General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Post mortem thread. Why did we lose? [View all]deutsey
(20,166 posts)who had dedicated their lives (time, energy, and resources, i.e., $$$) to getting Obama elected were dismayed at his bending over backwards to "reach across the aisle" while the GOP screamed about "death panels" and "socalizm" and him being a "muslin" and all that Tea Party nuttery.
I witnessed this firsthand as the 2010 election was approaching when I attended a townhall meeting where I live (which is a reddish purple part of Maryland). It was put on by Obama For America and the OFA guy told the packed room of these Democrats that he was there to get ideas/feedback from the "grassroots" that he would be put into an Excel spreadsheet and email directly to the White House that very night after the meeting.
What he got was a lot of appalled and angry people demanding to know why the Party wasn't fighting back and putting forth the agenda they had worked so hard for during the campaign. The OFA guy didn't have any answers that placated the anger in that room.