Obama's 2008 "Official Campaign Blogger" Says Grassroots Left on Sidelines

[kpete]

Why is Obama leaving the grass roots on the sidelines?
By Sam Graham-Felsen
Friday, December 17, 2010

................

They were inspired by Obama's promise to upend Washington by governing from the bottom up. "The change we need doesn't come from Washington," Obama told them. "It comes to Washington."

Yet at seemingly every turn, Obama has chosen to play an inside game. Instead of actively engaging supporters in major legislative battles, Obama has told them to sit tight as he makes compromises behind closed doors.


..............

While Obama's political team intensely focuses on independents, the grass-roots list seems like an afterthought. Every time Obama chooses to compromise behind closed doors, and keeps OFA quiet, he might win over a few independents. But he's also conveying a message that the grass roots doesn't really matter, that the bottom-up ethos of his candidacy doesn't apply to his presidency....

..............

Obama needs twice as much grass-roots support in the next election - and he's not going to get it by sidelining his supporters. If he continues to play politics as usual, Obama risks alienating not just the left but anyone who believed in the promise of bringing change to Washington.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/16/AR2010121606083.html
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/12/16/928609/-Obamas-2008-Official-Campaign-Blogger-Says-Grassroots-Left-on-Sidelines

[theaocp]

1. Uh, he's leaving the left behind

because he's a conservative. Sad.

[LiberalEsto]

2. There's only one thing that might get him support

from the lefties.

Sarah Palin as an opponent.

And I'll bet he's gambling on that being the case.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Shame for shame

Because it will most likely be Huck, Romney - or god help him . . . George Pataki - who has been in Iowa since he left the Gov's office in NY.

[Coyote_Bandit]

4. Are there any

prospects for a primary opponent?

[Donnachaidh]

5. Two words -- Citizen's United

He doesn't NEED the grassroots anymore. Do you really think those massive tax cuts were for the working slobs who broke their asses getting him into office?

And he's set those same slobs up for losing their pensions -- just like a good little corporate raider. :sarcasm: