Kim Strassel thinks so. Me, I remain dubious — if only because 1) I don’t trust any elected Democrat who hasn’t long ago distanced himself from Obama’s quasi-Marxsist / fascist ruling style, and 2) I can envision a scenario wherein Obama takes the rejection of the electorate so personally that he goes nuclear to teach us a lesson in who is boss.
He isn’t the good man I knew.
Barack Obama hit the campaign trail this week to resurrect some of that hopey-changey stuff and to complain that his critics talk about him “like a dog.” Turns out the president wasn’t, in fact, referring to his own party.
Voters might be forgiven the confusion. It isn’t as if Democrats have been showing Mr. Obama much love. Quite the opposite. Seven weeks from Election Day, the vulnerable wing of the majority has finally found itself a campaign issue: blunt opposition to Mr. Obama and his agenda.
Has it only been 20 months? Candidate Obama swelled into office with an ambitiously liberal plan. He promised his party that his legislative items would be more than policy triumphs; they’d be political triumphs. Stick with me, he said, and we’ll get credit for leadership. Voters will come to love this stuff. Polls will improve. I’ll campaign in your district.
It was bunk, as many Democrats knew even back then. Witness the threats and bribes necessary to coax a bare majority for every vote. But enough went along. And now that the ambitious Obama experiment in liberal governance is going kaboom, his members—even those who voted with him—are running for cover.
Health care? A total of 279 House and Senate Democrats voted for ObamaCare. Not one is running an ad touting that vote. How can they, given headlines about Medicare cuts and premium hikes? You will, however, find a growing catalogue of ads such as this one from Maryland Rep. Frank Kratovil: “As a career prosecutor, I made decisions on facts, not politics,” and that’s why “I voted against . . . the health-care bill.”
Not to be outdone, Alabama Rep. Bobby Bright’s ad explains he voted against “massive government health care.” South Dakota’s Stephanie Herseth Sandlin boasts she voted against the “trillion-dollar health-care plan.” But the prize goes to former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, vying to get his old job back: Not only is ObamaCare “financially devastating,” it is “the greatest failure, modern failure, of political leadership in my lifetime.”
Stimulus? Only a handful of Democrats can be found who will even utter the dreaded “s” word—and those are the ones bragging they voted against it. The rest have developed a curious code involving brief references to “roads” and “bridges.” Even the White House is running from the White House. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs crankily lectured the press corps this week that the latest $50 billion Mr. Obama wants to “spur” the economy is absolutely not a “stimulus.”
Cap and trade? “I voted against Nancy Pelosi’s energy tax on Hoosier families,” explains Indiana Rep. Joe Donnelly in an ad, echoed by North Carolina Rep. Mike McIntyre and Pennsylvania Rep. Jason Altmire. And the yes votes are rushing to argue that all they were really voting for was “renewable energy.”
Financial regulation? What’s that? Most of the country doesn’t know, and few Democrats are bothering to explain. They see more mileage in ads putting distance between themselves and the auto bailouts, the president’s budget, or the party’s cultural reputation. Roy Herron, running in Tennessee, ran an ad describing himself as a “truck-driving, shotgun-shooting, Bible-reading, crime-fighting, family loving country boy.” This is not a joke.
As for campaigning, Mr. Obama failed to warn Democrats that—thanks to the agenda he was asking them to pass—by September he’d be upside-down in his approval on most issues, and not much help. Instead of a president to help them, Democrats have found a president to run against. And it isn’t George W. Bush.
The White House is now letting it be known that it is miffed that more Democrats aren’t running to embrace its new “economic” plan. But as parents are fond of telling their five-year-olds, choices have consequences. This White House could have pivoted to the economy at any point—as many Democrats were begging it to do—but instead doggedly pushed ahead with an unpopular agenda. Many Democrats are no longer listening.
Will the anti-Obama strategy work? In this environment, running away from Mr. Obama certainly beats running to him. Then again, midterms are referendums on a president’s agenda, and the country is in a mood to punish Democrats en masse. For those anti-Obama Democrats who do survive, the political lesson will be that there is mileage in telling Mr. Obama no.
Well, maybe. But we can’t overlook that some of those who are running away from Obama are doing so only to get re-elected; at which point they will dutifully return to him, having done what was necessary to retain power.
It wasn’t personal, O! Only business. And yes, we really do still love you.
Then it’s right back into the trough to feed for those last few years while the feeding is good.
Sorry. But I’m so cynical at this point about progressives and Democrats that I can’t envision a scenario in which they act sensibly. Yes, a few Dems voted against some of Obama’s sweeping changes to the way the US functions. But many many more voted against the will of their own constituencies — and if elected and then made lucrative promises, they’ll do so again without thinking twice.
It’s the nature of the beast. And it happens with Republicans, too.
At this point, I’d like it quite fine if we sent a few hundred ferrets to the House and Senate. Because at least when they take a shit in Congress, the rest of the country isn’t stuck cleaning it up.
(h/t Terry H)
I’m thinking Barry ought to scrape together his own damn strategy — maybe go to Maine to campaign for whichever of the Lobster twins is running this year, then off to Delaware to give Mike Castle a shove of hope, thence to NY State where I’m sure he can find a few good Rinos to get behind. Who knows, his help might just net him some Democrats due to the local’s disgust.
My weasel[D] was running on how he was saving American jobs. Now he has cranked up a variation on the old “Republicans will destroy Social Security” theme.
Instead of telling us seniors how the GOP, aka Paul Ryan, will put the elderly out of house and home the message is that they (GOP) will wreck it for our grandchildren make them poor and starving in their old age. A nice bit of political projection served up “TRVTH”.
Add as, as needed.
Obama is a dangerous candidate and right now (without a clear challenger) you have to assume he will be re-elected. Now if a truly qualified challenger faces him, he could lose. But do not kid yourself, it is not going to be easy and Obama will probably get 45% of the vote out of the gate. The question is whether he can get that extra 5.01%-6% (adjusted for the electorial college) he needs to win.
Althouse was floating Mitch Daniels out there as a challenger. Perhaps.
But I do not think it will be Sarah, Newt, Romney, or Huckabee.
geoffb
Again it is with the Left trope that everyone but them has Bad Motives(tm)
Well the left always has, from their perspective, good motives. They just seem to lead to bad ends, every time around the block. But trust them, they will get it right, someday, sooner or later, really.
They just seem to lead to bad ends
The Left never ever blames themselves nor take any time to reflect and reexamine their policies …
usual meme is that everyone else sabetoged it and/or nothing was carried out purely enough
functions?
I’m not too worried about Obama – he’s too lightweight to risk doing anything drastic by himself. I fear the horde of regulation spewing bureaucrats and make it up as they go judges who will view this as their last big gasp prior to submerging for the duration of their upcoming ‘exile’ from total power.
I’m thinking that’s being realistic rather than cynical…
You can’t be cynical enough in my view, with regards to him, it took the convenient crack up of Lehman Bros, to make him a likely prospect, to make the idea of govt taking over banks and auto companies, acceptable, the swine flu gave us Sebelius, a low grade apparatchik, the crisis allowed health care to come into it’s own, the Fin Reg bill, passed to the ginned up Goldman hate, the incompetence around the Gulf spill, forestalled cap n trade for now, but the rule of thumb is ‘nuke it from orbit, only way to make sure’
– Running away won’t matter, pivoting won’t matter, nothing will blunt the swords of truthiness the Repubs will have to use on their opponents. That is, if they’re smart and they use the ammo they’ve been given,
– Every debate can be an unrelenting series of questions forcing the focus back on Obamacare, Bailouts, Cap and trade, even the wall street mess. It matters not that Dems are pointedly avoiding all mention of these issues in their campaign ads. That will just serve to make it even more destructive as they’re forced to respond to crushing questions with no place to hide.
– The impetuous for a tsunami is there in the groundswell of electorate anger. It only remains to be seen how well the Right takes advantage of it. The 2 trillion dollar Gorilla is there sitting in the room for their use if they choose to.
These 4 years are showing how out of touch liberal democrats are with the majority of the electorate, including their own party. Its interesting to because there are social liberal/fiscally conservative democrats but they ended up in the silent minority. For one thing, how could they speak up against the greatest smartest most community organizing black president of all time? I foresee a drubbing in 2010 and if the stupid republicans don’t do what the democrats did- push the hard right social agenda- then 2012 will be a continuation of the drubbing.
Or as Dennis Green once famously said “They are who we thought they were”. And now its not just us that knows it. Though I have to say, I have not been able to get any of my hard left liberal friends to admit Obama’s a shitty president. The one in my office keeps saying how great Obama is doing.
Oh and I’m watching Florida/USF and that Crist commercial makes me want throw something at the TV.
– Even more interesting is the speculation of the aftermath. Suppose the tsunami occurs, and the Dems lose one or both houses of Congress.
– Is any of them going to take a position opposing the will of the people, running counter to the vote they’ve just witnessed? Who will be brave enough to go against any form of political sense and back Obama’s on going “transormation plan”?
– Or will the light bringer find himself totally isolated, even from his own party, a far worse situation than simple “lame duck” status.
– Added to this possibility you have the Republican’s stating that if they do win back the Congress the first order of business, aside from dismantling funding for as many of Obama’s bills as possible, they plan a veritable tidal wave of investigations, stretching back to Fannie and Freddie/CRA, The big business bailouts, as well as the mechanization’s of the Justice Department, and energy Czars.
– What Democrat is going to be willing to step into such a meat grinder?
– What Democrat is going to be willing to step into such a meat grinder?
Hopefully many.
“they plan a veritable tidal wave of investigations, stretching back to Fannie and Freddie/CRA, The big business bailouts, as well as the mechanization’s of the Justice Department, and energy Czars.”
“they” being in the majority…and all non-incumbents.
“Oh and I’m watching Florida/USF”
Good day for Messers Demps, Jenks and the O-line. Far superior to last weeks showing, anyhow.
– Politicians are nothing if not imminently cynical. In the worst or best scenario of the aftermath of a full up tsunami, depending on your POV, it may be hard to get a single Democratic to admit he or she has ever heard the word “progressive”.
Cynicism about politicians isn’t like regular cynicism, given that it’s baked into the Constitution.
Ergo, in a thread on it ought to be accompanied by one of these:
Or this. Kinda emblematic of the bloom being off the rose or something.
(D) -100+ H&S
The Dems behavior patterns really are a mirror image of the Islamofascist’s.
They both seek to subjugate their populations through state control, are happy to bankrupt their countries for personal gain, and respond only to fear of their own personal loss.
Put a turban on Harry Reid and he could easily run Iran into the ground too.
He’s not exactly “safe and sane” as an incumbent.
Uh-oh. Someone left the cake out in the rain.
*Good day for Messers Demps, Jenks and the O-line. Far superior to last weeks showing, anyhow.*
Its nice of the Gators to consistently show up in the second half. I’m a gator and was somewhat concerned 1st half. Thank god Pouncey figured out how to snap the ball.
word. they’re going to have to grow into that number 8 from where I’m lookin’ on, but this was a good first step Matt. I really liked mr. Gilleslie’s work today too, along with Brantley’s effort. Good on ’em. The D seems to have a ways to go, least by the showing of the first half today; they seemed out thought a bunch of the time.
http://weeklystandard.com/articles/unclubbable-senator?page=2
“Barack Obama hit the campaign trail this week…”
What, he was OFF the campaign trail at some point? When was that, exactly? I must have glanced away for a moment.
Since the President’s behavior is increasingly deranged, what does he have to do to be removed from the office?
Is it just me that thinks Soros is ‘Gaslighting’ Barry?
dirty socialist Associated Press propaganda whores Hope Yen and Liz Sidoti think the heyday might could be just beginning
Experts say? Because I.. err, they say so… so there!
and ill never have that recipe again oh no!
ahhhh thanks ak4mc. i havent heard that song in ages. is it on itunes? why yes it is.
These days the poor have opportunities to work — but too damn few. And that is Obama’s fault.
the poor have opportunities to work but choose not to because they get too much help
Or they WERE working just fine until the jackals in Washington put the squeeze on small businesses and they all lost their jobs and BECAME poor.
See? There’s always a third way.
SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS!?!?!?!
WHAT SOCIAL CONSTRAINTS!?!?!?
Is this Victorian England, where you’re smacked down if you attempt to rise above your station?
Is this India, where you have to stick to what your caste is permitted to do?
Is this Jim Crow America, where black people couldn’t even drink from the same fountains, sleep in the same beds, or eat at the same lunch counters so that white people wouldn’t get their “cooties”?
Or is this 21st-century America where Latinos by the millions cross the border to find jobs and nobody but the MFM and the Beltway Elite give a rip what the president’s complexion is?
Where if you are working at a software company, at least one of your colleagues is from India and still more from other countries? (At one workplace, while sitting in my cube, I could hear Chinese, Russian, an Indian language, and Spanish. I worked with engineers from Burma to Holland, a black engineer from St. Louis, all kinds of folks. Please explain the social constraints put on THEM!)
In another workplace, blue-collar workers in the plant consorted easily in the break room with white-collar accountants.
These people need to STFU once and for all. Just because certain groups of people stay in perpetual poverty doesn’t mean that society is keeping them there—unless all the white poverty in West Virginia, Appalachia, rural areas, and all the trailer parks is the result of RAAAAACISM.
Of course, if your college application lists 4-H President… now THAT will keep you out of the Ivies.
raising the minimum wage in a recession was gayer than walking up to some guy and putting your penis in his mouf
‘As long as there is unemployment, there will be poverty,” as Carnac would say, “I did not know that”
Wait. That’s gay?
sorry I was reaching for an analogy
better than reaching for anal-ology
FTFY.
just so
dicentra, the social constraints go pretty much the other way. I was working a project two years ago where there were 5 people in the office area: three “white” (me, a guy from India, and a Hispanic) guys, an older white female, and a young black female. She had headphones on constantly, and her taste in music started with 2 Live Crew and went out into the nastier bits of gangsta rap. How did we know this? Because when she was concentrating, she started singing the lyrics out loud….
No one wanted to say anything, because she was a black female, and we knew she’d take offense. Finally, the older white woman got one of her black female friends to drop by while the concert was in full swing, and the friend was able to get her to stop singing, after we’d been putting up with it for a solid month.
Any white guy is fully aware that his career hinges on not “offending” the protected classes, because the first complaint and the company will get him gone before the lawsuits start.
It’s only gay if you make eye contact.
Well, thats what I heard.