Obama Honors McCain and Bipartisanship

What a great example both of these men have set for the country! I sincerely hope that this is indicative of things and attitudes to come. I hope more and more people decide to follow the example set by President Obama and Senator McCain.

Source

In the first of three private "bipartisan" dinners, Obama heaped praise on McCain, calling the two-time presidential contender "an American hero I have come to know very well and admire very much."

"On this night, we are glad that the days of rebuttals and campaigning are for now behind us," he said. "There is no doubt that throughout the summer and the fall, John and I were fierce competitors who engaged in a vigorous and sometimes heated debate over the issues of the day. And in a great democracy, this debate is both healthy and necessary."

"But what is even healthier and more necessary is the recognition that after the season of campaigning has ended, each of us in public life has a responsibility to usher in a new season of cooperation built on those things we hold in common. Not as Democrats. Not as Republicans. But as Americans," the President-elect added.

He's hoping that being Americans rises above the identity of party politics in us all.

This is why McCain lost, and why the Republican Party needs to clean house of its moderate liberal traitors.

I'm talking about John McCain, John Hagel, Olympia Snowe, Lindsey Graham, Arlen Spector...and that is just right off the top of my head.

You can't beat your opposition by joining them, and wanting them to like you. The Republican Party, for some reason, enjoys being in the minority, promising conservatism, then when they get into power they can't stand being criticised by liberals and cave to them.

No leadership at all...the only true leader they had was George Bush and they turned his back on him, and ended up with John McCain. Most of you think Joe Biden (who?) is going to be the Vice-President....well maybe in name only....the true Vice-President is none other than John McCain.

To all the people worried that the Democrats, with 59 votes in the Senate, aren't going to be able to get a filibuster proof majority. Don't worry about that....Republicans have too many traitors, led by McCain, jumping to the Democrat side for it to be any problem at all.

Sorry...but it is not a great day for me....4 years of B. Hussein Obama....UGH!

Rant over.................

hopefully people will take a hint and follow their lead.
this country could use some unity.
real unity. not lip service or pessimism.
may be hard for some who are entrenched in negativity and hate.
i hope they catch up with the times.

Originally posted by RRconservative
This is why McCain lost, and why the Republican Party needs to clean house of its moderate liberal traitors.

Interestingly, I was talking about this last night with my husband. The vast majority of people in this country (NOT here on ATS, mind you. ATS's political discussion group is not representative of the country, thankfully) are all happy about going across the aisle and working together for the good of the country. But there's a group of "fringe" extremes who DO NOT WANT bipartisanship! They want THEIR team in CONTROL. And anyone from their team who does show interest in bipartisanship is a "traitor".

You can't beat your opposition by joining them, and wanting them to like you.

Exactly. They see the other team as their "opposition". That's just so sad...

Sorry...but it is not a great day for me....4 years of B. Hussein Obama....UGH!

Hey, I totally understand and sympathize. I know he's not what you wanted. I only hope you aren't as disappointed in the end as you predict you're going to be.

Remember it's only bipartisanship when Republicans cave to Democrats.

When Democrats show bipartisanship it's because they are fighting for re-election. When a Democrat truly shows bipartisanship he is normally thrown out of the party. i.e. Joe Lieberman. Maybe Republicans need to take up that same mindset?

Building a bridge and getting republicans to cross over one at a time.

Brilliant.

Seriously, in these times the American people need to end divisive partisanship... And it needs to happen today!

We can either all work together to save our nation and restore the greatness we once had, the stability that we knew, the growth we expected, the prosperity we earned, the generosity we shared with the world, the example we should always be, the future our children deserve, the freedom we've taken for granted and the pride, patriotism and honor of being a citizen of this the GREATEST nation on the planet.

Or we can continue to bicker, argue and point fingers, lay blame and dissolve all that we were into an endless cycle of partisan politics that ultimately accomplishes NOTHING!

Today we can have a new beginning, or more of the same, and that choice is up to each and every American to make individually and collectively.

[edit on 20-1-2009 by Walkswithfish]

Originally posted by RRconservative
Remember it's only bipartisanship when Republicans cave to Democrats.

Sorry, that's just propaganda. It's not about "caving". It's about having different points of view and either working on a compromise or agreeing to disagree without animosity.

Joe Lieberman was not kicked out of the party! He's a seated Democrat.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
What a great example both of these men have set for the country! I sincerely hope that this is indicative of things and attitudes to come. I hope more and more people decide to follow the example set by President Obama and Senator McCain.

Interesting how you change your tune on John McCain, BH. Because during the campaign you had these nice words to say about him:

"To be blunt, McCain is being a total jerk. That's why he's getting negative coverage. He's making rash, illogical and negative decisions and has gone totally negative with his campaign. Is it really any wonder the news coverage of him is more negative? He's angry, spiteful, insecure and very confusing. Of COURSE, he's going to get negative coverage."
www.abovetopsecret.com...

"If I wanted a racist, womanizing, insensitive, tactless person for a president, I would vote for John McCain. "
www.abovetopsecret.com...

"I figure the Real McCain (you know, the honorable man of 8 years ago) came back to visit McCain in a dream last night and he feels bad now... Nah, that's not it."
www.abovetopsecret.com...

"He "sold out". That's the only way I know to put it. He was NOT himself. He used to be a man I respected. "
www.abovetopsecret.com...

"My husband and I used to really like John McCain. Even though we disagreed with him on some issues, he appeared to be a man of honor, which is something we both respect highly. Now, he has become someone I feel I could never relate to or think of as honorable."
www.abovetopsecret.com...

" But the fact that he doesn't even know how many houses he has is INDICATIVE of how out of touch he is with regular Americans. Like me."
www.abovetopsecret.com...&colorshift=yes&colorshift=yes

So are you saying everything is all different now and McCain is now off your bad list?

reply to post by RRconservative


Is not caving anything here my friend, what you seen to overlook is how corruption has taken over both Republicans and democrats alike.

Power corrupt and both parties can not even stop catering to their whores the lobbyist.

That is why is not unityWashington can not even agree with anything in congress, because they are keep fighting with each other depending who is the pimp that pay the most.

Wake up my friend.

Originally posted by sos37
Interesting how you change your tune on John McCain, BH. Because during the campaign you had these nice words to say about him:

During the campaign, he became someone totally different. The quotes in your post PROVE that I had respect for the man before the campaign. And now, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. Now that the campaign is behind him, I fully expect him to return to the pre-campaign McCain. I may be wrong, but I'm going to hope.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic

Originally posted by sos37
Interesting how you change your tune on John McCain, BH. Because during the campaign you had these nice words to say about him:

And now, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

A single dinner with the Messiah is all it takes to change your mind, huh? Didn't Bush have dinner with your president also?

You're far too concerned about what I think and how I feel. I am not the subject of this thread. I'm sorry if you cannot reconcile my thoughts and feelings about these people, but I am not really interested in trying to explain further. I simply don't care what you think of me. I have answered your questions and you're just going to have to deal with it.

"These stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply".

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
.

Joe Lieberman was not kicked out of the party!

He's a seated Democrat.

Joe Lieberman is an Independent that caucuses with the Democrats.

reply to post by RRconservative


You're right. My bad. But he was not kicked out of his party. That was the accusation I was addressing.

reply to post by RRconservative


Bush was a clown. If he is Representative of the GOP of today then its no wonder that the GOP's support is leaking like a bucket with holes in it.

The real conservatives of America haven't had a single candidate whom they could support properly since the departure of Reagan. Its no coincidence that the USA has gone rapidly downhill since Reagan left.

Oh and edit to say in general:

I don't want to see partisanship end. Partisanship is nothing more than a logical expansion of debate. Bipartisanship is compromising ideals in favour of ramming some piecemeal, patchwork legislation through that ends up benefiting nobody.

Do you really want bipartisanship? Then why not support a one-party dictatorship. No debate, no ideals apart from those mandated by the central party.

Sure bipartisanship may bring progress. But ask yourself what kind of progress it will bring.

[edit on 21-1-2009 by 44soulslayer]

I'll say this - Growing up my dad was active in party X. Right down to the point that it didn't really matter who party X ran or what party X's platform was - they got his vote and loyality.

Now, a time or two I've even heard him say, "Ya know, Earl seems to be a good guy and would do good in the dogcatcher job...and Fred would probably be too drunk to go out and catch stray dogs. But since Earl is party Y and Fred is party X I'm gonna have to go with Fred. It'd be better than have a @#$ party Y guy in there."

I'll admit, between party X and party Y I have one I usually lean more toward. However, what has been going on in Washington has been like the views of my dad on a national level and I'm ready for it to end..

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
reply to post by RRconservative

 

But he was not kicked out of his party.

Yes he was.

His constituency clearly gave him the boot.

In any event, I agree with your general point on the subject of this thread. Time will likely deliver many things from Obama that conservatives will not like. But bitching about overtures of reconciliation and attempts to find common ground is just plain stupid and not a real ideological position... I'd personally call such complaints plain immaturity.

After all, before bozo lost his way, Bush principally campaigned on a promise of being the "uniter, and not the divider". Remember that?

What ever happened to being American first and anything else second?

:shk:

Originally posted by loam
His constituency clearly gave him the boot.

Well. Loam, it depends on exactly what we mean by "kicked out of his party", doesn't it? I mean, the DNC did NOT kick him out. He lost an election in 2006, so he started his own party. If you consider losing an election the same as being "kicked out of his party", then I suppose you could say that. But it's not "clear" to me at all that losing an election and starting a new party is the same as being "kicked out of one's party".

So, if you guys want to continue picking nits about whether Joe Lieberman was actually kicked out of his party in a thread that's supposed to be about Obama honoring John McCain and reaching across the aisle. Have at it.

Lieberman is now officially listed in Senate records for the 110th Congress as an "Independent Democrat",[2] and sits as part of the Senate Democratic Caucus in the 110th Congress. But since his speech at the 2008 Republican Convention endorsing John McCain for President, Lieberman no longer attends Democratic Senate Caucus leadership strategy meetings or policy lunches

Source

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Well. Loam, it depends on exactly what we mean by "kicked out of his party", doesn't it? I mean, the DNC did NOT kick him out.

That's a fair point.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
So, if you guys want to continue picking nits about whether Joe Lieberman was actually kicked out of his party in a thread that's supposed to be about Obama honoring John McCain and reaching across the aisle. Have at it.

Good grief, BH. Retract the claws.

Why would you hyper focus on 10 words about Lieberman in a multi-paragraph post largely agreeing with your position?

Originally posted by loam
Good grief, BH. Retract the claws.

You call that claws?

Okay, if you don't want to talk about Obama, McCain, OR Lieberman, clearly you want to talk about me. Well, I don't. (Mrrr-owwww!)