Polls reported on Dkos show growing disfavor and distrust of President Barack Obama by Democrats. I agree with Kos when he said the other day that what Obama campaign is doing is not working.
The recent jobs speech was greeted by many of us as a possible turning point, but then the President soon followed it with more deficit fail and pre caving on the bill.
Many DK FP'ers and diarists that I have read support the Dem CW that a primary will be more harmful than helpful.
Others have a different opinion including some Dems in Congress who see Obama campaign as working against downticket chances and therefore in need of a primary challenge.
I am still up in the air personally.
The Hill
Some frustrated Democrats want to see Obama primary challenge
By Molly K. Hooper - 09/15/11 05:15 AM ET
Some frustrated Democrats in Congress are saying that a primary challenge to President Obama would be a good thing, but others maintain it would only help the GOP.
Rep. Peter DeFazio said a primary would “push the president and his advisers a bit … to give us back the candidate we had three years ago.”
The Oregon Democrat pointed out that some of his colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus agree with him, but he declined to name names.
That primary is still being discussed so long after Barack declared he was running for a second term is evidence that there is growing unrest . Working for or donating to the Obama campaign is out of the question for many of us at this point, but a primary? That's a harder to support, given the arguments that it would just play in to Republican hands, costs lots, still end with Obama the candidate.
For example, Cheney [I get nauseated at the mention of the torturer's name] wants HRC to challenge PBO, and a new Bloomberg poll shows her popularity.
Challenging Obama's Actions
Still, there is no doubt in some minds that given his results in the first three years that the President still needs serious pushing to the left away from his Republican lite actions and rhetoric.
Would that his speeches from here on out would be more like this:
The push back against the President's third way center right leaning actions in office is taking several forms, like the "Rebuild the Dream" movement with Van Jones et al, the stepping back from blanket endorsements of Dem candidates by the AFL-CIO, and other direct actions on various issues like tar sands, social security, medicare, and jobs.
Others continue to brainstorm/lobby Congress forbigger better jobs plans, plan camping out on Wall Street and outside the Whitehouse next month, and meeting with Congress to keep up the pressure for jobs, ending the war, and protecting the social safety net.
I keep reading that many kossacks will work for downticket Democratic Party Races this time instead of working for BO. That's where I am just now.
Were the President to take more concrete actions based on traditional Democratic Party values like those espoused in the video above, ie lose the deficit and tax cut talk, fire some advisers, and campaign on jobs and protecting the social safety net, end the wars and not just rebrand them, many who are on the fence, myself included, would be glad to come back to support him.
While many here at Dkos are convinced a primary is not the way, because of PBO's own actions, there is still discussion ongoing among Democrats.