Robert Gibbs Says He Was Told to Lie About Drone Program

It is amazing what happens when Obama administration officials resign. They start sounding rational. Lawrence Summers now backs regulations on the financial industry. Former Press Secretary Robert Gibbs expresses his displeasure on being instructed to deny the existence of the drone program.

“When I went through the process of becoming press secretary, one of the first things they told me was you’re not even to acknowledge the drone program,” he explained on MSNBC. “You’re not even to discuss that it exists.”

“Here’s what’s inherently crazy about that proposition,” Gibbs continued. “You’re being asked a question based on reporting of a program that exists. So you’re the official government spokesperson acting as if the entire program — pay no attention to the man behind the certain."

It is hard to deny the drone program when there is documented evidence of the bombings. In June of 2012, Nick Sibilla put the civilian death count at possibly 500.

according to analysis by the New America Foundation, approximately 11 to 17 percent of all those killed by drone strikes in Pakistan have been civilians. Meanwhile, the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism found that since President Obama took office in January 2009, anywhere from 282-535 civilians have been killed by drone strikes, including more than 60 children.

I am not arguing to protect terrorists. I do want transparency on the legality of the drone program.

Wingnut of the Day

Next time the Right-wing media cries about liberal media bias, remember Les Kinsolving of World Net Daily asking White House Press Secretary Jay Carney the repeal of DADT legalizes bestiality. This is the utter conspiracy nonsense that WWD thrives in. Remember that this web site contends that President Barack Obama is not an American citizen. Jake Tapper and other members of the media are literally laughing at the stupidity of the question.

[MR. CARNEY]: Let’s go to the back. Lester.

Kinsolving: Oh, my goodness.

MR. CARNEY: Can you believe it? (Laughter.) I’m in the holiday spirit.

Kinsolving: In the holiday spirit. The family research –

MR. CARNEY: Is everyone okay? (Laughter.)

Kinsolving: The Family Research Council and CNS News both reported a 93-to-7 U.S. Senate vote to approve a defense authorization bill that, quote, “includes a provision which not only repeals the military law on sodomy, but also repeals the military ban on sex with animals, or bestiality.” Does the Commander-in-Chief approve or disapprove of bestiality in our armed forces?

MR. CARNEY: I don’t have any comment on — I don’t have any comment on that.
Let me go to another question.

Kinsolving: Does the President believe this will be approved by all animal support groups, such as –

MR. CARNEY: Let’s get to something more serious. Yes, Jake.

Jake Tapper: You sure you don’t want to ask Lester another question? Give him another opportunity? (Laughter.)

MR. CARNEY: I’ve learned my lesson, Jake. (Laughter.)

Tapper: Just one –

MR. CARNEY: Lester, I think we’ll — we’ll let everybody get a chance here. Go ahead, Jake.

Tapper: Are you sure you don’t want to take any more questions on bestiality? (Laughter.) You don’t want to comment on that?

To show just how ridiculous Kinsolving is, here is video of him asking former Press Sec. Robert Gibbs a birther question.

Obama Has No Afghanistan Strategy

Another example of why President Obama is not a policy wonk or takes policy seriously: special adviser Richard Holbrooke announced that the United States has no exit strategy for Afghanistan.

"We do not have an exit strategy but a transition strategy," Holbrooke said, adding that "2014 is not the end of international presence in Afghanistan (but) to be sure there will be some drawdown (of troops) in July next year. The size and pace will be decided by the president."

Translation: the Obama administration is winging this. Last year, Robert Gibbs told Chip Reid of CBS News that the 2011 withdrawal date was "locked" in. Gibbs' statement contradicted those of Sec. of State Hillary Clinton and Sec. of Defense Robert Gates. Both said that their offices had made no plans for withdawal in 2011. Bob Woodward reported that General David Petraeus has refused to provide President Obama with an exit strategy for Afghanistan. Obama could have fired Petraeus for insubordination. Obama chose political safety over firing a General who undermined his own policy.

We now know the the 2011 date is not "locked" in. Obama's promise of Afghan police and military ready to fend for themselves by 2011 was pure fantasy. Obama has never adequately addressed what is the mission in Afghanistan. Reports indicate al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden have moved to Pakistan.

During the election, Obama hinted at sending in troops into Pakistan. With the expection of special forces and predator drones; Obama has not given any indication of using full military manpower to invade al-Qaeda strongholds in Pakistan.

In 2009, military contractors outnumbered troops in Afghanistan. Phillip Carter and Paul Glastris wrote a highly controversial article in The Washington Monthly making the case to reinstitute the draft.

But there's a deeper problem, one that any president who chose to invade a country the size of Iraq would have faced. In short, America's all-volunteer military simply cannot deploy and sustain enough troops to succeed in places like Iraq while still deterring threats elsewhere in the world. Simply adding more soldiers to the active duty force, as some are now suggesting, may sound like a good solution. But it's not, for sound operational and pragmatic reasons. America doesn't need a bigger standing army; it needs a deep bench of trained soldiers held in reserve who can be mobilized to handle the unpredictable but unevitable wars and humanitarian interventions of the future. And while there are several ways for an all-volunteer force can create some extra surge capacity, all of them are limited.

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have made it more difficult to retain and recruit soldiers. This is why the United States has relied heavily on contractors. These military contractors do not report to the military chain of command have endangered U.S. troops and civilians. Obama will keep using contractors because he knows the draft would be highly unpopular with the American public.

Obama's Afghanistan policy has nothing to do with defeating al-Qaeda or killing Osama bin Laden. Obama isn't willing to institute a policy that would remove troops from Afghanistan or defeat the al-Qaeda network in Pakistan. Obama is looking for a solution that will cause him the least amount of political pain. Unfortunately, brave men and women will die because Obama is more concerned with being elected for a second term.

Gibbs Rant the Public Face of New Democrat Neoliberalism

Via Litbrit: Alan Grayson urges the Obama administration to fire Robert Gibbs. Grayson says Gibbs does a horrible job conveying the President's message.

GRAYSON: No, I don't think (Gibbs) should resign. I think he should be fired. He's done a miserable job. People I know refer to him as Bozo the Spokesman. He is not conveying the value of the President's strategies or his plans or his programs. He's doing a miserable job. It's that simple. He's so far in over his head he would have to reach up to touch his shoes.

Grayson ducks the question about David Frum's tweet on how Democrats and Republicans react to their respective bases.

More proof of my longtime thesis, Repub pols fear the GOP base; Dem pols hate the Dem base.

The Obama White House has political views closer to the neoliberal rantings of Mickey Kaus than the progressive base. Obama fought against the health care public option he campaigned for. Teachers are angry at Sec. of Education Arne Duncan for supporting stripping tenure from teachers. Obama is losing Hispanic support by caving to Republicans on immigration reform. When Obama bowed to Republican demands to send 1,200 National Guard troops to the Mexican border, the newspaper El Diario La Prensa of New York asked, "Who’s in charge in Washington?"

Obama's policy positions make sense if you understand he is a neoliberal that feels more comfortable with pro-business and hawkish military policies. Rahm Emanuel has made a career bashing progressives and supporting conservative Democrats. Lawrence Summers urged President Bill Clinton to sign the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The Gibbs outburst was just a public display of how the White House feels about the progressives that helped put them in power. That is why I firmly support progressive Democrats running against Obama in 2012. I would support Grayson or Howard Dean over Obama in a heart beat.

Quote of the Day

"Shorter Robert Gibbs: Make no mistake, I fully intended to tell our base to fuck off. I stand by telling them to fuck off."

Marcy Wheeler, of Firedoglake and media of the Professional Left.

Jane Hamsher On Gibbs 'Professional Left' Comment

Jane Hamsher discusses the White House's disdain for the "Professional Left." Translation: the neoliberal Obama administration doesn't like progressives.

Olbermann on Gibbs & Professional Left

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Keith Olbermann gives a special comment to Robert Gibbs' misplaced rage at the "Professional Left."

The Professional Left

I continue to the the White House's neoliberal bent makes it hate progressives. Robert Gibbs apparently is shocked the entire Left doesn't think like the New Republic. Gibbs is the lates White House official to bash progressives.

“I hear these people saying he’s like George Bush. Those people ought to be drug tested,” Gibbs said. “I mean, it’s crazy.”

Actually, Bush did a better job pushing his legislative agenda through than Obama did.

This is Gibbs' response to a question on how Obama caves on policy.

“They wouldn’t be satisfied if Dennis Kucinich was president.”

Gibbs called progressives "the Professional Left" that only wants to complain. I call them the people that helped Obama get elected. Bashing progressives may play well with Fox News but see if Fox News jumps on the Obama bandwagon come 2012.

No Deadline For Afghanistan Withdrawal

Sec. of Defense Robert Gates and Sec. of State Hillary Clinton told Bob Schieffer there is no absolute deadline to pull troops out of Afghanistan. Gates and Clinton do their best to spin. The fact is President Barack Obama said troops will start pulling out in July of 2011.

But taken together, these additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces, and allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011. Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground. We'll continue to advise and assist Afghanistan's security forces to ensure that they can succeed over the long haul. But it will be clear to the Afghan government -- and, more importantly, to the Afghan people -- that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country.

White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs told CBS News Chip Reid the july 2001 deadline was locked in. Troops would be coming home at the deadline. Clinton and Gates are publicly stating there is no guarantee of U.S. military personal coming back at that time.

SCHIEFFER: But Mr. Secretary, is there a deadline or is there not?

GATES: There isn’t a deadline. What we have is a specific date on which we will begin transferring responsibility for security district by district, province by province in Afghanistan to the Afghans. The process of that and the subsequent thinning of our forces will take place over a period of time and will happen and will be done based on conditions on the ground. And the decision on that will be made by our commanders in the field.

Clinton told Schieffer troops will come home based "on conditions on the ground."

SCHIEFFER: But does that mean, Madame Secretary, that American forces will still be there as we start… That they’re not going to start bringing the troops home? That we’ll just begin handing over responsibility?

CLINTON: No, it means that as we assess the conditions on the ground we will be transferring responsibility to the Afghans. And depending on the assessment at the time, that means some of our troops can begin coming home. I think that…

SCHIEFFER: Can begin coming home?

CLINTON: Absolutely, can begin coming home.

SCHIEFFER: But not will begin coming home?

The Obama administration is starting to sound like the Bush administration. I have been hawkish on Afghanistan and was hoping for an increase in Special Forces missions into Pakistan to hunt down al-Qaeda. There is no talk about capturing or killing Osama bin Laden or destroying al-Qaeda in their Pakistan hiding places. (Or wherever the hell they are.) Obama is esculating a war with a fantasy of President Karzai's corrupt government being able to create military and police forces. Karzai wants America in Afghanistan forever. The moment America leaves his corrupt regime will leave.

Obama is playing centrist politics with Afghanistan. He doesn't want to be accused of being weak by Republicans. Obama also wants to keep the anti-war Democratic base happy with a deadline. The only thing Obama has successfully done is piss off both sides. This is cynical politics at it's worse.

Obama Firm On Afghanistan Deadline

CBS News' Chip Reid reports President Barack Obama is going to stay firm on the July 2011 for troop withdrawal in Afghanistan.

I asked White House spokesman Robert Gibbs if senators were incorrect calling the date a "target."

After the briefing, Gibbs went to the president for clarification. Gibbs then called me to his office to relate what the president said. The president told him it IS locked in – there is no flexibility. Troops WILL start coming home in July 2011. Period. It's etched in stone. Gibbs said he even had the chisel.

I do not see Obama being able to keep that promise. The Hamid Karzai government is corrupt. Former Deputy Special Representative Peter Galbraith says he was ordered to cover up the fixed election.

“At other critical stages in the election process,” he wrote in The Washington Post, “I was similarly ordered not to pursue the issue of fraud.

The New York Times reports Ahmed Wali Karzai, the brother of Afghanistan's president, is a major player in the heroin trade. Afghanistan's CIA station chief attempted to have President Karzai move his brother out of the country to no avail.

The current number of Afghan born troops is 90,000. The police force is 93,000. Police jobs are auctioned off. High ranking police officers use their positions to enrich themselves. Afghanistan is ranked as the second most corrupt country in the world. There is no realistic way for Afghanistan to reach the benchmarks Obama has set.

Crist's Stimulus Flip Flop

"I didn't endorse it. I -- you know, I didn't even have a vote on the darned thing. But I understood that it was going to pass and I wanted to be able to utilize it for the benefit of my fellow Floridians."

Gov. Charlie Crist, telling Wolf Blitzer he did not endorse the stimulus package.

The Pultizer Prize-winning Politifact gave Crist's claim a pants on fire rating. Crist missed a cabinet meeting to stand onstage with Obama and advocate his support of the stimulus package.



Charlie Crist: "It's getting harder everyday and we know it's important that we pass this stimulus package. It is important that we do so to help education. To help our infrastructure and to help health care for those who need it the most."

Other instances Crist touted his support of the stimulus package.

From Hardball with Chris Matthews on Feb. 3: Speaking of the stimulus, Crist said, "It's going to help (Floridians') children. It's going to help their traffic situation. It's going to help produce more jobs here in the Sunshine State. That's a perspective that I have to have as, in essence, the CEO of Florida. And that's why I support it."

From Time on Feb. 10: "I see this package as a pragmatic, commonsense opportunity to move forward. I didn't campaign for Obama, we don't agree on everything, but he's my president, and my job is to help Florida stay in the black."

From Meet the Press on Feb. 22: Q: Why would you buck your own party, which did not vote for this plan in Congress, as you know, to support the stimulus?

Crist: "It's not a matter of bucking the party, it's a matter of helping the people. I mean, I really view it as an issue of what can I do that's best for the people of Florida? We've got almost 20 million people that live in the Sunshine State now. I think my obligation is in essence the CEO of the state, to do everything I can to help us get through this tough economy. Certainly this stimulus package, about $12.2 billion to Florida, will help Florida an awful lot."

Crist needs to find a spine or he will lose. The worst thing to do in politics in do complete 180 turns. It didn't work for Mitt Romney and he won't work for Crist.

Update: White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs said Crist supported the stimulus package.

"I think he was very supportive of the legislation and supportive of the benefits that it would have and has had for the state of Florida in seeing positive economic growth," Gibbs said. "I would say yes, yes."

I wonder if the White House views Marco Rubio as the candidate Kendrick Meek has the best chance beating.

Robert Gibbs Ducks Public Option Question

Chuck Todd asked Press Sec. Robert Gibbs about the failure to pass the public option in the Senate Finance Committee. Helen Thomas asked Gibbs was asked why isn't Obama "fighting" for the public option. Gibbs would only say that the President supports choice and competition. Gibbs would not promise the President demanding a public option.

Q Health care — yesterday the Senate Finance Committee voted down two different versions of the public option, and I don’t believe we’ve heard from the White House officially on how — is this — is the President disappointed that the Senate — that no public option has made it through Senate Finance Committee, since this is something that he’s –

MR. GIBBS: I would say — I would reiterate what the President said in front of the joint session of Congress — it’s a proposal he favors in getting choice and competition. We’re working with all in Congress to figure out how best to provide that choice and competition. You’ve got one bill right now that doesn’t include a public option; you have four bills that do. This is part of the legislative process in reconciling all these ideas.

Q So why doesn’t he fight for it?

MR. GIBBS: We’re fighting for choice and competition and –

Q But not the public option.

MR. GIBBS: — and trying to get — go ahead.

Q Max Baucus said his reason for voting against it is that he could count votes — sort of implying — I guess he was trying to imply that he’s supportive of the idea, but because it didn’t have the votes he didn’t want to vote for it in committee. Does the President share that sort of same mind-set as Senator Baucus, that you can be — you’re not going to get everything you want, so — he supports it, but if the votes aren’t there, the votes aren’t there?

MR. GIBBS: Again, the most important thing — and you’ve heard the President say this — the most important thing is choice in competition; that in the individual and small business insurance market, if you have a geographic region that’s dominated by only one entity, you tend not to have — you certainly don’t have choice and it tends not to breed competition. We will work with Congress to find the best option for how to do that.

Q But you’re not going to sign a bill that doesn’t have something that in your mind — take your state of Alabama example — if Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama has still got 90 percent of the market, then you’re not signing that bill?

MR. GIBBS: The President I think has made it extremely clear that without choice and competition you won’t have health reform. We will ensure that whatever is passed in health reform meets that obligation.

Quote of the Day

"I'm not entirely sure that Dick Cheney's predictions on foreign policy have borne a whole lot of fruit over the last eight years in a way that has been either positive or, to the best of my recollection, very correct."

Robert Gibbs, White House Press Sec.

Alcee Hastings Letter to Obama

Rep. Alcee Hastings sent a letter to President Barack Obama expressing his disappointing. Hastings has been pushing the White House to repeal the military Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. Hasting refered to the policy banning gays and lesbians from openly serving as ""a ridiculous, bigoted law."

August 27, 2009

The Honorable Barack H. Obama

President of the United States

The White House

Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

On June 22, I sent you a letter signed by 77 Members of Congress urging you to take leadership in working together with Congress to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and to replace it with a policy of inclusion and non-discrimination. More than two months later, I have yet to receive an official response.

I am deeply disappointed that you have not responded to my letter and that we are not addressing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell at this time. With the recent addition of 17,000 American troops to Afghanistan and the possibility of another request for even more troops from General McChrystal in the coming weeks, I am sure that you will agree that we cannot afford to lose any of our dedicated, highly-qualified service members to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

As you know, we lose approximately two service members every day to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. While I commend Secretary Gates and the Pentagon’s general counsel for their continued efforts to identify possible provisional measures, you can take action right now. I sincerely hope that your administration will make Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell a priority and do everything in its power to repeal this ridiculous, bigoted law once and for all.

Mr. President, I am extremely proud of the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces and truly appreciate the countless sacrifices they continue to make every single day to protect this nation and the American people. They deserve better than Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Please know that I will continue to monitor this situation closely and stand ready to assist you and my colleagues in Congress in repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell today.

Obama isn't going to make changes to Don't Ask Don't Tell. I detailed how President Truman's Executive Order 9981 and Defense Sec. Robert S. McNamara's Department of Defense Directive 5120.36 ended racial segregation. Afican-American men and women were allowed to serve because of two executive branch orders. Obama and Press Sec. Robert Gibbs maintain there is no legal precedent to end Don't Ask Don't Tell through the executive branch.

Q So when can we expect a durable policy on racial desegregation in the military, since that's never gone through Congress?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm out of my depth as a lawyer. And I'm not exactly sure the timing of when President Truman did that, but my sense is that there were also some legal proceedings around that. Try as one may, a President can't simply whisk away standing law of the United States of America. I think that's maybe been the undercurrent of some of the conversations we've had over the past few days on Guantanamo Bay.

But if you're going to change the policy, if it is the law of the land, you have to do it through an act of Congress.

Q And so there's pending legislation? I didn't see any.

MR. GIBBS: I don't know what's been introduced in Congress.

Hastings introduced an amendment to the defense spending bill. The White House never publicly backed Hastings amendment.

Hastings explains to Rachel Maddow how the White House was against his amendment.

Public Option is Dead

Progressive bloggers can quit writing about the public option. Health & HS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius and Press Sec. Robert Gibbs went on the Sunday talk shows and made it clear the public health insurance option was dead.



Sebelius:

"I think what's important is choice and competition and I'm convinced at the end of the day, the plan will have both of those. But [a public option] is not the essential element," said Sebelius.

Gibbs:

"What I am saying is the bottom line for this for the president is, what we have to have is choice and competition in the insurance market. Again, if you are in a place in this country where you only get one choice, how in the world are you going to be able to convince anybody that you are driving down costs when you don't have to compete against anything."

Notice Gibbs talked about the private market and made no mention of the public option. Today, Obama reached out to Senators Charles Grassley, Olympia Snowe and Mike Enzi. The President dumped the public option and Republicans still won't vote a weakened version of health care reform. Any astute policial observer knew this was going to happen. Now the White House is pretending they didn't give up on the public option.

Health care dominated the morning briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who denied reports that the White House and Democrats are giving up on a bipartisan reform bill.

“Absolutely not,” Gibbs said. “We continue to be hopeful that we can get bipartisan support and will continue to work with those that are interested in doing that.”

“Our goal is to get this done in a bipartisan way,” he said. “There are several more weeks to go in potential negotiations between Republicans and Democrats. I don’t know why we would short circuit any of that now.”

Why does a President with supermajorities in the House and Senate need Republican votes? Obama's attempts at bipartisanship have given the Republicans operating room to attack. To make matters worst for Obama: a Rasmussen poll found only 34 percent of voters support health care reform without a public option. Only 9 percent of voters "strongly" support reform without the public option. Obama needed the public option when he started pushing for reform. Obama needs it more now.

Obama's political strategy was to appeal to Republicans and hold a townhall meeting that let tea baggers rip into him. Obama did not care about progressive supoorter or the Congressional Democrats that had to face hostile townhall meetings. Obama operates under the delusion America is the New Republic and Democratic Leadership Council. Both TNR and DLC have advocated bashing the Left and appeasing the Right as the best way for a Democrat to govern. Obama has put that theory to the test. It turned out to be a massive failure.

The American people elected supermajorities in Congress. Obama opted to appease Republicans and put no pressure on corporate-friendly Democrats. Obama never voiced complaint about Max Baucus shutting Democrats out of writing the health care bill. Rahm Emanuel was allowed to speak out against the public option. If this is change then I don't want to believe.

The Differences In How Obama & Frank Deal With the Right

Evidence that Barack Obama still doesn't get it. White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs said the President believes Charles Grassley, Olympia Snowe and Mike Enzi are working "in good faith" on health care reform. The last time Obama praised Grassley, The Senator said Democrats were advocating euthanasia.

“You have every right to fear. You shouldn’t have counseling at the end of life, you should have done that 20 years before. Should not have a government run plan to decide when to pull the plug on grandma.”

Enzi wrote an op-ed in USA Today against Obama's plan.

According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, a government-run component would actually increase health care spending, cause millions of people to lose the care they like and have, and add trillions to the national debt.

For millions of Americans, the government-run plan would turn into a bureaucratic nightmare, with the efficiency and customer service of the Department of Motor Vehicles or the IRS. Washington bureaucrats would literally decide whether patients would live or die by rationing newer, more expensive therapies.

A CBO report found only 9 million would switch to the pubnlic option. One of the cost savings not calculatyed by CBO is hospitals spent $35 billion in uninsured care. Hospitals paston this cost is passed on to the insured. Preventive and more insured care will lower costs.



Snowe argued in favor of Americans continuing to pay for overpriced insurance.

"If you establish a public option at the forefront that goes head-to-head and competes with the private health insurance market ... the public option will have significant price advantages," Snowe said. But this was her argument against making the public option available as soon as the bill becomes law.

Grassley, Enzi and Snowe will never back a public option. Democrats know this. Obama continues to court the right out some bizarre need for their personal approval. It is disturbing.

Rep. Barney Frank has the correct idea. A female tea bagger referred to health care reform as a "Nazi policy" and held a photoshop picture of Obama as Hitler. Frank asked, "What planet do you spend most of your time."

That is the way to deal with the nutcases. Obama wants to win their approval and feels the progressive base is not important. The result is Senate Democrats abandoning health care reform. Great strategy, Mr. President.

Say Goodbye to the Public Option

Republican poll numbers are tanking. Democrats have supermajorities in the House and Senate. President Barack Obama created the hugest grassroots coalition of any President in history. The public have voiced disapproval in the current state of health care. Obama came in with political advantages Bill Clinton could only dream of having.

Obama first major "health care reform" was promising the "pharmaceutical industry" the White House would not support any legislation that would allow the federal government to negotiate the price of drugs. Under the Obama administration, the taxpayer and patients can look forward to being charged more for prescription drugs. This is change Megan McCardle can believe in.

The latest progressive change is the White House will most likely drop the public option. Press Sec. Robert Gibbs hinted, as much, on Face the Nation.

"What I am saying is the bottom line for this for the president is, what we have to have is choice and competition in the insurance market. Again, if you are in a place in this country where you only get one choice, how in the world are you going to be able to convince anybody that you are driving down costs when you don't have to compete against anything."

Can anyone say that Obama operated the health care debate like a chess master? The advantage was his and he refuses to go on the offensive. Obama never put single payer on the table. The public option is near death. Republicans are going to keep pressing. Whatever Obama passes can not be declared victory.

Quote of the Day

"I have not talked to the president about it."

Robert Gibbs, asked by White House press corp about California Supreme Court ruling.

For the record: the California Supreme Court originally legalized gay marriage in the state. The court does not have the power to overturn a legal ballot initiative. What I find interesting is Obama running away from the LGBT community. During the campaign Obama came out against Prop 8. Obama is now abandoning parts of the base after winning the presidency. Change supporters on the Left don't want to believe is happening.



Bonus quote:

"Gibbs answer on prop 8 seems to ignore *candidate* Obama's opposition to it bc it 'needlessly' altered CA's constitution. Gah."

Ana Marie Cox

Ana Marie Cox Questions Robert Gibbs

Air America correspondent Ana Marie Cox asked White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs about members of the military continuing to be dismissed because of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. It's funny watching Cox itching to ask Gibbs her question. Cox appears ready to leap out of her seat.

Gibbs is standing by the talking point nothing can be done without Congressional approval. I pointed out Executive Order 9981 and Defense Directive 5120.36 integrated the military through the executive branch. Pentagon spokesperson Geoff Morrell confirmed there are no plans to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Related: former Army Ranger sergeant Brian Hughes is a gay man. He served in combat and several men in his company kne he is gay. Hughes didn't tell more fellow soldiers because he was afraid of losing his job. Hughes correctly points out Obama is showing a lack of political courage.

Today the strongest resistance to overturning "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" may not come from the military, which polls show mostly supports repeal, nor from social conservatives, who are not in power. Rather, there are many Democratic leaders and strategists who blame the issue of gays in the military for damaging the beginning of Bill Clinton's presidency. They fear it could have the same effect on Mr. Obama.

The truth is that public opinion has moved dramatically on this issue. Public support for repeal consistently polls above 75% -- well above Mr. Obama's approval ratings. The fact that support is above 90% for men and women aged 18-29 should put to rest any worries that repeal could interfere with recruitment.

Update: Pam Spaulding has the transcript.

Q So you had said that the President is working with the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on "don't ask, don't tell," but earlier this week the Pentagon said that the conversations were "initial" and that there is "no sense of any immediate developments in the offing on efforts to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell.'" So I wanted to give you a chance to correct the Pentagon on that.

And I have two other questions. What other policies are there --

MR. GIBBS: If you ask like that you're going to get bumped up to, like, the first row. (Laughter.)

Let me address the first question because, if I'm not mistaken, the Pentagon did correct that statement on efforts regarding the reform on "don't ask, don't tell."

Q So there are active conversations happening now?

MR. GIBBS: Yes. Yes.

Q Okay. And then I wanted to know if there are any other policies that the President believes to be, as you said yesterday about "don't ask, don't tell," not in our national interest but is content to let Congress take the lead on? And second, President Truman didn't see it necessary to clear desegregation through Congress, so how is this different?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I don't want to put words in your mouth, but maybe I was -- maybe I used some poor language, but the President is involved in these discussions. It was the President's commitment to overturn the policy that's not in our national interest that is the reason for these discussions and for the effort to overturn this. So I think the notion somehow -- the reason Congress is involved is the only durable and lasting way with which to overturn the policy is to do it by law. That's the --

Q So when can we expect a durable policy on racial desegregation in the military, since that's never gone through Congress?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I'm out of my depth as a lawyer. And I'm not exactly sure the timing of when President Truman did that, but my sense is that there were also some legal proceedings around that. Try as one may, a President can't simply whisk away standing law of the United States of America. I think that's maybe been the undercurrent of some of the conversations we've had over the past few days on Guantanamo Bay.

But if you're going to change the policy, if it is the law of the land, you have to do it through an act of Congress.

Q And so there's pending legislation? I didn't see any.

MR. GIBBS: I don't know what's been introduced in Congress.

Joel Award: Robert Gibbs

It is time to give out the Joel Award. The award goes any celebrity, pundit, blogger or politician that purposely contradicts himself or herself.

White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs made big news. He said the Obama administration would end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This was before the administration took office.

GIBBS: That is you don't hear a politician give a one word answer much, but it's yes.

Flash forward to May 15th, 2009. Gibbs say the White House can't do anything without Congressional approval. The next question should be how many meetings has to White House had with members of Congress to push for legislation to end "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Q Well, the President says that releasing the detainee photos poses a danger to our troops, but doesn't dismissing otherwise qualified soldiers also pose a danger? Is it a question of degree?

MR. GIBBS: No, no. What I talked about in terms of "don't ask, don't tell" was the President -- the President, as you know, supports changing that because he strongly believes that it does not serve our national interest. He agrees with former members of the Joint Chiefs in that determination.
But unlike photos, the only durable solution to "don't ask, don't tell" is through a legislative process, and the President is working with Congress and members of the Joint Chiefs to ensure that that happens.

Q But couldn't he in the meantime put a moratorium on these discharges until that can be accomplished?

MR. GIBBS: But again, the President has determined that that's not -- that's not the way to seek any sort of lasting or durable solution to the public policy problem that we have.

Q Then how would you respond to the criticism, though, that dismissing a qualified linguist endangers the troops?

MR. GIBBS: I think I would respond by saying that the President has long believed that the policy doesn't serve our national interest.

Gibbs is not giving one word answers these days.

The administration will not push Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Obama will not use an executive moratorium to stop gay and lesbian soldier from being Discharged because of their sexual identity.

Robert Gibbs is the winner of the Joel Award.