Posted on 07/06/2011 6:31:52 PM PDT by markomalley
Wednesday’s so-called Twitter town hall meeting conducted by President Barack Obama was certainly unprecedented. But was it a sign of trouble at Obama reelection headquarters in Chicago?
Over the past few weeks, Democrats in Washington, D.C., have been driving the message of “shared sacrificed” as it pertains to the federal government’s fiscal policy going forward in dealing with record deficit and debt issues. But in an appearance on Wednesday’s “The Laura Ingraham Show,” National Journal congressional correspondent Major Garrett explained there were some unresolved questions, especially when it comes to the question of what Americans are getting for their sacrifice.
“[W]hen you talk about sacrifice, what I’m often curious about is how most American people regard the service they receive from their government,” Garrett said. “Because–if you’re going to ask for sacrifice, perhaps those who are sacrificing, and of course every American taxpayer does it at one level or another, they might also inquire about the level of service they receive from the government and I would think any conversation right now pitting sacrifice against service, the government would come out on the lesser end of that conversation. That’s just a hunch.”
In the end, Garrett said the Obama administration needed to connect with the public on the economy. He explained as the economy continues to struggle, the president’s ability to communicate on that will become more and more difficult.
“[I] would say the jobs report that came out a month ago that showed an enormously shallow capability of this economy to create jobs brought about by gas prices, brought about instability in Europe, brought about by the continuing sense of unease among major sectors of the U.S. economy – what would come next was the pivot point for this administration because it undercut everything the president had been saying for a year about this recovery,” Garrett said.
“Last year we had ‘Recovery Summer.’ Well you can’t have two recovery summers in a row — I think the great issue when it comes to the economy is that do most Americans even listen to the president anymore,” he said.
But as it stands right now, Obama’s failing to connect and Garrett cited his so-called Twitter town hall meeting as an attempt almost in desperation to resurrect the messaging success the president in his prior election.
“[I]f people aren’t listening to you on that core message, it doesn’t matter what you say anymore,” he said. “And I think the president is dangerously close to losing that connection with the American people on what he knows about the economy and what he can predict about the economy. And presidents who can’t lead on the economy tend to be replaced. And I think today’s Twitter town hall is evidence of a low-level degree of anxiety bordering on panic within the Chicago reelection headquarters because back 2008 and 2007, I watched this develop on the ground. There was a sense that ‘oh social media created the energy.’ No, social media harnessed and built it out. It made it exponential. But it didn’t create it in the first place and you see a lot of sort of feverish attempts to engage social media as if that’s the means by which to create energy. No – you create energy by what you do, what you say and how you lead, especially if you’re seeking reelection and it’s at that level that I think the energy pool is much more shallow for President Obama than the campaign would like it to be.”
Please let this nightmare end soon.
Change = unemployed for 2 yrs.
The funny part is obama’s new communications director for his 2012 staff is one of the founders of Twitter....and his little creation couldn’t even muster any buzz for his idiot king.
My prayers are with you my friend.
I was unemployed off and on , then underemployed for 2 years,
finally last March I landed a steady gig, but at a pay cut.
They say you should make the job search your full time job,
but I think making 0bama a one termer should also be high on the priority list
Do you get a sense that there is a lack of a real ‘impacting’ MESSAGE from either ANY of the “announced” Republican candidates out there now?
Of the candidates who have already “ANNOUNCED” that are “running” for President, I bet you CAN’T identify any specific candidate with any SPECIFIC MESSAGE unique to their campaign?
I ‘betcha’ there’s ONE ‘candidate’ who WILL be announcing, who when they announce, I ‘betcha’ will definitely HAVE a very SPECIFIC MESSAGE that will be identifiable to their campaign - and that is WHAT will cause the ‘wave’ to roll over OBAMA in 2012!
Uh, Major, you might want to include Obama’s policies in the reasons the economy is still in the dumper.
“Shared Sacrifice” ...WTF???
That merely means..don’t look TOO close at where all your money was sent...as we bend you over the table...
Can’t remember who said it but read a quote from a millionaire that he didn’t believe in shared sacrifice. He believes in shared prosperity. I think Republicans should counter the Dems with ‘shared prosperity.’
“Shared Sacrifice”...WTF???
That’s what I said when I heard the top WH staff got a 16% pay raise. I’m supposed to pay more taxes for that? Fuggedaboudit.
Speaking of this little “Twitter-fest,” did anyone hear Obama say something about the Republicans holding “a gun to the heads” of American people over the debt ceiling vote? Where is the outrage from the media about this vitriol? Didn’t the President chastise Republicans for their harsh language? Why aren’t Republicans crying foul?
Hope you right, about you know who.
We definitely need to get Medicare and Social Security fixed, but a good start in cutting spending would be to dump about 1/2 of the public sector work force!
Yep...they’re sharing our sacrifice...
Over the past few weeks, Democrats in Washington, D.C., have been driving the message of “shared sacrificed”
Every Democrat & Anarchist should sacrifice themselves for the greater good.
Excellent point. Aside from the military, can anybody on this thread recite a single circumstance where your dealings with a federal employee have been satisfactory?
“Aside from the military, can anybody on this thread recite a single circumstance where your dealings with a federal employee have been satisfactory? “
As an FFL, I frequently deal with the ATF in Denver, D.C., and West Virginia. They’ve always been helpful, friendly, professional and courteous.
Most believe in sharing the opportunity to earn prosperity.
yitbos
Heres Hoping YOU BETCHA has that Message !!!!!
Waiting for July 15th to see You Betcha at My local Theatre
I live in Connecticut,completely Democrat controlled and we are going through a Budget battle where the Democrat Governor asked for ,Are you ready for it,SHARED SACRIFICE! What that is code words for is TAX INCREASES ,to the tune of 1.6 billion dollars,while the Governor said he was going to get 2.6 billion in Union Give backs,guess what he got and Didnt get? Thats right No give backs and the taxpayers GOT the 1.6 Billion in tax increases. The Governor is still trying to Layoff State Workers,HA what a Joke
Shared Sacrifice My Ass!
I live in Connecticut,completely Democrat controlled and we are going through a Budget battle where the Democrat Governor asked for ,Are you ready for it,SHARED SACRIFICE! What that is code words for is TAX INCREASES ,to the tune of 1.6 billion dollars,while the Governor said he was going to get 2.6 billion in Union Give backs,guess what he got and Didnt get? Thats right No give backs and the taxpayers GOT the 1.6 Billion in tax increases. The Governor is still trying to Layoff State Workers,HA what a Joke
Shared Sacrifice My Ass!
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