Blue Dog survivor blames Obama, Pelosi for losses

[harvey007]

Source: Miami Herald

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler said last week he partially blames the Obama administration and U.S. House leadership for Democrats' election losses and his extremely narrow re-election.

"If not there, where else does the responsibility lie?" said Chandler, D-Ky., who had endorsed Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election. "You're talking about the loss of 60 or something seats held by capable public servants. There had to be something going on at a level above them. If that isn't the lesson, I don't know what is."

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/27/1946244/surviving-blue-dog-blames-obama.html

[bemildred]

1. None of that personal accountability stuff for him I guess. nt

[Radical Activist]

2. The failure of Senate blue dogs to pass more of Obama's agenda.

That's where the responsibility lie.

[SoapBox]

8. Ditto, Ditto...you took the words right out of my mouth.

Hey Mr. Blue Dog...Maybe those other "DINO" Blue Dogs, should
have grown a pair and found a spine, to stand with Democrats
and Progressives.

[DJ13]

3. There had to be something going on at a level above them.

How about the people recognized that Congress in general (regardless of party) no longer works for the betterment of the average citizen, but now is a willing captive of the same corporate forces that are responsible for causing all our economic misery.

I'd say those reelected were just lucky, rightfully the whole lot should have lost in the primaries.

[Iowa]

17. Well said. I agree.

[Hawkeye-X]

4. Hey Chandler - consider yourself damn lucky.

You could have easily lost. But next time you won't be so lucky as we continue to purge Blue Fake Republican-Lites away from the Democratic Party and the eventual demise of the DLC, returning to its progressive roots.

Oh, and Ben? You even have a less of a voice in the party, you know - 75% of your fellow 'Dogs were defeated. Think about that, a-hole. At the same time, consider the famous Truman quote. And he's right.

Hawkeye-X

[UrbScotty]

5. Pot, meet kettle. (nt)

[CubicleGuy]

6. Somebody hand this guy...

... a mirror.

[kiranon]

7. My thoughts exactly. n/t

[PSPS]

9. FDR was elected president four times for a reason.

[azurnoir]

10. Perhaps you should look in the mirror sir

I hate to say it but of the 25 or so Dems I know none save myself and my SO voted,-because as the general comment was "why bother" they're all in the corporate pocket, there to help themselves and no one else ect

[glinda]

11. Not Blue Dog but Republican IMHO.

[CBHagman]

12. He doesn't know his history.

Before the election was even held, PBS's Need to Know did a feature on midterm losses by the party in power.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/video/in-perspective-jon-meacham-on-superlativism/3665/

And here, on the midterm question, is what the past teaches us: Every president from FDR to Bill Clinton — every president, Democrat and Republican–has lost House seats in at least one midterm election. In 1938, FDR lost 71 house seats; eight years later, Harry Truman lost 55 — in 1994 Bill Clinton lost 54. Republicans took some hits of their own. Eisenhower lost 18 seats in 1954 and 48 in 1958; the Watergate year of 1974 cost the GOP 48 seats, and Ronald Reagan lost 26 in 1982.

So if you believe that the likely Democratic defeats this fall are epochal, then logic demands that you designate every four years since 1938 as an epoch. I’d suggest instead that midterms past and present are less about grand redefinitions of American politics and more about the perennial fickleness of the American voter.

On top of that, voter participation tends to drop in the midterms and pick up in presidential elections.

There are too many factors that go into this, and Chandler's asking himself the wrong questions.

[veganlush]

13. fuck 'em n/t

[OHdem10]

14. Tell the people decided to choose a real Republican over a fake

Republican --it is that simple.

Ask him about those Blue Dogs that: 1) the GOP did not targe
the COC did not target. After all these BDs vote with Republicans.
and the COC considered them friends.

They did not vote for the Stimulus, HCR etc.

However, they did trash the Democratic Party, Nancy Pelosi
and Obama. When they campaigned you would have thought
they were Republicans.

Simple, People chose real Republicans over Fakes.

[The Second Stone]

15. Voters voted for somebody else?

Voters are supposedly at the highest level. Vote turnout? Those who do not get their votes out lose? Blue dogs suck?

I'll go with Blue Dogs suck and Democrats are tired of voting for Blue Dogs. I don't vote for Blue Dogs, I don't donate to them, and I don't work for their campaigns.

[blackspade]

16. Not a fan of this guy.

Here in KY he is seen as a RINO by many progressives.

[mfcorey1]

18. Consider the 2010 elections a cleansing of all that blue dog impurity. They held up things and in

some cases voted with he opposition. Their selfish manipulations, in some instances, derailed things in health care, financial reform, and other issues causing a need for unnecessary compromising. Replace them in 2012 with some extremely left real Democrats. As for now, Chandler can stick it and hope that he survives another election.