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Krauthammer: "Don't Underestimate Barack Obama."
MEDIAite.com ^ | July 17, 2010 | Jocelyn Rousey

Posted on 07/17/2010 8:39:00 PM PDT by no dems

Lately, the media has been eating up the doom and gloom projections for Democrats in the November 2010 election, so much so that you kind of have to wonder to what degree it might be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ironically, however, conservative Charles Krauthammer predicts a not-so-gloomy future for Obama and the Democratic Party, regardless (and maybe even because of) what will likely happen in November.

The most interesting part of Krauthammer’s column in the Washington Post is the extent to which he portrays Pres. Barack Obama as a force to be reckoned with. Krauthammer clearly doesn’t agree with what Obama has spent his first year and a half in office doing, but he acknowledges the historic nature of Obama’s presidency and warns Republicans, in no uncertain terms, “Don’t underestimate Barack Obama.”

Krauthammer compares Obama’s presidency to Reagan’s, noting that “both presidencies were highly ideological, grandly ambitious and often underappreciated by their own side.” And while Obama has come under fire from critics on both sides of political spectrum, Krauthammer argues that these critics are actually missing the big picture.

Obama’s transformational agenda is a play in two acts.

Act One is over. The stimulus, Obamacare, financial reform have exhausted his first-term mandate. It will bear no more heavy lifting. And the Democrats will pay the price for ideological overreaching by losing one or both houses, whether de facto or de jure. The rest of the first term will be spent consolidating these gains (writing the regulations, for example) and preparing for Act Two.

For Obama to fulfill the remainder of his agenda, he’ll need to win a second term. And here’s the kicker. As Krauthammer sees it, letting the Republicans win control of either or both houses this November might actually benefit Obama (and Democrats) in the following 2012 election.

If Democrats lose control of one or both houses, Obama will probably have an easier time in 2012, just as Bill Clinton used Newt Gingrich and the Republicans as the foil for his 1996 reelection campaign.

Over the past few months, news and political analysis has been remarkably focused on the short term, concerned mostly with how this or that event will play out in the November elections. There has been comparatively less attention given to what could happen if the supposed inevitable Republican resurgence comes to pass, let alone what that could mean for future elections. Krauthammer’s foresight, then, is what makes this column particularly interesting.

It also, incidentally, makes Sarah Palin’s Twitter endorsement of Krauthammer’s column ever so slightly amusing. The shared Tea Party and Republican rallying cry that November is a “referendum on Obama” is, after all, a rather short sighted game plan.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: clintonscenario; underestimate
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To: no dems
I don't think I could be accused of Underestimating Øbongo since I believe that is aims are to turn America into a 3rd world sh!thole.

So tell us Charles, what is your battle plan to defeat him? Are you saying that we should try to regain the House & Senate (If Democrats lose control of one or both houses, Obama will probably have an easier time in 2012, just as Bill Clinton used Newt Gingrich and the Republicans as the foil for his 1996 reelection campaign)?

Or is it "damned if we do - damned if we don't?

21 posted on 07/17/2010 9:05:08 PM PDT by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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To: no dems
Obama, his administration, and the legislature have been sowing the seeds of resentment, and irrespective of exactly when those seeds fully sprout, they eventually will. They have already started to root. The democrats have survived and grown by pandering to those who pay the least into the system, and take the most out of taxpayer funded government. Under Obama they have ramped up this approach well beyond tolerable levels. Don't expect people to continue to take this indefinitely.
22 posted on 07/17/2010 9:10:21 PM PDT by pieceofthepuzzle
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To: no dems

I also think Hillary will run against him in 2012. The Clintons feel like the Democrat party is “theirs” anyhow, and they won’t stand idly by while Obama ruins everything they and their liberal pals have worked for. I look for her to make her move if the Rs win at least one house of Congress.

I also think if there’s any chance of a female candidate on the Republican side, Hillary will make damn sure there’s one on the Democrat side too.


23 posted on 07/17/2010 9:12:46 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: patriciaruth

I think that is part of it, but the bigger piece IMO is that the GOP needs to have an actual vision, plan and measureable goals going into the 2012 election. Not just complaining about the chosen one, with no mention of what/how they would do differently.

Someone here had a quote to the effect of ‘All we get from Dems are lame ideas, and all we get from the GOP is lame criticisms of those ideas’. I think it is pretty spot on.


24 posted on 07/17/2010 9:16:35 PM PDT by proud_yank (Socialism - An Answer In Search Of A Question For Over 100 Years)
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To: no dems

He only missed the mark a little. Obama is a “Post Turtle.” He didn’t get to be President on his own. Don’t underestimate Obama puppeteers.


25 posted on 07/17/2010 9:18:19 PM PDT by Little Ray (The Gods of the Copybook Headings with terror and slaughter return!)
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To: bigbob

I remember Bill Clinton’s first public “apology” in which he finally admitted an “inappropriate relationship.” He then proceeded to turn it around on the Republicans.

I looked at my Dad and said, “Man, he’s good (at that).” Obama does not possess the charm or false humility that Bubba has.


26 posted on 07/17/2010 9:27:07 PM PDT by scott7278 ("...I have not changed Congress and how it operates the way I would have liked." BHO)
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To: ilgipper
exactly.

Every thing Obama is implementing will doom the economy.

Higher taxes
More regulations
More government takeovers
Less domestic oil drilling
More spending like mad men
More welfare for the bums of society
More illegal aliens
More people getting endless unemployment checks

How, just HOW is that going to turn things around?

His whole agenda is DOOMED to utter and complete failure.

Seriously, if giving poor people free everything actually made things better for everyone, even I would be a democrat. But it doesn't, it never has and never will. When you take from the rich to give to the poor.. you just end up with everyone poor, EVERYTIME.

27 posted on 07/17/2010 9:42:28 PM PDT by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama = Epic Fail)
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To: no dems
Krauthammer clearly doesn’t agree with what Obama has spent his first year and a half in office doing

Believe it or not, there are people on this very forum who are so dense as to believe that Krauthammer voted for Obama and supports his agenda.

28 posted on 07/17/2010 10:05:06 PM PDT by SirJohnBarleycorn
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To: patriciaruth
If Republicans are elected to majority in November and don’t give them a quick fix, many independents and even Republicans will be out looking for another one, or a man on a white horse...

Excellent insight and reasoning. This is along the lines I have been mentioning the last few weeks. There is too much talk of this election being our salvation. It is not, there is much work beyond it.

Hopefully, someone has a plan and the electorate the wisdom to stick to it (the plan) and allow the elements of the plan to work.
29 posted on 07/17/2010 10:11:56 PM PDT by JSteff (((It was ALL about SCOTUS. Most forget about that and HAVE DOOMED us for a generation or more.)))
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To: no dems

He has said stupid things in the past....not often but he has........


30 posted on 07/17/2010 10:14:42 PM PDT by goat granny
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To: Sooth2222
The Democrats lose functional control of the Senate in any case,

Theoretically this is what we have now.... yet the Financial Reform bill proved the dems HAVE NOT lost control of the senate.
31 posted on 07/17/2010 10:15:22 PM PDT by JSteff (((It was ALL about SCOTUS. Most forget about that and HAVE DOOMED us for a generation or more.)))
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To: no dems

Clinton didnt have a very large and growing Tea Party Caucus to deal with...


32 posted on 07/17/2010 10:16:43 PM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

I met a lot of hussein lovers in Las Vegas last week.
There is absolutly no talking sense into those people.
Met A lot of haters as well, A few blacks included.


33 posted on 07/17/2010 10:17:53 PM PDT by mowowie
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To: no dems
I would never underestimate the forces of evil in the world. Only a fool would assume that Obama is weak. The Devil does not give up without a fight.
34 posted on 07/17/2010 10:20:37 PM PDT by Nosterrex
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To: bigbob
I also think if there’s any chance of a female candidate on the Republican side, Hillary will make damn sure there’s one on the Democrat side too.

A winning combo is Palin/West. A female and a minority. Both of who are conservative.
35 posted on 07/17/2010 10:27:51 PM PDT by JSteff (((It was ALL about SCOTUS. Most forget about that and HAVE DOOMED us for a generation or more.)))
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To: Little Ray
He didn’t get to be President on his own

Right. Even the "financial crisis" was a stage spring board for O and the dems.
36 posted on 07/17/2010 10:29:51 PM PDT by JSteff (((It was ALL about SCOTUS. Most forget about that and HAVE DOOMED us for a generation or more.)))
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To: no dems

Krauthammer and his RINO ilk are stealth commies; they can’t capitulate fast enough, all the while saying resistance is futile.


37 posted on 07/17/2010 10:30:38 PM PDT by meadsjn (Sarah 2012, or sooner)
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To: shibumi

““Don’t underestimate Barack Obama.”

Last time somebody gave me wise advice like that, it involved baby Copperheads.

Oh, wait.
I’m being redundant.


38 posted on 07/17/2010 10:35:05 PM PDT by Salamander (Who IS Humblegunner?!?)
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To: no dems
As usual, I think Krauthammer is right. Obama may be a socialist and a fraud, but he is a competent, tricky politician.

I still worry that the GOP will find a way to deliver another terrible presidential candidate.

39 posted on 07/17/2010 11:45:58 PM PDT by TChad
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To: JSteff
There is too much talk of this election being our salvation. It is not, there is much work beyond it.

But it's not gonna get done so long as we have the same spineless leadership in both houses of Congress.

40 posted on 07/18/2010 12:44:43 AM PDT by Salvey
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