I'm posting this Washington Post story because the White House still seems to believe that only "the left of the left" (a statement for which they have never apologized) has problems with the president's style of non-leadership. It seems much of the Democratic party, and independents, now have similar concerns:
The slide has only quickened. Emerging from an angry August recess, Obama is weakened politically and faces growing concerns, particularly from within his own party, over his strength as a leader. Dozens of interviews this summer in six states -- from Maine to California -- have revealed a growing angst and disappointment over the administration's present course.
Democratic officials and foot soldiers, who have experienced the volatile public mood firsthand, are asking Obama to take a more assertive approach this fall....
"Until last week, he was still trying to play ball with the Republicans who said, 'We're going to bring you down,' " said Karen Davis, 42, a musician from Jersey City who raised funds for Obama last year. "Now I'm thinking, 'This isn't what I voted for.' "
And here we go again with the ten dimensional chess game. Obama is really 20 steps ahead of us, and it's all part of his plan:
In addressing volunteers from Organizing for America last month, Obama warned those who had been central to the field operation of his grass-roots campaign that "everybody in Washington gets all wee-weed up" in August and September.Joe and I have already written extensively about Team Obama's ongoing efforts to rewrite the history of the campaign. Yes, they won, but not because the president sat back and refused to fight back until the end. In August of last year, the Netroots had had it, and people started openly questioning the president's ability and willingness to lead. Then the funders started weighing in with the campaign. All the while, Obama was dropping in the polls behind McCain. Finally, after all of that, Obama felt forced to engage, forced to fight back. This, happening at the same time as the financial crisis, is what won the race for Barack Obama. Sitting back and doing nothing only put him further and further back in the polls.
It was meant as a warning not to believe the Beltway analysis that Obama, a skilled communicator and player of the long game, was losing control of his message and his broader agenda.
Governing requires the ability to appeal to Congress and the electorate simultaneously, and Obama is attempting to do that with the patience and unflappability that were the hallmarks of his "no drama" campaign.
To Obama and his senior staff, that means ignoring the "cable chatter," the president's catch-all term for media punditry and Hill partisanship, and the Washington ethic of winning in real time.
Best quote of the article:
"There is something that has grown into the Democratic DNA over the last 30 years that makes our first reaction fear," said Dan Pfeiffer, the White House deputy communications director. "And we can't keep our fear to ourselves."Amen.
Beyond the Beltway, many Democrats say they would be less afraid if Obama appeared less fearful himself...
