Time Mag's Duffy: 'Liberal Part of Obama Presidency Probably Over'
Time magazine's Michael Duffy said this weekend that the liberal part of Barack Obama's presidency is probably over.
Maybe more surprising, no one on the syndicated "Chris Matthews Show" - including the host - disagreed with him (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: Michael, I haven't seen him like this, eyes wide open addressing his critics head on.
MICHAEL DUFFY, TIME: Pointing the finger…
MATTHEWS: Yeah.
DUFFY: …in case you missed the point. There’s no question that the sort of liberal part of the Obama presidency is probably over. He is moving into a totally different phase here, but he’s doing it because he has to. Unemployment numbers were rising again. His popularity was beginning to dip into the low forties. So he cuts this dramatic deal with Republicans on a tax cut, he gets a much bigger second stimulus, bigger than the first stimulus that he did with the Democrats.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
DUFFY: Bigger.
MATTHEWS: Does everybody know this?
DUFFY: And he gets it at a time, he gets it at a time that is perfect if you're running for re-election which he is. And so, these liberals may scream, but they’ve been screaming about Barack Obama since the beginning. This isn’t anything new. They, no one thought he was Ted Kennedy incarnate. You know, they’ve been upset about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and gay marriage and all kinds of national security stuff. But he is refocusing his national presidency on the economy, and he’s reminding independents who voted for him in the first place but have kind of lost their, you know, love for him why they did.
Indeed, but there's a larger question that I haven't heard anyone ask since this compromise plan was revealed: what if it doesn't work?
Chris Stirewalt said on "Fox News Sunday" this morning that this package likely would have been similar to what McCain would have initially proposed in January 2009 if he had won the election.
Despite what some on the right are saying about this not being stimulative, there are elements to the plan that indeed are.
Assuming it makes its way through Congress, and the economy doesn't respond as many on Wall Street believe it will, what's next?
We would have then thrown at least $2.5 trillion - likely far greater if we factor in monetary stimuli - at this economy since the September 2008 financial meltdown with very disappointing results.
If that ends up being the case, what's our next step to bring down unemployment, and what will it cost?
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Comments
There are only two ways that obama will ever
Submitted by williamhenley on Sun, 12/12/2010 - 3:04pm.
move away from liberalism. He gets replaced in 2012 or he dies. The man is corrupt to the cor and will never stop trying to destroy America.
When the tax compromise is
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 12/12/2010 - 3:19pm.
When the tax compromise is signed by obama, no longer can they be called Bush's tax cuts for the rich because those tax cuts expired. In two years obama says he will campaign against his own tax deal. But for fun, they should be called Obama's tax cuts for the rich.
Boy Blunder is brainwashed to
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 12/12/2010 - 3:29pm.
Boy Blunder is brainwashed to his soul (if he even HAS one), and anything he does to make it look like he's 'changed' is strictly for show and political expedience............and, even if it WERE true that he will 'change', he has done SO MUCH damage to our country that 2 years of phony 'hope and change' won't make much of a dent in the repair job..........
I'm looking forward to see
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 12/12/2010 - 3:40pm.
I'm looking forward to see what obama does next. The old obama that traveled in style, incessantly talking and taking the stage with 'swagga' has had his wings clipped. No longer can he run about the world and cast big dreams and schemes. He will have to go first to the Republicans and ask "What shall we do?". Finally obama will keep a promise... he will govern in a bi-partison manner.
And Miss Nancy? I think she will try to pull as many stunts as she can with her winged monkeys but I don't think the country will be in much of a forgiving mood for political stunts. The country has already dropped a (Republican) house on this wicked witch.
it is about time.
Submitted by egutopia44 on Sun, 12/12/2010 - 5:01pm.
it is about time obama woke up and moved to the center. i am not sure where it is going but it sure will be fun to watch. at least i hope.
I don't think any Obama move
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 12/12/2010 - 5:34pm.
I don't think any Obama move to 'the center' would be genuine in it's belief..............it would ONLY be for the purpose of keeping his pathetic okole in power, for all of the reasons that have been discussed here and elsewhere. Boy Blunder HAS shown his 'hand' as to what he REALLY believes, and it has NOT worked, but I can guaran-damn-tee that if he could fanagle some scheme to continue TRYING to make it work, he would............including 'moving to the center'...
This guy is NOT to be trusted for one second...................he IS a lie.
So, liberalism is a phase of
Submitted by Chris Norman on Sun, 12/12/2010 - 9:26pm.
So, now, liberalism is just an expected formal phase of a lberal administration, like, say, the transition? The liberal phase lasts only until the voters figure out how much damage it's doing, then it ends and then it's time to go back to slightly more conservative-sounding policies to try and get re-elected. I guess it's so, seeing how it has now happened in at least the Clinton and Obama administration. Hey, I've got an idea: why not skip the liberal phase altogether BEFORE all the damage is done? Better yet, stop electing liberals who have a liberal phase.