from Media Matters - "Obstruction And How The Press Helped Punch The GOP's Midterm Ticket"

[NRaleighLiberal]

Five Years Of Enabling Radical Gridlock

by ERIC BOEHLERT

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/11/07/obstruction-and-how-the-press-helped-punch-the/201494

"In the days after the midterm elections, the New York Times has been a cornucopia of campaign commentary. Lots of attention is being paid to the issue of gridlock, which has defined Washington, D.C. since President Obama was first inaugurated.

Lamenting America's "broken politics," Times columnist Nicholas Kristof opted for the both-sides-are-to-blame model, suggesting that, "Critics are right that [Obama] should try harder to schmooze with legislators." Across from Kristof on the Times opinion page, Republican pollster Frank Luntz urged Obama to find a way to create "common-sense solutions" with his Republican counterparts. (This, despite the fact that Luntz in 2009 helped Republicans craft their trademark strategy of obstructing Obama at every turn.)

And the same day, while reviewing Chuck Todd's new book on Obama, which stressed that the president "wanted to soar above partisanship" though his two terms will likely "be remembered as a nadir of partisan relations," the Times book critic stressed Obama's "reluctance to reach out to Congress and members of both parties to engage in the sort of forceful horse trading (like Lyndon B. Johnson's) and dogged retail politics (like Bill Clinton's) that might have helped forge more legislative deals and build public consensus."

So after six years of radical, blanketed reticence from the GOP, we're still repeatedly reading in the New York Times that while Republicans have put up road blocks, if Obama would just try harder, Republicans might cooperate with him. You can almost hear the frustration seeping through the pages of the Times: 'What is wrong with this guy? Bipartisanship is so simple. Republicans say they want to work with the White House, so why doesn't Obama just do it?"

___________snip_____________

a good and infuriating read that will surprise no one here.

I listened to some of Diane Rehm today in the car - same old same old. on the "balanced" panel - Major F*$#ing Garrett. Boggles the mind.

[Wellstone ruled]

1. I have said from the start

Our Dem leaders were either complicit or really lame in their failure to call out the media on these image framing stories. Remember Jay Carney at one presser addressing the medias false equivalencies.that was it,was like he gets replaced and the Shit Storm continues. Since Wednesday A.M.the story lines have changed. Are some having buyers remorse,if so,tough shit,your in the same boat as the rest of us now. Grab a paddle because the life jackets were burned by the Rethugs.

[Dawson Leery]

2. Here is Chucky Todd asking if Obama would veto the stimulus bill

if it did not have GOP support.
http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/01/23/chuck-todd-is-getting-stupider/