Obama: I want to develop a new generation of Democratic talent
Source: Politico
With his days in the White House numbered, President Barack Obama has begun considering the role he will play in rebuilding the Democratic Party after last month’s election left it nearly shattered following Donald Trump’s surprise presidential win.
Speaking to NPR in an interview recorded last week, Obama accepted some responsibility for his party’s failure to retain some of the rural and rust belt voters that supported him in 2008 and 2012 but voted for Trump last month. He said Democrats are by nature more attracted to addressing nationwide and international issues, a tendency that has allowed Republicans in recent years to build “from the ground up” in small, local races.
“We've ceded too much territory” on local and state-level issues, Obama said. “One of the big suggestions that I have for Democrats as I leave, and something that, you know, I have some ideas about is, how do we do more of that ground up building?”
The president said he benefited with rural voters from having run for Senate in Illinois, where he was forced to win over down-state voters skeptical of Chicagoans. That experience helped him in 2008 as he campaigned in Iowa ahead of that state’s caucuses, which he won. Other Democrats, Obama said, have not been as visible in rural parts of the country and as such, the party has lost touch with those voters.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/obama-role-after-white-house-232804
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RKP5637
(67,112 posts)
SharonAnn
(14,173 posts)After Howard Dean, this stuff just got all 'left behind". And we lost big time. To allow the GOP to take over the states in 2010 waas suicide! At the time I was trying to get my local party activated to stop this but they were all dreamy-eyed about obama.
Dammit! This is war, not a coffee klatsch. You have to know your enemy and fight them on every terrain where they are trying to gain an advantage.
My local party people get all jazzed up about a presidential run, but not so much for congress or local runs. Especially not local runs.
Granted, I'm in a red state, but we used to have a lot more Dems in office locally and at the state level. But their organizaitons were personal, not party ones, so when they left office or lost, their organizations disbanded. We have just never figured out that we need to be an army all the time. Not just for one general or another, not just some of the time, not just for some battles, buta ll the time.
DonCoquixote
(13,961 posts)he let the two people who ran the DNC, whose names I cannot mention due to hide stalkers, run the show, and dump the 50 STATE STRATEGY that won.
Blue Idaho
(5,500 posts)Of younger talent starting at the local and state level - we will find our party less relevant than ever. Let's attract some youth and enthusiasm to our party!
Auggie
(33,150 posts)Still alive and kicking: https://www.democracyforamerica.com
But, after Obama won in 2008, Dean was kicked to the curb because Rahm didn't like him or something.
IronLionZion
(51,268 posts)There's value in being a 50 state party even if it means having some red state moderates. Red state moderate Dems are still with us on most economic issues and social programs.
We need a Dean like figure to do it again. And not be a sitting congressperson
Auggie
(33,150 posts)to groom/guide Democrats at lower level of state government towards bigger and more powerful positions. That can't happen overnight. Hopefully we'll start seeing results one of these days from efforts started 12 years ago.
LynnTTT
(363 posts)because none of my friends can come up with a name right now and we need to get ready for 2020.
PeaceNikki
(27,985 posts)We need to get cracking on Congress, Gubernatorial races and state legislators.
Like the OP indicates, we need to start building the leaders of tomorrow and stop focusing JUST on the GE - that bullshit has creamed us in the past 8 years.
Love,
Wisconsin
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)FairWinds
(1,717 posts)from the ground up, down or sideways . .
with the likes of Debbie Wasserman Schultz
picked by Obama in 2011, and left to wreck the
party for five years.
DK504
(3,847 posts)Can not be a member of Congress. This has to be someone that can spens 60 hours a week, minimum, to rebuild the party.
How many times have I written this.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)
TonyPDX
(962 posts)
murielm99
(32,988 posts)DWS was used as a whipping boy by Bernie supporters who wanted to use anything they could find to distract and undermine Clinton. She is an excellent legislator and a loyal Democrat.
She favored Clinton over Bernie? Well, duh! He was an insurgent candidate who stood no chance of winning.
Actually, this thread is about moving ahead, so why don't we just stop bashing DWS and get on with moving forward?
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)And she put Baby in a corner.
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)Any actual suggestions for what would work to your satisfaction?
Preferably that don't dismiss all but "white working class males" as "identity politics," thanks....
StevieM
(10,578 posts)we had a lot more seats to defend than the GOP did. And we won the popular vote for the House, and would have won it back if not for gerrymandering.
And, of course, the 2014 election was turned into a bizarre referendum on ebola.
the don't dwell on the past aka don't learn from the past and the
keep looking forward aka keep doing the same thing and expect
different results attitudes will just give us DWS 2.0.
pscot
(21,044 posts)had occurred to him 8 years ago.
JudyM
(29,785 posts)
Tatiana
(14,167 posts)Dammit, I wish he had just been a little partisan on this Russian interference thing and lent a helping hand to Hillary.
LaydeeBug
(10,291 posts)about this and went public with it?
malthaussen
(18,568 posts)
treestar
(82,383 posts)I thought that was a full time job?
mopinko
(73,726 posts)how about a fresh bunch of faces in the chicago city council? what a great platform for a new dem party that would be.
DallasNE
(8,008 posts)And that helped get Obama elected in 2008, along with 59 Democrats in the Senate - along with a huge assist from Bush 43. So why was that winning strategy abandoned? I never did understand that.
LaydeeBug
(10,291 posts)KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)as DNC Chair.
LisaM
(29,634 posts)his big motif was that we were not a blue country or a red country, but a purple country.
I didn't like that speech, and I didn't like that comment, especially in light of how the red faction had absolutely steamrolled its way to "victory" in 2000 and in 2004 (wedge issues like gay marriage, Kenneth Blackwell and his voter suppression in Ohio). I never felt that he had a real connection to the old-time Democrats I grew up with.
The truth is we weren't a purple country, and while he was easily elected, it was just as much on people finding him charismatic than his message. I was hard put to it to find anyone in 2008 who could tell me why they felt Obama was stronger on message, with an occasional squeak about banks and the Iraq war vote, though as things played out, Obama wasn't to the left of Hillary on either of those things.
eilen
(4,955 posts)StevieM
(10,578 posts)Or Sarah Palin scaring the hell out of people?
Or Obama looking more capable of tackling the economic crisis than John McCain?
I agree that Obama wasn't really to the left of Hillary, that belief seemed to be based entirely on her vote for the Iraq War.
LisaM
(29,634 posts)I think there were the usual shenanigans and perhaps anyone could have beaten the Republican in 2008, but I never though we were a purple country.
StevieM
(10,578 posts)he was in 2004. And so McCain paid the price.
I think that a disastrous Trump presidency could bring about another decisive Democratic win in 2020.
And, of course, the Demographics are increasingly moving in our direction.
Turbineguy
(40,074 posts)God knows the party needs some serious help.
azureblue
(2,728 posts)breaking the stranglehold Fox news has on rural America.. Then show Dems how to fight back against GOP dirty tricks and win.
Oh yeah, and put some Dem talking heads on TV that will stand up and call out liars when lies are being told. Breathe some fire for a change.
appal_jack
(3,813 posts)Last edited Tue Dec 20, 2016, 02:14 AM - Edit history (1)
I know that some people will view my response as a non sequitur, but Obama and Democrats might likely find some good talent willing to step forward if their freedom was not under such constant threat due to prohibition. Harder to be an activist 'under the gun' that the War on (some) Drugs brings to our communities.
It's nice that Obama wants to do some "ground up building" in his next job, but the man has been President for eight years now, and has three weeks+ more in office. Does he plan to do something worthwhile and in his power right now, or are words of hope and change all we are going to get even at this late date?
Make a few big, positive changes now, and people will come flocking to the Democratic Party over the next four years.
-app
MarvinGardens
(781 posts)truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)
Firebrand Gary
(5,044 posts)bucolic_frolic
(55,140 posts)In my view our Democratic debacle had four primary causes
1) The tag of elitism. Obama campaigned as a populist and then
stocked his shelf with Wall Streeters in 2009 becuase in a severe
recession money and credit are needed to keep things afloat. FDR
inherited a collapsed banking system, and had a bank holiday and
reforms. If Obama had gone that route, he would have taken the
blame.
2) Rust Belt culture, which is more conservative than Big City
Democratic base. Pushing LGBT issues in 2015-16 did not broaden
our appeal in middle working class America. It could have moved
along without immediate school bathroom rules. That became a
focal point. In many ways, we really did lose a cultural war here.
3) Voter suppression. Fixing Democracy should have been a 2009
first priority. Voting rights and campaign finance reform. Our leaders
don't think very long term on these issues. They think about money.
4) GOP Jujitsu. "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"
was the political equivalent of James Comey's email conniving. Last
minute chop-chop to sway weak minded voters. It works, and we never
seem to have an issue of our own. AWOL and Trump's groping issues
didn't seem to bite at the right time. He who has the last word has an
advantage.
I don't think HRC or Bernie were primary causes. Biden-Sanders would
have won though. We lack an attack dog, which Tim Kaine was not.
theaocp
(4,581 posts)America's Got Political Talent?
Response to EricMaundry (Original post)
Post removed
judesedit
(4,592 posts)the problem. How many warnings and demonstrations do you need? In under 15 minutes thousands of votes can be and are flipped by the corrupt. No paper trail no proof. If India can have elections successfully using paper and they have almost 1.3 billion people, we can. too. Go to blackboxvoting.org. Wake up, people.
RussBLib
(10,635 posts)they'll be old enough for the House soon, or....Mayor.
We know Michelle Obama wants no part of it.
crazycatlady
(4,492 posts)IIRC the minimum age for House is 25. They may grow up to run for office like their father, or avoid it like the plague like their mother.
(Unless the kids themselves choose to be put in the spotlight, I believe in leaving a candidate's kids alone regardless of party).
I applaud Obama for what he is doing. However, it was his campaign apparatus that messed with a lot of the Democratic infrastructure.