www.dailykos.com
Tone, Truth, and the Democratic Party
by Barack Obama [Subscribe]
Fri Sep 30, 2005 at 10:38:41 AM EDT
In fact, I would argue that the most powerful voices of change in the country, from Lincoln to King, have been those who can speak with the utmost conviction about the great issues of the day without ever belittling those who opposed them, and without denying the limits of their own perspectives.
In that spirit, let me end by saying I don't pretend to have all the answers to the challenges we face, and I look forward to periodic conversations with all of you in the months and years to come. I trust that you will continue to let me and other Democrats know when you believe we are screwing up. And I, in turn, will always try and show you the respect and candor one owes his friends and allies.
I assume these words are no longer operative based on the words of the President's spokesperson today.
Here is an idea. Instead of taking every possible opportunity to kick the group that has been right over and over again, maybe, just maybe, you get more bees with honey.
It is simply implausible for me to believe that any spokesperson in a Republican WH would attack major parts of their base (NRA, Christian right) on the record. It simply would not happen.
But yet Democrats have no fear of the f'n retarded "professional left" DFHs. Why, because there are no consequences.
We on the left of bats*it insane conservative have no reasonable alternative. Thus, the hippie punching continues unabated.
Here is the bad news folks. It isn't going to stop anytime soon, Until the left gives their representatives and the WH something to fear, the blogosphere and DFH's can count on being useful foils. I don't have the optimal strategy to make that happen without handing over the country to crazy people, but I do know Democrats have zero reason to stop beating up on the left when needed.
I do give the President and Robert Gibbs credit in one regard. Instead of blind quotes such as this,
In private conversations, White House officials are contemptuous of what they see as liberal lamentations unhinged from historical context or contemporary political realities.
they have had the courage to go on the record this time. We now know where they stand, and we can also put to rest the idea that the "anonymous" were made up as some commenter's tried to insinuate.
It is the audacity to make these type of assertions that tells me the Administration will not turn around until the people who made the early political decisions and continue to work in the west wing are given the opportunity to spend more time with their families.
The real question is whether it will be too late.