How is telling the left that they should be satisfied with what Obama has done and to stop their whining going to energize them to vote in November? From my readings of the left, they’re angry that Obama has turned his back on them, e.g., no closing of Gitmo, no universal healthcare coverage, no hanging of Bush (not in that order) and hasn’t fought enough for the “progressive” cause. That’s hardly inspiring.

One of the questions I’d like to know (well two of them) is whether this represents the views of the President (I think it does) and whether he had the implicit or explicit approval either from Obama or Emanuel to say this?

In any event, it’s quite a spin to conclude that this will energize the left come November. If anything, it’s dispiriting.

“Is it an accident that he made these remarks to The Hill, and not one of his more regular sounding boards, like Politico? I think not….”

TC? I have to hand it to you…..you are a “glass is half full” kinda guy, for sure….even more admirable is that you are able to be so upbeat with all of the voices inside your head screaming at you all of the time….Congrats!

Well palyed Gibby, well played indeed.

The left meltdown continues. Now a Democrat congressman calls for Gibbs’ resignation:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/113577-dem-lawmaker-calls-on-gibbs-to-resign

All this is in follow-up to yesterday’s war of words between Olbermann, Michael Moore and others with the President’s press secretary.

As the ship sinks, the sailors fight amongst themselves.

First and foremost . The President’s Employee is a genius , that ‘s the ticket . The weasel doofus act is just an act .

Tommy, I love how you pretend to speculate about Gibbs motives when we all know you two are so close you share a locker in the west wing.

Really? – This is what you’re relying on Tommy?
Some obtuse “motivational” faux pas??
—————————————————————-
Tommy, do yourself a favor & climb aboard the TeaPartyExpress to get on the winning team!

Remember that little wave out in the ocean a year ago? – IT’S A TSUNAMI BUILDING! – Even members of the Professional Left will be signing on!

Of course, this is the same Tommy Christopher who claimed just a few months ago Democrats would gain seats in November. With that nugget in mind, here are a few inside facts about this fluke of a member of the White House Press Corps:

1) He holds no journalism degree or even took 1/10 the classes to earn one, making him a running joke among his colleagues in DC.

2) He has no political experience or background whatsoever (such as interning for a member of Congress or the Senate or starting out his career covering local races for a smaller publication). Don’t bother asking him for a political degree either. That said who could possibly question his credientials when it comes to political pontification?

3) You’ll never see the following words in any of his diary entries posing as serious political columns: “9.5% unemployment”, “out-of-control spending”, “promises broken”, “escalating war in Afghanistan” or “The President is currently at 41% approval”.

4) Tommy will now spend his Wednesday evening icing his finger from hitting the refresh button on this page, seeing what kind and how many comments he’s getting. He’ll dismiss most of the ones critical of him (this beauty will tilt about 94% negative) but will still get excited if the number of total comments surpasses 60 (“Yea! I’m relevant!”)

As he once told a friend of mine, “Even when they’ll killing me in the comments section, I know I have them thinking.”

What a fraud and embarrassment to true professionals out there…

What I find interesting is the sudden concern about in-fighting on the Left when the Right displayed and continue to display a much more aggressive degree of in-fighting itself, especially with the Tea Party and Republicans’ continuing attempts at excommunicating R.I.N.O.s and such.

It’s perfectly fine for people to have different degrees of opinion. The Left and the Right won’t agree on everything, much less individual members of either ideology.

Tommy and Gibby sitting in a tree….
c o l l u d i n g.

I’m surprised Tommy is still employed here; his work is pathetic.

Tom, that one’s definately gonna leave a mark! OUCH!!

“Tommy, I love how you pretend to speculate about Gibbs motives when we all know you two are so close you share a locker in the west wing.”

Attention children; we call this attacking the messenger and conservatives really hate it when you do this but yet they feel free to indulge in such tireed insipid antics ALL DAY LONG.

Now that Gibbs has, in effect, doubled down with his comments I think it’s more likely that Obama will have a “Sister Souljah” movement where he takes on the left and moves to the center. Obama’s been bleeding the moderate and centrist voters, that core that got him elected, and he desperately needs them to shore up his Presidency. And where is the left going to go? Kucinich?

The White House is going to throw the Congressional Democrats overboard and try to recapture the center.

That’ll steam off the lunatics like Michael Moore and Keith Olbermann but following those ideologues only leads to a dead end.

If Obama follows this path, his presidency is saved albeit Congress is lost. If he goes with the left, his presidency is over.

good points tom, ive always said tommy is just like “spider” in goodfellas lol

Unless Robert Gibbs can lower a 9.5% unemployment rate, it doesn’t matter what he says.

tomcable said:
Of course, this is the same Tommy Christopher who claimed just a few months ago Democrats would gain seats in November. With that nugget in mind, here are a few inside facts about this fluke of a member of the White House Press Corps:

1) He holds no journalism degree or even took 1/10 the classes to earn one, making him a running joke among his colleagues in DC.

2) He has no political experience or background whatsoever (such as interning for a member of Congress or the Senate or starting out his career covering local races for a smaller publication). Don’t bother asking him for a political degree either. That said who could possibly question his credientials when it comes to political pontification?

3) You’ll never see the following words in any of his diary entries posing as serious political columns: “9.5% unemployment”, “out-of-control spending”, “promises broken”, “escalating war in Afghanistan” or “The President is currently at 41% approval”.

4) Tommy will now spend his Wednesday evening icing his finger from hitting the refresh button on this page, seeing what kind and how many comments he’s getting. He’ll dismiss most of the ones critical of him (this beauty will tilt about 94% negative) but will still get excited if the number of total comments surpasses 60 (“Yea! I’m relevant!”)

Tom, your post is not relevant to this topic. It serves only to attack the writer, which indicates that you either do not have a real argument against Tommy’s point or that you have some trivial axe to grind. Your attempt at character assassination is more telling of your character (or lack thereof) than it is of whatever professional failings Tommy may or may not have.

tomcable said:
As he once told a friend of mine, “Even when they’ll killing me in the comments section, I know I have them thinking.”

It sounds like to me that he takes pride in presenting divergent information for many of the commenters here. And you flatter yourself if you think he really cares about what the commenters here have to say about his character. Tommy has been the target of more barbs and viciousness than anyone I’ve seen in new media. Yet, he continues to write.

Maybe you should attack his point, rather than his person? And seriously, if you don’t like Tommy’s writing, don’t read it. No one is forcing you to read it.

“Tom….Your attempt at character assassination is more telling of your character” SHogan

Uh-oh. Miss Manners is here.

Stephen, aren’t you the least bit curious why Tommy is invited to White House briefings with that resume though? Don’t you think those should be reserved for people who are in fact, journOlists?

Maybe someone could ask Gibbs about the government borrowing another $165 billion in a single month. Not that the leftwing media pays much attention to tiny little matters like that. But if you’re a taxpayer, you may want to mull over the implications. Basically the Democrats in DC are borrowing another more than a thousand dollars per month for every wage earner in the country. Guess who gets to pay that back?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704901104575423601722830706.html

In all honestly, if this was just a political move, I think this was a terrible one. By doing this, Gibbs sucked media attention away from the House passing the $26 billion dollar state aid bill. This money will help cities retain teachers, police officers and fire fighters, as well as turning street lights back on and maintaining paved roads that would otherwise be replaced with gravel. In other words, this will have a direct effect on Americans.

tomcable said:

As he once told a friend of mine, “Even when they’ll killing me in the comments section, I know I have them thinking.”

What a fraud and embarrassment to true professionals out there…

Your friend steered you wrong, I never said that. However, “Tom,” I thought my engagement with readers was an added value to them, sorry you don’t feel that way. Maybe that’s why more Mediaite writers don’t do it, you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I’ve been engaging with readers for over 2 years now.

Your rundown (and running down) of my resume’ was factually accurate (all of which I have written about), but rather incomplete. My path to this career was, indeed, unconventional, and I’m grateful that it didn’t have to be as narrow as the one you describe. That’s what makes America great. Hard work, talent, and a little bit of luck can overcome most obstacles.

Azarkhan said:
“Tom….Your attempt at character assassination is more telling of your character” SHogan

Uh-oh. Miss Manners is here.

If attempting to maintain civility makes me ‘Miss Manners’, so be it. Fortunately, I have a gingham apron to match the moniker.

Stephen Hogan said:
Tom, your post is not relevant to this topic.

Sorry, Steve, but I have to disagree with you here. This is Mediaite….it is a site that is supposed to be about the media..and how the media covers stories. TC is a member of the media and therefore becomes part of the story when he writes about the media….and personalities like Gibbs. Questioning a writer’s motives and qualifications comes with the territory…TC is a big boy….he can take the heat.

TC – How about another hardhitting Black Panther leader interview . ” Why do you think that evil Fox is picking on you , sir ? ” . Or maybe another Helen Thomas tribute ?

“This money will help cities retain teachers, police officers and fire fighters, as well as turning street lights back on and maintaining paved roads that would otherwise be replaced with gravel. In other words, this will have a direct effect on Americans.” SHogan

That money will help those blood-sucking, over-paid, lazy ass unions attack Republican candidates in the fall. When the fuck did Nancy Pelosi become Mother Theresa? That bitch knows exactly what she is doing.

MichelleF said:
Stephen, aren’t you the least bit curious why Tommy is invited to White House briefings with that resume though? Don’t you think those should be reserved for people who are in fact, journOlists?

Well, I would be interested in knowing, however I have no reason to suspect his acquisition of the position is not legitimate.

2 far-Left Congressmen have called for Gibbs to resign!

Ellison (Muslim) and Grayson who always seems demented!

Azarkhan said:
“This money will help cities retain teachers, police officers and fire fighters, as well as turning street lights back on and maintaining paved roads that would otherwise be replaced with gravel. In other words, this will have a direct effect on Americans.” SHogan

That money will help those blood-sucking, over-paid, lazy ass unions attack Republican candidates in the fall. When the fuck did Nancy Pelosi become Mother Theresa? That bitch knows exactly what she is doing.

Aside from the teacher’s union, which unions are you talking about?

juan said:
2 far-Left Congressmen have called for Gibbs to resign!

Ellison (Muslim) and Grayson who always seems demented!

Yes, Ellison is Muslim. I’m not sure what point of relevance called you to identify that fact in parenthesis.

Any union that supports the Democrats.

Puter Boi said:
Sorry, Steve, but I have to disagree with you here. This is Mediaite….it is a site that is supposed to be about the media..and how the media covers stories. TC is a member of the media and therefore becomes part of the story when he writes about the media….and personalities like Gibbs. Questioning a writer’s motives and qualifications comes with the territory…TC is a big boy….he can take the heat.

I have no problem with Tom questioning motives and qualifications. My problem is with how he chose to do it. You can question a person’s qualifications and motives without being a total jerk about it.

Azarkhan said:
Any union that supports the Democrats.

Well, regardless of your concern of labor unions, a majority of this money will go assisting cities and states with their infrastructure and maintenance needs. It will help keep all of the street lights in Colorado Springs on. It will allow cities to hire back police officers fire fighters who have been laid off. It will go to keeping teachers employed, so our kids won’t have to be placed in even bigger classrooms or have to attend 4 day school weeks.

Mr. Gibbs, you cannot please the far left…You cannot reason with lunatics and the mentally impaired. That is the reason why they are on the FAR LEFT because they cannot grasp adult ideas.

Wow, “Tom,” I just caught your comments on a previous post, and you are creeping me out.

tomcable said:
Content and blatant bias aside, as a writer and someone who used to work with you (not directly), one has to question whether you even have a journalism degree and/or even completed the requisite writing courses at college.

If you really “used to work with” me (not directly? What does that even mean?), you ought to identify yourself. None of what you’ve said is any kind of a secret, I’ve written several very long posts here detailing my journalism career. The fact that you seem to be pretending to know me is disturbing.

If you really are a former (sort of) colleague, feel free to identify yourself, or drop me an email (one of our mutual friends ought to have it).

Stephen Hogan said:
Tom, your post is not relevant to this topic. It serves only to attack the writer, which indicates that you either do not have a real argument against Tommy’s point or that you have some trivial axe to grind. Your attempt at character assassination is more telling of your character (or lack thereof) than it is of whatever professional failings Tommy may or may not have.

It sounds like to me that he takes pride in presenting divergent information for many of the commenters here. And you flatter yourself if you think he really cares about what the commenters here have to say about his character. Tommy has been the target of more barbs and viciousness than anyone I’ve seen in new media. Yet, he continues to write.

Maybe you should attack his point, rather than his person? And seriously, if you don’t like Tommy’s writing, don’t read it. No one is forcing you to read it.

Stephen,

It is true that, after almost 3 years of writing for high-traffic sites, I’m unfortunately pretty used to some pretty sickening personal attacks in comments sections, but it’s not true that we’re immune to it. Most of my Politics Daily colleagues used to be amazed that I even bothered, and it is a challenge to wade through the ugliness to engage the thoughtful readers. Sometimes, it’s worth it. Other times, not so much.

Tommy Christopher said:
If you really “used to work with” me (not directly? What does that even mean?)

One working the drive through . One at the counter .

Tommy Christopher said:
Sometimes, it’s worth it.

You mean like when I gave you your own theme song, huh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykRZbOb1c5c

Tommy:
I’d like to know why someone like you who has been the recipient of vicious personal attacks would defend and support a character assassin like Keith Olbermann? The man is a smear artist of unbelievable viciousness who relishes going after people’s physical appearances and regularly engages in relentless ad hominem attacks on people. He loves doing it, doesn’t he?

Yes, Limbaugh is worse if only because he does it for 3 hours and Olbermann for one. Beck too. I’ll not defend either of those individuals or the others on the hard right. Their ugliness is indefensible. There’s simply too much of it all around.

But I’m stunned that someone who has received such ugly attacks would adore a person like Olbermann who does it all the time.

TC, ever the apologist.

Stephen Hogan said:
Well, regardless of your concern of labor unions, a majority of this money will go assisting cities and states with their infrastructure and maintenance needs. It will help keep all of the street lights in Colorado Springs on. It will allow cities to hire back police officers fire fighters who have been laid off. It will go to keeping teachers employed, so our kids won’t have to be placed in even bigger classrooms or have to attend 4 day school weeks.

That’s what they’re telling you. In reality, it’s a payoff to unions and a slush fund for democrats runnning for re-election. Hiding behind children, teachers, police, and firefighters is shameless, corrupt, and unforgivable. We won’t forgive or forget. Hurry up November, time is running out

SteveMG said:
Tommy:
I’d like to know why someone like you who has been the recipient of vicious personal attacks would defend and support a character assassin like Keith Olbermann? The man is a smear artist of unbelievable viciousness who relishes going after people’s physical appearances and regularly engages in relentless ad hominem attacks on people. He loves doing it, doesn’t he?

Yes, Limbaugh is worse if only because he does it for 3 hours and Olbermann for one. Beck too. I’ll not defend either of those individuals or the others on the hard right. Their ugliness is indefensible. There’s simply too much of it all around.

But I’m stunned that someone who has received such ugly attacks would adore a person like Olbermann who does it all the time.

Well, you’re a pretty regular reader, so you ought to know that I’ve never shied away from criticizing KO, but I am a fan of the show, for specific reasons that I’ve written about, and I respect his influence with liberals. If anything, I try to push him to do better.

As often as I see you commenting here, I bet you could rattle off 3 or 4 times I’ve criticized KO right off the top of your head.

Tommy Christopher said:
Stephen,

It is true that, after almost 3 years of writing for high-traffic sites, I’m unfortunately pretty used to some pretty sickening personal attacks in comments sections, but it’s not true that we’re immune to it. Most of my Politics Daily colleagues used to be amazed that I even bothered, and it is a challenge to wade through the ugliness to engage the thoughtful readers. Sometimes, it’s worth it. Other times, not so much.

Tommy, I realize that it’s impossible to be completely immune and I am more than aware of how difficult it is to deal with a lot of the ugliness. I hope that you consider your efforts on this site worth it. I might not always agree with you, but I certainly enjoy reading your work. Please keep it up and don’t let the turkeys get you down.

StandUp said:
That’s what they’re telling you. In reality, it’s a payoff to unions and a slush fund for democrats runnning for re-election. Hiding behind children, teachers, police, and firefighters is shameless, corrupt, and unforgivable. We won’t forgive or forget. Hurry up November, time is running out

Stand Up, in reality, there are cities that are being forced to continue basic services. Due to lack of funds to repair paved roads, cities in 22 states are replacing them with gravel. Hawaii schools will run on four day weeks for seventeen weeks out of the year. Cities like Colorado Springs have been shutting of street lights and firing police officers. Nearly every state has fired teachers, leading to classroom of 40+.

This is reality. Our infrastructure is crumbling.

You may believe that cynicism if you’d like, but my pragmatism is telling me to err on the side of caution and applaud this bill rather than take a severe risk based on ideology.

Stephen Hogan said:
to continue

I meant discontinue.

blurgh. said:
What I find interesting is the sudden concern about in-fighting on the Left when the Right displayed and continue to display a much more aggressive degree of in-fighting itself, especially with the Tea Party and Republicans’ continuing attempts at excommunicating R.I.N.O.s and such.

No, that’s just your imagination. The right is in complete lockstep with no disagreement or dissent allowed. Or, so I’m told.

Pablo said:
No, that’s just your imagination. The right is in complete lockstep with no disagreement or dissent allowed. Or, so I’m told.

So, what are you implying what that sarcastic post?

felixw says:
August 11, 2010 at 5:42 pm (Quote)
6 3
The left meltdown continues. Now a Democrat congressman calls for Gibbs’ resignation:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/113577-dem-lawmaker-calls-on-gibbs-to-resign

All this is in follow-up to yesterday’s war of words between Olbermann, Michael Moore and others with the President’s press secretary.

As the ship sinks, the sailors fight amongst themselves.

It’s time for ALL politicians and their sheepish followers to realize fixing this total mess of a government and therefore the country, is front and foremost in importance, than ensuring re-election. Who really cares about what the sheep (you) and their leaders have to say in fear of the re-election probabilities being impaired? Who really cares if they are re-elected? What have they done for YOU lately? Most, hopefully most or all will be removed from office in November, then what will you partisan fools who waste your days being human tape recorders spewing forth the partisan garbage of talking points and biased non-productive politicization of our world?

Tom, your post is not relevant to this topic. It serves only to attack the writer, which indicates that you either do not have a real argument against Tommy’s point or that you have some trivial axe to grind. Your attempt at character assassination is more telling of your character (or lack thereof) than it is of whatever professional failings Tommy may or may not have.

Hey, it fits, sounds just like a Republican to me. Remember George Sr. debating and campaigning against Clinton. Total negative smear campaign. No platform, very few issues, when the chips are down, the right turns to personal attack! Cost Sr. any chance of being elected. Read away, here in these columns daily. No valid points of discussion, innuendo, spin and personal attack. Lots of biased cutting and and pasting though, which proves a lack of reasoning and deduction and no conversational skills whatsoever..

felixw says:
August 11, 2010 at 6:31 pm (Quote)
6 4
Maybe someone could ask Gibbs about the government borrowing another $165 billion in a single month. Not that the leftwing media pays much attention to tiny little matters like that. But if you’re a taxpayer, you may want to mull over the implications. Basically the Democrats in DC are borrowing another more than a thousand dollars per month for every wage earner in the country. Guess who gets to pay that back?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704901104575423601722830706.html

An epiphany? Something new? This has been going on through every administration in recent history. Where do you think your income tax dollars are used? Do you know? Hurry! You must at least to be informed. Google it, I’ll wait. And by all means, you can use the 3rd grade cut ans paste method to provide your answer, if you find one.

Your rundown (and running down) of my resume’ was factually accurate (all of which I have written about), but rather incomplete. My path to this career was, indeed, unconventional, and I’m grateful that it didn’t have to be as narrow as the one you describe. That’s what makes America great. Hard work, talent, and a little bit of luck can overcome most obstacles.

There is no need to defend yourself from these types of attacks ad as one responder said, there seems to be some av-grinding apparent in these comments and I would lower myself to address these jealous fools. i come here daily for a short period of time just to try to piss these fools off. A body of worthless fools with nothing else to do but criticize, personally attack with absolutely NOTHING meaningful to say. You all are a pitiful bunch of total losers! Partisan junk junkies!

Sorry, Steve, but I have to disagree with you here. This is Mediaite….it is a site that is supposed to be about the media..and how the media covers stories. TC is a member of the media and therefore becomes part of the story when he writes about the media….and personalities like Gibbs. Questioning a writer’s motives and qualifications comes with the territory…TC is a big boy….he can take the heat.

It seems proper to attack the writings and views of the write and not a personal attack OF the writer. This is a comment section of topic. Daily you seemingly jealous idiots attack the writer personally, and sorry, but where I come from, that is total disrespect, but I understand and am fully aware of the source. Obnoxious rightie! You’re all the same, just come in different packages.

juan says:
August 11, 2010 at 6:39 pm (Quote)
3 2
2 far-Left Congressmen have called for Gibbs to resign!

Ellison (Muslim) and Grayson who always seems demented!

Who cares?

Aside from the teacher’s union, which unions are you talking about?

Why waste your time questioning a biased fool?

Yes, Ellison is Muslim. I’m not sure what point of relevance called you to identify that fact in parenthesis.

Let me guess? hatred and racism? Do I get a star?

Azarkhan says:
August 11, 2010 at 6:42 pm (Quote)
3 1
Any union that supports the Democrats.

Opinion proven. My star please.

But I’m stunned that someone who has received such ugly attacks would adore a person like Olbermann who does it all the time.

Sorry, you cannot compare Olbermann to Limbaugh in any way. That’s way off base.

So the “professional left” thinks its above being called out for being the arrogant harpies that they sometimes are? Yesterday, I saw some of them …on Chris Matthews or some other MSNBC show… going on about this flap, saying that when they criticize the White House, its in the interest of honest debate etc., yet how they fume when someone has the audacity to criticize the banal and destructive news cycles fostered by the corporate media, both left and right. At some point we are going to have to reign in the media. I’m tired of all of the insipid crap that they bombard us with …Lindsey Lohen goes to jail, Paris Hilton’s crotch shot and Tiger Woods’ worst game ever is all good for 24 hrs in the spin zone. The only differences are the camera angles, the tech-toys and the personalities doing the whining. If this is best that the American “news” media has to offer, perhaps its time to pull the plug and end the life support for these clowns …boycott the sponsors. Say what you will, but Gibbs and the White House are correct in their estimations and mild contempt for the cable chatter …and the “professional left” are often too arrogant to even take the mildest of criticisms without having to break out their asthma inhalers.