Obama To Critics: Don't Tell Me I'm Holding The Mop The Wrong Way

On Thursday night at a DNC fundraising dinner in San Francisco, President Obama took a new analogy in addressing his critics. "Another way of putting it is when, you know, I'm busy and [Speaker] Nancy [Pelosi]'s busy with our mop cleaning up somebody else's mess -- we don't want somebody sitting back saying, you're not holding the mop the right way." Obama paused for applause. "Why don't you grab a mop, why don't you help clean up."

Obama continued riffing -- "You're not mopping fast enough. That's a socialist mop" -- but sobered up quickly. "Grab a mop -- let's get to work."
 
By all accounts it was a magical evening. Tracy Chapman opened the event with her classic "Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution," and Barack and Nancy exchanged admissions of love. ("I love Nancy Pelosi"; "you are the greatest.")

Comments

[liberalOrgonian]

The more president Obama is criticized, the better he looks.
And the crazier those who criticize him look.

The repub is Washington are willing to fail this country to make their point, show no regard for our citizen's needs.
They want bully Bush (or someone like him) and his kind of politics to rule.
Making this country a 3rd world nation, broke, in two wars, no regard for the needs of our citizens.
Who needs enemies when we can be destroyed from within.
With an end game to bankrupt this country, because he could.

[hhayden]

One War - the one on radical Islam. It's a World wide effort.

What do you think of Obama quadrupling the deficit?

This health care scam doesn't get better with time, it gets worse.

[MacQ]

UM sorry, but you are holding the mop the wrong way.

[hhayden]

If he holds her any closer he'll have Michelle to answer to.

[MacQ]

:-)

[lbdmt]

Right on, Barack. Either come up with your own plan or shut the h*ll up.

[hhayden]

Doesn't look like he is going to shut up any time soon.

[hidenout]

If you're holding the pointy end of the mop against the floor, and the soft, squishy end near your hands, then you're holding the mop the wrong way. Gonna be hard to clean up the mess that way.

I guess we're just supposed to keep our moths shut....

[hhayden]

We would if liberals had there way.

[candlepower]

no i'm a liberal and i like hearing you flap

[Wrenigade]

This point just goes to prove whatever this President does -- whether it's right or wrong -- there will be morons who will find reasons for gratuitous criticism, while offering to viable, constructive alterntave. Sounds like today's average GOP partisan...

[hidenout]

I'll agree, to a degree, that without valid counter solutions, it means nothing to just complain. My fear, which seems to be playing itself out, is that Obama claims the moral high ground, "trying to build agreement within both parties", all the while ignoring the suggestions of the republicans. So it's nothing but a head fake on Obama's part. He won't compromise with the republicans, but he sure as he_ll will compromise with the corporate elite. That ought to make Obama supporters feel worse, not better.

You hear the democrats and media espouse, "the republicans are the party of no, they have no ideas!!" The problem with that statement is, it's not true. While they haven't offered a wide range of ideas, the real reason is the democrats have made it perfectly clear the republicans are not invited to the party, in spite of what Obama tells you. They have offered some planks with which to work toward insurance reform. They are of the mind, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water", which is what the Congress is apparently headed toward.

You guys have the bully pulpit, if you waste your chance, don't blame the republicans. Blame Bush.

[NeoStar9]

Perhaps the President should actually start using the mop and not simply hold it and say he's going to use it. I'm really sick of him saying he's going to do things and him and Congress not actually doing them. Or when at rare times the actually do something they let it get weakend to hell by the very industry and companies they are trying to regulated and keep in line.

[americanrevolution]

Statements like that are the reason I truly love and respect our President......
and gives basis to the "HOPE that I have for our country.....................

[respected]

Critics don't mind taking sitmulus money.

http://www.ajc.com/news/gop-wont-turn-down-165913.html

[hhayden]

As long as it's being handed out, It might as well go to the folks who might use it for something useful. Even if it's only a slightly better possability. Obama and his gand are determined to squander it somewhere. It's not like if republicans don't take it it will be used wisely.

[respected]

You cannot justify the party of no members ingratiating themselves as though they worked to bring something to their constituents. If it was left up to them, none of this money would have flowed into their districts. Your argument is as pathetic as their actions.

[Wrenigade]

Great point. They're lined up like pigs at thr trough -- just like they were when Bush & Cronies DOUBLED the national debt in 8 years -- an accomplishment that had previously taken over 200 years.

[mcmutter]

The conservaturds want to tell you you're holding the bible the wrong way.

[mady]

And that you are reading the wrong parts. You know the parts about loving your neighbor, turning the other cheek, etc.

[hhayden]

St'upid name calling only makes you look be. So keep it up.

[hhayden]

"....look bad". Sorry.

[moonchild71]

Thank you President Obama! I'm sick of people criticizing, complaining, and whining... jump in and help fix this mess! People expect one man to solve all their problems...in a matter of months. Instant gratification is unrealistic, how about asking "what can I do to help?".

[hhayden]

When will he start helping those who create jobs?

[vandegrasse]

I wish we had elected a real leader like Martin King or FDR. The times call for leadership, not vacant charms!

[powerlift2201]

Do you understand the obstacles infront of him? Not only does he have the real GOP but he has Republicans in Democrats clothing to try to work "with". Congress controls the purse strings, Congress delcares war, Congress can override a veto (with 2/3 vote). There is a lot of wrangling and negotiating that goes on on the hill. Nothing moves quickly when there is a split congress and White House.

That being said I do agree that Obama should take a firmer stand on the important issues we are facing today - healthcare reform, the two wars, real equality, DADT, drugs, TARP, Goldman Sachs and so on.

[vandegrasse]

Do you understand that FDR faced more personal and political obstacles than Obama does. He did not lead a willing party and he had polio. My G od, there was a leader!

[hhayden]

It might help him if he got off the lecture tour and dropped in at the office. Actually I prefer him at the lectern where he does less harm.

[ilse]

It's really sad to see some of you turning on your own president He is working for our best interest and some of you need to stop whining. Back off and let him do the things he needs to do. I voted for him and I am still 100% confident he knows exactly what he is doing. I understand that some of you (rightwing) will always put him down no matter what he does, but for the rest of you, he has enough people putting pressure on him (republicans, rightwing, fox) so please don't jump on their bandwagon.

[hhayden]

Asking the president to actually work for the people, not just try to make government bigger is not "whining".

If he got rid of the Patriot Act or realized that Guantanamo is the best place to put our captured enemies or if he gave back the "stimulus" money while we still have most of it or if he stopped demanding that people have to buy insurance or else, I would applaud him for that.

[candlepower]

as painful as it is for you vandegrasse let me outline some reasons for this:
We are at a uniquely difficult period of US history as it coincides with a disasterous and enervating end to the ideological wars of politics, basically capitalism and socialism as overarching philosophies are dead, there is only what is equitable and feasible, ie decisions need to be made on a case by case basis, economies of scale are important here.
Obama is engaged in a slow sweating of the republicans and the right wing, what he is doing is masterful in that he is dragging the country, even the fruitcakes, well as many as possible, with him. If he just pushes it all through like a cheney/bush-clone then yeah he'll get his own way but what will have changed in terms of our politics?- nothing. Obama's deeper mission is to bring this country to a new sense of itself in the 21st century instead of allowing the kinds of suburban emptiness that leads to the alienation of Columbine or Waco. He's got the whole nation talking, not necessarily agreeing but talking and that's how it should be.

[hhayden]

Talking is fine, but actions speak louder than words. Right now Obama's thoughtless and ideologically driven initiatives are literally screaming.

[vandegrasse]

If you were cleaning things up properly and weren't doing everything backwards from the way you said you were going to do them and if you weren't so busy kissing Wall STreet's you know what, we'd all be behind you mopping the way you're mopping. But I'm not going to mop the way you mop. There's no water in your bucket, no fire in your belly. You know the definition of insanity. Doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. Turn the mop around and we'll join you.

[nomobull]

"doing the same things over and over and expecting different results"
but yet your point advocates doing just that .

[vandegrasse]

In what way? Obam'a's done nothing for the middle class. NOTHING!

[vandegrasse]

I'm not going to blindly follow anyone, even if I voted for him. He is a huge disappointment, all smiles, all charm, no substantive action!

[ilse]

vandegrasse,

Sounds like you're talking about bush. He's out of office................Have you not heard?

[vandegrasse]

Bush had an agenda. It was a horrible agenda and he got things pushed through because he wanted them done. Even with a democratic house he got things passed. Why can't Obama at least get what he wants passed? Answer that. Is it because he's a weak leader? I think yes or he doesn't believe in what he promised us.

[hhayden]

They will contine to beat Bush because they can think of little else.

[lifeagain]

Why not. Somebody should. Your making a mess of everything.

[MacQ]

Another permutation of Blame Bush. Wonder how long that'll play.

This administration and this congress are responsible for unemployment. They are a hostile environment for business (that's who creates jobs).
Mr. Obama's "outrage" about compensation, their screwing over of investors in Chrysler's bankruptcy, and Mrs. pelosi's threats to tax (at 90%) if you make too much money are all examples.
I don't see why it would improve with the current power structure. I hope the mix in congress changes is 2010. That would help the employment situation.

[Sue-in-Jersey]

You realize, of course, that every one of the thousands and thousands of us who were laid off in 2007-2008 will stand up and dispute your highly creative rewriting of the Recession? Only in your mind and the mind of certain fact-challenged pundits does the Recession magically take place AFTER Barack Obama assumes office. The economy is recovering under Obama; employment was always anticipated to take longer to bounce back. It's not "blaming" to consult a calendar and notice that the global economic catastrophe took place before the November 2008 election, and way, way before Mr. Obama took office.

[MacQ]

It's true that the recession started before he took office. I didn't say otherwise.
Unemployment on the other hand has soared to a degree that was not necessary.
Employment depends on businesses being willing to expand, and feeling that there's a climate that will encourage them to do so. The opposite has been the case.

[vandegrasse]

And just what has President done for the little person. I know what he's done for the already rich who messed things up. But what has he done for us other than give us lip service? This business of not being Bush goes only so far.

[plaidsportcoat]

"Wonder how long that'll play."

I'm counting on it to be in the history books of my great grandkids

[vandegrasse]

At this rate it'll only go so far. If he starts leading and accomplishing, that's what goes down in the history books!

[hhayden]

Indeed. You don't create jobs by making the job creators the bad guys and intentionally try to hurt them. When they cut back, the first thing to go are people.

[dzymzlzy]

Why is the photo a picture of Obama holding Pelosi and talking about holding a mop? I can't help but think that juxtaposition was on purpose. Nothing in the media is an accident.

[MacQ]

Good one!

[S1m0n]

Obama is also talking about Pelosi. His bit is about the mops he and Nancy are using.

[janforgoodusfuture]

Mop or map?
Well, everything is going in the right direction, just keep at it!

[Weirdo]

Hey, Barack. You're not even holding a mop on this one:

White House "Ordered" Lawmakers to Amend FOIA in Order to Conceal Torture Photos

http://www.truthout.org/101709A


Maybe we can pressure him with another Nobel Peace Prize next year.

[nomobull]

another snapless snappy comeback.