The coordinated, scripted attacks on the Tea Party this weekend only serve to bolster my contention that Obama and his consigliere, David Axelrod, will be campaigning once again as outsiders. What we’re witnessing now is a little focus-group testing, with the Tea Party standing in for that perennial villain, George W. Bush. Smarting under the attacks from the left, Axelrod & Co. are kiting a new meme: Obama as the noble, suffering — if helpless — hero, unfairly beset by political opponents who no longer consent to roll over, as in the past. If only they would just shut up and do it his way . . .
If this indeed proves to be the line of attack — political rope-a-dope — then it means the campaign brain trust will have abandoned the peremptory, petulant Obama, wagging his finger at the nation, summoning congressional leaders, demanding compliance, etc. That’s the unlovely face of the true Left, fascist in its daydreams and in love with the man in uniform on the white horse. But that only plays to the diminishing, frustrated true-believer core.
So today we got Wounded Bambi, the doe-eyed fellow who’s doing his doggone best to bring the nation together, were it not for those darn Tea Party hunters in the forest, threatening the magical land of Hopenchange. I doubt this meme will last that long, since weakness in a leader is even more unappealing than impotent truculence. And, in any case, Wall Street greeted this new persona with a 600-point raspberry.
It’s hard to effect fundamental change when the thing you’re trying to change suddenly if belatedly wakes up to the mortal danger it’s in and starts fighting back. In Bush and McCain, Axelrod had two stationary targets to diminish, and Obama gained in stature as they degraded. But the Tea Party crew is made of sterner stuff, which means Obama and Axelrod have a big problem: For the first time in Obama’s national political career, they have an opponent who can fight back.
"For the first time in Obama’s national political career, they have an opponent who can fight back."
Indeed, but will they - fight back, that is. The Tea Party (and heck, the GOP) leaders need to be on TV everyday for as long as it takes, making a calm, reasonable case for how the downgrade is entirely the fault of too much spending and the resulting debt. They need to demonstrate that taxes will never, ever, fix the problem without significant spending cuts, to everything (defense included). The 2012 elections are being fought right now. If we allow the MSM to set the stage now, to paint the GOP/Tea Party as somehow responsible for the downgrade, then I think Obama wins. We need to make sure that he's on his heels in 2012, and that case needs to be made now.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"They need to demonstrate that taxes will never, ever, fix the problem..."
Many conservative leaders seem to be taking your advice, rolling off the the numbers showing how confiscating every dime in the pockets of "millionaires and billionaires", and heck, even the rest of the middle class, can't put a dent in the debt. But they need to put an exclamation point on the argument by adding that you can only do that once, after which there are no more rich to soak.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm sure I'm repeating a thought of many others, but I think this whole "The Tea Party Did It" meme was planned by Axelrod and Obama even BEFORE the debt ceiling fight. They've known for months that they need to neutralize the Tea Party and previous attempts have failed. So this time they've tied them to the bad economy. Sad to say it will work for the "true believers." But I suspect tea party folks will be again outraged by the arrogance and demagoguery of this government and will take it personally. And they will be voting next time around.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"For the first time in Obama’s national political career, they have an opponent who can fight back."
Ummm.... he beat Hillary Clinton in the primaries. Wasn't Hillary the she-devil who would destroy all in her path?
And considering many in the Tea Party vocally WANTED the downgrade to happen, wanting some kind of wake up call, it's going to be hard to convince the public that you're not responsible for it. Heck, S&P explicitly stated that it was the brinksmanship that led to their decision.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe one time that Obama faced a fully prepared, competent political opponent (Bobby Rush), he was crushed.
By the end of the 2008 primaries it seemed to me that Clinton had taken Obama's measure, but she had been a little too complacent for a little too long.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseUm. Hillary, anyone?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYeah, right - she'd just be Obama-lite. "Moderate" enough to drag the country further into debt while convincing everyone that leftist idiocy can maybe, just maybe, still work. Nice try though.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObama has already lost the 2012 election. He just doesn't (or does he?) know it yet.
This truly is the 2nd term of the Carter administration.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou got that right, brother!
To paraphrase Belloc - all men yearn for a good fight and the beckoning call to join a noble fray. This administration has given us a cause to rally to and something to fight against.
WooHoo!
God bless,
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDan Hoffman
"And I would have kept the AAA Credit rating if not for those Tea Partiers and their dog!"
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI believe this "Tea Party" war will backfire on The Won spectacularly, therefore I hope they keep this up.
Perhaps those who are not of the formal Tea Party will embrace their beliefs and vote accordingly. I predict increase in enrollment of membership and core conservatism.
Alinsky Rules may have applied in the past, and fooled many in 2008 with the unprecedented collective masses; but it will not fool the unemployed at 9 percent, some who voted for the hopenchange high speed debacle to this seventh circle of hell.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe do have the father of the Tea Party, Rick Santelli, coming to the rescue today on CNBC:
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Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"I predict increase in enrollment of membership and core conservatism."
This came up in another thread and I've since done the math for our group in eastern NC. After the Nov 2011 midterms, new membership leveled off, but in the last month we're up about 30% and climbing fast. We're demographically synonymous with a good 3/4s of the country, so it's likely happening elsewhere.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe President and Democrats are also saying that that S&P made a horrible error in judgement, and aren't trustworthy. So which explanation of theirs for the downgrade is true? Did the Tea Partiers create a political volatility that explains S&P's decision? Or did S&P make error and their decision wasn't justified?
One explanation supposes that S&P had an accurate view, and the other claims S&P doesn't know what they are talking about.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhy pick a fight with a group capable of massing a few hundred people at every whistlestop? Not a smart move, but then O is not a smart man.
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