Posts
The story has been around for a while, but now it’s getting some serious traction.
Democratic insiders are in despair over the Obama administration. They hitched their hopes to Obama and saw them dashed on the shoals of reality.
Centrist Democrats are realizing that the Obama-led Democratic party is headed for near-certain defeat.
Chris Matthews sounded an alarm yesterday. A former Democratic politico turned pundit, Matthews had swooned over Obama in 2008.
Today, he voices profound disappointment with Obama’s performance:
This morning in the Wall Street Journal two Democratic pollsters, Patrick Caddell and Douglas Schoen openly encouraged Obama to drop out of the race in favor of their paladin, Hillary Clinton.
In their words: “When Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson accepted the reality that they could not effectively govern the nation if they sought re-election to the White House, both men took the moral high ground and decided against running for a new term as president. President Obama is facing a similar reality—and he must reach the same conclusion.
“He should abandon his candidacy for re-election in favor of a clear alternative, one capable not only of saving the Democratic Party, but more important, of governing effectively and in a way that preserves the most important of the president's accomplishments. He should step aside for the one candidate who would become, by acclamation, the nominee of the Democratic Party: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.”
Since Obama cannot run on his record, Caddell and Schoen foresee a campaign that will be so negative that, even if Obama wins, he will not be able to govern.
Of course, neither Caddell nor Schoen has ever expressed any admiration for Barack Obama. Their column might produce some White House angst, but they will probably be dismissed as diehard Clinton partisans who are looking for a way back to power and influence.
As of now, the polls are saying that next year’s race will be close. InTrade gives Obama a better than even chance of winning. Seasoned politicos foresee defeat.
Who’s right?
If I had to venture a guess, I would side with the Democratic pundits. More likely than not, Obama will lead his party to defeat. Surely, Hillary Clinton would revitalize the party, if not lead it to victory.
If Obama were the man that Chris Matthews used to think he was, he would take a cold hard look into the future and retire away for the good of the party.
But then he would be showing enough strength of character to admit failure and take responsibility.
If we have learned anything from Obama’s miserable performance, it is that he doesn’t have it. I guess that he will not withdraw.
6 comments:
"...even if Obama wins, he will not be able to govern."
Give me executive orders, the powers of the commander in chief, and the ability to appoint czars and you can have your government by legislation.
Of course, you're right, but it's a sorry excuse for democratic governance.
Agreed but that's what it's come to and, absent some intense existential event, that's where it will stay. Sigh.
Do you mean, between now and the election, or are you thinking that O has a good chance to win?
Today I read that Obama will win because he has a solid base of 44% that will vote for him blindly. We know that Mitt does not inspire anyone to vote for him. Thus, an enthusiasm gap.
Still, I think that a good Republican will beat O, and by a lot. I suppose that that's my way of keeping hope alive.
I mean, for the existential event, any old time. But by that I mean something that destroys cities, something that destroys one of the key myths, and hence something that is unlikely.
I don't think Obama has a 44% base. I think his hard base is confined to a large subset of African Americans that may or may not show up to vote plus a certain chunk of the extreme left of the Democrats. The left, center and right of the Democrats may or may not show up to vote.
Of course I also depends on the candidate opposing him but not, I think, so much as one would suppose.
He'll get ACORN in the mix.
Post a Comment