Politico, quoting President Obama at a DCCC event last night:
[Republicans'] willingness to say no to everything--the fact that since 2007, they have filibustered about 500 pieces of legislation that would help the middle class just gives you a sense of how opposed they are to any progress--has actually led to an increase in cynicism and discouragement among the people who were counting on us to fight for them....
A couple months ago, I had to let [Michelle] in on a secret, and that is, honey, I got one more campaign I got to run. I need to make sure we continue to have a Democratic Senate, and I need a Democratic House of Representatives in Washington.
Obama is stepping it up. Laying popular cynicism and the deliberate demoralization of the body politic at Republicans' feet is Act One of a multi-Act play that should have premiered months ago--and more importantly, should have been playing every night since. But, can't change that. The relief is (assuming Obama keeps the pressure applied), his morality play could very well be a smashing succeess.
The White House miscalculated after reelection. Obama gently indulged the GOP's malicious disposition largely in the hope of achieving an immigration-reform bill, but his hope was never a realistic one. That Republicans would screw undocumented workers socioeconomically so as to screw Obama politically was as certain as W. committing another malapropism. Months were squandered in pointless negotiations over a policy advancement that would never be.
Meanwhile, the public saw nothing but inaction and gridlock--on more than just immigration, it should go without saying--and they heard Republicans blaming the president for all of it. The blame narrative took among the multitudes, at least to the extent of 50-50: both sides were populated by squabbling, uncompromising children; cynicism and discouragement set in.
Turning them around now is all the harder. But Obama can be an ace at this stuff. My first realization of how effective he can be from the much-ridiculed presidential pulpit came during the first debt-ceiling crisis. Stunningly, poll after poll initially showed the public supporting Republicans' let's-blow-it-all-up position. Days passed in WH silence. Finally, Obama strode into the WH briefing room and let Republicans have it. Just as stunningly, the polls then began a major shift, in the WH's direction. Yes the bully pulpit is overrated as a presidential weapon. Nonetheless it can be effective in influencing public sentiment, as its deployment in the first debt crisis showed.
In that spirit, Obama now enters "one more campaign." And he can succeed, if he pounds at it daily.
Could this be the same fellow who cited scholarly evidence to the contrary about the effectiveness of the bully pulpit? I will let that gentle reproof stand alone and unembellished. Mostly because I find hope in the same things he does. I disagree somewhat about strategy of course. There was no point in engaging too early and I seriously doubt after all their accrued experience that anyone in the White House entertained any illusions about coddling the Republicans into a sensible policy on anything much less immigration. But the battle will soon be engaged and I know who's side I am on even if only from the sidelines.
Posted by: Peter G | May 08, 2014 at 09:36 AM
Just a gentle disagreement. Like Peter, I think you can come on too strong, too early. By the time the elections come around, it is all just a drone in the background.
That being said, for the last two months, Obama has been specifically talking about the GOP being obstructionists and causing a lot of the lakc of progress, and laying the blame firmly at their feet.
Go back to April 1 (I think that was the date, or close to it) when he gave a press conference in the middle of the day (mainly because the networks refused his request for an evening address to the nation) to announce the original numbers of ACA enrollment. He blasted the GOP for trying to take healthcare away from people.
Since then he ahs been at it over and over in regards to infrastructure, climate change, minimum wage, immigration.
He is repeatedly talking about how the majority of Americans want action and how the GOP is blocking it.
And I think he is just getting started.
Posted by: japa21 | May 08, 2014 at 09:42 AM
The evidence you mention, which I once mentioned, related to the pulpit's (non)effectiveness in jamming bills through Congress. It did not assess its more general influence on public sentiment.
Posted by: P.M. Carpenter | May 08, 2014 at 09:44 AM
You know who desperately hopes that is true and that you are right? Me.
Posted by: Peter G | May 08, 2014 at 10:38 AM
Well that was muddy. I know you are right about the evidence you mentioned. I hope it does not extend to anything outside of legislation.
Posted by: Peter G | May 08, 2014 at 11:11 AM