Loyalty to Obama Costs Democrats

[Mefistofeles]

By JONATHAN WEISMAN
Wall Street Journal
SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

DOYLESTOWN, Pa.- Rep. Patrick Murphy, a fresh-faced rising Democratic star and loyal backer of President Barack Obama's agenda, is facing the fight of his life in a suburban Philadelphia district Mr. Obama won easily two years ago.

Across Pennsylvania, another Democrat, Rep. Jason Altmire, is competing in a district Republican John McCain took by a wide margin. Mr. Altmire is running away with it, by running away from the president.

In their contrasting fates lie broader lessons for the coming midterms: Live by the president and you could die by the president. Democrats who have been thorns in the president's side are doing well in some of the toughest districts for their party, from Alabama to the steel belt of western Pennsylvania. But swing-district Democrats who have voted with the president in Congress are struggling, even if they're now asserting their independence.

Mr. Altmire voted against the Obama health-care and climate-change bills. "My opponent is trying to tie me in with the speaker and with the leadership. That's pretty difficult to do," he said. He holds a double-digit lead.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704416904575501760957676960.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop#printMode

[babylonsister]

1. So Dems who did the right thing by voting for hcr for 23M

people are now being chastized for supporting Obama? Ugh. The wsj; don't ever believe them anyway-'for the most part'.

[ecstatic]

2. welcome to DU! nt

[county worker]

3. I take anything not real news in the WSJ with a couple of tons of salt.

WSJ's editorial board are all right wing.

[liberal N proud]

4. Propaganda works

[xultar]

13. Apparentfuckingly

[Radical Activist]

5. Hogwash. Ask Blanche Lincoln and Feingold.

Their "independence" has put them in trouble.

[spanone]

6. wall street urinal

[JuniperLea]

10. +1

[ProSense]

7. Wait

there are Democrats loyal to the President? For weeks the meme has been that they were all running from him.

What is this time-released spin?

[babylonsister]

9. "time-released spin"...

:spray:

[safeinOhio]

8. Didn't FAUX news

buy up the WSJ?

[LiberalAndProud]

11. As reported by the Wall Street Journal.

You'll forgive me if I don't swallow RM's analysis whole, won't you?

It's always a good thing to consider the source.

[MadMaddie]

12. Yawn

More propaganda drivel!

[liberalmuse]

14. Wall Street Journal?

O-kay. I think supporting Obama has been wonderful for Democrats, and very bad for the Republicans.

[Arkana]

15. Altmire's a Blue Dog shitball and no ally of Obama's.

[Mefistofeles]

16. Altmire has a double-digit lead

That's the point of the article.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

17. All those Penn people want privatization and pollution!

[AlinPA]

18. We are getting the pollution with the Marcellus gas well drilling. (But not all of us want it)

[JeffR]

19. Yeah, that Wall Street Journal is some fine paper, isn't it?

Looking forward to your repost of many more fine article excerpts from this fine paper. Thanks.