Unlike most Democrats, Obama won the nomination without the support of liberal union leaders, bloggers, and members of Congress, most of whom rallied around him only after he had effectively become the Democratic nominee. Running as an outsider, he wasn’t forced to match his sweeping pledges of change to specific commitments to interest groups, and some current claims of betrayal may have more to do with the hope Obama inspired than with the commitments he made.
Well, if this were China, their article would be the first sign of a new cultural revolution: The revising of history.
But instead, this is the United States. And in 2007 and 2008, the blogosphere got on board with Barack. They got on board like crazy issuing calls for Hillary Clinton to drop out of the Democratic Party's race for the presidential nomination. They ripped her apart, they banned people who left comments disputing right-wing lies (that the left bloggers were now repeating).
To Ben and Martin, we say, "We had no idea Politico paid enough to buy the really good stuff." But, hey, smoke it if you got it.
January 9, 2008, the Nevada SEIU chapter endorsed Barack. But let's not deal with chapters, let's deal with the SEIU itself. February 15, 2008, they issued their endorsement. We're surprised Ben Smith doesn't remember that because February 14, 2008, for Politico, he was reporting that the endorsement was coming. Not only did Barack get the endorsement February 15th, it followed, by one day, the endorsement of the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) union's endorsement.
As for members of Congress? Ben, Martin, allow us to introduce you to Nancy Pelosi. Her title is "Speaker of the House." She lobbied so hard for Barack, she broke every rule in the book. Or how about John Kerry campaigning with Barry O before and after Kerry's own state made it clear in their primary that they supported Hillary? John Kerry, the party's 2004 presidential nominee. How about US House Rep Jesse Jackson Jr.? How about U.S. House Rep John Conyers? U.S. House Rep Barbara Lee? We can go on and on.
We have no idea what compelled Ben and Martin to write such blatant untruths. We can only hope they were under the influence of something -- and that it was really good stuff.
