Obama: National Journal Rating Of Me As "Number One Liberal" Is Bogus

[MADem]

This might disappoint some in his activist base who liked that designation:
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/

By Greg Sargent - April 25, 2008, 4:18PM
In the meeting with the Indy Star edit board that's going on right now, Obama pushed back against the National Journal's recent rating of him as the number one liberal in the Senate, a ranking that will no doubt be one of the GOP's chief attacks against him this fall.

The push-back is worth a quick look, since he'll have to come up with a strong way of countering this in the general election, presuming he's the nominee.

Obama questioned NJ's methodology, arguing that "they selected 10 votes out of the many hundreds that I've cast" which the mag thought were indicators of his liberalism. One of those votes, he said, was a bill that he'd sponsored calling for a new "office of public integrity."

Obama then questioned "the notion that the National Journal scored that as a quote-unquote liberal vote," adding: "I don't think there's anything liberal about wanting to reduce the appearance of questionable ethics in the Senate."

Now, that's a good line. And Obama is obviously talking to a wonkish group here, so getting down into the policy weeds to refute the "most liberal" claim is an understandable approach.

But during the general we'll be hearing this claim at the soundbite level ad infinitum. So Obama will need to come up with a sharp and pithy way of knocking this one down without getting into a debate about the study's flawed methodology.

[TheDoorbellRang]

1. Yes. I remember him mentioning that in the Ohio debate

saying he thought ethics reform wasn't a liberal value, but a core American value.

[ErinBerin84]

2. oh yes.

I'm sure that those activists were so happy to have that prestigious and unbiased watchdog award Obama with the He's a Liberal! award.

This is nothing new. I've heard Obama say the "they do this shit to whoever the nominee is in order to marginalize them" shtick before.

[GarbagemanLB]

3. Get back to me when he is caught on tape denouncing MoveOn for 'bullying' people.

[olkaz]

5. Booyahkashah!

You beat me to it.

[MADem]

8. Gee, don't get all pissed off, now! The article is from a pro-Obama supporter.

Man, touchy, aren't ya?

[ErinBerin84]

10. I don't get it.- Greg Sargent, or National Journal?

Greg Sargent is pro-Obama? I would not agree, judging from his other TPM articles.

[MADem]

12. The article isn't FROM National Journal--it's from pro-Obama TPM election central.

Greg Sargent is GUSHING halfway through the article about what Obama needs to do to stay strong as a GE candidate. This is "Dutch Uncle" advice, here, didn't you READ it?

Obama then questioned "the notion that the National Journal scored that as a quote-unquote liberal vote," adding: "I don't think there's anything liberal about wanting to reduce the appearance of questionable ethics in the Senate."

Now, that's a good line. And Obama is obviously talking to a wonkish group here, so getting down into the policy weeds to refute the "most liberal" claim is an understandable approach.

But during the general we'll be hearing this claim at the soundbite level ad infinitum. So Obama will need to come up with a sharp and pithy way of knocking this one down without getting into a debate about the study's flawed methodology.




That's not pro-Obama? Oooooh, come on, Senator, that's a GOOD line!! That's an UNDERSTANDABLE approach!!!! Come up with something SHARP AND PITHY, now!!!

What universe do you come from? To me, that's CHEERLEADING.

[ErinBerin84]

13. What universe am I from?

One that reads TPM constantly and knows well enough that Greg Sargent (and Erik) are not Pro-Obama and they never gush about him. I read it because they have good access to information, but the actual input from Greg and Erik borders on the ridiculous. They are experts at "selective evidence" and insinuation. I am not using this "article" as my sole example, and I would argue that these assertions are not really cheerleading anyways (well, I just base that on previous articles from Greg). I would say that the commenters are pretty pro-Obama though. Nice try. KO said several complimentary things about Hillary Clinton during the primary coverage on Tuesday, but I am not daft enough to think that he is pro-Hillary.

[MADem]

17. To my eye, his body of work disputes your claim. in massive fashion

It's not quite "Is Obama the BEST...or the BESTEST?" but it's damned close.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/profile/sargent

[ErinBerin84]

19. I base my view on reading TPM every day

Maybe you read TPM everyday and have a very different opinion, but I stand by my view that Greg and Erik are not Pro-Obama. I am not going to list various articles to try and "prove my point", because nothing will change your mind either. Let's move on.

[MADem]

20. Well, I base my view on that list of articles I provided, which, well, come close to fawning.

But hey, whatever. We don't come to accord here.

[grasswire]

4. what? the candidate is running away from liberalism?

Is he trying to mock Hillary? What?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

6. He knows that label is going to hurt him in the General - good that he's trying to bebunk it.

There are people who didn't vote for Kerry because of that label.

[thoughtcrime1984]

7. To drape oneself in a liberal flag would lose Indies and soft Repubs

He pretty much has to say that, as many view the term "liberal" as poisonous. I wear it like a badge myself, but I can see why he wouldn't in the GE.

[Forkboy]

9. The very idea is laughable.

[LSparkle]

14. Ahem, has anyone heard of BERNIE SANDERS?

A "Democratic Socialist" from Vermont? If he isn't the "most
liberal" Senator, I'll eat my hat (but I haven't got a hat ... ).

[MADem]

18. I don't think those stats covered him. He didn't have the voting history.

Obama was elected to the Senate in 04. Bernie's a newbie, he got there just last year, after the 06 contests.

The data is skewed on that NJ piece. The fact of the matter is that Clinton and Obama are very close in terms of their voting records.

[Hippo_Tron]

21. The National Journal's ratings were a crock last time they are this time too

John Kerry's ratings were skewed by the fact that he casted 2 votes during 2003. I'm sure Obama's are skewed for '07-'08 as well.

[blm]

11. He's right - they rated Kerry like that, too, but it's more accurate to say top TEN

percent, as those positions change any way year after year depending on the legislative efforts presented in the senate.

[bettyellen]

15. ashamed to be called a liberal? fuck that. what phony ass machivellian bullshit.

no respect.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Both are moderates. The best thing about Obama is he's not a Clinton.

Neither threaten the system, their differences on issues (other than flag pins and preachers) is minimal.

The other good thing is that people view him as an agent of change. If he doesn't deliver, pressure from the left has, at least, a chance of swaying him away from the failed politics-as-usual, triangulation, and Third Way crap that the Clintons move the party to the right with.