As I may or may not have mentioned on that post, Mr. Duberstein has strong conservative credentials but seemed, for the most part, to be offering sincere critiques of Barack Obama (and his administration) - as opposed to using only Frank Luntz approved talking points that is so often the methodology of Republican leadership (You know 'em: McConnell, Boehner, Pence, Michael Steele, etc).
That said, consider these two opinions expressed by Mr. Duberstein within the same 30 minute segment on Charlie Rose:
commenting on the lack of bipartisanship in legislation:
"There are ways to go about legislating where you don't get 100% of what you want. (Obama) got almost 100% of what he wanted. There are ways to incorporate the other side of the aisle that really would have made a difference."
and then a little later he critiques Obama's leadership:
"I think he is too much of a legislator and not as much of an executive... that he tries to acquiesce and get everybody together and on board rather than saying 'this is the principle, this is what I want, let's go do it and fight for it'. There may be a little bit too much give rather than give-and-take. But the mentality is one of much more accomodation than it is the forceful 'this is what I want, this is the direction we're gonna go in."
So there you have it. According to Mr. Duberstein, President Obama is a apparently a wimp who nevertheless succeeds in getting nearly 100% of what he wants.
By the way, if I can push back against his first premise... he gets "nearly 100% of what he wants"?!!? Then why no 'Public Option' in the health care bill? Why is Gitmo still open (with no prospects for closing anytime soon)? Why is 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' still the law of the land? Why has the energy bill been dropped from the Senate's agenda? Why no comprehensive immigration reform? Why are the White Sox dropping the standings?
I hope Obama wants Matt Leinart to start for the Arizona Cardinals - because then I could be sure it will never happen!
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