WSJ Editorial Page Ludicrously Claims That Obama Is Running For ‘George Bush’s Third Term’
WSJ Editorial Page Ludicrously Claims That Obama Is Running For ‘George Bush’s Third Term’
In an editorial this morning, the Wall Street Journal stretches the limits of credibility and audaciously claims that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is the candidate running for “George Bush’s third term.” To support their claim, the WSJ editors point to Obama’s recent position on warrantless surveillance:
Take the surveillance of foreign terrorists. Last October, while running with the Democratic pack, the Illinois Senator vowed to “support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies” that assisted in such eavesdropping after 9/11. [...]
Two weeks ago, however, the House passed a bill that is essentially the same as that Senate version, and Mr. Obama now says he supports it. Apparently legal immunity for the telcos is vital for U.S. national security, just as Mr. Bush has claimed.
Though Obama has stepped back from his promise to filibuster, he has come no where close to saying that “legal immunity for the telcos is vital for U.S. national security.” In fact, he has said that he will “work in the Senate to remove this provision.”
More importantly, it is Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) who is fully in lockstep with President Bush on retroactive immunity for telecoms:
After Wired magazine wrote about Mr. Fish’s remarks on its blog, raising the question of whether Mr. McCain’s position had become more skeptical about immunity, the McCain campaign put out a statement saying that Mr. Fish was mistaken. Mr. McCain supported ending the lawsuits without conditions and his position had not changed, the campaign said.
The Wall Street Journal editorial also cites Obama’s recent positions on free trade and the Supreme Court, but once again, it is McCain who actually mimics President Bush’s policy preferences in these areas.
With two-thirds of Americans concerned that John McCain will continue President Bush’s policies, it’s understandable that his allies are trying to muddy the waters. But just as when McCain economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin attempted to push the same argument, the result is to just remind Americans that McCain will continue Bush’s policies for a third term.
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61 Responses to “WSJ Editorial Page Ludicrously Claims That Obama Is Running For ‘George Bush’s Third Term’”
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Wait - who owns the WSJ now? Rupert?
It makes sense now.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:10 pmOh, now *that's* just plain damned funny!!!
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:13 pmWow! The GOP really have nothing, do they?
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:15 pmNot that the editorial page isn't already known, and has anything to do with its credibility on actuall stories, obama on fisa does say something.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm.
WOW...
up IS down
.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:15 pmIn a way, it's kind of comforting. If they've got to stretch so far to come up with something so ridiculous with which to discredit Obama, they got nothin'.
Hell, why not just claim that Obama is a Republican and McSame a Democrat?
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm.
rogerse,
And McSames stance on FISA doesn't merrit a defense from you?
I-AM-SHOCKED!
.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:17 pm... said Alice.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:17 pmnew spelling, same confused jibberish.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:17 pm.
But, but, but...
I thought Johnny was the McBush!
.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:18 pmAnd one other thing:
this shows that the "Third Bush Term" bit is sticking.
And it smells really bad.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:18 pmWhile I am dismayed by Obama's change of heart on telecom immunity, the idea that he's a Bush clone is completely ridiculous.
What's amazing is that the WSJ is able to say this with a straight face -- even if they ARE owned by Murdoch.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
rozerze Says:
new spelling, same confused jibberish.
He could save a lot of effort by just saving a little macro that says: "mcane gud, obema badd"
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pmThe Murdoch plan - make the WSJ the print version of Fox News. Hopefully the readers of the WSJ are a little more savvy then viewers of Fox.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:20 pmI hate to say it but Mr Obama comes close to GWB at the present time on this subject. Obama's flip and embrace of the FISA admendment is totally awash in bush shit.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:22 pmMight as well rename it the Wall BackAlley YellowRag.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:22 pmacv Says:
The Murdoch plan - make the WSJ the print version of Fox News. Hopefully the readers of the WSJ are a little more savvy then viewers of Fox.
What?!!! The editorial pages of the WSJ have been a cesspit of right wing lunacy for many years. Decades. Could be centuries.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 pmI'm expecting Obama to come out with a retroactive immunity stripping amendment on or about July 12, 2008. Until then, I am reserving judgement. And my monthly donation. That was mentioned in my phone conversation with a staffer in his office.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 pmNow, perhaps, Obama sees the remarkable profit he's gained by endorsing (no matter how "reluctantly" due to the immunity provision) this FISA legislation. Such stalwart GOP organs like the WSJ were obviously waiting for him to "triangulate" so that they might voice their support for him. Obviously.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:24 pmEr,. correction, make that July 9th...
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:24 pmI'm guessing some prescient media types will say So-And-So is running for George Bush's 12th term in 2044.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:25 pmWell, Obama does want to expand Busch's 'Faith Based' give-away; does he not?
Also, if Obama backs down (and he's been doing a lot of that lately) from the Pentagon and doesn't get us out of Iraq, then it might as well be a Busch third term because we're going down the tubes.
¶ AIO
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:27 pmLeftside Annie Says:
Oh, now *that’s* just plain damned funny!!!
Yes, but it is also tragic, because now I have to use that eyeroll you gave me against the WSJ...what a waste.
*eyeroll*
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:27 pmWow, guess this means the WSJ endorses Obama. Thanks Rupes!
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:33 pmThough Obama has stepped back from his promise to filibuster, he has come no where close to saying that “legal immunity for the telcos is vital for U.S. national security.” em>
but if he still votes for it anyway, it doesn't matter what he says, he's shifting to the right.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:34 pmKeltoi and Annie, sittin' in a tree...
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:36 pmOut of curiosity, does anyone know the readership of the WSJ these days? What about compared to, say, 18 months ago?
Just curious.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:39 pmI know they're overwhelmed trying to sell their discredited agenda to an uninterested nation, but is it too much to ask that the RNC get some decent quality control when it comes to their trolls?
Sheesh.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:40 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
Keltoi and Annie, sittin’ in a tree…
Shoosh, Ralph! The day is young, I'm sure I'll piss her off before long, can't I enjoy a moment of harmony?
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:42 pmMax-1 Says:
.
rogerse,
And McSames stance on FISA doesn’t merrit a defense from you?
I-AM-SHOCKED!
Which stance? 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 or 2008?
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:42 pmWell, this should prove to Obama that moving to the middle to try to cut off Republican criticism doesn't work. They will criticize you anyway and now they have a legitimate claim, that Obama can't be trusted because he went back on his word on FISA.
Why is it that every Democratic Presidential candidate feels like they need to move to the middle? Obama can win without adopting Republican stands on issues. All he is doing by moving to the middle is throwing his base under the bus.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:44 pmSo, if Obama is going to run "Bush's third term", will Reichwingers vote for him, en masse?
Is that what they are trying to tell us?
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:44 pmWell the WSJ was right on the FISA deal, in that is like what bush and mcsame would do.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:47 pmOT, but how come no mention of McIIIrd dumping his campaign manager in favor of a Rove protege, Steven Smith?
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:47 pmKeltoi Says:
ralph the wonder llama Says:
Keltoi and Annie, sittin’ in a tree…
Shoosh, Ralph! The day is young, I’m sure I’ll piss her off before long, can’t I enjoy a moment of harmony?
LOL...Of course you can enjoy the harmony - for as long as you like.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:53 pmJust teasin' Keltoi. I think it's sweet.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:54 pmStratRat Says:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Keltoi Says:
ralph the wonder llama Says:
Keltoi and Annie, sittin’ in a tree…
Shoosh, Ralph! The day is young, I’m sure I’ll piss her off before long, can’t I enjoy a moment of harmony?
LOL…Of course you can enjoy the harmony - for as long as you like.
Eyeroll 'em, Annie, eyeroll 'em!
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:55 pmProjection is all they’ve got?? Dang, they’re screwed.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:56 pmRepuglycan campaign strategy:
Throw shit on wall.
Examine that which sticks.
Lick the rest off the floor.
Repeat, but do not rinse.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:58 pm#alphainfinityomega Says:
Well, Obama does want to expand Busch’s ‘Faith Based’ give-away; does he not?
This is one where you really do need to listen to the speech he gave on it and read his position. He is coming from the point of a community organizer. He worked with many churches in Chicago to provide services for the poor and elderly. The thing that is important is that he will insist that there be no preaching allowed and the organizations cannot discriminate in hiring based on religion. He's also talking about the organizations having to set up new non-profits to divorce the organization from the religious influence of the parent organization. If this is done right, it can be a boon to our social service system in this country. Also, he is CLOSING the Office of Faith Based Initiatives because he recognizes that many of the organizations involved with that office were simply give-aways of taxpayer dollars.
I'm giving Obama a pass on this one as long as he follows through on keeping religion out of our government.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:07 pm#alphainfinityomega Says:
Also, if Obama backs down (and he’s been doing a lot of that lately) from the Pentagon and doesn’t get us out of Iraq, then it might as well be a Busch third term because we’re going down the tubes.
So, where did you get the fact that Obama is backing down on Iraq (other than from the MSM)? Obama has always said that he would get out of Iraq responsibly. His plan was to take around 16 months to get them out in an orderly manner. As far as I can tell, he hasn't changed his view on that. If you know of anything that says otherwise, you might want to post it here.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:09 pmAll right, y'all - here goes - hang on to yer hats:
*BAER*
(translation: Big Ass Eye Roll)
Take that!!!
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:10 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
rozerze Says:
I know they’re overwhelmed trying to sell their discredited agenda to an uninterested nation, but is it too much to ask that the RNC get some decent quality control when it comes to their trolls? Sheesh.
It would work better if TP would ban them according to their IP address. By not doing that, they are making a lot more work for themselves trying to keep up with the new identities of our serial trolls.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:11 pmNo No. Banning isn't the answer. Inside employ them to make your argument...
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:20 pmor instead. Sorry...
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:20 pmAmerica is truly the Theater of the Absurd.
It's amazing how those who are so obsessed with America being Number One are the ones turning us into a complete laughingstock. I would say this is irony but irony died years ago.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:22 pmA few weeks ago I would agree, but I don't even recognize the Obama that has emerged since the primaries. I try not to be a progressive purity troll, but I am certainly less enthusiastic in helping Obama since his sharp turn towards the right. I will vote for him, but I am no longer excited like I was.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:22 pmdbadass Says:
No No. Banning isn’t the answer. Instead employ them to make your argument…
Sometimes all we gotta do is give them more rope. They can tie themselves up very nicely without any of our assistance.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:22 pmI try not to be a progressive purity troll, but I am certainly less enthusiastic in helping Obama since his sharp turn towards the right. I will vote for him, but I am no longer excited like I was.
Me too...
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:23 pmSo where's Daryll singing the praises of Barack Obama for continuing the wonderfully successful policies of der chymperor?
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:25 pm29 percenter Jonah Goldberg said something like that in his ChiTrib op-ed today. "Can Obama rescue Bush legacy?"
The final paragraph is the corker from the spawn of the odious Lucianne Goldberg
"Already, Obama is changing his tune from his old, irresponsibly heated rhetoric about "immediate" withdrawal to talking about the need for policies that would adapt to the improving conditions in Iraq. Given Obama's ideological leanings and inexperience, there's clearly plenty of potential for him to make costly mistakes. But odds are he too would come to realize that America needs to win the war on terror and succeed in Iraq. Hence the greatest irony. A successful Obama presidency would have the unintended consequence of making Bush's memoir a success story."
No, idiot, he'd be cleaning up Bush's mess and trying to make the best of it. Does anybody seriously think that if 5 lawyers hadn't decided to give the presidency to Bush, President Gore would have gotten us in this mess in Iraq?
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:30 pmA reminder of the who supports McCain:
Large corps,the military complex,the very rich and the MSM.
If you want to continue to be F'ed, vote GOP!
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:31 pmWe're beginning to understand why Barack Obama keeps protesting so vigorously against the prospect of "George Bush's third term." Maybe he's worried that someone will notice that he's the candidate who's running for it.
Update:
Today, John McCain filed suit in civil court to stop the WSJ editorial board from using the phrase "George Bush's third term" in relation to Barak Obama. McCain has filed for a copyright on the phrase and his lawyers claim that the McCain campaign has exclusive rights.
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:54 pmIf Obama moves any further to the "center," the WSJ claim won't be so ludicrous after all.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:13 pmWSJ's claim seems an exaggeration, but it may be true soon enough. At the rate Obama's moving to the right, by November his only distinction may be that he's not McCain.
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:23 pmIt's a damned shame that Obama hasn't learned the lesson of John Kerry and countless other Democrats: Given a choice between a Republican, and an imitation Republican, voters choose the real thing every time. The choice will be easier since the real thing is all-white, and doesn't have a middle name like Hussein.
It's been written that this election is Obama's to lose. I'm crushed to see he's trying.
Here is another link
http://www.slate.com/id/2194758/
that nicely summarizes O's move to the right.
I am a bit surprised at how surprised you all are by his shift, it is totally predictable. The primary candidate and the general candidate often bear no resemblance to one another. It is called politics.
That said, I too was filled with "hope" that maybe Obama was different, but I think it is pretty clear he is different only in that he is the first post-boomer candidate who didn't have to explain what they did in Vietnam, black, and incredibly eloquent. Otherwise, he is, gasp, a politician.
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:32 pmWhen reichwingers can't depend on reality, they make stuff up. That happens always because reality and truth does not ever work in a reichwingnuts favor. Truth and reality reveals their lies, crimes, and greed.
July 2nd, 2008 at 5:00 pmTo all you doomsdayers, look at what you have received from the reichwingers for the past eight plus years. Look at McSame and listen to his flip flopping on a daily basis and then look at the big picture with Obama. You cannot judge everything on two issues. He is not going to be able to get everything at once. Our process is tedious and combersome. We have to stick together first to get the rethuglicans out of office. McSame is nothing different than the lying fascist we have today. Get your heads up and elect every demcratic candidate you can to get these thugs out of Washington DC.
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:44 pmlivelongandprosper @#30,
Exactly...
It's a very, very wide stance...
.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:47 amI agree, it's not 'Bush's Third Term.' That's just silly. It's John (Flip-Flop) Kerry's first term. There's no issue so fundamental to his belief system that he can't change his mind on it as changes in the environment warrent. It's a well known Democratic worldview called 'Flexible Principles.'
July 3rd, 2008 at 7:37 pmthanks for all
Mor Inof
July 16th, 2008 at 8:59 amhttp://www.softonlinesoft.com