David Plouffe To The Rescue
Yesterday the White House announced that David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign manager, would take an expanded role. Today an op-ed by Plouffe appeared in the Washington Post called “November doesn’t need to be a nightmare for Democrats.” I hope Democrats are listening to him:
We still have much to do before November, and time is running short. Every race has unique characteristics, but there are a few general things that Democrats can do to strengthen our hand.
— Pass a meaningful health insurance reform package without delay. Americans’ health and our nation’s long-term fiscal health depend on it. I know that the short-term politics are bad. It’s a good plan that’s become a demonized caricature. But politically speaking, if we do not pass it, the GOP will continue attacking the plan as if we did anyway, and voters will have no ability to measure its upside. If we do pass it, dozens of protections and benefits take effect this year. Parents won’t have to worry their children will be denied coverage just because they have a preexisting condition. Workers won’t have to worry that their coverage will be dropped because they get sick. Seniors will feel relief from prescription costs. Only if the plan becomes law will the American people see that all the scary things Sarah Palin and others have predicted — such as the so-called death panels — were baseless. We own the bill and the health-care votes. We need to get some of the upside. (P.S.: Health care is a jobs creator.)
Yes, yes, yes! You can’t spend a year talking about healthcare only to let it die. Democrats have to show they can actually do something instead of just talk about it. There are significant problems with the Senate bill, we all know this. Democrats should stop pretending that they are powerless because if they don’t do something, they will soon be powerless. I also hope Plouffe puts some much needed discipline on the Democratic caucus. If I have to hear another one get up and talk about their hurt feelings, I just might lose it.
— We need to show that we not just are focused on jobs but also create them. Even without a difficult fiscal situation, the government can have only so much direct impact on job creation, on top of the millions of jobs created by the president’s early efforts to restart the economy. There are some terrific ideas that we can implement, from tax credits for small businesses to more incentives for green jobs, but full recovery will happen only when the private sector begins hiring in earnest. That’s why Democrats must create a strong foundation for long-term growth by addressing health care, energy and education reform. We must also show real leadership by passing some politically difficult measures to help stabilize the economy in the short term. Voters are always smarter than they are given credit for. We need to make our case on the economy and jobs — and yes, we can remind voters where Republican policies led us — and if we do, without apology and with force, it will have impact.
— Make sure voters understand what the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act did for the economy. Rarely does a congressional vote or issue lend itself to this kind of powerful localization. If GOP challengers want to run ads criticizing the recovery act as wasteful, Democratic candidates should lift up the police officers, teachers and construction workers in their state or district, those who are protecting our communities, teaching our children and repairing our roads thanks to the Democrats’ leadership. Highlight the small-business owners who have kept their doors open through projects funded by the act.
…
— Don’t accept any lectures on spending. The GOP took us from a $236 billion surplus when President Bush took office to a $1.3 trillion deficit, with unpaid-for tax cuts for the wealthy, two wars and the Medicare prescription drug program. Republicans’ fiscal irresponsibility has never been matched in our country’s history. We have potent talking points on health care, honest budgeting and cuts in previously sacrosanct programs. Republicans will try to win disingenuously by running as outsiders. We must make them own their record of disastrous economic policies, exploding deficits, and a failure to even attempt to solve our health care and energy challenges.
Yes, all these things. It’s what we’ve been saying in the blogosphere, apparently to brick walls. We all know that national leaders don’t listen to us, but they will listen to Plouffe. A Daily Kos diarist explains why:
Very few Democratic consultants have the kind of stature that is necessary to get Dems together. Yes, you need leadership from the President directly, but it helps to have a pure political animal like David Plouffe who is well-respected in the political community and can spend his time wholly on the political and campaign basics angle.
His entire op-ed is filled with common sense advice for Congressional Democrats many of whom aren’t going to listen to anyone in the netroots (which I define as the larger activist blogs) and quite frankly, the consultants that the netroots have elevated over the years. The difference between Plouffe and almost all the people who the netroots have pushed lately is that Plouffe has actually managed a winning presidential campaign and has an intimate knowledge of Congressional districts and races up and down the ballot.
There are many Democratic consultants and operatives (in private) who have pushed much of what is in Plouffe’s op-ed, but sometimes it takes a David Plouffe to put it all into one place and to put it in such a common sense way for Cong. Dems and Democratic candidates to “get it.”
I’m glad to see there’s someone that can calm the Democrats. It’s been infuriating to watch the national Democrats turn into a pack of whining loser wimps, who need Obama to hold their hands just to do their jobs. If Plouffe can pierce their cloud of self-interested panic, more power to him.
Too bad he didn’t mention Obomba actually keeping the promises that he made during his campaign. If the advertising is good, but the product stinks, people eventually find out.
Welcome to “eventually.”
P.S. Did you notice how “nobody can be rejected for a preexisting condition” has become “Parents won’t have to worry their children will be denied coverage just because they have a preexisting condition.”
Just watch.
Maybe Plouffe should be Prez and Obama his Press Secretray.
Just an idea.
You’re right A1, Plouffe should have told Obama that he must be dictator so he doesn’t have worry about that whole separation of powers issue.
The no denial for pre-existing conditions starts immediately for children, later for adults.
I hope that the one thing that Plouffe gets his hands around more than anything else is the messaging. There is no reason repubs should not have been hammered over holding a TSA appointment. There is no reason that they should not be hammered for holding 70+ other appointments. There is no reason why “death panels” should have ever gotten to be a credible part of the discussion for so long. The media broadcasts what you tell them so I hope that he gets Dems (and shakes up the people who appear for Dems) out and telling their own stories and providing instant correctives for the lies. Because you can never count on the media to do it.
Nate Silver lays out the polling on the HCR bill. The Senate bill alone contains more popular provisions than a bill pushed through reconciliation although the best strategy is Senate bill + reconciliation:
Pass the parts that you can through reconciliation, including a public option. The repubs would be committing political suicide if they subsequently filibustered the other parts.
The Republicans haven’t been punished for obstructionism so far, what makes you think that would start now?
anonone is the leftwing version of Mike Protack.
The only thing that would start to punish them is if Obama and the Dems would actually try to do it. So far, Obama has been trying to appease and capitulate to the repubs and Lieberman, not fight them.
Why not make them actually filibuster, for example?
The Republicans haven’t been punished for obstructionism so far, what makes you think that would start now?
Not true. Clinton stood his ground and made a brass-balls stand and made Gingrich shut down the government. As a result, Republicans were punished when Democrats, against the historic trends, held their ground in the Senate in 1998, and gained seats in 2000. Maybe Plouffe has some historical background and can explain it to Obama.
Clinton was holding out for increased education funding, which Gingrich wanted to cut. It would have been easy to give in to Newt and cut the education funding. But Clinton stood up to Repubs and conservadems like a good Democrat should. Because Clinton knew that education, like health care, is a winner. Tne nation and the party benefited.
Quick, somebody give Obama a BJ.
anonone is the leftwing version of Mike Protack.
That reminds me – when are you guys going to endorse Carper and Lieberman? It’s only a matter of time now; you are already onboard with their bill. You had better go see if “delawaremoderate.com” is still available. No hard feelings, most people do get more conservative as they get older, so you are in goodnumerous company.
“The only thing that would start to punish them is if Obama and the Dems would actually try to do it. So far, Obama has been trying to appease and capitulate to the repubs and Lieberman, not fight them.”
Obama? Don’t you mean “Obomba,” A1? You’re slipping, bitch!
I just heard Sen. Orin Hatch say, ” I don’t know one Republican that doesn’t want Health Care Reform.”
ONE, I can get him about a hundred in about five minutes.
TWO, that is a blatant frickin’ LIE.
If I was Senator Menendez, who was sitting right next to him, I would have turned and looked him right in the eye and called him a liar!!!
So, anon, we’re supposed to take the lessons of more than a decade ago over the lesson from last month? The difference between Gingrich Republicans and Boehner/McConnell Republicans is that Gingrich Republicans were actually interested in governing, therefore were able to feel shame for not doing it.
I don’t understand the logic – if Carper and Lieberman vote for a bill that means I must automatically oppose it? I prefer to judge things situation by situation. Everyone but Lieberman was onboard with Medicare 55+ right?
I think what Obama was trying to do was to get an important bill through the dysfunctional Congress, which you don’t do by insulting everyone.
“that Gingrich Republicans were actually interested in governing”
You can’t be serious.
Gingrich’s House actually passed laws. They passed budgets written by Clinton. I know they were awful but compared to today’s Republicans they were relatively sane.
I really don’t see how you can say in one breath that Gingrich Republicans don’t want to govern yet in the other breath that McConnell/Boehner Republicans can somehow be shamed into not blocking health care reform.
It’s OK Pandora, I have come to peace with the fact that a lot of former liberals are supporting the Senate bill. So I hope you’ll also understand if the young folks and a few old coots like myself keep saying crazy leftist stuff like “No taxpayer subsidy to private insurance companies.”
Fair enough. As someone who was on your side until recently, I down with that. If you can say “No taxpayer subsidy to private insurance companies.” on conservative blogs, all the better.
Maybe they can’t be. But you won’t know until you at least try, which Obomba/Reid have not. Pass the difficult parts of REAL HCR using reconciliation, and then let ’em filibuster the other popular parts.
At least then you have two things to campaign on.
How’s the current strategy working out?
“Gingrich’s House actually passed laws.”
So did Tom Delay’s.
With the help of alot of Democrats. Especially the ones who are giving everyone grief now. Unfortunately you are incapable of seeing this problem.
If you can say “No taxpayer subsidy to private insurance companies.” on conservative blogs, all the better.
They’ve got that covered, J., they don’t need my help.
If conservatives supported the Senate bill with its subsidies, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
Anyway, stop hijacking the thread… my point was to hope that Plouffe could impress upon Obama the value of taking a stand on traditional Democratic issues, HCR being only one. Caving in to Repubs and conservadems might earn you a speaking fee at the next DLC gathering, but it won’t keep the Senate in Democratic hands.
A close reading of Plouffe’s WaPo article was not encouraging. Most of his points require the intervention of underpants gnomes. He calls on the base to do its magic of grassroots activism, but does not identify the issues that will inspire them. But the article aside, I think Plouffe is smart enough he might give Obama a mooring point in the Democratic party. I trust Plouffe; I have no choice.
If I was Senator Menendez, who was sitting right next to him, I would have turned and looked him right in the eye and called him a liar!!!
And this is the exact problem, right here. Because not only is Hatch a liar, Menendez could not bring himself to correct the record and neither did the moderator, I’d bet.
Last week, NPR had a couple of stories with John McCain whining about how they’ve been kept out of the process for HCR. Both reporters who did this story never brought up Baucus’ extension of negotiations because he was working with Republicans and nor did they mention the 200+ amendments by repubs that got included to the bill reported out of Baucus’ committee. And this was according to previous reporting that NPR had already done. The media won’t change — they are completely complicit in the scam — but Democrats have to speak up when they have the opportunity.
Dumb q … but how do you pronounce Plouffe’s name? Ploof? Plowf?
I see the problem, cassandra_m. Unlike you, I also see that Obomba is behaving just like one of them.
No, actually, if you saw the problem you’d place the blame where it belongs instead of invoking your Messiah complex.
It’s pronounced like enough.
Pluff?
“He calls on the base to do its magic of grassroots activism…”
the problem with that strategy is that the grassroots activists were excited about electing an alleged change candidate – and the first african-american president, to boot. the energy they created drew in independents and a number of republicans. it’s going to be incredibly difficult for plouffe & co to drum up any kind of real excitement about HCR when most americans are probably suffering from HCR fatigue and only the wonkiest of wonks understand what’s in the bill. never mind the fact that most americans have health insurance and are happy with their coverage. oh, and then there’s the whole staggering deficit thing.
yeah…good luck. they’ll have to pull some miracle ‘messaging’ out of their collective asses to polish that turd.
Pluff to the rescue, huh?
He has a nasty habit of saying some stupid things that would make Joe Biden blush. I still have an email from him stating that the 1994 “assault weapon” ban was about full-auto machine guns.
I replied back that he was incorrect and that if he could show me where full-autos were even mentioned in the 94 AWB, I would donate $20,000 to Obama’s campaign.
He choose not to reply.