Quote of the Day

Having watched Obama very closely for two years, I have that trust. And I think the fundamental difference between those defending the Warren pick and those opposing it is the difference between those who trust Obama and those who don't. I may be proven wrong. But I'm not a conservative who backed him out of distrust. And so far, he hasn't let me down an iota. In fact, his magnanimity and maturity since Election Day have exceeded my expectations. - Sullivan

Sully is responding to this piece from Greenwald, regarding the Rick Warren issue.

It's been interesting reading the back and forth over Obama picking a hater to give his inauguration invocation, as well as some of his cabinet picks.

There's been so many essays and so many arguments about the "true" Obama.. and whether he's going to be the type of leader he said he'd be, versus just another pol doing the same things everyone who went before him have done.

The difference, I think, with Obama.. is that he "gets it". He truly does understand the fundamentals of a progressive policy. He knows he can invite Rick Warren, and then turn around and toss DOMA out of federal law. He can smile at Republicans, and invite them to the meetings.. and then roll out a single payer health care system.

Nobody knows which Obama we're going to get.. the one that uses a blackberry, shoots hoops, and understands the common sense progressive ideals.. or one that simply tries to slip through the path of least resistance.

It's all a guess.. and it's all a bunch of meaningless words until we see actual policy changes. The difference with Obama.. a difference that's very real.. is that there is no question he knows what's going on.. he knows what progressives want from him. I give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he's doing a political rope-a-dope.

But I could be wrong.

....

One thing is for sure.. Obama knows that progressives are pissed off about his selection. It's been covered in the news.. and it's taken seriously. This is new for us. It used to be, nobody gave a shit what we thought.. and because we had a fucking chimpanzee for a president, we didn't even bother to get pissed because we knew already that they were trying to do everything they could to make our lives worse.. even codifying it in the US Constitution.

That our getting pissed is big news is a big change for the better.