Hello Everyone:

Based on all of the evidence I have seen so far, I definitely think that Obama will probably have a lot of political problems in 2010 because he has put himself way out on a limb on so many big issues, he is in very serious danger of losing a lot of his Democratic base, he cannot beat Rush Limbaugh and his media empire in message warfare in an even fight, he will get very little to no Republican support on his major agenda because too many Republicans in Congress either agree with Rush Limbaugh that they want him to fail or they fear Limbaugh too much, and because of his own lack of toughness where he is not feared!

Here is credible documentation of these five political problems that Obama will probably see in 2010:

1) Obama has put himself way out on a limb on so many big issues such as Afghanistan, Iraq, health care, jobs, the economy, deficits, and holding the 9/11 trial in New York where he has very little to no room for any margin of error and where we have very little to no idea about what will happen with these issues by November. If anything serious goes wrong with any one or more of these major issues, then Obama and Democrats will probably be in very serious political trouble basically on a default basis:

A) Even Chris "thrill up my leg" Matthews realizes that this is true and he is very concerned about it:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/34070559#34070559 (08:27)

Has Obama taken too many political risks?
Nov. 20, 2009: After ten months on the job, has President Barack Obama stuck his chin out on too many issues? Atlantic Media’s Ron Brownstein and USA Today’s Susan Page debate.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/34070559#34070559 (08:27)

Here is the Hardball transcript with the key portion of this video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34108791/ns/msnbc_tv-hardball_with_chris_matthews/

'Hardball with Chris Matthews' for Friday, November 20, 2009
Read the transcript to the Friday show

Guests: Mike Huckman, Steven Gillon, Charles Blow, Anne Kornblut, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Judd Gregg, Susan Page, Ron Brownstein

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: "Welcome back to HARDBALL. Health care, Afghanistan, terrorist trials up in New York, the economy—after 10 months on the job, has President Obama stuck his chin out too far on too many things? How badly does he need a big win now?

Ron Brownstein is political director for Atlantic Media and Susan Page is Washington bureau chief for “USA Today...”

I look at Geithner. I don‘t think he‘s a great political spokesperson. I look at this decision to put the trial up in New York City. I look at releasing a mammogram report that says we can do better with less testing. And I begin to think this administration is getting almost like one that you would imagine Adlai Stevenson running, highly ethereal, highly intellectual, egghead, not connected to real people and their emotional gut feelings about things..."

B) Afghanistan is going to be very difficult for Obama:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/18253

Michael Ware used the CNN "Magic Map" to show how difficult that Afghanistan is

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on December 30, 2009 - 6:40am.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/18253#comment-354258

Michael Ware's record shows that he "gets it" about Afghanistan

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on December 30, 2009 - 7:21am.

Even Jon Soltz has some very serious concerns about Afghanistan on the VoteVets.org blog:

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3591

After Detroit Near-Attack, Is Afghan Strategy the Right One?
by: Jon Soltz

Fri Jan 01, 2010 at 11:14:01 AM EST

C) I am very concerned about health care right now because I think that Obama and the Democratic leadership are doing whatever it takes including buying votes to pass any health care bill that they can get 60 Senate votes for in order to avoid a political defeat that will hurt Obama's effectiveness and cost him a lot of his political capital.

I cannot believe Harry Reid's audacity of actually admitting to doing this and where he seemed to mock those Senators who did not get something from him in exchange for their health care votes:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0912/21/acd.01.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Democrats Buying Health Care Reform Votes?; Decision Nears in Brazil Custody Battle

Aired December 21, 2009 - 22:00 ET

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: But Democrats didn't just slip things in to win votes to pass health care. They also showed who has got power. Senators with clout added provisions to help themselves back home. Chris Dodd's support for the bill was never in doubt.

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: This bill is long overdue and critically important.

BASH: But the Connecticut Democrat, facing a tough reelection battle, buried $100 million in the measure for a new hospital. Other states can compete for it, but he put it in hoping Connecticut gets the hospital.

DODD: This just don't obviously just my state, although my state is very interested.

BASH: And it doesn't stop there. The Democrats' health care bill slaps new taxes on insurance companies, but not for Michigan's Blue Cross/Blue Shield, thanks to the state's Democratic senators, Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, who got an exemption.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is unapologetic and even appeared to mock senators who did not cut deals for themselves.

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: I don't know if there is a senator that doesn't have something in this bill that was important to them. And if they don't have something in it important to them, then it's -- it doesn't speak well of them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Dana, that's quite the statement from Harry Reid. And even if this is the way that laws do always get made or that bills get passed, it's rare that the party giving the concessions actually admits it.."

Obama and Harry Reid in my opinion are basically gambling the entire future of health care right now on any bill that they can get 60 Senate votes for and they have very little choice (unless they can use the budget reconciliation process to pass whatever they cannot get 60 Senate votes for) when virtually no Republicans will seriously work with them because they fear being purged out of their party if they do:

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/politics/2009/11/03/limbaugh-palin-urge-right-to-purge-moderates-from-republican-party.html

Limbaugh, Palin Urge Right to Purge Moderates From Republican Party
Posted November 3, 2009

BY Elizabeth Benjamin
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

"Right wing purists egged on by Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin fought to capture an upstate House seat Monday and electrify their drive to purge moderates from the Republican Party..."

David Gergen is usually a little extra generous when he comments on Obama in my opinion and even he referred to Obama's health care reform program as "a lot of experiments" and he also gave Obama a "B-minus on substance:"

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0912/23/acd.01.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Final Vote Nears on Senate Health Care Bill; Grading Obama's First Year

Aired December 23, 2009 - 22:00 ET

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: "David, would you give him as high a grade on this as the president appears to be giving himself?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I would certainly give him high marks on the politics of this and political leadership. He sometimes led from behind, not out front.

But Barack Obama has done something no other president has ever done. That is, he has gotten, you know, universal access through the House and he's about to get it through the Senate. And, very likely, he is going to have a bill.

It is on the substance where think that I would give him lower marks. Some of the savings that are promised here seem almost fantastical. They are -- they are fictional. It is just hard to believe the Congress will have the courage to do what it is promising to do.

And, beyond that, bending the cost curve, getting the cost of health care under control, I think most of us think that that is simply not here in a serious way, a lot of experiments.

But I must tell you, my wife and I are proud parents of a daughter, Katherine, who is a primary care doctor here in Massachusetts. And I can just tell you that, in her medical school class, most of the students could not go into primary care because they did not have scholarship help. They have built up all these debts. They have wanted to go that. It is a more idealistic role in many ways, but they simply couldn't afford to do it.

And this bill does not seriously address that issue.

HILL: And that is one of the things we talked about with Sanjay just a little bit earlier.

GERGEN: Exactly.

HILL: So, David, overall if you had to put a letter grade on health care reform for the president, what would it be?

GERGEN: A-minus on politics, B-minus on substance..."

When I see Senate votes openly being bought and sold and David Gergen giving Obama a "B-minus on substance," then I am VERY concerned about the future of health care. Obama will own ANY health care bill that he passes and it will be a huge disaster for the country and for the Democratic Party if Obama passes a bad health care bill (and that is especially the case when there will be no Republican votes for it)!

D) I am also very concerned when I see the deal that The White House made with the pharmaceutical industry (both Joe Johns and David Gergen are overall credible political analysts in my opinion):

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/17784#comment-354011

Joe Johns and David Gergen gave this very alarming health care report:

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on December 20, 2009 - 11:14am.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0912/16/acd.01.html

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Are Drug Companies Winning Health Care Reform Battle?; Palin vs. Schwarzenegger

Aired December 16, 2009 - 22:00 ET

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: "Here is another number for you, pharmaceutical lobbying, more than $20 million, that is the amount, through October, that the pharmaceutical industry spent on lobbying in just this year. Now, that is the third most of any industry. You could call it money well spent, because that is -- because, earlier this year, they cut a deal, or some would call it an understanding, with the White House and with Senate Democrats, and the drug companies agreed to put up $80 billion over 10 years to support the health care overhaul.

In return, the White House would not give Americans widespread access to those cheaper drugs.

So, is this a cut-and-dried flip-flop on President Obama's part?

Joe Johns tonight is "Keeping Them Honest."

Joe, it really looks -- it look like that. I mean, it looks like the White House made a deal, and Americans are going to pay more for drugs because of that deal.

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Anderson, it looks like that, but you have to remember it is still a tradeoff and this is Washington, because if they can get a bill passed and sent to the president, there will still be something they can point out and say, we passed a form of national health care reform intended to bring down costs and improve choices...

COOPER: We want to bring in senior political analyst David Gergen for tonight's 360 insider briefing. David, I mean, is this just the dirty reality of politics? I mean, you see -- we showed you President Obama back in October 2008 very clearly saying, look, we're going to say no thanks -- thanks, but no thanks, to drug companies. Basically, we're going to going to be able to get medicines from Canada for -- for half the price. We're going to open things up.

That is clearly now -- the White House not just kind of had a hands-off policy on this thing. I mean, they campaigned to kill this idea in the Senate that Dorgan supported. Is this just the way politics works?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I'm afraid it is, Anderson.

And it is what made -- it's what's made Americans so cynical about politics, and it's particularly cynical to -- increasingly cynical about this health care bill, and why opinion is souring on it.

Look, what happened here basically was the White House was calling in various industries and saying, what deal can we cut with you? What will you contribute to the savings? And we will cut a deal for that you will be good enough, if you then agree not to campaign against health care reform..."

Obama is way out on a limb on Afghanistan, health care, and on so many other issues that he could be a political time bomb just waiting to explode if he messes up on just any one or more of these big issues!

2) Obama is in very serious danger of losing a lot of his Democratic base and he has already lost a lot of his base of African-American supporters:

A) Obama is in very serious danger of losing his base over health care:

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/19581

Howard Dean is perfectly positioned to primary Obama in 2012.

By: fflambeau Thursday December 17, 2009 8:49 pm

When Howard Dean is publicly saying on MSNBC that he will "not vigorously" support Obama's Re-election Bid, then you know that Obama is having some very big problems with his base:

http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?v=GdaG2GZuQu

Dean: I Won't 'Vigorously' Support Obama's Re-election Bid (0:26)

Submitted By: MarkF
Uploaded: 17 hours ago
Date Aired: December 17, 2009

"On Morning Joe, Howard Dean says he will support Pres. Obama's re-election bid "not vigorously."

Here is the full Morning Joe video where Howard Dean starts talking about how he will support Obama's re-election bid "not vigorously" at about 11:58 into this video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/34461661#34461661 (15:22)

Dean: Health bill can still be saved
Dec. 17: Former DNC chairman Howard Dean joins the Morning Joe gang to reiterate his belief that the health reform bill taking shape in the Senate further empowers private insurers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/34461661#34461661 (15:22)

B) Obama is also in very serious danger of losing his liberal base if he does not withdraw our troops from Afghanistan by the timetable that he set and I very seriously doubt that Obama will do it if conditions on the ground do not allow it:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/34247828#34247828 (06:18)

Right-wing comes out swinging against Obama
Dec. 2: The Daily Kos’ Markos Moulitsas discusses the right wing media’s attempt to negatively spin President Barack Obama’s speech on Afghanistan.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/34247828#34247828 (06:18)

Here is the Countdown transcript with the key point of this video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34257367/ns/msnbc_tv-countdown_with_keith_olbermann/

'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Read the transcript to the Wednesday show

Guests: Chris Hayes, Ezra Klein, Markos Moulitsas, Michael Musto

KEITH OLBERMANN, HOST: "The answers to the kind of criticism and examination that this policy, now that it's revealed in some detail, really needs; did the president answer any of those points last night, to your satisfaction?

MARKOS MOULITSAS, DAILY KOS: Not to my satisfaction. But I think there's a very clear division within my world, my political side of the political divide, the base. People who want out of Iraq and people who want to give Obama the benefit of the doubt and try to fix this mess created by Bush and Cheney. I think it's almost a 50/50 split.

I think, though, that we can all agree that Obama said in a year we're going to start drawing down, and we're going to be watching carefully. We'll hold Obama to that. Because we do need to get out. If we can't do it now, if the next best option is within a year, I'll take it. But it better happen.

OLBERMANN: Markos Moulitsas of the Daily Kos, kind of a shot across the bow. I'll second that. Great thanks..."

C) Obama has also lost a lot of his African-American supporters:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/29/race.relations.poll/index.html

Poll: Obama still very popular among African-Americans, but 'thrill is gone'

December 29, 2009 1:10 p.m. EST

"But when asked how they personally feel about Obama's presidency, only 42 percent of black respondents say they're thrilled, with nearly half of those questioned saying they are happy but not thrilled.

The 42 percent who are thrilled is down from 61 percent in January, when Obama was inaugurated..."

All of this is true while the far right wing GOP tea party activist base is very hungry to take back power from Obama and the Democrats (this poll is coming from Markos Moulitsas so it definitely cannot be viewed as being biased toward the Republicans):

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34490422/ns/meet_the_press/page/5/

'Meet the Press' transcript for Dec. 20, 2009

David Axelrod, Howard Dean, Joe Scarborough, Markos Moulitsas, Ed Gillespie, Tavis Smiley

MR. MARKOS MOULITSAS: "And according to my own polling, we use an independent pollster, 86 percent of Republicans plan on turning out or are likely to turn out. Only 56 percent of Democrats are--similarly believe they're going to turn out or likely to turn out. Only 32 percent of African-Americans, only 41 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds. We have numbers like that, we're going to get killed in 2010. So the Democrats have to start paying attention to the base, have to start probably picking some fights. I mean, maybe regulatory reform could be a way to do that.

MR. DAVID GREGORY: All right, thank you all. We're going to leave it there..."

If Obama keeps on losing his base of supporters and if the Neocon GOP activists are hungry enough to get back power, then 2010 and possibly 2012 could be huge political disasters for Obama and Democrats!

3) All of the evidence I have seen so far shows that Obama and the Democrats cannot beat Rush Limbaugh and his massive media empire in message warfare in an even fight on a level playing field:

A) Here is full documentation to back up this point (also look at the comments below the post):

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/17836

ANALYSIS: Why Obama is losing the health care message war to the other side

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on August 13, 2009 - 6:28am.

B) Polls show "Democrats losing health care PR fight" and Obama is the leader of the Democratic Party:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/morning-fix/1-2-cross-missouri-democratic.html?wprss=thefix

Polling shows Democrats losing health care PR fight

"1. Democrats are losing the public relations fight over the health care overhaul currently being debated in Congress, according to data in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll..."

By Chris Cillizza | December 16, 2009; 5:29 AM ET

C) When Obama won the 2008 election, it was NOT in an even fight on a level playing field. The economic crisis, Bush's unpopularity, and several other lucky political breaks that Obama got helped him to win:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16930

ANALYSIS: Why John McCain lost the 2008 election and how he may have done better

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on November 6, 2008 - 11:03pm.

Right now, Obama owns every issue and fair or unfair, he does not have Bush to kick around any more:

http://campbellbrown.blogs.cnn.com/2009/12/05/the-era-of-blame-bush-for-obama-is-over/

December 5, 2009

The era of 'blame Bush' for Obama is over

Posted: 02:50 PM ET

Campbell Brown Blog - Staff
Filed under: Commentary

By Roland S. Martin
CNN Political Contributor

D) Obama has about as much of a chance at beating Rush Limbaugh in message warfare as I would of beating Michael Jordan in a one-on-one basketball game. Unfortunately, Limbaugh's comment is right:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184342,00.html

Transcript: Rush Limbaugh on 'Your World'

Thursday, February 09, 2006

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: "Neil, there is a new media out there today that doesn't let the left get away with defining the news, defining the circumstances, defining personalities and so forth.

And they haven't learned how to deal with it. They haven't learned how to deal with people like me, the problems they think FOX News causes, and everybody else. They are still in their 30-year-old playbook, in which they think they still — all they have to do is, you know, portray somebody they want to portray them, and the American people will see it, swallow it, and like it..."

E) Proof that Limbaugh's comment above is correct in my opinion is that Obama automatically lost his fights with both Limbaugh and FOX News by starting fights with them that he could not or would not finish:

I was really glad to see Obama start this fight with Rush Limbaugh:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/17270

ANALYSIS: Obama and Democrats are being smart by attacking Rush Limbaugh now!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on February 1, 2009 - 12:49am.

However I was very disappointed that Obama lost this fight by not finishing it. You do not pick a fight with somebody like Rush Limbaugh unless you can finish it or else you will automatically lose it!

The same thing is also true about FOX News and especially when the evening programming at MSNBC really is just as biased toward the far left as FOX News is biased toward the far right:

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/10/27/obama-adviser-tells-cnn-fox-biased-wont-comment-msnbc

Obama Advisor Tells CNN Fox Is Biased, Won't Comment On MSNBC

By Noel Sheppard (Bio | Archive)
October 27, 2009 - 22:50 ET

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/10/27/pathetic-jarrett-backtracks-from-fox-news-bias-claim-when-asked-about-msnbc/

Pathetic: Jarrett backtracks from Fox News bias claim when asked about MSNBC

posted at 6:26 pm on October 27, 2009 by Allahpundit

Campbell Brown of CNN in my opinion made Valerie Jarrett look VERY inconsistent in this video when Jarrett would not admit to the obvious bias at MSNBC when she was complaining about the bias at FOX News:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFX6hVFlqW4

Jarrett: 'Of Course' Fox News is Biased (2:12)

tpmtv
October 28, 2009

"more at cnn.com, October 27, 2009"

Bill O'Reilly went to town over Campbell Brown's interview with Valerie Jarrett and his guest David Zurawick (who I think is a serious journalist) was correct to agree with O'Reilly in my opinion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMpDK7jDGWc

O'Reilly Hosts David Zurawik to Discuss War on Fox! (5:14)

johnnydollar01
October 28, 2009

"Interesting because Bill has been critical of Mr Z in the past, but they seemed to get along famously here."

F) None of this should be a surprise because I predicted it many times over going back to 2007:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16555

Mark Halperin explained why Obama is having problems with GOP attacks right now!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on September 15, 2008 - 10:58am.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16555#comment-328296

Obama not understanding the GOP attack machine & how to fight it

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on September 15, 2008 - 11:05am.

4) Obama will get very little to no Republican support on his major agenda because too many Republicans in Congress either agree with Rush Limbaugh that they want him to fail or they fear Limbaugh too much to seriously work with him:

A) Rush Limbaugh is openly rooting for Obama to fail:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/17327

Rush Limbaugh saying "I Hope the Stimulus Package Fails" should be nationalized!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on February 14, 2009 - 8:37am.

B) Extreme Republican ideologues in Congress like Jim DeMint are openly rooting for Obama to fail:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHV4nDS501Y

Sen. Jim DeMint calls defeating Obama like Waterloo (0:14)

wmj08kms
July 20, 2009

"If we're able to stop Obama on [health care reform], it will be his Waterloo. It will break him and we will show that we can, along with the American people, begin to push those freedom solutions that work in every area of our society."

C) Obama is getting hurt very badly when the aides to Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the highest elected Republican in the country, are literally calling Rush Limbaugh to report to him what Sen. McConnell is doing to try and obstruct Obama's health care reform legislation:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/18215

Mitch McConnell's aides called Rush Limbaugh "to explain their tactics" to him!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on December 16, 2009 - 5:08am.

D) Most of the other Republicans in Congress fear Rush Limbaugh and being purged out of the GOP to seriously work with Obama or to vote for any of his major legislation:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/17860

GOP strategist John Feehery on why Republicans fear voting for the public option

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on August 22, 2009 - 3:33am.

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/politics/2009/11/03/limbaugh-palin-urge-right-to-purge-moderates-from-republican-party.html

Limbaugh, Palin Urge Right to Purge Moderates From Republican Party
Posted November 3, 2009

BY Elizabeth Benjamin
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

http://www.dccc.org/content/sorry

I'm Sorry, Rush

"Republicans who've dared to criticize Rush only to beg for his forgiveness..."

E) Any kind of serious Bipartisanship or negotiating with these kind of GOP ideologues is NOT possible:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/17338

ANALYSIS: Why Bipartisanship is NOT possible with far right wing GOP ideologues!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on February 17, 2009 - 6:21pm.

As long as so many Republicans in Congress fear Rush Limbaugh and keep on apologizing to him, then Obama will not get their support or their votes on any of his major legislation. It is that plain and simple!

5) Obama in my opinion is not tough enough where he is feared:

A) In this Morning Joe video, Savannah Guthrie said that it is not Obama's style to be a skull cracker at about 00:28 into this video, Joe Scarborough talks about how Obama is not feared by Harry Reid, members of Congress, and the Generals who ask for more troops at about 02:00 into the video, and Savannah Guthrie talks about Obama scolding the bankers as a disappointed parent at about 03:14 into the video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/34428497#34428497 (04:47)

Will Congress' lack of fear of Obama sink health care?
Dec. 15: NBC News' Savannah Guthrie discusses whether Obama's style of leadership will result in getting Democrats to agree on health care legislation.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/vp/34428497#34428497 (04:47)

B) These two articles are relevant in my opinion:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27057.html

Who's afraid of Barack Obama?

By BEN SMITH | 9/13/09 7:02 AM EST

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20091207/pl_politico/30268

Who's in charge: Generals or Obama?

POLITICO

David Rogers David Rogers – Sun Dec 6, 10:34 pm ET

C) A.B. Stoddard of "The Hill" got this exactly right about Obama on The Ed Show in my opinion:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34642765/ns/msnbc_tv-the_ed_show/

'The Ed Show' for Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Read the transcript to the Wednesday show

Guests: Eric Massa, Roy Sekoff, Wendell Potter, Chris Van Hollen, Jack Rice, A.B. Stoddard, Karen Hanretty, Lizz Winstead

ED SCHULTZ, HOST: "A.B. Stoddard, I just read a statement a moment ago from White House communications Dan Pfeiffer, who was obviously responding to former Vice President Dick Cheney. This is somewhat new territory. Do you think the White House is going to be doing more of this? As we turn to the midterms, and, of course, with the story of terrorism and the attempt in the last week, it looks like a lot of political battle lines are being strong. Here‘s the White House jumping in. What do you think?

A.B. STODDARD, “THE HILL”: I think the White House is learning that they need to be a little more bold. It‘s not the Obama style to be bold. It‘s not the Obama style to be angry. His response, which was initially, Ed, I think, disastrous before he came out yesterday and acknowledged systemic failures, really was late and it was measured. It did not match the outrage that Americans were feeling over these severe lapses in the system, and how insecure we all felt as a result of this story.

It took Dick Cheney to get the White House all fired up. But I think the Democratic party has their first test here. They have not governed in the age of terror, post-9/11. This is their test. They may fail it if the American public deems that the response has been inadequate in this administration. I think what you‘re going to have to see in future days is some tough talk, Ed. I know it‘s not Obama‘s style.

His policies might be tough. He may have increased drone attacks in Pakistan. He might have helped coordinate these air strikes in Yemen on al Qaeda strongholds there. He might be doing what it takes, tripling down in Afghanistan. But does he talk about it enough? That‘s what Americans are used to. And I think, actually, it poses a real political problem for him if he doesn‘t start talking about like the Bush administration talked all those years..."

In conclusion, I agree with Thomas Friedman that Obama's Presidency has a lot of uncertainty where we do not know what is going to happen, I agree with Tom Davis that "what the Democrats and the president needs to look at is, where are they going to be from a year from now, not where they are today. What his grade is today really is kind of irrelevant," and I agree with Ed Rendell that "a year in politics is light years:"

A) Hardball video and transcript of Thomas Friedman about uncertainty:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/34264489#34264489 (08:24)

Opposing the Afghan surge
Dec. 3: Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Tom Friedman explains why he’s opposed to President Barack Obama sending 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/34264489#34264489 (08:24)

Here is the transcript with the key points of this video:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34275701/ns/msnbc_tv-hardball_with_chris_matthews/

'Hardball with Chris Matthews' for Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Read the transcript to the Thursday show

Guests: Matt Nesto, Jim Cramer, Chris Cillizza, April Ryan, Thomas Friedman, Mayor Ed Powlowski, John Feehery, Steve McMahon

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: "Let me ask you about this jobs summit today. You attended it... Did anything get done that is useful to the people? Or is this going to be sort of pilloried as a public relations stunt?

THOMAS FRIEDMAN, “THE NEW YORK TIMES”: I‘ll tell you, it was useful for me. I have a feeling that it was useful for the president. I can‘t say. Because there was one overriding message that came through there. I don‘t know how the president will exactly receive it. But the message, Chris, was uncertainty. You had business people, you had community leaders, you had union people, really from all over the country. It was a real cross section.

Certainly, one of the big takeaways—it certainly wasn‘t the only one—but one of the big takeaways is we don‘t know anything. We don‘t know what health care is going to be. We don‘t know what the price of carbon is going to be. We don‘t know what financial regulation is going to be. We don‘t know what happens when the stimulus runs out.

And there‘s so much uncertainty now overhanging middle and small business today that it is very hard for people to plan, and really make big bets that will make big employment opportunities. That would—that was my take-away..."

B) Transcript of Tom Davis asking "Where's unemployment going to be from a year from now? Where's Afghanistan going to be a year from now?"

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0912/24/sitroom.01.html

THE SITUATION ROOM

Senate Passes Health Care Reform Bill; Mortgage Executives' Fat Checks; Father and Son Reunited in Brazil

Aired December 24, 2009 - 16:00 ET

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: "What strikes me is that he actually sounds like former President Bush when he talks about, "I'm making some tough, unpopular decisions." We heard that all the time from President Bush. But he gave himself a B-plus when he had that interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Does he overstate the case? Is it premature?

TOM DAVIS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, REPUBLICAN MAIN STREET PARTNERSHIP: Well, governing is a tough business. And I think what the Democrats and the president needs to look at is, where are they going to be from a year from now, not where they are today. What his grade is today really is kind of irrelevant.

Where's unemployment going to be from a year from now? Where's Afghanistan going to be a year from now? And I think health care will be more of a footnote. It's something the Democrats had to get through. They have to pass something. It's a box they need to check. But at the end of the day, it's what's happening on the ground.

MALVEAUX: Tom Davis, Donna Brazile, thank you. Happy holidays. Merry Christmas..."

C) Transcript of Ed Rendell saying that "a year in politics is light years:"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33752275/ns/meet_the_press/page/2/

'Meet the Press' transcript for Nov. 8, 2009

GOV. ED RENDELL (D-PA): "Look at the Virginia exit poll, David; 24 percent said they came out to vote against President Obama, 20 percent said they came out to vote for him, but 60 percent, almost 60 percent said they voted on state issues. Governors? elections are about leadership. That's how people make their decisions. Congressional elections reflect more what's going on in Washington. And the one big one, the one mega one, Democrats won a seat that they haven't held in 100 years. So I'm not sure you can draw any conclusions, but I am sure of one thing: a year in politics is light years, is light years..."

I definitely want Obama to succeed for the good of the country but it looks to me like he has a lot of serious challenges to deal with and overcome in what I think will be a very difficult and uncertain 2010!

I really wish I could give Obama this sound advice that could help him. In the short term, Obama needs to make Republicans in Congress cast some very tough votes where they will either upset their hard core activist base of supporters or the moderate and Independent voters who they represent:

1) Most of the hard core activist base of the Rush Limbaugh wing of the GOP do NOT believe that health care is a right that all people are entitled to while most of the country does believe that it is:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/17956

Every member of Congress should be forced to vote on if "health care is a right"

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on September 23, 2009 - 1:05am.

B) Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and the tea party activists are heroes to most of the hard core activist base of the Rush Limbaugh wing of the GOP. All Republicans in Congress should be forced to vote on whether they agree with Republican strategist Brad Blakeman that the Republican party should NOT redefine itself with the Tea Party-goers and that Rep. Michele Bachmann "is out of the mainstream:"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34728351/ns/msnbc_tv-the_ed_show/

'The Ed Show' for Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
Read the transcript to the Tuesday show

Guests: Evan Kohlmann, Tim Walz, A.B. Stoddard, George Miller, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, Rep. Ron Paul, John Feehery, Brad Blakeman, Joan Walsh

ED SCHULTZ, HOST: "Brad, you‘re a pretty level-headed guy. Do you think that the Republican party should redefine itself with the Tea Party-goers? What do you think?

BRAD BLAKEMAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Absolutely not. I think we‘re a party of principle. We‘re a party of platform. We‘re a party of candidates who have mainstream ideas and views. Those are the people who are going to get elected and take away Democratic seats in 2010.

SCHULTZ: Where does that leave Michele Bachmann?

BLAKEMAN: Michele Bachmann is a Republican, the same—and answerable to her district. Remember, she represents one Congressional district. We don‘t define the Democrats by the Dennis Kuciniches of the world or the Alan Graysons of the world, down in Florida. By any definition, he is a wing-nut. We shouldn‘t be painting either the Republican or Democratic party by one or two colorful individuals. Let‘s look at them in their totality...

SCHULTZ: Now do you believe that Michele Bachmann is correct when she says the Republicans should redefine their party with the Tea Party-goers?

BLAKEMAN: I told you, no. She‘s not correct. But she‘s one Congress-person.

SCHULTZ: Is she out of the mainstream of the Republican party?

BLAKEMAN: She is out of the mainstream..."

Here is The Ed Show video link to watch this very interesting dialogue:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34715783#34715783 (05:40)

GOP overtaken by tea partiers?
Jan. 5: Hot seat: Republican strategist Brad Blakeman and an Ed Show panel including Salon.com’s Joan Walsh and Republican strategist John Feehery discuss whether the Tea Party movement will become the future of the Republican Party.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34715783#34715783 (05:40)

C) Republicans in Congress should definitely be forced to vote "Yes" or "No" as to whether the many high profile Republicans who apologized to Rush Limbaugh were right or if their initial criticisms of Limbaugh were correct:

http://www.dccc.org/content/sorry

I'm Sorry, Rush

"Republicans who've dared to criticize Rush only to beg for his forgiveness..."

If the Republicans in Congress vote against their hard core activist base (which includes Rush Limbaugh, Michele Bachmann, and the Tea Party-goers), then they will risk being primaried and losing the support of their base. If the Republicans vote in favor of this fringe base, then they will risk losing the moderate and Independent voters who they represent. This is a clear lose/lose situation for them!

In the long term, Obama needs to try and force through a back door version of The Fairness Doctrine while he probably still has the votes that he needs in Congress to do it (it could probably be put in a bill that funds the troops which would make it very hard for the Republicans to vote against). A back door version of The Fairness Doctrine is the one thing that Rush Limbaugh and his followers really and truly fear and it is how Obama may be able to help liberate enough Republicans in Congress from their fear of Limbaugh so that he can seriously work with them:

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/10583

Limbaugh & Hannity react to Democrats trying to bring back the Fairness Doctrine

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on January 18, 2007 - 2:51pm.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123508978035028163.html

OPINION / FEBRUARY 20, 2009.

Mr. President, Keep the Airwaves Free

As a former law professor, surely you understand the Bill of Rights.

By RUSH LIMBAUGH

Dear President Obama:

"I have a straightforward question, which I hope you will answer in a straightforward way: Is it your intention to censor talk radio through a variety of contrivances, such as "local content," "diversity of ownership," and "public interest" rules -- all of which are designed to appeal to populist sentiments but, as you know, are the death knell of talk radio and the AM band?

You have singled me out directly, admonishing members of Congress not to listen to my show..."

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/17308

Call Sen. Debbie Stabenow at 202-224-4822 to help her Fairness Doctrine efforts!

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on February 9, 2009 - 2:52pm.

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16851#comment-333782

Bringing back The Fairness Doctrine would help to restore...

Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on October 28, 2008 - 1:04pm.

Even if a back door version of The Fairness Doctrine cannot be passed at the end of the day, it will still take a lot of time, money, and effort for Rush Limbaugh and his wing of the Republican Party to try and stop it from happening while that issue is tied up in the courts for a long time. Every minute and every dollar that Limbaugh and his followers spend trying to fight a back door version of The Fairness Doctrine in the courts (which they will have to put first in order for Limbaugh's radio program and many others to survive) is a minute and a dollar that they are NOT able to use to interfere with Obama and his agenda!

I always like to point out some realistic solutions to try and help solve the problems that I mention!

Mitch Dworkin

http://mitchdworkin.com/
Check out my political website!

http://www.securingamerica.com/

http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/16039
RESOURCES: Speeches, Articles, and Career Highlights to help define Gen. Clark!
Submitted by Mitch Dworkin on July 7, 2008 - 2:51pm.

http://www.securingamerica.com/ccn/node/7191
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program: An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight back against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda!