POLITICO: "The Left's Stupid Second-Guessing Of Biden"

[NurseJackie]

(Presented without comment... and that's the exact POLITICO headline. Read and discuss.)

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/12/02/biden-left-second-guessing-442097

"Altitude"

The Left’s Stupid Second-Guessing Of Biden

It’s possible many people making the arguments against potential Biden appointees don’t know what they are arguing.

By JOHN F. HARRIS
12/02/2020 04:30 AM EST
Altitude is a column by POLITICO founding editor John Harris,
offering weekly perspective on politics in a moment of radical disruption.

Rahm Emanuel and Bruce Reed are two longtime friends who both had high-level experience in the Clinton and Obama White House and now share another bond: Prominent voices on the left are urging President-elect Joe Biden not to bring them on for yet another tour of government service.

As it happens, Emanuel and Reed in 2005 also co-authored a book, The Plan: Big Ideas for America, in which these two Democratic moderates offered their prescriptions for the Democratic Party and the country in the generation ahead.

There must be a copy on the shelf around here somewhere. Surely it will be entertaining to read the cringeworthy things these centrists advocated 15 years ago, back when their timid, Clintonesque brand of politics was still in vogue. Probably there will be chapters urging Democrats to take it easy on Wall Street and tone down their class-warfare rhetoric. Perhaps sermons on bipartisanship and some tough-on-crime ideas to reassure anxious suburbanites.

Actually, turns out none of that is in The Plan. What is there are proposals—well before the idea of Barack Obama or Bernie Sanders running for president was widely contemplated—for robust expansion of government to allow universal access to free college; universal health care for children; increases in the minimum wage and on taxes paid by the wealthy and corporations; and investments in clean energy with the aim of cutting national gasoline consumption in half by 2015.

Now the people who advocated these ideas are viewed as apostates by the Democratic left.

(more at link shown above)

[malaise]

1. Politico is a ReTHUG outlet

Their opinion doesn't matter

[NurseJackie]

17. No it's not. That's an absurd claim.

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/politico/

?w=940&ssl=1


LEFT-CENTER BIAS

These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information, but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.

Overall, we rate Politico Left-Center biased based on story selection and editorial positions that slightly favor the left. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a clean fact check record.

[Gothmog]

31. I disagree with Politico a great deal but it is not a right wing news source

I disagree with a significant amount of the reporting but this site is not a right wing site by a long ways

[Hortensis]

41. And in this case, an absurd response to this article.

Knee-jerk denial is not an intelligent response to new information. It however is an excellent way of maintaining the kind of ignorance that defeats commitment and helps reelect Republicans.

Think it can’t be true? Check that out, because what if it is?

[wellst0nev0ter]

2. Crtl-F Laquan

"0/0 results"

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Politico is pursuing a time-tested strategy

‘Let’s you and him fight!’

[dsc]

4. In the case of Emmanuel in particular I think the article is wrong on what the problems with him are

One is that he frankly conspired to cover up a murder, and that should be disqualifying under any circumstances. But even without that, he simply was a very anti union guy when mayor of Chicago.

[AmericanCanuck]

5. A good article from Politico for a change

The "left" is its own worst enemy.

[George II]

6. I found this particularly interesting toward the end of the article:

If the Democratic left doesn’t want a president who would be tempted to appoint the likes of Ricchetti, Emanuel, or Reed, the best option would have been to win the nomination and general election for someone like Sanders or Elizabeth Warren—who wouldn’t want that crowd working for them and for whom that crowd wouldn’t want to work. Sanders and Warren backers tried that in 2020 and didn’t succeed.

[NurseJackie]

8. That's a very astute and concise observation.

There's no denying or refuting it.

[Cha]

24. SNAP!!

[Squinch]

7. Politico. Pffft.

[treestar]

9. Listening to the right wing talking of not voting in the GA election

reminded me of the same thing. They do not see what that does? If it's to our advantage, we cheer it on.

I cite always Christine O'Donnell, who lost a Senate seat the Republicans had in the bag, but they chose the more extreme candidate (the Witch) and lost.

[NurseJackie]

11. Neera Tanden, is drawing the kind of fire [Susan] Rice would have taken from Republicans

This helps to put things into perspective. It's just a short paragraph from the Politico article, but it certainly explains much.

Meanwhile, Biden’s choice as budget director, Neera Tanden, is drawing the kind of fire [Susan] Rice would have taken from Republicans—quite the coincidence that she also is an outspoken women of color. But Tanden is also drawing grumbles from some on the left, even though she is president of the Center for American Progress, one of the leading generators of progressive policy ideas. That’s because she was vocal in arguing that Bernie Sanders would be a poor choice as nominee on electability grounds.

[George II]

12. Hah, I remember that. That poor woman had to record an ad protesting "I am not a witch"!

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

10. Politico is freaking out because we united and womped their beloved

fascist Fuhrer.

We banded together and gave Joe and Kamala over 81,000,000 votes and still counting. J&K are ahead of Trump by close to 7,000,000 votes. 4.3%.

Be afraid, Politico, you ain't seen nothin' yet. 100,000,000 Democratic votes in 2024.

[NurseJackie]

14. Politico is not a RW news source.

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/politico/

?w=940&ssl=1


LEFT-CENTER BIAS

These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information, but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.

Overall, we rate Politico Left-Center biased based on story selection and editorial positions that slightly favor the left. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a clean fact check record.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

18. I suppose my concept of what constitutes left and right

differs from theirs.

Their disparaging of the "Left", for example.

If Democrats are not the "Left", then what does that make us?

[NurseJackie]

19. Nobody is disparaging anyone. They showing how "the left" is wrong about...

... Biden's choices. They have illustrated that "the left" are objecting to Biden's choices for unjustified reasons, or for reasons of pride (ie: "she said Bernie wasn't the best candidate, therefore we don't like her!" Of course nobody said those words, but that's their justification and motivation.)

In any case, I think it weakens whatever point you're trying to make by making absurd accusations like "their beloved fascist Fuhrer" when such things are demonstrably false.

That's all I'm trying to say.

[wellst0nev0ter]

20. The stalinists at the NAACP oppose Rahm Emanuel

Remember, Emanuel stonewalled the investigation into Laquan McDonald's murder until after he was safely re-elected

“As the former Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel has shown us that he is not a principled leader or person,” Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, told HuffPost in a statement. “His time in public service proved to be burdened with preventable scandal and abandonment of Chicago’s most vulnerable community. How can we expect him to do better on a federal level? His actions and approach to governing are detrimental to the Biden Administration and, more importantly, the American people.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rahm-emanuel-joe-biden-progressive-wing_n_5fc6af50c5b6e4b1ea4f8075?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004

Who in their right mind would support this pick?

[George II]

21. This claim that Emmanuel "covered up a murder" is, at best, disingenuous...........

Looking at the facts of this horrible incident and the facts surrounding it:

The shooting took place on October 14, 2014.
The investigation began almost immediately after the shooting.
The election took place on February 24, 2015 - just 133 days after the shooting.
On April 13, 2015 the US Attorney's office confirmed that it was conducting a FEDERAL investigation.

There was no cover up - murder cases move slowly and if evidence is capriciously released before an investigation is completed it could affect any subsequent legal actions, like Grand Jury proceedings, indictment, or trial.

Barely a year after the shooting (roughly the normal amount of time in such cases) the officer was charged with first-degree murder, and on December 16, 2015 he was indicted by a grand jury on six counts of first-degree murder and additional charges.

The officer involved, Jason Van Dyke, was tried and convicted of second-degree murder and is in prison.

Three officers were also charged with conspiracy, misconduct, and obstruction of justice connected with a "coverup" and were acquitted.

There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that Rahm Emmanuel was involved in a "cover up".

I'm not crazy about Emmanuel and don't know what kind of job he'd do, if anything, in a Biden administration, but to falsely accuse him of a crime is simply wrong.

[NurseJackie]

22. You're being too kind with the "at-best" characterization.

I think it's an intentional smear.

[wellst0nev0ter]

25. I guess we're at the "talking past each other" portion of the discourse

Emanuel's administration covered up video evidence of Laquan McDonald's murder that proved the cops lied. There is no other way to interpret the sequence of events

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/30/opinion/cover-up-in-chicago.html

[George II]

27. If he was involved in a cover up he would have been charged. He wasn't. However three officers....

....were charged with a coverup and subsequently acquitted.

The whole affair was messy and not handled properly, but that doesn't mean there was a coverup or intentional bungles. Even Emmanuel admitted that he made some errors in the handling of this. But they certainly didn't rise to the level of criminal behavior as many are claiming.

[wellst0nev0ter]

28. Just because Rahm wasn't charged doesn't make him right

It was a coverup, plain and simple.

Everything else is just hairsplitting.

[NurseJackie]

36. That's an editorial. Opinion, not news.

[wellst0nev0ter]

43. NAACP statement on Emanuel

Because listen to Black voters, right?

The NAACP has publicly stood against the potential appointment of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, whom Mr. Biden is reportedly considering for transportation secretary. In a statement to Huff Post, Johnson said Emanuel was "not a principled leader or person."

Emanuel, a former Obama chief of staff, was criticized during his tenure as mayor for the delay in releasing video showing the police shooting death of Laquan McDonald, a Black teenager, until after his 2015 reelection.

"The police violence in this country has been rampant, and individuals who have participated in the cover up or the actions, they shouldn't be considered here," Johnson said. "That is not the type of individual that should be a part of any administration.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-naacp-cabinet-members-civil-rights-policy

[NurseJackie]

44. What cover-up? You and George II have already been through this...

... no need for me to repeat it all again here. I think he makes a better argument.

[wellst0nev0ter]

45. The coverup of the video

Look it up, the links are right there

[NurseJackie]

46. He was involved in no cover-up.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=14655956

[wellst0nev0ter]

47. Nothing in that post addresses the video

At least not in any direct manner. It only paints a self-serving narrative that ignores the explosive nature of the video and how it upended the narrative surrounding Laquan's murder.

The fact of the matter is that Emanuel and his deputies kept the incriminating video under wraps because he was too scared to indict the crooked cops and risk the wrath of the cop unions during an election year. The video would have built up public pressure to put cops in handcuffs, complicating Rahm's campaign.

You could have read the NY Times op-ed analysis about the murder without dismissing it as an "editorial," but it is clear you are not interested in any good faith discussion of the topic. This will be the last reply I will make on this subject.

[NurseJackie]

48. ...

self-serving narrative

[radius777]

35. +1. Dems ignore our base at their own peril.

Hillary lost because of depressed turnout of PoC, youth and urban areas - Biden won because he brought it back to normal levels (even if not as high as Obama levels).

People fixate on the Spanberger type of districts. But the fact remains, Democrats are a metrocentric party that cannot win any statewide or national race without heavy turnout from our urban base. Just look at any electoral map by county, and it is evident that Dem votes are concentrated in urban (ie diverse) areas, for whom progressive issues such as policing, systemic racism and income inequality are front and center.

[melman]

26. "that's their justification and motivation"

It's not.

[NurseJackie]

33. Lulz!

[George II]

29. Usually Politico has been criticized here for being too far left, this is the first time....

....I've seen them criticized for not being so enough.

[NurseJackie]

37. I know, right?

[LeftInTX]

38. What?? Are you being sarcastic??

I always see it criticized here for being too far right....
(That doesn't make if too far right...I just see people complaining about it when they don't like an article)


I see it more neutral than anything...

There are a variety of opinions over at Politico.

[Budi]

13. K & R Thanks for the dose of Reality.

They got nothin, in other words. 🙄

[NurseJackie]

15. "Many...were worried Biden would pick Steve Ricchetti; They were pleased that he went...with Ron Klain."

Here's another excerpt from the Politico article that I found to be very interesting.

Among the most absurd examples was the swirl of speculation over who would be Biden’s chief of staff. Many on the left were worried Biden would pick Steve Ricchetti; They were pleased that he went instead with Ron Klain.

It was news to many who know both men that either man has an ideological profile different than the moderate progressivism embraced by most Democratic professional operatives, much less that there are important distinctions between them. Some activists don’t like how Ricchetti represented corporate interests in his public affairs work when not in government.

Apparently working in venture capital with billionaire Steve Case, as Klain did when not in government, is better background for the kind of populist disruption the left is seeking. One Democrat who worked with both men in the Clinton and Obama White Houses joked that Klain’s success in positioning himself to the left of Ricchetti (who will serve in the West Wing as counselor) may be the best evidence that he has the necessary political cunning to be an effective chief of staff.

And that last sentence actually deserves to be quoted again in its own gray box...

One Democrat who worked with both men in the Clinton and Obama White Houses joked that Klain’s success in positioning himself to the left of Ricchetti (who will serve in the West Wing as counselor) may be the best evidence that he has the necessary political cunning to be an effective chief of staff.

[Budi]

16. That was a fine play by Klain & why he deserves the COS title.

Klain’s success in positioning himself to the left of Ricchetti (who will serve in the West Wing as counselor) may be the best evidence that he has the necessary political cunning to be an effective chief of staff.

[betsuni]

23. "the conflict rests heavily on optical illusion." Don't know why people let their imaginations run

away with them so often. What is a slight difference in strategy or what can get enough votes is turned into an enormous serious ideological difference. Ridiculous.

And the ones going around claiming old idea like those in Emanuel and Reed's book are somehow new -- enough!

[Cha]

30. KR.. love the title!

[UTUSN]

32. Here's my discussion: K&R

[radius777]

34. Rahm has no place in the Dem party.

He covered up the murder of a black man - nothing he wrote in some book 15 years ago excuses that away. He also did many other illiberal things (not just 'centrist') as mayor.

It was our diverse urban base (Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, Philly, Atlanta, etc) that flipped the swing states for Biden, and the policing issue as well as systemic racism is front and center for such voters.

[George II]

39. He didn't cover up the murder. There has been no evidence that he did, and the three officers....

....who WERE indicted and tried for a cover up were acquitted.

[radius777]

40. Of course he covered it up, and of course the cops got off

like they always do - which is the entire policing/systemic racism issue in a nutshell.

[NurseJackie]

42. The fact that there's no evidence proves that he did it. Don't you understand?

You may as well be talking to a waffle-iron for all the good it will to provide anyone with facts and reason. (Nice try, though!)