David Plouffe: Left Will Come Home for Democrats

[boston bean]

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: President Obama is grappling with growing frustration from among liberal grass-roots, with many of the activists who worked hard for his election a year ago feeling alienated over his handling of health care, Afghanistan, Wall Street reforms, gay rights, and a host of other issues.

But, Obama’s 2008 campaign manager said today on ABC’s “Top Line,” liberals will ultimately come back into the fold when it matters in forthcoming elections.

“Of course there’s some people upset. But I think, I think people will look at the balance of his leadership to help us lead through the economy -- that we finally got health insurance done,” said David Plouffe, the author of a new book about the Obama campaign, “The Audacity to Win.”

“By the way, something we’ve been trying to do for a hundred years, and I think a lot of the first-time voters, our toughest time getting them to vote wasn’t knowing who they were or money or organization; it was their cynicism. And this will say to them, ‘Your vote mattered. This is what hope and change was -- was doing something like health insurance.’ ”

Asked whether the president needs his liberal base to come back home in next year’s mid-term congressional elections, Plouffe responded:

“He’s trying to do the right thing, and I think most Democrats are supportive of what he’s doing. Everyone’s not going to agree with everything he’s doing. But I think, you know, he’s great at having a longer-term strategic approach,” he said. “I think most Democrats are going to see, on the economy, on health care, you know, by next fall we’re going to begin to have our combat troops out of Iraq --something people aren’t focused on. I think that the left of the Democratic Party is going to say, ‘This guy, through his leadership, through his ideas, has done a great job.’ ”

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/12/david-plouffe-left-will-come-home-for-democrats.html

[Birthmark]

1. Good luck

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7203729

[PuraVidaDreamin]

2. Well they can't use " Change", "Hope" "Yes We Can" anymore

That's quite clear. I do have to wonder what their catchy little phrases will be.

[Shagbark Hickory]

5. I feel like sueing for false advertising. Can we do that?

[laughingliberal]

43. "We're not as bad as the other guys" nt

[HipChick]

3. I'd rather have Rahm Emmanuel in the white house than Karl Rove....

This is where Dems always fail and always hand the Republicans a victory...Can a real progressive or extreme-right be elected? I doubt it...so it's always going to be center of the road...can the right put a puppet in WH? Sure...stay home and don't vote - enjoy President Palin's gibberish for the next 4yrs...I'll be in Australia..

[Le Taz Hot]

7. There's a difference? N/T

[3waygeek]

8. Rahm's the one wih a full head of hair n/t

[3waygeek]

10. And Rove's the fat guy n/t

[stray cat]

24. No - Al Gore is just like George Bush and would have done the identical things

:sarcasm:

[Toots]

27. Al Gore picked Joe Lieberman for his VP

:shrug:

[Le Taz Hot]

33. How the fuck did Al Gore get into this?

Or George Bush? Weren't we talking about Rahm Rove and Karl Emmanuel? I'm confused. :wtf:

[laughingliberal]

44. diversionary tactic nt

[cornermouse]

50. Well, there you go.

You don't need our vote so there's no reason for you to try to bully us into making our vote an extension of your own.

[blindpig]

4. It seems....

that Obama is doing for the Democratic Party what Bush did for the Republican Party.

The shit gets deeper and deeper, seen that Matt Tabbi piece? The 'lesser evil' argument has become virtually irrelevant.

[Hubert Flottz]

6. People with their heads up their ass can't "Look Back"

Will we vote for people who like the GOP, have their heads up their ass?

[Echo In Light]

9. "...it was their cynicism" - that allowed them to correctly & accurately identify the charade...

... that is our illusory rep democracy

[Shagbark Hickory]

11. They will have to wait for a new generation of suckers (who doesn't remember this administration)

before the democrats will have any sort of power again.
Especially after double crossing organized labor and without folks like M. Moore staging huge rallies and with Brave New Films making distributing documentaries that highlight the ongoing wars.
Without the huge problems created under Bush fresh in people's minds it's going to be a long long long time before there's another democratic administration or majority.

[Echo In Light]

14. Given the IQ level of the American gene pool, it won't even require an entire generation

Americans are that. fucking. gullible.

[peacebird]

12. "by next fall we’re going to begin to have our combat troops out of Iraq"-because of Afghan SURGE

:eyes:
seriously - is that the BEST Plouffe-boy can manage?

[Vinca]

13. I don't know about you, but I dislike being taken for granted.

[shadesofgray]

31. That makes two of us.

[KharmaTrain]

15. Maybe In 2012...But Not In 2010...

A combination of people not caring, turned off on what's happening in Washington and a poor choice of candidates. Mid-terms always have a lower turnout that works in the favor of the party that wants to win it more...and right now that's the rushpublicans. While it's easy to pat ourselves on the back for the big Democrat wins in '06 and '08, much of it was based on discontent with the rushpublicans and the abuses of the booosh regime as much as it was anything that Democratic candidates stood for. Now they have to defend their records and there are fewer easy GOOP seats to target.

Now will a Democratic loss in 2010 energize a party toward 2012? I plan on supporting 10 candidates in the primaries and then another 10 in the general...see if we can elected more Progressive and Liberal Democrats and gain seats within...thus having a stronger voice in the future.

Plouffe is right on some fronts here...young people are the future of the Democratic party, but the party must not assume that will stay that way.

[Echo In Light]

16. "we finally got health insurance done" At least he was honest & didn't call it health CARE

[Hubert Flottz]

18. Health Care really is "Done"

Stick a fork in it's ass!

[peacebird]

19. sad but true.

[shadowknows69]

17. Keep taking us for granted that way. PRIMARY CHALLENGER NOW!

[BeFree]

20. heh

Is ok. The left, rightfully cynical abt. O, will vote dem again.

And the middlers? Have ya noticed how the M$M has been fawning over O?

They love him, more than they ever loved bush. They'll get him re-elected.

[dysfunctional press]

21. this one won't.

sorry. :shrug:

[optimator]

22. what a condescending arrogant prick

fuck you plouffe, we are going to PRIMARY his ass.

[shadesofgray]

32. +1

[undeterred]

36. +2

[stray cat]

23. If they don't - we all will enjoy 4-8 years under the likes of Sarah Palin

but the left can choose to let the republicans win if thats what they want

[xiamiam]

30. yawn..we'll she did say she so approved of his war stance that it could have been lifted out of the

pages of her own memoirs

[Toasterlad]

40. Yes, It's the VOTERS Fault That We Get a Republican After Obama Lied About Bringing Change.

That makes a LOT of sense. If you don't vote for Obama, even after he did NOTHING to change the status quo in this country, then you're a bad person.

People like you are what give us Republicans, not people who vote their convictions.

[LeFleur1]

51. Palin?

Maybe Palin would do the opposite of what she says she'll do. Just like Obama is doing in many cases.
There has been very little change under this administration. Certainly there has not been enough to bring big crowds, who yearn for change, to the polls.
The thing I'm most disappointed in is the fact that he doesn't seem to go in and fight for the things on which he campaigned. If he put up a good fight I wouldn't feel so disappointed.
He seems to have a total "good enough" attitude, and quite frankly, it is not good enough.

[NC_Nurse]

25. What choice do we have? More GOP wit and wisdom?

:evilfrown:

[nc4bo]

38. Just what I was thinking too. For many it will be the "lesser of two evils"

crap again rather than the best person with the best plan for the country.

Unless you've been approved by "Powers That Be :tinfoilhat:" AND without the big $$ backing coming from huge/powerful corporations (I assume that comes with PTB approval), than you just don't stand a chance of your message ever being taken seriously much less even being heard on a national level.

The M$M is also a HUGE part of the problem but I lump them into the "powers that be" and HUGE/powerful corporation catagory - they are all brothers and sisters in this.

[rug]

26. "President Palin." They've been test marketing it here for some time.

[Echo In Light]

29. At least millions of ding-a-lings will actually realize what they're getting then

As opposed to the mass delusion of recent days...

[shadesofgray]

28. "Long term strategic approach" = "let 'em eat cake."

[Unvanguard]

34. We'd better; if we don't, we've shot ourselves in the foot. Again. n/t

[kenny blankenship]

35. Fuck You.

[Bluenorthwest]

37. Plouffe is typical in his hubris

Never in my near half century has any political person begged so hard, so long, so often for my tiny bit of cash as Plouffe did for nearly two years. Some days, he'd send two, Michelle another, then the Senator. Then Axelrod.
I guess he's forgotten how needy they were.

[Toasterlad]

39. Not This One.

Deliver what you promised, or get the fuck out.

[Warren Stupidity]

41. Like we have a fucking choice.

[Toasterlad]

42. You Do Have a Choice. You Can Either Vote With Your Heart, Or Vote With Your Fear.

If you do the former, you can feel good about yourself. If you do the latter, you've wasted your vote.

[Warren Stupidity]

46. Not in winner take all plurality systems.

'Vote your heart' ends up being a vote for the right half of the duopoly. I might feel good about it but the net effect of that collective effort is electing the ever more far right evil twin of the totally fucking inept and corrupt 'Democratic' party.

[Toasterlad]

55. Voting For "the Lesser of Two Evils" Guarantees That You Will Be Ruled By Evil.

Until you people stop letting people scare you into voting against your best interests, we'll continue to have this fucked-up one-party system in America.

[Knight Hawk]

45. Do not think so

That is a real stretch.I am beginning to realize that when Bill Clinton described the Obama story as a "fairy tale" during the SC primary he was probably correct.Unless some miraculous things happen there is no way the next campaign or two will generate the enthusiasm and passion that 2008 did.Obama has/had a chance to make some major changes in the very structure of the country ,not to mention the psyche of the country.He will be far better off is he is very bold and aggressive .Even he he loses but fights the good fight he will be much more respected and supported by his ardent base. By giving in he pleases neither side and will be a man without a base.He let down his most loyal and hardest working troops,his palace guard .Never a wise thing to do.

[bvar22]

47. Keep whistling past that graveyard, David.

Don't learn anything from History....1994...2000.....

"When given a choice between a Republican and a Democrat who acts like a Republican, the Republican will win every time."---Truman

The American People gave Obama a HUGE mandate for "CHANGE",
and he wasted it appeasing Republicans.

[bvar22]

48. The Pom-Poms haven't attacked yet.

Guess the talking points from Rahm's Message Discipline program haven't been delivered yet.

Taking Saturday off?

[Raster]

52. But of course.

[branders seine]

49. he's smoking something

and it isn't Marlboros

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

53. He really should consider cutting down on his drinking.

[athenasatanjesus]

54. I'm staying a democrat

And will continue to push for progressives through the primaries.