Ever think he's that most unusual of Politicians doing the most unusual of things: Telling the unvarnished truth?

He isn't reinforcing anything...he's warning the Party to get it together that what they are doing isn't working.

IMHO

Since Practical Politic's is my #1 object of inclusion in whatever I do, whether it's blogging for a campaign or posting a diary (notice the highly practical, fully documented, potential campaign diary yesterday that got zero input or recommedations....).

Practical Politics isn't popular. It's generally not inflammatory enough compared to all the other headlines we can create screaming at the Moon.

My hunch is that Obama means exactly what he says. And others should pay attention.

I don't think this is all that bad. For someone who's done so much for the party in such a short period of time, it feels like this is picking a couple of fuzzies off a 2K suit.

Okay, it's not the best way he could have said it, pehaps. But he's not saying anything that's wrong. He's not saying that Democrats don't have the right values. What he's saying is that those values aren't being adequately put into context so that everyone can understand them. Also, what was in the place where the ellipses are? His position could have been even more nuanced than we're seeing from an excerpted quote.

that resonate with most Americans. And he is backing progressive causes without sounding like a hack.

it's important to remember - as Obama becomes more a part of the Washington establishment  .   .  ..

Barak Obama is turning out to be just another inside the beltway political hack. Fuck Barak Obama.

I'm outraged!!!

Attacking Barack Obama, the Democrats' pride and joy and sure thing slam dunk 2008 Presidential nominee! You should be ashamed. By now Obama has earned the right not to be questioned by the likes of you bloggers! But you just don't get that do you? Go ahead and turn your circular firing squad on Obama and dash the Democrats hopes of every regaining the majorty.

What's next Matt? Questioning war veterans who served honorably on their lack of ties to the district they want to represent in congress?

You liberals make me sick. God Bless America (as if you heathen liberals believe in God.)

[/GOP outrage simulation]

...between Kos criticizing the Democratic party establishment, and Sen. Obama doing it?

Sen. Obama's just telling it like it is. If you re-read the highlight and dig a little deeper, you'll see he's not criticizing our approach to religion, but rather, our failure to adapt to changing circumstances.

In this case, the changing circumstance happens to be the religious revival that has swept parts of this country, particularly former Democratic strongholds. So a superficial reading of this passage would make it seem like he's criticizing our approach to religion.

Markos criticizes the Democratic party all the time for their repeated failure to act and adapt. Why should Sen. Obama feel the heat for doing the same thing?

Obama:
Matt:
Me:If you look at the AP Story that appears to be the published point-of-origin for this quote, he's actually saying something that I think is rather progressive, but he is--in my estimation--intellectually lazy in adopting (just as Matt has said) right-wing-meme-reinforcing language.  Here's the passage:What this says to me (I hope I'm not in wishful thinking land here) is that a Bible quote here or there is a band-aid.  What we need is to really embrace the sort of moral framework that Martin Luther King expressed, for instance.  And King, if you remember, rooted his speeches in his sermons, which were rooted in the Bible, but informed by insights from all of humanity.

There are other black politicians in Washington today who operate in such a manner, IMHO.  John Lewis--another civil rights pioneer--is a stellar example.  Jesse Jackson, Jr. shows strong signs of maturing in the same direction.  It's no accident that both are black.  Obama may be a less frightening figure to many whites, because he does not come from the bosom of the Civil Rights Movement.  But if he is to fulfill his potential, then these are models of what he should aspire to.  Because America needs nothing less.

And the best way to teach is to do.

that since they are our elected representatives, these people ARE the Democratic Party!

I hate that shit, where nearly all elected democrats whine about how much the party sucks and it has no ideas.  Well, you dumb bastards, let me clue you in to something:  people only think that because all the democrats in Washington repeat it all the time.

And by the way, if I could infuse the party with an official agenda and give it some balls, I fucking would.  But I can't.  Only you guys can!
What, like YOU aren't the main of the problem you are bitching about?  

Last time I checked, I don't know a SINGLE fucking democrat voter or activist who lacks balls or a positive platform of ideas about where to take this country.  

a group of slugs in a marathon, sitting around complaining about how their team is so slow and slimy.  No self-awareness and no sense that they are the problem and only they can get moving faster.

People on MyDD and DailyKos spent a large part of their time bashing "Washington Democrats" or DLCers and generally setting up straw men to knock over. But when Obama rightly criticizes the party we in turn bash him?

Democrats HAVE been intellectually lazy. John Kerry's message was more a list of programs than any sort of narrative, and too often Democrats lazily toss around words like values or religion without putting any meaning behind them, convincing no one.

I agree with Obama here. When you look at the core values of the Democratic party versus the Republican party it should be a no-brainer, but Democrats have fucked it up. We need to be honest with ourselves and admit shortcomings, which is what Obama did here.

Also, I think you fail to note that in this article Obama is receiving an editorial endorsement from a pretty conservative paper in Illinois. Apparently the guy is doing something right.

The writer has set the tone and chosen the order to present the quotes from Obama. Here's one that I would remind us here about:

Obama says there's a disconnect between issues people raise at town meetings and those debated in Washington. "There has yet to be a serious conversation about health care on the floor of the United States Senate," he says.

In fact, he says, there hasn't been much conversation at all.

"Now that we're in the C-Span era, we really don't have debates," he says. "What we have are sequential speeches delivered to TV cameras. ... And I think that contributes to the political rancor."

In any case he still says he is from the "progressive wing" of the party, so it is still our job to hound him on that stance.

And to remind him that debates in this society are still carreid on on the blogosphere. He needs to schedule some time to do that here.

And this whole progressive marketing drive is stillborn.

Religion isn't even on the charts today. Its New Years Eve!  Its all about kissing a pretty woman right when the new year begins.

Happy New Year, American Flyers!

also supports Tammy Duckworth.

I see it as more of a call to pay attention to core Democratic values; Healthcare, Jobs, Education, a progressive support of the middle class. We (Dems in general) need to articulate them better.  

I think that this is what Obama is saying.  I think that this could be viewed as an oblique attack on the DLC, start talking principles, stop taking Repub talking points and 'modifying' them.  

Lets Review:  What really new points (ideas, concepts, themes) have we come up with this year; Social Security, I don't think so.  That was a defensive battle.  We won (yea!) but the Repubs chose the issue. Bankrupcy Legislation: A Clean Loss.  We can find more examples.  In each instance the Repubs choose the battlefield (fight).

What issues can we find that seem "new".  They don't have to be new, they just have to be new and different from the Republician theme making.  For example: on national news TV today (can't remember which, CNN I believe) I saw the results of a survey where the question was something like: Does Congress understand (or addresses) the interests of the Middle Class?  (as I remember it)  

98% NO, 2%YES  

Wow!!! I haven't seen poll numbers like that, ever.  I haven't seen any real theme developed around the issue either.  THIS is a core Democratic value (and shame on us if it isn't).  This is what I think Obama is talking to, not the ability to quote scripture better than the next guy.

Matt: Could we see some original thinking on this issue?  Some in depth discussion would be nice?  To me, this issue Sounds like a barn burner. Vanishing opportunity of getting ahead in the 'American Way' kind of theme?  I think this can be devistating to the Republicians.

PS: May we have a Happy and Successful New Year in our common endevors.

I think it's perhaps a good idea to take Obama seriously, and not to demand "message discipline" from the members of our party. When Howard Dean sticks his foot in it, we (well, OK, I) generally want to rally round his right to do so and utterly reject calls for his resignation.

Democrats are not Republicans: neither in politics nor in method. We must remain a party of openness, and a party whose members can speak forthrightly about what they think. Again, I'll say I disagree with Obama's remarks but I don't think I'm naieve to say that I'll defend his right to make them.

I realize that more expert and competent people think the way to fight the GOP is to create our own wurlitzers. I'll say the jury is still out on that. I do know that groups that suppress dissent or criticize not the substance, but the perceived effect, of speech fail in the end. The same reason I civil liberties for the country is the same reason I disagree with Matt here.

PS: happy new year Stoller, sorry I'm not in New York (or wherever you are) to celebrate with the gang!

I don't have a problem with what Obama is saying.  Obama didn't say the Democrats stink or don't have values, he is saying they need to do a better job of communicating their values.   I would be concerned if he was critical of Democrats on a substantive policy issue like saying the Democrats are morally bankrupt, but that excerpt just sounds like a constructive criticism over a procedural concern.  I would equate his criticism about Democrats' need to improve how they communicate their core values to a  suggestion about a need to improve getting out the vote.  

On MTP this morning William Safire, Doris Goodwin and some other media hack were referring to Russ Feingold, and by inference Howard Dean, as the hard left. McCain on the other hand was not referred to as "hard right." The current fourth most conservative Senator is mainstream, but wants Rudi Giuliani to get into the Republican Party so he doesn't get hammered by the GOP hard right.

At this rate, in a few more years Joe Lieberman will be on the "hard left" of the Democratic Party.

Well, except for the spanking machine.

We're building up to another little ratings war with these wankers. I'm guessing either later today or Monday.

Hi Matt

Obama's comment about the insufficiency of "sticking in a quote from the Bible into a stock speech." is right on. Howard Dean was told that he needed to add some religious talk to his stump speech to appeal to the religious folk. Well. I am one of those religious folk and I was turned off when Dean ta;ked about his favorite book in the New Testament and stuff like that. I liked Dean a lot but his advisers were dumb to tell him that. I much prefer honest expression of your religious belief--whatever those beliefs are--than religious fakery. Secular Dems ought not hide who they are, they should tell the truth about what their values are and let the people decide.

Keith

The guy is trying to be honest and come up with an explanation of why a weak Republican candidate barely slipped into the White House, twice.  Hard-core Democrats act as if they know the Truth so obviously that anybody who doesn't think likewise is an idiot not worth talking to.
Hard-core Republicans are the same, except they will talk to the undecided and bring them on board.  They fight for the votes.  What Obama calls laziness in the Dems, I call smugness.

To those who say (e.g., Sam Loomis) that Americans think the Dems are clueless because the Dem politicians keep saying it, sorry, but I think you're wrong.  I've watched the Democratic party act like deer in the Bush headlights, not knowing where to turn, but acting indignant and unbelieving about it all.  The Dem pols are finally seeing that.

Obama is right to say this honestly.  It's what everybody thinks except you True Believers.  Slap Obama down for this and you can just kiss the Dems goodbye.