Obama will display a stunning checkmate in this spectacular game of chess by next week.

[LoZoccolo]

[RagAss]

1. "I shall not seek, nor will I accept the nomination of my party in 2012"

[BumRushDaShow]

2. -1 n/t

[better days ahead]

51. It is the Rope-a-DOPE strategy - Pull a deal out the hat in the 11th hour, over the w/end

works like a "charm", every time.

[socialist_n_TN]

3. So he'll channel LBJ?

It might be for the best. Unfortunately, it'll be AFTER he's begun the process of gutting the remaining reforms on capitalism of the New Deal.

[RagAss]

11. Some of the younger DU'ers wouldn't recognize the LBJ quote.

[H2O Man]

21. I have a copy

of the original script that LBJ read that from.

[Jackpine Radical]

29. I heard that on Armed Forces Radio.

I happened to be in a foxhole a few miles south of the DMZ in Vietnam at the time. Apparently a lot of people out in the holes that night had illicit radios with them, judging by the round of cheers that went up around the perimeter.

[H2O Man]

36. I've been friends

with quite a few Vietnam veterans -- not surprising, considering my age. Not a single one has a good opinion of LBJ. Or even a mildly bad one.

[KoKo]

39. I understand what you and Jackpine say...but...remember..

he was the only President we can remember who actually had GREAT ANGST over WAR..and the marchers outside the White House against the WAR in VIETNAM...were seen by him...and he did grieve enough over it that he didn't run again.

That's something I've thought about a lot lately. How Johnson did grieve over that war...and did notice the public opinion going against it enough that he didn't run again.

His social programs he rammed through after Kennedy's assassination are what we might want to remember him for... but I couldn't stand him at the time. And was part of some of the marches at our University against him..

So...he will always be a conflicted President...but he did "in retrospect" seem to have a conscience. I can't think of any after him..who did..but then, I'm not in a good mood right now about anything, and so I can't even give Carter or Ford any good thoughts.

[H2O Man]

40. LBJ provides for

a fascinating character study. Without Vietnam, he would have certainly been ranked as among the few truly great US Presidents.

(editing for spelling)

[tilsammans]

41. What you said.

As I recall, our involvement in the war was against LBJ's better judgement initially. He allowed his views to be swayed by those he viewed as having better academic credentials.

And we all suffered for it, including LBJ himself.

[Jackpine Radical]

43. He flat-out lied about the Gulf of Tonkin incident, for one thing.

And I will also say that he was very much of a mixed bag as President. He rose far above his venal political milieu as a southern Senator (remember Billy Sol Estes, fertilizer tanks & all that?) to deliver the Civil Rights and Medicare legislation for which we all applaud him. And there are a lot of takes on his involvement in Vietnam. One popular theory was simple that he had a huge ego combined with a pugnacious nature and wasn't about to look weak by backing away from a fight. He was into humiliating people, according to at least one biographer, iirc.

[KoKo]

50. He was definitely a "mixed bag." Probably his Texas rural, poor background

and the racism and the rest of his era make him even more complicated viewing him from today's expectations and lack of understanding about the way, times and culture that both he and even Senator Robert Byrd grew up in. What I do appreciate is that both of them overcame their past and conflicted as they were had some core that made them very different from those who came after them.. (with a few exceptions that we do know about..but very few).

Agree Jackpine about Gulf of Tonkin and everything to do with his escalation of Vietnam. That's why I couldn't stand him and was so glad when I watched his speech that night where he said he would not run again.

So...much politics...all these years. "When will we ever learn...when will we ever learn." (Where have all the flowers gone)

[SwampG8r]

65. jim morrisons dad drove the boat in the gulf of tonkin incident

[demwing]

53. Carter brought home the Draftees that flew off to Canada

free and clear

Give the guy a break

[Samantha]

60. Well, he campaigned for re-election saying he would end the Viet-Nam

war. This campaign was for his first term as an elected President, after serving after Kennedy's assassination. I supported him for that reason. When he was elected, he immediately escalated the war. He had lied the whole time he was campaigning. Additionally, those civil rights laws he had passed were all JFK initiatives, the unfinished goals of his term.

Johnson first won a seat in Congress by STEALING it.

He is a Democratic President for whom I have no kind words. Sorry to disagree.

Sam

[alarimer]

66. I actually respect LBJ a lot.

I think he was a giant asshole, especially to Lady Bird and his mentor, whom he fucked over.

But he went against his own upbringing and his community, not to mention half the country, in forcing through the Civil Rights Act. He also accepted blame for the Vietnam war debacle and knew it killed his chances at reelection.

[awoke_in_2003]

69. Do not forget...

his Civil Rights stands- he led the charge on that. Yeah, presidents don't write legislation, but some know how to use their force of personality to get it written.

[Mimosa]

74. I remember those transistor radios

I was about 12 years old but I was attached to my little leather cased portable radios. Most of the time i used the ear bud and listened privately. To me they were more cool than anything! Todays I-Pods don't receive AM and FM radio signals, do they?

[robdogbucky]

76. My Apple iPod receives FM signals, think they all do n/t

[white_wolf]

13. I wish he'd channel LBJ.

I don't agree with the wars, but the Great Society was a very good thing, though I'm sure that's next on the chopping block.

[LonePirate]

26. I wish he would channel some courage to stand his ground instead of caving every single time

[Adsos Letter]

71. And a great arm twister he was.

Literally.

[LoZoccolo]

4. Make this an OP and I'll believe that you believe it.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

68. SO mature.

[Tx4obama]

6. Well that's good, because we don't know YOU. I'll be giving Obama my vote :) n/t

[CrispyQ]

12. ~lol

:o

[rucky]

30. If you play it out, that just may be the best move on the table.

The crazies are staking everything to sink his reelection.

[Liberal_in_LA]

38. negative 1 gazillion. Why would you post that!

[Bluebear]

5. After which he will perform a quadruple Lutz, change water to wine & self-levitate to Mars.

[msongs]

8. the cuts will be cancelled and revenues increased? Really. wOW that would be great nt

[OmahaBlueDog]

10. Hope springs eternal. It's more likely he'll be signing a short-term increase

..or presiding over a government shutdown.

[Bluenorthwest]

14. This routine reminds me of the old Bugs and Daffy cartoon

where they are trying to top each other in a Vaudeville act. Finally, Daffy sets himself on fire, the crowd goes crazy. As Daffy's cartoon 'soul' departs his body, he says "It's a great act, but you can only do it once."

[tkmorris]

15. Bookmarked

See ya next week.

[JHB]

25. +1

[JohnnyLib2]

47. Me, too.

:shrug:

[elfin]

16. He has a poker face

Whenever I doubt him and his strategies, I come up short.

While I despair at his centrist (as opposed to liberal) compromises, I hold hope he will "win" in this latest challenge and limit the damages to the middle and lower income brackets.

He is dealing with the most horrific economic situation bequeathed by a previous "President" since Roosevelt -- along with a frantic and insane opposition influencing the majority in the House fueled by powers never even envisioned back than.

Obama is brilliant -- but not used to dealing with dummies who do not understand basic economics.

Boner is dancing as fast as he can --- we shall see. I expect a debt limit with qualifications to be worked out later to be nixed by the ratings agencies and then, I hope, to be nixed by the public in '12.

[Demit]

24. Oh, for sure the damages will be limited to the middle & lower income brackets. That's the idea.

The upper income brackets will feel no pain. There's only so much sharing to go around!

[dennis4868]

32. +1

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. Next week

we'll be showing you how to pick up an architect, how to pull a prime minister, and how to have fun with a wholesale poulterer. But now the men of the Derbyshire Light Infantry entertain us with a precision display of bad temper.

[BOG PERSON]

18. what is so spectacular about a chess game that just seems to go on forever

wouldn't that be the opposite of spectacular? in fact it's probably only interesting to the players.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. Well...his admirers will CLAIM a "stunning checkmate" no matter how it turns out.

As they always do.

[Cool Logic]

20. When your only piece is a King and you have lost all of your pawns,

checkmate is not possible.

[ZombieHorde]

22. OK. What are the goal posts for a stunning checkmate?

Additionally, what is the bare minimum win for President Obama?

For me, a stunning win would be...
1. The debt ceiling is raised.
2. No cuts to social benefits.
3. Tax increases.

The bare minimum win would be...
1. The debt ceiling is raised.
2. No cuts to social benefits.
3. No tax increases.

A stalemate would be...(could be a loss, depends on the details)
1. The debt ceiling is raised.
2. Cuts to social benefits.
3. Tax increases.

An epic loss would be...
1. The debt ceiling is raised
2. Cuts to social benefits.
3. No tax increases.

An insane, over the top, ridiculous loss would be...
1. The debt ceiling is not raised.
2. Cuts to social benefits.
3. Taxes on wealthiest decreased.

edit to add: the devil is always in the details

[City Lights]

23. What's going on in DC is not a game.

It's a shame that so many people view it as such.

[Divine Discontent]

27. Word...

[Tx4obama]

28. But 'strategy' is always a game, and in the end ya either lose or win.

Obama will win.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

33. As an idiotic pissing contest it's a complete wash out.

And, only the pawns will get wet.

[dennis4868]

31. I agree...

he's a great chess player :-)

[Erose999]

34. More like he'll go all in on three deuces. Meanwhile Boehner holds A2345 straight, not suited.

But the real losers in this game are the American people.

[deacon]

46. Boehner holds no cards. Right now he is biggest asshole in the world. n/t

[flvegan]

35. Is a shit statement.

Sorry, couldn't resist LoZo.

[woo me with science]

37. He already gave up the game for us.

He validated and cemented Republican talking points about this economy, offered up Social Security and Medicare on a platter, poisoned the message and principles of the Democratic Party, and ensured that we will be fighting off more assaults like this for years to come.

[TheKentuckian]

42. Meaning what?

[deacon]

44. A clean bill or use of the 14th amendment and you will be correct. n/t

[quiller4]

70. A clean bill is by far the most likely outcome now.

[rug]

45. On the chessboard lies and hypocrisy do not last long. - Emanuel Lasker

[Marr]

48. A "stunning checkmate" against whom? n/t

[demwing]

54. Against his base?

yeah, that's possible

[wuushew]

49. Is there any evidence that Obama enjoys or is even competent at chess?

[TK421]

55. doesn't matter...he was a master chess player in the womb n/t

[Shandris]

62. Ahhh, a stunning Checkmate!

I wasn't aware of the 'sacrifice every pawn and named piece before dueling King versus King' strategy before. Now it all makes sense. I'm awed.

No really.

With so much dizzying chess going on, I feel like he's Murray Head or something.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnqj31VPNoE

[Luminous Animal]

52. Did you divine that with your dowsing stick?

[demwing]

56. I will GLADLY pay you Tuesday

for a Hamburger today!

[mmonk]

57. He can improve his standing with me by using the 14th amendment.

We don't need his $4 trillion cuts deal on top of the bush tax cuts extension.

[DainBramaged]

58. And I will become Optimus Prime

:eyes:

[LoZoccolo]

61. The House of Representatives is Vehicle Voltron, and the Senate is Lion Voltron.

[Islandlife]

59. Well...nothing to worry about then

everyone relax

[TransitJohn]

63. I almost never get your one-liners.

Unless I take 'em at face value.

Oh yeah, I always get them, just disagree.

-1

[hulka38]

64. Comical

Please keep posting.

[Major Hogwash]

67. Not only are you right, but many people posting here won't agree that it is stunning enough!

Because they didn't get their sparkle pony!!!

Ha ha ha ha

I read some guy say that to some other guy on another forum and I just lost it.

[Raine]

72. It's OK to dream, just don't drool on the pillowslip.

:boring:

[divvy]

73. He gets checkmated, and we get stunned?

[ZombieHorde]

75. If you are unwilling to define "stunning checkmate," then the claim is meaningless.

Don't you agree?