Obama: I did not campaign on the public option

[Admiral Yi]

FYPFY.  The signal to noise ratio on this topic isn't even 1%, but feel free to help the rest of the spinners beat that dead horse if that is what amuses you. 

Thanks!

[dps]

You gotta respect the guy. He pretty much fucked everybody over: the public option, repealing of Don't Ask Don't Tell, Defense of Marriage Act, ending the war in Iraq and/or Afghanistan etc. - he went back on everything.

Yeah I don't remember him promising those things.  I mean not that it matters.  The President does not have the power to do those things without Congress.

He ran on HOPE! and CHANGE! not on any real specifics.  Well, we CHANGEd Presidents, and we HOPE he don't screw up too bad, so we got what he promised.

[Razgovory]

We argued at length over the wiggle room left from his West Point speech.  This argument over campaign promises is brand new old and fresh boring.

FYPFY.  The signal to noise ratio on this topic isn't even 1%, but feel free to help the rest of the spinners beat that dead horse if that is what amuses you. 

I try my best.

[The Brain]

Read my lips: no public option!

I did not campaign on that option, the public.

So much for hope and change.

[citizen k]

Read my lips: no public option!

I did not campaign on that option, the public.

So much for hope and change.

When will you change, The Brain?

[grumbler]

He ran on HOPE! and CHANGE! not on any real specifics.  Well, we CHANGEd Presidents, and we HOPE he don't screw up too bad, so we got what he promised.

That's kinda what I think, as well.  By this time in the last Presidency, we didn't even have the hope, let alone not having the change.

I think people who are disappointed in Obama had unrealistic hopes for his Presidency.  For a guy with no significant experience in national politics and no clear idea what he wants to do as President, Obama hasn't been too bad.  I'd say that, at the almost-one-year point, the last President I thought was doing better was pappa Bush.  I am still on wait-and-see as to whether Obama can become an effective President; he is smart enough to learn on the job.

[KRonn]

Read my lips: no public option!

I did not campaign on that option, the public.

So much for hope and change.

I hope Obama changes.....

[Neil]

He's like The Smiler.

He always has been.

[Neil]

Shall we start linking Newsmax as well? Media Matters is not a neutral source when it comes to liberal boilerplate issues.

Oh righteous sage, what source linking to media events is acceptable?

Fate has no knowledge or opinions of note about anything.  He is not fit to judge appropriate venues for liberal discourse.

[Sheilbh]

I think people who are disappointed in Obama had unrealistic hopes for his Presidency.

I agree.  I think the complaint about a lack of change is very odd though.  I mean how much more did they want the administration to do in a year: very close to universal coverage, new strategy and more troops in Afghanistan, large economic stimulus and a cap-and-trade bill completed in the House (apparently Graham, McCain, Snowe and Collins are still keen on passing an environmental bill so the Senate might cobble something together).

Now I can't think of any President that's had as significant a first year in a long time.  I mean in terms of legislation healthcare reform is probably the most significant single domestic piece of lawmaking since, I don't know, Clean Air Act?  Welfare Reform?  Reagan tax cuts?

[citizen k]

He is not fit to judge appropriate venues for liberal discourse.

Indeed. Fate is actually  a right-wing nutjob posing as a liberal idealogue impersonating a conservative blowhard.   

[Neil]

He is not fit to judge appropriate venues for liberal discourse.

Indeed. Fate is actually  a right-wing nutjob posing as a liberal idealogue impersonating a conservative blowhard.   

And, even more importantly, he is a retard.

[Caliga]

CC is mindful of the Fate Rule, but apparently not everyone else is. 

[The Brain]

Read my lips: no public option!

I did not campaign on that option, the public.

So much for hope and change.

When will you change, The Brain?

I fear change.

[Berkut]

He ran on HOPE! and CHANGE! not on any real specifics.  Well, we CHANGEd Presidents, and we HOPE he don't screw up too bad, so we got what he promised.

That's kinda what I think, as well.  By this time in the last Presidency, we didn't even have the hope, let alone not having the change.

I think people who are disappointed in Obama had unrealistic hopes for his Presidency.  For a guy with no significant experience in national politics and no clear idea what he wants to do as President, Obama hasn't been too bad.  I'd say that, at the almost-one-year point, the last President I thought was doing better was pappa Bush.  I am still on wait-and-see as to whether Obama can become an effective President; he is smart enough to learn on the job.

Indeed.

I am cautiously optimistic that this is happening - after all, what would the effect on his left wing base be of him backing away from the promises that got him elected and taking a much more careful approach to issues he is largely out of his depth on?

Yep - massive crying and wailing about them being betrayed by someone who was not nearly as radically stupid as the loony left hoped.

He is like the anti-Dubya in his first year.