TRENDING: Obama starts mentioning Bush by name

[gateley]

From CNN's Steve Brusk and Shawna Shepherd

(CNN) – President Obama, moving into campaign mode ahead of the midterm elections, has added new, sharper language to his stump speech – twice this week invoking the name of his predecessor.

Obama frequently criticizes Republican policies on the economy – that is certainly nothing new. But the latest wrinkle in Obama's rhetoric is that until now, he has avoided referring to former President Bush by name. That changed this week.

Thursday marked the second time in a week that Obama has mentioned Bush. During a fundraiser in Chicago for Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias, Obama said Republicans are "betting on amnesia" as trying to make the economy an issue in fall races around the country.

"They haven't come out with a single solitary idea that is different from policies that held sway for eight years before Democrats took over, not a single policy difference that's discernible from George W. Bush. Not one," he told the crowd at the Palmer House Hilton on Chicago. /snip

More... http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/tag/cnns-steve-brusk-and-shawna-shepherd/

[tularetom]

1. Can't hurt

In spite of what rove and some other whiners might say, the repubs really don't want any connection with that name.

Voters have short attention spans but not that short. They just need a gentle reminder now and then.

[gateley]

3. I heard a commentator on MSNBC today essentially saying the same thing --

they don't want to be tied to Bush, so a little reminder, or several, could help keep him alive! :evilgrin:

[bigdarryl]

2. I don't know if this is a good strategy to bring up Bush when it comes to tryinbg to get

Independent voters

[newtothegame]

4. Don't like the desperation this appears to reveal...

President Obama's policies have been good enough to stand on their own, without relying on tearing someone else down.

[applegrove]

5. Pointing out that these are old ideas is brilliant. They had their day and the economy tanked.

[Beacool]

6. It reeks of desperation.

When all else fails throw the boogie man at them. Please, they couldn't come up with a better strategy?

;(

[KingFlorez]

7. Get real

Are you not aware that the Republican solution it repeat Bush policy?

[Beacool]

8. Of course, but wouldn't it be more effective to extol the administration's achievements?

Their strategy is similar to Peter crying wolf. After a while no one believes you.

[Baltoman991]

9. Color me

surprised that you'd come along and take yet another slam at President Obama. It reeks of nothing close to desperation. Your posts on the other hand reek of sour grapes.

Bottom line, the MEDIA, in case you've missed it, are running around touting the Republican meme that the country is falling apart all due to Obama. There isn't a damn thing wrong with trying to remind the people of American that the shit didn't start in January of 2009.

I realize you're one who believes that and nothing Obama will do will make you change your mind. But here in the real world, those who got over the primaries have no problem with being reminded of who started the downward spiral.

[Beacool]

10. Those in the real world are suffering.

Reminding them of Bush is not putting food on their table. How about offering them some tangible results? Everyone knows what Bush did to the nation, but he hasn't been president for quite some time. Do you really think that continuing to blame Bush for every sin under the sun will help reelect Democrats?

[Baltoman991]

11. Who knows

what will help re-elect Democrats? I certainly don't know nor do you know that reminding those who are suffering that it was Bush who caused the suffering. And Obama has tried to offer tangible results, but you knew that already.

Seriously, lay the blame where it belongs. I know I know, Hillary would be kicking ass right now. Sorry, as Hillary said during the primaries, the only ass she'd be kicking right now is Iran. I'm sure that would have gone a long way towards putting food on the table of those suffering huh?

[Beacool]

12. Iran?

Only if they attacked Israel with nuclear weapons.

;)

[Arkana]

17. That "boogieman" raped and pillaged this country for eight years.

I think we have a duty to remind people each and every day of that fact.

[Beacool]

20. I know.

My point is that I don't know whether that fact will work as a strategy in November. People are in a mood to "throw the bums out". As much as most people dislike Bush, they are worried about the here and now. I think that the party would do better by extolling what it has achieved in terms that people understand than in using Bush as the boogie man.

;)

[Odin2005]

25. So has every president starting with Reagan.

You can't get elected unless you submit to the Corporate Elites.

[Hippo_Tron]

22. Democrats did it all of the time in the 1930's with Hoover

"Vote Republican, return to Hoover" seemed to work just fine for them.

[Exilednight]

13. Bad strategy. And here is why .............

Other presidents have tried this, and the result is always the same - major losses.

The most recent was when Reagan tried the same thing during his first term election and kept stumping that it was Carter's fault for the nation's economic woes. Repugs went on to lose in the midterms.

It never works, and only pushes an image of negativity, especially when your party is the one holding all the seats and you've had more than a year and a half to make huge changes.

Some on here will argue that Obama and Democrats have made huge changes. Others will argue that the changes don't go far enough and Obama is too interested in bipartisanship.

If the changes are really that huge, then people should take notice by the changes in their daily life. That's what Democrats need to run on. But trying to explain why campaign promises are not kept while holding the Presidency and both the Senate and House by saying that minority party is holding up progress, no matter how true you think it is, is not going to win over independent voters.

If Democrats win, it's because rethugs are in a circular firing squad with the tea-party.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. The fact is that it's true

backed up by facts. The problem is the Bush loving media.

[golfguru]

38. If we lose in November 2010 that will be Bush/Cheney's fault!

They rigged the electronic voting machines! And the machines have
not been fixed!

Seriously, that strategy is sad & bad.

[denimgirly]

14. Why is Obama Progressive when Campaigning but Center-Right when Governing?

I wish he was a progressive like Grayson or Weiner. Real Change!

[RBInMaine]

16. He has passed many bills that make "progress," he does not have hundreds of Graysons to work with, &

he has Senate rules that give the minority party huge power. That's the system. In the real world, some compromise is essential. Our entire nation is founded on it. And, if he is so "Center Right," why does the opposition party call him a "socialist that must be stopped"? He is progressive if progressive means some PROGRESS in the right the direction. Not purity, but PROGRESS.

[Exilednight]

19. He's not a progressive, he's a centerist ............

attempting to pass progressive style social change with centrist triangulation politics.

rethugs would call any Democrat who was POTUS a socialist who must be stopped. They did it with Clinton, and they will do it again. It's a fear tactic, plain and simple.

[Odin2005]

26. Because "Obama the Progressive" was all cynical marketing BS.

I should know, I fell for the BS.

[Beacool]

29. That about sums it up.............

:D

[Odin2005]

30. I was an Obama supporter before it was cool. Now I feel stabbed in the back.

I worked my ass off for him in 2008. :grr:

[Beacool]

35. I'm sorry.

It's terrible to feel disappointed in someone who you had high hopes for in the past. I was never an Obama supporter, he reminded me of Madonna. Not the best singer, but great at marketing herself. All smoke and mirrors, and a gullible public.

;)

[Odin2005]

36. Yep. n/t.

[killbotfactory]

32. Welcome to America!

In America the president isn't a dictator and the political system he must account for favors powerful moneyed interests above the interests of the ordinary citizen.

I have yet to see a coherent argument that anyone to the left of Obama could get anything more progressive done with this congress.

[RBInMaine]

15. Doesn't need to say "Bush," Just say "Failed Wall Street Republican Policies Of The Past."

[Odin2005]

27. The same failed pro-Wall Street policies Obama himself is continuing.

Because Goldman Sacks OWNS him.

[Sheepshank]

18. Public needs reminding

how can that be poor strategy? He's not making up lies, he's not going into long convoluted diatribes of what minutiae actions wrought over the years, he's not disparaging their daughters or their wives, he's not mocking their military servince...he's using straight forward reminders to the Nation who led the Reps, who was their figure head and what those real live, economy busting decisions were...that still are part of the Rep platform. It's the reality and the reminders that are good for everyone.

Unfortunately the reality is that negative news sells....Politicians have learned well. Negative campaigning will always be around. We each personally have to decide at what level the campaigning has crossed a personal boundary and becomes lies and hinted misleading innuendos. Each has their own tolerance level and that's fine too.

[ProgressOnTheMove]

21. Very wise, if the previous President knows his name is toxic by delaying the release of his book...

to after the midterms. We need to make the most of that, to its fullest extent. In fact more posters of the previous President will probably help saying how his wrecking crew are making a comeback depending how they vote in the midterms. It's more a matter peoples focus is on the Democrats we need to change focus and sharpen the picture.

[DailyGrind51]

23. I suppose he won't take on Cheney because the dude is sick?

[Odin2005]

24. Desperation.

He knows he has been pursuing corporatist policies, so he is using the last corporatist as a foil.

[depakid]

28. Day late and a dollar short...

story of this administration from the outset.

Had they been doing this all along- decrying Republicans and their failed and ideology, rather than enabling and legitimizing them- and even adopting those policies, Dems might be talking credibly about making gains in the Senate and House, rather than losing their majorities.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

39. I agree it should have been done from day 1

Bush and Cheney should be in jail by now.

[ZM90]

33. That's the way to go President Obama!

K&R

[and-justice-for-all]

34. Well, all this shit is Bush and Darth Cheney's fault..

as well as the puke fucks who gave them everything they wanted.

[butterfly77]

37. Where is the tape where..

he was campaigning this week and he was talking about driving the car in the ditch and he mentioned about how when you drive a car you put it in D meaning Democrat and not in R reverse for republiCONS...