Centrist Democrats gather, sans Barack Obama

It attracted attention last summer when the then-crowded field of Democratic presidential contenders stiffed the annual convention, held in Nashville, of the Democratic Leadership Council (which, we noted in a post at the time, once was "the prime incubator for fresh party approaches to politicking and governing, with an emphasis on addressing middle-class concerns)."

Today, the DLC wrapped up its 2008 gathering in, of all places, Chicago. Yet despite the convenient location for the newly crowned presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, the Windy City's own Barack Obama, the DLC still isn't feeling the love.

Obama was back in his hometown Sunday but, rather than swing by the convention, he was represented by a surrogate. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley pressed his case, explaining to the conventioneers that Obama needed some family time.

Despite the absence of the party's star attraction, DLC members were strongly urged in a closing speech by the group's head, former Rep. Harold Ford of Tennessee, to marshal their efforts on Obama's behalf.

The Chicago Tribune's Swamp blog wrote about the wrapup on the conclave in an item headlined "DLC leaders embrace Obama," which can be read here.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Plain Jane -- BORN & RAISED IN THE U.S.A.]

So much for party unity. The Democratic Party has been hijacked by an arrogant youngster who has no experience , has never been in a position where he's had a chance to show leadership skill and has little or no understanding of American traditions and values.
Did the party think we would be so enthralled by his skillful oratory that we wouldn't notice?

[Slobodan Voroshilov jr]

He took(Jeremyah) his cat to the veterinary's and complications with an ingrown nail kept him at the cat's
side for 6 hours. Anyway Barack hates the centrist
reactionarys and is interested mainly in the ACLU agenda
He will be marching in San Francisco at next week's
GBLT protest and meeting with evangelicals after.

[Ed Banks]

With his head swollen so huge, Obama is fond of taking voters for granted. Once again his ego has led him to snub another powerful group led by my friend Harold Ford Jr. To the women, Obama tells them to get over it and to independents he starts fli-flopping. And not to centrists, he has snubbed them. To the white voters, he simply said, Oh they will come around. This type of arrogance will surely sink this man and his over inflated ambition. We all want change but not another novice like Bush.

[VJ Machiavelli]

Well, who else would they "Embrace", McCain ?

They are now all joined at the "HIP" for BITTER" or worse.

VJ Machiavelli
http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com

[SandraL]

About time the Democratic party returned to its strengths (making government work for people) and sent this gang of corporatists back to the fringe where they belong. The DLC is a failure.

[dumdum]

blah...blah...blah....all the intelligent people in this country voted Bush back to power...LOL

[captainkona]

Screw Harold Ford Jr. and the DLC. They no longer have a place in the Democratic party. They act like Repiglikans, vote like Repiglikans, lie like Repiglikans.

Obama doesn't need them and he knows it. The DLC are the spineless slugs that have rubber stamped the BushCo agenda from jump. They are the reason Bush was able to veto landmark legislation when the Dems in Congress introduced bill after bill.

Straight to Hell with them all.

[cataplasm]

Well its good to see the Repuglican shills are fully on message. Does Rove type them all himself or does he send out notes for all these people? Its shameful that every new twist out of the republican machine is immediately parroted across the Internet by these people. Instead of these attacks designed to define Obama negatively why don't they stick to the issues. Oh yes, after eight years of complete mismanagement the last thing you want is to talk about issues!

[maz hess]

Choose your friends wisely. You will have them in your back.

[Alex]

Obama doesn't need the DLC. The DLC is an afront to the DNC and should just be ignored.

[marc christophe]

Obama differs from the DLC because he is a radical leftist who does not wish to find common ground with anyone to the right of William Ayres, Rev.Wright or his beloved Che Guevara. Obama does not speak for any Democrat who works for a living, saves and invests for his or her future, believes in private property, who aspires to any future above being a subsistence laborer, who is patriotic without shame, or who believes we are a nation of free human beings and not competing "interest groups". The Democratic party has always stood up for working people, but the lunatic fringe has clearly usurped that role and wants to fundamentally change America into "Amerika", and "liberate" the American people from their freedoms in the name of soviet-enforced economic "equality". Obama and his fetid ilk can rot in hell. I've lived under sovietism and can tell you that you do not want it in "AMERIKA"

[HereEveryone...HaveSomeSalt]

Why is it that Obama's ambitions are over inflated? There should be little question at this point as to whether or not EITHER of the candidates are qualified for the presidency. They obviously both are. Why one over the other in your opinion?
Why is it that Obama doesn't understand American values? That seems like the most unjustified comment of them all!
Someone should try talking about WHY they think that he is under qualified (something more than the so called "snubbing" of the DLC. For crying out loud people!), because I have yet to see a convincing argument.
Its really hilarious how worthless these comment sections are, and how brazen and ridiculous people's comments can become.

[Aiken Blue]

Obama has his values down right, family before meetings. He will not compromise on his family and that is something that McCain has not shown. McCain has compromised on his family's relationship forgetting that it can be the greatest support to his career. Obama is a man who deserves respect, honor and the presidency of America. Go Obama!! Help us get him elected, visit WhyObama08.org!

[jacksmith]

I hope that all of us that can will do our best to help Hillary Clinton pay off ALL of her campaign debt quickly. She deserves that. You all knew Hillary, and Bill would go out on a limb for us if they felt they had too. That's what they do. :-) As I said before Hillary Clinton was STUNNING!!!

You witnessed the greatest political campaign struggle in American history. One for the textbooks, and the history books. Hillary Clinton fought her heart out against all odds to win for all of the American people. While at the same time doing her best to prepare Sen. Barack Obama to win in November if he was the nominee. STUNNING!!! WELL DONE HILLARY CLINTON. WELL DONE! Your AMAZING! :-)

Sen. Obama could not have had a better opponent than Hillary Clinton. Nor could he have had a better opponent to prepare him for the battle royal to come against John McCain and the Republicans ahead of the November elections. Hillary Clinton was like a big Mama cat determined to teach her kitten how to hunt, and hang with the big dogs for the fights ahead. The Clinton's have won the Whitehouse twice before. They know what it will take.

Hillary Clinton took Sen. Obama to every brawl, and cat fight she could find for him to develop his fight, and his chops. She even let her men (President Clinton, Governor Rendell, and many others) loose on Sen. Obama a little bit. So as to give Sen. Obama a taste of just how rough, and tough the big boys will be to do battle with. :-)

From sea to shining sea and US territories Hillary Clinton took Sen. Obama to see all of America. To meet, and greet all it's people. And to ask for their votes and support, which he will need if he becomes President. She took him to see what he will be fighting for. And to see what she and President Clinton have fought so heroically for over so many years. Sen. Obama could not have ask for any better. Nor had any better teachers.

Bill Clinton, Chelsea, Mrs. Rodham, and the whole Clinton team were magnificent. They really showed their metal. BRAVO! TEAM CLINTON... BRAVO!

And YOU! my fellow Americans. I'm so proud of you. And proud to be one of you. You showed what you are made of. And what makes America so great. You never gave up on your Champion Hillary Clinton. Time, and time again you eagerly waited your turn to vote for Hillary Clinton. To raise her up and pass her along down the line to the rest of your waiting fellow Americans.

You never gave up on her. Just as Hillary Clinton never gave up on you. No matter how many times they counted her out. No matter how many times her detractors, and attackers brutally knocked her down. You knew she would get back up and get after it. And when she did you were ready to support her. This is your role model America. AMERICA LOVES A FIGHTER. AMERICA UNDERSTANDS A FIGHTER. AMERICA IS A FIGHTER. I'M PROUD OF YOU AMERICA!

Sen. Clinton looked a little tired her first day back at work in the senate after her history making heroic campaign. She has good reason to be tired. Doesn't she America. But with time and good attention to the basics she, and you will recover. The basics are good well balanced nutrition, hydration, rest, exercise, recreation, POSITIVE! emotional support, and time (the greatest healer of all).

Y'all be good to President Clinton. I never saw a man fight so hard for a woman, and the American people as President Clinton fought for Hillary Clinton, and you. It's going to take Bill a while. No one except Hillary Clinton could have fought any harder than President Clinton did for you.

I imagine President Clinton still remembers how the American people wailed, reached, and cried out for him as he took that last flight home as your President on Air Force One after the 2000 elections. Yes, many of us knew back then what was coming for the American people under a republican administration. Back to living like dumb animals again. Fighting over territory, and scraps of meat. You are dieing like fly's now. Republicans too. But it's ok because some people are making a lot of money off of your needless deaths. :-(

As always, Hillary Clinton, and President Clinton did their best for all of us. It was an EPIC!

YOU MADE US VERY PROUD HILLARY CLINTON! HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH :-)

WE LOVE YOU. AND ADMIRE YOU...

jacksmith... Working Class :-)