Obama rejects 2 'mediocre' terms

[kpete]

Source: Politico

President Obama says he’d still rather have one good term than be a “mediocre” two-term president.

Getting reelected is “not what I think of my work,” Obama told the Spanish newspaper El Pais. “The description of my work I do is to solve problems and help people. I'm not going to slacken in regard to trying to solve the major problems facing the United States.”

“I still believe it is better” to be a good one-term president than a “mediocre” two-term leader, Obama said in the interview.

Obama added: “I do not want to have to look back and tell myself that all of what worried me was my own popularity. That is not my goal. My obligation is to make sure I'm faithful to the principles, beliefs, ideas that will advance the United States and strengthen our partners around the world.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/1110/would_he_not_run_42eda292-5305-4809-b3c3-55cf4a059b0b.html

[msongs]

1. he has 2 more years to make good on that lol nt

[savalez]

2. ahem...

http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/

[bc3000]

4. Obama's health care plan: making me spend more than I can afford on cigarettes,

Oh, and apparently I can go see a doctor in 4 years or something.

[savalez]

9. So that's what you're mad at. Okay.

[Renew Deal]

28. Spending anything on cigarettes might be more of a problem.

[Taverner]

53. OMG Don't you know smoking cigarettes is worse than HITLER?????

How DO you sleep at night ???

[jonnyblitz]

11. AHEM....

http://whatinthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/?q=14

[savalez]

12. AHEM...

Hardly a equal rebuttal. However controversial a couple of them appear to be, they do not negate the accomplishments. Plus, some are just nitpicks.

[TBF]

It is a rebuttal from the Left that you ought to take seriously -

the right wingers aren't voting for him, and neither is the far-left (who will sit it out or go for third parties). That doesn't leave you with all that much support.

[lavendertimes]

59. Johnny's comprehension and why Johnny still can't read or make sense

This message provides no intelligent answer to the question.

[Paranoid Pessimist]

54. So far his first term has a ways to go to rise to the level of mediocre n/t

[bc3000]

3. Yeah, that line might have worked before the last two years...

[avaistheone1]

6. Thank you.

[BlueIris]

49. No kidding.

This Admin is done.

[totodeinhere]

5. Be that as it may, I would be totally shocked if he doesn't run for reelection.

The best chance by far that the Democratic Party has to hold the White House in 2012 is for Obama to run. Incumbent presidents are almost always heavy favorites to win. If Obama doesn't run we could be looking at total GOP control of the government after 2012, and we can't let that happen.

Look, I have been disappointed that Obama has rolled over and kissed GOP ass so much of the time. And I was disappointed that the HCR bill was not stronger, and I am disappointed that war criminals from the previous administration have not been put on trial. But returning to total GOP control of the government is a nightmare that I cannot fathom. Obama must run for reelection.

[MBS]

10. yes, absolutely

Also, the way he will win (and I think that this is what he means by saying he doesn't want to be a mediocre two-term president) is by keeping his focus on what we need to acomplish: by just going for it,getting the job done, working to make change happen, despite Boehner, McConnell, and ilk. I have high hopes that both (the change we voted for, and the reelection) will happen.

[TBF]

25. Be prepared to lose because if the midterms foretold anything,

it is that we are up for a big fight in 2012. If the economy doesn't demonstrably improve even this incumbent president is going to have a very hard time with re-election.

[JDPriestly]

27. But, perhaps we can move Obama toward economic and other posititions

that represent what we be really good for Americans. Sometimes I think that Obama is so intent on being a president who does good for the world that he forgets to do well for Americans especially with regard to our economy.

Why doesn't he have economic advisers that represent a more diverse range of economic philosophies and thought? He seems to have far too much allegiance to the Chicago school of economics. Far too much. The extreme free market economic theories have not worked well anywhere in the world. So why is Obama so intent on pushing them on all of us?

[Suji to Seoul]

7. Ummm. . .Barack, when does that one good term begin again?

We've seen nothing but spineless compromising of all Democratic principles at the well.

[ProSense]

13. Here

facts and perspective.

[lavendertimes]

58. Not just one good term

It began with the repayment of the $700 billion, the partial reform of health care, and the continued effort of citizens like myself to remain factually informed instead of relying on snippets and sound bites to address the continued problems our economy is facing. The hard work ahead will require we forget the concept of a two party system that has been divisive and unproductive for the women, men and children of our nation because earmarks have always been a part of both parties. The real question is how much sacrifice are we each willing to make and how much comfort will we give up so our children can learn how politics affects their abc's and drinking water.

[swilton]

8. At this point I would even prefer two mediocre terms

to one lousy term!

Solve problems?! Whose problems is he solving anyway, certainly not those of middle class Americans. He's solving the problems of the MIC, big oil, big pharma and Wall Street.

[northernlights]

14. How bout 1 mediocre term? if he works reeeel hard he could dig out of the F-

and reach a C. First, of course, he'd have to detach himself from his republican friends and re-join the democratic party.

[saigon68]

15. Nope------ its just " More Change We can Believe In"

He will never carry Wisconsin in the present climate--- just ask Russ----

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

16. WAY too late.

:shrug:

[swilton]

17. I agree

I just saw the DU post about Howard Dean's meeting in Burlington, Vermont. Even if Obama turned things around, for me (and I'm sure others), he's damaged goods and cannot be trusted. Under his watch the hand basket is on acceleration. I can't vote for him again.

I do believe as Michael Moore predicted that there will be a candidate on the left to challenge Obama (if he decides to run in 2012). I'm just waiting to see/hear who that candidate is and he/she will have my vote. Hopefully if the GOP splits (as it did in the 1992 election when Perot was the spoiler and Clinton got in), that person will have a chance.

[MrTriumph]

20. Democrats are saying it: OUT WITH OBAMA

An editorial in one of yesterday's major newspapers...

George Soros spoke out...

And the 680 Democratic state legislators defeated can't be too happy...

It is obvious Obama has elected to abandon his base. Another Obama-induced apathetic turnout by the base in 2012 will lead us into another huge defeat. Supporters of our party are making it clear we have to act not to stop this from happening.

[ProSense]

22. Soros

said no such thing.

[Renew Deal]

29. Are you one of the people that believes "the country needs" Palin?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

46. Maybe Obama needs Palin

He might have a good chance of beating her in 2012. Against someone else, like Jeb Bush, who knows?

Obama is not exciting the democratic base.

[somone]

26. Obama will lose

if he's on the ballot in the next general election, no matter what he does. All that good will and trust is gone, and there is not much time left. He did it to himself - but then, maybe he planned it that way.

[Renew Deal]

30. I've heard that one before

In March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December of 2007. I also heard it throughout the first 9 months of 2008.

[Renew Deal]

31. So you plan to vote for any "left" candidate other than Obama despite his/her views?

Lets make a list. Would you vote for Lyndon Larouche?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

18. Definitely smells like just another enormous load of a political BS. Not what they say, but...

[Steerpike]

19. I wish him the best

here are some things he could do to make me happy personally

1. Free Leonard Peltier
2. Normalize all relations with Cuba
3. Legalize Marijuana
4. Tax the fuck out of the rich
5. Break up the Monopolies in the Media and Energy
6. Criiminalize that corn fructose shit
7. Get the justice department to investigate some Republicans
8. Get rid of all supply siders and republicans as advisors and appointees and get some real liberals into his administration
9. End all the wars the U.S. Military and the CIA are involved in. Cut the military budget in half...
10. Fund all education K-12 and College University 100%
11. Give 100% vouchers for people to purchase Electric Cars and Solar Panels
12. Put the big stick to High Finance
13. Repeal the Home Security Act (or whatever that thing is called)

[JDPriestly]

21. So, I would like to know just what Obama's

"principles, beliefs, and ideas that will advance the United States and strengthen our partners around the world" are because I thought his were the same as mine, but since Obama's election, I have begun to doubt that they are -- the same as mine that is.

Obama speaks in such sweeping generalities that I never know what side he is on, what he really thinks.

Sitting in an airport recently, I overheard a conversation between a very young man -- a disillusioned 2008 Obama voter and an old Republican. It was disheartening. The young man was complaining that Obama just talks and talks and says nothing. The old man of course agreed.

Obama's vagueness, his unwillingness to speak in the direct, concise, simple terms that Franklin D. Roosevelt used, make him seem weak and untrustworthy.

[WoodyM]

23. With what he is doing

he will be neither.

[TBF]

24. Better make the next 2 years count. Start with a jobs program -

and disband your horrible austerity commission.

[cyr330]

32. Oh? He's well on his way to ONE mediocre term, at best.

[yellowcanine]

33. Hmm. And he is too polite to say WHO might have had 2 mediocre terms.

But we all know who he was thinking about.

[bc3000]

34. Democrats can't afford to assume Obama will change. They need a 2012 candidate.

Right now Obama is hated by the right because he's a democrat. That will never change. But he has also been a huge disappointment to most of his progressive base. That's a recipe for failure in a presidential election.

Democrats can't afford to sit back and assume the republicans will select an easily beatable moron like Sarah Palin. They also can't afford to sit back and hope Obama changes because he's given no real indication that he intends to do so.

We've got to see real improvement out of Obama during this lame duck session or it's time to start recruiting other potential candidates. If we wait much longer, it will be too late and we will have forfeited the 2012 presidential election.

Don't believe me? go look at the red/blue map from 2008, consider the states that Obama won and now has no chance of winning a second time, and start doing some math.

[XemaSab]

42. I just played with the electoral calculator

http://grayraven.com/ec/

I gave us 180 "safe" with the entire west coast, Minnesota, and the Northeast minus New Hampshire.

I gave them 206 "safe" with the rest of the west minus Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico, all of the south except Florida, and also West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana.

That leaves Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa as contested states. (Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire swung red in the senate race, and Michigan went very red in the house race. Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Florida just aren't safe for anyone.)

Even though the numbers are close, if they put up a strong candidate, we could get our asses handed to us. :(

[joshcryer]

43. Colorado is Blue.

Don't be silly. :P

[XemaSab]

44. Of course

I don't know where my head was. :P

[Hawkowl]

50. Change that "could" to a "will"

As in we definitely WILL get our asses handed to us and I agree with you completely. I think you and I aren't the only ones starting to do the electoral calculations and finding them daunting.

I think Obama was simply brought up from the minors too soon. He simply is not getting the job done. Pick whatever reason you want as there a multitude.

I think we have no choice but to start pushing for a primary opponent. I think we can translate Obama's "no two mediocre terms" into meaning he can be easily pressured into not running again. So, I for one am going to scream for a better candidate in 2012.

He seriously doesn't appear to enjoy the job at all. He reminds me more of Carter or Ford who also didn't appear to like being president as opposed to Clinton who LOVED it or even W who seemed to like all the power and trappings (think of his "I AM THE DECIDER!!! moment).

[XemaSab]

52. What makes this scenario even more depressing

is that several "safe" states (I hesitate to say "many" or "all" because I'm not that familiar with East Coast politics) have a few urban centers that are blue, and the rest of the state is red.

California, Oregon, and Washington are perfect examples of this. In California, there's the northern coast, the Bay Area, Monterey and Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and LA. Yes, there are a few incursions into the Valley, but a lot of that is from Bay Area expats. In Oregon, there's Eugene and Portland and a couple counties on or near the coast. Washington has the coast, Olympia, and Seattle.

There's a little rind of blue, with a sea of red inland.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/house
http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/governor
http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/senate

It's obvious, looking at the map, that the Democrats are the party of the big western cities and the Northeast, and the Republicans are left everything else.

The thing that's so frustrating is that in California, the democrats DON'T EVEN TRY to capture areas like Redding or Fresno. If we don't show up, how can we expect people to vote for us? :shrug:

[lavendertimes]

60. Not on my watch

You mean you want an elected official who does'nt give a sh#&. Someone who will pull insider tricks instead of resorting to the hard work of reform.

[Hawkowl]

61. uhh, no.

You are describing Obama. I prefer a true progressive, a liberal, a reformer. Obama is an empty talking suit without a spine.

[activa8tr]

35. HMMM... re:."faithful to the principles, beliefs, ideas that will advance the United States"

I'm having a hard time equating that with waiting on DADT, or abandoning the public option in health insurance, bending over backwards for Republican "support" which he never got, and letting banks get away with no punishment at all for what they are guilty of.

[TheWatcher]

36. How is this possible? He isn't done with his first, and to call this one "mediocre" is dipolmatic.

[Skittles]

57. he's telling us to expect more disappointment

[harun]

62. That will bring about as many people to the polls as the last mid-terms.

[Ter]

37. Is he saying he's not running again?

?

[EFerrari]

38. Politico posting crap about the president and not the issues as usual. n/t

[Jim Sagle]

39. He's putting us on notice that he intends to gut Social Security and Medicare and there's not a

goddamn thing we can do about it.

[Arkana]

48. Not entirely sure where you got that

out of a conversation that didn't even mention either of those two things, but carry on.

[Ruperto31]

51. It can be well sourced, and it's relevant to evaluating Obama.

He is going to cut $500B from Medicare to fund his new healthcare program, which will add 40,000,000 mandatory customers for big insurance.

[woo me with science]

40. Well, let's see...

Corporate bailouts against popular opinion? Check.

Entrench for-profit health insurance companies in our health care system despite polls showing strong support for a public option? Check.

Defend DADT? Check.

Require by threat of fine or imprisonment the scanning and groping of the very Americans who voted him into office? Check.



It's probably a good thing popularity isn't his goal.

[Safetykitten]

41. So when he announces that he will run for a 2nd term, you know that the first was a success.

[sarcasmo]

45. Looking for his new job already?

[Arkana]

47. Every President in our history has said this in one form or another

and there have only been a few that actually meant it.

Lincoln did what he thought was right, even though it meant losing half the country.

Obama, I'm sad to say, doesn't have that singular focus. That's not to say he's been a bad President, but it means that he often will sacrifice principle if he thinks it'll keep Michigan's electoral votes.

[sendero]

55. a 2-term mediocre is his best case possibility..

... 1-term mediocre is his most likely.

[goforit]

56. Trashing citizens rights is not helping people Obama!

[ProudDad]

63. Right now he has time to avoid the first mediocre term

and turn it into just a mediocre first half of the first term...

but not the way he's going...

As for popularity, he's becoming a master at pissing off nearly everyone...

Way to go, Obama!

"I'm faithful to the principles, beliefs, ideas that will advance the United States and strengthen our partners around the world.”"

Uh, if you're talking about shoring up the dying Empire (and he probably is), this is NOT a good thing!