The Evan Bayh 'Gang of 14" obstructionists who will derail the Democratic agenda

[DainBramaged]

Joe Lieberman, Tom Carper of Delaware, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Mark Udall and Michael Bennet of Colorado, Mark Begich of Alaska, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Bill Nelson of Florida, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Mark Warner of Virginia.



Why is it that ANYTIME there is a reason to derail the agenda, Joe Lieberman is front and center? Oh wait, I answered my own question. And these blue DOGS want a super-majority to pass legislation, which means they are working with the Rethugs to cover their own asses in their home States (the Red middle and south of this Country.) And other than Lieberman, Claire McCaskill and Jeanne Shaheen are the greatest disappointments to me.

[AB_Positive]

1. Shaheen's a blue dog???

Um... then she's a very liberal blue dog. I've personally seen her work here in state, and unless she's changed her tune this doesn't make much sense. I think the only viewpoint that's close to conservative is a lack of interest in stricter gun laws. (Which, I might add, I agree with. Oh shit I'm a dog!!!) Otherwise... uh... yeah. Pro gay-marriage, pro stimulus... not seeing this one here.

From what I've heard of McCaskill it's very similar situation.

Are the "Blue Dogs" now a term for slightly moderate liberals? I'm missing something here. The only known asshole on here is Lieberman.

edited because my Rockstar hasn't kicked in and thus my grammar has gone to hell

[rpannier]

5. This is a group being organized and lead by Sen Bayh (who IS an ass circus)

They are making every attempt to weaken the Obama economic agenda.

They are *ahem* concerned with the money the federal government is spending -- not the money being given to corporations mind you.

Here's Udall's site gloriously announcing their 'partnership'

http://markudall.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=309996&

I sent him an e-mail informing him that I thought his decision was idiotic and pointed out the number of important votes that ass clown Bayh has made and how he has been on the wrong side of the fece 99% of the time,

If Shaheen is tossing her hat in with this group she's showing incredibly poor judgment

[MADem]

6. Mark Warner? And Obama's main squeeze and earliest supporter, McCaskill?

I rest my case. These guys are running interference FOR Obama, so that the far left has someone to blame and none of it gets on the President. That's why Rahm Emmanuel is so cozy with that lot.

Obama is one smart sumbitch. He's triangulating like Clinton, but on steroids.

[rpannier]

7. If you say so

I don't buy it

[BonnieJW]

9. I can't believe Mark Warner

will obstruct Obama's agenda.

[AB_Positive]

10. Knowing Shaheen and her principles, this makes sense

Shaheen was and is one of his biggest supporters - hell part of her senate campaign was based on fixing the economy basically mirroring what Obama was selling.

She has no reelection worries for another 6 years so electability isn't the issue, as well as the fact that NH is becoming bluer and bluer by the second.

I think this is smoke and mirrors... I know Bayh is an ass and can easily be taking this seriously. But for Shaheen... she's got to show me a vote that pisses me off before I believe she's "Red"ing it up.

[skooooo]

12. That's what I'm hoping..

These people aren't going to derail Obama.

[MattBaggins]

13. They have no intention of derailing Obama

Bayh wants to derail Reid. This is a power grab and nothing more.

[bdamomma]

18. interesting speculation to derail Reid?? as long as they don't

derail Obama.

[PVnRT]

19. I hadn't thought of that...

Either way, it's silly and counter-productive. Bayh is doing this to gain points at the expense of the President's agenda, nothing more.

[HughMoran]

14. Hmmm, this makes more sense

Shaheen? McCaskill? Just like how Obama played good politics on the veterans health care issue, you may (and hopefully are) correct about this. This wouldn't be the first time Obama has caught me (and many other liberals) off guard. He's one smart dude.

[PVnRT]

17. No, I think Bayh is positioning himself for 2012

If things don't improve, and Obama looks weak, Bayh will be the "maverick" that will be well-positioned to challenge Obama in the primaries.

[MADem]

26. He'd better sit down with Ted Kennedy, then and ask Ted how well that shit works out.

Bayh is not stupid, and I am sure he's a student of history, just like the President.

Ted Kennedy was using a lot of alcohol and drugs (coke, specifically) when he thought he could unseat Carter, and all he did was weaken Carter for the general. Carter was forced to fight his own party in the persona of Ted (with JFK's ghost on one shoulder and RFK's on the other), Ronnie Raygun, AND the Ayatullah. He would have only had two opponents if it hadn't been for Ted's momentous gaffe of intoxication and ego.

Not enough people even KNOW Bayh. Everyone knew Ted, they sure as hell knew his brothers, and he wasn't pulling it off, even before Chappaquiddick hit the fan.

It's considered disloyal to challenge a sitting President. It's also poor form. I imagine, since this is the first biracial President (openly, anyway) we've had, there would be racial implications made as a consequence of a challenge. It's just too ugly a concept.

The only way Bayh would throw his hat in the ring is if Obama made a Sherman statement and decided he didn't want to lead the free world anymore, a la LBJ: "Ah will nawt seek...and ah will nawt ak-sept...nomination as President of the Yew-Knighted States..."

Absent that, I'd be very shocked to see him beat down Obama, especially since he worked so hard to win him Indiana.

[JohnnyBoots]

15. You do know that Rockstar is owned by Michael Savage's family, right?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5017322

[Individualist]

25. Absolutely

She's a DLC member. http://www.ontheissues.org/social/Jeanne_Shaheen_Principles_+_Values.htm

[woodsprite]

2. Tom Carper's an ass. n/t

[a kennedy]

3. so is Herb Kohl....

:puke: has so much money, he buys his election. :mad: :grr: :thumbsdown:

[nevergiveup]

4. Evan Bayh has a huge ego

He has always wanted to be president. Obama won very red Indiana. This was not supposed to happen. Bayh is needing some attention.

[MADem]

8. Why did he work so hard for Obama if he wanted to be President?

Why was he on Obama's short list for VP?

Ascribing nefarious motive to the guy doesn't fly.

[PVnRT]

20. Party politics and the thrill of flipping the state

He spent plenty of time trying to "convince" local Democrats where I lived at the time to oppose Obama in the primary.

[MADem]

23. Well, he started out on HRC's short list for VP, so that's logical. But he ended up on

Obama's short list, as well, and is categorized in the "Friend of Barack" category--just like Claire "Obama's Wonder Woman" McCaskill, who was ALSO on the VP short list, and who was one of Obama's first, earliest, and most ardent supporters. You remember her--she was the one whose kid told her how swell Obama was, who gave wide-eyed testimonials about the wonder of the O on every network, cable and talk show, who was a member of Obama's campaign team, cheerleading and beating the drum for the guy from the git-go...and who is also in this "nefarious" group of "DLC/Blue Dog/Name Your Mendacious Group of "evildoers."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11142.html


You can try--and maybe get away with--calling Bayh those standard DINO/DLC/typical nonsense names and accuse him of self-aggrandizement, but how does anyone "explain" McCaskill? Obama's dearest, darling girl? Did she wake up one morning and say, "Shit, all that work I did on the campaign, putting myself out there, working those eighteen hour days, subordinating myself to the needs of my chosen candidate...eh, that was bullshit! I didn't really MEAN it?"

Ask yourself the question: CUI BONO. Who benefits? Who benefits from having the ire of the far left redirected to an internal enemy? Who benefits from having the far left blame some "other" for Obama's woes? Who benefits from having all the arguments "kept within the family" as it were? Why, Obama benefits. While you're griping at these guys, you're not griping at The Big O.

I think the far left is being well-gamed, myself. They are directing all their angst, agita and poutrage at Bayh, and for all that foot-stomping and griping, the good Senator doesn't give a flying fuck, because he never "had" them anyway and they aren't part of his constituency. He doesn't need them, and really, in his state, where are they gonna go? To the Greens? Go ahead. The cognitive dissonance will be nothing short of profound when AF ONE flies in with "himself" aboard to speak at a private fundraiser for the evildoing DINO.

This little gang that Bayh has cobbled together provides a hearty, beefy target for the ire of the "well to the left" crowd, and also leaves Obama free to work both sides of the street (because, since the GOP is just spinning and crying and refusing to play, they're not lining up on their sidewalk like they should, so Bayh's bunch will take their places) while strolling pleasantly down the centerline, and actually get some shit done.

I think it's rather clever, actually. Swell trick. It's politics well above and beyond, in terms of sophistication, what I expected from a first term President, but it's sharp and smart stuff. It's more Third Term Clinton than First Term anyone, IMO.

No one can say that Obama hasn't studied political history--and applied the lessons. Smart guy. :thumbsup:

Don't shoot the messenger.

[wroberts189]

11. What gets me is that they have labeled themselves "moderate centrists"...

..and people are buying into it and not challenging the label they hijacked..


Either that or I must have missed the news that a "moderate centrist" means you are a conservative democrat or blue dog...or DINO

I guess that makes most of us here extremists. Universal single payer health care... your an extremist. Sensible drug policy? ...your a radical.

You want the world to address climate change ... you are a far left loony.

They are stealing and trying to redefine these words as most people in general think they are moderate.

[bdamomma]

16. why is Claire McCaskill on this list, doesn't she support Obama?

geez, the Dems always manage to eat their own, let President Obama do his work please.

[MADem]

24. Because she, like Bayh, is doing Obama's bidding.

It's just that the far left doesn't realize it.

I explain this theory in post twenty three.

A link, so you don't have to get eyestrain trying to find it by the numbers: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5286755&mesg_id=5288137

[bdamomma]

27. thanks MADem.

[Hubert Flottz]

21. Evan Bayh is a Joe LIEberman "Democrat" now...

He has a score to settle because Obama went with Joe Biden instead of him for VP, so now he's going to get even like Joe the McCain Ass Kisser did.

[sinkingfeeling]

22. What happened to Mark Pryor of Arkansas? He was a part of the 'gang of 8' or whatever that

promised not to filibuster judges under Bush.