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Jose Garcia

(2,552 posts)
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 01:07 PM Dec 2016

Obama says Democrats lost by not showing up

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)President Barack Obama faulted his party's campaign strategy in an interview airing Monday, arguing Democrats suffered stinging electoral losses in last month's vote because they failed to campaign in hard-hit rural areas.

Taking partial blame -- and withholding any direct criticism of Hillary Clinton -- Obama said candidates in the future should ignore at their own peril the places Democrats haven't traditionally performed well.

"You've got a situation where they're not only entire states but also big chunks of states where, if we're not showing up, if we're not in there making an argument, then we're going to lose," Obama told NPR. "And we can lose badly, and that's what happened in this election."

In the aftermath of November's election, some Democrats have accused Clinton of maintaining a relaxed campaign schedule, bypassing states like Wisconsin and Iowa where Obama won in 2012. Her wins were principally in urban areas and on the coasts, leaving the rust belt and the heartland mostly red.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/19/politics/president-obama-npr-interview/index.html

47 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Obama says Democrats lost by not showing up (Original Post) Jose Garcia Dec 2016 OP
Those who did will get what they voted for onecaliberal Dec 2016 #1
This should be fun. jalan48 Dec 2016 #2
This I will lay at the feet of the media. AtheistCrusader Dec 2016 #3
I guess we should have showed up in... yallerdawg Dec 2016 #4
But not enough did which is why I think polls should be open for 3 days to a week cstanleytech Dec 2016 #8
Here in Florida each county must offer early voted for at lest seven days, and Jose Garcia Dec 2016 #10
The Republican Party passed a lot of laws in NC limiting voting hours, etc. yardwork Dec 2016 #38
We did turn out to vote. He just turned out every white, racist, rural voter imaginable. LonePirate Dec 2016 #13
yes NewJeffCT Dec 2016 #26
and now Coolest Ranger Dec 2016 #5
Precisely Sherman A1 Dec 2016 #11
This message was self-deleted by its author Efilroft Sul Dec 2016 #14
I'd blame the Dem loss partly on this.... Plucketeer Dec 2016 #27
Yes, the turnout was low elmac Dec 2016 #6
Hillary turned out virtually the same number of voters as Obama, despite the fact pnwmom Dec 2016 #28
Hillary got about 4% less then Obama got in 2012 elmac Dec 2016 #32
Yes, because of voter suppression. They cut back polling places and pnwmom Dec 2016 #40
T has already been laying the groundwork, complaining that people have moonscape Dec 2016 #45
Or their names mysteriously disappeared from voting rolls. Qutzupalotl Dec 2016 #7
But to mainstream Dems this doesn't exist Generator Dec 2016 #37
The president is correct. J_William_Ryan Dec 2016 #9
Yup dems did it to themselves again. And lost the scotus for another generation Ohioblue22 Dec 2016 #12
lackluster enthusiasm, expected win, and voter suppression we lose BREMPRO Dec 2016 #15
Grrrr ananda Dec 2016 #16
While back at the proverbial ranch turbinetree Dec 2016 #17
Let's take it one step further Retrograde Dec 2016 #41
HEY, Friend Guess What turbinetree Dec 2016 #42
i DISAGREE lark Dec 2016 #18
It's hard to see the 'disconnect' easier when Ds -even you say things like "stupid rural BS" Sunlei Dec 2016 #23
300,000 were not allowed to vote in Wisconsin... secondwind Dec 2016 #19
at least they TRIED to vote. Sunlei Dec 2016 #21
Unproven and undocumented Yonnie3 Dec 2016 #24
yes, once I watched 'Trumpland' (included plenty of interaction with locals)disconnect was clear. Sunlei Dec 2016 #20
Well, he's partially correct. The strategy of inevitability didn't work so well for us. Tatiana Dec 2016 #22
The appointment of James Comey didn't work out so well pnwmom Dec 2016 #29
Not news. Orsino Dec 2016 #25
The President talked about everything but James Comey and his letter bombs. pnwmom Dec 2016 #30
That applies to the amount of campaigning Obama did for HRC. Eric J in MN Dec 2016 #31
HRC needed to do more campaigning for HRC BeyondGeography Dec 2016 #35
our votes were not counted recount now Dec 2016 #33
The groundwork for this election was laid 50 years ago. GliderGuider Dec 2016 #34
Post removed Post removed Dec 2016 #36
Post removed Post removed Dec 2016 #39
No Hillary wasn't a "terrible candidate".. she is loved and 66 Million Cha Dec 2016 #44
+ a brazillion milestogo Dec 2016 #47
I love Obama, but he is absolutely wrong here... fiorello Dec 2016 #43
Is Obama really unaware of GOP voter suppression tactics? milestogo Dec 2016 #46

AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
3. This I will lay at the feet of the media.
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 01:11 PM
Dec 2016

The media seemed to have decided the election would go to Hillary a month before the election and just kept beating that drum.

Convince people that the election is a foregone conclusion, you motivate one side and suppress the other.


What happened to a media that just reported the news, instead of altering reality?

yallerdawg

(16,104 posts)
4. I guess we should have showed up in...
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 01:15 PM
Dec 2016

Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Oh, wait...we did.

It's like...half the time we lose?

Damn history.

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
8. But not enough did which is why I think polls should be open for 3 days to a week
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 01:24 PM
Dec 2016

so as to allow everyone a better chance to vote especially those who have to work.

Jose Garcia

(2,552 posts)
10. Here in Florida each county must offer early voted for at lest seven days, and
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 01:35 PM
Dec 2016

some counties have it for as many as 13. Additionally, vote-by-mail is available to all voters.

LonePirate

(13,386 posts)
13. We did turn out to vote. He just turned out every white, racist, rural voter imaginable.
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 01:47 PM
Dec 2016

If Repubs turned out this year at the same rate as 2012, we win the EC going away.

NewJeffCT

(56,827 posts)
26. yes
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 03:11 PM
Dec 2016

Clinton got about the same in total as Obama did in 2012. However, Trump got 2 million more than Romney, including a significant increase in Florida.

In looking at Florida, Clinton received 4.5 million votes in Florida, while Obama received 4.2 million in 2012 and 4.3 million in 2008. The difference was all those votes in the panhandle and other rural areas that didn't turn out for Romney or McCain did turn out for Trump - Romney received a bit over 4.1 million in 2012 and McCain a bit under 4.1 million, but Trump increased Romney's total by 450k and got 4.6 million total. The entire state had a big increase overall. (9.1 million vs 8.3 million)

Response to Coolest Ranger (Reply #5)

 

Plucketeer

(12,882 posts)
27. I'd blame the Dem loss partly on this....
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 03:11 PM
Dec 2016

A LOT of those who voted for Musso.... er, Trump, did so because they were tired of empty promises. The "Hope" that was dangled on the end of a stick was as tangible as a handful of fog. The Change they ended up with was the few coins in their pockets after working two jobs every week. And don't tell me about being hamstrung by congress. I'm fairly certain there's no laws against the POTUS joining in with strikers.
Maybe the blame could be laid at the feet of American brand shoemakers. I say this because they were obviously UNable to produce a pair of shoes that our president could be comfortable wearing while standing up for the besieged labor unions in this country. If only picket liners had a few images of their president holding up a sign with them. But their HOPE of that was never fulfilled and if their plight changed at all, it wasn't for the better. The "SOS" that went out was not heard amongst the longshoremen and their ilk. They were too busy docking the Pirate ship were gonna swear in (and at) next month.

 

elmac

(4,642 posts)
6. Yes, the turnout was low
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 01:18 PM
Dec 2016

but how much of that is GOP voter suppression, how much was caused by Russian hacking & propaganda campaign, how much was caused by Komey. I wouldn't lay much blame on Clintons Campaign or her popularity.

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
28. Hillary turned out virtually the same number of voters as Obama, despite the fact
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 03:57 PM
Dec 2016

that in 2013 the courts dismantled the voting rights act,, allowing the votes of millions across the country to be suppressed.

 

elmac

(4,642 posts)
32. Hillary got about 4% less then Obama got in 2012
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 04:21 PM
Dec 2016

percentage of eligible voters. Its too early to tell if there is a trend but if you look at the charts from 1996 to today it looks like GOP voter suppression was taking its toll in 2012 and was worse this year. The numbers of repug voters also dropped off but not as much which points to GOP targeted voter suppression. Dismantling of the voting rights act probably eliminates any Democratic election chances in the future as it did in November. I'm sure 2020 will be worse yet.

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
40. Yes, because of voter suppression. They cut back polling places and
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 06:28 PM
Dec 2016

early voting hours in many Rethug controlled states.

 

Generator

(7,770 posts)
37. But to mainstream Dems this doesn't exist
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 05:05 PM
Dec 2016

Nor voter suppression, closing of polls and we haven't even brought in Putin and the fucking FBI. You know what Dems-you want us to vote for you why don't you actually fight for ALL the votes. I call bullshit. End of an empire. Until we fix elections there is no point. There is way more of us than their are of the other side. We are lead by a minority within a minority. Joke America.

ananda

(28,783 posts)
16. Grrrr
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 02:25 PM
Dec 2016

Dems lost because the Reeps, allied with Russia,
stole the election.

However, for the last 16 years, we have allowed
them to gerrymander, suppress the vote, and
rig the vote.

After Florida 2000, there should have been mass
insurrection. All I remember is a little march
led by Jesse Jackson.

turbinetree

(24,632 posts)
17. While back at the proverbial ranch
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 02:29 PM
Dec 2016

why wasn't there a national paper ballot, which could be counted by hand and with second set of eyes?
Why did the election or what they called it, have to be done by exit polls that were flawed? so that the media could call a state.
Why did the public have to have commercials during the state calling from the news media types?

The reason why I am not going into this any further, is that if an election is held on the second Tuesday of every November, and it doesn't have to be certified until December 13th, and then handed over to the "electoral college by the 19th, why didn't a hand count begin on November 9, 2016 and have it completed by 12/13/2016.

Anyone have an answer where in the deep dark recess of voting does it say that a election has to be called on that day?

WE can spend billions on defense but we can't spend millions on a simple voting by paper and pen nationally and then have it counted in each state---------------what we have is voter suppression.

We had a 65 million vote for one person, and then gave an election to fascists that got 62 million, because we had machines---------------since when does it say that a vote has to be done by machine and to call an election on that very same day or early morning where does it say that-------------states rights BS. The 3/5 clause of the Constitution, BS, the 14 and 19 amendment took care of that voting issue, and then saying when had lower voter turn-out.

No we had a illegal gambit called Cross Check, and voter intimidation and suppression, we are legally a third rate country, tooting a horn full of BS of the land of the free--------------------this years voting shows we are not land of the free, if your first and last name was Mike Brown or Su Lin, Trevor Singh........................




Retrograde

(10,069 posts)
41. Let's take it one step further
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 07:10 PM
Dec 2016

Why do we vote for president on the same ballot on which we also vote for Congress, Senate, state-wide offices, local propositions, school boards, dogcatchers, and everything else? In this country, for better or worse, voting laws and procedures are decided by the states and implemented by the counties of those states. The only thing the US Constitution has to say about presidential elections is the bit about the electoral college, and I'm not going there today. We could amend the Constitution to require all states to use the same ballot to vote for [the electors to vote for] the president, but I don't see this happening any time soon.

I don't know if you were active in the primaries forum this past June, but a fair number of people there were complaining that California was doing just what you advocate. The largest state, with 18 million registered voters, has over half of those voting by mail on paper ballots. And it allows 30 days for counties to validate the mail-ins and provisional ballots (also on paper). And some people on DU were screaming metaphorically about why it was taking so long and couldn't they hurry up and certify a winner already.

I'd like to see more states follow California's lead and allow voters more choice in when and how to vote (btw, we do have a voter id law on the books, but it only applies if it's the first time you've voted in a county, and if you don't have one you can fill out a provisional ballot which is later checked against your most recent voter registration form) and transparency about whether your vote is counted. From what I've read, Michigan seems to have made a royal mess of things, and who knows about Florida.

As for active voter suppression: it's happening, and it's not new. Going back to the primaries - the laws in some states to discourage voting were in place, requirements were known, and what did we as a party do to make sure our voters knew about them and had the needed ids or knew how to verify their registrations in advance? Or provide transportation to polling places if needed? Precious little, as far as I can tell, which may be why turnout was so low in the states Clinton barely lost.

Apologies for the rant. This has not been a good day for a number of reasons.

turbinetree

(24,632 posts)
42. HEY, Friend Guess What
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 07:19 PM
Dec 2016

he's NOT our president---------------and we need to remind voters of that fact, this serial predator lost 65 million to 62 million, the votes say he lost and he's a LOSER





lark

(23,003 posts)
18. i DISAGREE
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 02:29 PM
Dec 2016

So tired of the "let's flagellate ourselves" wing of the Dem party. Hillary would have won handily had not Russia hacked the election, then the FBI colluded by suppressing this information and putting out that BS letter and media jumping all over it. Without the FBI interference and the media fluffing that meme and ignoring all the truly bad things about drumpf, Hillary would be president, that's the real story, not some stupid rural BS. Drumpf didn't spend time in the rural towns either, so nope, not blaming Hillary or the Dems.

Yonnie3

(17,376 posts)
24. Unproven and undocumented
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 03:03 PM
Dec 2016

There were about 300,000 who might not have the requisite ID long before the election. How many got their ID, how many would vote if there was no ID law, etc. is unknown. Snopes did a work up on this.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
20. yes, once I watched 'Trumpland' (included plenty of interaction with locals)disconnect was clear.
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 02:53 PM
Dec 2016
Are we ALL watching what Republicans do today to NC democracy?

Same piles of fast-knee jerk, quickly passed bills- will happen to other 49 states come 1/20/17, welcome to hell.

That hell in state & local oppression won't even come close to what hell the Republicans Federal government has in mind, mass deportations, 'jobs'- 13th amendment slavery of prisoners to corporations, arrest all the marijuana 'criminals' so easy to find with lists in all the states...

This is what people with their 'protest votes' the 200,000 BLANK ballots, the 200,000 who ran to a sure loser Stein, & the stay at homers wanted?

Tatiana

(14,167 posts)
22. Well, he's partially correct. The strategy of inevitability didn't work so well for us.
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 02:55 PM
Dec 2016

Probably would have made sense to take nothing for granted and go out and earn more votes in the Midwest.

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
29. The appointment of James Comey didn't work out so well
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 03:58 PM
Dec 2016

but Obama doesn't want to acknowledge that.

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
30. The President talked about everything but James Comey and his letter bombs.
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 04:00 PM
Dec 2016

I wonder if he regrets appointing him.

Eric J in MN

(35,619 posts)
31. That applies to the amount of campaigning Obama did for HRC.
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 04:13 PM
Dec 2016

Obama announced with 6 weeks to go before the election that he was going to do 1 or 2 HRC events per week.

He should have done at least five HRC events per week in the final weeks.

BeyondGeography

(39,283 posts)
35. HRC needed to do more campaigning for HRC
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 04:48 PM
Dec 2016
Clinton’s dip in the polls coincides with her absence from the campaign trail. She held just two public events in the two weeks before Labor Day weekend, a close look at her campaign’s schedule shows, while hosting 20 fundraisers in the same period. She bounced from East Hampton to Silicon Valley, rubbing elbows with Cher, Paul McCartney Jimmy Buffet and Apple CEO Tim Cook.

http://time.com/4481319/hillary-clinton-september-campaign-events/
 

recount now

(18 posts)
33. our votes were not counted
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 04:24 PM
Dec 2016

on du a hand count was tried in racine wisconsin (watch this) and was stopped. we voted they weren't counted!

 

GliderGuider

(21,088 posts)
34. The groundwork for this election was laid 50 years ago.
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 04:40 PM
Dec 2016

A more competent Democratic machine might have kept the freight train of American society wheezing down the tracks for a bit longer, but this ending has been in the cards since 1972 or so.

IMHO the relentless five-decade economic shift from goods manufacturing to high technology and finance, and the failure to recognize the emotional toll this took on many Americans, is the root cause of the voter disaffection that raised Trump to the WH. That disaffection could have been veiled for a couple more elections, maybe, but it was inevitable that it would break out into the open sooner or later. You've got a lot bigger problem on your hands than stupid voters or incompetent politicians.

American economics and the lack of effective social safety nets created this catastrophe. It's easy to blame stupidity, but how likely is is that half the American electorate would have an average IQ below 100? No, they wanted revenge - and they got it. In Hunter S. Thompson's words, their vote was an exercise in "the ethic of total retaliation."

THIS was America's Howard Beale moment. They were mad as hell, and they weren't going to take it any more.

The unexpected philosopher who predicted the rise of Donald Trump: Hunter S Thompson

Response to Jose Garcia (Original post)

Response to Post removed (Reply #36)

Cha

(295,905 posts)
44. No Hillary wasn't a "terrible candidate".. she is loved and 66 Million
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 08:02 PM
Dec 2016

people voted her.

She was a great candidate.. and she would have been an excellent president.

fiorello

(182 posts)
43. I love Obama, but he is absolutely wrong here...
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 07:21 PM
Dec 2016

The African-American vote for Hillary Clinton was approximately 10% lower than the vote for Obama.

The African-American vote for Obama what is approximately 10% higher than the vote for Kerry, Gore, and Bill Clinton.

African-American voters turned out in greater numbers to vote for the first ever African-American president. Of course they did! And they turned out to vote for Hillary Clinton also, but not quite the same numbers.

Hillary did no worse with African-Americans then any other white candidate for president, and actually had a slightly higher A. A. turnout than Bill Clinton did.

I am sympathetic to a lot of the criticisms, also-I would like to see more attention paid to a unifying message for all Americans, and more attention paid to the suffering white working class. But I would think that even if Hillary had one in a landslide. Let's stop blaming her for lagging behind the first African-American president in turn out, for (Christmas-related expletive deleted).




milestogo

(16,829 posts)
46. Is Obama really unaware of GOP voter suppression tactics?
Mon Dec 19, 2016, 08:09 PM
Dec 2016

Is he unaware of all the people who showed up to vote but had been taken off the rolls?

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