Please, spare us the "How Obama lost his magic" columns

[babylonsister]

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/barack_obama/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/06/21/obama_new_york_times_column

Please, spare us the "How Obama lost his magic" columns
By Steve Kornacki



For his weekly New York Times column over the weekend, Charles Blow scanned some recent polling data and concluded that President Obama's "magic has drained away."

He then tried to explain why, laying some blame on voters (for expecting too much) and some on Obama (for being too inflexible and "rooted in the belief that his way is the right way and in no need of alteration"). To regain his popularity, Blow advised the president to "re-evaluate the composition of his inner circle (which could use a shake-up) and the constitution of his inner self (which could use a wake-up)."

Man, oh man, do I hate these kinds of columns. Why? Because the explanation for Obama's midterm polling slide is actually very simple: It was inevitable from the moment he was elected, and there was nothing he could have done to avoid it.

Just about every president's popularity wanes in his second year in office; the only question is of degree. In Obama's case, the drop was always going to be pronounced, given the enormous popularity he started out with and the gruesome economic conditions he walked into. Factor in sizable Democratic congressional majorities, which (fair or not) make it impossible for Obama to credibly blame the country's woes on his political opponents, and you have the recipe for substantial "buyer's remorse." Here's how I put it back in December 2008, before Obama even took office, in a column that advised ambitious Democrats not to run for higher office in 2010:

That brings us to 2010. On the surface, it looks like another promising year for Democrats, particularly in the Senate, where the G.O.P. will have more turf to defend—some of it in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and New Hampshire, where Democrats have had much success these past two elections. In a climate like 2008 or 2006—or even like 2000 or 1998—the stage would seem set for a strong Democratic year.

But by Election Day 2010, Democrats will have been running Washington for nearly two years. As economist Paul Krugman suggested in Monday's New York Times, no matter what Barack Obama does in the coming months, dreadful economic news is likely for all of 2009, perhaps well into 2010. Americans have invested considerable hope in Obama—more than they have in most incoming presidents—but, amid perpetually gloomy news, this optimism will eventually give way.

Suddenly, those promising targets for Democrats might not look so inviting...

All Blow (and everyone else writing "How Obama lost his magic" columns) is doing is documenting, subgroup by subgroup, a phenomenon that was completely predictable from the very beginning. His analysis and prescriptions are useless. If Obama had spent the last year doing everything Blow now advises, his numbers would be exactly where they are right now. The only thing different would be Blow's explanation (and his advice).


more...

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/barack_obama/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/06/21/obama_new_york_times_column

[msongs]

1. lol poor helpless Obama, his actions can do NOTHING, NOTHING at all to change anything nt

[TheWraith]

4. Does it ever disturb you, your need to flamebait and Obama bash? nt

[Kalun D]

2. Magic Is Not Real

It's all smoke and mirrors, just like the "change" which is just more of the same corporate plutocracy

[vaberella]

6. You haven't a clue...link below to expand on why you haven't a clue.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x349139 <---I didn't realize this defined corporate plutocracy.

[Kalun D]

8. Why?

Why did it take the biggest environmental disaster in US history to get them to ask for this?

and will it be slow walked like the fake "health care" bill?

Will Obama say he's for it but not vigorously push for it like he did for the $700 BILLION giveaway to the crooked bankers or the defense appropriations?

[vaberella]

23. Uh...if I remember correctly Obama was already putting the fix on corporatism.

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_12294767 He was already planning sweeping financial reform. Because of this mess it would seem for some people that Obama is waiting post oil disaster for everything. Well this Congress can't seem to do more than one thing. And every sweeping proposal he wants ends up in war. And he was planning on doing this stuff before and especially corporate dominance you just are either deaf to it, have selective amnesia, and or haven't heard about it.

As for the health care bill---someone who was rejected for various preconditions in the past. I don't see this bill as fake since my chances have already improved. My health depended on it and it didn't let me down.

Well, I'd like to know what is vigorously pushing it. Where the glorious media who loves Obama pimps him out tv doing it. Half of what he does is not put on television. Majority said that Obama had no response to the gulf oil spill. While the Coast Guard briefings on C-Span suggested otherwise. So if you want public announce love---I don't expect to find it since they want people like you to have the reactions you do so they expand on how much Obama is a failure and then we'll have a nice Republican president come 2012 to enjoy near destruction. 90% of what Obama is doing is probably not reported on in favor of the reactionary hate they can ingest.

[Kalun D]

9. You Haven't A Clue

as to who these people are

Rahm Emmanuel, corporate insider
Tim Geitner , banking insider
Ben Bernanke, banking insider, bush appointee
Larry Summers, corporate insider
Ken Salazar, corporate insider
Robert Gates, corporate insider, bush appointee
Eric Holder, corporate insider
Arne Duncan, anti Union neolib

can you say "business as usual"?

[babylonsister]

10. Is there anyone or anything you like about this admin? I'd

love to know, because I'm sure wondering what you're doing here if you're not interested in offering anything constructive.

[Kalun D]

11. I'm not interested in Echo Chambers

it's a fruitless exercise if there's bad stuff going on that needs to be corrected.

things I like about Obama

#1, he broke the race barrier bigtime

he's def the lesser of two evils

he helped with the student loan situation

he funded stem cell research

he talks a very good game and sometimes that promotes actual action among the general population. So in spite of his egregious actions some good will be done locally

there is such a thing as constructive criticism but if you can't admit there's anything wrong in the first place then you are toast.

Please list Obama's accomplishments, I will read them, but I'll also bet you there are bigger successes for the corporations than there are for the working class.

[babylonsister]

12. Thank you for making the effort to list what you do like.

I'm glad there's something.

As far as accomplishments, I try to point them out whenever I find them, but the good news very often gets drowned out by all the negative.

[treestar]

17. There is such a thing as constructive criticism

It's just that this is not it.

There have been lists of accomplishments posted several times. And then just dismissing them (which is not constructive criticism, either).

[Kalun D]

25. I'm sorry

I have been pessimistic lately

point me to the lists

[akbacchus_BC]

29. Just go away! Who you trying to fool on here? No matter what

President Obama accomplishes, it will never be good enough for you?

Why don't you run for President of the US since you so effing better and you have all the answers?

[Kalun D]

36. sorry if you don't believe me

since none of you people touting how much good Obama has done are willing to post actual facts

I'll have to do it myself.

[Mojorabbit]

42. I have seen lists

posted but many of the items on the list are things that are being looked into, not things accomplished. There are some wonderful things he has done most of them low hanging fruit and some not and for that I am grateful but renditions, secret prisons, CIA assassinations, etc. are also policies he has continued or implemented. That is a list which also must be looked at. If we do not actively push for fixes to this type of thing we will end up in a police state which is my greatest fear.

[frylock]

13. love it or leave it

[babylonsister]

14. You may think that, I don't. nt

[frylock]

18. i must have misinterpreted your post then..

"I'm sure wondering what you're doing here if you're not interested in offering anything constructive."

[babylonsister]

21. Criticism can be constructive and is vastly different than just

constantly bashing because someone doesn't like this prez or Dems in general.

[Kalun D]

26. I voted for him

I celebrated when he won, my posts are here on DU

I hated bush and still do of course

but Obama has turned 180 in a lot of respects from his campaign

it's disappointing to say the least. I'm sure his hands are tied in many respects but that's no reason for him to seem to actually be working for the other side.

[Name removed]

30. Deleted message

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

[Kalun D]

35. I'm not like the repugs

that give our leader a pass just because of the letter after his name

I still think he has potential, but at this point it's largely unrealized, and in many ways we are going in the wrong direction

Let any of the "he can do no wrong" supporters tell me who these people are working for

Rahm Emmanuel, corporate insider
Tim Geitner , banking insider
Ben Bernanke, banking insider, bush appointee
Larry Summers, corporate insider
Ken Salazar, corporate insider
Robert Gates, corporate insider, bush appointee
Eric Holder, corporate insider
Arne Duncan, anti Union neolib

[Catherina]

40. Who the fuck are you fooling? Kalun D has been here since 2001

Check his posts if you don't believe who he voted for.

Your line is tired and dishonest. A LOT of us who voted for Obama are diappointed and pissed off right now. Start dealing with that reality instead of making dishonest attacks against other posters.

[frylock]

16. wrong post

[treestar]

15. This is getting old

Because people know the area/field they are in and are prominent in it.

[Kalun D]

37. LOLZ!!!!!!

bernanke, a criminal, a bush appointee

yeah he's really experienced at ripping people off and getting away with it

same with Geitner

if there were ANY justice these people would be behind bars, they stole $BILLIONS

it's really no different than Maddof, they are just being protected

[vaberella]

24. Whatever, some reports have shown otherwise. n/t

[girl gone mad]

19. Gloat when something is accomplished

Big plans and promises aren't enough anymore.

[vaberella]

22. Actually...I've been gloating for a while.

He's accomplished a lot. Way more than I expected in this political climate and it's only been 18 months. I wasn't expecting him to turn the world perfect in 18 months considering how long the American people gave Bush to fuck it up. So for the 18 months yeah...and I'll be waiting for more. But I'm impressed and I'm tired of this snide commentary of him being a corporatist or a failure.

[Egnever]

34. ..

:headbang:

[akbacchus_BC]

28. President Obama has done a lot and no matter what he does, it will

never be enough for you! So keep on bashing him if that makes you feel good!

[TheKentuckian]

43. That is your assessment but I still hold out hope for more actions

that I can say are good enough.

Feeding a person a plate of dog food and them not accepting it as fit for human consumption is not a valid indicator of their possible satisfaction with a bowl of soup, a can of ravioli, green beans, or a steak.

Maybe the person just isn't going to choke down dog food be it Alpo, Kibbles n Bits, or the generic but they might be thankful for a simple bowl of oatmeal.

Nothing being good enough is wholly subjective.

[SunsetDreams]

33. So he hasn't done anything? Nothing at all?

[saltpoint]

39. Clearly you've never heard Murray Perahia play the Chopin Sonata in

B-Minor.

That would prompt a reassessment on your part on the subject of magic.

[jenmito]

3. K&R.

[TheWraith]

5. Kicked and recommended...

Which was partially countered by an unreccer. :P

[vaberella]

7. I though I would drop in.

:kick: 'n' rec.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

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

[Clio the Leo]

20. I'm cryin' into my Kool-Aid...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4GfRQSE-Ak

[Kalun D]

27. LOLZ!!!!!!!!!

[treestar]

32. That's because they expected magic to begin with

Kind of pathetic, really.

[saltpoint]

38. Very good post.

People who follow the personable aspect of public figures have no doubt that Barack Obama is an inspiring soul.

He is connecting on a frequency of the heart that translates into respect and support.

FOX News hasn't gotten that memo yet.

Recommended.

[MadHound]

41. You know, for many of us it wasn't that we thought Obama was magic to begin with

We were simply hoping for relief from the unrelenting hits we were taking from the Bush administration. If you are anti-war, pro civil rights, pro education, etc. etc., that relief hasn't come, but the hits still are.

Thus our enthusiasm wanes dramatically.

[NJmaverick]

44. K & R!