looks as though he's never left campaign mode.

[daddy]

Speaking of Alaska...

I'm sure the Fed's and the Environmentalists had the best of intentions, so please cut them a break when you read this:

FAIRBANKS">http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/rural/story/1127640.html">FAIRBANKS -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture said an erosion control project designed to improve spawning salmon habitat near Delta Junction has failed so badly that it should be undone -- at a cost of up to $10 million.

"The USDA's project made drainage problems worse rather than better. The agency is proposing to remove dikes and about a mile of infiltration basin."

So don't think of it as millions of dollars wasted and millions of dead salmon. Think of it as shovel ready jobs!

[narciso]

He doesn't know anything else, from the Cantor piece I've referenced on more than a few times, he was peddling straight up Alinsky
to his students, in lieu of statutes. relying
on Derrick Bell, the Jeremiah Wright of legal
scholarship as the primer

[Melinda Romanoff]

daddy-

As i have learned this week, if it's to be a jobs program, give them spoons!

[sbw]

The Hayek-Keynes Rap needs to go viral.

Seven minutes well-spent.

[daddy]

That's a great link Melinda---Ha!

But now that I read my paper a little more, I see another story which proves that a Government that can give shovel (or spoon) ready jobs with one hand, can take them away with the other:

Alaska">http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/story/1126881.html">Alaska politicians said Friday they are outraged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' decision to deny Conoco Phillips a permit that would have given it access to drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

"That's a half a billion dollars of development lost," said Rep. Craig Johnson, R-Alaska, who chairs the House Resources Committee."

[narciso]

The Army Corps of Engineers, 'loved your work in Katrina,' honestly

[Melinda Romanoff]

daddy-

Who is the Commander In Chief for the U.S. Army Corps of....

Oh, wait a minute....

[Melinda Romanoff]

narciso-

A quick question, how many institutions are involved with dike or pump management, and policing, in the greater New Orleans area?

I will give you a range of plus or minus FOUR from your answer. (Oh, and all can direct the activities of the Corps of Engineers, BTW)

[Ann]

Have you guys learned nothing. It is the U.S. Army Corpse of Engineers. Really!!!

[My name here]

The press worships Obama and now he tells people not to pay attention to them!!!!! ROFLMAO

[daddy]

Melinda,

Are you talking the Corps of Engineers or the "Corpse" of Engineers?

At Harvard Law School they think there's a difference.

[daddy]

Awwww Annie, You're too fast for me! Grrrr.

[narciso]

Well I do remember a number of levee boards, that some how the money never got to reinforcing the levies, for one. I recall Maestri's explanation, of the cup and saucer
configuration of New Orleans, surrounded by
lake Poncetrain, the Missippi, and the Gulf of Mexico, this was a year before Katrina, where the expectation, was the pumps would
be buried underwater for six months. That explanation, merited only a footnotes in Brinkley's comprehensive history of Katrina

[daddy]

Narciso,

The Sarah speech story went up at the ADN just over an hour ago, and already 26 mostly negative comments, tho' she has got a defender or 2 which is nice to see.

Only 1 so far is demanding to see Trig's Birth Certificate via this exciting comment:

"Alaska residents should insist on proof that Trig was born TO Sarah Palin. Another email reveals good wishes from a fellow traveler who met Sarah/Todd in an Alaska Airlines private airport lounge on the day of the birth (enroute from TX . Sarah calmly read a book during the time the in lounge and the writer had no idea she was in labor!"

Well that settles it for me.

[daddy]

Wait a second.

We all know Sarah Palin is too stupid to read books. Therefore the e-mail is wrong and the commenter lied. Trig is her son. QED.

[narciso]

People who entertain the alternate thought, really need a Leroy Gibbs slap to the back of the head; at the very least they shouldn't drive or operate heavy machinery.

[Fresh Air]

I might ask Zero how his vaunted 0.3 percent improvement in U-3 unemployment compares with the U-6 number. That is, if he had any earthly idea what a "U-6" number was. So I won't.

But going back to his asinine claims about what unemployment would be with and without the "stimulus," none of which were true, I would think President Dumbass might be a little more humble towards his predecessor, whose average unemployment rate was a hell of a lot lower over a longer period of time. And who, by the way, actually did serve in the military and didn't just learn how to snap off a salute last January.

[Neo]

a subcategory of crime dubbed the “My Way Killings.”

[Barak Obama]

Turn off your TVs and computers people! Become LESS involved in the political process!!

[Pana sonic Olympics]

The blogs were Obama's people. He didn't hire any and told them he never wanted them. Obama is a waste of the tax payer money.

I really don't want to meet O or his family on the street. His wife might ask me if I think she's sexy.