Barack Obama: I'm Talking To Gulf Experts 'So I Know Whose Ass To Kick'

[laughingliberal]

Critics pushing for more visible anger from President Obama will get their wish, Chuck Todd reports: In an interview with Matt Lauer, the President said he has been consulting with experts to learn "whose ass to kick."

"I was down there a month ago, before most of these talking heads were even paying attention to the Gulf," Obama said. "A month ago I was meeting with fishermen down there, standing in the rain talking about what a potential crisis this could be. And I don't sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/07/gulf-oil-spill-obama-ass-kick_n_603664.html

More talk like this, please. :)

[sandnsea]

1. So sad

The President has to talk like a basketball coach to get any respect. It's fucking ridiculous.

[Liberation Angel]

5. Huh? I have news for you...

Peoiple WANT to hear him get mad. Talking about ass kicking is not just for college sports and soldiers.

I hope to hell Holder kicks their ass UNDER the jail.

[sandnsea]

13. Yeah, that's why we elected Dean

:sarcasm:

The red meat crowd loves this shit, but the red meat crowd can't get a dogcatcher elected and still can't figure out why.

[laughingliberal]

25. And, of course, the corporate MSM never has anything to do with defeating fighters on the left. nt

[sandnsea]

26. Especially when they give them sound bites

to be buried with.

[laughingliberal]

28. Especially when they doctor the tape to kill all the cheering and make it sound as if

the person was yelling alone. But you go on and buy their hatchet jobs. The corporate masters appreciate it.

Sorry you don't like the President's tone on this post. Working people in the Gulf (who are, after all, suffering more of the effects of this than anyone) will appreciate it. I stand with the President on this! :hi:

[Admiral Loinpresser]

59. Stockholm syndrome.

Have you been kidnapped by members of the mainstream media?

[Greyhound]

67. Wow, you've really lost it.

So Dean is now an enemy?

Anybody that the media assassinates is not worthy?

And you haven't figured out why the obedient servants of the corporatocracy are the only candidates we get to 'choose' from?

Take a break, please.

[cornermouse]

49. Four words, one person for you to consider.

Give 'em hell Harry.

[guitar man]

63. My thoughts exactlty

Harry Truman was the first person who came to mind when I heard this :)

[freddie mertz]

50. I wish we had.

We'd be much better off today.

PS: Kerry lost too.

Hold a grudge much?

[Admiral Loinpresser]

58. Thank God we nominated Kerry!

That Republican-lite posture on Iraq really worked out well in 2004.

[laughingliberal]

24. +1000 nt

[breadandwine]

34. What's sad is that Obama needs to be prodded and pushed to get mad.

He and his consultants all have their finger in the wind.

They are only telling us he's mad because people began complaining that he's not and that he's not kicking ass.

Which he's not.

If he had gone after BP threatening anti-trust or similar action, I guarantee BP and its shareholders would be sh*tting a brick, the shareholders, who are private citizens, would be watching their stock fall a lot farther than it has and they would be all planning to lynch Hayward at the next stockholders meeting. I guarantee these lazy, self-congratulating people at the top of BP would be sh*tting a brick and they would have fixed the leak a lot quicker. The problem is that Obama really has no taste for the jugular, can't kick ass and thinks everything is a matter of singing around the campfire. He and the DLCers around him are all corporate suck-up trusting little toadies to the GOP.

And because of them we are about to lose the House and the Senate to the GOP.

Fanatics, the angry, the passionate, vote in midterm elections out of proportion to the rest, and that ain't us. Midterm elections are underattended because there is no presidential race. Our side is asleep compared to them and the base, which decides midterm elections, is only excited to vote on the other side, not ours.

What Obama is saying is, um, uh, oh yeah. I guess I'm er, um, angry. I think I'll engage in, uh, um, er, FISTICUFFS. Obama looks about as angry as a door knob. Incredible that after all these town hall meetings were the GOP turned the country upside down with all their canned passion and anger, that Obama and his DLCers still haven't figured out what real passion is and how to use it. When was the last time you saw him pound the podium like a Kennedy? His speech is BORING.

[laughingliberal]

38. We've been behind the curve on messaging for decades. Grayson is one of the few who gets it.

Having the best ideas and plans will not win elections if you can't package it to appeal to people's emotions. If they can't believe you have the strength of your convictions along with some passion, you've lost.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

61. agreed...waited until people TOLD him to be upset n/t

[Skittles]

46. I could give him some lessons

because he fucking STINKS at kicking ass

[ProSense]

8. It is, but

what the assholes in the media can't ridicule away is the fact that he is still the President. He has a ton of support and is not known for not getting his way, despite the election year bullshit.

They've been doing this to him since the campaign. It's escalating now because they're all assholes with agendas, and the President doesn't give a shit about their motives. So they responded by turning up the criticisms and ridicule.


I hope he kicks some ass.

[Mimosa]

16. He doesn't HAVE to...

Actions speak louder than words.

What has people on the coast upset is they are watching their livelihoods and the environment disappear.

Anderson Cooper and Billy Nungesser have been great tonight.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[laughingliberal]

27. Nice work. Insult the victims. I support the President in looking for asses to kick

and not the asses of the people whose lives are being destroyed.

[sandnsea]

29. The President has been investigating responsibility from day one

He didn't have to go on the teevee and talk about kicking ass for me to know that he was holding people responsible.

If you or any of the victims need that to sleep at night, then I just feel sorry for you. And if you demand to be allowed to sleep with the enemy at the same time, then I just think you're stupid as well.

[laughingliberal]

30. Personal insults? I like what the President said, you don't. No need for nastiness. nt

[sandnsea]

33. You're demanding oil drilling??

I didn't think that kind of stupid would apply to you.

[laughingliberal]

35. I think it's not clear who you're attacking from that post. You seem to just be lashing out.

I get it. You don't want the President to say 'ass.'. :shrug:

But you've lashed out at Dean and his supporters, the resident's of the gulf (and not all of them support drilling), and people who applaud this tone from the President.

Yes, I think there are times when a display of justfied anger is good. It helps people connect with the person.

edited punctuation

[sandnsea]

36. I think it's pathetic people get giddy over the word "ass"

I don't care what the President says. I think it's an example of how low this country has sunk that we can't understand that the President is investigating negligent actions unless he says he's going to kick someone's ass.

And I really don't think the majority of the country will applaud this tone because we've never applauded it in the past.

[laughingliberal]

37. A lot of applauding things we never applauded in the past has gone on the past year.

But, I'm speaking of DU and progressives, there. I have no problem understanding people whose lives have been thoroughly destroyed wanting to see the President show a little fire when speaking of those who destroyed it. Many people in this country applaud an expression of populist anger which is how the teabaggers have gained so much attention. People do need to see more of a populist message from the President when people are suffering so much at the hands of dishonest corporations and industries.

I believe people applauded FDR's speech about 'welcoming their hatred of me,' when the robber barons had destroyed a lot of people. There's a time and a place for everything. A cerebral approach is not always the most effective.

It's no secret that part of the problem Democrats have had has been messaging the past 30+ years. We always have the better ideas but have not learned the lessons of conveying them in a way that connects with people emotionally. And, yes, like it or not, people vote their emotions.

[sandnsea]

39. Then why isn't Howard Dean President??

And FDR's "welcoming hatred" speech was a campaign speech, not a governance speech. Very different things.

Yes, people vote with their emotions and don't vote crazy people into office. You can also see Ross Perot.

BTW, the President held a meeting today with representatives from all 15 agencies that are responding to the spill. That's what was important today, not a stupid rant about kicking some invisible ass. Jeez, I wouldn't let my boys get away with that when they were 12 years old, why the hell would I want my President to sound like that.

http://obama-mamas.com/blog/?p=1654

[laughingliberal]

40. I believe I answered your snarks about Dean in #28 to which you did not reply

People don't vote crazy people into office? Are you new to America? Bush the idiot? Nixon?
And saying it's time to 'kick ass' is not crazy when it is, indeed, time (past time) to kick ass.

Perot was 3rd party and we all know where those go-down the rabbit hole.

Yes, I'm sure a detailed, speech about the results of the 15 agencies with whom he met will stir the hearts and minds. This is precisely how we keep losing the debate to the RW even with the best ideas. We think when we explain it all carefully and logically people will be persuaded. Well, we've been the ones getting our asses kicked with that approach by idiots who stand up and say, "You're either for us or against us." Blatantly stupid to have the right ideas and policy positions and fail to frame and message in a way that works. If brains and ability, alone, won elections Al Gore would have been President in a landslide. Raise your kids however you want. At 12, they can't run for office, anyway.

[sandnsea]

41. Al Gore did win the popular vote in a landslide

And if the left had the answers to how to frame a debate, they'd win and we'd have single payer.

Doesn't happen.

So I guess the left that thinks everybody has to rant and rave like a crazy person in order to get votes, is wrong.

[laughingliberal]

42. Not a landslide. He did win the popular vote but not by enough of a margin to prevent the theft

And you made my point. The left does NOT know how to frame a debate and connect with people at an emotional level. That is precisely what I've been saying. We think if we're all smarter and more detailed and logical, we'll win. But we have not won much on policy over 30 years, now. Democrats, in general, have been blowing the message for years. Clinton was better than most but we have not seen many with his skill at this since he left office.

I'm not sure what circles you run in or your background but saying, "whose ass to kick' does not qualify as ranting and raving like a crazy person in most of America. I saw a clip of the interview where he said this which will air in the morning and he hardly seemed to be ranting and raving. It looked like a normal human response to me.

[sandnsea]

43. The left is always ranting and raving

I'm not talking about Democrats, Democrats get elected.

I'm talking about the left who always wants somebody to hold their breath until they turn blue and think that it's going to solve a problem. And yes, ranting at Matt Lauer about kicking somebody's ass is stupid to most of America. I expect the talking point to be that he's got his finger in the wind and is completely scripted by the end of the week.

People want to be told the truth, and they want effective government. That's All. They do not care what package it comes in, as long as it doesn't raise taxes and doesn't involve another government program. That's the country you live in, like it or not.

[laughingliberal]

44. We aren't going to agree.

I saw the clip of the interview and he was not 'ranting.'

Democrats get elected? Two election cycles out of how many and you decide we've got a lock on this winning business? Hardly.

And if the only thing that is going to win elections is not raising taxes or creating any government programs then why would we elect Democrats, anyway? Republicans are more than capable of destroying government programs and keeping taxes low on the wealthy.

[sandnsea]

45. How many Greens or Socialists get elected?

How dare any of you say you've got anything to contribute in the matter of framing an election until you get somebody elected.

And Obama and Clinton both ran on tax cuts for working people, and they both ran on reforming government programs, eliminating the ones that were redundant or ineffective, and improving ones that work.

Those are facts. You're not basing your opinion on facts, you're basing them on political fantasies much like the anti-WTO factions that run around with bandanas around their face and break windows and think they're changing the world.

I have to get some sleep. Argue with you another day. :)

[laughingliberal]

47. I don't know who you're having this debate with but I've been registered as a Democrat since 1973

and both my parents were for their entire lives. Not one of us ever voted for anyone who was not a Democrat. I know that's the new talking point for the centrists-that people who don't agree with them aren't really Democrats. Some are doing a good job of deluding themselves and others with it but it's hogwash. I think it's an attempt by centrists to drive out left leaning Democrats. I support traditional Democratic values like support for labor, women's right's, public education, progressive taxation, social safety nets, consumer protection, and equality. Just because some in this party have embraced Reagan-like policies does not mean this is not still my party and that I don't have a right to speak out, stay involved, and work at our state level to see these values preserved.

Clinton and Obama both were elected in bad economies when people needed a change. Clinton raised taxes on the wealthy, fixed the economy and won a 2nd term. So, raising taxes on the wealthy is not going to lose an election as long as the working and middle classes see an improvement in their situation. It generally improves the economy and wins elections. Jury is still out on President Obama's policies. I, personally, think the diversion of 40% of the stimulus to tax cuts was not the most effective use of the money at that point and I think he should have rolled back the * tax cuts on the wealthy before now but time will tell what results we will see.

[freddie mertz]

52. The only "ranting and raving" I have come across in this thread....

Is in posts like this one.:grr:

[laughingliberal]

54. +1 nt

[freddie mertz]

51. What utter nonsense. Where do you get this crazy stuff?

Kerry lost too.

Reasonable man, war hero, etc.

Didn't matter.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

57. He would get my respect

if he simply acted like a Democratic president.

[gulliver]

65. I feel the same way, but he does have to.

A whole lot of people work that way. They need to gripe, and they need asses kicked. Obama should be feeding them a steady stream of Republicans. They would (and are trying to) do it to him. Hopefully Cheney's pasty ass and a boot have a rendezvous with destiny.

[laughingliberal]

66. "feed them a steady stream of Republicans" +1000

Throw some oil and bank execs in there and we'd have a winning strategy.

[Liberation Angel]

2. This is fucking awesome. I LIKE this talk.

Let's hope he backs it up with an ass kicking though...

I am GLAD a criminal investigation is underway.

[glitch]

11. He has to back this talk up with real action.

Otherwise tough talk with no action will only make the political situation worse.
Everybody's watching, and if he follows through, rooting for him.

[Individualist]

64. Exactly.

[Doremus]

3. I'd settle for making them stop using toxic dispersant.

Or making them siphon the oil out with supertankers.

Or making them install and maintain the booms properly.


Talk is meaningless. Give me some action, please.

[amborin]

9. +1

[me b zola]

32. +1000

What you said. :thumbsup:

[Rex]

4. Face meet palm!

Epic fail...

[woo me with science]

6. ....

:banghead: :eyes: :(

[ohheckyeah]

7. I guess liberals aren't immune

to the need for a tough talking, macho leader.

[laughingliberal]

14. I'm not immune. I like those who have some power using it on our behalf against the criminals.

Yes, I do! More, please. :)

[HughMoran]

18. like Bush

someone had to say it - lol

[ohheckyeah]

21. I did and then deleted it.

:-)

[laughingliberal]

22. Lol. nt

[Admiral Loinpresser]

62. A little tough talk doesn't hurt.

A little tough action would be even better. I'm not holding my breath.

[flvegan]

10. So long as he backs it up, I like it. n/t

[Individualist]

12. +1

[Rex]

15. +1 +2

[Frank Booth]

17. I think "So I know who I should open a can of whup-ass on"

would poll better.

[JonLP24]

19. Once he does find out he should say....

"Can you smell what the Barack is cooking!"

[Catherina]

23. Start with Rahm and his rent free apartment from a BP Advisor please n/t

[onestepforward]

31. K&R! Definitely, more talk like this! n/t

[Bluebear]

48. Obama to reopen oil drilling

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8510758

[freddie mertz]

53. K & R. We need to more of that, er, "human" reaction.

Vulcan coolness has its place, and it is something that I have admired in Obama, especially during the the last election.

But this situation is fucked up, we are nauseated and freaked out by it, and it would help to know that our reactions are shared "at the top."

[laughingliberal]

55. I agree. Reactions such as this are all the more effective because

we don't see them often from him.

[freddie mertz]

69. Agreed. The "demand" for it from the mediocracy has been absurd, of course.

But there is a basic human need to feel "connected" to our leaders.... I hope he is able to find the right balance in policy, as well as style.

Time wil tell.

[joeybee12]

56. Typo...the "ck" should have been "ss" n/t

[laughingliberal]

60. Two more great reasons for the President to separate himself from BP in the public's eye.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8510839

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8510679


1)Polling showing the public furious at BP's response. The President's numbers are suffering. He must not be seen associated with them.

2)New reports showing how far back and how badly BP has been cutting corners. The President must be seen as being righteously angry with these criminals.

[Greyhound]

68. I'd prefer the action to the threat, but if there is follow up, yay! K&R