Podesta: ‘We Just Can’t Settle’ For Excuses From The Democratic Leadership
Podesta: ‘We Just Can’t Settle’ For Excuses From The Democratic Leadership
When Al Franken became the 60th Democratic senator, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) made clear that it didn’t necessarily mean that progressive legislation would be enacted because he wasn’t planning to twist any arms:
“We have 60 votes on paper,” Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, said Wednesday in an interview. “But we cannot bulldoze anybody; it doesn’t work that way. My caucus doesn’t allow it. And we have a very diverse group of senators philosophically. I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles.”
Peter Laumann from the University of Pennsylvania asked Center for American Progress President and CEO John Podesta about this statement at yesterday’s 2009 Campus Progress National Conference. Podesta said that while he recognizes the extraordinarily tough job congressional leaders have with an unruly, diverse caucus, progressives need to keep pressure on them to round up the votes on important issues:
PODESTA: And I think that — I suppose I have a little bit of sympathy for Sen. Reid, in the sense that I look around at his caucus and understand how hard his job is. But I don’t think you can settle for a statement like that. I think you have to call out the fact that we’re demanding serious change, and indeed, it is the job of the leadership to round up votes, to push legislation through, to try to get the kind of bold initiatives that the President is talking about passed, and to his desk, and signed. [...]
And that, I think, is what we should expect, that’s what we should demand, and that’s what we should put pressure on the members of their caucus to push back on their leadership. You just cannot settle for “What am I supposed to do? I’ve got one outlier who won’t vote for cloture.” We’ve got to both put pressure on the members who are not supporting a progressive agenda, but we’ve also have to put pressure on the leadership to come up with a strategy to find the votes to kind of get these things and move them forward. And we just can’t settle for less than that.
Watch it:
During the discussion, Podesta also said that while he’s generally been pleased with Obama’s agenda to this point, he would like to see him “use his executive authority to stop separating service men and women who are gay or lesbian under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.” “He can push hard and sort of get in front, and not wait for a political consensus on Capitol Hill to resolve this question,” he said.
Transcript:
Q: So what are we supposed to do when our own leadership is somewhat apathetic to what we voted for them for?
PODESTA: That’s a great question. (APPLAUSE) It’s a great question. And I think if there was an easy answer, we’d all have it. It seems to me that we can’t settle for that kind of thinking. There’s got to be pressure on the leadership itself. And to some extent, there’s got to be pressure on the White House to put pressure back on the leadership.
And I think that — I suppose I have a little bit of sympathy for Sen. Reid, in the sense that I look around at his caucus and understand how hard his job is. But I don’t think you can settle for a statement like that. I think you have to call out the fact that we’re demanding serious change, and indeed, it is the job of the leadership to round up votes, to push legislation through, to try to get the kind of bold initiatives that the President is talking about passed, and to his desk, and signed.
I have to say, I think that — there will probably be some dispute in the room about how far the bill went — I still think the job that Speaker Pelosi did, that Congressman Waxman and Congressman Markey did getting this energy and climate bill through the House was remarkable. And that took every ounce of leadership from her beginning at the beginning of the year. They had a tough leadership fight in the committee when Sen. Waxman — Congressman Waxman — took over the committee, all the way through to the final 219-212 vote. That is real leadership.
And that, I think, is what we should expect, that’s what we should demand, and that’s what we should put pressure on the members of their caucus to push back on their leadership. You just cannot settle for “What am I supposed to do? I’ve got one outlier who won’t vote for cloture.” We’ve got to both put pressure on the members who are not supporting a progressive agenda, but we’ve also have to put pressure on the leadership to come up with a strategy to find the votes to kind of get these things and move them forward. And we just can’t settle for less than that. [...]
PODESTA: I said there are places where I think he’s fallen short of the mark. We’ve been pushing, at CAP, for him to use his executive authority to stop separating service men and women who are gay or lesbian under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. We think he’s got that authority; there’s some question in the White House whether he does or he doesn’t. I won’t make Daniella offer a legal opinion here on that question. But we think he can go further on that. He can push hard and sort of get in front, and not wait for a political consensus on Capitol Hill to resolve this question.
He says in order to do it he needs permanent legislation, but we think that he’s got a lot of executive authority which he can move the ball forward.
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Mr Podesta
It’s readily apparent that Obama is a CENTRIST , and highly unlikely to “get out front” when it comes to so-called “controversial” issues………..
July 9th, 2009 at 5:49 pmI have to agree with Podesta on this. Just because there are now 60 “Democratic” senators doesn’t mean all 60 will vote the party line.
That’s why it didn’t make any sense when some were saying “when Franken gets in, we’ll have 60 votes.”
It only matters IF and WHEN you can rely on all of them in lock step — kinda like the Repubicons.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:52 pmHey, Podesta, the draft ended a long time ago.
Reid has enthusiastically peddled his ass all over the world for power as a Senator and as the Senate Majority Leader. Sympathy hell.
Jail.
Nobody begged him to be Senator. No body begged him to be Senate Majority Leader. Call a whore a whore, not a mistress.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:54 pmI just bid on Reid’s testicles on ebay.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:55 pmHe doesn’t need them, apparently.
I’m planning on feeding them to Darlyy.
Sen. Reid needs to step up to the plate or make room for somebody who will.
July 9th, 2009 at 5:58 pmthank you, mr. podesta…
i was afraid to offer any words of praise to ol’ harry the other day…
that this is why:
“I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles.”
nor any morning it seems…
how DID he get to be “leader”…? is it seniority only?
definitely not leadership capabilities…
July 9th, 2009 at 6:03 pmHear! Hear!
July 9th, 2009 at 6:05 pmIt is only necessary to round up 60 Democratic votes because it is a given that all 40 of the Republicans are going to vote with their caucus. The Republicans have no alternative agenda to offer, but can succeed in derailing progress on all the many issues that face America today. The Democrats should not let them. Use the supermajority which the country has granted you to push through the changes that we so desperately need. If Reid continues to “lead” the party as if it is a minority then that will become a self fulfilling prophecy.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:16 pmIf there were 99 Democrats in the Senate and 1 Republican, the Senate would be controlled by the Republican.
And if there 100 Democrats in the Senate, the GOP would still call the shots.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:18 pm“I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles.” – Spineless Reid.
Sentence construction.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:20 pmWeren’t there posters here yesterday saying how Reid finally grew a pair. You’ll have to take it back.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:32 pmNo one wants them to walk in lockstep but they sure could show some unity on major issues or not get in the way of things that the nation plainly voted for and polls show have unprecedented support.
We have to keep in mind THE reason the right has been yammering on about Obama being a socialist. The reason is that by doing so they neuter ANY criticism from the left. If Obama is a commie socialist then, by definition, ANY criticism of him from the left is seen as coming from the extreme, the FAAAAAR left. That is why Obama doesn’t give a crap what his base says and people like Feinstein says she doesn’t give a rat’s rear what the left says. They use the right’s framing for cover and I think they know they are doing it.
This is why the media has played the game of “Is he a socialist,” they don’t want the status quo ruffled.
Let’s put it simply, no one cares what Podesta, you or me say. We want what the majority of Americans want and THAT does not matter to Obama or Reid. Until someone has the balls to take Reid’s job, this will not change and that won’t happen because democrats like being the party of standing for nothing. It’s safe and they don’t get called names by the wingnuts, their number one priority
July 9th, 2009 at 6:35 pmReid has balls of Steele.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:37 pmHe did show a pair and then the coward took what he said back. No one should ever, ever think Reid has backbone. He’s like Lee Hamilton. He’ll say something that sounds strong but thenn never, NEVER stand up, or you might lose your milquetoast crown.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:39 pmPerfect! Best one this week.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:40 pmThanks Pernell. It suddenly just came to me.
July 9th, 2009 at 6:41 pmReid is poop.He has no leadership qualities.Leave it up to Reid & Health Care will stay like it is,only the wealthy will be able to afford it.
July 9th, 2009 at 7:15 pmThanks
July 9th, 2009 at 7:26 pm16.Rich H Says: Reid has balls of Steele.
What we need in the Senate leadership position are balls of ‘Fine Gold.’
(See what I did there?…’Fine Gold,’…Feingold……hoohah!)
July 9th, 2009 at 7:28 pmI’ve started writing and calling Obama daily to tell him to pull some strings and get Reid replaced. He’s the very epitome of the weak, spinelss, Dukakis/Mondale/Kerry, LOSER democrat that’s we’ve been trying to turn the corner and get away from. The guy reeks of the most impotent, slimy, pathetic COWARDICE that I have seen in a politician in a long long while.
July 9th, 2009 at 7:30 pmHanshiro, good one!
July 9th, 2009 at 7:31 pmobsessed,
You make him sound like Ichabod Crane.
July 9th, 2009 at 7:32 pmEverytime I read that statement from Harry “spineless” Reid I think – fu(k twisting arms – break those bastards!
I wish some one with the WILL and the cojones was the Majority Leader!
July 9th, 2009 at 7:54 pmI think one of the best ways of sending a message is to tell the Democrats that you won’t vote for them UNLESS they pass certain legislation, and not watered down versions.
Tell your Senators, Congressman, and the President. Tell them that you will start to vote for 3rd party candidates even if they don’t win. Remind them that they need your vote more than you need theirs, especially if they won’t pass the legislation that we Progressives want.
If they don’t, DON’T VOTE FOR THEM. Even if someone like Caribou Barbie gets in office. Send the message that they need us.
July 9th, 2009 at 8:55 pmI’m a little confused here. Why did we have to accept excuses from Georgie for eight years? Now we’re not supposed to accept any for any reason at all? Georgie gave them out for national disasters, going to war for no reason, incarcerating whomever he pleased, whatever! So why is this idiot upset? Please someone give him some nitrous oxide!
July 9th, 2009 at 8:58 pm______
Helen Rainier Says:
It only matters IF and WHEN you can rely on all of them in lock step — kinda like the Repubicons.
Pernell Says:
No one wants them to walk in lockstep but they sure could show some unity on major issues…
______
Republicans voting together are in lockstep; but Dems being pressured to vote in a way they don’t think their constituents want is unity? ;)
July 9th, 2009 at 9:02 pmany wonder democrats have a reputation for standing for nothing.
“diverse caucus” my ass. reid and the rest of the half of “his caucus” that are nothing more than flim flam men and women need to be run out of town and become what they are: right of center republicans.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:17 pmJohn, You have influence in the White House — use it!
Obama has passed a lot of legislation in 5 months, but the larger issues remain to be addressed. The people are getting restless in that we are not seeing enough progress.
Get the word to the White House, John.
Obama must address the DADT nd DOMA as soon as possible.
Obama must send out surrogates to counter the right wing machine that dominates the news cameras; they must point out the early stages of the success of the stimulus.
Obama must clear up the CIA problem –get Justice to investigate or appoint a special prosecutor; Obama must avoid repeating the secrecy of the Bush administration.
Those are huge problems, I know, but Obama has to get out in front now, or he will suffer for the delay. Republicans be damned — they don’t know the meaning of bipartisanship or cooperation — f**k them.
July 9th, 2009 at 9:40 pmDid Harry peak out from under the sand long enough to tell us he was going back in?
July 9th, 2009 at 9:42 pmLefty Liberal Says:
they’re still running on the ABR idea: anyone but a Republican…they think that we’ll be FORCED to vote for the lesser of two evils…so they can afford to take us for granted and not their corporate masters…
July 9th, 2009 at 9:54 pmthey’re bought off!
July 9th, 2009 at 10:10 pmthose that don’t want to rock the lobby system… they didn’t want 60 votes.
they lip sync what gets them elected by the people, knowing the $ come from the lobbyists.
Problem is, Progressives are not stupid, like gop constituents.!
Don’t twist arms, Reid, bang some heads together, make them ring like a gong.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:11 pm“I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles.”
What muscles? Harry, you never had any!
Damn, I’m sick of him.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:25 pmThis is good cop bad cop.
The bad cops are Republicans that blatantly and overtly pursue a corporate agenda. The “Democrats” are playing the good cops that just want to try to get along while more covertly maintaining the Republican agenda.
The bribes come from the same place regardless who is hoarding them.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:38 pm.
Why can’t Obama pen an Executive Order for the DoD to halt the “practice” of DADT until Congress comes up with new legislation. THEN, he can lobby Congress to craft anti-discrimination laws for the military that include gay service members AND their families/partners?
Is it really that difficult?
I mean, by putting a halt to DADT, it will force Congress to circle back and address, at least, Obama’s EO, or craft new law to match the EO.
.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:42 pmGet in there and broker a deal. Do it down the middle, in pure bipartisan fashion. Give a little and get a little. Let’s say you give me the trigger if I give you a cap on malpractice judgments.
July 9th, 2009 at 10:50 pmJane # 37
“I am not this morning suddenly flexing my muscles.”
said Olive Oil (aka Harry Reid)
July 9th, 2009 at 10:51 pmRich, I don’t think Reid ever ate spinach in his life. I really can’t remember any political figure who was as wussy as Reid is.
Gotta run – Daily Show. Have a good night!
July 9th, 2009 at 10:59 pm#10 — Thanks for clarifying that. That is what I was trying to say, but I did it in a clumsy way. I’ve heard so many of the “dem leaders” in the Congress making that excuse “Oh, but if we only had 60 votes . . . ” and they don’t to bring bills to the floor (at least that’s how I understand it). The 60 is needed, as I understand, the stop the Reps from filibustering.
Perhaps my understanding is incorrect and if it is I will appreciate having it explained to me. The other side of this is the assumption some people seemed to be making was that once there were technically “60″ Dems/people caucusing with the Dems it would be a “guarantee” they would all vote with the party.
I may have articulated that clumsily and if so, I apologize for the confusion.
July 9th, 2009 at 11:14 pmYes,
Forget the whole Republic thing and strong arm people who are in your club, to stand with you and damn the interest of their states!!!
July 9th, 2009 at 11:48 pmHow did a bunch of fearless tough guys like us manage to elect such spineless leaders?
July 10th, 2009 at 5:40 amWe can’t have excuses from the dems.
We’d rather have statements from the repubs, against the facts, that everything is under our control.
July 10th, 2009 at 2:48 pmThank You..
Sesli Chat , Sesli Sohbet
July 14th, 2009 at 1:42 amSesli Chat , Sesli Sohbet
Sesli Chat , Sesli Sohbet