Obama's Aura of Unreliability

Don't get me wrong. I like Barack Obama. If the primary were held today, he'd probably get my vote. But the honeymoon is over in Obamaland and it can't be written off with canned responses about how unreliable early poll numbers are.

If you look around the liberal blogs today, there's a lot of frustration with the Senate bill to grant immunity to telecoms who have helped the Bush administration illegally spy on Americans. High profile bloggers like Glenn Greenwald, Markos Moulitsas, Atrios, Jane Hamsher, and Big Tent Democrat at MyDD have been urging their readers to put pressure on the Senate to block the bill by contacting...Chris Dodd.

If anyone from the Obama campign is paying attention, this should serve as a wake-up call. A representative cross section of the liberal blogosphere no longer thinks Barack Obama is willing to stand up to the Bush Administration. These bloggers have already been disappointed enough over the last few months they didn't even bother asking Obama to oppose the bill this time around, instead throwing their support behind a candidate who's trailing Dennis Kucinich and Undecided in the polls. Writing about an Iraq appropriations bill last month, Markos Moulitsas perfectly summed up frustration with Obama (and Clinton) :

So where are the two "front runner" candidates on Iraq? Have they conquered their fear and actually said something of substance regarding the pre-emptive capitulation bill?

. . .

Last supplemental, Hillary and Barack hid in the shadows, refusing to talk about the issue. They voted at the last second possible. They may have voted the right way, but did ZERO to move their caucus, the party, and the national electorate on the debate.

For a bunch claiming they deserve to lead our party and our nation, they've done everything possible to avoid any leadership.

The Obama campaign has been playing it safe for months now, so it should be no surprise that the base no longer expects him to, in the words of his campaign, "challenge the status quo and get results". It's not too late for Obama to turn things around. I still think Obama would make a fantastic president, but if he wants his grassroots-fueled campaign to regain some momentum, he needs to start by recognizing that people no longer see him as the go-to guy to buck the Washington establishment and be a champion for change.

Comments

[DemPartyGirl]

Barack Obama isn't willing to stand up to the Bush Administration. He's big on bipartisanship, remember? That's how he thinks he's going to change the Washington Establishment.

[SensibleAmerican]

"But the honeymoon is over in Obamaland and it can't be written off with canned responses about how unreliable early poll numbers are" ... very true!

"It's not too late for Obama to turn things around" ... actually it IS too late ...

[peaceandfreedom]

SenselessA­merishame-­-

Good to see you've toned back your over the top racist rhetoric of previous posts...

But it was sooo good, I think I'll just remind the folks here of your real feelings concerning Mr. Obama:

"Look, his middle name IS Hussein and his last name is one letter away from Osama and finally, he is semi black ... 10/14/2007 at 03:49:45"

And...

"Money?! Barack Hussein raised plenty of that?! And he IS a SEMI-black man in the Democratic Party!... posted 10/15/2007 at 17:42:11"

I think that this is what happens when you let your "creativity" get ahead of your conscience.

[JimR]

Yup... clearly the person leading the polls at this point goes on to capture the nomination.

Yup.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/12/17/opinion/polls/main589167.shtml

[TankerRat]

No!! Most emphatically No! It is not to late. For Obama I would have to agree but for the rest of us, NO!!!!

We can STOP Queen Hillary (Bush in a Skirt) but it will take COURAGE, CONVICTION, and PARTICIPATION to do it. Are you willing to join me in doing this sensible?

[SeanGardner]

I am frustrated too about Iraq and a host of other issues from wiretapping to the situation at GITMO. But Obama CANNONT change the situation themselves. He just can't. It would be good if he voted the way the netroots community wants him to, but what about the majority of Americans who are not apart of "the netroots community"? What would they think?

The fact is, when Obama gets the nomination, will have to deal with RED AMERICA. This is not about capitulating mostly or wholeheartedly to Markos Moulitsas, Frank Dwer, Jerome Armstrong, David Sirota, James Boyce and others who have criticized him incessantly throughout 2007. Godbless these bloggers, but a "netroots candidate" is a loser in the general election.

Obama will have to continue to work closely with Republicans until the winds of change put Democrats in complete control of both Congress and the White House next November. Only in that situation would Democrats be able to make the type of progress that Mr. Saunders (the author of this blogpost) is referring to.

Oh, and Mr. Saunders, I have to say that Obama doesn't have to regain any "momentum" because if you've been following the news, you'd know that yesterday it was reported that Obama raised more than $1 million dollars in one day. Does that sound like a campaign that's losing steam? Nope.

For my money, Obama is still the "go-to guy" for change. And you know that in the absence of being able to implement the "change you want", there is nothing with working to implement the "limited change you can get" until Dems have more Senators next November.

There are no perfect politicians. Obama included. Truly, if anyone doesn't want to support him, then don't.

I don't want a politician who will see things exactly the way I do, or believe in what I believe to the "tee". That is unrealistic. But there is a politician who has the judgement, record, and lifelong "experiences" to be commander-in-chief. His name is Barack Obama.

[gcee]

Very good reply!!

[JimR]

That was excellent.

[Misanthrope2]

I wouldn't brag about raising money from lobbyists and corporate whores.

And his poll numbers show he is losing steam.

Rasmussen Reports Poll Oct 1, 2007 Hillary Clinton 42%, Barack Obama 22%, John Edwards 13%

Rasmussen Reports Poll June 25-28, 2007 Hillary Clinton 39%, Barack Obama 26%, John Edwards 13%, Bill Richardson 5%, Joe Biden 3%, Dennis Kucinich 3%, Chris Dodd 1%, Mike Gravel 0%, Undecided 9%

Rasmussen Reports Poll April 16-19, 2007 Hillary Clinton 32%, Barack Obama 32%, John Edwards 17%, Bill Richardson 3%, Joe Biden 1%, Chris Dodd 1%, Wesley Clark 1%

[TankerRat]

Poll numbers and Money. Two of most bulls**t things on the planet.
Votes People. Votes are what counts.

Example: 98 gubinatorial race in MN.
Polls by MSM:
Day before election: Humphrey 48%, Coleman 44%, Ventura 9%. Guess WHO WON. VENTURA

Money raised/spent: Dem's $1.2 Million, Repubs $1.1 Million, Ventura $ 375,000.00­.
Guess WHO WON. VENTURA.

Can't be done? Horsefeathers!!!!

[SeanGardner]

"his poll numbers show he is losing steam"

In the NATIONAL POLLS...ye­s.

In the State polls, its dead heat. And if he's losing steam, how come he had 93,000 new donors in the third quarter?

Losing steam? No, you're dreaming..­.and as Obama continues to surge, I'm sure you'll be STEAMING!

[Kendo Nagasaki]

Obama is making a mistake if he thinks he can negotiate anything with crooks. He needs to steamroller them into oblivion.

We need radical change in the US very soon if the it is not to become a fascist banana republic. And it is well on the way.

The US Treasury is already in deficit to the tune of $9 trillion. How can we be a world power when we are in debt to China ?

[Changeizgood]

14 trillion!

[jones]

You got that right!

[TankerRat]

I keep telling you Kendo. There is a first rate candidate out there. Perfect-No. First rate and viable-Yes.

His name: Gov. Bill Richardson.

[jolieblondmouton]

Chris Dodd is standing head and shoulders above the other candidates right now because he believes in the rule of law and that our own government is slowly destroying the ideals upon which our country was founded.

He would be an outstanding President!

I hope he puts a hold on this legislation.

[Bozwellian]

(..uh, Dodd has LITTLE to nil "real chance" and at best may get a second position slot and figure he well knows it and is in the race to rather "help" Hillarys positioning. He helped retain Lieberman as did Hillary and that is indicationary that should be noted. Think Obama got involved in that as well--the Joe foisting when the voters (the DEM voters) had said they HAD HAD enough..Th­anks to the GOPs, all got stuck with another JL term, and some NOW seem "surprised' as to how well that actually has turned out.

[LittleBrother]

If Hillary owns "triangulation", Obama owns "finesse", in the pejorative sense of "punting".

In his own way, he's appropriated a "maverick" approach, once bestowed on the now-flailing John McCain. Obama is also adored by his supporters as a straight-shooter, although AFAIK they don't use that term.

But to me he comes off more like a sidewinder, who appears to challenge the status quo but is never in the room when the deal goes down. In short: a politician.

[Misanthrope2]

You are correct Sir!

[dtd]

I LOVE (underscore) Obama, but I hate the fact that he hired conventional politicos to manage his campaign. They squandered everything that makes him appealing. I just pray that he finally breaks free from this arrested development of sorts and be the Obama we fell in love with!

[zull2]

Anyone who thinks polls are reliable is just a bit gullible themselves. It's not so much a canned response, it's just that at this point, the only candidate running on the Democratic side that is truly a household name is Hillary Clinton.

Not everyone follows politics closely...­many have heard of Obama, but have never taken the time to actually check out his website or go listen to one of his speeches. However, if it's Hillary, everyone who can vote can remember Hillary Clinton. However, her main strike against her is that because she is so well known, she is also incredibly polarizing­...people made up their minds about Hillary probably sometime between 1993-1997. No one had even heard of Barack Obama till 2004...exc­ept for a few political wonks and people with too much time on their hands (like myself).

So yeah, if you poll the people before they've even been exposed to ONE of Obama's or even Edward's commercials, they'll probably pick the known quantity. If you polled politicos or people closely tied to the scene, you might get a totally different result.

[Misanthrope2]

By now, nearly all Democrats have decided. Obama has faded in the national polls and in the Iowa polls. If you want to say polls don't matter, that is your privilege. But they do matter. And professional politicians and their supporters regularly rely on polls.

[SeanGardner]

"By now, nearly all Democrats have decided"

Who told you that? That's based on what? Gut instinct? Supposition? Hope? In fact, most Democrats I know are still undecided. In georgia. In Washington State. In South Carolina. And the race is still incredibly fluid in IOWA right now because people are still undecided.

And the polls show a serious number of voters who don't know if they'll vote for Obama, Clinton, Edwards or anyone else.

"By now, nearly all Democrats have decided"..­.don't you wish.

Obama '08

[JoeSun]

Don't listen to these folks, Obama.

If these folks were so interested in "the right thing" Hillary wouldn't have such a huge lead in the polls.

They want you to do what they expect most prominent black folks to do: act as the moral compass of America, a jimminey cricket if you will. Meanwhile, they'll give the promotions and rewards to those who are less deserving.

Take a stand when you are rewarded, Mr Obama. And not a second before.

[mommadona]

"uh...uh..­..uh"

Obama needs a speech coach.
Obama needs to get over himself.
Obama jumped in feet first with no equipment.

He's a good person.
As a campaining candidate, not so good.

[SeanGardner]

"Obama needs a speech coach.
Obama needs to get over himself.
Obama jumped in feet first with no equipment.­"
-mommadonna

If that's true, why would Obama get yet another endorsement today from longtime Clinton friend Gov. Deval Patrick:

"Mr. Obama, of Illinois, received a lift Wednesday with word that Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, a former Clinton administration aide, would endorse him. In a letter saying he would announce his intention next week, Mr. Patrick said, “I believe the importance of this election transcends friendships and party.”

So, mommadonna, when it comes to Obama, I'll just chalk your comments up "reliably dismissive".

Go Barack!

[Misanthrope2]

Obama is fading in the polls.