2/9: Summit Skepticism

Most liberal bloggers are skeptical of Pres. Obama's proposal to host a televised, bipartisan health care summit. Charles Lemos worries that the summit "runs the risk of endlessly extending an already tortuous process," while Brendan Nyhan complains that Obama "is raising expectations for genuine bipartisanship, but it's not going to happen." Meanwhile, conservative bloggers are urging House GOPers not to participate in the summit unless Obama agrees to abandon the House and Senate bills. RedState editor Erick Erickson declares: "Unless Barack Obama says they should scrap the present plans and start over, the GOP should not entertain his invitation to use a gaggle of Republicans to rehabilitate our socialist President."

What else is happening in the blogosphere?

• While acknowledging the late Rep. Jack Murtha's (D-PA) flaws, liberal bloggers (digby, Willis, McCarter, Benen) are praising him for speaking out against the Iraq War. Jonathan Zasloff worries that Dems have lost another vote for health care reform, although Chris Bowers suspects that "[Murtha's] vote was probably already lost anyway." Conservative bloggers (Klein, Allahpundit, Hinderaker) also believe that Murtha's death will make it harder for House Dems to pass health care reform.
• Liberal bloggers (Whitney, Benen, McCarter, Sudbay) are angry that Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) is joining Senate GOPers in opposing the confirmation of Obama's nominee for NLRB chair, Craig Becker. One lefty blogger is wondering if Nelson plans to switch parties in '12. Conservative bloggers are delighted by Nelson's decision, as they think that Becker's nomination is now "defeated" or "all but dead". Michelle Malkin believes that conservative pressure on Nelson is "working."
• Although Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has released his controversial "blanket hold" on 70 Obama nominees, liberal bloggers (Lewison, Wheeler, Benen) are still criticizing him for blocking three Air Force nominees.
• Liberal bloggers (Yglesias, Greenwald, Chris, Benen) are buzzing about yesterday's New York Times article detailing how the financial industry is sending "a message to Democrats" by donating money to the GOP.

OBAMA: Another Summit?

Most liberal bloggers are skeptical of Obama's proposal to host a televised, bipartisan health care summit:

• MyDD's Lemos: "I personally prefer the combative Obama as opposed to the accommodating one so I am not sure what to make of this proposal. It seems that it runs the risk of endlessly extending an already tortuous process."
• Nyhan: "Obama is raising expectations for genuine bipartisanship, but it's not going to happen -- the odds of important policy changes coming out of the meeting are virtually nil. If House Democrats then go ahead and pass the Senate bill plus a reconciliation package on a party-line vote, the press will again surely note the contrast between Obama's rhetoric and the realities of legislating in a highly partisan Congress. Is this stunt really worth a delay of more than two weeks?"
• Daily Kos' mcjoan: "Perhaps this nothing more than an elaborate set-up to expose the depth of Republican obstructionism and, as Greg Sargent speculates lay the groundwork for passing the bill through reconciliation by providing them cover. But a more straightforward, and quicker, path would certainly be providing the leadership the Senate seems to be craving and help push the reconciliation fix through."
• TAPPED's Tim Fernholz: "We've had these summits before (for health care, above, and for energy, and for the jobs bill as recently as December), and they haven't moved the debate. [...] What might change that narrative would be if Democrats demonstrated their belief in the quality of their proposals by passing them. Show, don't tell, Dems."
• The Atlantic's Ta-Nehisi Coates: "Is [Obama] seriously interested in changing the bill to include more Republican ideas? Seriously? If not then what is he doing? Trying to show the American people how broad-minded he is? I like how Obama has come out over the past week. But I can't escape the feeling that there is no real plan."

That said, a few liberal bloggers like Obama's idea:

• The Reality-Based Community's Mark Kleiman: "The Republicans don't want compromise. They want to destroy the President and the Democratic Party, and don't mind at all destroying the country in the process -- as they've already destroyed the State of California. That's the brilliance behind Obama's challenge to a televised negotiating session. Of course the Republicans aren't going to compromise, but he's going to make them refuse to compromise in public. As President, he has the power to force things onto the agenda, and he's going to use it."
• TAPPED's Paul Waldman: "Obama has put Republicans in a bit of a bind: If they refuse his invitation, they confirm that they're just 'the party of no.' If they accept, on the other hand, they'll probably end up being taken to school by the president the way they were when he came to the House Republicans' meeting a couple of weeks ago. [...] At the end of it, Democrats can say, 'All right -- you've had your say, we've listened to your ideas, such as they are, and now it's time to move forward with the bill.' Perhaps more important than anything, the meeting could give tremulous congressional Democrats the shove they need to finally pass the damn thing."

Meanwhile, conservative bloggers are urging cong. GOPers not to negotiate with Obama:

• Erickson: "The GOP is often referred to as the stupid party. Let's pray they aren't stupid enough to sit down with a President who has for six months dismissed them as having no ideas. Barack Obama says he wants a bipartisan approach to health care now. Well, there is bipartisan support for scrapping the current proposals and starting over. Unless Barack Obama says they should scrap the present plans and start over, the GOP should not entertain his invitation to use a gaggle of Republicans to rehabilitate our socialist President."
• Townhall's Meredith Jessup: "With the swell in public opposition against Obama's health care proposals, the GOP would be remiss to accept the Dems' offer to get involved in helping to pass them. At the most basic level, the GOP needs to make clear the public opposes these measures because they do not want the government involved in making health care decisions. Period. It would be a tragic mistake for moderate Republicans to jump from the conservative ship in an attempt to 'improve' Obama's proposals. There should be no attempts to improve a toxic proposal. [House Min. Leader John] Boehner and [House Min. Whip Eric] Cantor were absolutely correct in dismissing the White House's hallow offer and continue demanding any health care proposal start from scratch."

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Snowmageddon

NRO's Jonah Goldberg:

"So over the weekend I got a lot of e-mail from readers mocking me and D.C. residents generally for making a big deal out of 'a little snow', a 'light dusting' and other such terms (volunteered by residents of Utah, Michigan, and across New England). I read the e-mail with great interest -- after my electricity was restored. Now I'm the first to acknowledge that D.C. goes overboard in response to even rumors of snow. And as the proud husband of a native Alaskan (and as a native New Yorker myself), I would never pretend that D.C. is at the tip of the spear in man's eternal war with snow. But let's get some perspective here. Bostonians, for instance, often talk of the Great Blizzard of 1978. Well, that light dusting, dumped 27.1 inches on Beantown. D.C. got over 30 inches.

I went to two supermarkets yesterday. The produce sections in 1982 Kiev were veritable cornucopias by comparison. The trucks haven't been able to make it in to restock the stores. Still, I lucked out. I found a package of brats, so I'm the richest man I know.

Anyway, now we're getting ready for another 10–20 inches in the D.C. area. I haven't checked the stats, but I'd guess we'll have gotten in one week more snow than we've received in the last five winters combined. Yes, you upper peninsula pioneers are made of hardier stock. But come on."

LEST WE FORGET: Family Concerned After Aging TV Show Has Another Terrible Episode

From The Onion:

"ROANOKE, VA -- The Stashwick family of Roanoke was 'alarmed and saddened' to see a beloved-but-aging TV program suffer yet another terrible episode Tuesday night. 'It's devastating to watch it deteriorate like this,' said wife and mother Janice Stashwick, shaking her head at the gradual breakdown of the show, which she claimed used to be 'so smart' and 'with it.' 'Not only does it barely make any sense these days, but most of the time it just tells the same old story over and over again. This has been a really bad year.' Family patriarch and longtime viewer Arnold Stashwick agreed, saying that it's painful to watch the show fall apart like this, and that if it were up to him he would just pull the plug on it."