Obama Warns Democrats 'Get Clobbered' In Midterms

[DonViejo]

CATHERINE THOMPSON – MARCH 21, 2014, 7:03 AM EDT

President Barack Obama sounded the alarm on midterm elections again Thursday, warning that the party's candidates will get "clobbered" in November unless they encourage their constituencies to get out the vote.

“The challenge is that our politics in Washington have become so toxic that people just lose faith,” Obama told Democratic donors at the home of former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning, according to a transcript of his remarks. “They say, ‘Y’know what, it doesn’t matter, I’m not that interested, I’m not gonna vote.’ And that’s especially true during the midterms.”

The President said women, blacks and Hispanics are more likely to vote in presidential elections, with positive results for Democrats.

"But in midterms we get clobbered -- either because we don’t think it’s important or we’ve become so discouraged about what’s happening in Washington that we think it’s not worth our while," he said, according to the transcript.

more
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/obama-democrats-clobbered-midterms

[onehandle]

1. 2010 was worse than 9/11 in my opinion.

What will 2014 bring us?

[SomethingFishy]

2. So again it's all the voters fault if Democrats lose?

You know I'm willing to take the blame, if the Democrats actually run a decent campaign, if they spend 6 months reminding voters daily that Republicans are at war with the poor, with women, with veterans, and with the elderly and the sick.

When is the Democratic establishment going to realize that it's them and not us?

Yeah 2010 sucked. Why? Because Democrats watched Republicans vote against health care for 9/11 first responders and didn't do a fucking thing about it. No ads, no complaints, no going to the people of this nation and remind them that a vote for a Republican is a vote for a party that refused to pay for health care for people who ran into a burning collapsed building to help their fellow citizens, because they didn't want to close tax loopholes for this rich friends.

You want people to get out and vote? Give them a reason. Hire a real ad agency and hammer the Republicans into the ground with their own votes and their own words.

Yeah I'll be voting, but I know lots of people who won't, and I don't blame them.

[jsr]

3. It would be helpful if there were fewer attacks against Democratic constituencies

http://www.salon.com/2014/02/18/obama_trade_officials_received_huge_bank_bonuses/
Tuesday, Feb 18, 2014 09:50 AM CDT
Obama trade officials received huge bank bonuses

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/03/obama-nominates-former-sopa-lobbyist-help-lead-tpp-negotiations
March 3, 2014 | By Maira Sutton
Obama Nominates Former SOPA Lobbyist to Help Lead TPP Negotiations

etc.

[SomethingFishy]

4. Yeah I know...

They aren't making it easy are they.. Going to be another "vote against the Republicans" election instead of a "vote for the Democrats" election. It's getting old.

Thing is though, according to the faithful, it's all the fault of Republican obstructionists. We need to get control of all 3 branches so there are no more excuses.

[jeff47]

16. It's not quite that extreme

But the complaints that the Democrats aren't doing enough should include a path they could use to do more.

For example, how do you get something better than the ACA past Lieberman and the rest of the blue dogs? Can't do everything you need through reconciliation (and they didn't - only part of it was). Can't threaten his re-election (he knew he couldn't win). Yanking him off committees or complaining about him just gets him more TV time.

The answer is usually "elect more and better Democrats". Which leads to a chicken-and-egg problem - can't get more votes without better results, can't get those results without more votes.

What we need to do is get more people to show up on primary day, so that we can get better candidates on election day. But that's an even steeper hill to climb.

[sharp_stick]

6. Sorry posted in wrong spot n/t

[treestar]

30. Yes.. All you have to do is register and go vote.

And with Republicans trying to make it hard. What's the harm is demanding that the voters "fight" just a little teeny bit? Or exert themselves a little bit for the sake of democracy? If they really want what they say they want, why do they work against it by allowing Republicans to win and then obstruct?

[SomethingFishy]

34. I do vote, and what harm is there in asking the Democrats

to "fight" just a teeny bit? You want voters to come out? Give them something to vote for.

[treestar]

35. Cart before the horse

They have to be in a majority to even "fight" for anything. (Whatever that means). A first time candidate has nothing but promises then, no history. Politics doesn't work that way. You can't judge one member of a House for "fight." You have to make a majority.

[SomethingFishy]

36. Wow. Just wow...

You don't need to be in the majority to "fight" to get elected. You need to run a smart campaign, that attacks your opponents for all the horrible things they have done over the last 2 years and shows all the "good" things you have done. You need to convince the American people that you are working for their interests and the Republicans aren't.

If you are really going to sit there and say that Democrats are great at getting the message out, and that they say and do all the right things, and the only reason they lose is because people don't vote, then you are as blind as can be and a detriment to the party.

[sabrina 1]

40. Does a political party have no obligation to listen to voters?

That's what happened in 2010. The voters asked for candidates they could vote FOR. The party backed candidates the voters did not want, if you need details, let me know. And lost.

If that is the attitude of a political party towards voters they are asking to support them, it sure isn't the voters fault if the party loses.


Where did this notion that political parties do not need to listen to voters come from?

[leftynyc]

5. That didn't happen in 1998

Blaming the voters is a losing strategy especially when recent history proves him wrong.

[sharp_stick]

7. I find it interesting when people sit at

home on election day, don't vote then get pissed at being blamed. They sat at home and didn't vote, why would they give a shit that the party they didn't feel like voting for doesn't like them?

Not voting is the height of laziness. At the very least people should get off their asses and write in Mickey Mouse. Voting in midterms can change the local and State makeup which is the basis for overall change in the electoral system.

I have no respect whatsoever for anyone that doesn't vote, they don't deserve it.

[SomethingFishy]

9. Here's the thing though... They don't get pissed at being blamed..

They really don't give a shit. They see it as the system is corrupt and it has failed them, and they want no part of it. Until we have a party that truly works for the citizens, you will continue to see poor voter turnout.

I doubt there is a single DU'er who is not going to vote. Someone involved enough to spend time here knows the importance of voting.. It's the casuals we need to capture..


Mind you I don't disagree that people are lazy and need to get off their asses and vote. However we need to give them something to vote for.

[Bobbie Jo]

15. Well said. nt

[treestar]

31. +1

why should their concerns mean anything? They can sit back and feel superior and victim like. I don't get that mentality that prefers that. Judging that others did not give them enough is better for them than doing something that might lead to more progress.

[jwirr]

8. As Democrats we need to see this is not true this time. There is way too much hanging on this one.

Please get out and vote or we will all go down together.

[Cyrano]

10. The GOP has an echo chamber. We don't.

Most people don't pay as much attention to politics as we (DU members) do. Most of the media, from Fox, to hate radio, to the so-called MSM, repeat Republican talking points ad naseum. Not so with Dem talking points.

At most, people hear sound bites such as "welfare queen," "They're stealing your jobs," "Democrats are socialists/communists," "death panels," etc. The constant repititon of these phrases sinks in with those not paying very much attention. Put this together with widespread voter suppression tactics, and the result is that the Republican turnout is larger than that for Democrats.

We will keep loosing until we can build our own echo chamber and repeat loudly and lastingly, not only our own talking points, but how the Republicans are screwing America. Then, and only then, will the playing field be level.

[Nay]

29. Thank you. We will not see any appreciable turnout until Dems apply basic

messaging techniques. The message never gets out; in fact, when national Dems talk about their message, they seem apologetic over any true Dem position and seem to go toward a Third Way D/R position. This hardly brings out the middle to vote.

[HereSince1628]

11. My suggestion re GOTV: Don't send post cards exposing peoples' recent voting history

This was done in the GOTV effort for the special election in WI, and it had the effect of alienating people.

No one enjoys being the subject of surveillance projects, whether it's attempted caging or attempted shaming.

Yes, even though sign-ins to vote are public record, no one expected strangers to go through those records and mail them to people.
Demonstration that the post card voting records of previous residents ended up in the hands of new residents rankled people's sense of privacy.

[jsr]

13. +1

[ScreamingMeemie]

12. Seeing as so many DUers are so willing to fastforward to primary wars between people

who haven't declared candidacy...I'm not surprised.

[fredamae]

14. If Dems "get clobbered"

Then the Dems have no one to blame But themselves for their Own Piss Poor Job performance.
I'm pretty sure I was Not the only one calling them and telling them they were "fkg up" by capitulations/votes/failing to draw a line in the sand when the offers from the GOP were So Toxic out of the gate that - sometimes - the Bill has NO reasonable opportunity for "compromise"--but Compromise they Did-while we said "Yes" or "NO" (depending on issue) and to their Own constituents detriment...Not being as Bad as the GOP won't sell - Not this time and hopefully Never again.

If they don't get their shit together--explain some votes-truthfully-taking us Down using the Austerity Method "Lite" over the GOP's Radical Austerity Method gets us to the Same Place--just slower.

The Dems MUST Prove, through action over talking points, mailers and bs....if they want to be taken seriously...

Over-all, we're not as gullible as we used to be (I hope).

[Capt. Obvious]

17. Don't be silly

Dems have liberals to blame if they lose.

[jeff47]

18. Ok, how do they do that? Specifically.

How do they prove that through action with the current House make-up? There's only so far the Republicans will go in order to protect their right flank. And their right flank is insane, so any compromise is going to have to give the flank something.

If you'd prefer to rewind a bit, how do they get Lieberman to vote for something better than the ACA? You can't pass what you need through reconciliation, so you need his vote. He knew he couldn't win re-election, so you can't threaten that. Yanking him off committees or yelling at him just gets him more TV time, which he loved much more than his day job. So how do you get "the senator from Aetna" to vote for something better?

[fredamae]

20. You don't.

We can't force change--either the Aetna Sen is incentivized to actually change by his/her votes or we vote them out and replace them with those who can refuse the corporate employee contract.

It's time, imo--for the electorate to draw a line in the sand since those who we've elected won't.

Any choices we have--re-electing the same ones, electing new ones or just saying "screw it" I'm not voting is going to be painful. So we need to look at the bigger picture and see which path will render to us, the fastest fix with the least pain.
At some point the electorate must stop enabling bad behavior from our elected officials because the low bar of "we're not perfect but at least we're not crazy" doesn't work anymore.

[jeff47]

21. Then how do you solve your chicken-and-egg problem?

You are demanding action to earn your vote.

Such action can not be accomplished without replacing much of our politicians. Which requires your vote.

How do you get there from here?

We're going to have to do a lot of "at least we're not crazy" voting until we have enough politicians to really change things. That's what the right did for 50 years to get us to where we are today. It's going to take a while to reverse that.

[fredamae]

25. Well,

I know when Dems, on rare occasion, Do draw lines in the sand--I take that as positive action...even knowing the impossibility of a bill moving forward.
I realize they may not/will not Win, hell most of the time they can't even get a cmte assignment, let alone a Floor debate/vote--but they've at least made a genuine Effort to stand with the people. That matters to me.
It's less about Dems Success(es) in a GOP Controlled environ--and more about the efforts - for me.
Re: Min wage increase-There is a Dem lawmaker who quickly sought to "bargain Down" the amount for a reasonable wage increase-tossing all of main street under the bus---instead of holding her ground and maybe even asking for $15.--over $10.10.
We need fighters - not capitulators.

Yes, it's taken a Long time to devolve and you're totally correct--it's gonna take time to dig out. It's gonna get a Lot worse if we do nothing as we have for the past 30-35 years.

[treestar]

32. there you go, being sane

Yes self government or sitting around demanding the government do something it can't and then just be down on government. Some people just want to be victims. I'll never understand it.

[Seeking Serenity]

19. It's not Democrats who get clobbered in midterm elections

It's almost always the party that controls the WH that gets clobbered in midterm elections (1998 being a notable exception). Look at 2006. Bush's second midterm. His party got clobbered and we took over Congress.

It has always been thus. Now, the past doesn't have to control the present, but we do have to get our people out to the polls (although I will say that it's gonna be hard for me here to get really fired up since I am (right now) conceding that Sen. Pryor is likely gonna lose his seat to Tom Cotton, but I am encouraged that the 2d Congressional District, and maybe even the 4th, will go back in to Democratic hands with Rep. Tim Griffin's foregoing re-election and Cotton giving up his seat to run for Senate).

[jeff47]

22. If the federal level sucks, work on the state and local.

After all, that's where the next set of federal candidates will come from.

We have to remember the right has been working on this since Goldwater lost. It's going to take a while to reverse that.

[Seeking Serenity]

24. Point well taken.

Seems like so many here completely forget about (certainly don't discuss) state or local campaigns, unless such campaigns have garnered national media attention (i.e. Wendy Davis).

[Art_from_Ark]

39. You know, the polls are all over the place with Cotton/Pryor

I've seen 11 that favor Cotton (mostly by Republican pollsters), and around 8 that favor Pryor. Interestingly, the University of Arkansas poll shows Cotton ahead by 1% but also shows the lowest support for both candidates, with around 30% undecided.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

23. "Not as bad" is piss poor advertising. "Not as bad" is piss poor governance.

[Jamaal510]

26. Other countries make

the turnout in the U.S. look like a farce. For the most part, voting here is still free and fairly convenient. The agendas of the two major parties are the farthest apart that they've ever been (esp. when it comes to taxation, women's rights, voting rights, foreign policy, and gay rights), so nobody can honestly say that "both parties are the same". To me, there is no reason why the turnout in midterms should not be higher than 40-something percent. People want to blame Obama for not being the president of "hope and change", but he still got something done in spite of the obstruction:
http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/
I think he had it right when he came out and said that we, the American voters, are the change we seek. To put it bluntly, some of the voters on our side need to quit being lazy. Do some research on not only the candidates running for office, but also on basic civics. It's everyone's civic duty.

[napkinz]

27. he's right ...

[madfloridian]

28. Change the DC politics instead of blaming the voter.

[bpj62]

33. GOTV

Plain and simple get out and vote or we as Democrats have no one to blame but ourselves. Before we can decide on the type of democrat we want to represent us we first have to get our candidates either elected or re-elected so that we are in the majority and then the members of our party who wish to have a progressive or liberal candidate run against a blue dog can then do so. We do not have enough Senate seats to spare and although we may not take the house this cycle we can at least do our best to knock out more republicans so that the lift is not so hard in 2016. I hear a lot about the right wing echo chamber and quite frankly I don't care because they are only appealing to an ever shrinking group of people and if the democrats get out and vote this fall then that number will have less representation. There is nothing you and I can do to convince the powers that be in the democratic party that it is okay to run to Obamacare and not from it. They have to learn it themselves. I don't listen to Debbie Waserman Schultz or Robert Gibbs because they are out of touch and quite frankly I think they play too nice with thier counterparts. Did anyone notice that after Nancy Pelosi told Cantor to go pound sand when he requested an apology from some perceived slight that the issue just died. That is what we need to do ignore them and get out and vote. My district is in play for the 1st time in 32 years and I can tell you that I will be helping whoever the democratic candidate is get elected. Sorry for the rant.

[MineralMan]

37. GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

Always a good idea.

[L0oniX]

38. Hey ...Obama ...CPI and TPP ain't helping!