How Obama Screws His Base

The president's party desperately needs to rev up liberals to stave off disaster this fall. So why does he keep punching them in the face?

In case you hadn’t heard, yes Barack Obama did go before a $30,000-per-person Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Greenwich, Connecticut—the hedge-fund capital of the world—and (at the home, I kid you not, of a guy named “Rich Richman” ) complain about how silly his base was being.

(Laughter.) "If we get an historic health-care bill passed—oh, well, the public option wasn’t there. If you get the financial-reform bill passed—then, well, I don’t know about this particular derivatives rule, I’m not sure that I’m satisfied with that. And gosh, we haven’t yet brought about world peace and—(laughter.) I thought that was going to happen quicker." (Laughter.)

Yuck, Yuck yuck. I suppose it is mere coincidence that on the same day your remarks appeared, The New York Times ran a story explaining that union members, like other important parts of the Democratic base, are not feeling particularly enthusiastic about the party—a reality that, in turn, further dampens the Democrats’ chances of holding onto their congressional majorities.

Article - Alterman Insane Obama Barack Obama and Joseph Biden walk to the Rose Garden to make a statement on the economy at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010. Joshua Roberts / Bloomberg via Getty Images

I know they’re paying me to make sense of this stuff, but this one’s really beyond me. I mean, put yourselves in their shoes. Let’s say you’re the president of a country whose political opposition is going nuts. On television, pretty much every day, you find yourself compared to Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Satan. A respected leader of the party, much admired in the media, says you are motivated by “Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior,” and that your presidency amounts to “a wonderful con.” Another one says your health plan is designed to murder old folks. And backed up by an estimated $400 million in unaccountable corporate and conservative spending, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Perhaps now might not be the best time to make those folks—the ones who believed in you most deeply and committed themselves to your candidacy most passionately—feel like complete schmucks for believing in you in the first place.

With your own party heading for disaster in the polls, a number of its candidates are running away from you faster than you can say, “You really considered this guy for vice president?” In the meantime, a number of your most devoted supporters are noticing that in your quest to make deals with the same folks—the ones who hate you and the ones who are running away from you—you appear to be letting go of more than a few promises you made to them during your election campaign: promises that, presumably, had something to do with why they supported you in the first place.

After all, who was the guy who said "Any plan I sign must include an insurance exchange... including a public option"? Or that “the choice of a public insurance option” was one of his “three bedrock requirements for real health-care reform”? And mentioned that thing about promising to “put in place the common-sense regulations and rules of the road I've been calling for since March—rules that will keep our market free, fair, and honest; rules that will restore accountability and responsibility in our corporate boardrooms"? And let’s not even mention the fellow who got his dander up about Gitmo, rendition, and restoring America’s reputation for following the rule of law in its struggle against Islamic fundamentalism. Perhaps now might not be the best time to make those folks—the ones who believed in you most deeply and committed themselves to your candidacy most passionately—feel like complete schmucks for believing in you in the first place.

Oh sure, they shut up and took it when Rahm Emanuel called liberals “fucking retarded” for even imagining that the president could be induced to stick to his guns on the public option. And the unions, who provide the armies of phone bankers and door knockers during election time, could deal, if necessary, with Rahm yelling “Fuck the UAW” when it came time to figure out how to save the auto industry. They sat back patiently when Politico portrayed White House officials as “contemptuous of what they see as liberal lamentations unhinged from historical context or contemporary political realities.” They even managed to get over it when presidential spokesperson Robert Gibbs told those guys from The Hill he thought liberal complainers “ought to be drug tested,” were “crazy” and would only “be satisfied when we have Canadian health care and we’ve eliminated the Pentagon.”

Look, we understand that politics is a frustrating business and holding together the disparate coalition that is the Democratic Party these days is no simple matter. But facing an “enthusiasm gap” of epic proportions between a right-wing base that is “loaded for bear” and a Democratic one that is bordering on catatonic, what possible sense can it make to unload on the folks you should be trying hardest to motivate? Just who the hell do you expect to go out and vote Democratic this November? Somehow I don’t think the pundits at the Post and Politico who enjoy this kind of thing are going to be enough.

Perhaps you know what you’re doing, Mr. President, but if you ask me, it’s, well, Rahm would know what to say about it, if he weren't being such a *$%#YI$#!* ^@#YU

Obama Needs Liberals Back On His Side - The Daily Beast

OTOH, nobody seems to like Obama anymore... 'Must be hard for him...

Tout le monde en veut à Obama | Slate

Everyone wants [to kick] Obama
How Barack Obama became so unpopular in the United States.

"[Bad] days for Obama", "The Democrats and Obama are moving towards an imminent election defeat", "The popularity of Obama collapses". This is a small sample of recent headlines in the American press on his chair . Everyone seems to have a grudge against him . Even Desmond Tutu, South African Archbishop kindly published an article in which he castigates President Obama . ( Because the U.S. administration to cut aid allocated to the fight against AIDS in South Africa .)

All against Obama

" The Chamber of Commerce loses the battle against Obama "Headlined the Washington Post on July 22. The paper tells us that this powerful commercial lobby spends three million [ 2.3 million euros ] per week to derail the initiatives of the President. The direction of the Chamber of Commerce is furious efforts were unsuccessful , which is rather rare . Not only contractors who prey on Obama "For the American labor movement , the first part of the mandate of Obama is a disaster. " This is the title of the editorial union leader published in the Washington Post . It invokes the same complaint : Obama does not meet expectations ... This time workers .

On Wall Street , even sounding . "The titans of finance in New York feel marginalized. Obama has replaced " Another headline offended . The money comes from campaign donations , however, collected during dinner in the sumptuous apartments of financial magnates in the presence of Barack Obama . But it no longer supports , and keeps the bankers at a distance . " Some donors complain that Obama has not only refused to give them positions of influence within his government but he does not even invited to receptions at the White House ", Develops the story in the Washington Post. And so on ...

The military want the American president who will undergo their major cuts. Environmentalists denounced the withdrawal of support for Obama in their demands for more restrictive laws . The oil industry is furious against new environmental regulations to which it is submitted . The Jewish lobby is exasperated Obama before the pressures on the government of Tel Aviv for it to make concessions to the Palestinians. The pharmaceutical industry and the hospital did not forgive him for the health reform . The banks resent the new financial regulations . Not forgetting the 15 million Americans unemployed . Fortunately , Michelle Obama to remain and his two daughters to continue to love him .

Economic insecurity at the root of anger general

What happened ? How this politician who has inspired the world did he become a president daily accused of not knowing how to communicate with his country and to keep his distance from the masses who, until recently, the worship? It goes without saying that Barack Obama and his team have made mistakes. But this is not the worst .

What is the basis of this widespread discontent is the economic malaise. The Americans do not seem to remember that Obama has inherited a disastrous situation, he has avoided - somehow - an economic crash worse. They do not care , what matters is that they do not find work or they see their economic future in jeopardy. According to a Gallup survey , only 4 % of Americans put the war or terrorism in their main concerns . This figure contrasts sharply with the 66% of Americans say the economy is their top concern . Another survey ( CBS ) reveals that only 13 % of Americans believe that Obama's economic programs have improved their position, while 63 % felt they had no effect ( which is obviously contradicted by the impression reality).

The opposition succeeds in discrediting Obama

These negative impressions about Obama are fed by the campaigns of discrediting its opponents. Obama has touched the interests of groups extremely powerful. The public had yet sought and applauded the reforms that he pledged ... Until he takes them out. Naturally, those who could not bear to see their lost privileges are mobilized. All means were good to obstruct change and weaken Obama.

They managed to make believe 27 % of Americans ( recent figures ) that President Obama is not born in the U.S.; 18 % think he is Muslim. While there is compelling evidence that he was born in Hawaii and he is a Christian. But these misconceptions are clearly the result of economic insecurity and campaigns aimed at undermining the authority of the president.

And then there are the elections of November 2, which will play third of the Senate, the entire House of Representatives and 28 state governorships . Everything seems to indicate that the Democratic Party will lose the majority it enjoyed until the lower house and it will keep a precarious control of the Senate .

Governing a country inherited from George W. Bush is a daunting task . The government coping with the multitude of backlash against the changes needed it done is even more difficult.

Moisés Naím

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