President Obama apparently blames the enthusiasm gap — the lack of support from his dispirited base — on the unenthused. Speaking at a fundraiser, Obama said Democrats who are displeased with his watered down legislation need to “wake up.”

President Obama speaking in Philadelphia:

So when I hear Democrats griping and groaning and saying, well, you know, the health care plan didn’t have a public option; and I don’t know, the financial reform — there was a provision here that I think we should have gotten better; or, you know what, yes, you ended the war in Iraq, the combat mission there, but you haven’t completely finished the Afghan war yet; or this or that or the other — I say, folks, wake up. (Laughter.) This is not some academic exercise. As Joe Biden put it, don’t compare us to the Almighty; compare us to the alternative. (Laughter and applause.) That’s what’s at stake in this election.

Read more

Not to nitpick the president, but belittling dissatisfaction over the financial regulation bill that doesn’t do anything to prevent another meltdown as “there was a provision here that I think we should have gotten better” and criticism of the aimless dystopian nightmare of the Afghan war as “you haven’t completely finished the Afghan war yet” is just not a great way of motivating your disaffected supporters. — PZS

 Rock Solid Journalism

In 2026, amid chaos and the nonstop flurry of headlines, Truthdig remains independent, fact-based and focused on exposing what power tries to hide.

Support Independent Journalism.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG
In this Article:
#afghanistan#barack obama#democrats#election#health care#iraq#left#liberal#midterm elections#midterms#military base#politics#progressive#war#white house