What is it about Democrats and August?
You don't have to go back to Michael Dukakis, with John Kerry's swiftboating catastrophe one that no Democrat should forget. Kerry shrugged off the insane charges against his military service, never believing it would stick. It wasn't his only problem in 2004, but it was the emotionally sticky issue that revved up the right that made a huge difference in the end. In a midterm election year emotions rule, because it's the one element that can get out the vote better than any other.
President Obama made a correct and carefully worded statement at the Ramadan Iftar dinner, which illustrated courageous leadership akin to Mayor Bloomberg's. Unfortunately, it was followed by a statement on Saturday that gave the perception he was qualifying his remarks, backtracking. The fury as a result is Kerry-esque in nature, with Obama's reaction similar. He's gone on vacation and stayed off the scene as the rage intensifies thinking it will all blow over without any lasting impact, which hardly matters, because all the anti Cordoba House energy has to do is fuel voters' emotions for the midterms to cause real damage to Democrats. Like Kerry, Obama's absence while the discussion burns makes him look out of touch, something that resonates, because people have soured on the promised "change" once offered, because what's being delivered is not what they want, especially on the economy.
People have been opining that what's happening on the Cordoba Mosque doesn't have political legs. But America's phobia about Islam is also rising up in middle America:
But when the community's leaders proposed a 52,900-square-foot Islamic center with a school and a swimming pool this year, the vehement backlash from their neighbors caught them by surprise. Opponents crowded county meetings and held a noisy protest in the town square that drew hundreds, some carrying signs such as "Keep Tennessee Terror Free."
[...] The Murfreesboro mosque is hundreds of miles from New York City and the national furor about whether an Islamic community center should be built near Ground Zero. But the intense feelings driving that debate have surfaced in communities from California to Florida in recent months, raising questions about whether public attitudes toward Muslims have shifted.
No event, the swiftboaters or the right-wing reactionaries, happens in a vacuum. The foundation of Pres. Obama's problems today are moored in something that happened over two years ago during the campaign, when Rev. Jeremiah Wright's anti-American rants were broadcast non-stop, solidifying Obama's haters' resolve, no matter how strongly Obama denounced Wright. Now, after 20 months of discontent, these same haters are simply conflating the alleged otherness of Obama's religious roots and resume with one of the most potent symbols in the 21st century, the murderous assault by fanatic terrorists, to funnel their rage about everything anti-Obama.
If the economy had a chance of turning maybe the anti Islamic center anger would dissipate, but it won't, at least not before November. Couple that with the feeling that the majority of Americans have about the health care bill, and what you've got is a toxic funnel through which American voters can pour their rage, all of it directed at Obama and the Democrats. Remember, it's about feelings and emotions, not facts, which won't fuel the midterms.
John Kerry made a fatal error in ignoring the swiftboaters one hot August election year.
Pres. Barack Obama is making the same error, which may not have long-term impact, because there are many other issues that are far more important. However, unlike Ronald Reagan who faced similar troubles looking at re-election, the economy is not only worse, but the political atmosphere is far more toxic today, with Reagan a Hollywood image out of the mainstream of America. That cannot be said for Pres. Obama, who even after making a courageous statement on the mosque he then walked it back, but also hasn't led, and is looking more and more out of touch by believing that he can let the fury simmer until September, hoping it will simply go away.
Taylor Marsh is a political analyst and national political writer out of Washington, D.C.
Follow Taylor Marsh on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taylormarsh
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Too bad that reporters were unwilling to let Obama's profound and timely defense of core, American values stand for a day to seep into the public's consciousness (and conscience), perhaps to shake them from their recent bout of social intransigence, or bring them to the realization that our defining ideas are being put a real test, before they so callously pressed Obama for something other than the most principled and healing sentiment. For the sake of 9/11 survivors and out of respect for the dead, he offered as much. Probably would have preferred to wait another week before saying it though.
You do have a point that anything he says will be scrutinized, but I think it would be a good thing, not a negative; Reagan never went to church, and Bush didn't belong to any congregation in DC (source: http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1859234,00.html?imw=Y). For any self-righteous Teahadist to bring that up would be to admit that they had no idea neither Bush nor Reagan (the conservative icon who can do no wrong) attended church.
Hmmm... Roye, why do you think they got the benefit of the doubt and Obama didn't? I just can't figure it out. Why would Republicans, who never cared during the Reagan & Bush administrations, now be outraged that a sitting president doesn't attend church?
It wouldn't happen to do with not having to prove oneself isn't a Muslim, would it? Or do we want to just let them wink and say they just wanted to make sure Obama's holding up the Democratic presidential tradition of attending church like the Clintons did weekly (and even twice-weekly sometimes)? Uh yeah, that's it. That's their story and they're sticking to it.
"Go to church once in a while!"
.....that you hold church attendance as an important presidential function.
What kind of evil Muuuuuslim hasn't gone to church yet?
Maybe an atheist evildoer like Reagan, who never went to church?
"Ronald Reagan didn't go to church at all, citing the hassle of making a church set up security screening for parishioners."
SOURCE: http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1859234,00.html?imw=Y
I assume that if you were registered at Huffpo back in 2008, I will find your same discontent with Bush rarely going to church too?
"President Bush is widely known for his religious beliefs, but for eight years has not frequented a local church, at times citing security concerns. "
SOURCE: http://www.hillpundit.com/homenews/news/16984-united-church-of-christ-wants-obama-in-dc-flock
"What most--including many of the president's fiercest supporters--don't know, however, is that Bush doesn't go to church. Sure, when he weekends at Camp David, Bush spends Sunday morning with the compound's chaplain. But the president who has staked much of his domestic agenda on the argument that religious communities hold the key to solving social problems doesn't belong to a congregation. "
http://dems.tribe.net/thread/577ea6b9-9ff9-4753-a5ec-02fa2062d86b
...Do you mean like those SOCIALIST presidents Clinton and Sundayschool teacher Carter?
SOURCE: Ibid., time.com
Look at the whole Kim Lehman scandal: she said she SAW Obama say he was a Muslim during a Cairo speech; even after reviewing the entire speech and all speech transcripts, the thing Obama said concerning religion was "I'm a Christian," yet Lehman, a leader of the Republican National Committee, refuses to acknowledge that fact, and instead justifies her bizarre fantasies with cop-outs like "well, okay he didn't actually SAY he's a Muslim, but he didn't have to, because he didn't exactly say he was a Christian!" Except that he did that too.
These people WANT to hold onto erroneous beliefs that cannot be changed by facts.
Addressing their delusions only makes it feel like someone's taking their political Narnia seriously, thereby motivating them even more. Ignoring them angers them, thereby motivating them even more.
Swiftboat is a fallacious analogy; it would be analogous if there were no actual Swift Boat vets and it was just Republicans' overactive imaginations. But there is yet to be produced a single person that has more than complicated webs of delusions or incoherent confusion.
I believed and still do that Kerry should have challenged Bush and/or Cheney to a debate over their military service. This would have been quite amusing since Bush and Cheney did not have any service to speak of.
Same thing with the President. There is no harm in confronting people with their ridiculous statements (the people who support you will not mind a bit and the people who are determined to hate you still will). Tell them to prove you are a Muslim - tell them to prove they are a Christian (if that is what they say they are).
I am a Christian and I don't have anything to prove it except my church membership these past 28 years. But, you know what, in another way that doesn't matter. There is only one entity that knows my heart and He is the only one that counts.
So, Mr. President, speak up - speak up loud and clear. Consider it your witness.
The muslims who have been worshipping in the community center near "Ground Zero" under the radar made a mistake in deciding to build their mosque now. The memorial has not yet been built, or completed. I'm thinking that timing here is everything. Had they waited, and the word about the good things they have been doing in the community has gotten out, there might not have been such an uproar.
"Well, for being staunch supporters of the Constitution the Republicans have already shown themselves to be at war with Freedom of Religion in the First Amendment, and with the Fourteenth Amendment that enshrines Equal Protection and Due Process, so it isn't hard to imagine that it's only a matter of time before they attack Americans Right to Bear Arms in the Second Amendment. The Democrats have never attacked the foundation principles of the US Constitution the way the Republicans have in these past eighteen months, and their pattern is quite clear. The way the Republican leadership is approaching their responsibilities it's hard to see how any Constitutional Right is safe around them. Something for Americans to consider."
I'd give that a whirl.
Look?
This was an unintended consequence of McCain/Feingold bill - which was in effect for the first time. It always will work to the non-incumbent's disadvantage if they stay in the public financing system. Obama was able to opt out using the SBVT as a reason why. In 2004, there was no precedent for this and Kerry had been a proponent of campaign finance reform for decades,. authoring thecampaign finance reform bill with Senator Wellstone. Had Kerry opted out, he would have been called a hypocrite and it would have hurt.
This really left Kerry with a dilemma. Had they used a lot of ad money in August on this, they would have really been short of money in October. In addition, the problem was not the ads - but the media treating the NAVY records as no more valid than accusations made for the first time 35 years later. The fact is Nixon investigated Kerry in 1971 - and found he was both clean and a war hero.
With Obama, he is the President with the President's ability to get coverage. In addition, where Kerry's war record was smeared, here Obama made comments that he still believes in and which are values consistent with the Constitution. The RW is distorting the story of the mosque and fanning the flames.
By then (Aug, 2004) Kerry was the nominee. He had a very big megaphone he could have used FOR FREE to fight back. By simply addressing the issue he would have created counter media that would have to be covered by those covering the story.
Truie, Kerry was not the president, but he was not exactly the janitor at the DNC either.
He kept sile anntd did little to defend himself publicly. He could have gone on talk radio, cable news, etc. for free. He didn't.
I've said this before, I'll say it again: Let No Charge Go Unanswered. It's how Bill Clinton (choice of 1% of voters after 1992 NH primary) defeated Bush 41 (with a 91% approval rating in mid 1991.)