General Discussion

dawg

(10,777 posts)

29. Even you identify areas where reality has been to the right of perception.

Thu Dec 22, 2011, 03:38 PM

Dec 2011

Right or wrong, the perception of candidate Obama was to the left of reality. Perhaps people weren't always paying close enough attention, but folks like me were paying a helluva lot more attention than the swing voters who pushed him over the top.

Perception is reality in a campaign. He was perceived as being a transformative figure.

*CHANGE*

And he got elected based on that perception.

I believe that proves that another progressive candidate could win as well. Perhaps one who was actually as progressive as they were *perceived* to be during the election.

None of this should be taken to mean that I think the President was dishonest or has been a bad President. On the contrary, it is crucial that we re-elect him.

But I think it is defeatist and wrong to say that he is the most progressive we could ever hope to get. His very election in 2008 proves that wrong.

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Obama Is The MOST PROGRESSIVE President That We Can Get In Our Current Political System [View all] Yavin4 Dec 2011 OP

I overwhelmingly disagree with that. dawg Dec 2011 #1

You and the OP both make valid points. nt gateley Dec 2011 #2

rhetoric? bwahaha! unblock Dec 2011 #11

Campaign contributions don't elect a President - voters do. dawg Dec 2011 #17

Obama Won in 2008 Because Bush Was A Horrible President Yavin4 Dec 2011 #14

True, but the point is that he *did* win. dawg Dec 2011 #19

No, he won with the rhetoric he took to the White House. TheWraith Dec 2011 #21

Of course, rhetoric is subjective ... dawg Dec 2011 #28

I disagree - karynnj Dec 2011 #22

Easily the best post I have read here in weeks. So tempered in .... banned from Kos Dec 2011 #25

Thank you nt karynnj Dec 2011 #34

Even you identify areas where reality has been to the right of perception. dawg Dec 2011 #29

Perception, yes - what he said, no karynnj Dec 2011 #38

I don't think we are far from each other on this at all. dawg Dec 2011 #41

There is very little difference between our positions karynnj Dec 2011 #45

+1 great post! unblock Dec 2011 #31

yup. nt tishaLA Dec 2011 #36

That really should slam the door on such apologetic, self-excusing twaddle PurityOfEssence Dec 2011 #30

Kinda sad ain't it? zipplewrath Dec 2011 #3

Which is why we have OWS izquierdista Dec 2011 #4

Yup zipplewrath Dec 2011 #9

no, he was elected in 2008 Enrique Dec 2011 #5

There are no electable "true" progressives. Grayson got stomped in his home district. banned from Kos Dec 2011 #6

I would suggest that more than those listed, Sherrod Brown and Tom Harken are karynnj Dec 2011 #47

Key factor: "pols were not owned lock, stock, and barrel by corporations. " rfranklin Dec 2011 #7

It's "Democratic Underground." Not "Democrat's Underground." savannah43 Dec 2011 #15

And it's "Democratic Party," not "Democrat's Party." MineralMan Dec 2011 #33

There are many politicians not owned by the corporations karynnj Dec 2011 #32

Campaigns financed by the 1 percent will never earn the confidence of the 99 percent rfranklin Dec 2011 #43

I have always been for campaign finance reform karynnj Dec 2011 #44

Unrecced. closeupready Dec 2011 #8

If we learn to fix elections like the GOP'ers do, then we can "elect" savannah43 Dec 2011 #10

I disagree. With the Democratic Party's organization and the GOP's reputation ... T S Justly Dec 2011 #12

And That Dem Would Face Rock Solid Opposition from Blue Dog Dems in the House and the Senate Yavin4 Dec 2011 #16

If that is true SixthSense Dec 2011 #13

Abandoning the Political System Outright Means That The Crazy Right Wins by Default Yavin4 Dec 2011 #20

So does consenting to the status quo SixthSense Dec 2011 #26

right - but does the op even begin to understand that? Warren Stupidity Dec 2011 #37

How do you unrec'd this BS? RC Dec 2011 #18

If your perceptions were accurate, you might have a point. They're not, at all. TheWraith Dec 2011 #23

A conservative Republican then was to the Left of what is now billed as a "Liberal". RC Dec 2011 #39

You're again managing to prove you have NO understanding or perspective. TheWraith Dec 2011 #40

I'm dumbfounded. I don't know where to begin to disabuse you of your delusions. RC Dec 2011 #46

You're again managing to prove you have NO understanding or perspective. TheWraith Dec 2011 #42

I don't think that the "Current Political System"..... NCTraveler Dec 2011 #24

I agree. You have to look at the entire political system RainDog Dec 2011 #27

nope. Warren Stupidity Dec 2011 #35

Agreed, which is why the system has to be scrapped and a new one devised. eom tledford Dec 2011 #48