Democrats Fret Aloud Over Obama’s Chances
New York Times September 10, 2011
[release]Democrats are expressing growing alarm about President Obama’s re-election prospects and, in interviews, are openly acknowledging anxiety about the White House’s ability to strengthen the president’s standing over the next 14 months.
Elected officials and party leaders at all levels said their worries have intensified as the economy has displayed new signs of weakness. They said the likelihood of a highly competitive 2012 race is increasing as the Republican field, once dismissed by many Democrats as too inexperienced and conservative to pose a serious threat, has started narrowing to two leading candidates, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, who have executive experience and messages built around job creation.
And in a campaign cycle in which Democrats had entertained hopes of reversing losses from last year’s midterm elections, some in the party fear that Mr. Obama’s troubles could reverberate down the ballot into Congressional, state and local races.
“In my district, the enthusiasm for him has mostly evaporated,” said Representative Peter A. DeFazio, Democrat of Oregon. “There is tremendous discontent with his direction.”
The president’s economic address last week offered a measure of solace to discouraged Democrats by employing an assertive and scrappy style that many supporters complain has been absent for the last year as he has struggled to rise above Washington gridlock. Several Democrats suggested that he watch a tape of the jobs speech over and over and use it as a guide until the election.
But a survey of two dozen Democratic officials found a palpable sense of concern that transcended a single week of ups and downs. The conversations signaled a change in mood from only a few months ago, when Democrats widely believed that Mr. Obama’s path to re-election, while challenging, was secure.
“The frustrations are real,” said Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, who was the state chairman of Mr. Obama’s campaign four years ago. “I think we know that there is a Barack Obama that’s deep in there, but he’s got to synchronize it with passion and principles.”
There is little cause for immediate optimism, with polls showing Mr. Obama at one of the lowest points of his presidency.
His own economic advisers concede that the unemployment rate, currently 9.1 percent, is unlikely to drop substantially over the next year, creating a daunting obstacle to re-election.
Liberals have grown frustrated by some of his actions, like the decision this month to drop tougher air-quality standards.
And polling suggests that the president’s yearlong effort to reclaim the political center has so far yielded little in the way of additional support from the moderates and independents who tend to decide presidential elections.
“The alarms have already gone off in the Democratic grass roots,” said Robert Zimmerman, a member of the Democratic National Committee from New York, who hopes the president’s jobs plan can be a turning point. “If the Obama administration hasn’t heard them, they should check the wiring of their alarm system.”
At a gathering of the Democratic National Committee in Chicago this weekend, some party leaders sounded upbeat after they toured the Obama campaign headquarters. But others expressed anxiety that Mr. Obama’s accomplishments were not being conveyed loudly enough to ordinary people, that Republican lawmakers were making it impossible for him to get more done, and that Mr. Obama’s conciliatory approach might be translating to some voters as weakness.
“Now that they’re slapping him in the side of the face, he’s coming back,” said William George, a committee member from Pennsylvania. “He needs to start stomping his foot and pounding the desk.” At the White House and at Mr. Obama’s campaign headquarters in Chicago, officials bristled at the critiques, which they dismissed as familiar intraparty carping and second-guessing that would give way to unity and enthusiasm once the nation is facing a clear choice between the president and the Republican nominee.
Jim Messina, the campaign manager for the president’s re-election, said the criticism was largely a “Washington conversation” that did not match up with the on-the-ground enthusiasm for Mr. Obama among his network of supporters. Yet even without a primary challenger, the campaign purposefully started its effort early to allow concerns from supporters to be aired.
To reassure nervous Democrats, the president’s campaign aides are traveling the country with PowerPoint presentations that spell out Mr. Obama’s path to re-election. Their pitch is that Mr. Obama’s appeal has grown in traditionally Republican states like Arizona, where there are fast-growing Hispanic populations, and that Republicans have alienated independent voters with “extreme” positions on popular programs like Medicare.
“We always knew 2011 was, in part, a conversation with our supporters and a time to tell the story to our base to make sure they understand what he has gotten done,” Mr. Messina said. “Our supporters are reasonable and need to be reminded about the things we’ve done.”
He added: “No one is calling me up and yelling. They are people saying: ‘How can we get the word out? How do we better talk about it?’ ”
For Mr. Obama’s strongest supporters, his jobs speech on Thursday night to a joint session of Congress seemed to affirm their belief that after a rough patch, the White House had seized the upper hand, however temporarily, in both substantive and political terms.
After ceding much of the debate over the economy to Republicans, they said, Mr. Obama had framed next year’s election as a struggle between a president with a plan for creating jobs and reducing the deficit and a Republican Party that would rather score political points and adhere slavishly to ideological positions than address the needs of Americans.
Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland, who attended the speech, described a changed president, no longer so reluctant to be outwardly aggressive. “He seemed liberated for the fight and very confident in his own skin,” Mr. O’Malley said.
But given the risk of voters’ locking in judgments that Mr. Obama’s presidency has failed to address the economy adequately or to deliver on its promise of changing Washington, many Democrats said that both the speech and Mr. Obama’s change in tone had been long overdue.
“He should have given it earlier,” said Representative John D. Dingell of Michigan.
Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio said, “He’s got to engage, make the contrast and occasionally be combative.”
The president is already embracing the suggestion that he spend more time outside Washington, which emerged as a recurring theme in the interviews with Democrats. He promoted his economic plan in Virginia on Friday and has trips to North Carolina and Ohio on tap this week.
At the Democratic National Committee meeting in Chicago, Mannie Rodriguez, a committee member from Colorado, said Democrats needed to find a new blast of energy — something to remind them of what they felt in 2008 when Mr. Obama was elected on a slogan of hope and change.
“We need to work more on the message,” Mr. Rodriguez said, adding that much of Mr. Obama’s challenge stems from a group of Republicans who “simply say no” to all of his advances. “We have to re-energize people and get them back to the party.”
In many parts of the country, Democrats are still reeling from the punishing defeat in the 2010 elections, which gave Republicans control of a majority of governor’s seats and legislative chambers. State Democratic leaders are criticizing the White House with candor, fretting aloud about the president’s electoral vulnerability.
“If the election were held today, it would be extremely close here in Florida,” said Jon M. Ausman, a member of the Democratic National Committee from Florida.
Problems for Mr. Obama in Florida, Mr. Ausman said, could trickle down into next year’s Senate race there, where Bill Nelson, a Democrat, faces re-election. “Too many people here have lost their jobs,” Mr. Ausman said.
For all the hand-wringing among Democrats, some party leaders say Mr. Obama has time to reverse his slipping fortunes — but not much.
“I think there’s an uneasy feeling, but it’s a little early for an ulcer to develop,” said Representative Gerald E. Connolly of Virginia. “Obviously, the dark cloud over everything is the economic performance.”
Mr. DeFazio recalled attending a dozen or so town-hall-style meetings recently in his district, a slice of western Oregon that Mr. Obama carried in 2008 by 11 percentage points. Mr. DeFazio said party loyalists had bluntly said they were reconsidering their support.
“I have one heck of a lot of Democrats saying, ‘I voted for him before, don’t know if I can do it again,’ ” he said. [/release]
source: [url]http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/us/politics/11obama.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1[/url]
Thank you.
[quote]“I have one heck of a lot of Democrats saying, ‘I voted for him before, don’t know if I can do it again,’ ” he said. [/quote]
If Bachmann ends up opposing Obama in the next election then you sure as hell can
Generic "Glaber thread, leave and be happy" post.
Now I that I have saved every one the trouble of saying this infinite amounts of times, get on with the thread.
I'm not voting for another white man yet.
[QUOTE=valkery;32260891]Generic "Glaber thread, leave and be happy" post.
Now I that I have saved every one the trouble of saying this infinite amounts of times, get on with the thread.[/QUOTE]
Glaber thread, post this an infinite amount of times and leave happily.
Oh Glaber, what was your goal in posting this?
[QUOTE=Turnips5;32260866]If Bachmann ends up opposing Obama in the next election then you sure as hell can[/QUOTE]
What about Romney or Perry?
Glaber's hamlet was sacked by Democrats and his crops and goats were set afire by Socialism. His family was enslaved by Liberal Media [sp]No such thing by the way[/sp] slavers and he vows to return one day and lead a Populist Revolution.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;32260976]What about Romney or Perry?[/QUOTE]
A borderline-retarded Mormon and a Texan lunatic?
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIgfiSzCy1o[/media]
[QUOTE=LunchboxOfDoom;32261094]A borderline-retarded Mormon and a Texan lunatic?
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIgfiSzCy1o[/media][/QUOTE]
They are viewed as way more electable than Bachmann.
You also have the dumb, token black guy, Bush hotfix, Mormon, Generic Pasty-White Man, Second Pasty-White Man, and Generic Pasty-White Womanizer Man.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;32261107]They are viewed as way more electable than Bachmann.[/QUOTE]
A potato is more electable than Bachmann, doesn't make it a good choice.
[QUOTE=OpethRockr55;32261221]A potato is more electable than Bachmann, doesn't make it a good choice.[/QUOTE]
It doesn't matter if the person is a good choice or not. What matters: Who will moderates vote for.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;32261107]They are viewed as way more electable than Bachmann.[/QUOTE]
That's like saying they're the smartest kids with Down Syndrome. It's going to take a lot more than what few assets they've got to defeat Obama.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;32261107]They are viewed as way more electable than Bachmann.[/QUOTE]
More because they look more presidential than anything else
[QUOTE=LunchboxOfDoom;32261256]That's like saying they're the smartest kids with Down Syndrome. It's going to take a lot more than what few assets they've got to defeat Obama.[/QUOTE]
Right now it looks like both Perry and Romney have a good shot.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;32261355]Right now it looks like both Perry and Romney have a good shot.[/QUOTE]
Perry is way too religious. Romney is okay, but I really like Ron Paul's positions on civil rights and foreign policy. However, Romney probably has the biggest chance of getting elected since Ron Paul often gets intentionally ignored by the media.
Watching Ron Paul debating.
He just made himself sound like a Darwinist.
[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;32261528]Watching Ron Paul debating.
He just made himself sound like a Darwinist.[/QUOTE]
Debate? Where?!
CNN. Bachmann is dodging the question and making herself more retarded
[editline]12th September 2011[/editline]
Generic White Man advocates fortification of the border. Hid the fact that he wants to purge.
edit:
Perry wants to have more troops on border.
glaber can you link me to hot sonic/mlp fanart i would appreciate it
[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;32261469]Perry is way too religious. Romney is okay, but I really like Ron Paul's positions on civil rights and foreign policy. However, Romney probably has the biggest chance of getting elected since Ron Paul often gets intentionally ignored by the media.[/QUOTE]I would say Perry has a better chance then Romney. Perry is all american, [b]Evangelical[/b], [b]Texas[/b] Governor, hates "big" government, hates taxes, loves corporations, etc. etc. Now on the other hand we have Romney, [b]Mormon[/b], ex-[b]Massachusetts[/b] Governor, hates "big" government[b]*[/b], hates taxes, loves corporations, etc. etc.
[b]*[/b]Massachusetts health care insurance reform law (sobriquet: "Romneycare"), enacted in 2006, mandates that nearly every resident of Massachusetts obtain a state-government-regulated minimum level of healthcare insurance coverage and provides free health care insurance for residents earning less than 150% of the federal poverty level who are not eligible for Mass Health (Medicaid).
Now that that's over with why do the things I put in bold matter so much? Well its the good old Tea Partly, the people who could break Romney. First up is Religion, now this may not matter because Glenn Beck is also a Mormon and the Tea Party sure loves him. However, it may become a factor as the race gets going as Perry picks up the Evangelical vote without moving a finger.
Second on the list is the Sates they "represent" this again is more for when the shit starts flying in the later stages on the primaries, see: Obama v Hillary. It has the potential for Perry and his supporters to use it has a weapon against Romney even more effectively then his Religion but not nearly as effective then what Romney did in Massachusetts.
Healthcare is the political goldmine that will snap up Perry's victory. First to point of the obvious, the dam thing is sobriquet known as Romneycare, just like uh Obamacare! Bam attack add right there. Want to really turn up the heat? "Romney claims he hates big government then why did he start Romneycare? Sounds a lot like some big big government plan!"
Now there is one last bump in the road for Romney. Now if Perry wins everything will be hunky dory, but what happens if Romney wins and people (Tea Party) are not happy. Now I know this is very very unlikely but if the Tea Party comes out to hate Romney's guts and then decides to put in Perry or someone else as a 3rd Party candidate. If this were to happen I can't see Romney having that much of chance or the Tea Party candidate. Again the chances of the happening are monumentally slim because it would mean the republicans are literally handing Obama the victory but the chance is still there.
Also as a last funny note apparently Perry was a Democrat until 1989 if Wikipedia is to be believed.
FUUUU- I tuned into CNN and it was ending.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;32261979]FUUUU- I tuned into CNN and it was ending.[/QUOTE]
You should've seen when Perry teabagged Ron Paul in front of everyone.
[QUOTE=yawmwen;32261243]It doesn't matter if the person is a good choice or not. What matters: Who will moderates vote for.[/QUOTE]
You really think moderates are going to view Romney as more reasonable than Obama? I mean I know generally the American voter doesn't analyze politics much, but I don't think they're [I]that[/I] misinformed.
[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;32261469]but I really like Ron Paul's positions on civil rights[/QUOTE]
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
no stop
[QUOTE=DOG-GY;32262070]aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
no stop[/QUOTE]
get me off this crazy thing
[QUOTE=Megafanx13;32262063]You really think moderates are going to view Romney as more reasonable than Obama? I mean I know generally the American voter doesn't analyze politics much, but I don't think they're [I]that[/I] misinformed.[/QUOTE]
Again, it appears that a GOP candidate has a fighting chance right now.
There are amoeba on Saturn that are more electable than the the republican candidates, Obama is pretty safe (i hope)
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.
