Kaneblues's Blog

Kaneblues Commented on Obama: "I Don't Think There's Any Question That We Have A Mandate" by Greg Sargent

2008-11-25T18:25:43Z

In surrounding himself with very smart and open-minded people, people who are respected on both sides of the aisle, Obama is making it much more difficult for partisans and republicans to vilify him, his administration, and his policies. Rather than giving life to a modern day wannabe Newt Gingrich and losing the gains of Congress, Obama is laying the groundwork to not only increase those gains, but also strengthening the Democratic brand in the minds of the country. The obstructionists will soon show themselves to be the ones who are the extremists and out of touch, while Obama and the Democrats will solidify themselves as the party that gets things done.

Kaneblues recommended Real Oversight by Josh Marshall

2008-11-24T00:57:49Z

Kaneblues Commented on Hillary Spokesperson: Reports That She Will Accept Sec State Gig Are "Premature" by Greg Sargent

2008-11-22T00:55:54Z

I haven't seen the word "gig" used so often in one piece since reading the reviews of Woodstock.

Kaneblues Commented on Strategic Leaks Versus Unplanned Leaks by Greg Sargent

2008-11-21T21:22:40Z

...
The fact that they can already leak one big appointee per day is testimony to an awful lot of expert staff work.
...
Most of all, they are picking Washington insiders. Or to be more precise, they are picking the best of the Washington insiders.

Obama seems to have dispensed with the romantic and failed notion that you need inexperienced “fresh faces” to change things. After all, it was L.B.J. who passed the Civil Rights Act.
...
David Brooks-

Kaneblues Commented on Can Franken Win? Yes, He Could. Maybe. by Eric Kleefeld

2008-11-20T18:04:38Z

Yes, He Could. Maybe.

It just doesn't have that same magical ring as Yes, we can.

Kaneblues Commented on Hillary Is Boxing Obama In. Or Is It The Other Way Around? by Greg Sargent

2008-11-20T16:54:24Z

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. And it does seem sensible and somewhat logical and certainly not out of the ordinary of how things work in politics.

Kaneblues Commented on Hillary Is Boxing Obama In. Or Is It The Other Way Around? by Greg Sargent

2008-11-20T16:42:30Z

I get the impression that Hillary Clinton wants the SoS job and that Obama would like to have her on his team. But the drag in the process are the past dealings of Bill Clinton. While the Obama team is weighing those dealings for potential problems and debating whether they want to spend capital in defending Bill Clinton, the Clintons are doing damage control just in case it doesn't work out. Rather than being embarrased to say that Hillary can't be SoS because of Bill, the surrogates are laying the groundwork of how much Hillary loves working in the Senate.

Kaneblues Commented on Hillary Is Boxing Obama In. Or Is It The Other Way Around? by Greg Sargent

2008-11-20T15:21:08Z

Mr No Drama, meet Drama on Steroids.

Kaneblues Commented on Report: Obama Picks Daschle For Health And Human Services by Eric Kleefeld

2008-11-19T18:02:47Z

More importantly, the selection represents a possible break for at least a day from the right-wing media talking-point that anyone who served in the Clinton administration somehow represents more of the same and no possibility of change.

Kaneblues Commented on Report: Obama Picks Daschle For Health And Human Services by Eric Kleefeld

2008-11-19T17:26:41Z

I'm not so sure that I'm buying the argument that Howard Dean "may have encountered a bit more friction in working with Congress" than Tom Daschle. As former Senate Majority leader, I imagine that Daschle has had his share of friction with members of Congress.

Kaneblues Commented on It's Official: Lieberman Keeps Homeland Security Chairmanship by Greg Sargent

2008-11-18T17:48:35Z

"This was not a time for retribution," Reid said, adding that "we're moving forward."

I have a feeling that Reid will be repeating this statement on numerous occasions in the months ahead when the subject of investigating the Bush administration comes up?

Kaneblues recommended Hunkering Down For a Fight by David Kurtz

2008-11-17T13:54:19Z

Kaneblues Commented on Hillary Doesn't Deny Secretary Of State Talk by Greg Sargent

2008-11-14T17:55:08Z

Are you considering Hillary Clinton?

It is one of those rare questions in Washington where any response becomes a story. We saw how this hand is played by the media during the VP selection process. If the response to the question is "no", then the media portrays it as a monumental snub of Clinton. If the response is "yes", then the media gets to fantasize and spectulate and diminish all others being considered. Even if the answer is "no comment", it still allows the media to speculate.

We've seen this movie before.

Kaneblues Commented on Fineman: Obama And Durbin Want Lieberman To Stay As Homeland Security Chair by Greg Sargent

2008-11-12T21:15:06Z

Lieberman refused to hold hearings or investigate the Bush administration. How surprised will Democrats be when Lieberman decides to investigate the Obama administration?

Kaneblues recommended One Day Van Winkle by Josh Marshall

2008-11-12T15:55:39Z

Kaneblues Commented on Terry McAuliffe Files For Virginia Governor In 2009 by Eric Kleefeld

2008-11-10T21:56:54Z

Yikes! What a bad flashback that was. McAuliffe is so annoying he makes my hair hurt.

Kaneblues Commented on Emanuel Spokesperson Denies He's Accepted Chief Of Staff ... And Other Transition Notes by Greg Sargent

2008-11-06T01:00:14Z

Rahm Emanuel has a hard-nose reputation, but there is nothing to suggest that he is a hatchet-man or the Democratic version of Tom Delay.

Kaneblues Commented on Emanuel Spokesperson Denies He's Accepted Chief Of Staff ... And Other Transition Notes by Greg Sargent

2008-11-06T00:46:32Z

Considering that there has only been one Democratic presidency in the past three decades, it's inevitable that some qualified Democrats will come from the Clinton administration. I'm sure that when the Obama team is complete, it will have a unique blend all its own.

Kaneblues Commented on Emanuel Spokesperson Denies He's Accepted Chief Of Staff ... And Other Transition Notes by Greg Sargent

2008-11-06T00:33:14Z

Put a couple of bolts in his neck, and he's the spitting image of Frankenstein

Kaneblues Commented on Emanuel Spokesperson Denies He's Accepted Chief Of Staff ... And Other Transition Notes by Greg Sargent

2008-11-06T00:29:55Z

When I first heard the rumor of Rahm Emanuel as a possible White House chief of staff, it was a few days prior to the election. Beyond the fact that Emanuel is smart and tough and knows Washington inside and out, my first thoughts were that the rumors of his selection could help Obama politically in Florida. I'm not saying that's the reason for the leak, but it could be.

Kaneblues recommended Obama's Win: A Big Defeat For GOP Militarism And Jingoism by Greg Sargent

2008-11-05T23:02:00Z

Kaneblues Commented on Emanuel Spokesperson Denies He's Accepted Chief Of Staff ... And Other Transition Notes by Greg Sargent

2008-11-05T22:56:45Z

Robert F. Kennedy Jr would be a brilliant choice to head the EPA.

Kaneblues Commented on MSM To Obama: Be Wary Of Left-Wing Groups Demanding Too Much Change by Greg Sargent

2008-11-05T18:48:35Z

"There's no doubt about it, this was a vote against, by the red-state folks who gave the victory to George Bush, it was a rejection of blue-state America. It was a rejection of their values, their attacks on the president. ... And the idea, it seems to me, that somehow the folks who won should now surrender part of whatever mandate they have to the folks who lost -- I can tell you, what we're hearing on this panel, people out there in red-state America are finding it very offensive."

Pat Buchanan Discussing the Bush Mandate
11/3/04 http://mediamatters.org/items/200811040020

Kaneblues Commented on Dems Pick Up At Least 19 House Seats As Dem Coalition Expands Across Country by Eric Kleefeld

2008-11-05T18:07:51Z

Prior to the 2006 election:

House of Representatives:
Rep: 232 seats
Dem: 202 seats

Senate:
Rep: 55 seats
Dem: 44 seats

Today (At last count):

House of Representatives:
Rep: 173
Dem: 252

Senate:
Rep: 40
Dem: 56

Kaneblues recommended Down Ballot Blogging by Josh Marshall

2008-11-05T06:02:13Z

Kaneblues Commented on Readers, Thank You by Greg Sargent

2008-11-04T15:46:24Z

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/vpcreport

You can fill out a report at this site or call the voter protection hotline number.

Kaneblues Commented on Readers, Thank You by Greg Sargent

2008-11-04T15:37:33Z

Many thanks to TPM for spreading the wealth of information.

And thanks also to my fellow TPM readers. I love paling around with all of you.