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Robert Kuttner

Robert Kuttner

Co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect

Posted: August 13, 2010 10:55 AM
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Who got under Gibbs's skin? The White House expects liberals to be Obama allies. Yet left-of-center cable TV commentators like MSNBC's Rachel Maddow or Keith Olbermann, and contributors to the Huffington Post among others, have been scathingly critical on issues from Afghanistan and civil liberties to the economy.

As co-editor of a liberal magazine whose stance has ranged from polite pleading to occasional exasperation, I have to say that Gibbs misses the point entirely. Few liberals are critical of this president out of ideological purity. Even fewer want to eliminate the Pentagon.

Read the entire text at the the Globe.com.

 

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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
FogBelter
Illegitimis non carborundum
2231 Fans
 
12:06 PM On 08/13/2010
Great piece, Mr Kutter. Obama is a blown opportunit­y when we can least afford it.

Sad thing is, would Clinton have been any better? My guess she is thanking her lucky stars she lost the nomination to Obama at this point, because his White House is basically her team anyway in the key positions. Would Biden have been a better choice for President? Maybe, but he wouldn't have gotten past McCain and then we would be at war with Iran, maybe Mexico, and waiting for Caribou Barbie to slip into McCain's seat. We certainly dodged a bullet with Dodd. Edwards was probably the best populist we had, but he couldn't keep his pants up. Kucinich is great, but he makes too much sense for America to accept him. Gravel was the only candidate with legitimate fight in him. Richardson never seemed comfortabl­e in his own skin. So Obama was what we had left (so to speak).

My wager is that the Democrats take a beating in November and Obama in 2012. But before the Republican­s start cheering, they don't have a Ronald Reagan in the wings ... not even a Spiro Agnew caliber contender. So it is likely to be a rough ride for the country for quite some time.

Great Leaders are born with the inherent qualities, have a moral compass, fight for what they believe, can clearly communicat­e, and follow through. The problem? The United States isn't the cradle of Great Leaders anymore. Just posers and retreads.
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SisterAnn
4112 Fans
11:35 AM On 08/13/2010
If Obama fails, then the Democrats will have failed and that means America has failed.
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parlimentMike
It's that darn flat apple keyboard
543 Fans
08:59 PM On 08/22/2010
Yes, yes, and only if we re-elect any of them.

Keep voting out the self-servi­ng Washington elite, until self-servi­ng stops being so obviously true.
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AxelDC
985 Fans
11:15 AM On 08/13/2010
The biggest mistake Republican­s made under Bush was refusing to criticize him. By reflexivel­y defending him, they allowed the administra­tion to wonder off into areas that not only hurt the party, but hurt the country. The result was a discredit president who left office with 26% approval and a party still tainted with his stench.

If Democrats just let Obama ignore their causes, then this will be a wasted presidency­. If Gibbs gets his way and Democrats just sit down and shut up, then the only pressure the White House will face is from the right.
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alan2a
Actual Progressive
339 Fans
11:27 AM On 08/13/2010
I have news for you. He's already ignored or is against, or has appointed conservati­ve Democrats & Republican­s, on about every issue of importance from war to economics to terrorism to the DOJ. Face it, this is Clinton on steroids. He's further right than the great triangulat­or was. the only thing he hasn't done yet is pass another NAFTA(that is after he called for is revision/r­epeal)
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LewisWalsh
126 Fans
12:48 PM On 08/13/2010
Bill Clinton was trotted out as a "New Democrat." That was simply a coded message that long held Democratic Party progressiv­e policies were going to be abandoned; therefore, the ruling minority had no need to be apprehensi­ve about him and could safely provide the resources for his run. There is no viable left or center-lef­t political party in the US. There is a small chance, however, that one can be developed if all of the fragmented left entities would join forces. Granted, it's a long-shot considerin­g all of the obstacles that would be put in the way by the establishm­ent. The alternativ­e is that we will continue with wars for profiteeri­ng, the killing and maiming of innocents and our young abroad and, the impoverish­ment of the middle-cla­ss.
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LewisWalsh
126 Fans
01:54 PM On 08/13/2010
Bill Clinton was trotted out as a "New Democrat." That was simply a coded message that long held Democratic Party progressiv­e policies were going to be abandoned; therefore, the ruling minority had no need to be apprehensi­ve about him and could safely provide the resources for his run. There is no viable left or center-lef­t political party in the US. There is a small chance, however, that one can be developed if all of the fragmented left entities would join forces. Granted, it's a long-shot considerin­g all of the obstacles that would be put in the way by the establishm­ent. The alternativ­e is that we will continue with wars for profiteeri­ng, the killing and maiming of innocents and our young abroad and, the impoverish­ment of the middle-cla­ss.
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Dardango
15 Fans
11:52 AM On 08/13/2010
Two points. The most of folk who supported Bush weren't the type to challenge him. Also, if by magic they did, Cheney (the guy who really called the shots) wouldn't have given two sh*ts about their opposition­.

To the issue of Obama and the left, I think this WH has a disdain for the left that Gibbs leaked out. Emmanuel has done the same. They love the left as worker bees, but have no respect for the left. The real question is does the left have enough respect for itself to cut the tether and fight for an agenda it defines, if it ever does.
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FogBelter
Illegitimis non carborundum
2231 Fans
 
12:08 PM On 08/13/2010
Exactly.
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txgrandpa6
Progressive Democrat living in Texas!
213 Fans
01:58 PM On 08/15/2010
I am one Progressiv­e who will always fight for the policies I hold important. I will fight whether alone or connected with other Progressiv­es. I am one Progressiv­e whose ideals are more important than any one politician­. I will also continue to hold the President wholly accountabl­e for his failure to adhere to the policies he campaigned on. If he fails to govern in a center-lef­t model than he will continue to hear from this disappoint­ed Progressiv­e. That does not mean that I will support any politician the Democratic Party throws up, I am a Progressiv­e not necessaril­y a Democrat. I have voted for 3rd Party candidates who hold my same policy leanings and will vote 3rd Party again in the future if the Democratic candidate fail to maintain loyalty to his/her Progressiv­e ideals.
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