I tend to move on quickly. The voters have spoken, and I have one thing to say to POTUS.

[Ninga]

From this moment on I expect to see you living 24/7 at the Bully Pulpit; including regular press conferences and regular, and often TV broadcast updates to the American people.

YOU dear POTUS are the one and ONLY Explainer in Chief the American people need to hear.

I'm afraid you have underestimated the extreme value of the...

BULLY PULPIT...

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. that's just what Bernie Sanders suggested....for Obama to get out there and talk!

[Ninga]

3. I hope to high heaven that a second term will free him up to the point that

that he becomes the sum of his own words, and that his outward expectations turn inward and that he taps into his full potential.

[WiffenPoof]

2. I Completely Agree. N/T

[Arkansas Granny]

4. Absolutely. It's time to use some of that political capital he's earned.

[Ninga]

7. takng to the Bully Pulpit on a regular basis will chip away at the crazy, horrible

myths about him, and will create a new reality, in that his true and consistent self will prevail.

History needs him to take to the Bully Pulpit.

[loyalsister]

30. Agree

I think it ceases to be a valuable if it is used with frequency.
If he's every day on every issue, he just fades into the background. When he comes out it's an "Obama said what?" Let I think it's good to make the comments and rebut journalists ask for let the surrogate's do their jobs and take the stage when he deems appropriate. I'd really like to see more assertive people out front speaking for the administration.

I'm hoping that Clinton will continue to be a strong surrogate also used infrequently.

I wonder that people said about the "speak softly and carry a big stick" strategy?

With this being the last term I expect he may be less cautious.

[EarthGurl2012]

5. I agree as well!

[postulater]

6. He's our employee. He needs to follow our lead.

[Ninga]

8. Yes I agree.

[FredStembottom]

9. That's been my main disappointment of the past 4 years

Our newly refreshed Democratic leaders must finally see that the real enemy is the hysteria purposely induced into the American populace by the Radical Rightie media.

Nevermind who is in the House or not. Win the war against the mental disease of hysteria.

[Ninga]

27. Yep, and speaking directly to the American people, on a regular more frequent basis is needed. n/t

[FredStembottom]

33. Directly, regularly and creatively.

Here's an example:

Fox News: you are a Muslim to millions of people in this country.

Pres: no. That's not true. A vast majority know that I am a Christian and always have been.
Speaking of ingrained un-truths..... Did you report that the deficit has actually gone down over the past couple years?

It did.

I'm sure, as a news organization, you did report that to your viewers, right?

[RoccoR5955]

10. I surely hope that

Obama has "grown a set" since he got elected by a MANDATE for his second term.

[rhett o rick]

11. I agree. What do we think his priorities should be?

Pardon Siegelman.

Toughen election laws. No more unverifiable electronic voting.

Reform campaign finance

[Ninga]

13. Good questions. I think we need to hear from him as he ticks through his priorities.

I think it is our responsibility to listen to his priorities and then give him feedback regarding issues we see as important that he champion.

But it starts with the Bully Pulpit. He needs to be the face and the voice of the peoples movement, he needs to put a fork into the ugly and wrong messages put out by detractors...the Bully Pulpit can be his friend, and ours too.

[rhett o rick]

17. It would help if we could get together and agree on some priorities. nm

[Ninga]

18. Well, how do we employ the machnics of DU to do that? In a poll or a separate forum? I don't have

a clue.

[Danascot]

28. Move-on has a system for identifying and prioritizing the

issues they want to pursue. Could we do something similar here?

Also, it's up to all of us to keep up the pressure on Obama, and the rest of our elected officials, to do the job we want them to do.

[Blanks]

12. He needs to do whatever he can to get control of the house.

If that means bully pulpit; then I'm all for it.

[Ninga]

14. The first thing that popped into my head after reading your post is for him to stand

at the Bully Pulpit, be that press conference or nationally televised talk....to INFORM his supporters of how bills are being moved through the US House of Reps.

Voters need to know how the issues that speak directly to their best interests are being supported or NOT, by the US House of Reps.

He can use the Bully Pulpit to speak directly to obstructionism and then....campaign for those candidates who will replace the obstructionists.

[awoke_in_2003]

21. Yep, keep talking to the people...

they obviously like what he has to say. 332 electoral votes prove that- it wasn't a mandate, it was a thumping of epic proportions.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

31. Yes but "the people" hate when he gets all "professorial" on them. God forbid they actually learn

something.

[Lunabelle]

15. "I earned some capital. I’ve earned capital in this election — and I’m going to spend it..."

Who's got the political capital now, bitch?

[Ninga]

16. I think the fellow who said that, got on his bike and road away, didn't he? Oh no, his gave up his

"earned capital" to his evil VP.

Yep, our POTUS can do the "political capital" dance if he so chooses!!

[lark]

19. One thing I have to say to POTUS - is actually 2 things

First - Congratulations
Second - Be the person you campaigned as, bold and for the middle class, not the person you appeared to be at times - no backbone when it comes to standing up for the middle class against Republican intransiegence.

Don't knuckle under just to gt a deal - tax cuts for the rich ARE NOT GOOD for the economyl! You know this so take a stand.

[NYC Liberal]

20. Agree -- I hope he continues as he has for the last four years!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

22. Fireside chats for the winter

[Ninga]

25. Love your idea!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

29. Roosevelt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireside_chats

would love to see Obama on a comfy armchair in front of a log fire addressing the nation. Roosevelt did it by radio but TV would be more effective!

Maybe for the summer it could be in the Rosa Garden or in front of the vegetable garden?

[ecstatic]

23. Hopefully you saw his fiscal cliff speech yesterday...

[Ninga]

26. I did. Is it foreshadowing? He cannot wait until the State of the Union to make another

address, moreover, he needs to do regular press conferences and speak directly to the American people.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

24. The POTUS has the power to order all of the media to cover an address to the nation....

He needs to use that power to force Republicans to pass specific bills.

[Ninga]

32. We know this to be true!

[UnrepentantLiberal]

34. Not gonna happen.

Leopards don't change their spots.