SHIT OR GET OFF THE POT

It's countdown to the showdown. Will Obama get tough in his tone, keep the public option on the table, and tell the naysayers to shut up and sit down? Tonight's national address before a joint Congress could be as dramatic a political theater as there can be, without talk of some impending war, or domestic catastrophe such as a Hurricane Katrina.

Health care? This is bigger than health care. This is a microcosm. A window into the mind of a politician who up until a few months ago, could do no wrong. Now, after a Summer of Beer diplomacy between the Cop and Professor Gates,  a National Health care message that has been stripped away by and stolen by the stiff arming strategy of the leaderless GOP, the time is ripe for a stand. The President needs to regain that swagger. That believability. That confidence that inspired a nation after the 2008 Democratic convention speech between the Roman Pillars in Denver.

Alot has been made of the importance of this night. That's fair. It's not hype. The pressure for Obama is real. His bipartisan approach has been met with nasty mobs at Town Hall meetings, Tea parties, and right wing Pundits like Glenn Beck who have called Obama "racist." 

How will the president will rise above the fray? Will he use the pulpit to get everyone united, and on the same page? Will he be firm and let the country know that bills will pass regardless of the displeasure from naysayers in both parties? Maybe he'll somehow allow himself the wiggle room to achieve both. Either way, tonight's the night for the President to Shit or Get off the Pot. Issues that will arise from here on out during his Presidency will be harder not easier to corral, unless he shows the ability to lead. In this case lead a Health care bill to the finish line.

Above: A nutjob drops a deuce on the front porch.

LEVI CHECKS SARAH INTO THE BOARDS: SHOULD WE BELIEVE A GUY WITH A HOCKEY HAIRCUT?

Levi Johnson apparently  has alot to say about Sarah Palin in some upcoming article in Vanity Fair. He claims she watched soaps often on her couch, said she was overwhelmed in the role of Governor,  and hinted that Palin's marriage to Todd was perhaps on the rocks. The confusing part is while it's hard to trust anyone with a hockey haircut, the allegations he's allegedly made in the piece seem possible.

Barack Obama talks to the school kids Tuesday. Think he'll borrow and read them "My Pet Goat " the book that George W was reading school kids when an advisor whispered that the 1st tower was hit on 9-11?

Fake Afghan poll sites posted by those loyal to the incumbent Hamid Karzai gave the incumbent hundreds of fake votes in his favor. The fake sites , as many as 800, made up close to 15 percent of the polling sites on election day. Wow, now that's a model of functioning Democracy huh? Just like Tehran was two months back. Maybe we should send Hillary Clinton out to Afghanistan to provide some comfort and understanding. She could repeat her words in Nigeria earlier this month empathizing with Nigerian election corruption by stating  that  "our Democracy is still evolving" Her words in reference to the Bush Gore election of 2000 and the controversial results in  Florida that gave W the White house. Hey, a little empathy goes a long way.

What is it about September that gives a person mixed feelings? It's such a great time of year , especially in NYC. The problem is that Winter follows and then you get mad at yourself for wishing the Summer away so quickly. What bums me out the most is how many friends of mine plan Labor day barbeques and rooftop parties as if they are Lollapalooza. If these same people treated the rest of their hopes and dreams with the same care, the other 364 days of the year, maybe they wouldn't be looking for the same parties with the same people going nowhere this time next year.

W COULD'VE TOLD OBAMA THAT WASHINGTON IS LIKE ONE BIG SUCKER PUNCH

It's Labor Day. Leave the city and your stuck in traffic for days. We stayed, no not because we're broke and could only have a "Stay-Cation," but to celebrate the end of the Summer of Whining. We also stayed home just to ponder the following:

THOUSANDS PROTEST CHAVEZ:

BOGOTA – Thousands of opponents of Hugo Chavez marched against the Venezuelan president across Latin America on Friday, accusing him of everything from authoritarianism to international meddling.

The protests, coordinated through Twitter and Facebook, drew more than 5,000 people in Bogota, and thousands more in the capitals of Venezuela and Honduras. Smaller demonstrations were held in other Latin American capitals, as well as New York and Madrid.The Honduras march was led by Roberto Micheletti, who became president when Chavez ally Manuel Zelaya was ousted in a June coup.

"Any politician who tries to stay in power by hitching up with a dictator like Hugo Chavez, he won't achieve it," Micheletti said. "We'll stop him."

Stop him? With thousands? We doubt it. There were more people outside of the Bowery Electric hoping to catch the secret Wolfmother show than on the streets of Bogota. You can't take down a ruthless dictator with a crowd that couldn't even sell out the Hammerstein Ballroom. 

Colorado once a Republican leaning state  turned Democrat thanks to the Obama ground campaign, is now wondering where Obama has gone. The Washington Post reports: 

"Today, the energy that powered Obama to victory has begun to dissipate. Some of his supporters remain on the sidelines; others are, if not disillusioned, questioning what has happened to his presidency."

We'll tell you what happened. The GOP found a strategy. Complaining and Disrupting. Whether that translates into winning elections then being effective in office is another story.

The AP reports:

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's adviser Van Jones has resigned amid controversy over past inflammatory statements, the White House said early Sunday.Jones, an administration official specializing in environmentally friendly "green jobs" with the White House Council on Environmental Quality was linked to efforts suggesting a government role in the 2001 terror attacks and to derogatory comments about Republicans.

Jones also said White people shoot up suburban schools, not black people. Add Jones to Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright as the wrong guys for Obama to share the Doritos bowl with at football house parties. Do these types of links hurt a President's credibility? Sure, but only for a brief monent in time. These shmucks are all just temporary sideshows. For the record, it was controversial Fox news host Glenn Beck who helped lead the charge to ruin Jones as of late. Today the pressure that came with the connection to Jones and his volatile opinions became unecessary for the White House to endure any further. 

Somewhere George Bush Jr is laughing at Obama's struggles. W came to Washington with the same "reach across the aisle" intent in early 2001. Those hopes lasted 8 months, ending on Sept 11 when W was interrupted from reading his favorite picture book, "My Pet Goat" to schoolkids. Then the "with us or against us" approach became the nation's foundation. Bush Jr could've and probably DID tell Obama that Washington politics is like a sucker punch in the face.  while Obama was running on a campaign designed to show voters that he was the Anti -Bush. Honest, clear, transparent, intelligent, and able to get all sides to agree on matters. Ha ha. We're chuckling.

 Forget Jones though. The REAL story this Fall will begin if and when Obama changes his tone. With the media, the people, and DC politicians who are trying to bog him down and bring him down. Time to start throwing sucker punches of your own Barry. Or punches at suckers who deserve it.

above :W lets an opponent have it,  as a member of the Yale rugby team, circa 1968.

JENNA BUSH HAGER AS DEAN MARTIN

The President is back in DC from the Vineyard and as mentioned in the previous post better have grown some facial hair during his summer break. No more Mr Nice guy please Barry, OK? It starts with the Senate. Those knuckleheads need guidance but first, a smack down. A WWF smackdown. Dive off the top ropes, clothesline the "Death Panel" liars. Pick up a chair and crack the Blue Dog filibusterers over the head. Swing the Far Righties who hide in the corner waiting for 2010 to be over, off of the ropes then run into them with a flying elbow. It's time for Barry the Badass to start kicking ass. The congenial approach needs a vacation now.

That bastion of truth the NY Post, reports that Jenna Bush Hager will work as a part time correspondent on the Today show, reporting on Education. She's a teacher in the Baltimore area. Remember her wild days of trying to out run her Secret Service protection while heading to the bars in DC. Who could blame her for those days? Not us. We'd do the same thing if we were in her shoes, with access to black limos and VIP treatment at the clubs. Sounds like fun actually. Like a video game made for Wii. Drink and Ditch. Run fast and make your getaway car race down Pennsylvania ave. If she IS still partying hard, which we'll assume she's not, the recently married offspring of W could turn the Today segment into an old Dean Martin show type episode. Stand wobbly while holding a highball glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other then then tell a story with a laugh track in the background.

Dick Cheney thinks it's a good idea to re open the conversation on Waterboarding altogether. Um, we don't. In fact, it's the worst idea i've heard of this weekend. It's such a bad line of thinking considering all that is on Obama's plate right now, that if this is a window into the pragmatism of Dick Cheney well then, there's not even a need to read his or W's biography's that will hit the shelves in the coming years. Wait a second, W's may be worth getting. I hear they'll have interactive pop up castles and buttons to press that will make various cartoon and sitcom theme song sounds. Maybe even fart noises.

Mr Kadaffi is not welcome in NJ now, according to Senator but not for long Senator John Corzine. The feelings mutual with Kadaffi who had to be saying to himself "NJ? What the ##%K?!! Hey, what the hell made it ok in the first place ? Even though the former public enemy #1 of the US has since reconciled and even terminated Libya's nuclear program, the damage has been done, no?
Pan Am Flight 103 that killled 270 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988 left a permanent mark on the Libyan President here. Regardless of the fact that he looks like he could be in the next rock n roll band that Jack White puts together.

As Jim Morrison once said "Summer's almost gone." He's right again. Gotta live it up while we can beach goers. All those people who can't wait for the Fall and September, better be the ones tough enough to walk around when it's twenty out in December. In other words shut up and don't rush things. You can all wear your Million dollar 70's cop show leather jacket re makes soon enough Soho residents. Patience.

SUMMER VACATION IS OVER, OBAMA NEEDS TO GET TOUGH

Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah said that Obama needs to have a leadership role in the Health Care debate, on CNN's State of the Union with John King Sunday. Hatch is right. The loss of the bipartisan ability of the late Ted Kennedy will make it harder to rely on a Congress that has become more divided by party lines than many can ever remember it being.. The emotional aftermath of Kennedy's passing will not be enough to move the quagmire along either. For Barack Obama, now is the time to take the reins. It's time to lead. Health care reform can be the issue and the template for what the country and the Senate can expect from the Commander in Chief from here on in.

First Obama must take back the authority. He's given it out to a Congress that has proven that it can't enjoy the prosperity of having a the chance to make an impact on its own. For the President, congenial delineation of authority without lending a clear guiding hand has to be over. That may mean putting the gavel down on the extreme notion that if compromise can't be reached, a partisan Health care bill is still an option.

If Obama's approach does NOT change, and Health care becomes a dead issue, then the opposition borne out of Tea Parties and Town Hall meetings will gain in real strength. Real confidence. Not the phony stuff that makes an angry mob appear to be a silent majority. More like the stuff that can make what seemed like a slam dunk second term after a victory in 2012, turn into a whole new political ballgame.

The Summer vacationweek in Martha's Vineyard that ends tonight, should be enough time for Obama to asses his performance and message shaping to date. Let's see how he comes out of the gates when the trip is over. Obama has attempted and exaggerated spreading the power around DC since day one as a way to create distance from the narrow centralized power based approach that defined the Bush approach to many people here and abroad. it's no longer needed. Enough time has passed.

While we're on the topic of the Bush era, let's also suggest that the need for probes into alleged illegal torture methods authorized by the previous administration by Attorney General Eric Holder, should be reviewed before implementation. The President has said that he doesn't want to look back yet in doing so will come off as hypocritical. Then there is Holder, whose job it is to make sure that the rule of law is being followed by our government while former VP Dick Cheney will remind us as he did today on the Sunday morning talk show circuit, that the idea of investigations are simply politically motivated.

That is not to say that Obama should be afraid or intimidated by Cheney or Bush officials. It just that it's worth him being ready to accept that the tighter the grip is made regarding any future code of conduct, the more scrutinized that military "incidents" or misshaps that occur his watch will become as well. The best way to wiggle out of being cornered one day by an Abu Gharib type incident is for Obama to put a stop to the rear view mirror at once. Throwing an indirect verbal slap on the wrist for is enough, using a comment such as "We don't condone torture but we must look ahead." Obama can't waste his time trying to placate to those on the far left who need bloodthirsty revenge on the Bush years. Leave the legal implications against those who tried to keep us safe at all costs in the past. This will help politically by neutralizing GOP claims of diversion, while pragmatically allowing the focus for Washington players to remain on the Health care issue.

The President has to leave Congressional Carrots in Martha's Vineyard and instead, and bring a giant shit kicking stick, back to the Nation's Capital instead. Obama must then knock on Eric's Holder's door and say "Eric, not now, timing is everything." As we've seen this Summer poll ratings change fast. Obama was once untouchable, now he's not. The President's decreased political capital has is not exactly dwindling, but it has become more precious. Not something not to be risked frivolously. For Obama, more will be gained at this time by stepping up his presence through firmer leadership with the Senate, than by taking on a legal issue that brings us back to a time many expected he'd help us forget. Obama has to get tough now by showing who is boss on Capitol Hill, and by saying "no" to anyone trying to put a spotlight on Bush era interrogation practices.

OBAMA LOST IN THE TREES ON THE GOLF COURSE AND STUCK IN THE FOREST OF PARTISAN POLITICS

Let's not mistake the President for Tiger Woods ok? The guy is hooking balls left and right on the Martha's vineyard links where he'll spend the week. It's pretty symbolic seeing a picture of him on the course today stuck under a tree figuring out his next move. He's lost in a forest of trees, old oak trees in Washington, where he's left the health care battle to partisan positioning and
gamesmanship. While the Death panel jargon has died down, player son both sides have hit the trails to win the war of public opinion on Obama care. For the Republicans, out strolled John McCain to tell us that 1 trillion dollars of more debt on our children is not what we need. Of course he and the rest of the GOP can find nothing but futrue debt and death panels to help them stiff arm an obama plan that is still unclear but aims to reduce the rising costs that will continue to hurt employment numbers. This coming from the guy who told us the economy was strong while we all contemplated selling our bodies for rent money last Winter. Keep golfing Barry, no rush back. Truth is, Obama is going top have to risk political capital in one of two ways. By backing up and putting health care off, which will make him appear weak. Or he can flip naysayers the bird, trust his instinct, ask for a reformed version of the millin page plan, sign it, and let the chips fall where they may. I'd rather go out swinging than backpeddling personally.

Attorney General Eric Holder is appointing a special prosecutor to go after Bush era torturers? Who can blame Dick" Darth Vader "Cheney for saying that this proves Obama's mindset puts us all at risk? It's a shrewd politcial ploy by a guy who already got his special assistant Lewis "Scooter 'Libby branded "Asswipe" for life, by being unable to get out in front of the pardon that George W told Cheney to forget about. And you were wondering why Cheney wheelchaired exit stage left away from Bush on inauguration day. The former VP's flipping the script on the torture methods and turning the focus instead to the idea of a soft conciliatory President is a nice measuring stick to the temperature of the status quo. Are the angry mob the majority or just a brilliant Trick Dick Nixon disruption trick rehashed in a new form? Either way, the need to look back and not forwards is a lay up for Republican strategists who will surely call this move a "deflection" by Obama to keep us from noticing that Obamacare is going down the toilet faster than vomit from a late night bender.

Fidel Castro (above) has even chimed in, with his Cuban baseball team warmup suit on, saying its the racist right wing attacking Obama. This could be true. Whats also true is that the right wing nuts Castro talks about are doing cartwheels over the notion that it's Castro, not Americans who understand where his policies are coming from. Socialism, communism, dictatorship. There. now you don't have to watch Sean Hannity tonight folks. I just summed it up for you in the speed of a coffee rush. And hey Fidel, go stretch out and throw a bullpen. You may get to live out your dream at last. The Mets need two starters. Hurry up, get loose.

IS OUR PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN WAR WANING?

50 percent of Americans polled in an ABC Washington post poll said the now 8 year war in Afghanistan is one not worth fighting. The chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff says in an CBS news article that the President is "still formulating his plans on how to deal with Afghanistan." Yet the goal, defeating the Taliban and Al Qaeda in a country whose terrain is brutally hard to navigate, has been a losing proposition for many who have tried to win wars there before. Ask the Russians who first supported the ruling Democaratic party in 1979 with security form the Muhajideen resistance. 10 years later when they left, the Russian's were staring at their own "Vietnam," a war that starting as a security matter, then escalated into a conflict, ending up in a quagmire.

By adding 17,000 troops as Obama has done in his version of the troop surge, we'll have tripled our forces from 20,000 to 60,000 in the past three years. Reports say the new policy is intended to destroy an Al Qaeda presence that has strengthened in Pakistan. What if it doesn't? Will this then be Obama's Vietnam, if a modest troop increase yields only modest results? Should history be any indicator, maybe we can expect the increase to continue. In 1965 our military presence rose to 180,000 from a mere 16,000 soldiers and advisors in 1964.

From 1965-1968 anti war sentiment was at it's peak. It was during that four year span that yearly marches in Washington helped grow the national attention to the fight taking place over in Hanoi. In 2009 protests will not come in the form of shouts and signs put rather postings on blogs. The strength in numbers of discontent will rear their ugly heads not on streets surrounding the White House, but on twitter and in voter polls taken.

The bigger question will be whether the Obama approach to achieving goals in Afghanistan will be compromised by domestic opinions of the war here in the U.S. If War room strategists should take anything from the Johnson and Nixon administration's experiences during the Vietnam war, they should realize the level of importance an unpopular war can push a party to save themselves from getting buried politically in it's own quagmire. A quagmire of partisan politics and dissent at home.

Fallout from the Afghan elections this past Thursday may affect the strategy as well. If the Taliban is found to have been more than simply an intimidating disruptive presence in the process (they've reportedly chopped off a few voters fingers) more media attention will be directed back towards whether our current strategy over there has been effective in defeating the enemy.

It's too soon to call Afghanistan "Obama's war." He's inherited a war that once kickstarted the War on Terror and has since continued for seven years. Nonetheless, what Obama MUST do, what he has failed to do with regard to health care, is to get in front of the message. The Feeling out process is wearing thin. He needs to stop dancing around the ring and start throwing punches. Both in the Afghanistan policy and in through his comments about it to the American people. Sooner not later. He should use not only the lessons we learned form policy mistakes in 'Nam, but also from communication mistakes he's made by not being clear and direct on the Health care front. He can't afford to be bogged down for the second time in his first year. Being out in front with a solid plan will lend Obama the additional public support he'll be happy to have gained back after a rough August that has hardly resembled the fun of a summer sleep away camp.

WHITE HOUSE WILL TRY AND REFRAME THE MESSAGE ON HEALTH CARE

The biggest problem that the Obama squad is having is that they have lost control of the message on health care. They've let the opposition frame it as: hazardous to future generation bank accounts, dangerous for the elderly who may face "death panels," and a glaring exampleof  Socialism. Well that's about to change as the White House tries to take the lead again in the fight for people's hearts and minds. read article

OBAMA WEEKLY ADDRESS ANSWERS HEALTH CARE OPPOSITION

Shock and Awesome 13: Beer Diplomacy

This week on Shock and Awesome TJ and the Tux try and understand why President Obama forgot to invite his Secretary of Beer, Barney, to yesterday's "Beer Summit". Also, why was Seargent Crowley's beer of choice the very unmanly Blue Moon? The "Little House on the Prairie Rule" was in effect Wednesday as every show and staff member made the guest list to see Obama's Homeland Security head, Janet Napolitano, speak on terrorism, yet only one of us made it to the event. Listen live this morning at 10am ET as we celebrate beer diplomacy, the healthcare war, and wait a second, hold on..is there a Phil Spector/Charles Manson collaboration on the way?

P.S. we almost called our show beer diplomacy! great.

President Obama's Teleprompter Crashes During Speech!

OBAMA CAN'T REACH THE PLATE DURING HIS ATTEMPT AT THE ALL STAR GAME

TJ and the TUX don't want to hear it. The GOP is probably already taping commercials poking fun of it. Last night President Obama, albeit jet lagged from his trip to Africa, threw a 54 foot pitch towards home plate, 60 feet 6 inches away, to kick start last night's Major League All Star Game. The basketball junkie was unable to achieve what so many set out to do when they throw out a ceremonial 1st pitch. Let's hope this does not become symbolic of his plans for the recession this year. C'mon Barry ! Let's go! Throw strikes!

Obama is choosing to be weak

Great piece in the Financial Times about Obama compromising on the healthcare and cap-and-trade bills moving through congress.  Is mediocre legislation still a step in the right direction?  I think Obama needs to pull a Martin Sheen in West Wing and take control of these bills to make sure they have teeth.  As it stands now its all gums.  Maybe Al Franken coming to the senate will help.  Although its going to be tough to get to a filibuster proof 60 votes with Senators Kennedy and Byrd on their death beds.  chew here.

He's Barack Obama

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