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As Predicted Democrats Abandoning Obama
Townhall.com ^ | May 26, 2012 | John Ransom

Posted on 05/26/2012 4:05:17 AM PDT by Kaslin

Love is always being able to tell liberals I told you so.

Ok, I don’t know if it’s love exactly, but man it sure does feel good.

A few weeks ago, after West Virginia’s Democrat governor and US Senator both refused to endorse Obama for reelection in 2012, I wrote:

Scores of Democrats running for reelection will defect from Obama before the campaign is done. And scores of Democrat voters will reject him too.

Why? The same reason voters will likely vote to kick Obama out of the White House: self-interest, if not outright self-defense.     

Democrat Governor Earl Ray Tomblin of West Virginia has announced that he isn’t sure that he will be supporting Barack Obama for reelection.

“Tomblin said in statement released by his campaign that he was a ‘loyal member of the Democratic Party’ but was concerned by fellow Democrat Obama's ‘misguided policies,” reports the Charleston Daily Mail.

I also observed that West Virginia’s newest Democrat Senator, Joe Manchin has been a little more direct about his distaste for Obama.

“If that means I have to break with my party to do what's best for the country,” wrote Manchin in an op-ed in the Gazette-Mail, “I will. If it means I take on a sitting president to protect West Virginia interests, I have and I will.”

Manchin’s bow-shot on SS Obama was returned by advisor David Axlerod on CNN’s State of the Union: "I think he was very candid there,” reported the National Journal. “His concern is about his own political well being. He's running for the Senate in that state. We didn't win the state the last time. It's going to be a tough state for us again, and he's making a political judgment about himself."

Well according to the official tally released today by the RNC, the number of Democrats slapping down Obama isn’t quite yet a score.

It’s only 14.

That will do for now. It’s early.

In an email titled “14 and Counting,” the RNC details 14 Democrats who have disavowed Obama’s “attacks on free enterprise in his campaign.”

The list includes some we already know about, but it also includes some names that should worry Obama- like for example Senator Dianne Feinstein (LIB, CA) who has told Obama to get on with more fertile campaign territory.

From the RNC:

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): "It's Done. … Go On To Other Things Now." "Despite pushback from more than a half-dozen Democrats, the Obama campaign on Tuesday defended how it has scrutinized Romney's business background. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a widely respected member of Congress, stopped short of criticizing the president, but made it clear that the campaign should pivot. 'It's done,' she said. 'Go on to other things now.'" (Cameron Joseph, "Democrats Balk At Obama Campaign's Sustained Attack On Bain Capital," The Hill, 5/22/12)

And also included in the list is former DNC chair Ed Rendell:

EARLIER IN THE DAY: Former Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) Said Obama's Attacks On Free Enterprise Are "Very Disappointing." "And Rendell joined the chorus of criticism of Obama's attacks on finance, whose leaders have written checks to many members of both parties. 'I think they're very disappointing,' Rendell said of the ads attacking Bain." (Zeke Miller, "Is This Obama's Party?," BuzzFeed, 5/22/12)

I’ve reprinted the entire email below.

It’s good stuff, and well-deserved.

Congrats Obama! Keep it up:

Up To 14 Different Democrat Obama Supporters Voice Their Disagreement With Obama's Attacks On Free Enterprise

_____________________________________________________________________

OBAMA SUPPORTER (?) #1: SENATOR JOE MANCHIN (D-WV) DEFENDED FREE ENTERPRISE, SAID MARKETS CHOOSE BETTER THAN GOVERNMENT

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) Defended Free Enterprise, Saying That The "Markets Have Always Done A Much Better Job Than What We've Done In Government." SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): "I believe in the free enterprise system. I believe business and labor have to work together. I think if you have a good business, you'll have good workers and if you have good workers then that's a good place to work. … I think with the balance that we have, the markets have always done a much better job than what we've done in government." (Kerry Picket, "Manchin - Private Sector Better At Picking Winners And Losers Than Gov't," The Washington Times ' The Water Cooler , 5/24/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTERS #2 AND #3: NEW YORK SENATORS CHUCK SCHUMER AND KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND DECLINED TO COMMENT ABOUT OBAMA'S ATTACKS

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) And Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Declined To Comment About Obama's Attacks. "It is one of the most delicate topics within the party these days. Two Democrats with close ties to Wall Street, Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand of New York, declined to comment on Wednesday." (Nicholas Confessore, "Strategy On Rival's Career Holds Pitfalls For President," The New York Times, 5/23/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #4: FORMER CLINTON LAWYER LANNY DAVIS DEFENDED FREE ENTERPRISE

Former Clinton Special Counsel Lanny Davis Defended Private Equity. "Private equity firms often invest in distressed companies by putting in cash and cutting expenses in order to save a company that is already close to bankruptcy. Sometimes the investment works and the company and jobs are saved. And sometimes, to save the company, jobs need to be cut or wages and benefits reduced." (Lanny Davis, Op-Ed, "Cory Booker Got It Right," The Hill, 5/23/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #5: SENATOR CHRIS COONS (D-DE) SHOOK HIS HEAD "VIGOROUSLY" AS HE REFUSED TO COMMENT ON OBAMA'S ATTACKS

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) Refused To Comment On Whether Obama's Attacks On Free Enterprise Were Within The Parameters Of What Coons Hoped The Election Would Be About. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) told The Hill, 'I think the average American … hopes that this campaign will focus on competing visions for how to strengthen our economy, help create jobs and move the country forward. ' Pressed on whether he thought Obama's campaign had operated within those guidelines, Coons paused. 'I'm not going to comment on President Obama's ad,' he said, shaking his head vigorously." (Cameron Joseph, "Democrats Balk At Obama Campaign's Sustained Attack On Bain Capital," The Hill, 5/22/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #6: SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA): "IT'S DONE. … GO ON TO OTHER THINGS NOW."

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA): "It's Done. … Go On To Other Things Now." "Despite pushback from more than a half-dozen Democrats, the Obama campaign on Tuesday defended how it has scrutinized Romney's business background. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a widely respected member of Congress, stopped short of criticizing the president, but made it clear that the campaign should pivot. 'It's done,' she said. 'Go on to other things now.'" (Cameron Joseph, "Democrats Balk At Obama Campaign's Sustained Attack On Bain Capital," The Hill, 5/22/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #7: GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK (D-MA) SAID BAIN CAPITAL IS "NOT A BAD COMPANY"

RNC Youtube

Click To Watch

Governor Deval Patrick Said Bain Capital Is "Not A Bad Company." CNN'S JOHN KING: "You're in a very interesting position this year. I want to start with… You're the governor of a state that Bain Capital calls its global home. It's right up the street in Lowell headquarters." GOV. DEVAL PATRICK (D-MA): "Indeed." KING: "Are they a bad company?" (CNN's "John King USA," 5/22/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #8: FORMER CONGRESSMAN ARTUR DAVIS (D-AL) SAID OBAMA IS DOUBLING DOWN ON "EUROPEAN LEFTIST" IDEAS ON FREE ENTERPRISE

Former Representative Artur Davis (D-AL) Said The Obama Campaign's Attacks Follow "The European Leftist Notion That Business Is Fair Only When It Operates In A Sanitized, Risk Free Manner." DAVIS: "It's hard to imagine a more instructive couple of days for those who want to know where the Democratic Party's head is at: its only high-profile African American moderate just got a brushback pitch for leaning in too close to the Independent thought zone; the Obama camp looks ominously like a cult of personality that tolerates no dissent; and the reelection campaign just doubled down on the European leftist notion that business is fair only when it operates in a sanitized, risk free manner." (Artur Davis, "Should Democrats Stop Bain Capital Attacks?" Politico's The Arena , 5/22/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #9: SENATOR MARK WARNER (D-VA) CALLED BAIN CAPITAL A "VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS"

RNC Youtube

Click To Watch

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA): "I think Bain Capital was a very successful business." (MSNBC's "Daily Rundown," 5/22/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #10: FORMER DNC CHAIR AND FORMER GOV. ED RENDELL CALLED OBAMA'S ATTACKS "VERY DISAPPOINTNG" …UPDATE: RENDELL SAYS HE'S EITHER/OR ON AGREEING WITH HOW OBAMA RUNS HIS CAMPAIGN

RNC Youtube

Click To Watch

Former DNC Chair/Former Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) Said He Was "Either/Or" On Whether Or He Was With Obama Campaign On Its Attack Tactics. MSNBC's CHRIS MATTHEWS: "Governor Rendell, big question. Are you with the Obama campaign as it's being run right now, or are you against it?" FORMER DNC CHAIRMAN ED RENDELL: "Well … either/or." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 5/22/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #11: FORMER CONGRESSMAN HAROLD FORD JR. (D-TN) DISAGREES WITH OBAMA'S ATTACKS

RNC Youtube

Click To Watch

Former Congressman Harold Ford Jr. Said He Would Not Have Backed Off Mayor Booker's Comments About Private Equity And Called Private Equity A "Good Thing In Many, Many Instances." FORMER REP. HAROLD FORD JR. (D-TN): "I would not have backed off the comments if I were Mayor Booker. I understand him wanting to make the point that legitimate questions can be raised about whether or not at Bain they made bad decisions about certain -overall, I agree with the substance - the substance of his comments on Meet The Press, I agree with, the core of it, I would not have backed them out. Having said that, I understand as a surrogate for the campaign, you have to have one of your key and most eloquent and most effective surrogates at least clarify or bring some context to his statements. But I agree with him, private equity is not a bad thing. Matter of fact, private equity is a good thing in many, many instances." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 5/21/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #12: OBAMA SURROGATE MAYOR CORY BOOKER SAYS HE'S "VERY UNCOMFORTABLE" WITH OBAMA'S LINE OF ATTACK

RNC Youtube

Click To Watch

Mayor Cory Booker (D-Newark, NJ): "I have to say from a very personal level I'm not about to sit here and indict private equity. To me, it's just, we're getting to a ridiculous point in America. Especially, I know, I live in a state where pension funds, unions and other people are investing in companies like Bain Capital. If you look at the totality of Bain Capital's record, they've done a lot to support businesses, to grow businesses, and this to me, I'm very uncomfortable with." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/20/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #13: FORMER OBAMA ECON ADVISER STEVEN RATTNER CALLED OBAMA'S AD "UNFAIR"

RNC Youtube

Click To Watch

Former Obama Economic Adviser Steven Rattner: "I Think The Ad Is Unfair… I Don't Think There's Anything Bain Capital Did That They Need To Be Embarrassed About.""Former Obama administration auto czar Steven Rattner said Monday that the Obama campaign's renewed attack on Mitt Romney's time in private equity was 'unfair.' 'I think the ad is unfair.' Rattner said. 'Mitt Romney made a mistake ever talking about the fact that he created 100,000 jobs.'…'Bain Capital's responsibility was not to create 100,000 jobs or some other number. It was to create profits for its investors,' Rattner said. 'It did it superbly well, acting within the rules, acting very responsibly,' Rattner said. 'This is part of capitalism, this is part of life. I don't think there's anything Bain Capital did that they need to be embarrassed about.'" (Byron Tau, "Ex-Obama Adviser: Latest Anti-Romney Ad Is 'Unfair'," Politico, 5/14/12)

OBAMA SUPPORTER #14: MAJOR OBAMA FUNDRAISER EXPRESSES A DIFFERENT SENTIMENT FROM OBAMA'S ATTACK ADS

Obama Bundler Don Peebles Questioned Obama's Attack On Bain: "I Think It's Difficult To Attack Or Demonize An Industry And Then Take Money From It." "A top fundraiser for President Barack Obama's presidential campaign expressed disappointment that he is taking money from the private equity industry while simultaneously attacking them to tarnish Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital. Don Peebles, a Miami real estate executive who has raised more than $100,000 for the president's campaign this cycle, told BuzzFeed 'I think it's difficult to attack or demonize an industry and then take money from it.'" (Zeke Miller, "Obama Bundler Decries 'Vilification' Of Private Equity," BuzzFeed, 5/15/12)



TOPICS: Breaking News
KEYWORDS: 112th; bho2012; bho44; buyersremorse; circularfiringsquad; democrats; elections; implosion; obama
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To: cripplecreek
It's still a race to the bottom for these two. No reason why somebody who'd dump Obama would turn around and vote for Rombama.

I see an historic low in voter turnout this November.

21 posted on 05/26/2012 5:26:05 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: Kaslin
It is a good practice to make a reasonable attempt to select a winning candidate.

That hasn't been done yet.

22 posted on 05/26/2012 5:27:22 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: Diogenesis

I’m not looking for total ideological purity at this point and would settle for having the US government back under adult supervision. I believe Romney would provide that.


23 posted on 05/26/2012 5:45:03 AM PDT by varmintman
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To: Old Sarge

Sarge, we must vote to evict the Obamanation IMO.


24 posted on 05/26/2012 5:52:03 AM PDT by MEG33 (O Lord, Guide Our Nation)
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To: varmintman

Please enlighten us as to how RomneyCARE
exemplifies “ADULTNESS”, since he is a
bully, a backstabber, a liar, a cheater,
a statist, a destroyer of Constitutions,
a shapeshifter HIS PEOPLE CALL “Etch-a-Sketch”,
a piss poor Governor, and a vulture corporatist.

Please then tell us how he can win.


25 posted on 05/26/2012 5:54:13 AM PDT by Diogenesis ("Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. " Pres. Ronald Reagan)
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To: BRL
You laugh, but that seems to be the intended strategy, Like it or not. But Karl Rove will be patting himself all on the back (and looking in the mirror while saying "You magnificent bastard")if Romney wins this.

And the Neo Democrat party is born.
26 posted on 05/26/2012 6:24:39 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: Ronin

“Agreed. I am getting so fricking tired of this...”

Both the Left and the Right have their ideologues.


27 posted on 05/26/2012 6:27:56 AM PDT by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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To: Kaslin

The problem here is that these particular democrats in taking a non-obama position is that they do not hurt the DNC or affect any outcome. Big Deal?


28 posted on 05/26/2012 6:28:05 AM PDT by Jumper
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To: OKSooner

No way are they ditching the first black president.


29 posted on 05/26/2012 6:28:56 AM PDT by EEGator
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To: Diogenesis
"Romneycare" was meant to cover the less than ten percent of anybody not already covered in Mass and most people who've studied it say it's not comparable to obungacare, totally separate topics.

Romney alone amongst the plausible GOP candidates has been elected to high public office outside of solid red territory and we're talking about winning a national election here and an election we cannot afford to lose.

30 posted on 05/26/2012 6:29:13 AM PDT by varmintman
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To: ScottinVA

This all sounds like a setup. Early in the campaign Obama “loses” his own then he miraculously brings them back together just before the election causing a perceived tidal wave of support.


31 posted on 05/26/2012 6:31:02 AM PDT by Dutch Boy
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To: Dutch Boy

I agree. A strategy to demoralize the enemy is always useful.

In 04, myself and a lot of FReepers were voting for Kerry in all the polls. In the end Kerry lost and the democrats were screaming bloody murder because the polls said he would win.


32 posted on 05/26/2012 6:36:31 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: Kaslin

The liberal political winds are changing direction, and the liberals that refuse to tack are being left behind.


33 posted on 05/26/2012 6:48:32 AM PDT by chainsaw (Sarah Palin is still my first choice to save the USA. . .)
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To: Kaslin
It will be like homosexual marriage. To the pollsters they say yes we are for it and then in the secrecy of the voting booth they vote overwhelmingly against it, in 33 states now.

Same thing is going to happen to "the one". Yes, Mr. Pollster we love Obama and then in secret vote against him, I think it is going to be a blowout loss for "the one".

34 posted on 05/26/2012 6:53:25 AM PDT by thirst4truth (www.Believer.com)
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To: Kaslin

Let’s compare Romney’s record at Bain to Obama’s funding of alternative energy companies. Can you say Solyndra, Raser Technologies, ECOtality, NGP, First Solar, Abound Solar, Beacon Power, Sun Power? Collectively they lost more than eleven billion tax payer dollars while donating almost half a million to Obama’s campaign. These facts could be made into an awesome ad.


35 posted on 05/26/2012 6:55:23 AM PDT by csmusaret (Obama's new slogan: "Fo Mo Mo Fo.")
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To: Kaslin
OBAMA SUPPORTER #6: SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA): "IT'S DONE. … GO ON TO OTHER THINGS NOW."

Because her husband's business dealings could not stand up to 1/10th of the scrutiny Romney's Bain years have already gotten. :)

36 posted on 05/26/2012 6:57:48 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves (CTRL-GALT-DELETE)
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To: Diogenesis

The good news is now I DEFINITELY don’t have to vote for Romney. That is wonderful news.


37 posted on 05/26/2012 7:29:40 AM PDT by napscoordinator (VOTE FOR NEWT!!!!)
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To: muawiyah
I see an historic low in voter turnout this November.

Perhaps, but evidence from the primaries doesn't support your thesis, except on the Democrat side of the ledger. My own guess is that turnout will be slightly off of 2008's record, but GOP turnout will still be quite robust.

38 posted on 05/26/2012 7:36:07 AM PDT by TonyInOhio (Ave crux spes unica)
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To: Kaslin

Count me in.


39 posted on 05/26/2012 7:36:28 AM PDT by icwhatudo (This is not a choice between Romney&Reagan-Its between Romney & most radical leftist Pres in history)
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To: Kaslin
One question, where were these democrats when it counted?

They haven't said squat about this the whole time the man has been in office, and the policies haven't changed.

They're just hypocrites running for the tall grass.

40 posted on 05/26/2012 7:39:53 AM PDT by Lakeshark (NbIttoalbl,cRwIdtaa)
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