Pirate's Cove

Has anyone else noticed that Obama’s campaign seems to resemble the “machine that goes ping” joke from Monty Python’s meaning of life (Stacy is groaning with yet another MP reference ) Ah, I see you have the machine that goes ping. This is my favorite. You see we lease it back from the company we sold it to and that way it comes under the monthly current budget and not the capital account. In other words, Obama’s stances are all a game, and you never really know where he stands. There’s another quote that stands out, but, I’ll wait to the end

(The Politico) When former Sen. John Edwards dropped out of the presidential race, the progressive Netroots took their affections to Barack Obama, defending him against attack from Hillary Rodham Clinton and others.

But with his support of a government surveillance bill that offers retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies — a bill that he vowed last year to filibuster — the honeymoon has ended.

Disappointed over his position on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the online activists feel jilted and betrayed and have taken to questioning his progressive credentials. One prominent blogger, Atrios, has even given him the moniker “Wanker of the Day.”

So, what is his position today?

At a presser today, Obama weighed in again on the FISA cave, and suffice it to say that what he said won’t make opponents any less unhappy about Obama’s position than they were already.

Asked specifically why he’s supporting the current FISA bill when he’d promised months ago to support a filibuster of an earlier version of the bill, Obama suggested flat out that “national security” overrides the question of telecom immunity…

“The bill has changed. So I don’t think the security threats have changed, I think the security threats are similar. My view on FISA has always been that the issue of the phone companies per se is not one that overrides the security interests of the American people.”

Which is sure to make the Nutroots even less happy, as national security is way, way down there on the list of what is important to progressives.

But, wait, he has also kinda thrown some red meat to the Nutroots that he will do away with that provision regarding telecom immunity if he is elected president. But, will that make Progressives happy or sad? Because what you would have would be Obama being an “imperial president” who is “unconstitutionally increasing the power of the Executive,” which they have stated the hate (at least when Bush is president.)

I guess we will have to wait for Obama’s next postion. He didn’t even bother voting during the cloture vote. In the sake of fairness, neither did McCain. However, McCain hasn’t been bloviating about it, and his base is not unhinged about it, either.

Firedoglake: Regular readers of FDL and EmptyWheel will know that this is security theater and that there is no reason to believe that gutting the 4th amendment will make Americans safer, even if Obama is willing to ignore his oath to uphold the Constitution. This is a sad day, especially for those of us who believed Obama when he said he would support a filibuster against retroactive immunity.

Shakesville: Thanks for standing together and not doing a damn thing to stop the FISA “compromise.” This unity stuff is totally awesome, and I for one can’t wait to see what the Democratic Party caves on next.

The Poor Man Institute:

The Moderate Voice and First Draft are looking at Obama as if he was just the same old politician, and back him for it. Hope! Change!

Crooks and Liars: Obama has fallen on the wrong side of the debate.

Kos Kidz Konglomerate: Not that telco amnesty and national security really have anything to do with each other, or that this FISA bill actually does make us safer. It’s disturbing, to say the least, to see that Senator Obama has adopted the talking points of Steny Hoyer and the right on the issue.

If you want unhinged, dive into the comments sections at the progressive sites. The posts themselves tend to show disappointment. If Obama keeps this kind of stuff up, you can expect them to degenerate to unhinged.

Oh, the other MP quote: Grim Reaper: Shut up, you American. You Americans, all you do is talk, and talk, and say “let me tell you something” and “I just wanna say.”

Perfect for Obama!