Sherrod Brown: Obama needs to fight harder and "sharpen message"

[ProSense]

Sherrod Brown: Obama needs to fight harder and "sharpen message"

By Greg Sargent

I chatted with Senator Sherrod Brown this afternoon, and he confirmed in unusually blunt terms that Senate Democrats are unhappy with President Obama over his failure to fight harder in order to draw a sharp distinction with Republicans on kitchen-table issues important to the middle class.

"He needs to sharpen his message," Brown told me. "The president needs to make clear whose side we're on."

Politico reported today that Senate Dems privately lit into Obama yesterday at a tense caucus meeting, complaining that he was not showing enough passion and was being overly compromising in the face of Republicans who are determined to destroy him.

Brown didn't comment directly on what happened at caucus, but he confirmed that the general sense among Senate Dems is that Obama needs to be more confrontational towards Republicans, in order to make the difference between the parties clearer. "The caucus broadly wants to see the president stand up and fight and make the distinction clearer than any of us have so far," Brown said.

Brown warned that reaching a compromise on extending the Bush tax cuts temporarily would only further set back Dem efforts to draw a sharp contrast with the GOP. "He needs to articulate every day that he's fighting for the broad middle class, while Republicans are for the rich," he said.

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Every Democrat needs to make clear whose side we're on.

[Uzybone]

1. KnR

we all need to get in this fight

[babsbunny]

2. Grayson and Brown 2012!

[Pryderi]

4. Wiener - Grayson

[veganlush]

7. I'd support that ticket with

enthusiasm. We need fighters.

[veganlush]

6. YES!

[ProSense]

9. Not only is that not the point,

that's not going to happen, ever!

[TwilightGardener]

3. I'm sorry--is Mr. Brown getting his point across respectfully WITHOUT calling the President

a woman or a ballerina? Amazing. Didn't know you could do that...

[veganlush]

8. what matters is if the message gets through

nothing else matters.

[DFLforever]

11. Amazing how much more effective that can be

Perhpas that's because Sen Brown's main concern is not self-aggrandizement.

[veganlush]

5. OK, this needs to be shouted from the rooftops

now!..we should all call ours reps and demand an echo chamber technique be employed in this endeavor. This is the time to advance this meme 'til it catches on and makes it to the MSM..

[OHdem10]

10. The Senate needs to select some members and arm them

sharpened messages, the House needs to select
some members, arming them with sharpened meesages
and the President needs to select a handful of
surragates to carry the message. They can select
members who are more confortable pitching a message
on Television. There are too many outlests to
expect the President alone to be able to counteract
all the vemom out there.

I am sorry but the politics is as important as the
policy.

[BeyondGeography]

12. Very healthy

K&R

[impik]

13. Two more years and this terrible president will go home

And all will be much better. The next one will be a " fighter" and will have "balls" and "spine" and will not be a "wimp". Who knows, he might even be a real "gangsta". Just hang in there two years.

[senseandsensibility]

14. LOL

Gotta laugh to keep from crying....But you know Obama doesn't have to leave. He's perfectly capable of standing up to these bullies. We just have to make him do it.

[DFLforever]

16. I don't want him to 'stand up' to them

I want the Pres to outmaneuver them, which I think is where he will excel.

Plus getting out and about in the country...begin running for re-election now!

[treestar]

15. Why don't they?

The Democrats in the House could "stand up to the Republicans," at least now.

They are the ones in the common voting body.

Everybody is just so lazy and wants the President to do it all.

[kentuck]

17. Is it really that difficult?

If the majority of voters in this country were millionaires, then I could understand the hesitancy to take on the Repubs taxcuts for the wealthy. But they are not.

[jeanpalmer]

18. To sharpen your message

you have to believe in something. What?