Gibbs: Obama Still Wants To Feel Pressure From The Left

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs sought on Friday to put an amicable coda on his tussle with the "professional left," telling the Huffington Post that the President continues to welcome the pressure he gets from his progressive base.

Addressing the issue four days after he initially chastised liberal (cable news) critics for having demands of the White House that he deemed "crazy," Gibbs once again stood by those remarks.

"There are a small number of people on cable and elsewhere who will never be happy, who will never give the President credit for anything, and who will always look for some cardinal sin to be upset about," the press secretary said in an email to the Huffington Post.

But, from there, he offered a far more conciliatory if not diplomatic reflection on the riff that briefly dominated macro-political debate within the Democratic Party.

"I also stand by my statement... that the vast majority of progressives and those on the left, whether that's bloggers or groups or what have you, do not hold those beliefs and are pushing in good faith for a better country as they see it," Gibbs added. "The President has urged those who want change to push for it and hold him accountable, and that's how he feels."

The latter remarks are far more tempered than those Gibbs offered during his daily briefing on Wednesday. Pressed then to expand on why he had disparaged the "professional left" -- for demanding, among other things, the elimination of the Pentagon and Canadian style health care -- Gibbs declined to name names but did little backtracking. Not only did he stand by the criticism, he said, he fully expected progressive voters to go out to vote come November.

The entire episode was greeted with shrugs and jeers within the party, depending, of course, on who was asked. Several progressive lawmakers called for Gibbs' resignation. The more common reaction was offered by DNC Chair Tim Kaine.

"That was definitely one where, you know, it should have stayed in the thought bubble over his head than being spoken," Kaine said, during an appearance on "Morning Joe" on Wednesday. "Look, it's been a hot summer in Washington and I've said things like that too and my temper got the best of me... As Democrats, we tend to be an impatient party. This is something that I know and I kind of love about us. Edison said discontent is the first sign of progress. If you're complacent, you don't push."

On Wednesday, Gibbs gave off the impression that there was little concern inside the White House about the impact his remarks might have. In offering the final clarification to the Huffington Post it stands to reason that the press shop wasn't necessarily satisfied with the impression that had been left.

Comments

[J.C. Convery]

11:37 PM on 08/17/2010

They could have a cheer leader that just toots his ideological horn. Complain all you want but the message isn't directed at you and you should be smart enough to realize that. Politics is the art of compromise but it also has an element of theatre in it. Gibbs as press secretary plays the middle because Obama needs to be seen as a centrist even if he's not. Unfortunately the left tends to play the intelligensia card in the media but the center don't care. It's not that they're stupid because when they have nothing to fear they appreciate people with good ideas but right now they're worried about thier jobs, thier housepayments and feeding thier kids and the last thing they want to hear is how it's in their best interests for the government to spend money it doesn't have. The closest thing we have to a liberal populist who might reach the center is Jon Stewart and I don't think he wants the press secretary job.

[OliverTwist]

01:36 PM on 08/16/2010

I'm sure Obama does want to feel pressure from the progressives. As long as he feels the pressure it means they are still counting on him for their support.

It's time for progressives to stand up and form their own political party and start running independent candidates - one at a time.

[ausman98]

01:31 PM on 08/16/2010

Mr. Gibbs:

It's not that we on the left will never give Obama credit for anything. That's a gross distortion. The disappointment felt is that we thought we elected a more full-throated proponent of progressive ideals than it seems we have. We thought that, once President, Obama would use his superior oratorical and reasoning skills to explain more fully to voters why those progressive policies made sense, rather than using those skills to justify compromising them. Perhaps it's our fault that we felt we had elected a modern day FDR; but the rhetoric he used during the campaign sure made it sound that way.

No, it's not that we don't give credit where credit is due. It's that we know it could have--and should have--been so much more had he been more combative toward his disrespectful foes, rather than accommodative. But, neither should we or will be make the same mistake progressives made during the Bush/Gore election. We know it can and will be so much worse if those foes are elected. Unfortunately, that seems to be the same calculation that Obama has made.

Sincerely,
An American Just Seeking Progress

[dawlishgal]

10:54 AM on 08/16/2010

Allow me to contribute to the pressure from the left. Mr President: please fires the advisors who have alienated you from the people who gave their hard earned money, put their lives on hold to campaign for you and encouraged everybody they know to vote for you. It was a slap in their faces when you overlooked the progressives and their contributions and ignored your own campaign promises by chosing big money interests and Chicago machine pols for your appointed administration.

Now is the time to FIRE Gibbs and Emanuel. They have not served you well, either with their counsel and advice and their awful behavior.

[iblog]

10:59 AM on 08/16/2010

You also sounded un-troll until you said Chicago machine pols.

[iblog]

10:59 AM on 08/16/2010

You also sounded un-tr0ll until you said Chicago machine pols.

[zest]

10:42 AM on 08/16/2010

I'd be willing to amend the 22nd amendment to limit the POTUS to one term. Perhaps the country could get something done and not continuosly pander to the POTUS re-election.

[iblog]

11:06 AM on 08/16/2010

Hit the showers!

[zest]

10:36 AM on 08/16/2010

Don't worry Gibby you will.

[BoyInBOYCOTT]

12:51 AM on 08/16/2010

Gibbs did exactly what he wanted the first comment, make Obama look centrist, this second comment means NOTHING....btw Gibbs also means NOTHING, to me.

[David VeLar]

12:29 AM on 08/16/2010

The purpose of "feeling pressure" is so you can take action you otherwise would be uncertain on...

It's not so you can act like George W Bush and smille about it like it don't matter other than an exercise in futility.

"Yes yes... duly noted." No, no Gibbs, we went through 8 years of that crap. If you are trying to mess up Obama with these silly gaffes of yours you need to go. Don't STEELE his chance at a reelection.

[J.C. Convery]

11:24 PM on 08/15/2010

Failing to accept that politics is the art of compromise is one of the main reasons that we face an impasse at every level in congress. While there might be repunlican moderates that would support some liberal policies they won't support all liberal policies so you give and you take. Absolutism on the right or left is bogus and smacks a wee bit of tyranny.

Accept the fact that you can't always have things your own way all at once and keep pushing for the incremental changes that will get you what you want. Not to personalize this but the political process is not for the ADHD.

[jcaunter]

12:40 AM on 08/16/2010

Yeah, do everything you can to compromise with the guy who just broke into your house and is in the process of stealing your TV--that is EXACTLY what Wall Street is doing to America and yet almost every Democrat and Republican out there is EAGER to compromise with Wall Street and get their fat campaign checks and fat jobs.

You have been suckered. The ONLY people who come out ahead with the endless compromises are Wall Street bankers. The people on Main Street always get the short end of the stick.

[iblog]

11:08 AM on 08/16/2010

hasn't most of the TARP money been repayed?

Aren't there new regulations in the Financial Reform bill that alsmost didn't past because of people like Russ Feingold?

[Patriot68]

08:59 PM on 08/15/2010

Why bother trying to pressure him when he'll just send one of his toadies out, gibbs or rahm, to demean us when we do. Hey, thanks for your vote now beat it!

If he does not face a primary opponent in 2012 I won't be voting at all. No reason to when both choices will do the same nonsense once in office. There are no more political sides really. It all boils down to whether you're part of the elite or not. If not you don't matter and they have made that abundantly clear.

[rory talbot]

07:09 PM on 08/15/2010

Obama, the Great Equivocator.

[textynn]

07:06 PM on 08/15/2010

Gibbs just showed himself to be too stupid to keep the REAL WH and Administrations attitudes covered in their fake wrapper. Like the kid that blurts out at Thanksgiving that Uncle Joe is a big fat drunk loser and everyone thinks so.

It's only obvious what the Dem party thinks of common people and how much they are willing to do against the interest of the people that believed in them and voted for them so they can stay on the gravy train.

Always pay attention to what people DO and never what they SAY if you want to know exactly where you stand and exactly what they think.

[iblog]

07:32 PM on 08/15/2010

I think as a Republican what you SAY doesn't matter in this.

[textynn]

08:07 PM on 08/15/2010

Republicans can't think. They only have one thought that fills their entire existence....
"MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE"

[CJCalgirl]

01:37 AM on 08/16/2010

tex, Gravy Train? What planet are you on? We have a lower standard of living than about a dozen other industrialized nations thank to your texas roommate.

[fr33d0mhawk]

06:48 PM on 08/15/2010

Why should we pressure Obama when he never listens? Obama could have put a Bush constume on and replaced Bush and nobody would ever know the difference, and Teabaggers would still be singing the praises of the USA, still waiving their Chinese made USA flags, but still whining about liberals.

Obama is next to worthless as a POTUS and a huge letdown. Obama should be forced to see the joy and the tears that were shed when he won that were shown in TV, then he should see the Teabaggers racist comments and "second amendment remedies" threats, toting guns to townhalls and toting assault rifles within range of the US Capitol, then Obama should make a decision who is he goint to support, the people that voted him in office, or the loons with the machine guns threatening second amendment remedies. Maybe America needs one more GOP president like Palin to really destroy this country before we wake up, but my hopes aren't too high, the USA is the land of the ignorant Teabagger.

[slowhand0728]

05:20 PM on 08/15/2010

LOL Administration wants to hear and feel pressure from the left, but dont worry will be ignored in a prompt and efficient manner.

[DrBlunt]

05:34 PM on 08/15/2010

I HEAR YA!

~~>>>82~~~~~ > F & F

[WhatChanged]

03:57 PM on 08/15/2010

All that Obama wants from the left is campaign donations.