The Huffington Post reports that liberal billionaire George Soros voiced harsh criticism of President Obama during a private meeting with Democratic donors on Tuesday, and came very close to suggesting that financial support for the president might be better directed elsewhere:
According to multiple sources with knowledge of his remarks, Soros told those in attendance that he is tired of “fighting losing battles but hated even more losing without fighting.”
“We have just lost this election, we need to draw a line,” he said, according to several Democratic sources. “And if this president can’t do what we need, it is time to start looking somewhere else.”
Soros’s people were quickly on the defensive:
Michael Vachon, an adviser to Soros, did not dispute the comment, though he stressed that there was no transcript of a private gathering to check. Vachon also clarified that the longtime progressive giver was not referring to a primary challenge to the president.
“Mr. Soros fully supports the president as the leader of the Democratic Party,” said Vachon. “He was not suggesting that we seek another candidate for 2012. His comments were made in a private, informal conversation that was about the need for progressives to be more forceful in promoting their agenda. He was stressing the importance of being heard by elected officials.”
The Left’s dissatisfaction with the Obama administration is widely known, but mounting a primary challenge against Obama from the left in 2012 has never seemed like a realistic option. That said, if Soros decides to put his money where his mouth is, things could get interesting.