Obama Calls Team From 2008 for Races in Fall

[Pirate Smile]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — President Obama is reconstituting the team that helped him win the White House to counter Republican challenges in the midterm elections and recalibrate after political setbacks that have narrowed his legislative ambitions.

Mr. Obama has asked his former campaign manager, David Plouffe, to oversee House, Senate and governor’s races to stave off a hemorrhage of seats in the fall. The president ordered a review of the Democratic political operation — from the White House to party committees — after last week’s Republican victory in the Massachusetts Senate race, aides said.

In addition to Mr. Plouffe, who will primarily work from the Democratic National Committee in consultation with the White House, several top operatives from the Obama campaign will be dispatched across the country to advise major races as part of the president’s attempt to take greater control over the midterm elections, aides said.

“We are turning the corner to a much more political season,” said David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the president, who confirmed Mr. Plouffe’s role. “We are going to evaluate what we need to do to get timely intelligence and early warnings so we don’t face situations like we did in Massachusetts.”



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/us/politics/24union.html?src=twt&twt=nytimes

[FreakinDJ]

1. "bout time" - come out swinging Mr Pres.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Glad to hear they're aware of the situation on the ground.

Being proactive here is a good thing.

[Patsy Stone]

3. Good. nt

[asdjrocky]

4. He seems to be very good at campaigning.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. To repeat.. "It is about time"

Too bad this was not done before the MASS election....

[Pirate Smile]

9. I think they thought the candidate and campaign and DSCC would do their jobs.

Now they know they can't count on that and they have to take over all of it.

[neverforget]

14. As much as I hate to see Brown in the Senate, maybe it took the Dems

losing a Senate seat to wake up to the reality outside DC. People are pissed and expect change. So far, they haven't seen much. Hopefully this loss will light a fire under the Dems. I'm not going to hold my breath but one can hope they realize they need to deliver on change not just talk about it.

[tabbycat31]

16. agree 100%

[BrklynLiberal]

18. If there is any silver lining here, that would be it.

[postulater]

7. Paging Dr. Dean! n/t

[FreakinDJ]

12. DING DING DING - We have a Winner Folks

[FarPoint]

22. He needs to bring in Howard Dean too.

I just think he needs his wisdom.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. + 6.02e6 nt

[Historic NY]

33. Dr. Dean makes house calls...we have a sick patient.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

8. Rescue, Restore, Rebuild

"His first chance to reconnect in a big way will come when he delivers his State of the Union address.

Rather than unveiling a laundry list of new initiatives, advisers said, the speech will attempt to reframe Mr. Obama’s agenda and how he connects it with public concerns. In particular, he will focus on how his ideas for health care, energy and financial regulation all fit into the broader economic mission of creating what he calls a “new foundation” for the country, the key words being “rescue, restore and rebuild.”


"New foundation", sounds reminiscent of New Deal. "Rescue,, restore, rebuild" makes me think of Haiti.

[Historic NY]

34. I like that take two out of petty cash...if we have any.

[amandabeech]

54. Maybe he needs to just focus on jobs.

Then he wouldn't have to explain why healthcare, cap and trade and his not very tough bank regulatory plans relate to every day Americans.

If he fixes the jobs situation, the rest will fall into place.

[emsimon33]

10. Hubris--without the Dean 50-state strategy people, Obama's team

would not have found the fertile ground on which to nurture his victory.

Obama is drinking his own Kool-Aid.

Obama has dispirited his base who were the foot soldiers of his campaign. Obama is being given very bad advice. He needs Dean. He needs the 50-state strategy back in place.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. It sure couldn't hurt!!

[MaineDem]

13. He needs the 50-state strategy back in place.

I so agree! OFA isn't it. The state parties are hurting and I fear the Obama administration wants it that way. But if they would realize that strong state parties will only enforce and better spread the President's agenda we'd be in a better place.

OFA is soliciting money but nothing is going to the states.

[MannyGoldstein]

15. So much work simply to avoid keeping his word

Things would be far better, politically, if he just did what he said he'd do.

[Phlem]

19. So True

W/O Dean, I think this is all for show.

-phlem

[DKRC]

60. Hope it isn't just Populist campaign strategy

then DLC agenda once the election is over.

[Demeter]

53. Don't Confuse Them With the Facts

They like their little delusions too much--Bernanke is qualified and essential, ditto Rahm, ditto Timmy Boy, ditto Larry the Cable Guy...

[shotten99]

20. Makes me feel better already.

Could be a blessing in disguise!

[Jefferson23]

21. Call Howard Dean today President Obama

[FarPoint]

24. Exactly!

I didn't catch your post timely.....I so agree!

[fadedrose]

64. I emailed this suggestion to the WH

I said that since the President said he was going to fight, he should call on Howard Dean to help him. Dean doesn't back down - he doesn't seem to be impressed or frightened by Rahm...

Also sent a reply to Plouffe's email to supporters asking him to use his influence to get rid of present advisers and get Dean. Dean is not afraid...

[AlinPA]

23. Wonderful. Now, there is is small matter of the SCOTUS ruling and the billions going

to republicans.

[winyanstaz]

25. If he had kept his promises to date...and stopped following Bush's policies...

We wouldnt be in so much danger of losing seats now.

[last1standing]

26. "Hmm... I could start working to fulfil all those promises I made last year..."

"Nah! I'll just get a great team of propagandists to blow smoke up people's asses! Worked last time!"

[Iowa]

31. Yep. That sums it up well. What he should do:

1) Wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night screaming, "My God - What have I done?".
2) Get out of bed and fire Rahm Emanuel.
3) Call a news conference.
4) Make a public apology to the nation for his first disastrous year, promising a complete 180.
5) Purge his administration of all the old DLC hacks and corporate whores.
6) Listen to the people and start kicking some ass.

Instead we get smoke blown up our asses. What he's losing is the base, and the base will see right through this bullshit.

[marasinghe]

61. you nailed it. they'll learn the hard way - the season for bullshit is past. (n/t)

[Fearless]

27. Please tell me they're not going to spurt "change" again... how about this time be more specific??

...And then not abandon those plans at the drop of a hat.

:eyes:

He doesn't get my support until health care is passed or DADT and DOMA are overturned. And not a cent either. Period.

[Tim01]

28. "Change you can believe in"

He could use that slogan again. It worked pretty good the first time.

[Little Star]

29. Sorry but who the heck is going to fall for this propaganda?

His actions have already spoken loud and clear. Do they really think people are going to buy this crap now?
Day late and a dollar short imho. They are not trusted by any thinking person. Why don't they just change course and start representing main street?

[liberal N proud]

32. What would it take?

[Little Star]

38. Action. They could listen to the Democrats and left leaning

Independents and start really representing them with actions. I'm not sure they can do that now because of all the deals they have already cut with Corporations, Banks and the Insurance Industry. They should start being transparent, really stop torture,etc. need I go on?

[onethatcares]

30. Dear Mr. President,

I am one of those folks that believed in your words. I thought that having a president that could articulate the problems would be able to hire the right people to solve the problems that this country faced. I worked for you, I donated money and time. I got back hardly anything but flowery speeches and eloquent gestures.

Perhaps, you might think about actually creating the "Change" we could believe in before you just give us more of the same.

Sadly, I remain,

Onethatcares

P.S. Do what you said you were going to do.

[Historic NY]

35. ......

:applause:

[JanMichael]

36. Who agreed to the dismantling of the 50 state policy?

Beats me but I can guess who - the guy that won. Or maybe it was a unilateral decision by a subordinate?

Now they want that back after producing little change and crushing hope?

Fuck off to the request.

[MaineDem]

37. In theory it's still in effect

The DNC under Dean provided about 4 staff people in each state. Now there is one.

[Elmore Furth]

39. Obama Moves to Centralize Control Over Party Strategy

Source: New York Times

By JEFF ZELENY and PETER BAKER
Published: January 23, 2010
WASHINGTON — President Obama is reconstituting the team that helped him win the White House to counter Republican challenges in the midterm elections and recalibrate after political setbacks that have narrowed his legislative ambitions.

Mr. Obama has asked his former campaign manager, David Plouffe, to oversee House, Senate and governor’s races to stave off a hemorrhage of seats in the fall. The president ordered a review of the Democratic political operation — from the White House to party committees — after last week’s Republican victory in the Massachusetts Senate race, aides said.

In addition to Mr. Plouffe, who will primarily work from the Democratic National Committee in consultation with the White House, several top operatives from the Obama campaign will be dispatched across the country to advise major races as part of the president’s attempt to take greater control over the midterm elections, aides said.

“We are turning the corner to a much more political season,” said David Axelrod, a senior adviser, who confirmed Mr. Plouffe’s role. “We are going to evaluate what we need to do to get timely intelligence and early warnings so we don’t face situations like we did in Massachusetts.”


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/us/politics/24union.html?hp

---

Looks like no more mister nice guy.

[dkf]

40. How's about passing popular bills?

Instead of shoving unpopular ones down our throats. Too bad they just want to change the advertising and not the substance.

[SammyWinstonJack]

41. +1 nt

[tbyg52]

43. Yep. nt

[tridim]

45. -1

This post proves you're not paying attention at all.

Is it on purpose?

[dkf]

46. Oh did they give up on the senate bill?

I must have missed that. Thanks for the info.

[tridim]

47. Do you understand that he is working on more than just HCR?

Snap the fuck out of it.

HCR was very popular until the party of NO and the Joementum types gutted it.

But go ahead and blame the Dems for everything if it gets your rocks off.

[dkf]

48. Sounds like hcr is still priority number one.

I will keep complaining until I see significant movement and prioritization of a jobs bill. If jobs are the only thing they work on for the rest of this year I will be happy.

Nero is fiddling while Rome burns.

[tridim]

49. Great, now Obama is Nero.

Posts just don't get more idiotic than that.

And of course you and the party of "NO" still don't understand that HCR is directly tied to job creation.

[dkf]

51. The dems are Nero.

And you are right that health care is a jobs problem but it's the uncertainty of the legislation that makes businesses reluctant to hire.

Jobs first. There is no health care without an economy.

[tridim]

52. If you're a Dem, then you're Nero too.

So fiddle away I guess if it makes you happy. :eyes:

If you're not a Dem then what are you? Give me one reason why I shouldn't put you on ignore.

[dkf]

57. You don't have to read my posts.

I'm just telling it like I see it. If you can't see I practically foretold the MA story and think my analysis has no value to you then who am I to argue.

The irony is that people pooh pooh reality based duers. And then some columnist says it and we are like "wow what a great column".

We don't give enough respect to the observations of our fellow little guys. But we lead the public because we read a lot and pick up on material early. When much of du was hopping mad over the hcr bill it was a Bad sign.

On edit: I see walmart is laying off 10000 SAMs club workers. Sorry but I think jobs are the only priority for us to address. This is really scary.

[amandabeech]

55. Health care was a really popular topic until the economy went into the tank.

Now, not so much at least where I am.

[amborin]

59. +10000

[jaysunb]

42. He may want to give Gov. Dean a call...

just saying. :shrug:

[FreakinDJ]

44. Dean - Dean - Dean - We have a Winner Folks

[marasinghe]

62. how 'bout listening to the people who elected you, already?

"... We are going to evaluate what we need to do to get timely intelligence and early warnings ...": when you're done evaluating, you can just about ride off into the sunset with what's left of the democratic party; f*cking stupid elitist idiots. when does this country & this world realize that an ivy league education & vocabulary does not = intelligence, or even common sense?

how about just keeping your word & doing what's best for the people at large, assholes? what happened to being elected in order to help your country?

:grr:

[Johnny Harpo]

50. We Know Obama's Team Can Campaign...What We Need To See Is...

a team that can govern.

[ShortnFiery]

56. Yes, the people are SICK of all this HYPE and NO DELIVERY with regard to action.

Good luck at getting people to work for your campaign on "the ground" ... you know with those NON-millionaires outside of the beltway. :(

[amborin]

58. +10000 follks should read comments to ny times article on this; people

are not happy that Obama has returned to campaign mode, when folks are jobless, homeless, etc....

[democracy1st]

63. More BS from the Goldman Sachs admin!