Buckeye State Blog - Why does "The Nation" hate Obama? - Comments

Surfer Girl from LA

Jack Mayer — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:25:06 -0700

Dear LA Surf Girl,

Happy Valentines Day!

I really hope that whoever gets the Democratic Nomination can beat John McCain. You will vote for Clinton, and I will vote for Obama. If either of our candidates becomes President, we will be better off than we are today. That is what I believe, any way.

I think, with the power and influence of the Clinton name, and her many connections, she will likely win. I believe that, even at this moment, as Obama pulls ahead with pledged delegates. Her supporters, like you, are eager for her to win. She is hungry and wants it, and has a well oiled machine behind her. She also has the strength of her convictions, is generally a good person, and she knows how to present herself and her ideas to the people.

I am sick and tired of dangerous Republicans, with bad ideas, that sound patriotic at the podium, hawkish on paper, who send our soldiers and marines to fight and die in wars that actually make us less safe and more hated around the world - while stealing our freedoms at home. The Founding Fathers must have been turning in their graves for seven long years.

I believe it is time for change.

Best of luck to both of us.

With Kindest Regards,

Jack

"GoBama '08!"

Facts? 3

Jack Mayer — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:45:43 -0700

Lasurfgrl seems really nervous at the thought of Barack Obama becoming president. This is the kind of paranoia that, deep down, has other motivations I think. There are a few possibilities there: (1) really, really, really wants Clinton to win – not a bad thing – I wouldn’t mind having either Clinton or Obama as President; (2) really, really, really wants to have a woman become President – not a bad idea – I like the idea of breaking gender and racial barriers – I wouldn’t mind having either Clinton or Obama as President; (3) really, really, really doesn’t want an African American to become President – doesn’t trust their possible ties to their heritage.

Okay… Obama has ties to Kenya. His grandmother lives there. It has been in the news recently, and anyone can investigate this, that there were riots there due to a dispute over election results. Obama was concerned for that country and his family, so he contacted Condoleezza Rice, and they worked together so he could broadcast a message to the Kenyan people, urging them to not riot; a plea for peace. What’s the big deal? Sounds Presidential to me. I’m surprised this didn’t get more press for him on how he IS aware of world events and has diplomatic skills, and works on the international scene. But then, I guess, it could get taken to the extreme, in the anti-Obama direction, a la: “he was registered as a Muslim at as a kid (sic)”…“tells me he is planning on getting into a war with Africa”… “makes me wonder where his loyalties are”... that kind of stuff.

BTW: does lasurfgrl, and other Americans like her, think Obama is the only Black person in our country with ties to Africa? Have these people ever heard the term “African American”? Have you ever known a family with the last name Mayer or Koch that was proud of their German heritage… or O’Reilly or Brennan who were proud to associate with Ireland and things Irish? His grandmother is Kenyan and still lives in Africa, and he loves her. That sounds kind of nice, to me. Do you hate your grandmother? Would you let her die in a riot, just because she’s a “foreigner”?

Facts? 2

Jack Mayer — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:31:26 -0700

“I have come across many obama supporters and they act hateful. (sic)”

Are you serious, lasurfgrl? I have also run into many Obama supporters and they are like the nicest people I’ve ever met. I could hardly believe it. Where do you live? Maybe you’ve been going to Obama rallies in the wrong side of town where EVERYONE is an a**hole, because that just doesn’t sound right. Wait… I actually saw an Obama supporter help an old lady across the street… and when she got to the other side, a Clinton supporter smacked her in the face with a Clinton sign. I think she was worried that the old lady was going to vote for a Black man.

Facts?

Jack Mayer — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:26:31 -0700

“Obama made a comment about Congress. He said on t.v. That if Congress said no to something and he disagreed that he would do it anyway. Who does that sound like? Bush.” Oh come on, lasurfgrl! Puh-leez! You are actually comparing Obama to Bush?! Not even close. Not a chance. But – on this same note – you’re all over the map here. Do you think Obama’s heart is in the right place? Is he a democrat with liberal values? If so, then do we need someone tenacious as President (like Hillary would probably also be, BTW) that would take on this lame Congress (that they are both part of, BTW) that either stands with Bush on many issues, or is too weak willed and/or politically vulnerable/nervous to do anything about it? Yes, I think we do.

Facts on Obama YOU SHOULD KNOW

lasurfgrl — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:18:37 -0700

I was at a DAR meeting when a Rep. Woman whose husband is on the Rep. Committee stated they were thrilled that the Democrats were still stupid. When asked why she rhetorically said,"They are backing Obama". The Rep. Want him in because they have something on him and know if he wins obama will loose to McCain because they will use all they know against him. I have real issues with Obama myself. 1. Obama made a comment about Congress. He said on t.v. That if Congress said no to something and he disagreed that he would do it anyway. Who does that sound like? Bush. 2. He said that if the people wanted him to do something and he did not do it, not to come to him, because it was up to the people to take care of their own problems. 3. He was born in Hawaii but was raised mostly in Africa. 4. The night of the Iowa caucus, he calls Africa and has a loud speaker put up at the school he was registered as a Muslim at as a kid and over the intercom system tells them "to hold on a little bit longer and help would be on the way". That tells me he is planning on getting into a war with Africa. When a candidate's first move after a win is to talk to a country he grew up over the country he is running to become president of, that makes me wonder where his loyalties are? I urge you to look over my facts and investigate for yourself and back Hillary. I have come across many obama supporters and they act hateful. We need to remember that WE ARE ALL AMERICANS AND WE ARE ON THE SAME SIDE. If any obama supporters were ever in trouble and I could help them, I would without hesitation. We may disagree on who is best to run our country, but we are all Americans. While obama has been campaigning, just let me say that Arnold Schwarzenegger asked the Clinton's for their help to get the flagging economy in California out of debt. Hillary and Bill met with him and gave him some good ideas. The clintons are going from state to state to try and figure out how best to help out those states as well. She is already acting like a Commander in Chief. while Obama calls Kenya, worried about their problems, Hillary is fighting for the economy of our nation in every state!! Plus, Obama has said out his own mouth, that he has gone to Hillary asking for her advice many times. And she has always given it to him. He talks about Hillary being some of the old establishment, well, Ted Kennedy is the oldest and uses pork tax dollars. MAntoin "Tony" Rezko, an entrepreneur who made a fortune in pizza parlors, Chinese restaurants and real estate, goes on trial next month on federal charges of extortion, influence peddling and conspiracy. There is no suggestion that Obama is involved in any of the alleged criminal activity. But the upcoming trial -- and details of Obama's relationship with its central figure -- could cast a shadow over his carefully cultivated image at a critical time. In recent weeks, including during the debate, Obama sought to minimize the nature of that relationship. Lost and is backing obama. You want to know who someone is, look at their backers. During his speech Tuesday night, Obama pushed this negative attack on Hillary: "It's a choice between a candidate who's taken more money from Washington lobbyists than either Republican in this race and a campaign that has not taken a dime of their money."But.....Sen. Obama's comments came on the same week Public Citizen released a report detailing ten bundlers for Sen. Obama who have registered as federal lobbyists.It also came at the same time that his former fundraising chairman and the man Obama called his "political Godfather", Antoin "Tony" Rezko, is about to be tried on federal charges of fraud involving bribery and political corruption.In this campaign Sen. Obama has also taken money from former lobbyists, partners of lobbyists, people who hire lobbyists, lobbyists' spouses, children of lobbyists and of course...any state lobbyists that wants to bundle up a million or so is very welcome to.These are the facts, according to the Campaign Finance Institute: http://www.cfinst.org/pr/prRelease"Obama, whose campaign claims to have almost 500,000 donors in 2007, raised 54% of his $97.2 million from $1,000 and over donations (mostly in $2300 checks)." (Less than a third, only 32%, of his money in 2007 came from $200 or less contributions.) Like the Roman figure of Janus, Obama seems quite comfortable talking out of both sides of his two faces. But anyone who has been paying attention to the facts and not just the fluff of the Obama campaign already knows this. An Asterisk To Obama's Policy On DonationsA presidential hopefuls refusal of lobbyist money has its limitsBy Dan Morgan, LA Times Staff Writerhttp://www.caclean.org/problem/latimes_2 007-04-22Until he started running for president, Sen. Obama took money from federal lobbyists and, as a state senator, directly from corporations. (Which is LEGAL in Illinois politics!)Obama attained the lofty mark (of leading in Presidential fundraising) even as he decried the fundraising system. In his Internet appeals for small donations, Obama played up populist themes of reform."It may sound strange for a presidential candidate to launch a fundraising drive that isn't about dollars. But our democracy shouldn't be about money, and it's time our campaigns weren't either," he said in one such pitch."We're not going to play that game," the e-mail said."Obama said in his first-quarter financial report that he received money from 104,000 donors, twice as many as Clinton, suggesting a disproportionate number of small contributions. But the Campaign Finance Institute said Obama still received 68% of his money from donations of $1,000 or more...Rules for lobbyistsLobbyists generally are paid by corporations, unions and other interest groups to shape public policy by making regular contact with government officials. They must register with both houses of Congress, and make public disclosures identifying their clients and the amounts they are paid.Some of the most influential players, lawyers and consultants among them, skirt disclosure requirements by merely advising clients and associates who do actual lobbying, and avoiding regular contact with policymakers. Obama's ban does not cover such individuals.For example, partners from the Atlanta-based law firm Alston & Bird donated $33,000 to Obama in the first 90 days of 2007.Alston & Bird has a large lobbying division in Washington. It billed its clients nearly $3.9 million in 2006, ranking 35th among Washington lobbyists. Alston boasts on its website that it offers clients "unique experience with how policy is made" and knows "the people who make it: government and agency officials; members of Congress and their staff."Obama kept $2,300 donated by Alston's Tom Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader (and general chairman of the Obama for President campaign). Daschle, located in Washington, is neither a lawyer nor a lobbyist. He is a consultant.According to Alston's website, Daschle advises "clients on issues related to all aspects of public policy with a particular emphasis on issues related to financial services, health care, energy, telecommunications and taxes."Daschle did not return phone calls. (Note: Daschle's wife is the head lobbyist for the Airline Industry, she was behind the Congressional airline bailout after 9/11, and has been reported to be amongst the highest paid lobbyists in town) The Obama campaign makes a very big issue of not taking money directly from "federal lobbyists"....but he's happy to take money directly from their clients! In the first quarter of 2007 alone, Obama took in a combined $170,000 from executives from Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, two financial giants that have numerous issues pending in Washington and spent a total of $4.6 million on lobbying in 2006.But wait...There's More!Nuke Em! Power provider's largessObama's biggest single source of corporate money, over $160,000, came from executives at Exelon Corp., the nation's largest nuclear power provider, and its subsidiary, Commonwealth Edison, an Illinois utility. This includes checks from lobbyists John P. Novak and James Monk. In Springfield, Novak represents Exelon., and Monk is president of the Illinois Energy Assn., a trade group that represents Commonwealth Electric.http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articl es/2007/08/09/pacs_and_lobbyists_aided_obama's_rise/ From the Boston Globe: But behind Obama's campaign rhetoric about taking on special interests lies a more complicated truth. A Globe review of Obama's campaign finance records shows that he collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from lobbyists and PACs as a state legislator in Illinois, a US senator, and a presidential aspirant.In Obama's eight years in the Illinois Senate, from 1996 to 2004, almost two-thirds of the money he raised for his campaigns -- $296,000 of $461,000 -- came from PACs, corporate contributions, or unions, according to Illinois Board of Elections records. He tapped financial services firms, real estate developers, healthcare providers, oil companies, and many other corporate interests, the records show.Obama's US Senate campaign committee, starting with his successful run in 2004, had collected over $1.5 million from PACs and lobbyists, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit organization that tracks money in politics. In Roman mythology, Janus was the god of gates, doors and doorways. What's always on the inside of the doorways in both the State Capital in Springfield and the US Capital in Washington? Plenty of lobbies and lobbyists. Lets look at some of Obama's... Bundlers for Barack Obama Who Have Registered as Federal LobbyistsFrom Public Citizen - 1/29/08http://www.citizen.org/documents/Lobbyis tsFinal.pdfFrank Clark IL Commonwealth Edisonwww.exeloncorp.com/ExelonInternet/Templates/Standard PageCommonwealth Edison is a subsidiary of Exelon, the nuclear energy company to whom Barack Obama is beholden. Clark is Commonwealth Edison's chief legislative strategist. Clark is also a Board member of Aetna, a health insurance company.Scott Harris DC Harris Wiltshire and Granniswww.harriswiltshire.com/whowea

OBAMA is right choice

kris — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:03:00 -0700

nation loves OBAMA. he is the right person now. Yes We can

Obama is the right choice.

Jack Mayer — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:06:16 -0700

After reviewing this thread, I have to agree with Entwriter. All of Brightlight's bullsh*t reeks of the swift-boating of Kerry in 2004. No offense to all of us, but Ohio really screwed up that election, BIG TIME. We bought all the "flip-flopper" name calling bullsh*t, we listened to the swift-boater a**holes who said Kerry was "unfit for command", and then we went and voted for 4 more years of WTF! I mean seriously... WTF?!!! I am sick of the dirty tricks and bulls**t about Obama, spread by the likes of Brightlight and other racist bigots - the swift boaters of this election season. All the crap about Obama's middle name, that he's a secret Muslim, and the other hoodoo voodoo crap that is being spread by propagandists. If you even make a half-hearted attempt to investigate Obama, you quickly figure out that this stuff is bulls**t... including that "Islamic Hope" website that any second-rate programmer with five bucks could create in 30 minutes, sticking Obama's face right in the middle. I mean give me a break. Barack Obama was raised as a Christian and is a Christian - though not in-your-face and annoying about it. His elementary school in Indonesia was not a madrassa and did NOT push Islam on its students. You can find all this stuff out yourself... or you can just listen to geniuses like Brightlight - fooled by the simplest tricks - and march right back in time to a lovely racist day and age. Wonderful. Believe me... I'm taking the 2008 election seriously, and so I am looking at all the candidates seriously, and have taken time to investigate each of them. After much research - I've settled: Obama has my vote! And I'm a just a regular white guy from Ohio, who wants a better country than this BS that we've helped create.

Condescending to the end...

Entrwriter — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:16:27 -0700

Again I mention pertinent facts and you blow them off. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

And this as they say is ovah...seeya.

Ok you win

brightlight — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:09:02 -0700

I know this is important to you so the win goes to you. You can write back again and have the final word as well. By the way if you think that Obama's policies are any less centerist then Clinton's I think you are mistaken. Their policies are virtually identical except for some eyewash by one or the other here and there. It comes down to who can make the system work to get those things done. When its head to head against McCain either Clinton or Obama will notch again toward the center because its about winning. Half of the first term will be spent undoing the damage of 8 years of Bush at the very least. Again you win big boy.

I'll defend your right to speak, BlueLight

Entrwriter — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:14:18 -0700

And gee, BrightLight, I'm not as young as you think I am, but you posted some B.S. to link Obama to the Muslim religion, as if it matters. You tried to use religious beliefs as a wedge, so don't get sanctimonious with me.

You don't wear it well. And the way I see it, you only have 10 years voting experience on me based on what you stated here. What I sense in you is the arrogance of age. It's very Bush-like. I don't care who you voted in the past. What I do care about is the future that my children will have and with Clinton, it doesn't look very bright to me.

Oh and Pete Seeger? Great folk singer with a conscience who sang for the impoverished and gave them a voice. The closest thing to Seeger we've had in the past 25 years is Bruce Springsteen, who just happens to worship Seeger.

Somehow I don't think Mr. Seeger would appreciate Hillary Clinton's centrist leanings, but hey, I could be wrong. Check her vote on the Bankruptcy Bill and ethics reform.

As for your Ted Nugent reference, you want to attack me with the Motor City Madman who is an avowed conservative? Gee, bet you didn't know that, huh? Sorry that really doesn't fly here.

Seeya

Doesn't fly here, BrightLight

You are so young.

brightlight — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:32:37 -0700

And you have much to learn. I called you an Obamaite which to you should actually be a compliment while you called me ignorant a bigot etc because you disagree with the source material I posted. You don't want people to look at it and that is your way to attempt to stop it. You are censor and arbiter of what people should have the right to view and you decide whether they are smart enough to process it correctly which by definition is YOUR way and Your way only. Despite all that I do hope we can count on you in November to remain a Democrat. I have voted proudly and continuously Democratic since McGovern in 1972, except for 1984 when I couldn't vote for Mondale or Reagan and voted for Gus Hall and Angela Davis on the Peace and Freedom party ticket. So when it comes to a history of being progressive I am sort of Pete Seeger to your Ted Nugent. Sorry if those references are too dated for you. Stay Blue.

Susaaaaannnn

Entrwriter — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:19:45 -0700

Many apologies.

Hmmmm

Entrwriter — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:17:00 -0700

Pot meet kettle. Did you not call me "Obamaite", BrightLight? Keep spitting in the wind, pal it only comes back to you. As for Obama's middle name, it's only those who are ignorant who will take issue with that fact. Unfortunately, I suspect your fraternity will be filled. And truth be told, my perspective is a bit broader than Ohio. I pretty much know he's going to lose here. I'll get over it. But it would be great to see your head explode a la "Scanners" should he not. Because you know what, BrightLight, if he does win here, that means the Clinton campaign is essentially dead.

Actually

Susan — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:09:26 -0700

I was referencing the drubbing Krugman has been taking lately over at the Big Orange, aka ObamaKos. Don't take it personally.

And I should edit my previous comment for preciseness to say that rather than really being critical of Obama, Krugman was really just sounding a cautionary note about some of Obama's cultlike followers. And some of them really are.

If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it okay?

I'm not thrilled to death with either candidate--and maybe because I'm on the outside of both camps looking in, I can see the humor on both sides--but I know I'll be supporting the Dem nominee this fall regardless of who it is because we can't afford one more minute of GOP rule.

Actually

Susan — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:09:23 -0700

I was referencing the drubbing Krugman has been taking lately over at the Big Orange, aka ObamaKos. Don't take it personally.

If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it okay?

Why does "The Nation" hate Obama?

bryan — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 14:50:24 -0700

First David “Swiftboat” Sirota wrote a pretty nasty piece on Obama for The Nation. Now The Nation’s blog (they have a blog?) has what must have been a Hillary press release posted. It's all the same "he sounds nice, but" clap-trap.

Granted, I stopped reading The Nation years ago (a fact which must mean I’m not a true progressive democratic activist). But this anti-Obama stuff is outta hand. No, he doesn’t deserve a free ride. But he also doesn’t deserve to be thrown under the bus.

Speaking of modes of transportation – I don’t have a horse in this race. But Obama's speeches, like the one today, are giving me a wee touch of Obamania.

p.s., An interesting note from Obama's announcement today. He never once uttered the words Democrat, Democratic, or primary. He just announced he's a candidate for President. Hmm...