Here's your f***ing Beef, babe...

I'm going to vomit the next time I hear someone say "Where's the beef?" or "There's no there, there" in reference to Senator and Presidential Contender Barack Obama.

I'll grant you this, Barack Obama's experience is not conventional. He hasn't spent the better part of a decade in Washington D.C., he was never the President's wife, and he missed the opportunity to authorize Bush's pet project in Iraq.

I find it difficult to believe that the well-read posters and lurkers at DKos are not aware Barack Obama's rich background, but allow me to remind you, as it seems you may have forgotten...

Barack Obama, a quick resume

As a citizen:

• Has a multi-cultural background. He's black AND white in a society that insists upon things being black OR white.
• Experienced life abroad at an early age.
• Earned an ivy-league degree in INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. (Turns out we're a nation at war in the middle east.)
• Directed a program to help poor families find jobs
• First black president of the Harvard Law Review
• Directed and organized voter registration drives in poor, black DEMOCRATIC Chicago neighborhoods
• Fought for civil, minority and voting rights as an attorney for three years
• Taught constitutional law at U of Chicago

As a state legislator:

• Chairman of HHS
• Authored Earned-Income Tax Credit legislation
• Fought for a program called KidsCare (now called AllKids) which provided myself and my brother with health insurance when I was in high school
• Voted to increase funding for AIDS prevention and care
• Fought to make health insurers pay for mammograms
• Voted to increase regulations on death penalty
• Was a strong proponent of gun control

As a US Senator (109th Congress):

• Sponsored 152 bills in the 109th Congress
• Co-sponsored 427 bills in the 109th Congress
• Wrote a bill to increase Pell grants which never made it out of committee (as a college student, this would have been really great)
• Had an active role in crafting the Kennedy/McCain immigration legislation
• Crafted a bill to disclose federal funding online
• Passed a bill for relief in the Democratic Republic of Congo

As a US Senator (110th Congress):

• Worked with Feingold for tougher restrictions in the Lobbyist reform bill that passed a couple months ago.
• Sponsored a bill to criminalize voter fraud
• Sponsored a bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2/3 by 2050
• Wrote the "Iraq War De-Escalation Act" which is eerily similar to the Reid/Feingold bill that's front-paged right now, not to mention the time line included in the appropriations bill that was passed last week.

Before I go any further, let me just say right now that I think Hillary Clinton and John Edwards are great. I will be ecstatic if either of them become the next President of the United States.

That said, while some lawmakers were exercising poor judgment on the floor of the Senate in 2002, Obama was in the streets protesting. Now some of you will cry "But he wasn't in the Senate, he didn't know what they knew, blah Blah BLAH." Hmm... there didn't seem to be any confusion for Dick Durbin, the other Senator from Illinois... or for that matter:

Akaka, Binghaman, Boxer, Byrd, CHAFEE (sidenote: not that I was sad to see him go, but wtf, why'd they dump him?), Corzine, Conrad, Dayton, Feingold, Graham, Inouye, Jeffords, Kennedy, Leahy, Levin, Mikulski, Murray, Reed, Sarbanes, Stabenow, Wellstone and Wyden.

Who's missing from this list?

Clinton, Biden, Dodd and Edwards to name a few.

The people who stood for an hour (of which I am one) in sub-zero temperatures in Springfield when Obama announced his candidacy understand what is special about him.

So do the 20,000 in Houston. The 15,000 in Oakland. As do those who helped Obama raise (speculatively) 22 million dollars in Q1. And he didn't need Bill Clinton to help him with that either.

PEOPLE RESPOND TO BARACK OBAMA. This is what we want, isn't it? I know it's what I want. Someone who can rally the masses to a common cause.

Maybe I was dreaming when I read all of those DKos diaries over the past year BEGGING for our next candidate to relate to voters with a VISION instead of another LAME 10-POINT PLAN.

•  Fire Away!

  by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:11:57 AM PDT

•  Why this elevated degree of fervor

  so early in the game?

  I'm not compelled to get hinky about anyone of them yet.

  by bumblebums on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:16:29 AM PDT

  •  Fair question...

    I gotta tell you, I usually am just a lurker, but this anti-Obama attitude around here (and yes it does exist) is really getting to me.

    I've not ruled any candidate out, but I feel it necessary to defend someone I believe to be a qualified candidate against ATTACKS, not mere criticism.

    by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:19:56 AM PDT

    •  To be fair

      there's enough anti-Obama, anti-Edwards, anti-Gore and certainly more than enough anti-Hillary to go around.  Obama isn't being singled out any more than the others are and, my sense from diaries and comments is, a fair amount less than Hillary is.

      Sign me "Richardson Supporter" (for the time being, anyway.  I've been known to flip-flop on these things.)

      by aggieric on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:33:57 AM PDT

  •  Agreed

    I am relieved to find out I am not the only one who has not who see things that way. i will offer up an annoying truism: this is a marathon not a sprint. I defintely lean towards one of the candidates but I am not inclined to bash the others. I am pleased to see there are good choices. In the end whether we like it or not we will have to suck it up put our reservations aside and fervently support the ultimate winner. My last choice among the candidates is still going to be the only alternative if we are to change things.

    by undercovercalico on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:25:42 AM PDT

    •  I hope you're making...

      this same statement in all of the diaries that needlessly and over-zealously attack Barack Obama with quips such as "Where is the Beef".

      It seems to me people ought to be asking that question of Giuliani and Romney, not Barack or even Edwards for that matter...

      by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:28:57 AM PDT

      •  There has to be a balance...

        I don't find it unreasonable to wish to know where a candidate stands on the issues.

        While I definitely will not be voting GOP this upcoming election I certainly am not going to vote for someone just because he has a  "D" by his name.

        Perhaps the debates will be helpful for all of us.

        by Morgan Sandlin on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:51:45 AM PDT

        •  It's totally reasonable

          for you to "wish to know where a candidate stands on the issues."

          A great way to find out is to look up their voting record. Anyone who can devote time to lurking and posting at this blog, is more than capable of doing this for Obama, Clinton, Kucinich, Dodd and all the rest.

          Some candidates have even written books. Obama has two.
          Anyone who asks the question "Where's the beef," obviously hasn't bothered to do any research. They expect Obama to lay it all out in his speeches and tv appearances. If he did that, he'd be sure to lose.

          We all (should) understand at this point that people vote for personalities and character, not voting records and 10-point plans.

          I think it's safe to say that liberal/progressive/Democratic bloggers DO in fact vote (at least in part) for policy positions. But those same bloggers ought to be doing a little research while they're sitting in front of the computer.

          Where's the beef?

          Let's ask Giuliani and Romney before we get all bent out of shape over Obama.

          by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 09:05:19 AM PDT

          •  Well, I'm not 'bent out of shape' over Obama...

            ..and as I won't be voting for a Republican that leaves the Democratic candidates to examine.

            Your comment about individuals voting for personality is just disheartening, and part of learning about a candidates character is knowing what their stance is on issues.

            by Morgan Sandlin on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 09:17:37 AM PDT

            •  My comment

              about individuals voting for personality is reality. I'm sorry if that upsets you, but there's nothing I can do about it.

              Note that I didn't accuse you of being bent out of shape over Obama, that was directed toward those who've made a hobby of tearing him down.

              Examining is one thing, criticizing is another, but bashing is totally crossing the line.

              by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 09:54:08 AM PDT

      •  "Even Edwards" WTH do you mean by that?

        Is that an implication you think Edwards has "no beef"?
        S'plain, Lucy.

        by ronlib on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 10:26:57 AM PDT

        •  Yes, that's exactly what I mean

          Edwards spent a few more years in the Senate than Obama. And while Edwards was in the US Senate, Obama was in state government. I don't see a big difference in their level of experience. Do you?

          by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 01:07:32 PM PDT

  •  Because other Democrats are trying to brand

    him as an empty suit and devoid of substance.

    Apparently, the idea that he could wind up the nominee and that these attacks are exactly the kind of branding that could hurt in the general election doesn't matter to them.

    by Geekesque on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 09:49:08 AM PDT

    •  Geekesque, perhaps his supporters can do better..

      Just perusing through the responses to this diary I see statements regarding people voting on personality, Obama playing to his strength of a "Inspiration and vision" theme, etc., etc.

      Perhaps if Obama's supporters refuted the claims by some that he is an 'empty suit' by citing his stance on issues it would take some wind out of a few sails.

      At this point I don't have a dog in the fight between some Edwards and Obama supporters but sheesh, if I want just "Inspiration and vision" I'll go out and buy a Tony Robbins tape.

      by Morgan Sandlin on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 10:53:58 AM PDT

      •  The problem is that the accusation

        has been refuted repeatedly.  No matter how many times a person points out his actual record, this zombie-like meme keeps on reappearing.

        Such is the nature of personal attacks as opposed to policy disagreements.

        by Geekesque on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 10:58:07 AM PDT

      •  If you take a look...

        at my diary, you'll notice I've cited many of his stances on the issues.

        Interestingly enough, it is not average voters calling him an empty-suit, it's the MSM and liberal bloggers... the very people who should be inclined to research this kind of thing on their own.

        Furthermore, stances on issues won't cut it. Kerry had stances on issues, it wasn't good enough. That's not to say he wouldn't have been a good President, but well... he's not the President, Dubya is!

        by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 01:10:56 PM PDT

  •  Because by this time next year

    we will have our candidate. All those 2/5 primaries make it NECESSARY, however much we would like to put it off.

    We DO NOT have until summer of 2008 to make up our minds and wander around.

    If it isn't done right, by Passover/Easter/Vernal Equinox/NowRooz next year, there is going to be a whole lot of complaining around here about how somebody other than the one who won all those damned front-loaded primaries ought to be the nominee.

    by murphy on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 10:11:48 AM PDT

•  We dumped Chafee ...

  ... because if we hadn't we'd have a 50-50 Senate with Dick Cheney in charge, and in fact Lieberman might've taken the leap in that instance.

  Good man, though - Chafee, that is. I hope he resufaces.

  by RickMassimo on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:19:38 AM PDT

  •  Like I said

    No tears for Chafee, I'm glad we have the majority. I just don't understand how Republicans could bend over backwards to save Lieberman, yet not give a rat's ass about anti-war Chafee.

    by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:21:18 AM PDT

    •  I think I just answered my own question...

      Republicans bent over backwards for Lieb cuz they think of him as one of their own, whereas I assume they viewed Chafee as a traitor...

      by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:22:51 AM PDT

      •  Well ...

        ... I think they looked at the situation in Connecticut and saw that Lieberman was the best they were going to get. And yeah, any ridiculous idea Lieberman backs, they get to call it "bipartisan support."

        Chafee, on the other hand, had a CfG-backed primary challenger. It's already become hard to remember the dark days before November 2006, but they probably thought they could hang Chafee out to dry as an example, lose his seat, and still keep the Senate.

        by RickMassimo on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:29:25 AM PDT

•  Doesn't anyone remember...

  the last time the United States elected as president an Illinois politician who only had a few years congressional experience?

  I was too young to remember what the bloggers of 1859 were saying about Abraham Lincoln but sometimes the right person for the job isn't the one with the longest resume.

  by Greasy Grant on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:28:34 AM PDT

  •  The only one with a comparable resume

    as Lincoln's is currently the Resident of the US.

    Obama's resume is fine, admirable even.  But I not only want some beef, I want it attached to fighting, take no prisoners, bucking bull.

    by Mark Adams on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 10:35:13 AM PDT

•  Good, succinct list

  That "Obama is empty" meme really, really needs to be put to bed.  Good job with this.

  by LiberalVirginian on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:32:23 AM PDT

•  Just remember this in 2008:

  ANY Democrat will be better than ANY Republican.  Support whoever you want in the primaries, but think before you trash the other Dems.  We need all of us to come together and support whoever wins the nomination, and the more trash the Dems put out there, the more ammo the Repubs will have.  We MUST win this election; I'm pretty sure you all agree with that.  Just don't forget the ultimate goal---let's think strategically.

  And for myself, I don't have a favorite yet.  I'm waiting to be persuaded.

  by Freakinout daily on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 08:51:08 AM PDT

•  Lazy asshole pundits are the ones pushin this

  idiocy over the MSM

  And it filters down to the electorate.
  Thats why Obama chief political strategist Axelrod is more inclined to enhance Obama strengths (the Inspiration and vision theme) that roll out a laundry of dry proposals.

  Apart from BClinton the other recent POTUSes have truimphed more on the strenghts of their personalities, charisma, personal qualities and their ability to paint broad concepts and shape them into an agenda. Reagan twice (shining light on the hilltop) and chimpie twice (honor and dignity in 00' and tough on terra in 04), were sold on such basis.

  by wuod kwatch on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 09:32:16 AM PDT

•  Good job with this.

  Obama has done well, even with these gloomyyyy posts on here lately.

  by Dem Soldier on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 09:36:51 AM PDT

  •  Good job

    One more thing....stop!  Chafee was repuke, surely no tears from me....

    by Dem Soldier on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 09:42:41 AM PDT

•  Excellent Diary, love!

  I don't have anything to add......

  but BRAO!

  by Lady Bird Johnson on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 10:36:27 AM PDT

•  Would guess most Kosser anti-Obama

  feelings are smoldering resentment of not backing
  (Lieberman's opponent). Sorry, having a senior moment.
  I'm one of them. I know he's basically a good liberal,
  but just seems sooo "political" as opposed to a good ass-kicking radical - a' la  More a good compromise than a "wet dream" - (Feingold, Barbara Boxer, Bernie Sanders, and John Edwards.  

  by ronlib on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 10:50:17 AM PDT

  •  he did back lamont

    he supported lieberman in the primary.

    he campaigned for him just like edwards did in the general. Kossacks say he didn't campiagn enough and site the tigaris diary. but that same diary says Edwards did not do enough either.

    by dpg220 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 01:51:25 PM PDT

•  I'm recommending because

  that's a nice list you've compiled there.

  Although, are people really using the phrase "Where's the Beef?" Actually, really? And they are using it while discussing the current candidates from this year, not like Walter Mondale or somebody? Because I think those people need to get their heads out of the sand in more ways than just politically.

  by cathy b on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 10:59:17 AM PDT

  •  I've defintely heard it

    at least a few times on this site. It's ridiculous, I know... :-)

    by Potus2020 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 01:15:24 PM PDT

•  some gaffes, you have to admit

  I like Obama and would vote for him in a general election, but I'm not transported or inspired.

  Some gaffes have insulted people. That's going to happen in a campaign. But they're starting to add up, you have to admit.... Seniors don't like being told "baby boomers step aside" to make way for him. Moderate older women don't like seeing a hammer thrown through another woman's face and people cheering (1984 ad) That ad was mean and brutal. Even though his campaign didn't directly make it, Obama should've denounced it. Where was the high road then? I'm no HRC fan, but I wanted to defend her. How can that be?

  Low income people don't like being told "I don't care how poor you are, you can give $5 or $10 [to his campaign]. I know, I grew up poor, and I was offended.

  There may be a few African Americans who were puzzled by his comments at the health care forum. One man asked about Obama's plans for improving preventative care for racial minorities and Obama said, after stumbling around a bit, "African Americans need to have more access to fruits and vegetables and less to Popeye's".

  I was surprised--how long had he known about the forum-- that question was basic and predictable.

  Not attacking here, just pointing out why not everyone has climbed on board.

  by redding888 on Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 03:24:10 PM PDT