Obama’s campaign is being run by political lunatics. Their whacky philosophy, if not corrected, will ultimately lead to defeat or a near- loss which would spell the forfeiture of both houses of Congress – since a weak incumbent carries no coat-tails. Moreover, the Senate is on the edge, even in the case of a big win. Obama must win by 7 or 8 points to hold the Senate 51-49.
A nation in total gridlock and shutdown will materialize if he barely squeaks by. On the other hand, a race to plutocracy will ensue if Republicans take all. Congrats, we’re back to Square One. The lesser of two evils is on our plate again.
My view is – Obama, the candidate, is an excellent product, but his salesmen and handlers aren’t. Who advised Obama to stay out of Wisconsin? Who told him to distance himself from labor? Who suggested Obama announce support for gay marriage – risking the loss of swing states in the Bible Belt? (Workers and the Middle Class are the heart and soul of the President’s support. Without them, there would be no Democratic Party. Are Dem political leaders nuts?)
They may excuse themselves from potential loss by singling out CITIZENS UNITED and billionaires’ billions. But the fact that Obama’s base is the largest political party in the world gives them no cover.
The manner in which the campaign is being poorly managed is putting progressives between a rock and a hard place. The bottom line – we MUST get on board but we sure as hell don’t feel like it; and Obama’s political advisers are to blame.
David Axelrod and David Plouffe’s campaign philosophy is heresy for several reasons.
(1) DETACHMENT FROM THE BASE. Distancing the President from his political base in an effort to win independents does nothing but drive them away while at the same time suppressing the party faithful. Swing voters tend to vote with the party more energized. So, they are not impressed when the President appeases the right while breaking rock-solid promises to supporters now disappointed and disillusioned. Only when the base is revitalized (from either party) do so-called “independents” gravitate to the more passionate (thus the term “swing-voter”). In other words, there must be movement and life to attract non-affiliates. A party discouraged is a party defeated.
(2) MESSAGE CONTROL. How many surrogates must go off the reservation before campaign heads roll? First it was Biden, then Booker, then Ford, then Rendell, then Patrick, then Bill. Who’s next? They’re making Obama look the fool.
Karl Rove definitely wouldn’t run such an undisciplined campaign.
Bain Capital certainly is an issue since Mitt Romney made it one – claiming he knows how to conduct business since he ran one for 25 years –cannibalizing manufacturing and shipping what was left overseas.
He ended up with $250 million while workers got pink slips, lost their pensions plus savings, and whole industries relocated outside the US which were the lucky few survivors that weren’t closed down altogether. The government had to step in with taxpayer money to supplement lost pensions. In this way, Romney got rich off the taxpayers.
The question remains – Who’s controlling the message? Is there no one coaching surrogates?
3. MAJORING ON MINORS. Tangents seem to always block Democrats’ path to victory. Although the issue of same-sex marriage may be a valid, ethical one, the timing couldn’t be worse. That’s what is mystifying about the President’s advisors. Obama’s re-election depends on states like Iowa, Virginia, North Carolina, and Ohio – swing states predominantly evangelical.
The math doesn’t add up. Advocating same-sex marriage to a national audience does nothing but inflame religious right passions in crucial states that will determine the election in the fall. White evangelicals already see Democrats as evil allies of Satan. Now fuel has been tossed on the fire.
Other side issues are aired to the campaign’s detriment – while the economy, jobs and infrastructure should be at the heart.
The colossal disappointment in Wisconsin sent shockwaves across the country, especially in union households. They now see Obama as weak on labor, too intimidated by big money to take a stand for working folk.
His speeches, of course, are masterpieces. But without substance, his words ring hollow. Surely Obama recognized the necessity of his presence in Wisconsin. He made campaign stops in every state surrounding Badger country; so why not there? I suspect he accepted poor advice. What else could it be? After all, Scott Walker’s confrontation with labor began January 2011, but Barack Obama didn’t make an appearance to counterattack Walker’s war during that whole period.
Union folk are pissed. They may not vocalize it on rooftops due to the campaign season, but they feel betrayed nevertheless. Obama’s base has been defecated upon by the party elite that forgot how their bread is buttered.
Labor and progressives will vote for Obama, but not with the enthusiasm held in 2008. And without that enthusiasm, independents won’t be as inclined to vote Democratic – no matter how inferior the Republican slate may be.
If Romney gets in, the Supreme Court will be stacked forever to the right, at least for a generation. The country will return to the George W. Bush policies that got us into this mess, and Democrats will retreat into obscurity.
Tax cuts for the wealthy will be made permanent. Voter suppression laws will be a national obsession. Health care, gay rights, unemployment, Social Security, Medicare, and most social safety-nets will be undermined or repealed. Austerity will be for the poor only while the 1% enrich themselves further off the redistribution of wealth – Robin Hood in reverse. The nation will go into a full-blown depression while Republicans trick us into more unnecessary, venturous wars costing trillions. Their hypocritical concern for national debt will evaporate faster than morning mist at summer’s sun.
So, it’s another DAMNED election – DAMNED if Obama wins, more DAMNED if he doesn’t. At least, that’s the way progressives see it. They will vote for Obama, not out of zeal, but of need. God help us if he doesn’t.