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CBS News Political Director: 'Obama Can Only Cement His Legacy If He Destroys the GOP'
NewsBusters.org ^ | January 19, 2013 | Noel Sheppard

Posted on 01/19/2013 7:44:56 PM PST by Kaslin

"The president who came into office speaking in lofty terms about bipartisanship and cooperation can only cement his legacy if he destroys the GOP. If he wants to transform American politics, he must go for the throat."

So astonishingly wrote CBS News political director John Dickerson at Slate Friday evening in a piece astonishingly titled "Go for the Throat! Why if he wants to transform American politics, Obama must declare war on the Republican Party."

Dickerson is no longer interested in Obama trying bipartisanship in his second term - as if that's what the President did in his first.

"Obama’s only remaining option is to pulverize," Dickerson wrote. "Whether he succeeds in passing legislation or not, given his ambitions, his goal should be to delegitimize his opponents. Through a series of clarifying fights over controversial issues, he can force Republicans to either side with their coalition's most extreme elements or cause a rift in the party that will leave it, at least temporarily, in disarray."

Did I mention this man was the political director for CBS News?

"[B]y exploiting the weaknesses of today’s Republican Party," Dickerson continued, "Obama has an opportunity to hasten the demise of the old order by increasing the political cost of having the GOP coalition defined by Second Amendment absolutists, climate science deniers, supporters of 'self-deportation' and the pure no-tax wing."

"The president can stir up these fights by poking the fear among Republicans that the party is becoming defined by its most extreme elements, which will in turn provoke fear among the most faithful conservatives that weak-willed conservatives are bending to the popular mood," added Dickerson. "That will lead to more tin-eared, dooming declarations of absolutism like those made by conservatives who sought to define the difference between legitimate and illegitimate rape—and handed control of the Senate to Democrats along the way."

"Presidents don’t usually sow discord in their inaugural addresses, though the challenge of writing a speech in which the call for compromise doesn’t evaporate faster than the air out of the president’s mouth might inspire him to shake things up a bit," Dickerson concluded. "If it doesn’t, and he tries to conjure our better angels or summon past American heroes, then it will be among the most forgettable speeches, because the next day he’s going to return to pitched political battle. He has no time to waste."

So the recommendation of CBS News's political director is that Obama begin his second term by "going for the throat" of his opponents to destroy one of the nation's two political parties.

Is this in any way appropriate for a so-called journalist that's supposed to remain neutral and impartial in his dealings with political leaders?

This is what one expects from people on MSNBC.

After Bob Schieffer's absurd comments earlier in the week comparing Obama's anti-gun initiatives to America defeating the Nazis in World War II, is CBS making another huge turn to the left further distancing itself from being an impartial news source?

If not, maybe someone at CBS ought to remind Dickerson of what his role is at the organization and what it means to be a journalist.

Like most in his industry, it appears Dickerson has forgotten


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: goforthethroat; obamalied; obamunism; partisanmediashills; thechicagoway
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To: Kaslin

Heading towards 17T in debt, no budget in 4 years, zero’s budget voted down unanimously by Congress, Ambassador Stevens murdered with absolutely no repercussion for the murders, “Arab Spring” turned into Islamist takeover, health care that will be budget breaking tyranny, etc. etc. etc. and the media still loves him?

I truly do NOT get it! If the USA collapses will ABCCBSNBCMSNBCCNNNYTWAPO be cheering?

Get the idea they see no profit in siding with ordinary American citizens who would prefer to be left alone,


21 posted on 01/19/2013 8:16:57 PM PST by Aria ( 2008 & 2012 weren't elections - they were coup d'etats.)
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To: Kaslin
"Obama has an opportunity to hasten the demise of the old order...

Old order? Meaning "America as we know it"? To be replaced by...what??? A totalitarian socialist state?

Thank you, Mr. Dickerson, for telling us exactly who you are and what you're about.

22 posted on 01/19/2013 8:18:06 PM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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To: Kaslin
Oh, I don’t think he has to worry his pretty little head about his hero’s legacy. obama will have a legacy alright- that of diminishing Jimmy Carter’s.
23 posted on 01/19/2013 8:21:32 PM PST by Colorado Doug (Now I know how the Indians felt to be sold out for a few beads and trinkets)
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To: doc1019

doc - this is good news. Our guys are lied to by dem professional trolls, MSM types who think they’re working for James Carville rather than for their organizations...

All the dems are liars and haters... you know that. This rant will help our leaders see the truth of what they’re dealing with. It’s all good.


24 posted on 01/19/2013 8:23:17 PM PST by GOPJ ( Gang members breaking down YOUR door- daughter and wife screaming for help - Dems took YOUR gun....)
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To: ClearCase_guy

Look - dems have become totalitarians. We’re all that stands between them and concentration camps. We all need to stand together and pray this rant will help wake up the GOP to what’s REALLY going on with the liars of the left.


25 posted on 01/19/2013 8:26:35 PM PST by GOPJ ( Gang members breaking down YOUR door- daughter and wife screaming for help - Dems took YOUR gun....)
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To: GOPJ

I hope you are right but I have my doubts.


26 posted on 01/19/2013 8:29:55 PM PST by doc1019
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To: Kaslin

There is more than a little Bill Ayres style totalitarianism in these media bootlickers. They’d slit the throats of every tea-party member if they could. Too dangerous now, since we have guns. But as we see, they’re working on that right now, too.


27 posted on 01/19/2013 8:33:08 PM PST by greene66
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To: Kaslin

Keep watching sheeple, keep watching, Democrats are communist, fascists who dream of a totalitarian police state where the elites, along with the RINOS, enjoy freedom while the peasants enjoy tyranny!


28 posted on 01/19/2013 8:34:15 PM PST by IslamE (epiphany)
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To: Kaslin

msm in total goebbels propaganda mode.


29 posted on 01/19/2013 8:40:14 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I can neither confirm or deny that; even if I could, I couldn't - it's classified.)
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To: ClearCase_guy
Look - dems have become totalitarians. We're all that stands between them and their willingness to go extreme... It's happened before - can happen again. It's always the same... 'Elites' decide some citizens are less than human. Those citizens are treated as the enemy. They're talked about as if they're less than human. Eventually they're rounded up in some capacity...

CBS staff probably feels the same way as this guy, but they lie better. It's too early for them to show their hand... that's the blessing. He's done us a service.

30 posted on 01/19/2013 8:42:26 PM PST by GOPJ ( Gang members breaking down YOUR door- daughter and wife screaming for help - Dems took YOUR gun....)
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To: Kaslin

“Go for the throat” sounds like a call to battle. Bring it bitches.


31 posted on 01/19/2013 8:45:49 PM PST by lwoodham (I am Andrew Breitbart. Don't doubt me on this.)
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To: Kaslin

Obama ... cement.

Wasn’t there some DHS memo that ONLY the liberal palace media-guard are allowed to use those two words in the same sentence? (Something like that?)


32 posted on 01/19/2013 8:48:43 PM PST by First_Salute (May God save our democratic-republican government, from a government by judiciary.)
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To: Kaslin

Hey GOPe, the only people who might be able to save you are the people you despise most, us conservatives. Sucks to be you. Of rather it will.

As for us? You’ve already repeatedly betrayed us, but we’ll get by. If you don’t understand that statement, GOPe, it won’t be any surprise to us.


33 posted on 01/19/2013 8:52:39 PM PST by piytar (The predator-class is furious that their prey are shooting back.)
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To: Kaslin

“After Bob Schieffer’s absurd comments earlier in the week comparing Obama’s anti-gun initiatives to America defeating the Nazis in World War II, is CBS making another huge turn to the left further distancing itself from being an impartial news source?”

Not possible. They’ve been at the “180 degree mark” from impartiality for years.

If they turn any further left, they’ll be headin’ right!


34 posted on 01/19/2013 9:07:22 PM PST by Road Glide
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To: DLfromthedesert

“Have you looked at the states? More Republican governors and legislatures... that is where the future of the party is; not the Republicans in Congress.”

What you say is true about the increase of Republican governors and legislatures, but it has pretty much been the result of the red states growing “redder”.

At the same time, the blue states are getting bluer. How long until Massachusetts or New York state elect Republican legislatures and governors again? Or Illinois or California?

What these trends indicate is that the divisions between the red and the blue states are growing more stark. Look at the differences in how states like Montana and Texas responded to the Sandy Hook shooting, vis-a-vis states like New York and Massachusetts.

What was it that Rudyard Kipling said about “The East” and “The West”?


35 posted on 01/19/2013 9:13:33 PM PST by Road Glide
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To: Road Glide

And it’s also a reason I find the whole notion of “secession” not nearly as far-fetched as I might have only a few short years ago. It may very well likely begin appearing a very viable and logical option, as Obama’s ruling-class statists and their slavish media continue to double-down on tyrannical dictates.


36 posted on 01/19/2013 9:38:44 PM PST by greene66
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To: Road Glide
At the same time, the blue states are getting bluer. How long until Massachusetts or New York state elect Republican legislatures and governors again? Or Illinois or California?

I know it seems like a remote possibility, but I never thought I would live to see a Republican Governor, LT. Governor, House, and Senate in NC. The Supreme Court has a Republican majority as well, even though judicial elections are "nonpartisan", a brilliant Democratic idea. Although we usually vote for Republicans in Presidential elections and often for US Senate and HOR, the Democrats had been firmly in control in Raleigh for the better part of 100 years. Their incompetence and corruption finally caught up with them. When the people in those states get sick of the mess the Democrats have created in their state, miracles can happen!

37 posted on 01/19/2013 9:52:25 PM PST by srmorton (Deut. 30 19: "..I have set before you life and death,....therefore, choose life..")
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To: Kaslin

[[CBS News Political Director: ‘Obama Can Only Cement His Legacy If He Destroys the GOP’]]

Unbeleivable- a news stating tryign to encourage the eperes- to ‘destroy’ the GOP- and noone does anythign abotu cbs sayign this, but let a 5 year old kid play cops and robbers, and all of a sudden it’s a national terror incident and the kid gets suspended?

It seems to me cbs was making terroristic threats toweard the gop-


38 posted on 01/19/2013 10:23:55 PM PST by CottShop (Scientific belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge)
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To: Kaslin

obama doesn’t have to DO anything. The gop is constantly bending over and saying “Thank you, sir. May I have another?” And half the people in this country support there being only one party. And, truthfully, they’ve gotten what they want.


39 posted on 01/19/2013 10:33:02 PM PST by Terry Mross
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To: Mike Darancette

“This CBS moron obviously hasn’t seen a red/blue election map.”

They only think they want to start an armed conflict.

Whenever the resolve of the nation is tested, it will be the country’s flyover-Heartland that provides the mettle of clarity, industry, work ethic and resolve to whip the ass of elitist masterminds.

Armed conflict requires intestinal fortitude, resolve, tenacity and the survival skills that frankly, most progressives just do not possess.

Half the morons we are made to suffer on TV would fold into the fetal position when denied their Starbuck’s white mocha frappaccino by 9:00 AM daily.

Let them come.


40 posted on 01/19/2013 10:36:00 PM PST by Bshaw (A nefarious deceit is upon us all!)
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