Leftists Upset by Obama Flip-Flops
Well, it’s not just we conservatives who are noting Obama’s flip-flops. Turns out a number of “high-profile liberals” (as Jim Geraghty defines them) have realized that the primary change this guy stands for is in his positions.
This new type of politician is just a more charismatic and rhetorically gifted version of the standard issue politician who’ll do what it takes to get elected, even it it means shifting stands which once defined his campaign. In other words, Obama’s just an opportunist.
As he indicates that he’s shifting on offshore drilling, the far-left Nation magazine published an Open Letter “calling on Barack Obama to stand firm on the principles he so compellingly articulated in the primary campaign.“:
Since your historic victory in the primary, there have been troubling signs that you are moving away from the core commitments shared by many who have supported your campaign, toward a more cautious and centrist stance–including, most notably, your vote for the FISA legislation granting telecom companies immunity from prosecution for illegal wiretapping, which angered and dismayed so many of your supporters.
They list a few of the issues where the presumptive Democratic nominee has changed his views since the primary campaign. While the Nation editors claim the positions he had embraced “are essential to sustaining” the movement they favor, they neglect to mention how out of step most of their policies are with American voters. Run on that left-wing agenda and he’s certain to lose.
Obama’s smart enough to realize that and determined enough to win this fall, that he’ll change his positions wherever necessary to further his own election. After all, he is the candidate of change.
It seems the only change Obama really believes in is that which makes him more palatable to the political audience at hand. Which makes him a lot like his vanquished rival in the recent contest for the Democratic presidential nomination. And her husband.
UPDATE: Â Maybe Obama’s changing his views so readily because he’s brought on veterans from the campaign of another Democratic flip-flopper to his team.
UP-UPDATE: In a similar vein at the Huffington Post, Alex Castellanos writes, “It is Obama’s campaign that presents their candidate as an ever-changing work-in-progress” (Via Instapundit).
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When he has a speechwriter. Ask him to talk off the cuff and he’s even dumber, more tongue-tied, incoherent and ignorantly gaffe-prone than George W. Bush was ever accused of being.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 5, 2008 @ 3:05 pm - August 5, 2008
Indeed. He’s the Clintons (including the corruption and the secret radicalism-at-heart), without their ability to think and speak smoothly on their feet.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 5, 2008 @ 3:08 pm - August 5, 2008
#2 – Which is why he is adamantly refusing to debate more than once with McCain. He’s going to be worse than Jimmy Carter in 1980.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — August 5, 2008 @ 4:06 pm - August 5, 2008
Also, let’s just ponder what Dan referenced in his post:
If Obama is using Kerry’s staff, does that mean the Clinton camp has still not been brought on board? If so, why?
Or are they too smart to get a ticket on the Titanic?
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — August 5, 2008 @ 4:15 pm - August 5, 2008
HillBill *must* be looking for ways to torpedo Obama. It’s the only way she becomes President in 2012 (or has another shot at it). But they can’t afford to get caught, so their tools must be very limited. Keeping a safe distance is probably job 1.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 5, 2008 @ 4:24 pm - August 5, 2008
Yeah, I want a “work in progress” for president. Riiiiight…
Comment by A Different Peter H — August 5, 2008 @ 4:53 pm - August 5, 2008
I hate the term flip flop…..sometimes it means admitting they have reconsidered their position based on what makes sense. Just look at what mandating ethanol has done to food prices and the cost of goods in general.
Time to rethink and reverse mandates on blending ethanol made from corn. Time to drill for domestic resources.
Obama is not a flip flopper because he does not remember what he said one month to the next.
Funny how they think NASCAR is not just a bunch of dumb conservative entertainment. Now NASCAR suits Obama’s need for an answer to a ridiculous idea.
Obama honestly thinks Americans are stupid and that the left will follow blindly where he leads them!
Some leftists will, MOST won’t.
jeb
Comment by jeb — August 5, 2008 @ 5:40 pm - August 5, 2008
He’s not so much a flip flopper – he can hold two positions at the same time!
Meanwhile, I’m liking all the blow back from McCain’s latests ads. Even Paris Hilton is getting in on the act – that means these ads are hitting a nerve.
Comment by Leah — August 5, 2008 @ 8:33 pm - August 5, 2008
I would rather have a “flip-flopper” than someone so rigid that he thinks he is right all of the time
Comment by a. mcewen — August 5, 2008 @ 9:51 pm - August 5, 2008
Strange how the Messiah manages to combine both.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 5, 2008 @ 10:14 pm - August 5, 2008
My favorite is how McCain “flip-flops”, but Comrade Obama “refines his position”.
Oh no doubt. I mean, the greatest leaders in history have always had four or more positions (depending on the audience)on the most important issues they face. Who the hell wants a decisive leader when we can have a gutless wonder who changes his mind more often than I change my boxers?
We need someone who will whip out their dick, slap it on the table and says “here’s what we’re gonna do” instead of some clown who has to check all the polls first. We had enough of that in the 90s.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — August 6, 2008 @ 1:22 am - August 6, 2008
Ahem,
To be a bit more polite, a leader leads, doing what they feel is right and needed, damn what the people think. FDR pulled eveey trick he could to support the allies prior to Pearl Harbor, even though it was not popular. Lincoln fought on when people wanted to surrender.
Are leaders perfect? No, FDR trusted Stalin too much, Lincoln took some drastic steps that stomped on states rights. But they need to lead.
Yes, that makes Nancy a leader. I never said that a leader couldn’t lead off a clift. Mugabe in Zimbabuae is a leader too
Comment by The_Livewire — August 6, 2008 @ 6:53 am - August 6, 2008
Actually, I am more upset about Republican closet case Crist coming out in favor of Amendment 2 in Florida. He was against it before he was for it. You guys sure are making progress….anti-gay progress. Congratulations.
Comment by fnln — August 6, 2008 @ 8:27 am - August 6, 2008
Actually, i dont care about what 13 is talking about at all
Comment by Vince P — August 6, 2008 @ 8:54 am - August 6, 2008
And for today’s “Obama is Dumb, Yet Arrogant” Watch:
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/08/06/obama-really-doesnt-like-a-debate/
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 6, 2008 @ 11:13 am - August 6, 2008
“Dumb, Yet arrogant?” So, in other words, the left loves Obama for being exactly what they accuse Bush of being.
Comment by V the K — August 6, 2008 @ 11:15 am - August 6, 2008
ding ding ding ding
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 6, 2008 @ 11:18 am - August 6, 2008
For the OIDYA Watch – a couple more:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/08/021177.php
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 6, 2008 @ 11:31 am - August 6, 2008
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=YTQzYTEzZTEzY2RhNGFhMjk1Mjc0MDYyMjNiOGYwMTA=
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — August 6, 2008 @ 11:32 am - August 6, 2008
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/08/06/paris-hilton-gets-even-with-mccain-releases-ad-of-her-own/
Comment by jeb — August 6, 2008 @ 11:34 am - August 6, 2008
Howdy and hello from Houston. I send the link only to point out McCain’s response to the entire Hilton response.
I do believe this Paris response dots the i’s and crosses the t’s on McCain’s ad that Obama is no better than Paris. At least she comes from a family background of that has run a business, created jobs and I think no one would deny that Paris in her own way is a business.
I wonder if she realizes Obama is going after her money and lifestyle.
jeb
Comment by jeb — August 6, 2008 @ 11:39 am - August 6, 2008
Actually, I am more upset about Republican closet case Crist coming out in favor of Amendment 2 in Florida.
Sure you are, fnln, just like you and your fellow gay Democrats have been saying it’s “pro-gay” and “gay-supportive” to come out in favor of such amendments at the state and Federal level when your Democrat massas are doing it.
Gay leftists like yourself who smear Crist are only projecting their own cowardice and hypocrisy onto other people. The fact that you accuse Crist of secret shame is only a reflection of your own self-loathing at your slavish support of Democrat Party people who take your money and treat you like dirt.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — August 6, 2008 @ 12:00 pm - August 6, 2008
#22 – I second that emotion, NDT. Well done.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — August 6, 2008 @ 1:06 pm - August 6, 2008
The McCain ad didn’t “attack” Paris Hilton…it just accused Sen. Obama of being in the same business; showing-up for the sake of showing-up, charging for the privilege of his company, and pocketing the swag,
And the irony of Paris’ “campaign ad” is that her energy plan goes into more specific details than Obama’s. It doesn’t hurt McCain…it makes Obama look even more shallow.
Comment by Ted B. (Charging Rhino) — August 6, 2008 @ 2:22 pm - August 6, 2008
LOL
Comment by fnln — August 6, 2008 @ 2:45 pm - August 6, 2008
If inflating our tires means we never have to drill for oil, does that mean if everybody checks their blood pressure, we don’t need to nationalize health care? Does that mean if everybody reads a book, we don’t need to raise education spending? If people just stop using needle drugs and stop having unsafe sex, we can stop spending money on AIDS?
Maybe the Obamassiah is onto something.
Comment by V the K — August 6, 2008 @ 3:04 pm - August 6, 2008
Funny we should all be told to inflate our tires by someone who has such an inflated ego.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — August 6, 2008 @ 6:41 pm - August 6, 2008
McCain supports drilling… Paris likes getting drilled.
Comment by American Elephant — August 7, 2008 @ 2:43 am - August 7, 2008
I’ve always loved the charges of flip flopping, as if it only pertains to one’s opponent in politics. I have yet to see one political candidate-turned elected official who has not changed his/her position on an issue and/or gone back on at least one campaign promise. not one.
GWB did it when he initially met LCR and told them the Gov’t had no business in their lives, yet then went on to support the anti-gay marriage amendment (causing LCR to not support his re-election and, naturally, garnering the usual vilification from this site, as it does to anyone who shows nothing but blind loyalty)
I notice there’s not much charging of flip flopping against McCain on issues like off-shore drilling. Back when he was running for president in 2000, he said he opposed off-shore drilling as being bad for the environment and only serving special interests. How times change. Then again, what else can you do when your party cow-tows to oil interests and pretty much decimates any chance of alternative fuel sources (or even better gas mileage for that matter).
16: No, I don’t think so. Bush pretty much defined dumb with his innate inability to construct a comprehensible statement extemporaneously. Hell, even when he reads from a script he pretty much struggles with being able to get the words out….anyone calculate how much time is wasted trying to watch him with all those pauses? lord. At least McCain can talk, albeit like he’s doing Dana Carvey’s “grumpy old man” character.
Comment by Kevin — August 7, 2008 @ 4:57 am - August 7, 2008
Kevin,
They send those DNC talking points out at midnight?
Would that be the DOMA that Clinton signed, oh wait, you like to pretend that it doesn’t exist.
Kind of like a society’s right to enforce its laws.
Or people who openly defy those laws.
Comment by The Livewire — August 7, 2008 @ 6:58 am - August 7, 2008
NBC Reporter: The Obamassiah is “a bit of a liar”.
Ouch.
Comment by V the K — August 7, 2008 @ 9:34 am - August 7, 2008
That’s funny. The oil companies spend more on alternative fuels than anyone else. Between 2000-2006 (latest info), the oil and gas companies spent $42 Billion on “Carbon Mitigation” while the federal government only spent $15 Billion. This includes:
The development of clean burning natural gas,
R&D and marketing solar, geothermal, bio fuels, fuel cells, hydrogen power and wind energy.
Developing carbon capture and storage.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — August 7, 2008 @ 9:02 pm - August 7, 2008
I can’t think of anything more stupid than carbon capture.
Especialyl when you consider the fact that CO2 does not contribute to or cause global warming.
it’s insane
Comment by Vince P — August 7, 2008 @ 10:35 pm - August 7, 2008