Is it "politics" or is it "war" ??

[kentuck]

President Obama is being criticized by some, such as David Brooks of the NY Times, as being too negative too early in this campaign. He should be running a more positive campaign, he says.

Is the President really running a campaign that is too "negative"?

With the opposition calling him every name in the book and lying about his record with every breath, should the President ignore their tactics and remain "positive"?

Wouldn't that be rather naive? After they chop him off at the knees, he is supposed to have a fair race with the Republicans?

Republicans are serious as a heart attack. They hate Obama and they hate the Democrats. They will do anything to win. Anything. So how should the Democrats react?

Should they fight back like it's a war or should they ignore most of the stuff and be the nice guy, since the voters will reward them for being positive and not getting down in the dirt with the Republicans?

What do you think?

[spanone]

1. fight back will all you have, Mr. President.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. I sure don't see the choices as being ignore them or get in the dirt.

I've seen plenty of people speak the truth without getting down in the dirt others are flinging. And many people do not think it is 'positive' to allow lies to go unchecked either. I'm one of those people, I think ignoring lies is part of how liars get away with lying.

[gratuitous]

3. The last person any Democrat should listen to for campaign advice is Bobo

Unless it's to do the opposite of whatever nonsense is squirreling around inside his little peanut.

[The Magistrate]

4. War, Sir

"Americans love a winner. Americans will not tolerate a loser. Americans despise cowards. Americans play to win all of the time."

[Submariner]

5. It's now war against the Racist Birther republican candidate Mitt Romney

We all know birther has been code to mask their outright racism, so with Mitt's acceptance of the endorsement from fellow trust fund baby Trump, we are dealing with a closet racist in Romney.

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. Well... people will die if we lose.

So, I'm thinking more the latter than a simple difference of opinion between reasonable people.

[Skidmore]

7. It's a war with the rules of engagement set by the Rs and their corporate press.

David Brooks can bite me. I pay as much attention to him as I do the other inanities labeled as Krauthammer, Will, Halperin, and Brownstein. Political gasbags.

[Life Long Dem]

8. Would you like to see Obama look like an angry black man?

Or are you just posting another Obama your being bashed by pukes thread.

[kentuck]

9. I would prefer that his color not be part of the conversation...

I would prefer to see him defend himself and the Democratic Party as a strong President of the United States. That would be my preference. What would your preference be?

[Life Long Dem]

13. As if he doesn't defend himself.

You ask for more than what you pretend to ask.

[kentuck]

15. I disagree with your personal attack...

But I would refrain from declaring war on a fellow Democrat.

So, what is your response to the question?

[Life Long Dem]

19. Instead of asking what Obama should do

How about asking what we should do to support Obama in these attacks? Why is it always on Obama's back, with no support?

Example of your post: "I would prefer to see him defend himself and the Democratic Party ".

[kentuck]

22. David Brooks said the President was being too negative.

That is what the post was about. Of course, I would agree that we should stand and fight together. No one is suggesting that the President fight alone. I'm sorry the post was interpreted that way.

[Life Long Dem]

23. Okay...

I know where you stand now. Discussing things brings this out. The post just hit me the wrong way.

[kentuck]

24. I would like your opinion on the subject.

Do you think we (he) should be more positive and let the Republicans sling mud and not get down to their level? Or do you think we should give tit for tat, when they attack us, we attack back? You never said ??

[Life Long Dem]

25. The President shouldn't go negative.

He doesn't need to. All he needs to do is tell the truth.

[kentuck]

26. Reminds me of the Harry Truman quote:

I just tell the truth and they think it's hell...


In other words, "Give 'em hell, Barry!"

[Life Long Dem]

27. Yeah, I like that quote

[Nuclear Unicorn]

12. What the hell?

Why would cheap stereotypes even enter into this?

[Skidmore]

14. It is time for the Dems collectively to engage in war. This is not on the shoulders of just one man

but all of us should be engaging in the fight rather than sitting at the sidelines lobbing anything we can at the man and enabling the Rs. I'm an angry old woman and my color matters not one bit. He's been standing up and taking punishment from all sides. Let's fight with him.

[Life Long Dem]

16. Agree

But it's always on Obama as to what he should be doing as in the OP. I agree and it's all of us that should be doing what we can to help Obama. Not all this, what should Obama do to protect himself. It's always about Obama, and I look at that as another bash.

[Skidmore]

18. Sometimes OPs are just set up to divide us.

Don't know about this one specifically but it does happen. We need to close ranks, regardless of our differences.

[kentuck]

21. I can assure you Skidmore...

..that was not the purpose of this post.

David Brooks put the onus on the President declaring that he was being too negative. If the President wants to fight these bastards, I stand with him.

[loyalsister]

20. Race cannot be ignored

Obama told a story about his grandma admitting to being afraid of black men. To pretend the stereotypes don't exist and wouldn't be used against the campaign is not gutsy. It would be political suicide.

[TBF]

10. FAUX News operates 24/7 - I don't think we can afford to rest on our laurels.

I'd like to see who signs Brooks' paycheck.

[GoneOffShore]

11. Fight back because the stakes are so high.

We've played "nicey-nicey" for way too long.

And the voters will not reward Democrats for being "nice".

[FSogol]

17. The GOP treats it as war. Check out the start of a fundraising email I received from

Tim Kaine today:

"I'm told that one of the loudest applause lines at the Republican debate this weekend was when one of my opponents announced, "I'm here to declare war on Tim Kaine and Barack Obama."

Think about what that says about our politics. The loudest applause line wasn't about reducing unemployment or growing the economy. It wasn't about educating our kids for the jobs of the future, or even -- on Memorial Day weekend -- remembering the men and women who gave their lives fighting to defend this country in actual wars.

The challenges that we're confronting right now are too important to be treated with the same tired, overheated political rhetoric that only seeks to pit us against one another. "



Kaine is running against George Allen for a VA Senate seat.