Althouse: About Cory Booker: "He’s dead to us."

June 8, 2012

About Cory Booker: "He’s dead to us."

The NY Post quotes a "ranking [Obama] administration official."

Meanwhile, Bill Clinton, who presumably doesn't want to be dead, is "very sorry."

90 comments:

madAsHell said...: The shoe is on the other foot. Obama is toast.; 6/8/12, 9:49 AM
Tom said...: The NYPost article is linked. This is good stuff!; 6/8/12, 9:51 AM
Beta Rube said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/8/12, 9:52 AM
Beta Rube said...: Oh boy! New Jersey gets a lesson from Chicago.; 6/8/12, 9:53 AM
wyo sis said...: If they keep kicking people off the reservation there won't be enough Indians to form a decent war party. Or, is that too PI?; 6/8/12, 9:55 AM
edutcher said...: Willie is only sorry when he gets caught and he thought he could get away with bad-mouthing Little Zero.

I guess the whispering campaign, plus the fact somebody at the DNC reminded him that the O campaign was paying off Hilla's campaign debts (you didn't expect them to do it) and that was going to stop if he didn't shut up had the intended effect.

As for Mayor Booker, I guess it does just that much more to put Jersey in play.; 6/8/12, 9:56 AM
robinintn said...: I'm shocked that Obama's trying (and succeeding) to make a former President his bitch.; 6/8/12, 9:57 AM
Scott M said...: If they keep kicking people off the reservation there won't be enough Indians to form a decent war party.

Too soon.; 6/8/12, 9:58 AM
SGT Ted said...: Democrats talking like gangsters and thugs. How ordinary.; 6/8/12, 9:58 AM
KCFleming said...: There is no honor among thieves.; 6/8/12, 10:00 AM
Original Mike said...: There's always the Big Tent party, Mayor Booker.; 6/8/12, 10:02 AM
Joaquin said...: He was angling for a Cabinet position? I think he figured that it wasn't going to happen. Ha!; 6/8/12, 10:06 AM
Comanche Voter said...: These clowns have been watching too many Godfather movies, reading too many Mario Puzo books.

Get real you little jerks. Life is lived among people; and people have opinions--just like they have noses.

But if you're a measly little wimp who has to butch it up a bit, then you try to talk "tough" and wind up looking like a doofus.; 6/8/12, 10:06 AM
Chip S. said...: Cory Booker is about to be reclassified as white.; 6/8/12, 10:06 AM
traditionalguy said...: So then he runs for Senator from NJ with Clinton's help and gets the Jersey Boys' vote from both the GOP and the Dems.

Staying on the bridge of a sinking ship is the Captain's job, not the crews' job.; 6/8/12, 10:09 AM
Scott M said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/8/12, 10:10 AM
Unknown said...: Among radical movements the most potent venom is always reserved for apostates. Apostasy, of course, seldom consists of renunciation. Simple deviation will do. Insufficient zeal in the service of Dear Leader will put you in the gulag.

We've seldom seen Obama's equal in corruption. There may be many who are nominally allied with him who are barely able to hold their tongues over any of several major departures from decency. If BO begins throwing them under the bus at the slightest grumble, we can only hope that his arrogance has gotten the best of him at a crucial time.

Of course, if it has, we'll end up with Romney. Talk about the boobie prize.; 6/8/12, 10:12 AM
The Drill SGT said...: It really deserves an "Obama is like Nixon" tag.

Except that Obama is worse than Nixon. Nixon after all, eventually discovered that his remaining in office was hurting the Presidency, the Country and the GOP. Wise GOP Leaders advised him to depart.

What is disappointing is that Obama and his "Chicago Way" is the face of the Democratic Party. I predict that the Obama HQ is going to look like the Fuhrer Bunker in '45 by the time things are over. Secretaries weeping. Staff officers making sure they have enough rounds in the pistol to blo their brains out. Obama ranting about phantom divisions coming to the rescue and secret weapons.

Slash and burn doesn't beging to describe the next 5 months. I see:

- DNC withdrawing support for all activities and campaigns beyond "the Won"
- Race mongering
- class warfare
- religious hatred
- personal attacks
- destruction of the Dem Farm team system (e.g. Booker)
- Tail wagging dog foreign policy
- DoJ and IRS being used as a campaign tool

ugly destruction of our political system and the Dem Party

I think Clinton knows it as well.; 6/8/12, 10:13 AM
Original Mike said...: "He was angling for a Cabinet position? I think he figured that it wasn't going to happen."

I don't know. I'm thinking Commerce Secretary in the Romney administration (unless Romney does the right thing and eliminates the Commerce Dept.); 6/8/12, 10:14 AM
Tank said...: Bertie's right. You're either "all in" or you're out. On the bus, or off the bus. If you're not "all in," then you're "dead to us."; 6/8/12, 10:17 AM
The Drill SGT said...: Bertram Wooster said...
Among radical movements the most potent venom is always reserved for apostates. Apostasy, of course, seldom consists of renunciation. Simple deviation will do. Insufficient zeal in the service of Dear Leader will put you in the gulag.

am thinking about Dr Zhivago

"but he's a Bolshevik!, exactly..."; 6/8/12, 10:20 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Good thing Booker is in a party with no ideology, one that doesn't enforce a strict code of conformity on its members. Thank Gaea these leftists aren't purging their party of Centrists or they would kinda look like those eeeevil Rethuglicats that are so beholden to the Tea Party. This is exactly why I love the Big Tent that Obama has built for his strong and growing coalition.; 6/8/12, 10:21 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Dang Original Mike beat me to the Big Tent. I feel so unoriginal now.; 6/8/12, 10:23 AM
Chip S. said...: Original Mike didn't just claim that screen name; he earned it.; 6/8/12, 10:26 AM
Unknown said...: What benefit does Barry get from stabbing Booker? He's taking a shot at the most popular black politician in America. Does this make sense? Is there only enough black politician pie around for one black politician on the national stage? Barry should be embracing Booker.

This man rescued a woman from a burning building. He's made Newark a less vile place to live. He cooperates with Republicans in state government. He is Bill Clinton, without the baggage. Triangulation. Booker is triangulation writ large.; 6/8/12, 10:27 AM
Anonymous said...: If this is an apology from Clinton, it is the most backhanded apology I've heard:

"I’m very sorry about what happened,” the former president told CNN. “I thought something had to be done on the “fiscal cliff’ before the election. Apparently nothing has to be done until the first of the year.”

The Clinton rats (notice Ed Rendell pop up to compare Obama unfavorably to Hillary) are deserting the sinking Obama ship.; 6/8/12, 10:27 AM
Scott M said...: Dang Original Mike beat me to the Big Tent. I feel so unoriginal now.

Words that haven't been used yet that will still lend credence to your originality:

Big Shelter
Big Canopy
Big Poncho
Big Muumuu
Big Pea Green Stretch Pants; 6/8/12, 10:29 AM
sunsong said...: What's this all about? Is it not ok to have your own opinion? Are they really trying to say that only what Obama thinks is an acceptble view?

Variety is the spice of life. The fact that we all have our own views is one of the great gifts of this country.; 6/8/12, 10:39 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The democrats need to make anti-capitalist BS stick. Everyone must fall in line. All while the democrats take money from capitalists and work as hard as they can to destory our free market system and force jobs overseas.; 6/8/12, 10:40 AM
traditionalguy said...: Civility has narrow limits in a suicidal organisation that expects its zombie army to die for it.

The gracious group is by their acting with grace announcing that they expect to survive the Armegeddon and will need friends when it is over.

As an example, after Bastogne's relief ended the hope of the Ardennes offensive to buy Germany enough time to finish new Super Weapons under development in Bavaria, the Highest level Nazis started secretly negotiating with the allies for special deals such as Swiss gold and amnesty for not killing more Jews, and even proposing a joint front to fight the Red Army.

The End was in sight. But still the evil mind controller Hitler kept a suicidal gotterdamerung going to get Germans killed and Germany destroyed with a scorched earth policy, all for Germans letting him down on their personal oaths to die for him.; 6/8/12, 10:41 AM
Original Mike said...: I'm not original. I'm merely the Mike who was posting on Althouse before some usrper came along and threatened to tarnish my good name.; 6/8/12, 10:43 AM
ndspinelli said...: This may sound childish because, well..it is. But growing up near Yale, going to many Harvard/Yale games, there is an intense dislike between the two student bodies and alumni. Some of it is good natured, but most of it is not. The rivalry isn't as down to earth as Ohio State/Michigan, it's of course more sophisticated[sarcastic]. And, like all rivalries, it is not just about sports. Combine that w/ a guy who is an executive of a tough northeast city. A guy who gets along w/ Chris Christie, and you may have a very shrewd Yale Bulldog, separating himself from a Harvard Crimson loser.; 6/8/12, 10:49 AM
the wolf said...: Who does this help more than Booker? They're not actually lining up to align themselves with the administration these days.; 6/8/12, 10:49 AM
Scott M said...: Civility has narrow limits in a suicidal organisation that expects its zombie army to die for it.

A point of order, sir. Zombie armies are already dead.; 6/8/12, 10:56 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: Anonymous source. Tired of those.; 6/8/12, 10:58 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Here is my theory on Bill Clinton and WFT is he doing.

1. The moderates in the Dem party are not happy with the extreme leftward turn of the Obama Administration.

2. They are afraid to go out and say so publicly because A) they don't want to be bitch slapped by the Dem Machine B) they most of all want to be re-elected.

3. Because #2 is true. They don't want to even poke their heads up above the foxhole, hold town meetings or personally get feedback from their constituents.

4. Clinton is not running for office now. Clinton probably sees an advantage in Obama being defeated because: A) a further leftward tilt in the party will marginalize it for a very long time B)and especially because at some point the Clinton machine wants to make a move to get Hillary back in the game.

5. Therefore: Bill Clinton can be a front runner. Out in public throwing out ideas and talking points to see just how it plays with the public because of #4, he doesn't have to worry about being re-elected. Fiscal Cliff? How does that play? Sterling Business Career? Hmmmmm. Ok business isn't so bad in the public eyes.... And so on.

6. Once the cowardly Dems see that there may be some purchase in making those kinds of statements...>THEN they will also jump on the bandwagon.

Bill Clinton....front runner....cannon fodder....testing the winds.; 6/8/12, 11:00 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/8/12, 11:00 AM
Jaq said...: So you have the left wing spoiled brats of the party tugging and tugging on mommy's skirt 'til she falls off the sidewalk and into a ditch. The few sane people left see it coming and start tugging frantically on the other side.

Turns out that we right wingers are "hypocritical" for agreeing with Clinton when he agrees with us.; 6/8/12, 11:00 AM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: BTW: I doubt that Clinton is 'very sorry'

He is parsing his words as in the famous "it depends on what is is" instance.

I think that he is accomplishing what he wants to do and is sorry in the "I'm sorry YOU were offended" category.; 6/8/12, 11:04 AM
Stoutcat said...: Tank said:

"You're either "all in" or you're out. On the bus, or off the bus."

On the bus, or UNDER the bus...

FIFY; 6/8/12, 11:06 AM
Scott M said...: Bill Clinton....front runner....cannon fodder....testing the winds.

That's all well and good, but it doesn't take into account his rapid tacking in what one assumes is a very strong headwind of cell phone calls and email from POTUS' people, the DNC's people (I don't think Debbie knows how to operate a phone or a keyboard...but she DOES fit his profile for women, doesn't she...just a bit?...hmm...).

In any case, this reversing on Clinton's part, saying "OH! (smacking forehead) I didn't realize the financial cliff was not coming up until January. I thought it was coming before the election. Now that I've seen Obama's numbers, I realize that it's not until January. Obama is right."

This reeks of the same "I think you people out there are idiots" as Holder's denial yesterday that a memo in which the following appears:

"Do you think we should have Lanny participate in press when Fast and Furious and Laura’s Tucson case [Wide Receiver] are unsealed? It’s a tricky case, given the number of guns that have walked, but it is a significant set of prosecutions."

...are referring to the same program despite that pesky "and" between the two programs.; 6/8/12, 11:07 AM
Chip S. said...: @ndspinelli--A nice theory, but with two problems.

1. Romney has twice as many Harvard degrees as Obama.

2. Cory Booker's city got some huge gift (>$100M?) from Mark Zuckerberg, so he ought not to harbor any ill will toward Fair Harvard, despite the handicap of a Yale education.; 6/8/12, 11:15 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: To democrats, everything can be solved with a tax hike. The problem is when will it end? When will we see positive results?
While our tax dollars pay for lavish benefits, early retirements, and fully paid everything, the media woefully and dutifully informs us of the latest school program cuts that will hurt our kids.
How about lavish benefit cut backs? Seems the media doesn’t ever mention those. and hey - lets all agree to dissolve the corrupt public teacher's union. For the children.; 6/8/12, 11:16 AM
Revenant said...: In the long term, Booker putting himself on the map as a moderate pro-capitalism Democrat will pay off.; 6/8/12, 11:21 AM
Michael K said...: If Obama had a son, he would probably look like Booker.

The Trayvon Martin case is smoldering along with an Al Sharpton inspired mob at the Sanford FL city council meeting demanding "justice" while word of the kid's drug use is slowing trickling out. This will blow up shortly before the election and probably make race a very big issue. Talk about an exploding cigar !; 6/8/12, 11:39 AM
Henry said...: The sinking ship is deserting the rats.; 6/8/12, 11:39 AM
Amartel said...: Bill Clinton is so not very sorry. He's protecting his brand. Lying and smiling away, one step back for five steps forward. That little tap dance took me back to the 1990s. He's a much smarter and much more dangerous operator than Obama.
Clinton:Obama::Hannibal Lecter:Buffalo Bill.; 6/8/12, 11:40 AM
Jhn1 said...: When the Soros/Tides groups have the Speedway Bomber (and likely others) on staff, who thinks the "dead to us" is only rhetorical?; 6/8/12, 11:41 AM
crosspatch said...: Cory Booker is about to be reclassified as white.

Because we all know you can't be a "real" black American, or hispanic or woman unless you *always* oppose *every* Republican notion, candidate, meme, etc.

ANY support of a Republican in any way automatically makes you a white male, or something.; 6/8/12, 11:43 AM
DRJ said...: I'm not convinced this was a mistake for Mayor Booker. Basically, he refused to demonize private equity and similar firms -- and I've heard there are a lot of them in New Jersey. Booker needs them to contribute to his future campaigns, so siding with them may be a good bet.

The cost to Booker is that he burned bridges with the Obama Administration. That may be a good bet, too.; 6/8/12, 12:01 PM
virgil xenophon said...: Talking about racial re-classifications, did "y'all" see where Chris Rock called Obama the "Zebra President?" LOL!!!; 6/8/12, 12:14 PM
furious_a said...: If Liberalklatura keep kicking people off their plantation there won't be anyone left to work the fields.

I'm POSITIVE that is PI.; 6/8/12, 12:25 PM
Rich B said...: Old Bill is making it safe for Democrats to recognize the obvious. When this regime collapses, it's going to be quick and breathtaking.; 6/8/12, 12:26 PM
Calypso Facto said...: Clinton is 'very sorry'

That depends on what your definition of "is" is.; 6/8/12, 12:26 PM
Chip S. said...: ...did "y'all" see where Chris Rock called Obama the "Zebra President?"

The distancing from Obaba is underway.; 6/8/12, 12:28 PM
furious_a said...: Yet more proof that while the Right seeks out converts, the Left hunts down heretics.

The stress is really starting the bring out the Cook County Machine Thug in Obama and his people.; 6/8/12, 12:33 PM
DC Bruce said...: @ndspinelli: Don't confuse undergraduate rivalries with the rivalries between alumni of the professional schools. Yale and Harvard College graduates may feel some antipathy, but I doubt that it extends to alumni of the law school or business school.
On topic: the administration senses that it's at a tipping point. More evidence of weakness and its ability to impose discipline on errant party members will collapse, and other Democratic elected officials will revert to an "it's every man/woman for himself!" mode. In fact, one of the stupid things about Obama not backing Mayor Barett in running against Gov. Walker is that it sends a "you're on your own" message to Democrats running with Obama this fall. So, if you're "on your own," you don't really care what the White House thinks. You're in survival mode . . . and they will be, too.; 6/8/12, 12:35 PM
bagoh20 said...: Welcome Mr. Booker. Yes, we have room in the life boat, but you better hurry that thing is sinking fast.; 6/8/12, 12:39 PM
pellehDin said...: Here is where great opportunity presents itself to Romney: Booker as his VP choice.

Let that sink in a little...; 6/8/12, 12:43 PM
Chip S. said...: I like this role a lot better for CB in a Romney Administration: Final Secretary of HUD.

When he's done with that, he could be the First Black & Last Secretary of Agriculture.

He could beat George Shultz's record for number of cabinet-level positions held. Within a matter of months.; 6/8/12, 12:48 PM
DADvocate said...: Just shows you how open the Democratic Party is to differing ideas. Pup tent.; 6/8/12, 12:53 PM
cubanbob said...: If Clinton helps bring down the Marxist clown he will have done more good for the country as an ex-president than he ever did as president. Booker and Clinton are no fools, they see clearly where this vail of tears will end for the democrats if the party doesn't rid itself of the progressives.; 6/8/12, 12:56 PM
Bill said...: 'Meanwhile, Bill Clinton, who presumably doesn't want to be dead, is "very sorry." '

Bill Clinton is too big to be dead.; 6/8/12, 12:58 PM
Rob Crawford said...: Just shows you how open the Democratic Party is to differing ideas. Pup tent.

The last time the Democrat party worried about pitching a tent was when Clinton was in control of it.; 6/8/12, 1:02 PM
Anonymous said...: I wonder how long before we hear "self-hating"?; 6/8/12, 1:02 PM
ricpic said...: ...did "y'all" see where Chris Rock called Obama the "Zebra President?"

After calling Obama a zebra president, Chris Rock then said, "we ignore the whiteness, but it's there." So Chris and company have to ignore the whiteness in order to support their prez. Where's the outrage? Don't make me laugh.; 6/8/12, 1:04 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: Clinton expressed an opinion and I thought, "so what." And now Clinton expressed regret, sort of, about expressing an earlier opinion and I thought, "so what."
And now I've expressed those two thoughts and you're thinking, "now there's a proper thinking chap. So what. "; 6/8/12, 1:07 PM
traditionalguy said...: In Atlanta we have been blessed with many Cory Booker type "black men" who deal with financial reality and form good relationships with the real world of all colors who use green money, and even plan to do good.

After all they are our cousins, and Atlanta has always been a busy commercial center.

All we had to do starting 120 years ago was add good Black Colleges education, and the Black Churches did the rest (See, MLK, Jr) until the slavery days ceased to be any factor.

Obama has moved that progress along just by being elected. But he needs to be Re-Called now before he can transform us into Cuba and Venezuela. Clinton and Booker know that.; 6/8/12, 1:10 PM
swassociates said...: Cory better watch for Drones. Just saying.............; 6/8/12, 1:15 PM
Original Mike said...: 'Meanwhile, Bill Clinton, who presumably doesn't want to be dead, is "very sorry." '

Dead means never having to say you're sorry.; 6/8/12, 1:19 PM
ricpic said...: Clinton is as much a grifter as Obama, the difference being that Clinton knows that when conditions demand it you suspend the con until conditions allow the con to be resumed. No such terpsichore from the dense one.; 6/8/12, 1:28 PM
Peter said...: "He's dead to us"

If this be treason, perhaps he should make the most of it.; 6/8/12, 1:29 PM
glenn said...: If the Democratic party had anything resembling a soul left I'd say there was a battle going on for said soul. But since the Dems are about money and power they are fighting over who gets to ride in the limo and tell the proles what to eat.; 6/8/12, 1:48 PM
MadisonMan said...: I had to look up who Cory Booker is.; 6/8/12, 1:53 PM
virgil xenophon said...: @ricpic/

Here I always thought Terpsichore was just a street in New Orleans.. :)

(I lived on it once back in 96-98); 6/8/12, 2:23 PM
MadisonMan said...: Terpsichore

Terpsichorean is in the Cheese Shop Monty Python sketch.; 6/8/12, 2:42 PM
Anonymous said...: Glenn, and the Republican Party is not about money and power, OK!

Hope and Change, only this time the Republicans will bring it.; 6/8/12, 2:44 PM
yashu said...: Clinton:Obama::Hannibal Lecter:Buffalo Bill.

LOL Amartel.; 6/8/12, 2:48 PM
Known Unknown said...: In related news, the private sector is "doing fine."; 6/8/12, 2:50 PM
Michael said...: EMD: For a stunning, jaw dropping, look at the disconnect between reality and the president's view of the economy you can do no better than listen to this press conference. At the current rate of new jobs we will be back to where we were at the beginning of his term in seventy eight (78) years. That is quite a while given the fact that in his mind the private economy is doing "fine" at this very moment. You would not be able to believe this had you not actually lived through it.; 6/8/12, 2:57 PM
Original Mike said...: "In related news, the private sector is "doing fine.""

Incredibly, I think he really believes this.; 6/8/12, 3:08 PM
yashu said...: What benefit does Barry get from stabbing Booker? He's taking a shot at the most popular black politician in America. Does this make sense? Is there only enough black politician pie around for one black politician on the national stage? Barry should be embracing Booker.

Especially after the noteworthy defection of Artur Davis.

Cory Booker has actually proven to be, in office, the kind of politician that Obama's 2008 campaign promised O would be. (Or let me qualify that: he embodies the part of the 2008 "Obama" mirage that appealed to someone like Althouse, e.g. pragmatic centrist postpartisan competence transcending racial division, etc. Not the healing the planet messianic or spreading-the-wealth-around guy.)

Booker is a rising star (one of the few on the Dem side, along with e.g. Andrew Cuomo... both noteworthy for centrist-to-right-- Walkerish and Christie-esque-- tendencies).

So if there's a rift between Obama (who's starting to look politically toxic and may well be a one-termer like Carter) and Booker, it's likely to help Booker and hurt Obama.; 6/8/12, 3:17 PM
Known Unknown said...: Booker even makes videos with Christie.

Mildly-funny but way-too-long videos.; 6/8/12, 3:24 PM
yashu said...: In related news, the private sector is "doing fine."

"The fundamentals of the economy are strong." --McCain; 6/8/12, 3:40 PM
Scott said...: I worry that there aren't enough Cory Bookers left in the Democrat party to change it.; 6/8/12, 3:46 PM
SukieTawdry said...: I realize Obama is a Chicago thug and thinks he's a tough guy, but does he know how many bodies are buried in New Jersey??; 6/8/12, 4:48 PM
jacksonjay said...: When will we drop the "nice guy" description for Blameless Barry?; 6/8/12, 6:22 PM
el polacko said...: when clinton says 'gee..so sorry but i thought that the economy going over the cliff was a big deal that we should be dealing with right away...but i guess it can wait until next year'...that's not an apology, that's sarcasm.; 6/8/12, 8:27 PM
Jack Lifton said...: One of the comments made me think of a good bumper sticker:

"The Chicago way or the American way. Your choice in November."; 6/8/12, 10:43 PM
Rick67 said...: Wow they really tolerate freedom of thought don't they? Not just "disappointed" with Booker. But "he's dead to us".

They are going down and they know it. And they're kicking and screaming as they slide into the drain of history.; 6/9/12, 8:08 AM