"A black sheriff?!": The Official Topic of Obama and New Era American Politics

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

Obama blasts AIG bonuses, admits 'buck stops with me'

its so damn refreshing to have a politician, much less the president, admit to screwing up.  That one hasn't been batting a thousand lately, but there's a guy running the show who's acknowledged that he's running an imperfect system and angling to fix it with an imperfect solution.  Ironically, all this uncertainty makes me feel better about the administration.  Its nice to know we finally have people in charge who can learn from their mistakes.

[Cheebs]

Obama blasts AIG bonuses, admits 'buck stops with me'

its so damn refreshing to have a politician, much less the president, admit to screwing up.  That one hasn't been batting a thousand lately, but there's a guy running the show who's acknowledged that he's running an imperfect system and angling to fix it with an imperfect solution.  Ironically, all this uncertainty makes me feel better about the administration.  Its nice to know we finally have people in charge who can learn from their mistakes.

It is always weird when I hear Obama admit to messing up. He took the blame for the tax stuff with his appointee's and it was weird hearing him admit to screwing up during that. Mainly cause Bush didn't take blame for anything.

[AdmiralViscen]

You should learn to use the edit feeture.

lepered

[siamesedreamer]

Although Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told congressional leaders on Tuesday that he learned of AIG's impending $160 million bonus payments to members of its troubled financial-products unit on March 10, sources tell TIME that the New York Federal Reserve informed Treasury staff that the payments were imminent on Feb. 28. That is 10 days before Treasury staffers say they first learned "full details" of the bonus plan, and three days before the Administration launched a new $30 billion infusion of cash for AIG.

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1886138,00.html

So, Geithner lied to congress (was he under oath?). How can he survive this?

[Phoenix Dark]

this is probably all a ploy. Dems try to strip bonuses, if republicans refuse they look like they're the ones in bed with these criminals. and in the process Timmy might be thrown under the bus

win win?

[Fragamemnon]

sounds like something rahm emmanuel would do, but at the same time Obama praised Timmeh during the same speech Cheebs referred to. I think it's wishful thinking that there is some kind of grand force at play-congressional House Dems aren't happy, Republicans are tonedeaf, and Obama's firm in his belief that the actions of the treasury department looks bad because there's no way they could look good (which I believe is due to the shit Summers and Geithner are feeding him).

[AdmiralViscen]

cue debate on meaning of 'full details'

[Phoenix Dark]

Dodd is very politically vulnerable. He is a major target of the Right because of his genuinely questionable involvement with various banks, including his Countrywide mortgate, and this story (fueled by the fact that Dodd is a receipient of substantial AIG campaign donations), inflames those accusations. As predictable as can be, right-wing news outlets like Fox, Drudge and others have blown this Dodd story up today into a major scandal -- heaping blame for the AIG payments on Dodd -- and it was all started by Obama officials to ensure that no blame for these provisions was laid where it belongs: at the feet of Geithner and Summers.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/03/17/dodd/index.html

[Human Snorenado]

Someone should primary Dodd.

[siamesedreamer]

Rumor is that Kudlow will run in CT. 

[Human Snorenado]

Rumor is that Kudlow will run in CT. 

That's probably the only idiot that would lose to Dodd.  Just like what's gonna happen in PA- if Club for Growth goon Toomey primaries Specter you might as well GIVE that seat to [insert Dem here].  Hell, Chris Matthews could beat Toomey.  Republicans just WANT to stay out in the wilderness, it's so cute!

[Van Cruncheon]

i'm really getting fed up with geithner and summers

[Phoenix Dark]

He's done shady shit but it sounds like his hands are clean here. My question is: where does Obama fit in all this? Was he truly railroaded by his treasury folks on this? Either way he's willing to man up and take the public blame (but then again he has to)

edit: hold on..

Senate Banking Committe Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT) admitted to CNN that he was responsible for the loophole in the economic stimulus package that allowed firms like AIG receiving bailout funds to pay bonuses.

Just yesterday, Dodd denied having anything to do with the provision.

Of course, this news only adds to Dodd's re-election troubles.

[Human Snorenado]

i'm really getting fed up with geithner and summers

Fortunately, I think that Geithner won't survive much longer.  Which is kind of a shame because out of the two I'd rather keep him- Summers is so aggressive that I fear he'd try to dominate any discussion he's a part of, while I view Geithner as just a useful idiot.  But yeah, having them on each of Obama's shoulders whispering stupid nothings into his ears is pretty frustrating.  I imagine Paul Volcker just wants to beat the two of them to death.

[Van Cruncheon]

dodd needs to swing from a meathook if he did that

[Human Snorenado]

Dodd is going to swing from a meathook regardless.  He's got little to nothing in his war chest, he's deeply unpopular in Connecticut and RFK Jr. has been wanting to run for the Senate for years now.  Then again he's a big friend of the Kennedy family, so maybe Bobby Jr. wouldn't try to primary him.  SOMEONE should tho, because he's likely to lose if he's the dem nominee.

[Cheebs]

Dodd is going to swing from a meathook regardless.  He's got little to nothing in his war chest, he's deeply unpopular in Connecticut and RFK Jr. has been wanting to run for the Senate for years now.  Then again he's a big friend of the Kennedy family, so maybe Bobby Jr. wouldn't try to primary him.  SOMEONE should tho, because he's likely to lose if he's the dem nominee.

Well Dodd got endorsed by Lieberman last week, isn't that the kiss of death?

[siamesedreamer]

RFK Jr? Oh sheeeee...

He gets in there and before you know it you're got to pedal a stationary bike to run your 360.

[Human Snorenado]

Dodd is going to swing from a meathook regardless.  He's got little to nothing in his war chest, he's deeply unpopular in Connecticut and RFK Jr. has been wanting to run for the Senate for years now.  Then again he's a big friend of the Kennedy family, so maybe Bobby Jr. wouldn't try to primary him.  SOMEONE should tho, because he's likely to lose if he's the dem nominee.

Well Dodd got endorsed by Lieberman last week, isn't that the kiss of death?

I've got 2012 circled on my calendar.  Gonna finally drive a stake through Lieberman's heart.

[Cheebs]

Dodd is going to swing from a meathook regardless.  He's got little to nothing in his war chest, he's deeply unpopular in Connecticut and RFK Jr. has been wanting to run for the Senate for years now.  Then again he's a big friend of the Kennedy family, so maybe Bobby Jr. wouldn't try to primary him.  SOMEONE should tho, because he's likely to lose if he's the dem nominee.

Well Dodd got endorsed by Lieberman last week, isn't that the kiss of death?

I've got 2012 circled on my calendar.  Gonna finally drive a stake through Lieberman's heart.

Lieberman will probably retire, he won't want face an obvious losing campaign.

[Human Snorenado]

You're overlooking Lieberman's massive ego.  No way he goes quietly.

[siamesedreamer]

By 2012 Leibs will be the least of your worries.

[Human Snorenado]

By 2012 Leibs will be the least of your worries.

Yeah, I guess having a 60+ super majority in the Senate for two years will sure put a damper on things.

[Brehvolution]

By 2012 Leibs will be the least of your worries.

Yes, I can't wait to get back to government secrecy, lies, pandering to the rich, and senseless war.

[siamesedreamer]

Yeah, I guess having a 60+ super majority in the Senate for two years will sure put a damper on things.

I sense a wager. What do you think?

[Human Snorenado]

Yeah, I guess having a 60+ super majority in the Senate for two years will sure put a damper on things.

I sense a wager. What do you think?

Net of at least four seats in the Senate in 2010.  Book it.  House could go either way, but probably won't go more than 10 seats in either direction.  Senate elections in 2010 are BAD for the GOP.  Open seat in Florida, open seat in Ohio, open seat in New Hampshire, etc etc.

[AdmiralViscen]

I'm in

I bet Libertarian majority

[Fragamemnon]

Dodd already has the declared former Republican Rep. Simmons (and popular one-he lasted two terms longer than most Northeastern GOP Reps did when the purge of the region started) . He's well known and was on track to give Dodd a run for his life before Notorious A.I.G. released its latest single.

[Human Snorenado]

What are you homos betting?  Loser sucks my cock?

I'll give sd a signed Michael Vick jersey if the Republicans net any Senate seats in 2010.

[Human Snorenado]

Dodd already has the declared former Republican Rep. Simmons (and popular one-he lasted two terms longer than most Northeastern GOP Reps did when the purge of the region started) . He's well known and was on track to give Dodd a run for his life before Notorious A.I.G. released its latest single.

Yeah, but can Simmons beat KRAZY KUDLOW in a primary?  Put another way- are there enough sane people who want to vote in Republican primaries to NOT pick the wingnuttiest candidate?

[Cheebs]

Doesn't 2010 have like at least 3 open seats that democrats are more or less considered locks to pick up? I have no idea what sd is implying?

And if he is implying Obama will lose in 2012 then lol. It doesn't matter the state of the ecomony there is NO WAY Obama is going to lose to rejects like Romney, Palin, or Jindal. GOP needs to dominate someone like the gov. from utah if they want a prayer that year but they won't do that.

[Phoenix Dark]

If his presidency is marred by scandal, lies, and broken promises then sure. If not...good luck beating someone who could sell water to a well

[Fresh Prince]

If his presidency is marred by scandal, lies, and broken promises then sure. If not...good luck beating someone who could sell water to a well

The expression is: selling ice to an Eskimo.

How could a well buy water?

 

[Phoenix Dark]

smh

[Fresh Prince]

Forgot about that...

[Mandark]

Next couple of elections will fiddle around the edges, and 60 Senators is a kind of a big deal, but let's be real.

The GOP's gonna rise up on a tidal wave of angry economic populism using their platform of less corporate regulation and lower taxes on the wealthy?  That's the plan?  Really?

[Fragamemnon]

The GOP's gonna rise up on a tidal wave of angry economic populism using their platform of less corporate regulation and lower taxes on the wealthy?  That's the plan?  Really?

This is the real problem for Republicans. As long as the GOP is ideologically trapped like they are now, they have no room to maneuver for political advantage.

[Mandark]

Same reason they couldn't make hay with Schumer protecting the hedge fund loophole a couple years back.  Ditto the Tories never making Tony Blair pay for the war in Iraq.

When your opposition is unpopular because they're too much like you, how do you turn that to your advantage?

[siamesedreamer]

Net of at least four seats in the Senate in 2010.  Book it.  House could go either way, but probably won't go more than 10 seats in either direction.  Senate elections in 2010 are BAD for the GOP.  Open seat in Florida, open seat in Ohio, open seat in New Hampshire, etc etc.

Four?

Damn dude. Its a bet. We have enough time to determine what's at stake.

[Mandark]

Reading backwards in thread...

Looking like Dodd weakened the compensation limits at the behest of Treasury (read: Tim and Larry), who later repaid him by trying to scapegoat him after it became a big deal.

Maybe he shoulda made a stand against it, but it seems he wasn't the driving force.

Everyone who said Larry Summers sucks is looking smarter every day now.

[Phoenix Dark]

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski isn't thrilled his team got snubbed by the leader of the free world.

"Somebody said that we're not in President Obama's Final Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should focus on, probably more than the brackets," Krzyzewski told a reporter from the Associated Press on Wednesday.

oh god 

[TakingBackSunday]

Duke will get fucking lucky to make it past the sweet 16, wtf.

Duke, keep to being overrated at basketball.

[ToxicAdam]

That's right, Chris Dodd is fucking saint. He would never be corrupted, only duped and backstabbed.  But that dirty, libertarian-sympathiser Summers is downright evil.

http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=4230


Term limits would have prevented Chris Dodd from protecting his own interests. That's the only solution to prevent this from happening in the future.

[Human Snorenado]

That's right, Chris Dodd is fucking saint. He would never be corrupted, only duped and backstabbed.  But that dirty, libertarian-sympathiser Summers is downright evil.

http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=4230


Term limits would have prevented Chris Dodd from protecting his own interests. That's the only solution to prevent this from happening in the future.

You're right.  Term limits will also prevent John McCain from wasting more of America's time whining about earmarks.  He's like a kid that had dirt kicked on him at recess and whines about it all fucking year.

[ToxicAdam]

That's exactly my point. You and I could go back and forth all night with names of crooked/useless/hypocritical politicians from both sides of the aisle and the one thing they would share in common is length of service.

[Human Snorenado]

Tom McClintock
Eric Cantor
etc etc

Honestly, too, I kind of value having to deal with the idiots that your side sends to Washington.  If they had to cycle through fresh blood on a more regular basis then pretty soon we'd see actual Club for Growthers going to DC, and if you think elected GOP representatives are embarrassing now, hoo boy.

[ToxicAdam]

What's wrong with Eric Cantor?! You're going to compare him to lifers like Stevens, Rangel, Rostenkowski and Delay? Those are the people I am talking about .. people with real power and abused it accordingly.

You sure take to the kool-aid quick.

[Human Snorenado]

What's wrong with Eric Cantor?! You're going to compare him to lifers like Stevens, Rangel, Rostenkowski and Delay? Those are the people I am talking about .. people with real power and abused it accordingly.

You sure take to the kool-aid quick.

Eric Cantor is an idiot, is what's wrong with him.  Although in the trench warfare that the House has become, pretty much everybody over there (on either side) is an idiot.

As for the idiots who have been there for forever, while I don't like 'em and wouldn't necessarily miss them, at least they're pragmatic in their dealings.  Having a whole bunch of fresh faced, dogmatic neophytes running things on either side would lead to a disastrophe of epic proportions pretty quickly, methinks.  I find that living under the threat of physical violence inspires a certain, shall we say, levelheadedness in dealings that I fine admirable.

All of this can be taken care of, incidentally, if we accepted my proposal for a new cabinet department- The Department of Common Sense and Quality Control.  It would employ people to go around and savagely beat stupid people working for the federal govt. on any level with tire irons.  Living under the threat of physical violence for doing stupid things (whether it's having a cow over what amounts to 2% of a bill or being a sleazebucket like Charlie Rangel) would probably curb a lot of those behaviors.  And if it didn't (and I'm pretty sure McCain is stupid/stubborn enough not to take the hint) then it would be pretty hilarious to see these idiots on the floor of their respective houses in slings and casts.

[Cheebs]

Wait sd doesn't think dems can pick up 4 in 2010?

Here is how I see it:

PA:
100% going to switch. Specter only beat Toomey by 2% in 2004 and he is way less popular amongst Republicans today than he was then. And unlike CT, you can't switch to run as a independent after running in the republican/democrat race. Either he will go down in the primaries or he'll switch to a democrat (which ed rendell and joe biden are apparently trying to pressure him to do). Either way PA will have a democrat senator.

Not even you sd can think Toomey is electable.

NH:
A very blue state now with a open seat after its current Republican shamed himself. And Paul Hodes a very popular democrat in the state is running and early polling shows him having massive leads over any potential Republican.


So there is 2.

MO:
Another republican retirement, although not a blue state the extremely popular democrat sec. of state Robin Carnahan, who comes from a extremely popular family of politicians in the state is running and is considered to be the front runner against any potential Republican.

So 3!


Ohio:
Another open seat!

Lee Fisher and Jennifer Brunner are the main democrat contendors. While Rob Portman is for Republicans. Republican leadership loves Portman but not Ohio. Polling has both Fisher and Brunner waaay ahead of Portman. Portman's ties to working in the Bush administration are considered toxic and both Fisher and Brunner are already constantly bringing up.


FOUR!


Lets go for five shall we?

Florida:
Another open seat republicans are abandoning. A seat that Jeb Bush chickened out of running for because he feared losing and he was the only potential electable republican. After Bush ran away basically every single big name florida democrat jumped in because it is seen as whoever wins the primary will get that seat.


Five sir. And these are just the 5 I see as locks. That isn't bringing up others where they may have a shot.

Like Kentucky, where Bunning the Republican is completely self-destructing and refusing to quit despite being a terrible fundraiser and very unpopular despite the party openingly trying to get rid of him.

The only single potential democrat that could be at threat is Dodd, that's it.

[siamesedreamer]

The 2008 election has gone to your head.

[Cheebs]

The 2008 election has gone to your head.

So polling, open seats in blue states, and popularity of respective candidates = gone to my head? Come on man, you really think someone like Toomey will win in PA? Or ANY republican in New Hampshire?

[Cheebs]

Did 2008 go to the Washington Post's head? He is an article from a week ago. About the top 10 senate seats most likely to switch parties in 2010.

All the spots from 1-7 are held by Republicans:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2009/03/friday_senate_line_the_importa.html

Or how about fivethirtyeights chart from this month of seats most  likely to switch? Their top 6 most likely to change are all Republican.  They predicted every single senate seat right in 2008 after all:
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/03/senate-rankings-march-2009-edition.html

ALL my predictions I made there were based on sources, poll numbers, popularity of certain candidates...etc. Not "2008 going to my head". I can find you more research if you care, but you seem to be basing your 2010 guesses on pure ideology and dislike of democrat control, not logic.

[Phoenix Dark]

SD is obviously trolling

[ToxicAdam]

I see you masturbating, Poligaf.

[AdmiralViscen]

How come cheebs is now using 'democrat' like Republicans do?

[Cheebs]

How come cheebs is now using 'democrat' like Republicans do?

Because I really don't care enough to use the proper term. I never got the faux-outrage over using "democrat" over "democratic" anyway.

[siamesedreamer]

Not "2008 going to my head". I can find you more research if you care, but you seem to be basing your 2010 guesses on pure ideology and dislike of democrat control, not logic.

You can handicap the races right now all you want. But, its not going to change the economy still in the shitter next year and we'll probably be on stimulus II or III. You think that's going to be a healthy environment for Democrats?

[Phoenix Dark]

And what will the republican alternative be? Are they going to have a specific platform for 2010 outside of more tax cuts? At least in 2006 the democrats had a list of demands (Iraq, corruption, etc).

[AdmiralViscen]

I was going to do a SD jokepost about Stimulus II, now I wish I had

[Cheebs]

Not "2008 going to my head". I can find you more research if you care, but you seem to be basing your 2010 guesses on pure ideology and dislike of democrat control, not logic.

You can handicap the races right now all you want. But, its not going to change the economy still in the shitter next year and we'll probably be on stimulus II or III. You think that's going to be a healthy environment for Democrats?

And you think the republican party is in shape to take advantage of that? They are in shambles. As Triumph said before a incompetent opposition can't win even when the other side screws up and does unpopular things (like in the UK as he said).

Look at the candidates the republicans have lined up for most of these open seats. They are unelectable messes. Most of their good candidates are retiring, thats why you see so many open states. And any alternatives tend to be refusing to run ala Jeb Bush.

The Republicans don't have anyone to take advantage and they have MANY more seats to guard than Democrats, tons of which are open seats in blue states. The logistics are just totally against them.

Honestly, show me a way Republicans can gain seats in 2010. How in the world can they hold on to PA, Florida or Ohio when they have terrible candidates  left over? What democrats are even vulnerable other than dodd? You have no way to back up your claims.