It is very interesting to note WHICH Democrats are more interested in a challenge to Obama

[eridani]

I know this link has been cited before, but the data deserve a closer look
http://people-press.org/2011/08/10/democrats-not-eager-for-an-obama-challenger/?src=prc-headline

Liberal--28/71 against
Conservative/moderate--39/58 against
Independent leaning Dem--47/50 against

Close followers of 2012 candidates--21/70 against
Non-followers of 2012 candidates 40/52 against

Drew Westen was on NPR Friday, and he pointed out that his political consulting business is not about how to appeal to progressive voters, but how to appeal to centrists. And the number one thing centrists want from their president is STRENGTH! They mostly don't know about and could care less about the details of a politician's actual policies.

It is precisely the poorly informed and less liberal who are turning on Obama. These are the folks who stayed home in 2010, not the progressives. Liberals and those who pay close attention are not (in my area at least) any less critical of Obama--we are just more likely to be thinking strategically about the problem of how to both successfully challenge Obama and still win. Not possible, and IMO we ought to be focusing on 2016.

[Syrinx]

1. "we ought to be focusing on 2016"

No, we should be focusing on taking the House in 2012. And improving margins in the Senate.

[young but wise]

2. +1

[fredamae]

4. We kinda have to do Both :) n/t

[eilen]

5. How about effectively leading the country out of this

morass and earning the votes vs. political electoral gamesmanship?

[ladjf]

6. I agree with you. But, it is unfortunate that regardless of the

outcome of the 2012 Presidential election, we will, either have Obama, a non-leader or a Republican right-wing Religious dominionist. In other words, we have no hope for an effective President until 2016. That's four more years of deteriorating Government. What a mess!

[mmonk]

3. Screw strategy at this point. The public sector and job creation are both on the ropes.

We need someone that can debate and inform, not play around in falsely constructed suicide.

[ladjf]

7. We need someone "at the wheel" who knows what to do and how

to make it happen.