Will Obama unite us by playing the race card against Democrats while reaching out to Republicans?

http://ajliebling.blogspot.com/2007/08/obamas-strange-senate-friend_31.html

Obama's Strange Senate Friend

To illustrate his bipartisan approach as President, Barack Obama last weekend named three Senate Republicans he would work with if elected--Dick Lugar, John Warner and Tom Coburn.

Lugar and Warner are Senate elders, but his choice of Coburn raises questions about Obama’s judgment and, after what the junior senator from Oklahoma did this week, some would say his definition of sanity.

In an editorial headed “Locked, Loaded and Loony,” the New York Times today decried the position of Coburn, a physician, who “stands alone in blocking final passage of a suicide prevention bill in fear that the government’s record-keeping on troubled vets might somehow crimp their ability to purchase handguns.”

In naming him, Obama conceded Coburn “is probably the most conservative member of the U.S. Senate” but added, “He has become a friend of mine.”

The loyalty of Obama’s friend to the gun lobby is surpassed only by his right-to-life fervor, which Coburn has expressed by favoring the death penalty for physicians who perform abortions, even in cases of rape, pointing out that his great-grandmother was raped by a sheriff and then gave birth to his grandmother.

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http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2008/01/obama_spokesperson_asks_is_there_something_bigger_behind_bill_and_hillarys_race_comments.php

Obama Spokesperson Says There's A "Pattern" Behind Bill And Hillary's Race Comments
By Greg Sargent - January 11, 2008, 5:54PM

This is pretty interesting. Check out what an Obama spokesperson said to The Politico about the backlash that's brewing in the black community to Hillary's recent Martin Luther King assertion and Bill's "fairy-tale" comment:

“A cross-section of voters are alarmed at the tenor of some of these statements,” said Obama spokeswoman Candice Tolliver, who said that Clinton would have to decide whether she owed anyone an apology.

“There’s a groundswell of reaction to these comments — and not just these latest comments but really a pattern, or a series of comments that we’ve heard for several months,” she said. “Folks are beginning to wonder: Is this really an isolated situation or is there something bigger behind all of this?”

What is this "pattern," this "something bigger," that the Obama spokesperson is suggesting might be lurking behind the Clinton comments? Anyone know what this is a reference to?

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the Clinton statements are innocent - or is that idea not permitted on DU?

I asked last night what they thought was the reason Obama was attracting so many Republican crossover voters, and I got two replies to that question. The thread sank like a stone. No one else ventured to address this curious phenomenon. And I'm sure no one will answer that here, either.

He is entirely, 100% pro-choice. However, he doesn't word it in the old maxims of battle. Rather, he explains where he's coming from to conservative voters. He says, yes, I agree, abortion is a very, very troublesome issue. And it is because it is a such a troublesome issue that we must allow women to grapple with the issue, to consider it deeply, and to decide on their own. Government, he says, ought not simply step in and cover up the tough issues; it ought step back and let people fight their own moral battles. And that is language which many conservative voters respect, even if they do not agree entirely with it.

but if I were running for president and knew that every vote I could get was paramount this would be a good strategy. I am not looking for purity or perfection in candidate as there is no such thing.
But that is just me and I know it goes against the majority of the board.

Obama -- or any other candidate for Prez -- should "listen" to everybody he/she can and consider a number of ideas/approaches to solving our problems . . . . . .as long as she/he eventually supports something that is good for us (and the world).

Why not listen to the most conservative members of Congress? Maybe by doing that, the next Prez can convince them of where they are wrong or why they should shut-up and get on board by voting for progressive ideas.

Wouldn't get too chummy with them though.


As to the other matter -- don't think he's playing any cards.

That's the stupid part of this shit. Lugar-Obama nonproliferation legislation is excellent. usaspending.gov, which he passed with Coburn, is excellent. He works with people on very specific issues that are in common in order to build trust when tackling more difficult issues down the road. He's a very good politician.

I haven't totally made up my mind yet. But, if they can't come up with anything worse than that on Obama, then my choice on 02/05/08 will be easy.

Yeah that's some pretty scary stuff. You guys are just pathetic. You are backing the worst candidate the Dem Party has put forward since we had the Klanbake back in the 20's, so the only thing you can do is lie about your opponent. It's sad and disgusting.

regarding Obama's actions.

And that race card BS is Repuke shit. I'm tired of seeing Democrats use that pathetic statement. Its offensive to our fellow Black American DU members and members of the Democratic Party.

eom

nt

nt