It's obviously disappointing, but it seems to me that the netroots are being oddly unsophisticated in their condemnation. There are at least a couple questions I'd ask before branding the nominee a turncoat:
Tactics or true position? It seems pretty clear to me that this is a case of the former. Obama is clearly not happy (seems to me) about enshrining telecom immunity in the law, but he's calculated that its not a battle it would be profitable to fight just now.
Cui Bono? I say not Obama, but congressional Democrats. It seems to me that Obama's team had to know the base-cooling effects and fundraising dampening of this decision (which may account for their indeliberate silence on Thursday night and Friday morning). Moreover, I'd guess that they're savvy enough to know that this concession won't do much at all to blunt Republican attacks on the subjects of terrorism or bipartisan bona fides. So (again, as I read it) Obama must have heard some pretty persuasive arguments from Democrats in Congress for why they needed this, and he chose fealty to the caucus over fealty to his base and to his own interests.
That's unpleasant, but not necessarily a complete disservice to the netroots. More and better Democrats is one of their goals, and, while we can quibble about "better," this is a pretty good way to help us get "more."
So, while I'm disappointed, I think we need to wait and see. Distasteful as it is, this decision could turn out to be worth all the costs Obama is paying.
[/bending over backwards]
I'm generally a pretty pragmatic person - I understand half-loafism and the need to make tactical shifts. But from my very personal perspective, this move by Obama is a just too much to swallow. I don't expect him to stop the bill, I just don't want him to vote for it if it includes retroactive immunity. The constitutional precedent that sets, and what it says about Obama, is just too much. So if he does vote for telecomm immunity - no matter what the justification, I will not be voting for him. I still hope he wins, but I just can't give my endorsement for such a candidate. For me, it would be like if he came out tomorrow and said he was pro-life. Some tactical moves have strategic consequences, and for this particular Democratic activists, this is one of them.
I sincerely hope Obama uses the wiggle room his statement gave him to vote against the final bill if it includes telecomm immunity. But if he doesn't, I'm getting off the bus.
it's too late. You can't spit on the 4th amendment in the name of politics. Either you take a stand or you don't. There is no safe compromise spot.
At what point are you going to stop diminishing your expectations?
Commenting by HaloScan
