As the White House continues to move toward dropping the public option, I wanted to dispel two important myths - the ones about the administration's legislative leverage and ideological outlook. Specifically, just in case you were under the illusion that the Obama White House has no ability to play political hardball and or/treats progressive and corporate Democrats equally, I wanted to just highlight this crystal clear contrast.
"Obama Won't Punish Blue Dogs, Jarrett Says"
Valerie Jarrett, the president's senior adviser, said that President Barack Obama will not punish Blue Dog Democrats for their role slowing the health-care debate.
"White House Browbeats Dem Freshmen On War Money: 'You'll Never Hear From Us Again'"
The White House is playing hardball with Democrats who intend to vote against the supplemental war spending bill, threatening freshmen who oppose it that they won't get help with reelection and will be cut off from the White House, Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) said Friday.
"We're not going to help you. You'll never hear from us again," Woolsey said the White House is telling freshmen.
The double standard doesn't get any more clear than that. And it is predictable. Indeed, this is what you get from a White House that is run by Rahm Emanuel and former Baucus staffer (and famous corporate bum-licker) Jim Messina: A White House that plays hardball, but only with progressives. It is a White House that ignores its president's own progressive campaign rhetoric, treats congressional progressives as second-class citizens, and treats corporate shills as the most important players of all.