WP: Memo to the left: Hands off Obama

[dennis4868]

Since the Democratic Party's "shellacking" in last month's midterm elections, speculation has been growing about a possible 2012 presidential primary challenge to President Obama launched by his party's disgruntled left. Talk of a primary challenge has only ratcheted up following Obama's announcement of the tax deal he cut this week with congressional Republicans.

Warning: If the Democratic left does to Obama in 2012 what it did to incumbent President Carter in 1980 via Ted Kennedy's damaging Democratic presidential primary challenge - or what the Republican right did to incumbent President George H.W. Bush in 1992 with Pat Buchanan's entry into the GOP primary - the Democratic party as a whole will find itself paying a steep price for years to come.

That's a promise, not a threat.

........

Obama's racially and ethnically diverse supporters know full well - even if the Democratic left wishes to forget - that if John McCain and Sarah Palin were in the White House instead of Obama and Joe Biden, there would be no laws or programs on the books that:

Extend health insurance coverage to 30 million Americans, prohibit insurers from dropping cancer patients and others with serious illnesses, and prevent kids with pre-existing conditions from being discarded by insurance companies.

Provide billions for early learning programs, elementary and secondary education, and $30 billion to make college more affordable for youth who otherwise wouldn't be able to attend.

Reform Wall Street, rescue the auto industry and, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, produce 3 million jobs that helped stop the U.S. economy from falling off the cliff.

The complete editorial is here.... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/10/AR2010121005182.html



I know that DU is now an anti-Obama website so sorry if the editorial I have posted offends anyone.....

[xchrom]

1. ...

:eyes:

[Lasher]

2. Resistance is futile! Nobody ever wins in these cases!

I'm sure Senator Murkowski heard it all when she launched her write-in campaign in the general election.

I am not anti-Obama, I am pro-Democrat. Come to think of it, this website is not titled, The Obama Underground.

[bluethruandthru]

9. [phone] n/t

[Aramchek]

19. you are cordially invited to participate in my DU Fund Drive

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=546305&mesg_id=546305

care to play?

[msongs]

3. another everyone who disagrees with obama is a hater post lol nt

[leveymg]

14. I'd take that a step further - another DU hater post and pure flame bait.

[Aramchek]

20. you are cordially invited to participate in my DU Fund Drive

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=546305&mesg_id=546305

See you there.

[Tesha]

32. Your topic seems to be locked.

You can probably stop plugging it until the Admins okay it
(if they okay it).

Tesha

[sellitman]

4. The purists in the party will bring us all down

Of that you can be sure.

[niceypoo]

22. What is a purist?

Please, do tell..

Is a 'purist' someone who adheres to traditional Democratic values?

Is a purist someone who refuses to become a right wing 'Neodem?'

Inquiring minds want to know

[golfguru]

34. A purist is one who seldom likes anything bi-partisan.

I would venture a guess...10% on left and 10% on right fall in that category.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. It's more about having leadership in the Democratic Party

this shouldn't be all about Obama or Nacy Pelosi it should be about where the Democratic Party is going. Until the DNC starts to show some action the party will disintegrate. The message is not getting out.

[KoKo]

33. Bill Clinton's appearance Friday holding his own press conference

while Obama went to eat with his wife sort of shows who is the leader of the Democratic Party. That was my thought, anyway as I watched the whole thing live.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. The defining feature of 'pro-Obama' posts is

the characterization of others and often of DU in a nasty, negative light. It seems it is impossible for them to make a point about policy or issues without taking a swipe at some group or another, if not teh gay, then the liberals or DU as a whole. But step one is always, always point a finger and frame away, with passive aggressive and disingenous 'apologia'.
Petty stuff.

[NorthCarolina]

7. +1

[Donnachaidh]

8. [phone] n/t

[Nite Owl]

16. +1

Their interest is primarily in Obama/DLC and not the party as a whole. Don't criticize anything just praise Obama for everything even if it is obvious that the people are getting screwed by his backroom deals. We complained when Bu$h did things but the very same things done by Obama are now to be accepted.

[dennis4868]

17. And the characterization of the anti obama posts here...

is that why is obama compromising...dont worry about a fillubuster of a tax bill that does not include cuts for the wealthy....Obama can over rule a fillubuster so why compromise? People are in a fantasy world if they think a tax cut extension for the middle class and lowest tax bracket (and not an extension for the wealthy) can overcome a fillubuster in the senate....for gods sake, the repubs fillubuster a bill last week that would provide assistance to 911 responders and people think that if Obama "fights" the repubs will somehow lay down their guns and allow taxes to go up on the rich? NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS.

[Union Scribe]

27. I've noticed that as well.

Even when they state they are posting positive things about Obama, it invariably is about his critics.

[CakeGrrl]

28. And that NEVER happens in an "anti-Obama" post. EVER.

:rofl:

[Occam Bandage]

36. I would say that is the defining feature of DU posts, period.

Including your own, of course.

[harun]

39. +1

[ampad]

10. I think that Mr. King is being too generous

I think that the rhetoric as of late has already compromised the AA vote. The Dem candidate that comes after Obama is going to have their work cut for them when it comes to the AA vote.

[ruggerson]

13. Serious question:

I've noticed that when left leaning voters, straight and gay, threaten to vote for a primary challenger and/or withhold their vote for Obama in '12, they are deluged with angry posts from Obama supporters telling them: "say hello to President Palin" and "So, you're going to vote Republican?" But then some of these same Obama supporters, so angry with the left for even thinnking of challenging Obama, turn around and say that if the first black President is "sabotoged" by the left, many AA's will leave the Democratic party. Why the double standard?

(note: I plan on voting for Obama, unless he chooses not to run again, which I think is highly unlikely)

[FrenchieCat]

30. The difference is that Black folks have consistently defended Democratic Presidents for some time...

and have overlooked a great many issues that they might have in the name of
getting things done.

It appears that this time around, since others don't seem at all willing to do the same,
harsher in this case than any I've ever seen.....and instead appear to be going out
of their way to twist everything and anything in order to deride this particular President.....
well, maybe many will decide, what the fuck, why should we have the backs of those
folks who smiled in our faces all of these years, when it is becoming clear that they
don't believe that they need to go out of their way to even stop and think for even one
moment as to what their continued actions could mean in terms of elections.

[ruggerson]

31. And the LGBT community hasn't?

We've been voting overwhelmingly Democratic for over thirty years. Up until recently, we were the second most reliable Democratic voting bloc after AA's. Even with this past election, we were still voting more than 2/3's Democratic. If exit polling is to be believed we are 4 to 6 percent of the voting public (probably significantly more, since many still do not feel comfortable responding honestly to pollsters).

That means we are 10%+ of the party.

As such, I think we have earned the right, over many, many years to applaud and support a Democratic Presddent when he/she fights for us and to be very critical when he/she does not.

[ladjf]

11. I believe that the Republican candidate for President in 2012 will

probably defeat any Democratic candidate. nt

[Exilednight]

12. Godforbid if we actually gave people a choice when it came to elections. n/t

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dinger]

18. This Is Not An Anti-Obama Website

You KNOW that.

[and-justice-for-all]

23. I am not anti-Obama....

I still like the guy, but he clearly has lost the fortitude to stand his ground and do what is right. I applaud the legislation that he has passed, good stuff, however his recent actions paint a different picture and one that I am not pleased with. He should be given criticism where it is due.

[marlakay]

29. What you said is exactly how I feel

I still like the guy, I know he has done some good things but he is not what I call a strong leader.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

35. Obama has always welcomed criticism

however I do feel he is not his own man. Others are calling the tune.

[Hawkowl]

24. Kennedy would've kicked Reagan's ass

Carter was primaried because he was weak. If the party establishment wouldn't have backed Carter, who was going to lose as long as the hostages were still held by Iran, then the Dems would've won in 1980.

Imagine the different kind of country we would have today if people would have voted for what they believed in (Kennedy) instead of voting for the alleged power of incumbency (Carter)!!

I will no longer vote out of fear. I will no longer vote for the lesser of two evils. I've been doing that for 27 years and it has simply made me worse off.

I will vote FOR what I want.

[budkin]

25. The guy is pissing off both sides of the aisle, of course he's going to get primaried

[cherokeeprogressive]

26. Doo Dah...

[4dsc]

37. This is not a bipartisan agreement

This is exactly what rethugs wanted. They didn't compromise so there is no fucking bipartisan effort here. Damn quitters.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

38. "Make me do it."

Hmmm, now who said that???