Do you think Obama's campaign is going to be namby-pamby, "I'm middle of the road" and safe?

[Onlooker]

Is what we're seeing from Obama, what we're going to get? He seems to be a Carteresque wimp, so desperate to be loved by the independents that he's losing respect from everyone. (But of course, he still has my vote over any Republican.)

- He didn't take a bold stand on Wisconsin.

- He's not speaking out forcefully about what's wrong with the Tea Party.

- He's not making a case for fixing our deficit by raising taxes on the wealthy.

- He's not arguing that budget cuts will lead to job losses.

- He's not taking a strong stand on transparency.

- He's not even taking a strong stand on Libya.

- He's not even taking a tough stand on oil companies as the price of gas and heating oil skyrockets.

- He's not even taking a bold stand on Wall Street, where bonuses are back to pre-recession levels.

- He doesn't really seem to be standing up for anyone, just trying not to make too many waves.

Frankly, he's a bore. Maybe that's what Americans want, but let's remember that our boring Presidents -- be it Carter, Ford, or Bush I did not fare well. I keep hoping we'll see an Obama who leads and fights and makes a passionate and fact-based case for liberalism, but instead he seems to be, as they say, no drama Obama.

[LiberalEsto]

1. Yes nt

[enough]

2. To me, it isn't going to make much difference what kind of campaign he puts on.

The record of status-quo governance that he has already demonstrated makes me rather impervious to anything he might say.

[Deep13]

3. No, but it won't matter...

...he'll be out-spent 5 to 1.

[xchrom]

4. he didn't surround himself with the rubinite financialists to be out spent.

he'll have the bucks.

[tularetom]

5. He's stacked his cabinet and staff with DLC retreads from the Clinton WH

And he's listening to them and the beltway pundits instead of the people.

At this point a high energy campaign filled with fiery rhetoric would sound hypocritical given the way he has governed.

He has to demonstrate that he gives a shit BEFORE the campaign begins. Like now. Or yesterday.

[ProSense]

6. "He's not even taking a strong stand on Libya. "

What's a "hard stance"?

US slaps sanctions on Libya minister, 16 companies

"He's not even taking a bold stand on Wall Street, where bonuses are back to pre-recession levels."

Enacted shareholder rules on executive pay

S.E.C. Proposes Crackdown on Wall Street Bonuses

Under Obama, the department collected more than $1 billion in fines during fiscal year 2010, the most the government has collected in the law’s 38-year history, and more than ten times the $87 million collected in 2007 by the Bush Administration.

[sharp_stick]

7. I guess he could have

launched airstrikes on Tripoli. Maybe that would have made certain posters happy?

[ProSense]

8. "He's not taking a strong stand on transparency."

CREW AND OBAMA ADMINISTRATION REACH HISTORIC LEGAL SETTLEMENT – WHITE HOUSE TO POST VISITOR RECORDS ONLINE

WH: Introducing FOIA.gov

This could go on and on.

[amandabeech]

39. Any news on whether the President will disclose those who visit

the nearby office suite instead so that their names don't go on the White House visitors list?

How about the meetings at the local Caribou Coffee. Are they covered?

[leveymg]

9. He'll try to pull some symbolic liberal "rabbits" out of his hat first, but the campaign itself will

be all directed at the middle-of-the-road types. In other words, it will pander to moderate Republicans and will be a big-money media-based campaign.

He won't have the Obama For America millions of volunteers in '12, so he'll need to spend hundreds of millions on media buys - he'll raise that money on Wall Street. We all know what that entails - a further move to the Right in governing.

[JoePhilly]

10. Maybe he should nationalize the oil industry?

[Safetykitten]

11. "Just think of me as an Eisenhower but not as liberal".

[uponit7771]

12. I could care less, all Obama has to do is tout 8% unemployment and he'll win

[uponit7771]

13. I didn't expect perfect, I expected adequate and got good....

[Life Long Dem]

14. Funny how some can see things differently.

The President will accept an award from a coalition of good government groups and transparency advocates in conjunction with Sunshine Week, on transparency in government.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/03/the-presidential-planner-10.html

[Armstead]

17. Not hard to look good on that coming after GW Bush

[Autumn]

15. It doesn't matter what he campaigns on. We have two

choices, him or a republican. :shrug: The up side is I don't have to listen to the speeches or debates, knock on doors or anything. All I have to do is show up and vote against whoever the GOP puts up.

[louslobbs]

26. Exactly what I'm going to do. I don't want to hear him anymore, see him or think about him.

I will show up, vote against every Republicon and then sit back and watch the show for the 4yrs after. For those who have to vote on those rigged, paperless GOP machines, you will vote Democratic, and your vote will amazingly go to the Republicon and you'll never know it happened. Election reform is a good idea at this point in our history so elections cannot be easily manipulated to the advantage of the corporations and Republicons, but the powerful, rich and Rethugs don't want a paper trail.....I wonder why?
Lou

[robcon]

16. He'll take centrist positions, and win re-election easily.

He's in better shape than he was in 2008. He has a greater share of approval from independent voters than he had then.

[Avant Guardian]

18. The youth vote didnt pan out during the midterms

...because 'hope' and 'change' didn't pan out. Hate to inform you, but there is no 'center' in a two party system.

[jenmito]

19. They didn't "pan out" because Obama wasn't on the ticket. They will "pan out" in '12. n/t

[Avant Guardian]

22. Mindless slogans never pan out

[jenmito]

25. Obama wasn't on the ticket in '10. That's why the youth vote didn't "pan out."

And now instead of, "Yes we can" he can run on "Yes we did." And Obama will win again. With the youth vote as well as all other groups he won in '08.

[Avant Guardian]

28. Nice spin

The youth that rode Obama to victory in 08 did not show up in 10, because Obamas neutralized his own 'Hope' and 'Change' memes.

[jenmito]

30. Nice try.

Obama wasn't on the ticket. The congresspeople up for reelection didn't fire up the youth. Period.

[Avant Guardian]

32. Same spin

"The congresspeople up for reelection didn't fire up the youth. Period."

Wishful spin.

[jenmito]

33. It's reality.

[Avant Guardian]

34. Mindless slogans never pan out

[jenmito]

35. Your meme doesn't pan out.

[Bake]

23. Today's "centrist" is yesterday's "raving conservative."

It's pathetic.

Bake

[jenmito]

20. ProSense's posts on this thread pretty much disproved your OP. And as far as running on

being "...middle of the road..." do you not remember him being proud of having Repubs. supporting him? They were known as "Obamacans." And how 'bout his line about there not being a 'red' America or a 'blue' America but the United states of America? What short memories some have.

[polichick]

21. It already is - Win the Future (just don't talk controversial details).

[ladjf]

24. I have read that the President is planning to spend 1 billion bucks

on campaign. Unbelievable. nt

[jenmito]

27. No-people think he will raise that much. We'll see. n/t

[treestar]

29. Sounds like the right wing meme about Al Gore

He's boring. What is the President, the main entertainer? What's with the need for drama? More gets done by people doing their jobs than just creating drama for the bored.

[Bluenorthwest]

31. Like his last run, it will be all hate preachers and hard cash

Big, orchestrated, intentionally chaotic rallies. High drama. 'Ministers' who slander minority groups at 'Faith Meets Politics' events. Prayer meetings, McClurkin, Warren, Kirbyjon, the Obama Road Show we all know so well. Burning money like it was something we have to burn.

[Hawkowl]

36. His ass kicking will make Mondale look like a genius. nt

[avaistheone1]

37. True.

Obama is boring. That is what happens when you try to morph from a Democrat to a Republican wannabe.

[BlueIris]

38. I think Obama's campaign will be nonexistent.

Like his presidency.