It was wonderful to see Barack Obama get back on the campaign trail these last few days.
Obama had been reluctant to criticize his successor, Donald Trump, as George W. Bush had scrupulously avoided criticizing Obama, although former Vice President Dick Cheney had had no such qualms.
But the abuses and outrages that have occurred in the past 19 plus months forced Obama to decide to campaign, and Trump has waged war on everything Barack Obama represents, and has worked to destroy all of his accomplishments.
So many wondered why it took this long for Obama to go on the offensive.
His first two speeches in Illinois and California were brilliant, and many scholars and observers realize Obama is, in many respects, a master orator, on the level of Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump made fun of Obama, saying that he fell asleep listening to Obama’s speech, a statement never used before by any President against any former President.
What it comes down to is that Trump cannot match Obama in any sense in oratory or speech making, and instead just bad mouths him, as he has all along, as well as everyone else in public life.
It also demonstrates how lacking in intellect and knowledge and depth Donald Trump is, in many ways the least informed President in American history.
Hopefully, Obama’s intervention in the midterm elections of 2018 will have the needed impact to make the Democrats the big winners in November.
From what I’ve heard, it’s been tradition for an ex-president to stay quiet regarding his/her successor. This is definitely a case where it was necessary for that tradition to be broken.
Here is an opinion piece, with which I agree, which relates to this blog topic:
‘Yes, let’s wipe out Trump. But take neoliberal Democrats with him, too’
By David Sirota (09.10.2018)
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/10/trump-neoliberal-democratic-party-america
After a scorching summer of discontent, Donald Trump’s endless tweets and scandals have given Democrats their best chance to retake Congress since George W Bush’s second term.…
…
I can sympathize with you, D, and this article, but realistically, this will not happen, and all it will do, trying to totally “purify” the Democratic Party, is cause Republicans and conservatives to continue to govern.
I am not a big fan of Joe Manchin., Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Donnelly, and some others, but they need to win, and if they do not, then the Republicans will continue to make policy!
So I am a “realistic” Progressive, who recognizes if the party goes too far left and repudiates moderates, then the party will suffer.
I have even said elsewhere, that if Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, who has expressed thoughts of leaving the Republican Party, were to do so, the Democrats should welcome him into the party, even though he is a conservative, as “crossing the aisle” is unavoidable in getting good legislation through, as LBJ did with Senator Everett Dirksen in the 1960s, and Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill did with Ronald Reagan in the 1980s.
Agree with the Professor. This is no time to play purity games, otherwise, we lose and America gets destroyed by the Trump Party.
Since when is a candidate campaigning on things such as making college more affordable, protecting and strengthening the Affordable Care Act, expanding child- and elder-care tax credits, job transition training, not considered progressive policies? I see policies such as those helping hardworking families better their lives.
Since I became more politically active and started reading blogs, I’ve learned that there are certain bloggers, commentators, media figures on the left who are known as poutragers. Nothing ever satisfies them. David Sirota is known as one of the poutragers.
To counterbalance people like him, there are some progressive blogs out there, which started popping up during Obama’s term, that work to advocate for accomplishments and not just screaming. I’m grateful for them for that. http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2011/07/building-pragmatic-progressive-voice-on.html
I assume, Pragmatic Progressive, you would put my blog in that same category? 🙂 LOL
Pragmatic Progressive writes,
“Since I became more politically active and started reading blogs, I’ve learned that there are certain bloggers, commentators, media figures on the left who are known as poutragers. Nothing ever satisfies them. David Sirota is known as one of the poutragers.â€
Can you specifically address your the points from that piece?
Professor – That’s how we found your link, was through a pragmatic progressive blog that is now defunct, as the people who ran the blog had too much going on in their private lives to be able to continue.
D – While Obama was president you had influential bloggers and media figures such as Cenk Uygur, David Sirota, Glenn Greenwald, Jane Hamsher and Firedoglake, Dylan Ratigan, Michael Moore, Ed Schultz, to name a few, specializing in constantly bashing President Obama and the Democrats from the left and not informing people about accomplishments that had been made. Some people in the blogosphere got sick and tired of the constant negativity and have started a network of pragmatic progressive blogs to counterbalance that and inform people of the progress made during Obama’s presidency.
Some of the bloggers we read post on the Washington Monthly website. In 2017, they made a comprehensive list of the accomplishments achieved during the Obama administration, much of which Trump and his Republican cohorts are trying to reverse, which is bad for the country, and why we are dedicated to fighting Trump and the GOP.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/januaryfebruary-2017/obamas-top-50-accomplishments-revisited/
Pragmatic Progressive,
That’s not addressing the points from that piece.
D –
The Horizons/Smarty Pants blog link I posted because I wanted to share a current list of some of the pragmatic progressive blogs listed on the website for anyone interested in reading those blogs.
The rest of what I said in that specific post is what I’ve experienced personally since I started checking out left-wing blogs and pundits in 2008. However, many people participating on the various blogs listed have expressed the same feelings as I have over the years regarding certain pundits and bloggers.
Reports are that white men are in the minority among Democratic House nominees.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/11/white-men-democratic-house-candidates-813717
These are yet more pragmatic progressive blogs.
http://thepeoplesview.net
https://cendax.wordpress.com
These blogs also dislike the pundits Pragmatic mentioned.
I find it interesting that many of those pundits have Republican backgrounds. I get the impression that they still have some Republican in their blood when it comes to critiquing Democrats.
Style has a lot to do with what hosts I like and don’t like on MSNBC.
For instance, I can’t stand Chris Matthews as he likes to yell a lot on his show and won’t let his guests get much of a chance to talk.
I prefer hosts like Lawrence O’Donnell who have a smooth style.
How Elizabeth Warren is dominating the Democratic presidential race.
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/09/how-elizabeth-warren-is-dominating-the-democratic-2020-race.html
The Midwest Is Beginning to Sour on Trump and Republicans
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/09/13/the-midwest-is-beginning-to-sour-on-trump-and-republicans/#.W5qFWpq4DZ0.facebook
When it comes to news on TV, the shout fests are a turn off for me. I’m already stressed out enough. That just makes my stress even worse. That’s why I tend to read the news online rather than watch a lot of TV.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2018/09/15/cnns-shout-fest-television-isnt-working/
When it comes to news, I prefer “straight†reporting, rather than partisan programming.