You just have to remember to the Repubs "The Economy" means Wall Street.

Are they arguing that the government bailout is what saved the economy? They're rejecting their entire economic ideology to score a cheap political point for GWB.

I don't think they've thought this through.

The lurid sensation of driving to see a train wreck is intensified when the ones already parked at the scene try to tell us there is nothing to see as we gaze out over the carnage and destruction! -Kevo

And where is the WH communication team? They have not done a good job. There is a permanent campaign, and they've been acting like the Kerry folks in August 2004, allowing themselves to be Swift-boated.

That line of argument is the direct opposite of the Tea Party crowd's belief that TARP was part of a giant sellout to Wall Street, they're mad as hell etc. So it will be hard for Repubs to make that argument at the Village talk shows and similar salons and retain the Tea Partiers' allegiance on the stump. Unless they're willing to be totally intellectually dishonest, which of course they are, and the Tea Partiers are totally uninterested in intellectual consistency, which of course they are.

The funny thing about that spin is that in the House, Republicans voted 108 to 91 AGAINST the bill.

But what was especially interesting was the knee-jerk partisanship of former Bush aide Karen Hughes, who responded to Halperin by saying, twice, that Obama "misread the country"

Her "misread the country" quote is part of the problem here. OF COURSE he misread the country... To the rethugs THEY are the only part of the country that matters. THEY are the only part of the country that are true patriots. THEY are the true Mericans.

They are still living in the Us and Them divide that Bush and Rove created. It's too bad they just won't go away.

Your point about Hughes re-writing history is interesting.

But I have to sincerely say, I think Halperin has a very important point. I'm pretty financially secure right now, but I am still a citizen of a country trying to find the way forward in tough times...and I'm puzzled and frustrated and confused that Obama has made what seems to me to be little effort to inspire, to reassure, to let people know he's on their side. I hope they figure this out!

Grrrrr. In watching 'MTP' yesterday, I literally screamed at the screen in frustration with Karen Hughes.

To a certain extent I admire the olive branch extended to Bush 43 to assist with Haitian recovery efforts. The "Ol' Presidents Network" is an extremely small club and it DOES say something about American-style Democracy that we can turn to our former-- even disgraced and opposition-- Presidents for important leadership roles in times of crisis.

However, to give GW a role as elder statesman and at the same time give his former minions the opportunity to do image/legacy burnishing irks me even if it is the right thing to do.

from this link: http://www.thealbanyproject.com/diary/5650/

"The only sector TARP helped was the financial sector. There was no stimulation with TARP. The Treasury Department was handed a blank check (with zero accountability) to buy up troubled assets from banks and other financial institutions." This was the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, also known as TARP. 91 House Republicans voted in support of this bill that had zero stimulus money in it.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, referred to as the economic stimulus package or ARRA, was passed AFTER Bush left office - in February 2009. Zero House Republicans voted in support of this act; although, there have been subsequent reports of Republicans lauding its virtues on their various home turfs and exploiting the fact that voters will not realize that a vote for TARP was not the same thing as a vote against ARRA.

Republicans are still keenly aware of that confusion and as long as Karen Hughes, et al are allowed to get away with exacerbating the confusion, voters will remain convinced that GWB's administration rescued the economy.

Karen Hughes spin will become common wisdom if the Democrats don't react strongly. Of course they won't so we are soon to believe that Bush saved the American economy. Stupid, stupid Democratic leaders.

By the way, many Americans already believe that Obama merely extended the policies started by Bush, so the spin will work like a charm.

While the evidence is overwhelming that it was the stimulus that created economic growth and pulled the economy bank from the brink

You are so droll.

Hughes is to be doubted, but that line is just comical.

when bush is gone for a year...

he gets credit for an improving economy..

but...

when bush is in office and terrorists attack..

that's someone else's fault..

got it...

GOP 2010: Any Suckers Left?

I find it interesting that every move President Obama makes is framed as arrogant, a misread, over-stepping, too aggressive.
His speeches are to professorial, or too technocratic, or too flowery and inspirational, or too boring.
He pronounces words too correctly, he thinks to much before answering questions. He gives too much consideration before making policy shifts or committing to a military strategy.
He's to partisan and too conciliatory.
Every word out his mouth is parsed for double meaning and rhetorical mole hills are made into mountains. Reasonable statements of fact are seen as outragous demogoguery.

The reality is that President Obama inherited a nation in wrecked by Bush/Cheney and is repairing it, slowly but surely.
He has conducted himself with honor, integrity, and class in the face of unprecedent obstructionism and greivous personal insults to himself, his family, and his office.

His tenure so far makes Bush/Cheney look like foolish amateurs.

Of course, there is no equivalent of Matlin or Hughes who can go on the TeeVee and explain these things. So their framing will become conventional wisdom.

We will get what we deserve but, he deserves better.

His tenure so far makes Bush/Cheney look like foolish amateurs.

What really stood out on MTP was the interview with Bush and Clinton about the situation in Haiti. Talk about contrasts! If anyone wants to witness the difference between a D- intelligence level and a grade A, I encourage you to watch it.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34906070#34906070

Halperin says Obama has staffed the government with good people, elide Republican obstruction on appointments, and concludes Obama's not being bipartisan enough. This is the height of journalistic douchebaggery. If I wanted a wank from the Village, I'd watch TV.

I'm going to have to figure out how to put posts about Meet the Press or other propaganda opportunities into a pie filter so I don't have to read them.

For the love of God, can progressives and liberals and Dems stop acting like hopelessly prim Sunday school teachers criticizing the Republicans for their "shamelessness?" Not only do GOPers not care that they're shameless, they enjoy and relish being shameless. It's part of their goddamn DNA. It's like criticizing lions for being predators or cows for being herbivores.

GOPers not care that they're shameless, they enjoy and relish being shameless. It's part of their goddamn DNA.

Very true. See; 2008 GOP rationale for Sarah P's foreign diplomacy bona fides.

or the standard Republican response about any criticism. "I'm not going to talk about that" or "I'm not going to get into that". Whether it's McCain on his VP selection or Ensign on his ethics problem they always act put off as if the questioner is waaayyy out of line.

Hughes rewrites of history did not stop there:

* She claimed that Chimpy Bush ALSO inheireted a recession

* She claimed that the attempted bombing of a commercial airliner by Abdulmutallab on Christmas day was NOTHING like the attempted bombing of a commercial airliner by Richard Reid.

you're both wrong. the economy is not rescued, and is still 'at the brink'. of course Bush's lackeys are going to try to give him credit, endlessly, until the day either they, or he, kicks the bucket. they are all to be ignored. why is anyone even interviewing these idiots?

on the other hand, it simply makes me cringe every time I hear the Dems giving themselves credit for 'rescuing' the economy. our economy is broken, and everyone knows it. the Dem leaders know it, and the people they're trying to convince otherwise know they're lying to them. Obama and his people have got to come clean and admit their mistakes when they try to claim credit. they do deserve some limited credit, but thus far, have been more wrong than right on economic policy. their employment estimates were shamefully rose-colored, and people were screaming this to them at the time. they ignored the criticism. now they have to pay for that, because they were deeply wrong about an incredibly important issue.

". . .but that's what stabilized the economy and prevented the collapse of the financial system." I watched this yesterday and thought:
1/ Ah. The financial system truly would have collapsed (despite the claims by some that it would've all worked itself out in time).
2/ If we're to believe Hughes a/ Bush's intervention saved the economy and b/ that means government intervened and succeeded(isn't that an anti-conservative act?) and saved the economy. You can't believe anything that comes out of Hughes' twisty mouth. In this case though, she's right about the intervention buy lying through her teeth about Bush who we know was an incompetent from the get-go.
3/Despite her statement that the economy is stabilized there's still a big Repug push to make us believe the economy isn't stabilized (like it was stabilized for 2-3 months then Obama came in and destabilized it again?).
They make me sick.