Posted on 11/03/2010 9:48:54 AM PDT by mojito
President Obama allowed Republicans to define the terms of the nation's political argument for the past two years and permitted them to draw battle lines the way they wanted. Neither he nor his party can let that happen again.
Democrats would be foolish to turn in on themselves in a fruitless battle over whether their troubles owe to a failure to mobilize and excite their base or to win support from the political center. In fact, Democrats held onto moderate voters while losing independents. What hurt them most was this brute fact: Voters younger than 30 made up 18 percent of the electorate in 2008 but only about half that on Tuesday, according to network exit polls. This verdict was rendered by a much older and much more conservative electorate. Yes, there was an enthusiasm gap.
[....]
Obama was not wrong to fight for health care, to stimulate the economy when it was in deep peril, or to push for financial reform. But by failing to defend these achievements, the president and his allies opened the way for partisan critics, who shifted the conversation to airy language about "big government" and "bailouts."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I especially like that "airy language" remark, as though issues of individual liberty, crushing debt and a ruined, overregulated economy were some sort of pernicious make-believe.
Sorry EJ. You had the Congress, Senate, Presidency and the Media and you are saying the Republicans dictated the terms of this election?
This means you are incompetent boobs. On a good note, at least you admit it.
Democrats need to realize something. they didn’t win in 2006 and 2008 because they are so great. they won because of the anti-Bush/republican wave, yet they thought that was a green light to do whatever they wanted to. Hopefully the republicans don’t make this same mistake.
E.ver J.ealous Dionne starts with a LIE.
The media is controlled by the left and Obama. The House was controlled by the left and Obama. The Senate was controlled by the left and Obama.
So how the F*** can Republicans define JACK S***?????
Dionne, every single word you write is a lie, including 'and' and 'the'.
But at least I was energetic. :)
...just my 2 cents
Yes, but the Dems and their state media orchestrated the anti-Bush wave. People sat around in their 4,000 square foot houses, new cars in their driveways and more money in their wallets than ever before and came to the conclusion (with help from their TVs) that it was all Bush’s fault. Go figure.
I’m too busy celebrating “Shank A Liberal Day” to read WaPo. I promise to listen to the sore losers another time.
Yeah sure, the party shut out of power defined the nation's political argument. Anything but for this liberal pinhead to admit that maybe, just maybe, his cherished liberal agenda is not acceptable to a majority of Americans.
Bullstalin. This was the "Go to the back of the bus" and "I won, now shut up" President who did not give a damn about what Republicans said.
"Vote for the bill and I'll tell you what's in it."
He had a fillibuster proof majority and pushed his agenda.
Last night America pushed back.
All the pork projects in the world can't change that.
They weren't "achievements". They were rejected by the public.
I already see the same tired "stupid", "retarded", "bible thumping", and "voted against their own interests" attacks on the voting public again.
You should only have a say when you vote Democrat, I guess. And vote for the bill/politician and then they'll tell you what's in it. You are too stupid to accept it if you think about it.
JOURNOLIST-gate's exposure of 400 lock-step marching journalists protecting Barack Obama made that abundantly clear.
Well the 94 election forced Bill Clinton to move right and thus he won again in 96—( of course Dole was just a pathetic candidate)
Let’s hope 2010 doesn’t do the same thing for Obama
Dole would have won if it weren't for the Perot intervention. Watch out for Bloomberg.
Lets hope 2010 doesnt do the same thing for Obama
Obama is too arrogant. Clinton loved being in power more than his own ideas. Obama actually believes in his ideas.
EJ Dionne doesn’t get it. My own state of Colorado turned Red. We ousted every Rat Congresscritter outside Boulder and Denver and flipped the statehouse. Its a huge repudiation of Obamaism. Our new Dem Governor Elect was slapped a big pair of handcuffs and Bennet had a political near death experience. The country said “no” to more socialist experimentation on the federal AND state level. It really was a tsunami.
Keep on living in denial.
The Democrats made the mistake of believing the country’s rejection of the Big Spending Bush (no, I don’t miss him) and Drunken Sailor GOP Congress meant the country repudiated conservatism.
Conservatism was on the ballot last night and apart from California and New York, it reached every corner of the country. This is still America!
The mouthpieces belonging to the Left are moving their lips, but all I hear are farting noises....
Neither he nor his party can let that happen again. -- Translation E.J. Dionne is VERY angry that the leftists have been exposed for who they are and are losing their ability to manipulate American politics. They must DO something about it, or E.J. Dionne may CRY!
Democrats would be foolish to turn in on themselves in a fruitless battle over whether their troubles owe to a failure to mobilize and excite their base or to win support from the political center. -- Translation: E. J. Dionne wants the democrats to stay the course. E.J. Dionne remains a true believer and a fellow-traveler. E.J. Dionne DEMANDS that the democrat party continues to attempt to shove socialism down Americas throat whether America wants it or not. E.J. Dionne is, after all, a well-educated man and E.J. Dionne is smarter than the rabble and E.J. Dionnes ideas are superior to those of lesser mortals.
Conclusion This particular member of the rabble thinks E.J. Dionne is a pompous, arrogant, leftist jack-ass; but he hopes the democrats follow E.J. Dionne's advice.
Denial. It's NOT just a river in Egypt any more!
Well put!
People voted for Perot because of Dole
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