This Mark Halperin?

In October 2006, Halperin appeared on Hugh Hewitt's conservative talk radio show but refused to discuss any of his political views, but after the interview Halperin protested the "insult" of being characterized as "very liberal" by Hewitt.[7] Halperin claimed to agree with Hewitt on every topic they discussed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Halperin

Mark Halperin is predicting that the Democrats are going to get trounced in November? For the first time in months, I feel hope that Election Day won't be a bloodbath for the Dems.

I mean, has this guy ever been right on anything?

"Treating his opponents as unprincipled chuckleheads makes it less likely that Obama will get what he wants..."

When did it become more of a problem to call your opponents unprincipled chuckleheads than it is to BE an unprincipled chucklehead?

Let's see, the Republicans are acting like chuckleheads, but Obama shouldn't mention they are acting like chuckleheads because if he does they might continue acting like chuckleheads.

Then Mr. Halperin just what can the President do to ensure Republicans stop acting like chuckleheads and do the right thing?

Quote:"In the run-up to the 2006 Congressional elections, Halperin predicted that Bush would be "back over 53% any day now" and warned "If I were them [Democrats], I'd be scared to death about November's elections"."

Halperin's an idiot. That's why he's a major media bobblehead.

Two thoughts. First. Halperin is a thoroughly unprofessional GOP water-carrier. That has been obvious for years.

It seems that nowadays the only way you can draw significant criticism as a journalist is by engaging in rank plagiarism (e.g. Stephen Glass) or by writing demonstrably fabricated facts (e.g. Jayson Blair). Simply being an intellectually dishonest prick doesn't seem to cut it.

Second thought. IMHO, one of the reasons that Obama has been steadily losing support is that he deliberately cloaks his true beliefs. For example, here he proposes certain tax cuts that Republicans have historically supported. Left unsaid -- deliberately IMO -- is whether Obama is pushing them because he genuinely believes that they are good policy or whether he proposed them purely to attract GOP support.

The problem for Obama is that we have seen this pattern over and over. A policy issue arises. Obama proposes a typically Republican response. Republicans fail to take the bait. Then Obama is left whining that the GOP wont even accept their own policy ideas. That all may be true, but voters are left wondering what the hell OBAMA'S IDEAS ARE. If the GOP isn't going to cooperate, at least go on the record with what you think is the best possible policy.

We just saw this with the $50B additional stimulus proposal. Most liberals would say that it is a drop in the bucket and want much more stimulus. But if Obama never proposes anything bigger and then STILL fails to pass the $50B, it will demoralize Democrats (who don't get hard-ons for Republican policy ideas) while still failing to please GOP voters.

I like the phrase "unprincipled chuckleheads" - it fits perfectly. Why shouldn't the President treat them as they ought to be treated?

Democrats are visibly cheered when Obama takes on these blockheads or chuckleheads, as he has been doing in his recent speeches.

He said it: Republicans have done nothing except politick for 20 months. Democrats have done nothing but actually govern for 20 months, and it is now time for them to begin politicking.

Halperin fears Obama's zingers, which do tend to reach their aim in Republicans' thick hide, might turn the tide against Republicans?

This is just one of a series of hit-jobs by the Time against Obama over the past week. It's quite amazing.

If you look up the term "concern troll" you'll see a picture of Mark Halperin.

I'm sorry? I don't know the term 'chuckleheads'...out here in the West we just call them dickheads...

How exactly do you "betray" annoyance?

If you write "betray" when you meant to write "display" or "reveal" ...

You Might Be A Retard.

Well, I held off for a while, but since the grammar and meaning police have arrived...

Steve, I think the request is: "Please sir, I want some more."

You nailed it, Steve. To say that it is "unhelpful" for Obama to characterize the GOP looneys as "chuckleheads" (which he never has) is beyond hypocritical - it is delusional! The reptiles on the right have called Obama every name in the book and Helperin expects Obama to roll over like their pet dog? Obama should bitch slap every last one of the corksuckers - including Helperin!

First, uncertainty is not what ails the economy most right now. Republicans say this every day

And wonder of wonders, a member of the so-called "liberal media" asserts it as fact.

Not only that, but Halpern asserts it as if it were a fact he discovered on his own through "reporting."

God, I love the Internet. Jerks like Halperin get openly ripped apart in public and are too chicken to come here and respond. Love it!

Why is it that "Treating his opponents as unprincipled chuckleheads" is always a bad idea for a Democratic president and always a winning strategy for a Republican one?

Mark Helprepubs is an idiot and a hack.

I love that your support for dismissing people/businesses worried about the massive amount of uncertainty the WH has injected in the economy is to link to yourself and to another progressive blogger whose also provides no support beyond what he personally thinks. Way to be convincing, champ.

Here's an idea: Do a little investigating beyond what your brain tells you and find out if what you think actually reflects reality. In this case, it does not.

'Uncertainty' threatens U.S. economy

Survey Shows Uncertainty Slowing US Job Recovery

Treasuries Advance After BOJ Says U.S. Economic Uncertainty Is Increasing

Uncertainty Surrounding Tax Cuts Could Impede Recovery; US Treasury Secretary Says

Finding and pasting those links took one Google search plus one minute. There's plenty more where that came from, too.

Finally, don't bother trying to pass the line that any abnormal amount of uncertainty that currently exists is all the Republicans fault. There's plenty of quotes from business owners and foreign and domestic politicans that pin the current levels of uncertainty squarely on Obama's shoulders due to the mandates the Stimulus, the massive yet little-understood Healthcare and Reform bills, and on and on.

Halperin is the former editor of ABC's The Note.

That's all that one needs to know about his politics and his IQ.

we need a new media. Every journalist should be forced to reapply for their old jobs.

One of the fascinating things about politics today is that apparently the Democrats are expected to be the grownups, and the Republicans are just expected to not drool on the floor. Therefore, everything is the responsibility of the Democrats -- from governing to making sure the Republicans feelings don't get hurt.

Thus, the continual comments that conclude that the Republicans are basically unprincipled chuckleheads (love that phrase!), but nevertheless, the Democrats are to blame for everything. Who can blame the kids when they act up? It's obviously the parents' fault! :-)

Jill

"As for Halperin's concern about "contemptuous rhetoric," I think Republicans characterizing the president as an illegitimate, authoritarian Communist with Hitler-like tendencies and no birth certificate have cornered the market on this front."

Not to mention interrupting him to call him a liar during the State of the Union.

Halperin is an idiot of the kind preferred by our Corporatist Overlords' house organs.

you are all playa haters. don't hate the playa, hate the game. your jealousy of mark halperin is obvious. he is attacked from both the left and the right. he is a respected journalist by people with real influence and real knowledge. why waste your time railing against someone who had the #1 best seller on the ny times list for 7 weeks? clearly some people like his work. when you have written a best selling book, come back here and post attacks on him.

The main uncertainty that businesses have these days is whether or not they are going to have enough customers to cover their overhead. Putting more money in ordinary people's pockets would help a lot on that front.