Nervous Blue Dogs: Hey, maybe we should postpone some of these liberal agenda items
posted at 4:45 pm on November 4, 2009 by Allahpundit
Another clip from Hengler, this time catching Axelrod phoning it in. Watch to the end or you’ll miss the requisite flattery from Andrea Mitchell. Consider this a continuation of the last post: If, as Ax lamely insists, NY-23 is a big deal while Virginia and Jersey are mere local races portending nothing for The One’s agenda, why do Blue Dogs seem more fidgety than usual? Ed linked Politico’s piece about center-left anxiety a few hours ago, but this one from The Hill is fun too:
Vulnerable House and Senate Democrats want their leaders to skip the party’s controversial legislative agenda for next year to help save their seats in Congress.
In the run-up to the 2010 midterm elections, they don’t want to be forced to vote on climate change, immigration reform and gays in the military, which they say should be set aside so Congress can focus on jobs and the economy…
Lincoln said that lawmakers should focus on passing healthcare reform and wait until next year to effect financial regulatory reform and reduce unemployment.
“That’s an awful lot to bite off and chew for right now,” said Lincoln, who described herself as “not in a hurry” to tackle climate change, an issue she has some jurisdiction over as chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Sen. Evan Bayh (D), who is running for reelection in conservative-leaning Indiana, said “jobs should be our top priority and we shouldn’t do anything that detracts from that,” echoing a sentiment of many colleagues in similar positions.
Many more quotes at the link. Believe it or not, this isn’t Axelrod’s feeblest spin of the day: Elsewhere, he insisted that Owens’s win should actually reassure Blue Dogs about ObamaCare, which I guess means we now know who the unnamed White House official who spoke to Stephanopoulous is. The punchline to all this? Owens isn’t even especially progressive. He’s a “conservative Democrat” who was disowned by Kos as a “Lieberdem” and who’ll end up doing plenty of squirming about these very same agenda items lamented by the Blue Dogs if he wants to keep the seat next year. He beat Hoffman because he was a moderate in a moderate Republican district with the full backing of the “moderate” Republican nominee who’d been in the race until last week. And he still only beat him by a few percentage points.
Below the Axelrod clip you’ll find Madam Speaker adding a little spin of her own. Persuasive as ever.
Blowback
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check with Bryan Preston, Texas elected Dems are switching parties today:
jp on November 4, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Who cares what Axelrod or Pelosi say?
Blue dogs know what side their milkbones are buttered on.
They will run from this crap sandwich of a bill like a whupped puppy.
We are seeing the end of Barry. He said it himself, “do you want to destroy my presidency?”.
Yes we do sir, yes we do.
NoDonkey on November 4, 2009 at 4:49 PM
I think these so-called Blue Dogs are foxhole converts, at best, to the idea of focusing Congressional attention to jobs and the economy. I’m not buying it — and I hope next year’s voters don’t, either.
jwolf on November 4, 2009 at 4:50 PM
How can the Witch’s constituents stand her?
notagool on November 4, 2009 at 4:51 PM
The democrats always seem to get their talking points coordinated. To bad they can’t run a country.
fourdeucer on November 4, 2009 at 4:51 PM
Axelrod: the next Bob Shrum.
BHO Jonestown on November 4, 2009 at 4:51 PM
What? Axelrod afraid the Dem’s are looking too much like the parasites they really are?
Cybergeezer on November 4, 2009 at 4:52 PM
You mean they don’t wanna have to vote for an ultra left-wing agenda that’ll cost them their seats? Naw, really?
Doughboy on November 4, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Way to grill him Andrea.
fogw on November 4, 2009 at 4:53 PM
The Red dogs running the show will postpone nothin’.
Dr. ZhivBlago on November 4, 2009 at 4:53 PM
Gateway Pundit mentions that Pelosi lied twice in her spin. Owens ran against the public option and a Democrat did represent NY-23 from 1989 to 1993.
So I hope Nancipoo isn’t relying on Owens’ vote. Especially since it’s only a one year term.
MobileVideoEngineer on November 4, 2009 at 4:53 PM
To view the talking points, go to the Hoffman Thread. Every single Troll we have made an appearance on the thread today.
kingsjester on November 4, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Postponing these crap sandwiches til next year would be to kill them. They aren’t going to vote in this stuff in an election year. The Dems are about 6 months too late.
ddrintn on November 4, 2009 at 4:55 PM
This is actually the best possible outcome for conservatives.
If the GOP had won everything, this spin would be impossible to make, forcing an Obama retreat to the center. Instead, blue dogs are still getting the message, while the Obama WH is not. Which means continued deafness and ensures a landslide for the GOP in 2010.
And don’t worry about Obama initiatives, they are dead. Chances of ObamaCare passing on InTrade right now: 5.0%
Norwegian on November 4, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Keep dreaming
The ‘party of projection’ is turning into the party of Delusion and denial.
Juno77 on November 4, 2009 at 4:55 PM
They will get NO cover from Obama. I guarantee that.
AnninCA on November 4, 2009 at 4:56 PM
What would happen in West Virginia if, heaven forbid, Byrd goes up to the big burning cross in the sky? Does the democrat governor get to replace him? Special election? Any West Virginians on here?
I only ask because the Senate is our only hope of stopping this.
SouthernGent on November 4, 2009 at 4:56 PM
That is all they really need to get Obama Care and Crap & tax through.
upinak on November 4, 2009 at 4:57 PM
I can’t see how a “blue dog” can point anywhere other than left. Given whom they caucus with, I’m surprised the subversion isn’t happening already. The liberals are like sharks — they only let go a bit so they can bite deeper.
unclesmrgol on November 4, 2009 at 4:57 PM
Blue dogs are going to pass health care because it’s the only way they can win. Then Obama will re juggle his legislative priorities to push education reform and financial industry reform to the top (Cap and Trade can wait) giving Blue Dogs and leftists alike red meat for the fall.
The Blue Dogs can run against teacher’s unions and Wall Street fat-cats, and Obie can get some good bills through.
I’m guessing the Gays wait until after the mid-term.
Bleeds Blue on November 4, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Which is a point I’ve made repeatedly for the past 16 or so hours.
It’s possible (though only time will tell) that the supression of 3rd party fires as a result of Hoffman’s loss will outweigh the one extra squishy vote Pelosi picked up last night.
BadgerHawk on November 4, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Well, Andrea what are we going to do in 2010?
d1carter on November 4, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Political poker chips, those gays. Right?
BadgerHawk on November 4, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Pelosi won another Blue Dog to screw up her plans, becaue Bill Owens ran a campaign against the Public Option.
AND FOR THE LAST TIME, DEMOCRATS CONTROLLED THE SEAT AS RECENTLY AS 1993! The Daily Kos Civil War Meme is annoying.
Enoxo on November 4, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Why hold up the marxist agenda? The overreach has already started. You can’t back off and pretend that porculus, Obamacare and the takeover of mortgage lending, banking, college loans and the auto industry never happened. It’s a little too late. The sleaping eagle is wide a wake and filled with a terrible resolve to kick your marxist asses out of power.
BottomLine5 on November 4, 2009 at 5:00 PM
I don’t think many will dare to do that in an election year.
ddrintn on November 4, 2009 at 5:00 PM
bait much?
upinak on November 4, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Obviously she was just getting her info from the CIA, which lies to her all the time.
red winger on November 4, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Is it just me, or does Axelrod have that creepy “molester” vibe? … It’s a matter of time before we see him on “To Catch a Predator”.
barrythrowslikeagirl on November 4, 2009 at 5:00 PM
Are you high? If they thought it was a winning move, it would have passed long before now. Republicans can’t stop any of this, so who’s stopping it? That’s right.
Erich66 on November 4, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Dream a little dream for me ……
fogw on November 4, 2009 at 5:01 PM
ROFL…delusional. They know better.
ddrintn on November 4, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Don’t underestimate the power of stupid people. They will bring you down to their level and they do it with flare and style unknown to us “normal” people.
upinak on November 4, 2009 at 5:02 PM
I’m shocked that Andrea’s husband doesn’t have a talk with her, if for nothing else, to save her from so much embarrassment.
They won NY-23 by treachery. They’ll lose it in 2010. Tricks don’t last. The liberals assume all America is stupid.
How the ballot appeared to the voters in NY-23, because Owens represented two parties, and dropped-out Dede too – confusing to say the least:
1. Democratic – William L. Owens
2. Republican – Dede Scozzafava
3. Independence – Dede Scozzafava
4. Conservative – Douglas L. Hoffman
5. Working Families – William L. Owens
Schadenfreude on November 4, 2009 at 5:02 PM
Axholerod is just trying to keep the Blue Dogs from running off the porch, but it ain’t working.
When you look like Al Bundy and you like he does, no one believes his story.
MarkBoabaca on November 4, 2009 at 5:03 PM
*lie like he does
MarkBoabaca on November 4, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Bleeds Blue on November 4, 2009 at 4:58 PM
It’s 5 o’clock in D.C., isn’t it? Please don’t drive.
kingsjester on November 4, 2009 at 5:03 PM
No it can’t! People that are smarter than me tell me that we have to solve this NOW! I am sooooo scared of global warming. Please protect us from ourselves Obama and the Dems!
WashJeff on November 4, 2009 at 5:04 PM
If the GOP had won everything, this spin would be impossible to make, forcing an Obama retreat to the center. Instead, blue dogs are still getting the message, while the Obama WH is not. Which means continued deafness and ensures a landslide for the GOP in 2010.
And don’t worry about Obama initiatives, they are dead. Chances of ObamaCare passing on InTrade right now: 5.0%
Norwegian on November 4, 2009 at 4:55 PM
I agree. We can count on the Man In Love With Himself to truly believe last night was something like one of those annoying tea parties. Obama and his minions – full speed ahead.
Catherine Wilkinson on November 4, 2009 at 5:04 PM
Bleeds Blue on November 4, 2009 at 4:58 PM
Reality check – they’ll haggle over ObamaCare until next year, when it gets too close/dangerous to/for the election season.
Schadenfreude on November 4, 2009 at 5:04 PM
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…(break to wipe off monitor)…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Good luck with that!
Norwegian on November 4, 2009 at 5:05 PM
**Smack** it is global coo… It is climate chan…. Damnity, the polar bears are di…. SAVE THE ALGAE!
upinak on November 4, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Read the post AP, but decided life is too short to look at these two and hear them lying through their teeth.
Buckeye Babe on November 4, 2009 at 5:05 PM
Already on Facebook, a new group for the nervous Leftists:
WE ARE FIRMLY BEHIND PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!!!
Del Dolemonte on November 4, 2009 at 5:06 PM
This shows how little you know about politics. Running away from your party doesn’t work. Moderate Republicans got blown out in 2008 and 2008 because, no matter how they tried to distance themselves from Bush, we tied that fake Texan to them like a rock and threw them overboard. In 2002 and 1994, Democratic collaborators still got mowed down as quisling tax-and-spenders.
The Blue Dogs’ best chance is to pass a bill and run on health care reform that they “moved away from a radical agenda.” They’re going to get painted with the Obama/radical brush anyway, they have to have an accomplishment to balance that out.
Bleeds Blue on November 4, 2009 at 5:06 PM
Obama’s center is somewhere between Reverand Wright and Bill Ayers.
BottomLine5 on November 4, 2009 at 5:06 PM
Only hope? Hey, those voters in VA and NJ did their part.
65droptop on November 4, 2009 at 5:07 PM
What a bunch of Horse S$%t. I can’t believe anyone believes their crap. They think the American people are stupid. Hey axie, it took you all day to come up with that. Is that why Odumbo went to N. J. five times to campaign for Crookzine.
rjoco1 on November 4, 2009 at 5:07 PM
DUDE.. Mark Ambinder is that YOU!?!??!?!
upinak on November 4, 2009 at 5:07 PM
Sounds creepy…what are they doing behind him?
Erich66 on November 4, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Meant to add – Obama will enable the haggling, so as to say to you, the bleeding hearts “I tried, you see, it’s the darned racist Republicans…and we couldn’t pass this
wonderful thingmonstrosity”. He’s empty but not so dumb as to ruin 2010 and his 2012 bid. Power and status is all he lives for. He’s got you fooled good.Schadenfreude on November 4, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Pelosi’s BS blathering reminds me vividly of the day after the Republicans took over both the House and the Senate when Clinton was stinking up the White House and soon-to-be former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt gave a speech a couple days after the election to announce with a perfectly straight face just how good it was to be in the minority.
Wonderland seems to be a frequent stopping point for Democrats, along whatever train of thought they happen to be stumbling down.
pilamaye on November 4, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Hello….district 23 was going to be carved up in the next two years with redistricting. It is surrounded by heavily democrat districts, and it was on the docket to carve it up and make it democrat.
We lost at the max two years…
right2bright on November 4, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Ya know, if we let Axelrod and Pelosi, Obama and the rest actually believe they “won” last nite….well, in the long run, that little bit of theater will cost them big time in 2010 and in 2012.
A few short years ago the ‘independents” comprised just about 5-7% of the voting electorate. That “independent” bloc is now well over 10%, possibly 15%, as more and more come to realize that “hope” and “change” are not a good foundation for policy. Common sense starts to show itself. Which is a good thing.
If the GOP comes away from last nite believing the GOP “won” big time…that’s gonna be a problem.
coldwarrior on November 4, 2009 at 5:08 PM
I heard there’s quite the triple moonrise on your planet tonight. Been out to see them yet?
Del Dolemonte on November 4, 2009 at 5:08 PM
I wish we could sit andrea mitchel in the electric chair and stack her husband and Axelrod on her lap.
marklmail on November 4, 2009 at 5:09 PM
You think Schuzzafava would have stopped it..
the_nile on November 4, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Checked it out……..involves maybe a dozen or so local county pols in primarily rural, conservative areas.
Not a huge deal but interesting.
JoeinTX on November 4, 2009 at 5:10 PM
txsurveyor on November 4, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Walkin’ tonight
Obama will throw it under the bus before he’ll lose a vote and lose seats. He’s not into Hoffman-esque symbolic victories. He doesn’t have time to do everything before next fall anyway, and financial services reform will be the perfect fall performance next year. Get all those Republicans talking about how Wall Street doesn’t need regulation.
Bleeds Blue on November 4, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Spoken by an expert on the subject…
Del Dolemonte on November 4, 2009 at 5:11 PM
And owens will? come on niles.
upinak on November 4, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Makes a lot of sense. The reason democrats have tried to stack their party with blue dogs is that they’re trying to convince the public they’re moderate. And what is a blue dog? Someone who keeps his party at arm’s length. I call that running away.
Erich66 on November 4, 2009 at 5:12 PM
Nancy Pelosi = Baghdad Bob
moc23 on November 4, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Becoming???
Has been for about, oh, 18 months or so now. You won’t see him down campaigning for any candidate on ANY level.
JoeinTX on November 4, 2009 at 5:13 PM
So you think Global Warming is a bunch of BS too and that it is not important? Good for you.
WashJeff on November 4, 2009 at 5:13 PM
He doesn’t have the votes to do everything before next fall; the Democrats from conservative districts are afraid of walking the plank. And if it doesn’t get done by next fall, it won’t get done.
ddrintn on November 4, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Rich, considering HIS election was the epitome of a symbolic victory.
Erich66 on November 4, 2009 at 5:14 PM
Someone who fooled their red or purple district and won on treachery. If they think they can fool the same voters twice, they have surprises coming their way.
Treachery is the lefties’ heavy gorilla.
Schadenfreude on November 4, 2009 at 5:14 PM
I don’t know about all this “Blue dog running from the Pelosi’s” business. I think they are more afraid of their leadership than they are their constituents. They are inside that party and the know first hand how petty and vindictive the dems are. They see how they play the game and they don’t want to be a target.
They are really in a lose/lose situation. They only way they can survive is if they band together. Otherwise, the liberals will pick them off one by one.
ramrants on November 4, 2009 at 5:16 PM
I believe that if it doesn’t get done by the end of this year it won’t get done. Any later and it’s still fresh in the voter’s minds.
IF, as we predict, that the Senate won’t begin on HCR before January then I have a hard time believing it gets anywhere.
JoeinTX on November 4, 2009 at 5:17 PM
A good way to regulate the financial investment industry, tell the public the government is not going to watch over them. Tell the public if you do not trust the company you are using, leave them. I guarantee you that the financial investment industry would HATE this. They love the ocver the SEC provides them.
WashJeff on November 4, 2009 at 5:17 PM
BTW, if Obama is not into symbolic victories, then he really has no business accepting that Nobel Pony prize. But we all know he will.
Erich66 on November 4, 2009 at 5:18 PM
We’re going planning to PIN candidates to OBAMA like libs did with Bush? He’s becoming a pariah.
marklmail on November 4, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Too many armed Texans – he won’t risk it.
MarkBoabaca on November 4, 2009 at 5:20 PM
If they postpone Obamacare, then the bottom will fall out for the dems. The only thing holding Obama up right now is the fickle liberals/yuppies. If Obama only has the worthless stimulus as his accomplishment, then he’ll lose a quarter or more of his base. Afghanistan won’t be helpful either. 2010 here we come!
Obamacare won’t be passed anyway, now. It’s dead and the WH knows it.
TimTebowSavesAmerica on November 4, 2009 at 5:21 PM
I want to be careful here………but, yeah.
JoeinTX on November 4, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Bayh is saying that because he realizes it’s what’s best for the party, even if the party doesn’t realize it. He’s not fearing next year’s election.
I live in Indiana, and I can tell you that Evan Bayh would have to be caught on tape shooting someone while naked in bed with a hooker whom he paid with campaign funds before he would have to worry at all about being re-elected.
Chris of Rights on November 4, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Oh, I forgot, the videotape would have to show him snorting cocaine off the hooker’s tummy too.
Chris of Rights on November 4, 2009 at 5:24 PM
Uh, no Nile. Scuzzy was for both Obamacare and Cap-n-Crap. Bill Owen is a Blue Dog and campaigned against Public Option.
Enoxo on November 4, 2009 at 5:25 PM
That would be quite the video, Chris……
JoeinTX on November 4, 2009 at 5:25 PM
Good lord Pelosi is such an idiot . . . the fact that this poor sick Republic even takes her seriously speaks volumes about our stability and sanity.
rplat on November 4, 2009 at 5:26 PM
So basically he would have to be Bill Clinton.
Erich66 on November 4, 2009 at 5:26 PM
Yep … real genius, there. Skip the whole long list of threats these traitorous dems have slated for our nation and stick to the most un-Constituional, un-American, worst piece of cr#p to pass to give the government the most control over our lives in a single act that has ever happened – totally illegal and opposed to every founding principle of this nation. Great thinking, there, Blanchard.
For anyone who thinks these Blue Dogsh#ts will be forced to “do the right thing” because of some elctoral scare, this little bit of idiocy from Lincoln should disabuse you of that fantasy. These dems are just plain crazy. There is no cure for it and nothing will stop it.
progressoverpeace on November 4, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Are we really sure that Andrea Mitchell is a chick? Her usually mannish features are accented with that gloomy Gus face she puts on for Axelrod. Sure looks like a guy.
Maybe Greenspan does span all the way to other side. Please put up a vote so that we can come to consensus on the gender of Mitchell.
EMD on November 4, 2009 at 5:29 PM
People are dying. DYING!
Chuck Schick on November 4, 2009 at 5:30 PM
BBBBBBLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHH…!
Thanks Allah, now I have to clean up the vomit all over my key board.
Seven Percent Solution on November 4, 2009 at 5:30 PM
No. I just think that Obama will put it off for a year if he thinks it’s a loser issue.
How can you say it was a symbolic victory and then say he’s taking over America? He rescused the economy, saved the car companies, expanded S-CHIP, passed Lillie Leadbetter and began (too slowly) to roll back some of the extra-Constitutional excess of the Bush years.
That’s not one he asked for, it just fell into his lap. I don’k he earned it any more than you do, I just don’t think there’s a gracious way to turn it down.
Bleeds Blue on November 4, 2009 at 5:30 PM
Bleeds Blue wrote:
You mean like every single finacial comapny CEO – all of whom happen to be dems?
noblejones on November 4, 2009 at 5:31 PM
Probably what his dad thought in 1980. That’s why Evan is such a wimp — fear of a second generation failure.
Bleeds Blue on November 4, 2009 at 5:31 PM
You’re right. Va and NJ showed he’s more into losing big.
Chuck Schick on November 4, 2009 at 5:32 PM
FIFY
Loxodonta on November 4, 2009 at 5:32 PM
Didn’t InTrade have Hoffman winning?
MarkTheGreat on November 4, 2009 at 5:33 PM
It’s very educational. In a pathetic sort of way.
Loxodonta on November 4, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Hello….district 23 was going to be carved up in the next two years with redistricting. It is surrounded by heavily democrat districts, and it was on the docket to carve it up and make it democrat.
We lost at the max two years…
[right2bright on November 4, 2009 at 5:08 PM]
Quit saying that. It really can’t be done.
Dusty on November 4, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Rick (Humphrey Bogart) to Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman): “We’ll always have Paris.”
Disgusting role reversal, not to mention a pathetic tradeoff!
ya2daup on November 4, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Gratuitous Energy Taxes (Cap & Trade) won’t happen. Hell will freeze over first.
BottomLine5 on November 4, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Just like African-Americans and Hispanics have been for the past couple decades. And don’t forget our men and women in uniform…
Dark-Star on November 4, 2009 at 5:37 PM
It’s good to learn your opponent even if it is stomach-turning at times. Get in their heads, figure out their motivation, read their minds……..which with libs is always…GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME
JoeinTX on November 4, 2009 at 5:39 PM
Unless the fix is in, implementing new district lines for ANY congressional district won’t happen until 2011 at the earliest… a little matter of taking the census y’know.
ya2daup on November 4, 2009 at 5:39 PM
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