That should be "we are seeing that Obama campaign spokesman..."

Posted at June 30, 2008 1:06 PM in response to Networking Group Opposing FISA Cave On Obama's Web Site Grows And Grows

Here is the page that lists groups by number of members, starting at the top with the most, Action Wire, which has 13,320 as I write.

The Obama FISA group has gained more than 500 members since I posted earlier.

(And now, on the front page of TPM, we are saying that Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton is "rejecting" Wes Clark's completely reasonable statement yesterday "I don’t think getting in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to become president." Is it only a matter of time before they cave and denounce him, too?

Pressuring Obama on FISA is a way to support him and support progressive change.

Posted at June 30, 2008 1:05 PM in response to Networking Group Opposing FISA Cave On Obama's Web Site Grows And Grows

In less than a week, this group has vaulted from no members to having the 5th most members of all the groups at Obama's Web site. At this rate, it will be the largest group by the time the FISA vote rolls around.

Those who support Obama's push to the so-called center are doing him no favors. From having something of an image as a principled politician, he has, since securing the nomination, taken several steps that (fairly) positioned him to get tagged as a "flip-flopper." That's not smart politics. That's dumb politics.

Besides, where is the evidence that his previous position--unequivocal opposition to telecom immunity--was an electoral albatross? Here in Connecticut, GOP Rep. Nancy Johnson tried hanging the albatross of "he won't let us spy on terrorists" around challenger Chris Murphy's neck in 2006. He crushed her. The GOP has also tried using it in the special congressional elections this year. They lost.

Obama's moves--on FISA, appointing Jason Furman to head his economic team, backpedaling on NAFTA--indicate he's paying attention to the same tired DC insiders who for years now have been afraid of Republicans.

People can't stand the GOP now and they don't buy the fear that they are pedaling. But by acting scared--and that's what Obama is doing--he empowers the GOP fearmongers.

It's time for Democrats to define the frame on issues. Obama was doing that during the primary campaign. He's not doing it now.

The networking group on FISA is a viral way to get Obama back on the path of smart, aggressive, principled politics. Not just because it's right but because it's a winning strategy.

Posted at June 30, 2008 12:05 PM in response to Networking Group Opposing FISA Cave On Obama's Web Site Grows And Grows

Dean at the DNC and Obama running his 50-state presidential campaign is a great combination. Dean is far more valuable as a party organizer than he would be as a VP candidate.

Posted at June 5, 2008 8:06 PM in response to Breaking: Howard Dean To Stay As Chair Of The DNC

She is just as cynical and despicable as they come.

Posted at April 14, 2008 8:05 PM in response to Hillary Airs New Ad In Pennsylvania Hitting Obama's "Small-Town" Comments

Perhaps I'm missing something but is the whole contretemps re Obama and NAFTA proven? Some commenters and Eric seem to take it as a given that Obama's adviser actually did talk out of the other side of his mouth to the Canadians. I thought, given follow-up reports, that was a real matter of contention (and that, in fact, it might have been an dviser to Clinto who did that).

Posted at April 4, 2008 12:17 PM in response to Report: Mark Penn Met With Colombian Ambassador To Talk Trade

Hey! Don't forget us here in CT! We were buried under a blizzard of EMILY's List mailings and inundated with NOW robocalls but still turned out for Obama.

Posted at March 26, 2008 9:38 PM in response to Why are (some) Hillary supporters mad at Obama?

There's a difference between encouraging Rs and Independents who support your candidate to crossover and participate in the primary and winning based on Rs who want to nominate the candidate most likely to lose to John McCain in the general.

Indications are that the Republicans and independents who voted for Obama in primaries will vote Democratic in November (expanding the Democratic electorate) but that many of the Republicans who are crossing over to support Hillary are doing so to sabotage the Democrats in November.

That's a pretty basic and substantive distinction.

Posted at March 17, 2008 9:54 PM in response to Bill Kristol Corrects False Assertion About Obama

That you think that Hillary Clinton--having run a campaign of smears, lies and racial divisiveness (along the code words line used by every Republican since Richard Nixon in '68)--could actually win the general election shows you are living in fantasy land.

NO Democrat can win the presidency without overwhelming support from African-Americans. If Sen. Clinton steals the nomination through a superdelegate coup--and that's the only way she can get the nomination--then fat chance expecting African-Americans to turn out for her. OR progressives such as myself who have watched her and her husband--two narcissistic and selfish peas in a pod--poison the political well.

But it's hardly surprising that a Clinton supporter can be completely insensitive to the history of the African-American people in America and how anguish and anger about that history might be expressed in a sermon. Nor is it surprising that you would try and hang that around Obama's neck. Cheap dirty politics, but that's really all you have left, isn't it?

Posted at March 16, 2008 9:56 PM in response to Obama's Church: Pillorying Wright An Assault Upon African-American Culture

Ha ha. I'll believe it when I see it. This is what they say now. But they'll sing a different tune when the White House tells them they can't do it. Because if you sue, you will help the terrorists.

Posted at March 4, 2008 1:31 PM in response to House Lawsuit against White House Expected This Month