dagblog - Comments for "Lead!"

Certainly, there is risk for

Michael Wolraich — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 18:47:43 +0000

In reply to I agree with Paige that Obama

Certainly, there is risk for him in stepping forward, and you raise a good point about perceived grandstanding. And if we reach an agreement without him doing more than he has, OK, I won't complain. But if starts to look like the whole thing will fall apart, our leaders are going to have to take political risks to make sure that it doesn't. As the person who I hope will lead us next year, I'll be looking to Obama to do that.

I agree with Paige that Obama

Orlando — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:09:36 +0000

In reply to Lead!

I agree with Paige that Obama and his senate staff have probably been working behind the scenes a lot more than we know about and I think that's good.

I understand your call for him to lead, but at this point, even though he is the defacto leader of the party, he's not on the banking committee and he doesn't hold a leadership position. To insert himself publicly in the debate could backfire (a la McCain and his grandstanding) AND it could lead to more charges of presumption, which is the last thing he needs right now.

I'm so pissed off about this financial mess, I can hardly see straight. But so far, I think Obama has been more a part of the solution than a part of the problem.

Yeah. There seem to be

Michael Wolraich — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:12:05 +0000

In reply to (Replying here rather than

Yeah. There seem to be instant firestorms at TPM lately. Everyone is on edge. My feeling, which I expressed in response to Ripper, is that Obama has not owned the bailout. Nor has he taken the lead as Dem negotiatior. He's helping, but he's not leading.

(Replying here rather than

CaliforniaPaige — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:18:54 +0000

In reply to Lead!

(Replying here rather than TPM because this place just seems friendlier.)

I suspect that Obama is already doing what you've asked, and more. He's just doing it a more effective way than public pronouncements and large, high-profile meetings: he's talking privately to people like Dodd and Paulson and who-knows-who-else on a regular basis. At least in my experience, that's the sort of negociation that actually gets stuff done. It has the disadvantage of being relatively hidden from public view until it's completed; but I'd rather have a successful negociation than be "in the know" sooner.