Obama, Stay the Course!

Read this New York Times Op-Ed piece! It clearly and concisely tells you what's up.

If you can't open it, I've added it below. The DNC's 'Terry McAuliffe mind-set' ruined the campaigns of Gore, Kerry and Senator Clinton and now the legions of McAuliffites who have surrounded Barack Obama are doing their damndest to undermine the possibility of his Presidency. They've turned this man we thought was a lion into a little lamb and they're leading him to slaughter. There's a well sourced rumor of Machiavellian proportions running around that what's going to happen is that his base support will be so demoralized they won't have the vital conviction they'll need this August to withstand a McAuliffite push to persuade disenchanted delegates on the floor of the convention to make a resurgent Hillary Clinton the Party's nominee! Obama's the 'presumptive' nominee, remember. The operative word is 'presumptive'. The tortoise is still running. If you're someone close to Barack Obama print out a bunch of copies of this New York Times Op-Ed piece and paste it on his fridge, on the door of his plane, on his kids' foreheads! Make him memorize it. His heart and soul is being gutted and ours with it.

From the Times' July the Fourth op-ed page:

New and Not Improved

Senator Barack Obama stirred his legions of supporters, and raised our hopes, promising to change the old order of things. He spoke with passion about breaking out of the partisan mold of bickering and catering to special pleaders, promised to end President Bush's abuses of power and subverting of the Constitution and disowned the big-money power brokers who have corrupted Washington politics.

Now there seems to be a new Barack Obama on the hustings. First, he broke his promise to try to keep both major parties within public-financing limits for the general election. His team explained that, saying he had a grass-roots-based model and that while he was forgoing public money, he also was eschewing gold-plated fund-raisers. These days he's on a high-roller hunt.

Even his own chief money collector, Penny Pritzker, suggests that the magic of $20 donations from the Web was less a matter of principle than of scheduling. "We have not been able to have much of the senator's time during the primaries, so we have had to rely more on the Internet," she explained as she and her team busily scheduled more than a dozen big-ticket events over the next few weeks at which the target price for quality time with the candidate is more than $30,000 per person.

The new Barack Obama has abandoned his vow to filibuster an electronic wiretapping bill if it includes an immunity clause for telecommunications companies that amounts to a sanctioned cover-up of Mr. Bush's unlawful eavesdropping after 9/11.

In January, when he was battling for Super Tuesday votes, Mr. Obama said that the 1978 law requiring warrants for wiretapping, and the special court it created, worked. "We can trace, track down and take out terrorists while ensuring that our actions are subject to vigorous oversight and do not undermine the very laws and freedom that we are fighting to defend," he declared.

Now, he supports the immunity clause as part of what he calls a compromise but actually is a classic, cynical Washington deal that erodes the power of the special court, virtually eliminates "vigorous oversight" and allows more warrantless eavesdropping than ever.

The Barack Obama of the primary season used to brag that he would stand before interest groups and tell them tough truths. The new Mr. Obama tells evangelical Christians that he wants to expand President Bush's policy of funneling public money for social spending to religious-based organizations -- a policy that violates the separation of church and state and turns a government function into a charitable donation.

He says he would not allow those groups to discriminate in employment, as Mr. Bush did, which is nice. But the Constitution exists to protect democracy, no matter who is president and how good his intentions may be.

On top of these perplexing shifts in position, we find ourselves disagreeing powerfully with Mr. Obama on two other issues: the death penalty and gun control.

Mr. Obama endorsed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the District of Columbia's gun-control law. We knew he ascribed to the anti-gun-control groups' misreading of the Constitution as implying an individual right to bear arms. But it was distressing to see him declare that the court provided a guide to "reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe."

What could be more reasonable than a city restricting handguns, or requiring that firearms be stored in ways that do not present a mortal threat to children?

We were equally distressed by Mr. Obama's criticism of the Supreme Court's barring the death penalty for crimes that do not involve murder.

We are not shocked when a candidate moves to the center for the general election. But Mr. Obama's shifts are striking because he was the candidate who proposed to change the face of politics, the man of passionate convictions who did not play old political games.

There are still vital differences between Mr. Obama and Senator John McCain on issues like the war in Iraq, taxes, health care and Supreme Court nominations. We don't want any "redefining" on these big questions. This country needs change it can believe in.

This morning's news in the Washington Post is that he's revised his positions on abortion and troop withdrawal! His supporters are being sent to hell in a handbasket and it has to be stopped!

Comments

[cheforacle]

I have been a huge supporter of Obama for over a year but his decision to support the compromise FISA bill regardless of whether the telecom immunity provision is removed has deflated my enthusiam (that has never previously waned) considerably. After months of defending Obama and trying to help educate bloggers about where Obama stands on various issues, I have now lost most of my enthusiasm for his candidacy. I am not mad about other positions with which I disagree; he's a politician so he must be pragmatic. But his shift on FISA undercuts his credibility and renders his judgment questionable. I encourage all other Obama supporters who feel this way to go to his website and join the "Say No to Telecom Immunity" group.

[DanOregon]

Mr. Sutherland,
I too have been disappointed by Obama since he clinched the election. He was leading McCain at that point, so I really don't understand why he needs or needed to move to the center. We like Obama because he's not like other pols. I really hope he isn't trying to woo Hillary supporters by adopting her two-faced style of politicking.
On another point, how you haven't been nominated for an Oscar is a crime. Love your work.

[Quinty]

Obama does appear disappointingly cynical and hypocritical. The man who was to be a breath of fresh air in politcs turns out to be offering foul air. It's not so much that he has these center right positions - they most certainly are not in the center unless the center is way over on the right these days - but that once having obtained the nomination he so quickly flipped. And told all those of us who backed him to go to hell. That is what I find most disappointing.

For what can be more disappointing than discovering that "change," honesty, the offer of a new direction in politics really meant nothiing? That we were scammed?

[Steamboater]

The bottom line is that Obama has to aprove all decisions about his campaign and his campaign promises. the responsibility is his and no one else's. Does he deserve the nomination? Not any more. At least Hillary Clinton sticks to her promises and she should make a fight of it and go for the nomination at the convention.

[mspost]

How would you know what Clinton would stick to, remember she lost!

[paixa3]

Horsedung, WHAT promises? Wake up. Sadly, they are ALL shills for business.

[soundfury]

She is more centrist than O. She voted for the Iraq war. She fought hard to get into the WH again - what promises?

[Bendersky]

As soon as he backed down from his FISA stance, I thought "Uh-Oh" here come the flip-flopper labels. (We all know how the republicans enjoy a good slogan over substance, afterall.) I was so impressed by how he ran his campaign for the nomination, and now it seems as if he's listening to an enitrely new set of advisors. The shift was palpable and typical democratic spinelessness. He's trying to win the swing states, I understand this, but it would be nice to find one dem who has the courage to stand up for his/her convictions. Obama is going against a candidate who has all the appeal of a damp rag and can barely put two coherent ideas together without becoming flustered or angry. After electing George W. Bush for likely one out of his two terms served, I'm assuming that even the naive voting public have tired of republican shananigans.

Mr. Obama, dress it up all you want, you are risking losing those who put you in the position to win this thing in the first place.

[sib]

I live in a red state. In a 4th of July party I met Republicans who voted for Obama in the primary. I really think Sen. Obama does not to go too centrist. This much of change is not going to help him much. To me he is losing his momentum. I have been disappointed by the Democratic Congress and now this. Senator please please don't act like Hillary.

[learnsomething]

You apparently don't know much about politics. All presidential candidates move towards the center after the primary is over. This is so they can appeal to ALL Americans.

[sib]

As if you know !!! Don't you know that the previous candidates tried the same thing and lost? As I wrote above there were Republicans in red states who voted for Obama in the primaries so there is not need for Obama to change so much. He needs to energize the youth and the disenchanted like he used to. So Mr. Sutherland is quite right: Stay The Course.

[AlisonChaynz]

Bravo Donald! It's like Obama is a character from one of your movies -- Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The DNC pod-people have gotten to him....... he's one of THEM now.......­.. scrrreeeeeeeech!

[Bluedanube]

The Great Unraveling has begun. Obama's dramatic rightward shift is making a McCain victory all the more plausible. He is being painted into a corner by the corporate media and the Republicans will make sure there is no exit. In Michigan McCain has a spirited television campaign underway and Obama is lagging behind the McCain media onslaught here. For Obama to cede Michigan, a state in a depression, is perplexing to say the least.

[learnsomething]

Obama is not shifting to the right. He is shifting to the center. To appeal to ALL voters.

[meanguy]

oh, thank goodness, another limousine liberal condescending to tell us what's what...whe­re EVER would we be without the guidance of the 'let's play make-believe industry?'

[lpeggy]

Thanks Donald! I am a big fan, and can't wait to see you again on your show Dirty.Sexy­.Money. :-)
We should call this years election, Dirty.Sexy­.Politics!

Obama 2008/2012

[ReElectNoOne]

I agree and am dissapointed in Obama for not upholding his own oath of office.
He is honor bound to uphold the constitution as a seated senator. Immunity flies in the face of the first amendment right to petition the courts. I have made this clear in my own articles in OpEdNews and sent faxes to my reps, senators and to Obama.

What is sad is he is now lowering his standards and compromising his ethics for votes. I once trusted Obama to be "different" and above politics as usual. He is reducing the campaign choices to picking the lesser of two evils.

McBush scares me more than Obama does. I can still hope that Obama is doing what he is doing to improve chances at election and will then do the right thing. But I can't read his mind and his tactics don't make me like him better.

[jackie4444]

This presents the first plausible explanation for Obama's sudden descent. But does it change
anything?

Assume for argument he's being pulled out of his successful course by the dark forces of
the DNC's republican-lite thinking, which may well be th case. Isn't the core issue that this guy is supposed to be SMARTER than to fall for this? He knows it cost Kerry and Gore their respective elections. He knows that throughout the whole primary he was riding high, his public reputation just kept expanding in a positive way. Then he reverses course and he starts to go down just as fast.

Gore and Obama are both exceptionally intelligent. How did both get conned into following such a
self-defeating route?

[anelder]

I wish someone would clue me in as to how he can win if it's only his base he is satisfying. Just not enough votes there. Why you, his base, keep thinking your the majority is a mystery.

I do agree on the Terry McAsual comment - not part of this new wave.

[PATina]

You have to remember what Obama's base consisted of in the primary. He didn't just win the hearts of progressive dems. he hooked me (an independen­t)... my family (conservative dems who were all Hill ary fans before the primary reached PA)... and some of my republican friends and co-workers.

The media are the ones saying that his base is all progressive Democrats.­.. that's not true !!! Remember Obamacons are conservatives who support Obama.

How does he reach the other side???... the same way he did in the primary. By being true and passionate about who he is and what he can do for this country.

[Realbluesky]

Obama was believed to be a leader rather than a politician. A leader who would stand up for doing what's right, regardless of the politics of the situation. He has the charisma and intelligence to do just that. He could win by being that leader and strong advocate for the Constitution and the truth. His stand on individual issues wouldn't be of so much importance if he stood up for what is right rather than caving for political reasons.
Granting immunity to the telecom industry is just plain wrong no matter what side of the political spectrum you're on. Nobody with an honest bone in their body can believe that it's okay to grant immunity to any individual or entity.
Obama had the majority in his pocket. Now he's pissing it away trying to cater to everyone.
That's just not what I'm looking for.

[blessedbe]

so now the standing up for constitution is satisfying base.you need to clue me in.barack should recognise his base.it is not just moveon,it much wider than that.the number voters for democratic candidates was twice the republican and a lot more than in 2004 primary.th­ose who voted for him during primary are his base.those are crowds.if he lose those crowd,he will lose.

[Chazz27]

I, like so many Obama supporters, was so disappointed when he made the about face on the FISA bill. I also noticed that the shifts in actions came right after Clinton officially threw her support behind Obama. I have been thinking that her people (McAuliffe, Penn, etc.) are now advising him and NOT to his advantage. I never thought about it in terms of demoralizing his base in order to resurrect Hillary. That is a scary thought because the DLC wing of the Democratic party has been the most destructive influence ever.

[AuntSally]

I don't smell McAuliffe and Penn, so much as Daschle, whom the Obama campaign has acknowledged as a close advisor.

Tom Daschle is the king of roll over, don't take a stand, can't everyone just get along. More than any other single Democrat, Tom Dasche presided over early capitulations to BushCo -- and Harry Reid has followed suit.

[marika]

So true. When I think of the Occupation in Iraq, of the dead and of those yet to die I see Daschle on the WH lawn.. When world-wide, millions of people saw what was happening and were in the street he orchestrated the Congressional roll-over.

[Jonni Rae]

If you want to do something to get the retroactive immunity stripped from FISA, use this site to call your Senators, It is fast and easy. We still have a chance!! http://tools.advomatic.com/7/fisa

[Titonwan]

I've been there and called and donated to ACT BLUE. That's where my money is going until I see sanity returning. Thank you for posting this for others though! You're a REAL patriot! Step over the Obama fainters, they're layin' all over the place to where you can't see the floor!

[MPeter]

Thank You Donald. Senator Obama, wake up. You are not out of the firing line yet. The Clintonistas and their media machine are still gunning for you. Stay alert. Axelrod and Plouffe, do not sleep at the wheel. The plot is getting thicker and frightening.