Obama's brilliance on display yesterday, and how it could be a game-changer.

[RBInMaine]

Obama was brilliant in the "lions den" yesterday because he accomplished the following all in one fell swoop.

1) Showed he had bigtime guts and a solid command of the facts.

2) Showed clearly that he was reasonable and continuing to try to reach out to the other side (knowing full well they still won't play).

3) Called them right out on their politically-motivated obstructionist gamesmanship.

4) Subtly pointed out how they were retreating into a very narrow right wing ideological posture that will isolate them from the broader electorate, and how this is especially threatening to moderate R's in general elections.

5) Set them up for a very risky ride in the eyes of the public if they continue to choose to obstruct in lockstep rather than work with him.

6) Showcased their hypocrisy showing how they were voting against policies that they should be able to support according to their own rhetoric.

It can be a real game-changer, but this must happen for THAT to happen:

1) OBAMA MUST CONTINUE BEING OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC CONNECTING TO THE PEOPLE EMOTIONALLY. The folks need to know that he feels their anxiety and is working overtime to help. (Be Patton, not Spock.)

2) OBAMA NEEDS TO KEEP GOING WITH A CLEAR, CONCRETE, SOLID MESSAGE THAT RESONATES: i.e. "I understand what you are going through. I GET IT. And here is exactly what I am trying to do about it. (List the policies.) And the other side? While I am trying to fix the mess THEY made, and even include some things they should be able to support, they are simply trying to block everything I do JUST for political gain and nothing else, no matter how hard I have tried to reach out to them." THIS needs to the narrative: I AM ABOUT ACTION. THEY ARE ABOUT OBSTRUCTION.

3) HE AND THE DEM CONGRESS NEED TO GET IN CLEAR SYNC ON MESSAGE AND ACTION, AND THEY MUST GET 'ER DONE. The Dem congress MUST PRODUCE results. They need to show that have tried to reach out to R's but no matter what they do or say, the R's simply refuse to play, and they need to yell that from he rooftops. Then roll over them, even with reconciliation in some cases. (***That CAN NOT be used in all cases. It is a limited tool.) And PASS POPULAR THINGS TODAY ! (i.e the jobs stimulus, banking regs, the popular insurance reform pieces as a start, new campaign finance reform, etc.) Dems need to get together, get united, get on message, and get things DONE !

DO THIS, AND THEY WILL CHANGE THE DYNAMIC FOR THE FALL.

[msongs]

1. ok, the "other side won't play". what's he gonna do to get around that? hmmm nt

[RBInMaine]

2. As said, get in sync with Congress. MESSAGE CLEARLY AND CONSISTENTLY their continued refusal to

play. Don't you see. The Dems have lost the COMMUNICATION game. Obama is brilliant because he set the RePUKES up for this narrative if the Dems in Congress and Obama TOGETHER are smart enough to take that next step and solidify the narrative. Middle America wants action and results. If they can be clearly conviced that the R's are going to play obstruction ONLY for the hope of election gain, they will reject it AND accept the D's rolling over them. Yesterday and in the SOTU Obama set the R's up as obstructionists if THEY continue to refuse to work with Dems, and after yesterday the R's are no doubt worried that label will stick. After the Dems can clearly and once and for all PROVE that the R's are beyond any doubt obstructionists, then they can roll over them and get things accomplished. So far they have simply not message and showcased that well enough. And the Dems MUST pass the things popular with most Dems and most INDYS such as jobs stimulus, insurance reform pieces, banking regs, etc.

[DURHAM D]

3. If the Obama that showed up yesterday would have appeared back -

in March to lead the national discussion on health care reform we would have had reform on health care.

BUT, then I remembered he was not for real health care reform or anything else that I care about as a liberal Democrat.

Conclusion, Obama has a lot of talent to move public policy - he just doesn't have any big policy initiatives that would help the middle/working class or matter for me.

[RBInMaine]

6. Sure he does. You can't expect everything. Don't be as all-or-nothing as the RePukes.

[DURHAM D]

7. I don't expect anything - let alone everything.

Name one basic democratic policy change you are positive he will use his talents and position to achieve.

[opihimoimoi]

4. The Albatross Syndrome has infected the GOP...too many deadbirds on the GOP's Neck

Rash Ass et al

[RBInMaine]

5. But the Dems need to KEEP THIS GOING. They must get together, MESSAGE, and PRODUCE.

[Gregorian]

8. It's amazing how subtle this game is.

I wanted Kucinich. He would have come out of the starting gate kicking ass. And it probably would have backfired. As cool, unemotional, non judging as Obama was, you'd think the earth had split in two. And there is little doubt that he fully exposed the party of NO as what they are(n't).

We must have this public dialog. It must be accessible to all. It's like insecticide. And god knows the infestation is chronic.

[quaker bill]

12. Not only backfired

but he would have seemed smaller for having tried to kick ass and failing at it. It is not really all that subtle. Obama has been good at minimizing his mistakes and making hay of his opponent's mistakes all along and this has been on prominent display since sometime in 2007. He consistently waits until the opponent has walked out to the tip of the branch before cutting it off, and then does so politely, but unapologetically.

All he ever needs is one "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" mistake and all things are said and done.

[mzmolly]

9. They also legitimized him as they had to call him "Mr. President."

The birfers will be aghast!

[high density]

10. I really like how he called attention to the GOP saying happy ideas that can't be implemented

"(The GOP policies Democrats are supposed to consider) can't just be political assertions that aren't substantiated when it comes to the actual details of policy." He then used the example of the GOP's health ideas that just say things to score political points that nobody can actually deliver.

[ibegurpard]

11. Key work in your post: ACTION

all of the rhetoric in the world won't make a difference if people see that their ACTIONS are not following through