Warning To Democrats: It's Not 2008 Anymore

Washington Post:

Off-year elections can be notoriously unreliable as predictors of the future, but as a window on how the political landscape may have changed in the year since President Obama won the White House, Tuesday's Republican victories in Virginia and New Jersey delivered clear warnings for the Democrats.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[OswegoKayaker]

Hey Republicans its not the 1950s anymore either! You want "Your America Back" well guess what? Well thankfully it disappeared a long time ago with the signs on water fountains.

[treat2day]

Voters under the age of 30 were an important ingredient in the 2008 Obama coalition – and Tuesday in Virginia and New Jersey, according to the exit polls, they remained a bit more Democratic than other age groups. The difference was a dramatic drop in turnout among voters between 18 and 29. In Virginia, these young voters made up 21 percent of the electorate in 2008 but just 10 percent in 2009. The drop was almost equally precipitous in New Jersey, from 17 percent to 9 percent.

These incredible shrinking turnout numbers, probably more than any other single factor, are what should worry the Obama White House and congressional Democrats. If the massive youth vote was an Obama-only (or, even worse, an anti-Georg­e-Bush-onl­y) phenomenon, this has worrisome implications for the electoral map in 2010.

[ThankGodhesgone]

No it is not 2008. It is almost 2010 and your party has yet to come up with any ideas or reasons why I should vote for you. Lies, distortions and feeble attempts to scare constituents don't measure up. Sorry and thanks for playing.

[sippewissett]

Hoffman is just the face you want to associate with the headline.

[Poorsarah]

The GOP relies on low informed voters who suffer from memory impairment. As I recall, 2008 was the year when GW Bush tipped our economy off the perverbial cliff. Yes, GOP, thanks for reminding me about 2008...eco­nomy crashed, GW Bush scurried to DC to sign; without hesitation; the $700billion stimulus package that went into the wrong hands...th­e $700billion stimulus should have been divvied up among us American people who lost our livable wage jobs and pensions at the hands of corporate crooks and unbridled deregulation and outsourcing by the greasy paws of GW Bush....wh­y aren't these criminals incarcerated?

[ebanks84]

The only election that mattered was the 23rd district in New York and WE WON THAT! The rest of them don't matter at all because Obama can win those states like he did before when he run again in 2012.

[MorningJoeMikaIsMarried]

We are going to replace those Governor's losses with wins in California and Arizona. When is Sanford up, and could we take Alabama something to think about.

[MESGAIN26]

THIS HEADLINE SHOULD BE A WARNING TO THE TEA BAGGERS AND REPUBLICANS THEY LOST IN A CONSERVATIVE DISTRICT

[MorningJoeMikaIsMarried]

Which is like Tom Delay winning in Compton, Ca.

[DJ23]

Warning Shot To Repubs: Let go of 1994. It won't happen like that again.

You have to have new ideas. You can't just sit and hope that history repeats itself.

Healthcare reform failed back then.

If HCR passes that should be the first wake up call that it won't be a repeat of 1994.

You gotta earn those seat Repubs.

What have Repubs done to earn the majority?

Saying no?

Won't work this time.

[HLL]

What's more important and what is not being written about is that Howard Dean is no longer organizing the Democrats. This is a crucial point. When the Democrats won their majority last year, and President Obama the White House, Howard Dean was a major player in that victory. The fact that the President did not give Governor Dean a cabinet post puzzles me. But the fact that Dean is no longer running the DNC is a major concern. Be afraid, Dems, be very afraid.

[jukesgrrl]

You're correct. I find it positively frightening when the Democrats can't retain the governorship of Virginia when the current chair of the DNC is A FORMER DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA. Howard Dean was smart, savvy, and forceful. He identified weaknesses and shored them up. He drew new people into the party. He has no role now because Rahm Emanuel is jealous of him. Even though governors don't matter all that much to Federal administrations, it's pathetic that the Obama administration would let these seats slide into Republican hands when the situation could have been managed.

[lifeagain]

Isn't owens a blue dog democrat who is against the public option?

[DJ23]

Owens stated that he supports the Public Option. Also, he specifically supports the House bill.

He's a yes vote.

[ItsOKImADoctor]

Not if he wants to keep his seat!

[widdles]

Old "tightierightie" RightisRight111 is here thinking he is relevant.

I do believe he is the only one that thinks that!!

[RightisRight111]

Hey "widdles"? Go fly a kite. At least then you could say you accomplished something today~

[widdles]

I did accomplish something today - I got under your skin, LOL!!

[RightisRight111]

Obama is live on MSNBC. As usual, his teleprompter is with him~

[widdles]

Gawd, I just love how you righties harp on the teleprompter - cause that is all you have!

Dubya before him used a teleprompter.

Clinton before him used a teleprompter.

George H.W. before him used a teleprompter.

Reagan before him used a teleprompter

etc. etc.

Yet you never said anything about your guys when they used a teleprompter. Nor do you mention that they did.

You guys are a laugh a minute! Thanks for the entertainment!

[MorningJoeMikaIsMarried]

You might want to pay attention he's talking about education something that has been vacant from your mind from quite some time.

[unite4change]

Since when did local elections become a referendum on the POTUS?

Can someone please provide Americans with real news instead of pundit with opinions. Anyone can sit on the side line and complain.

[widdles]

Nowadays anyone can step before a mike or a camera and be and "expert" on the political scene!!

[RightisRight111]

Wow, "widdles"! You should know, right?

hahaha

[unite4change]

This is the first warning shot for blue dog dems, we voted for Obama and his agenda. If they are not supporting him, we have no use for them. Plus, if they want to be conservative join the GOP.

Blue dogs had no problem vote with President Bush at the detriment of the American people.

[RightisRight111]

Tsk, tsk. Another Obama apologist.

Psstt: GWB has retired. This is Obama's mess.

[widdles]

Tsk, tsk - Most of this is the mess that Dubya left Obama!

[stuckintx]

The Dems have no idea what a tsunami of push and effort it took to throw those bums out and become the majority. They are taking it for granted. They better team up and get it done, because we are getting very pissed off.

[factotem]

Movement conservativism failed last night.
End of story.

[RightisRight111]

Yep, keep watching MSNBC...an­d stay uninformed.

[graffitijoe]

They don't want to know.