Obama Strategy Explained
Kos’ Jed Lewison tries to apply some strategic logic to Obama’s video roll out.
Probably the most notable thing about President Obama’s re-election launch video is that he doesn’t appear in it. Instead, the video features testimonials from supporters throughout the country on why they are working to re-elect the president, concluding with the tagline: “It begins with us.” As one of the supporters featured in the video says:
President Obama is one person…he’s got a job. You know, we’re paying him to do a job, so we can’t say, “Hey, can you take some time off and get us all energized?” So we better figure it out.
The underlying message: Unlike his opponents, Barack Obama doesn’t have the luxury of playing the political game on a 24×7 basis. He’s not just a candidate, he’s President of the United States of America. He’s got the responsibility to govern, and he’s not going to lose sight of that. The intended contrast with the GOP is obvious. While Republicans will nominate a candidate for whom winning will be job number one, President Obama’s most important job is and will continue to be leading the nation.
But this video isn’t laying the blueprint for a Rose Garden strategy. Instead, it hopes to reactivate the volunteer activists who went door-to-door and made person-to-person contact in 2008. As one of the supporters in the video said: “Politics is how we govern ourselves…at the grassroots level, it’s individuals talking to other individuals and making a difference.”
The video didn’t rattle off a list of accomplishments, nor did it offer up a set of policy promises. As you can see from the wrap-around ads on this and other sites, the other major pieces of President Obama’s 2012 launch rollout aren’t either. Instead of creating political laundry lists, the clear emphasis here is on rebuilding the network of volunteers who helped deliver victory in 2008.
There’s bound to be a fair amount of skepticism about this strategy. But it’s worth remembering there was a fair amount of skepticism the last time around as well. And we all know how that turned out.
Consider me a skeptic. I’d be much more charged up to hit the street again if every battle didn’t begin with compromise and surrender.
You know, we’re paying him to do a job, so we can’t say, “Hey, can you take some time off and get us all energized?” So we better figure it out.
Blaming supporters for the enthusiasm gap isn’t flying with me. Why aren’t we energized by the job he is doing?
That is like telling your wife “I’d like to make love tonight. Go get yourself aroused and I’ll be in when you’re ready.”
“Everybody remember how awesome 2008 was? Okay. Go!”
It should work on people who were cryogenically frozen on Jan 21st, 2009 and recently revived.
The Prez has a LONG way to go for me to once again gather any enthusiasm for his re-election.
He could start by firing Tiny Tim Geitner, turning a RABID task-force loose from Justice to go after bankers and hedge fund managers largely responsible for our economic chaos and installing Elizabeth Warren during a recess appointment.[FUCK the BLUNT-SKULLS!]
Maybe they are banking on the alternative being too awful to contemplate?
Ari Berman at The Nation has some good inside stuff on this . . .
http://www.thenation.com/article/159577/jim-messina-obamas-enforcer?page=0,0
Thanks for the link, Auntie.
Hey, I feel myself getting energized already! Probably not the way the Obama campaign means though.
And finally the smoking gun:
Got that last part? All you contribs who like to sneer at Democrats from the Democratic wing for not working hard enough or not doing the right kind of activism, or of wanting ponies:
We were in the right place doing and saying the right things. But the deck was stacked against us from the start. Obama is working against us.
Yeah. That was a depressing read. The cherry on top of a depressing first term. Obama ’12 Huzzah!
I am going to enjoy everyone’s complaints in 2013 about President Bachmann. I am almost looking forward to it.
so what do we do?
sit back and be happy about a supposedly progressive president abusing the progressives? It’s taken almost 3 years to realize, but i dont think any president in modern history has shows such distain for the base that made him. It was the liberal democrats and progressives that vaulted him over Hillary. That was the battle. A damn garden gnome would have beaten the republican. Of course i will still have to vote for Obama in the coming election, but i dont see why I have to be excited about someone who doesn’t even stand up for himself, let alone the people who made him, or anything but “civility” which ALWAYS translates the Republicans get what they want. He shold have realized mid 2009 that the Rs were never going to change and they only respond to an aggressive fight… think Eric Cartman. They wont stop unless you stomp them out. Obama just likes to reprimand his supporters for supporting his campaign promises.
All this election is about for me is keeping the Tparty out of the white house. NOT giving Barry a second term…. if that’s what has to happen to accomplish the main goal, fine.
Weiner 2016!
Stop calling Democrats progressive unless they are actually progressive.
“By your votes shall we know ye”
Progressive Democrats are for national single payer health care. Centrist Democrats are for a public option. Right wing Democrats are for health care delivered through subsidies to private providers.
Progressive Democrats are for increasing taxes on the rich from their current low level. Right wing Democrats are for leaving the low taxes on the rich the way they are.
Got that?
I am going to enjoy everyone’s complaints in 2013 about President Bachmann.
If it takes a President Bachmann to bring wayward Dems back to the fold, it might be worth it.
A lot of Dems seem to be uncomfortable with victory and are unable to speak out for Democratic issues when Democrats hold power. Maybe a Republican president would force our Dems currently on the sidelines to put better Democrats in Congress. After Bachmann crashes and burns, we’d start back stronger.
Thanks to the silent Dems, Obama has given so much influence upon Baucus, it is sure Baucus will still be working with a President Bachmann to deliver Republican legislation. Baucus will be the token Democrat that makes Bachmann’s programs bipartisan.
80 Senators voting for tax cuts for the rich is a disgrace, made possible only when good people do nothing.
After these Messina revelations, Senator Coons should give a full accounting of who contacted him and what discussions were held to cause him to flip his tax cut position two weeks before the election.
Anon, just so know, we have tried the “Let’s stay home so that a truly horrible Republican wins the election and that’ll teach the Democrats a lesson” plan on three occasions now. 1994. 2000. 2010. The plan failed. Every. Single. Time.
And while this country did survive Bush, it will not survive Palin, Gingrich, or Bachmann.
So go ahead, you petulant idiot purists. Stay home. You will deserve your fate.
And by the way, you can criticize Obama all you want. You are not a petulant idiot purist when you criticize. You are a petulant idiot purist when you actively root for Republican victories to teach Democrats a lesson. You are a petulant idiot purist when you do not vote for the Democratic candidate (with limited exceptions like when Tom Gordon or Joe Lieberman are the Democratic candidates), because anything else allows the Republican to win. Yes, when you don’t vote, the Republican wins. Yes, when you vote third party, the Republican wins.
Now, it would be wonderful if we lived in multi party parlimentary system, that allows preferential voting and the like, but we don’t. We like in a two party first past the post winner take all system, and that forces all of us to compromise. All of us.
That is not to say Progressives should not primary more conservative Democrats. They should. Especially when such a primary not only would be successful but will help the party win in November.
Primarying Obama? With who? With what? Russ Feingold? Dennis Kucinich? The champion to progressives everywhere, Hillary Clinton?
If you are a progressive and you now hate Obama, that is your right. Voice that opinion often. Spend your time and money on progressive candidates down the ballot and don’t lift a finger to help Obama in 2011 and 2012. And then in November 2012, you get your ass in the voting booth and vote for him.
Plain and simple.
Anything less elects President Palin or someone equally odious and destructive on the GOP side, and really, they are all equally odious.
Stop calling Democrats progressive unless they are actually progressive.
And when do you get the idea that you aren’t the arbiter of all things progressive? You haven’t even demonstrated that you even understand the POV of any of your conversant here, much less demonstrated that you you a damn thing about “progressives” except how to complain about the lack of them of some such bull.
You are a petulant idiot purist when you actively root for Republican victories to teach Democrats a lesson.
You mean like “I am going to enjoy everyone’s complaints in 2013 about President Bachmann?” That kind of petulant idiotic rooting?
we have tried the “Let’s stay home so that a truly horrible Republican wins the election and that’ll teach the Democrats a lesson” plan on three occasions now. 1994. 2000. 2010.
1994 – tax increases for the rich fought for and won in 1992. Triangulation and compromise consolidates and extends Republican control of Congress.
2000 – Won Dem Senate (barely). Succeeded in imposing sunset on tax cuts for rich.
2010 – Retained Dem Senate. Triangulation and compromise demoralizes base, House lost. Botched expiration of tax cuts gifted to us by the Senate of 2001.
Look, I get how disastrous the alternative would be. That is why i am voting for Obama again. If it is really close, I might pick up a phone again but it is NOT in support of Obama. It will be to pass on the desparate message of “just remember, the alternative is MUCH worse” That is his strongest argument…. “the other guy will be worse” PATHETIC.
Anyone who is a regular here knows I understand he cant dictate what happens and the rest of the government has to agree and the Republicans only goal is to harm the country and blame Obama. i KNOW that. He however, has not done a goddamn thing to stop them. He has only enabled and emboldened them to be even more extreme. Show a fucking ounce of self respect and hit back. You cant blame all of your image problems on the republicans at some point after getting fooled time and time again, you have to take responsibility for being a weakling
We were in the right place doing and saying the right things. But the deck was stacked against us from the start. Obama is working against us.
This is Choice. Seriously. The rationalization here approaches David Anderson levels. Whatever Messina was doing could certainly have been counteracted with enough political pressure. Political pressure from progressives that was never especially persuasive. NEVER.
We talked about the Wisconsin Dems and if there was really “being in the right place, saying the right things” you would be able to point to multiple Wisconsin Dem moments created by progressives over the last few years. I can’t think of any, really. Bet you can’t, either.
There was a Tom Tomorrow cartoon up at dKos yesterday that was meant to be critical of Obama, but I thought really demonstrated the progressives’ problem. In that cartoon, John Boehner is shown being pressured by the tejadis to gt more for their budget deal. Missing from that cartoon? Any representative pressure from the progressive side of the house. It doesn’t really exist, people. And as long as there isn’t any effective political pressure on Obama from the left, those of you raging progressives are simply not doing your job. Full stop.
1994 – tax increases for the rich fought for and won in 1992. Triangulation and compromise consolidates and extends Republican control of Congress.
Tax increases were fought for and messily won in *1993*. Not too long before midterms. Between the badly done health care thing and taxes there wasn’t much triangulation in the first two years. All of the real triangulation came after the Congress changed hands.
Tax increases were fought for and messily won in *1993*.
Close enough. Control of the Senate was on a knife’s edge anyway.
All of the real triangulation came after the Congress changed hands.
Which is why I listed it under 1994. It should be a lesson for Democrats today after the House has just changed hands.
Even with the triangulation, Clinton did well to thwart much of the Contract On America, and kicked Newt’s butt over the budget, but ultimately the triangulation and compromises extended the Republican run in Congress much longer than it should have been. Example: Clinton unwisely signed a capital gains tax cut in 1998, I think, which he had previously vetoed in 1995. That tax cut helped turn the equities boom into a bubble. In 2000 Republicans took credit for the tax cut while Democrats took blame for the crash.
We talked about the Wisconsin Dems and if there was really “being in the right place, saying the right things” you would be able to point to multiple Wisconsin Dem moments created by progressives over the last few years.
The Wisconsin Dems had their Bachmann to motivate them (in the form of Gov. Walker). Apparently Democrats need a demon to get them off their butts.
And the Wisconsin Dem movement is not progressive, it is pro-labor and centrist Democrat, although I am sure progressives are part of it.
Stop putting the entire burden of the Democratic platform on progressives. Share the load.
Auntie Dem. Yeah. That was a depressing read. The cherry on top of a depressing first term. Obama ’12 Huzzah!
The triangulation was part of the strategy to thwart the Contract on America. Triangulation that included a bunch of ill-balanced trade agreements, the dismantlement of some oversight portions of government, and how about signing the repeal of Glass Steagall? The capital gains cut had little to do with the Internet Bubble, which had started about 1995 and ended not long after the cut was signed. That bubble was fully inflated by the time that tax cut was signed and was on the way to deflating when it went into effect.
But at the time, there was plenty of raging against the triangulation when Clinton was actually doing it — but that has little to do with control of Congress one way or another. It has everything to do with the tried and true Democratic strategy for winning elections, which is always through independents. There has never been a political period in my cognizant political lifetime where progressives or the left have ever had much of an influence on Democratic politics.
Here is the adult conversation I’d like to have:
Liberals can allow that Obama has been a crappy President, from a Democratic strategy perspective without being accused of rooting for Bachmann. And other liberals can allow that Obama has had some policy success without being accused of being sell outs.
It will never happen, of course, but I can HOPE for Change.
“…as long as there isn’t any effective political pressure on Obama from the left, those of you raging progressives are simply not doing your job. Full stop.”
Oh my. Read Auntie Dem’s link and ask yourself what “effective political pressure on Obama from the left” could possibly work.
Stop putting the entire burden of the Democratic platform on progressives.
I’m putting the burden on the people who are spending the most energy bitching and raging from their keyboards. Change does not happen that way. Change does not happen by complaining that people are not doing what you want. And if you are watching the internals of the horserace polls that come out, you’d note that Dems and independents are largely OK with Obama.
And, of course, I haven’t said that the Wisconsin Dems are progressive — only that their model is a thing to be admired. But you are going to go pretty far to avoid even thinking about how to bring better political pressure for what you say you want.
I didn’t mean to set off anon with that link.
My hope was that it would illustrate the wide gulf between presidential politics and what we practice here in Delaware. As a left leaning Dem I find local politics much more satisfying and doable. I can focus on the 9th State Senate District and support Karen Peterson’s reelection. I can support PDD’s legislative agenda. Everyday presents new opportunities to push left.
UI spearheaded a party resolution in support of the public option as part of the healthcare reform package. It didn’t happen at the national level but here in Delaware we took a stand and the party endorsed it.
Delaware has moved to the left and many who gather here can take credit for that. The natural tendency in politics is to drift right, it takes a lot less courage and pays a whole lot better. But DelawareLiberal and, lately the WNJ, hold our local politicians accountable and that has such an impact.
Small steps, I know. It doesn’t smack of progressive victory. But remember, the other side has been working at this for 30-40 years. We’ve been around about half of a decade.
Oh my. Read Auntie Dem’s link and ask yourself what “effective political pressure on Obama from the left” could possibly work.
The thing I *really* wish is that the Teabaggers would think this way. Seriously. It would save me from the media’s obsession with them.
I don’t follow. Did you read what AD linked to?
OMG, I actually have to fact-check Cassandra now just like with David Anderson. No wonder Dems keep losing.
the Internet Bubble, which had started about 1995 and ended not long after the cut was signed.
Wrong. Capital gains cut, 1997. Bubble peak, 2001. In 1995 growth was at healthy levels consistent with development of new technology.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dow_Jones_Industrial_Average#Dot-com_boom
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot-com_bubble#The_bubble_bursts
It has everything to do with the tried and true Democratic strategy for winning elections
Worked for Clinton, not so much for Gore and for Congress.
There has never been a political period in my cognizant political lifetime where progressives or the left have ever had much of an influence on Democratic politics.
That is because plain old Democrats were successfully enacting the programs you now marginalize as “progressive,” but which are historically centrist.
Democracy is trying desparately to recover from the Reagan revolution; stop holding it back.
I sure did.
I guess waiting for a world free of political obstacles is one strategy.
Perhaps our feelings are too raw, but it seems that we are not interested in an adult conversation. So I will close by saying that I don’t like the President’s policies or his political strategies, but I support the re-election.
“Liberals can allow that Obama has been a crappy President, from a Democratic strategy perspective without being accused of rooting for Bachmann. And other liberals can allow that Obama has had some policy success without being accused of being sell outs.”
Good comment Jason.
“I’m putting the burden on the people who are spending the most energy bitching and raging from their keyboards.”
cass, i usually agree with you, but how do you know what anyone else is doing? it takes a whole 43 seconds to type up and angry comment.
Also, we didnt elect ourselves to do the job of running the country. Tell me where in my 60 hour work week im supposed to make sure my elected officials do what they friggin’ promised to do when i gave them their job. Yes, we all need to make time to make our voices heard by it through letters to congressmen, (which i write about two a month) protest, organize….. but when it comes down to it, the REAL responsibility is with the elected officials to live up to their interview.
Obama is just really striking me as a one hit wonder. 2008 was his version of “Boston’s” debut album. It’s probably super pathetic to mention again how easily i can be won back, but im not seeing any reason to get excited. Just more surrender to the terrorists (GOP) and empty promises (gitmo)
“I don’t like the President’s policies or his political strategies, but I support the re-election.”
me too. and that is probably the most depressing thing ever.
The worst part of Gitmo for me is that Obama’s capitulation might just mean that Cheney was right. My hair just caught fire.
So even your post — noting that Clinton signed the capital gains cut in 1998 was WRONG. OMG! Just another data point that you are reaching for reasons why progressives shouldn’t have to work for what they want.
But that still doesn’t make the case that the cause of the bubble was the tax cut. It wasn’t. And while the bubble may have technically burst in *1Q2000*, it was definitely deflating before that. From one of your wikipedia links:
Bubble peak was in 2000, not 2001. Also from your wikipedia link:
Perhaps our feelings are too raw, but it seems that we are not interested in an adult conversation.
Interesting. I think this pretty much every time we have this conversation. Now, I don’t have any kids, but I do know that behavior that waits for someone else to give you what you want isn’t typically categorized as *adult* behavior.
Give it time Cassandra. It is perfectly natural for you to react emotionally to all of this. It touches us at the core of our beings. I do look forward to the day when you can allow that the President has failed in his role as the leader of the Democratic Party, just as I have allowed that the President has had his policy successes in spite of the US Senate, but that time seems somewhere in the far future.
Yeah, I didn’t give you the full David Anderson treatment. I just eyeballed the charts, so you got me being off by a few months here and there. Still I am correct about the timeline and the trends. Equity speculation took off with a fury after the capital gains cut, inflating and weakening the market, and turning growth into a bubble.
Actually I have had this same argument with DA. He has some wacky theory exculpating the capital gains cuts.
I don’t mind arguing but I hate when everyone takes it so personally. It’s not personal for me.
And teenage condescension (just as clueless — and unfair– from you as it would be from them) doesn’t get you to your adult conversation, Jason.
But I’ll stipulate that the progressive project here is the *complaint*, not doing anything about it. Auntie Dem excluded, of course.
yeah im willing to admit he has failed to stand for the Democratic party while doing some good for the country that would have never happened under a republican.
Lilly Ledbetter and HCR (although it wasnt as much as i wanted) were major victories…. the latter however, he utterly failed in having it seen as a success. It is not enough in this country to do something good. You have to not allow it to be painted as something bad by the enemy, and the republicans ultimately won on HCR because Obama did such a piss poor job of packaging it. The buck stops with him…. if the NSA Officials listening to phone sex and the coke parties are the energy dept. were Bushs fault, then the failure of HCR being seen for the good that it is, is Obama’s.
It will be a compromise of my integrity to vote for him again knowing that the republicans will bend him to their will while he takes out his frustration on his base. Dont believe me? see…. the past 2 years… It makes me sick to think about.
The problem with Obama now is credibility. When he campaigns for an issue that delights us, we now have to ask “Yeah, but are you going to fight for it? And do you promise not to deploy staffers to work against your campaign promise and its supporters? ”
And if he says yes, will you believe him?
Who believes Obama will get a bill through with clean expiration of tax cuts for the rich? In his Pearl Harbor Day press conference he promised to fight for it “in two years.”
Cassandra, My condescension is well informed by your refusal to see both sides of the issue. Your narrow mindedness is rooted in emotion, not reason.
If I’m wrong, prove it by commenting on my premise that Obama has failed at being the leader of the Democratic Party, and leave your hurt feelings out of it.
For everyone else, here is the irony of my exchange with Cassandra. I’m the Barack Obama in this deal. I’ll give and give and give and compromise, and there is no hint whatsoever that there is any mutual respect, or inclination to try and come to some reasonable common ground.
The irony here is that now we have a bunch of guys presuming that my *feelings* are hurt, when , in fact, my point here has been clear and clearly repeated for *months*.
But if never engaging with my point — attributing it to *hurt feelings* than a genuine bunch of questions of strategy — makes you feel better, Jason, than have at it. I’ll take this as a signal that your usual whining pretty much has whining as its only point and you just want people to join you.
You know, to make you *feel* better.
🙄
Here’s my fantasy:
Having secured his place in history,once the Prez is re-elected he goes absolutely APE-SHIT on the BLUNT-SKULLS, BANKERS and all the other deserving BASTARDS.
He starts walking the walk after talking the talk.
skip, that would require him to have spent the entire first term fousing on getting re-elected…. a practice he stumped against….. thus setting his pants on fire.
cass, im not really sure what your point is. I dont mean that as an insult. You seem to be saying (paraphrased) “stop bitching and do something”
This thread makes the debate between “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob” appear deep. It would be nice to form one team, with varying opinions, rather than play a game of pick a side.
Oh, and so far this thread is totally emo, which isn’t a bad thing – but anyone pointing fingers should go back and read their comments. Just sayin’
Cassandra, Nice projection.
Pandora, please be the voice of reason and get us back to the point of the thread and away from Cassandra histrionics and red herring diversions by commenting on my original point:
Liberals can allow that Obama has been a crappy President, from a Democratic strategy perspective without being accused of rooting for Bachmann. And other liberals can allow that Obama has had some policy success without being accused of being sell outs.
I’m getting the gas light treatment, here. Can’t we be honest about that fact that Obama has failed his fellow Democrats?
Please do go back and read. It’s not hard to spot where the comments changed from talking about the topic, to attacking commenters.
Extra points if you can find one commenter pledging not to vote for Obama.
Jason — nice avoidance behavior.
Which sorta brings us almost full circle to my original point.
…and still she can’t bring herself to address my point. You’re as tiresome, zealous and impervious to rational discourse on this as a teabagger.
Can’t we be honest about that fact that Obama has failed his fellow Democrats?
and still she can’t bring herself to address my point.
Then we can consider ourselves even here. You’ve been avoiding — in awfully dishonest ways like this one here) my own points by trying to sideline my argument to something you’d rather discuss.
So keep avoiding it. I’m sure this makes you feel better. Why else would you continue?
at least KSM is being tried in a military tribunal. John Adams would be pretty pissed.
(he was the council for the British Soldiers who fired on Bostonians.. got them off too.)
Extra points if you can find one commenter pledging not to vote for Obama.
Why would you vote for someone who you say…
– Obama is working against us.
– If it takes a President Bachmann to bring wayward Dems back to the fold it might be worth it.
– The problem with Obama now is credibility. Followed by: And if he says yes, will you believe him?
Serious question, btw. Why would you vote for someone you believe is lying to you, is working against you, and has a credibility problem?
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I sense an overwhelming need for punishment, especially given the President Bachmann line.
Here’s what I don’t understand. What is your endgame? I get that you’re disappointed in Obama. What I don’t get is what you plan to do about it – and what you do shouldn’t cost us the WH or seats in Congress… unless you meant what you said about President Bachmann.
i for one dont know what to do about it. I am completely disillusioned. Obama was where i put my hope that i would see the game turn around and the constant flow of bullshit end. Now all i can do is hope that who i vote for will do less damage than the other guy. That’s where i am.
Can’t we be honest about that fact that Obama has failed his fellow Democrats?
No.
He may have failed progressives being not being progressive enough, but even then he has still been the most progressive President since LBJ and then FDR. His administration has been the most prolific since FDR. Do we really need to go through, AGAIN, for the millionth time, all the Democratic and progressive things he has accomplished?
Yes, we can be disappointed in him for not being progressive enough, and yes we can criticize him for KSM, the public option, too little stimulus and the compromise on tax cuts and budget cuts, but really Jason, you sound purely idiotic when you say he has failed Democrats.
He hasn’t failed me. Perhaps because I am rational and can actually recall 2009.
Obama has responsibilities as President???? Really? It seems to me that he spent more time on his NCAA picks then on Libya. He’s been nowhere on the budget battles until just yesterday. He’s played more golf than the last 4 presidents combined. C’mon, with the free pass the media gives him, and the still-fawning coverage, he’s got all the time in the world.
If he’s as bad as you folks like to say, I would think you’d be happy he’s not doing anything…
“He has still been the most progressive President since LBJ and then FDR.”
Depends on the rating system, doesn’t it? Is that the writers’ poll or the coaches’ poll?
It’s up to his admin to keep public support. they allowed the Rs to control the message so much that the resulting electoral victory led some some very regressive legislation in Tbag land. It comes form his refusal to defend himself or his base. the progressives are the reason he is the president. It was the liberal/progressive democrats that helped secure the nomination and he treats us like the embarrassingly gay cousin the family never treats right despite how open minded and accepting they claim to be.
thanks plubis..
leave it to a true teabagger to remind us who the true enemy is. As disappointed i am in how Obama had handled himself, nothing could possible be worse than a tbag president.
Cassandra, if you can summarize your point, I’ll be happy to respond. You started out of the gate with the attacks, so if there was a point that wasn’t an attack, I didn’t catch it. If your point is that Obama got some stuff done and had to raw deal in the US Senate, I think I already agreed with you on that.
DD, I simply don’t see the value of pretending that Obama has been a good leader of the Democratic Party. Everybody is different I guess. So, peace be upon you.
he got a very raw deal from the senate, and an entire political party who doesnt give a shit about the people…. he was set up perfectly to be a champion of the workers and middle class…. and instead admonished liberals and compromised our futures so the Koch kids could have a new servant for their next birthday. He blew a chance to be an icon and has only his administration to blame.
Exactly. I don’t k now how anybody who has read that article linked to by AD can think that he has done a good job as the leader of the party. Just look at the midterms. Look at how he is being hosed over the budget. Pitiful.
The republicans are ready to de-fund the troops in order to accomplish their extremist ideals of sticking it to poor people and Obama will lose the PR battle and ultimately compromise to their will.
If history is any guide. Certainly.
Why don’t you Libs just admit that Obama has been a gigantic disappointment. No leadership at all – a real unseasoned rookie who’s naive, weak and indecisive.
Obama and leadership are incongruent.
Father John says: The truth shall set you free.
And here’s a quote for you Father Johnny on the Spot:
Matthew 10:36
“And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”
Father John, you are in no position to tell liberals what to do since you clearly belong to a poliical tradition (conservatism) that rarely has the integrity or guts to criticize your own.
see how easy it is to have a difference of opinion around here?
So, Del Dem, a long time ago you said you were going to address at a later time why there is a limited and dwindling blogging community in Delaware…
This would be why. Posts like this, that garner a reaction from “contributors” within the blog create so much animosity. How can Delaware bloggers become a bigger community, when you can’t even get beyond attacking a difference of opinion within your own site?
Jason,
I have been lied to Repeatedly. Time after time a campaign promise has been broken. I don’t see how I even get my ass off the couch to vote.
I think I said it while Obama was campaigning in 07. Or more specifically I think I asked or said something to you. I maybe said it on the podcast, something along the lines of it needing to get worse before it gets better. I still believe that.
Watching Micheal Moore’s, “Capitalism a love story” there was a line in the movie from a Catholic Priest about the people taking to the streets and marching. He said something to the fact that they, the people, only do it when there is nothing left. And when they fight and take to the streets to take back their country and government it’s called a revolution.
Let’s just get the god damned revolution here quicker instead of this fucking slow bleed I have to witness month in and month out. This pragmatism and compromise isn’t helping me, my children or my pursuit of happiness god damn it.
It’s been so very enjoyable to see Obama piss off “progressives” for not being red enough while pissing off the other 80% of the country for force feeding us just a mere taste of your bottomless loonbaggery.
Pass the popcorn. Watching you all nonetheless line up in bliss to reinstall the Great Prevaricator is priceless entertainment.
GObama Forever!!!!
“bottomless loonbaggery.”
like making sure insurance companies don’t give themselves raises for letting you die.
“… the other 80% of the country”
lol.
Sorry, I was trying to be generous.
90%.
Oh my sides.
I give you major credit for an honest name socialistic ben. At least you don’t try to hide behind some phony name like “progressive”.
To your response: The loonbaggery comes in with insane delusions that government health deciders won’t let you die. For a lot less.