On the second clip, Barney Franks speaks for me

More importantly, the only way I can think of to avoid "refighting the same fights we had in the 1990's", to quote Senator Obama, is to let our opponents win these fights without a struggle.

That the Repugs' ideas were crap, destructive for the country, and have revealed themselves as nonsense is, in this context, irrelevant.  What is relevant is that they took the initiative, held it, and used it to implement their program, mischegoss as it was.

Now the rejoinder:
Putting the Dems in that same position - of being the "party of ideas" - requires that you actually have some ideas, Senator.  "Kumbayah", "transcending differences", "Leadership" (without actually doing anything remotely resembling "leading" like, say supporting Dodd's next FISA filibuster), "Change" and "let's all get along" are slogans or methods, not ideas.  

(Just as an example:) Rectifying the tax structure so as to facilitate rebuilding the country's infrastructure in a way which discourages further dependence upon fossil fuel is an "idea".

Undoing the damage the Republicans did, just to take us back to where we were in 1999, on the other hand, is not so much an idea as it is maintenance on the constitutional structure.  Like repairing the roof on the house.

2.  What Obama says in the second clip, about the fights still being over the topics of the 60s and 70s, is both true, and irrelevant.  It's also both inane and undercuts his own happy, peaceful sing-around-the-campfire message. The fights he talks about - culture wars, war and peace, aggregation of power v. dispersing it, etc. - are eternal.  The fundies, thugs and authoritarians will always find something new to fight about, or bring an old issue back from being settled to a new argument if they run short.

And, as to this not being a "70s love-in", and saying that in a derogatory way.  Well, you got a couple things wrong there.
A.  It's generally accepted the 60s ended in 1973, about the time oil went from $2 a barrel to, what. $5 or $10.  Love-ins were a 60s thing.
B. We realize you were out of the country until the mid-70s, and might not have been there for them.  And, you were a little young for all that adult stuff, anyway.  We'll excuse your ignorance, there.
C.  The world - and particularly this country - was a lot better place in the 70s.  And, that is not euphoric memory (i.e., where you forget the bad and remember only the good) speaking.  We didn't have a culture in which "Don't Tase Me Bro" became a T-shirt logo and a comedic punchline - it would have been truly shocking then.  We didn't have a new movie to come out this summer "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo".  The criminal War on Drugs had not put a quarter or so of young black men into the criminal justice system.  Indeed, a lot of the cigarette companies were rumored, then, to be developing brands and taking out trademarks for the marijuana cigarettes they were going to sell once pot was legalized.  There were no urine tests to get a job stocking shelves at the supermarket.  And, every word you said or wrote and transaction you engaged in was not recorded and stored forever by your government - the very thought of that was anathema to Democrats, then.

Frankly, I'd take 1973, Nixon and all the rest of what went on then, over today, any day.  

You're to the right of Nixon, and you shouldn't be.

Not a smart move Obama.

It's been somewhat frenzied on other sites seeing Obama supporters go to town on anyone who remotely criticizes him.  Funny thing is they seem to always lead with accusing the others of being Hillery supporters or Republicans.

    I want to make government "cool" again.

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