One of the defining things about Barack Obama the presidential candidate was how much enthusiasm he generated among his followers. They didn’t just believe he would be a good president; they were convinced he would be a great one on par with Lincoln. Some swooned in his presence; there were even reports of people fainting when he appeared before them at campaign events.
People traveled many miles and volunteered long hours on behalf of his campaign. They became rhapsodic when describing his qualities (often imagined) and delineating his potential. Now, it seems this passion has cooled.
When talking with liberal friends (and family members), many of whom were gung-ho for the Illinois Democrat in 2008, I hear mostly disappointment. One septuagenarian one-time Hollywood heartthrob called him a “failure.” A mother on the cusp of middle-age wishes he would refrain from seeking reelection to allow a more competent Democrat to take his place. A man a few years younger than she says that while he has concerns about the Medicare reforms in Paul Ryan’s budget proposal, grants that at least the Wisconsin Republican has a plan for deficit reduction while Obama does not.
They’re not the only ones. Yesterday, Glenn Reynolds linked this piece from Richard Cohen, “Barack Obama has lost the Hamptons”:
Over the Labor Day weekend, I went to a number of events in the Hamptons. At all of them, Obama was discussed. At none of them — that’s none — was he defended. That was remarkable. After all, sitting around various lunch and dinner tables were mostly Democrats. Not only that, some of them had been vociferous Obama supporters, giving time and money to his election effort. They were all disillusioned. Let me call the roll. I am talking about are writers and editors, lawyers and shrinks, Wall Street tycoons and freelance photographers, hedge funders and academics, run-of-the-mill Democrats and Democratic activists. They were all politically sophisticated, and just a year ago some of them were still vociferous Obama supporters. No more.
Even the press, Glenn quipped this morning, “has become noticeably less deferential of late.“
Hey, speaking of former and/or newly-silent Obama supporters, whatever happened to Houndentenor? Remember this one, from Feb 2008?
To which I replied at the time:
And Houndentenor offered:
Which so beautifully illustrates the Left mindset, because of:
– The refusal to think, i.e. to do much more than cutting and pasting.
– The plethora of blather, masking the fact that Obama accomplished nothing in the Senate. (No bills passed, except ones he had attached his name to along with dozens of others Senators – “leading from the rear”.)
– The lack of answer to my primary question, “what does Obama stand for, in real terms?”
🙂
Where are they going to go? Aside from a few certified lunatics in the House, there’s no one in the party more radical left than Obama. Ralph Nader? Gus Hall? (Yeah, I know he’s dead, but progressives love them some dead commies.)
But, I bet a lot of those disillusioned Democrats will still vote for Obama. What’s their choice?
Keep your eyes on Hillary
All agree she wants to be president. The question is what strategy will she employ? Here are a couple options to watch for:
* Challenge Obama in the Democrat primary – to do this, she would have to resign as Secretary of State in early 2012 or late 2011 and watch his poll numbers continue to decline. Her resignation would of course hasten his fall. Then having serious support from the disillusioned Democrat delegates would run a perhaps successful campaign against whomever the Republicans run.
* Continue as Secretary of State, but make more statements against Obama’s policies, as she did with Panetta recently. Set herself apart from Obama’s policies and show herself to be more independent. Obama loses to the Republican candidate in 2012 and she is the Democrat heir-apparent for 2016. This option has its own difficulties however. The new Republican president may prove to be successful and the nation may love him. He may win his second term. Does she have the patience to wait for 2016? It’s a long shot for Hillary.
My bet is on the first option. She and Obama have no love for each other. He named her for Sec of State in order to neutralize her, as he did with Huntsman. Huntsman resigned in order to run against Obama. Hillary has done a pretty good job in her present role, so is immune from criticism from Dems.
I never bought the crap about the syncopal episodes. If it had happened more often than it did, I could agree with the linked article.
Just today, an angry, flaming-liberal dude here at work (he knows I am a libertarian-conservative) chatted me for half an hour about what a weak and stupid pussy Obama is.
That’s one of the signs foretold in Revelations…
Hey, speaking of former and/or newly-silent Obama supporters, whatever happened to Houndentenor?
Houndentenor?
He’s over here on this thread on the “Independent” Gay Forum arguing that people should have no right to file lawsuits, that the government should arbitrarily ignore the vote of the people, and that the electorate has no right to change its own constitution.
In other words, the same.
Watch Hillary closely.
If she starts to lose weight, it might be a sign she is going to challenge Obama.
Right now she is matching Barbara Mikulski at about 255 lbs.
(Babs is only 4’9″ though)
Hills needs to drop 100 pounds and quickly.
BTW does it irk anyone else how Obama bounces up and down stairs, especially down Air Force One, like he’s a pris?
Just wondered.
Hey you got a nice hat tip from Ace earlier today for your twitter. Keep up the good work!
The libbies have a new boyfriend… Jon Huntsman. They think he’s just dreamy. None of them would actually vote for him, but he is their new crush.