Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell all about making Obama a one termer

I was not shocked nor surprised after Tuesday.

Barack Obama and the Democrats have a lot to do. They were handed a mandate and squandered it, simple as that.

But if President Obama does not get, nor understand that these bastards will NEVER be his BFF, never had intention of working with him, will not vote on anything with his name attached, then he is totally naive.

Here is the full Mitch McConnell speech at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. Unsympathetic about making Barack Obama a one-termer and all about repealing the health care bill.

The time has passed a long time ago to run around for Republican support or votes. The White House has been very late to come to the realization of this. Which is also part of the problem from the Tuesday fry-fest of the Democrats.



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President Obama's Press Conference on Mid-Term Election Defeat (video, transcript)

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Democrats ran away from themselves

I stated this in another diary a couple of days ago:

The message and communication is the Democrats fault.

The GOP could possibly win on NOTHING. Doing NOTHING. We have Democrats running from their own damn record and that is atrocious ENOUGH!! Running from Fin Reg, HIR, Lilly Ledbetter, running away like dogs with their tails between their legs.

What message does that create!!

The Obama White House better get its act together for part two if they plan on winning in 2012 and it better start with COMMUNICATING with the public.

People don't know shit unless it is pounded in their heads. And we all KNOW BETTER because we worked 2 years straight making sure folks knew the deal on Barack Obama.

Instead of running behind the GOP with olive branches and constantly getting spat upon, it has BEEN TIME that this White House say fuck em. And I am serious about that.

If the public is clueless about the accomplishments of the White House, Dems whose fault is that? Hell, the Democrats sat back and let the GOP demonize health care, HEALTH CARE of all things and that lying shit stuck with the public like glue to paper. The communication better get cleaned up and some firings need to come from that White House because the next day meme if the GOP wins huge is, "The Republicans won by doing nothing and the Democrats lost by running away from what they did."

And that is how it will play out.

Running away from what you did. That is what happened here.

The reality is this; the White House and the President don’t like the campaign mode, while trying to govern. Understood, but the fact and reality is that we live in a media age that you must do both. You can not sit in the White House; laugh off the GOP and their weak message in your mind, without RESPONSE. That is what happened last summer with the health care bill. The Democratic response was so weak it was laughable. They really thought the GOP would not go after health care and they were wrong. As WRONG as the GOP and the faux astroturf Tea Party components were, what they said started to stick and the public started to believe it. In this day and age, if you do not respond the lies will start to stick. The Republicans message on health care was so strong that by the time the bill was made into law, many Americans did not understand what they were getting thus constantly suspect to it. While we were supposed to have a huge media blitz on the health care law, it just went out with a whimper. And when President Obama was on The Daily Show, this exchange said it all.

When Obama said his administration has done things people don't know about, Stewart said: "What have you done that we don't know about? Are you planning a surprise party for us?"

Sorry, President Obama that is not good enough. If the Democrats did so much and they did, why is the public clueless on this? This is a serious communication flaw and it must change going forward. It is the responsibility of voters to know the issues and this is the rational way of thinking. But, guess what? It does not happen that way. For example, in some of the polling many voters believed the stimulus package was part of the bailout; this is a serious problem since the TARP (bailout fund) was setup under the Bush Administration and just continued to be administered by the Obama Administration. Voters also believed that they did not get tax breaks, especially the middle class. This is a monumental failure of the Democratic Leaders and the White House for not communicating the obvious to the voter. President Obama can be frustrated but the losses tonight is due primarily to lack of communication to the public. We are paying a price for doing good things but leadership failed to make sure the public knew it.

Next, who ever kept the President’s strategic calendar should be shown the door. Ever since Barack Obama became President he has always played catch up to just about everything. That has to change. I liked that the President was out on the stump tirelessly this past month, but for me, it felt too late. There was never a cohesive message from the White House to the Democratic Leadership in congress on how anything was going to be sold to the American public. Which is why we get snafu’s like Robert Gibbs going on Meet the Press stating we will probably lose the House of Representatives. Does the White House understand conflicting messaging? If you want your voters to vote for you, we need some damn optimism here? Talk about shooting the messenger.

Next, who are the Democrats? I have to ask this because in blackwaterdog’s diary she has a Rachel Maddow video montage up on what the Democrats did in the last 21 months. This is great, but it is LATE!!! (and the Democrats should have been pumping this for months) The Democrats and leadership in D.C. ran away from their record. These people ran away from the legislative victories they won. These same people continue to fall into the GOP framing, thus ran away from everything they did and ran away from the President. If you can not stand up for what you did, run on your record, be not afraid, what do you expect from us? People gave the Democrats a mandate and in response they gave the public back tepid legislation. Whether you agree or not, look at the votes tonight. Something happened and it is not because people are fired up for Republicans. They hate them worse than Democrats, but they are angry at the Democrats for not doing what many voted for. If the Democratic Party can not stand together as a whole, people are going to continue to not stand with them. Right now we have an electorate that does not like either party and believe there is no difference between the two, which is a major problem.

Next, misreading the public anger on the bailouts and the economy. Massive fail on the White House part. Whoever was or is in charge of knowing how folks feel on the ground, MISREAD the American Public. First off, the health care debacle should have been wrapped up last year, not this year. It took too long and people did not like the sausage making along with deals and double dealing. That health care bill should have been rammed through with reconciliation in 2009 (which eventually after over a year it was), but instead we watched the White House running after Republican votes. (which they NEVER GOT) After all this, I hope the White House understands that the GOP had a plan and said so the day after the 2008 election. The plan, “They were not going to vote on anything for Barack Obama.” Too much time was wasted playing footsie with the Republicans. While all this was going on, jobs losses in this country continued to mount, the unemployment rate continued to rise, wages continued stagnate or were cut, many were getting hours cut from their jobs, homes were still being foreclosed on at record rate, and the bad list of things for the average American is endless. Many saw Wall Street and the Banks getting bailed out, but no help for anyone living on Main Street. The economy was always going to be the single issue for many Americans and the perception is that the Democrats dropped the ball. And they did. Like everything else, communication is key. This economy should have been wrapped around the heads of the same Republicans who put us in the position we are in, but the White House and Democrats did a piss poor ass job on this, as well. People don’t care about the stimulus package saving hundreds of jobs, unless it is their own. People wanted to know what the administration and Democrats would do about job creation in this country. People are still waiting to see if this administration will do something about the foreclosure rate in this country. See, people care about what is happening to them now, what they see in front of them now, how they are making it now. Kitchen table issues were not center from this administration and the Democrats are taking a hit on something that was left by the Republicans. Can someone explain to me how we fucked this message up so badly?

Lastly, Barack Obama hired many D.C. insiders, conventional wisdom types. These individuals were supposed to be the smartest and brightest out there, well from me they get an “F”. The economic team either misread much or was always going to let the Wall Street and the Banks get away with much. I believe the latter is correct. Hiring Rahm Emanuel was a bombastic mistake. He fractured the Democratic Caucus more than help and it is his precious Blue Dogs that are going down the most, tonight. Mr. Emanuel calling part of the Democratic base, “fucking retards”, does not help anything. Especially, when many of these people got the vote out, gave massive money and like the Blue Dogs have a right to voice an opposite view. It fractured the base, again look at the numbers when this is all said and done. This needs to be fixed; it should have been fixed a long time ago, but was not. Now, Mr. Emanuel is trying to be Mayor of Chicago. Good luck with that one. In the end, the conventional wisdom types did a poor job. Poor job in strategy, messaging, communication, and marketing, practically everything. Now they are looking at themselves and I really hope they are LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB.

For all the good that the Democrats did, they just could not get it together. Out of all of this, I will miss Speaker Pelosi. Nancy Pelosi stood and walked lock step with President Obama and always GOT THE VOTES. She will be MISSED. Personally, I think bolder leadership is needed in the Senate, one of the most fucked up chambers in government that we the people have had to witness.

Yes, the Republicans won tonight on absolutely doing NOTHING and we lost by running away from what we did. In the end, it is, what it is. Pitiful.

p.s. On a personal note, I deal with reality, facts not fantasy. Everything that has happened to the Democrats is on the Democrats. They made these decisions and have to deal with the decisions they made. Who the Democratic Party wants to be is critical going forward. If they plan on bringing back that DLC noise, per kos’s diary, well they will loose millions in support. Trying to emulate a Republican will not bring you votes at the ballot box, not when the voter has a choice to vote for a real Republican. And if we have not figured THAT OUT by now, we need to continue to lose. Finally, Ed Schultz said tonight on MSNBC, "...the public option will come back to sting a lot of people..."

Looking at these results, that statement may be right.

Cross-posted @ Daily Kos

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President Obama's Conference Call to College Journalists

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President Obama's Weekly Address, "Crossroads on the Economy"

In this week’s address, President Barack Obama broke with Republicans in Congress who are putting special interests ahead of the American people and offering only a rehash of the very same economic policies that led to the financial crisis. When the GOP asked the American people, through a website, for ideas, one that drew great deal of interest is ending tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. But when the administration closed one of the most egregious loopholes for companies creating jobs overseas, Republicans were almost unanimously opposed. Rather than offering a path to a better future, their plan is an echo of a disastrous decade the country cannot afford to relive.



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President Obama addresses the United Nation

The President outlines his Administration's vision for American leadership in the 21st century and calls on the world to help realize a future built on freedom and human rights in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. September 23, 2010.



President Obama at Millennium Development Goals Conference, United Nations

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President Obama's Town Hall Meeting on CNBC

Some questions were tough to the President, but a worth while watch. The event was held in Washington, D.C., September 20, 2010. And if you have any doubt that the November mid-term election is NOT about this economy, you are truly living in la-la land.



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President Obama's remarks at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards Dinner

President Obama need the African American Community to come out hard in November, we will see.

President Obama speaks of his Administration's work to deliver on his campaign promises and reaffirms his Administration's commitment to restoring the economy and creating new jobs during remarks at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards Dinner. September 18, 2010.



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President Obama's remarks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus 2010 Gala (Video, Transcript)

President Obama speaks to members and guests at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute's 33rd Annual Award Gala in Washington, D.C. September 15, 2010.

Money quote: "..you have every right to keep the heat on me and keep the heat on the Democrats..."



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President Obama's "Back to School" Speech

And of course, the rabid right don't want their children "indoctrinated by the President of United States". Funny, this surely did not happen on any other president's watch, so why this one? Gotta ask that.....



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President Obama's Press Conference, September 10, 2010 (Video, Transcript)

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(UPDATE) Another "Nut in the Hut": Pastor Jones burning the Koran and POTUS response

Yes, this is a publicity stunt of the worst kind. To publicly burn a holy book of Muslim faith the Koran? What will that accomplish? We are already hated in the Middle East for fucking it up by the illegal invasion of Iraq. We already destroyed a country and paying a price for never finding weapons of mass destruction. Now we have a no nothing Pastor who is pulling a publicity stunt of hatred?

And now he wants to speak to President Obama about this? Please. Jones, nut in the hut, the President won't be calling your ignorant ass anytime soon.

President Obama on Good Morning America:



Finally, from General Petraeus on down to the Republicans (who are finally coming out with a response), the final consensus is that this is not only a bad idea but will put our troops in harm's way due to this totally irresponsible publicity stunt.

Pastor Jones cancels Koran burning:

The pastor of a Florida church announced Thursday he is calling off his plans to burn copies of the Qurann on Saturday -- the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Rev. Terry Jones said at a press conference he is canceling the controversial event.

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President Obama's economic remarks in Parma, Ohio

Now President Obama is pulling out his gun and going after the Republicans by finally calling them OUT by name. About time.




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Minority Voters and the Young "NOT ENGAGED FOR NOVEMBER"

That is bad news for the Democrats.

Minority and young voters made a significant mark on the 2008 presidential election with their high turnout; today, however, these groups appear to have reverted to previous levels of interest in voting in the context of midterm elections. Most notably, in contrast to 2008, when whites and blacks were about equally likely to say they were giving "quite a lot of" or "some" thought to the presidential election, whites are much more likely than blacks to be thinking about the 2010 elections: 42% vs. 25%, a gap exceeding those from recent midterm elections.

Many can speculate on why the non enthusiasm by these groups, but the bottom line is Democrats need these groups to show up in November. No one can dismiss that the economy is number one, especially for the African-American community which is at over 16% in unemployment, but there are other factors.

I read a diary from a 20-ish diarist who laid it out why the young voters are not in the Democrats corner. It comes down to what the Democrats and Obama promised during 2008 campaign and did not deliver, especially on health care (which is abysmal and will become Obama's Achilles heel) and restructuring student loans for the college age kids. About the student loan issue, it is unbelievable that you can purchase a home at 4.5% interest rate and for student loans borrowing money is over 6%. Something is drastically wrong with this picture.

The reason this is happening is the recession, and the perception that Democrats are not doing enough to fix it. There is a feeling that Democrats tricked people into thinking that they were going to make big changes to the country, and then failed to make those changes.

You might think this is an unreasonable criticism, that the Democrats are doing the best they can, and that they never said they were leftists. I can understand that point of view, and it makes a lot of sense. But let's look at what millennials are dealing with in this economy, and it might not seem so unreasonable.

You might be comfortable with the way things are. You might not be interested in radical changes. You might be okay with incrementalism. But others are different. There are very big problems in the USA, and they are making many people very miserable. It's not wrong for these people to ask that the problems affecting them be fixed.

Now, these are some of the problems that are affecting young people.

The unemployment rate among young people is very high:

The unemployment rate for young Americans has exploded to 52.2 percent -- a post-World War II high, according to the Labor Dept.

Tons of people are graduating from high school and college, and they are finding that they can't find jobs.

And they have tons of debt that they need to pay:

Student loans outstanding today — both federal and private — total some $829.785 billion, according to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org and FastWeb.com.

This is a problem. All my life, I was told that if I did good in school, and went to college, that I would be able to find a good job. That was obviously not true. There don't seem to be any jobs in this economy, let alone good ones.

Instead of telling your kids that they will be able to succeed if they work hard, you might consider telling them that life's a bitch, and then you die. That seems a bit more realistic than the "American Dream".

For those that do not believe the Democrats are in trouble, think again. They are in huge trouble. Gallup released a poll that has the GOP with a 10 point edge over the Democrats. I thought this was an outlier, but NBC/WSJ just released a poll and have the GOP with a 9 point edge.

A combination of sky-high GOP enthusiasm, a deep sense of pessimism about the country’s direction and dissatisfaction with President Barack Obama's stewardship of the economy has given Republicans a clear advantage heading into the November midterm elections, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

With the Labor Day holiday marking the traditional starting point of the campaign season, Republicans have a nine-point edge among those considered likely voters, plus a near 20-point lead among those expressing the highest amount of interest in the midterms.

In addition, six in 10 believe the country is on the wrong track; nearly two-thirds think the nation is in a state of decline; and a similar number aren't confident that their children’s generation will enjoy a better life.

Perhaps more ominous for Democrats, the number of Americans who approve of Obama's handling of the economy — the top issue in the country — has declined below 40 percent for the first time.

“We all know that there is a hurricane coming for the Democrats,” says Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff. “We just don’t know if it will be a Category 4 or a Category 5.”

I have been writing consistently since last spring for this White House and Democrats to focus on the economy and job creation.

That did not happen, the unemployment numbers are still sky high and the Democrats will pay the price in November.

The health care fight was the one that took all the oxygen out of the room. In fact, you don't see anyone running on THAT craptastic piece of legislation. With little cost containment, you will soon see many Americans angry at not being able to afford coverage. The Democrats had a chance with the public option, something the public wanted but ditched it to the backroom deals, which ended up having the public forced to purchase health insurance. We are going to pay a price at the polls in November for this huge mistake and miscalculation towards the American Public.

Barack Obama does not have too much political capital left. If the Democrats lose massively in November, all roads lead back to him as head of the Democratic Party. And in all honesty, it should. All the decisions came from the West Wing, including the horrific communication. Please after November let us say adios to Robert Gibbs and friends, they failed to communicate much of this administrations agenda and it shows. Along with Gibbs, send David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, Jim Messina packing. Their advice to the President have him boxed into some of the worst poll numbers out there, especially his handling of the economy.

How this administration missed all the clues from the public shows that they were not engaged with the public. There will be some long faces in November, but the final decision must come from Barack Obama, himself. Until he changes and shows that he "gets it", the bad news will continue to ROLL IN.



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President Obama's Labor Day remarks on the economy from Milwaukee, WI

President Obama spoke to union workers on Labor Day at Laborfest in Milwaukee. He announced a long-term jobs program that would exceed $50 billion to rebuild roads, railways and runways. He also criticized Republicans for causing hard economic times.



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President Obama's Remarks to the Nation on the ending of the combat mission in Iraq (Video)

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