A Moderate Manifesto (David Brooks: "Barack Obama is not who we thought he was")

New York Times ^ | March 2, 2009 | DAVID BROOKS

[Darkwolf377]

I'm sorry to get personal, but after listening to his comments and his defensiveness about being a moderate (too scared to be a liberal, doesn't want his pals to think he's conservative), I gotta say, Brooks is the model for the wimpy modern male. He always looks like he's going to start that nervous laughter that comes from those who really, really want to be liked.

Grow a pair and stop with the "Obama isn't who he said he was, even though he's so wonderfully inspiring and has a marvelous character" crap, already. If you really think he's a destructive force, freakin have the stones to say "The conservatives were right" and don't be so damned mealymouthed.

[syriacus]

I mean he’s damaged any reputation he had with anyone, ever.

[Mike Darancette]

Just a jump to the left!

[spodefly]

People get fooled, I suppose. Even people that you would think are paying attention.

Let's just introduce an admonition into the general wisdom that states that any 1st term Senator that decides he is important enough to now run for President is someone that we should be very wary of.

John Edwards, Barack Obama, or anyone who barely elected to one office suddenly starts running for the next ... beware ... their ego, their own sense of self importance and entitlement makes them dangerous and not trustworthy.

How hard is it to know that?

[Political Junkie Too]

Barack Obama is not who we thought he was reported him to be.

-PJ

[kalee]

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

[Billthedrill]

Oh, please. I don't think Mr. Brooks could possibly be more transparent on the issue. He did everything he could to get Obama elected in order to curry favor with the other elitists, and now he's suddenly finding himself a conservative again just in time to take up the banner of token conservatism at that bastion of objectivity, the NY Times. What a coincidence.

It was no mistake, not a case of blindness, of misconstrual of motives. It was a sellout. Brooks, Peggy Noonan, Christopher Buckley, sellouts. "Approved" conservatives. Lapdogs. This sort of garbage is nothing more than a tactical move to get back on the journalistic gravy train, and it will work nicely. But it isn't fooling anyone.

[GOPRaleigh]

“He’s not who I thought he was either. I thought he was a radical Marxist prior to the election. turns out he’s far worse...”

I’m in this camp!

[FastCoyote]

[If David Brooks didn’t know what Obama stood for all his political life, then he (Brooks) is too stupid to have a regular column in a major publication.]

Fortunately, the NYT is well on it’s way to being a minor publication.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

The term "useful idiot" comes to mind.

[prairiebreeze]

So Ding Dong has turned out to be a pig in a poke, eh David? Not the brightest bulb in the lamp, are ya?

[KansasGirl]

Anyone who thought Hussein was a moderate had their head up their a$$.

[calex59]

You wouldn’t know it some days, but there are moderates in this country — moderate conservatives, moderate liberals, just plain moderates. We sympathize with a lot of the things that President Obama is trying to do. We like his investments in education and energy innovation. We support health care reform that expands coverage while reducing costs.

Who ever wrote this lost me on this paragraph. If he is trashing Obama he is going about it the wrong way. Obviously a liberal who wants to see his agendas passed but not all of Bozo's. Anyone who wants the government to meddle in our lives, even a little(and there is no such thing as a little meddling), is a socialist and no friend of mine. Education, energy inovation, health reform and he admires these programs? Enough said.

[rightinthemiddle]

Brooks should have spent more time READING what Obama said instead of LISTENING to what he said.

[stayathomemom]

A "moderate" is one who makes of fetish of even-handedness in order to evade the responsibility of judgment.

Very good!

[grey_whiskers]

Bereanway has a post with which Brooks may easily be indicted by his own conversation with Bambi.

"You have to use power while it corrupts you" indeed.

Bambi was corrupt long before he got near power, apparently.

Berean, consider yourself *highly* commended.

Cheers!

[bpjam]

maybe you are only ‘moderately’ pregnant by this new guy you are dating Mr. Brooks.

[WOSG]

“Those of us who consider ourselves moderates — moderate-conservative, in my case — are forced to confront the reality that Barack Obama is not who we thought he was.”

And true conservatives who called Obama a socialist and neo-Marxist are muttering bitterly ...

WE TOLD YOU SO!

[WOSG]

ROFL.

Here’s another one:

Dear Mr Brooks,

SUCKER.

- A Conservative Who Had Obama’s Number From Day One

Let me add for the other stupid moderates:

Dear Investor-class-upper-middle-class-Obama voter,

How’s that vote for the mocha Marxist working out for your pocketbook?

[WOSG]

“I remember Newt insisting to Hannity that Obama will govern from the center. Hannity, to his credit, wasn’t buying it. Now I see Newt has changed his tone “

A LOT of wishful thinking from the inside-the-beltway folks after the election and before Jan 20th.