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I am curious to watch the media obeying, but so far, Politico tells us

RENO, Nev.— Barack Obama on Tuesday stepped up his advocacy for the Bush Administration’s endangered $700 billion bailout plan by making a round of calls to rank-and-file Democrats in the House and casting congressional inaction in dire, real-world terms. He also massaged his pitch, no longer using the word “bailout” to describe the bill.

Hmm, let’s see how the massage will travel through his surrogate media

But after the House defeated the bill with Democratic help, including a majority of the Congressional Black Caucus, the pressure began rising for Obama to make more direct appeals to his party.

So, what should we call it now? Crap sandwitch was used by the House republicans, but as Obama praises it,

it should be “transformational measure” or “fresh as a summer’s day bill”.

Whatever it is, I shall always connect it to Obama, no matter what.

And any suggestions for “massaging the pitch” – welcome

Update

reading MSNBC swooning at it – the winner is “RESCUE PLAN”

RENO, Nev. — In a sweeping speech in battleground state Nevada, Obama made a direct appeal to the American people and to members of Congress to support the $700 billion rescue plan that failed to pass in the House of Representatives yesterday.

that was the editorializing, this is the Obama massaging

Obama said this was no longer just a Wall Street crisis, but an American crisis and that failure to pass a rescue plan could mean thousands of businesses could close around the country, millions of jobs could be lost and a long and painful recession could follow.

So, there. see? It’s our rescue now, you have to want it, cuz Obama ses so. In the bestest speech ever. And it befits a Savior. He’ll save us all.. or rescue us. The new emerging meme.

And the meme is launched: Obama campaign surrogate Thomas Friedman uses it twice in his headline

Rescue the Rescue

Watch Gergen on CNN using the new meme

Yesterday’s stunning rejection by the House of Representatives of the financial rescue plan represents one of the clearest signs yet of the deepening leadership problem we are facing as a people.

and CNN using it in a news story headline – at least as served in memeorandum

See? Forget crap sandwitch. Forget bailout. You shall love this.

Only one obstinate Real Clear Politics editorial calls it a bailout today

Bailout Would Impose Needless Economic Damage

This is the exception. They will be drowned in “Rescue” – just watch.

Soon, only old geezers like me will remember the times when we called this a bailout. And we knew it was government and Bush/Obama cronies feasting on our tax dollars.

Update October second

Krugman uses “bailout rescue”!

On Olbermann a few minutes ago (that basement classroom with the heavy paper over the windows and camera sure has come in handy lately!) a phrase popped out of my mouth: “Stockholm Syndrome”, with regard to the bailout rescue.

How he feels about it? here’s a description:

And then it failed in the House, so the Senate has larded it up, with stuff like SEC. 503. EXEMPTION FROM EXCISE TAX FOR CERTAIN WOODEN ARROWS DESIGNED FOR USE BY CHILDREN.

and a more direct statement:

So am I for the bill? Yuk, phooey, I guess so. And I’m very angry at Paulson for putting us in this position.

Which pretty sums up the new Krugman – a campaign surrogate these days – with flares of honesty


We know this is hardly a first –  The RBC meeting, later the Unity NH travesty told us the same story…

In the growing saga of “ways Obama is just like Bush” – a new chapter:

Stundents wonder

Why is the University of Mary Washington inhibiting free speech at today’s Obama-Biden rally?

Mr. Obama, the Democratic nominee for president, is scheduled to speak at a rally at the university today. The public is invited to this forum, on property it, the public, owns. However, signs and banners will not be allowed, according to the organizers and compliant campus officials. Suddenly, UMW is a First Amendment-Free, or at least a First Amendment-Crippled, Zone, subject to the self-serving preferences of politicos. Why does an Obama rally–or a McCain rally or a Nader rally–justify taking a little off the top of Americans’ most fundamental rights?

At least Bush waited to be installed in the White House before he started creating a bubble.

And in another startling similarity; security is cited as a reason

A UMW spokeswoman says that the Obama campaign required the sign-and-banner ban. That campaign tells us that the ban is for “security” reasons. But a spokesman for the U.S. Secret Service, responsible for protecting presidential candidates, says that the service has no objection to signs at rallies, provided that no “part of the sign could be used as a weapon”–e.g., a heavy metal pole or a sharpened stick. Finally, the McCain campaign tells us, “We encourage people to make signs at our events.”

I suppose being a Constitutional Law Professor means never to have to say “I am sorry”

I doubt Obama is in a position to negotiate


via PUMApac

We stood up to the creeping Police State tactics of the Obama Movement and FORCED A RETRACTION. They BACKED OFF! This is what it’s all about Folks! Nicely done.

and they said

“The only action they would take would be to provide truthful information to the public so they can make up their minds,” said spokesperson Susan Ryan. “Neither (Joyce) nor anybody involved in this has any intention of prosecuting anybody.” (only making them believe you would – my note)

those of us having dealt with the “truth Squads” on the internet know how just how true this sounds.

The Governor isn’t buying it

“That’s not how they announced it,” objected Gov. Blount in an interview on Fox TV’s “America’s Newsroom” talk show. “They rolled it out as prosecutors willing to take actions as prosecutors.”

Question is – if the “misunderstanding” came from the flashing of the badge – shouldn’t this actually be prosecuted as abuse of power?

a rhetorical question asked by Politico

I didn’t know the remarks were ad-libbed

The transcript seemed relatively tame — with only relatively mild shots at the Republicans in the text.

But a review of the video of Pelosi’s comments shows the speaker deviated substantially from her prepared remarks when she stepped into the well of the House at about 12:20 p.m. Monday afternoon – delivering a series of ad-libbed jabs at President Bush and his party.

Still, forgetting that there was a C-Span and a you tube

Pelosi’s office continued to distribute the as-prepared version of her remarks as late as 1:24 p.m. — an hour after she had delivered the more incendiary version of her speech on the House floor.

I posted the video and real transcript

And here’s a really interesting comment to her tantrum

When was the last time someone asked you for $700 billion?” Pelosi asked in a floor speech shortly before the vote. “It is a number that is staggering, but tells us only the costs of the Bush administration’s failed economic policies — policies built on budgetary recklessness, on an anything goes mentality, with no regulation, no supervision and no discipline in the system.”

Senate Sends $634 Billion Spending Bill to Bush for signing

Well that happened on Saturday. That’s what?? Two freaking days ago!

As to the answer to the headline question: I don’t know. It certainly didn’t help.  Chances are that she knew the count when the bill was put to vote and was just trying to make sure she was not lumped with Bush for supporting his bill. On the other hand, I coud lay some blame just because of her statement on this

Pelosi’s office says any claim that the speaker’s remarks caused GOP members to turn against the bill is “ridiculous.”

I guess she learned how to ask for votes from Obama

Whom she made look even more craven than usual when he lashed at McCain

“This is a moment of national crisis, and today’s inaction in Congress as well as the angry and hyper-partisan statement released by the McCain campaign are exactly why the American people are disgusted with Washington.

Coming from a Senator, one who did nothing but campaign, and also said this makes one want to offer him a mirror. But then he might miss the point too. Especially when he pretends he is not connected with Nancy

When Obama, the party’s new leader, learned of the plan’s rejection, he spoke about Washington almost as if he weren’t a member of Congress.

“Democrats and Republicans in Washington have a responsibility to make sure that an emergency rescue package is put forward that can at least stop the immediate problems we have so we can begin to plan for the future,” he said.

He didn’t say how he might lead or what role he’d play. “Step up to the plate,” he told Congress. “Get it done.”

But, but…..


For additional perspective on this, myiq2xu

The way she set things up, it was “Heads I win, tails you lose”:  vote for the deal and I’ll paint you as heartless reactionaries bailing out your fat cat friends.

Being in power means that you get to give your party special favors on many occasions–but it also means that you, yes you, have the ultimate responsibility for getting things done.  She didn’t particularly try to bring her party in line, and so of course as soon as a few Republicans defected, hers stampeded.  The ultimate blame for this failure has to be laid at her feet.

And audio of Rove highlighting how this crisis has been used as a political football

(takes one to know one)

Not Your Sweetie

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