I've been waiting for someone to spell out specific consequences for any Democrat who failed to support a key element of this administration's agenda.
Right now the most viewed story at The Telegraph, a conservative British paper, has the following headline:
Barack Obama has said he will not campaign for any
Democrat who fails to support health care reform.
Them's fightin' words. And music to my ears.
That should be a clear signal to the likes of Lincoln and others running in close elections who think they are going to get over by being Republican Lite. Those days are over. This threat carries real consequences if Obama follows through on his word. It's not just about the president making an appearance. It's about the money that follows.
The president will refuse to make fund-raising visits during November elections to any district whose representative has not backed the bill.
This is a real game-changer. If I recall correctly, the last time a president made an across-the-board policy to decide which campaigns he would champion as a quid pro quo for support on a specific piece of legislation was.... Reagan. His approach differed in two critical aspects. First, he made his position known shortly after he was elected in '80, instead of wasting a year fighting the opposition. Second, he made a deal he would not campaign against anyone who supported his tax cuts, regardless of their party. Thus were born the "Boll Weevil Democrats." Those were the conservative Southern Democrats who enabled Reagan's agenda.
It would have been nice if Obama had followed the same approach and led with this when he was riding higher in the polls, but better late than never. Now the shoe is on the other foot, let's hope they use it to kick some ass. If there is any doubt where that boot should be aimed, look no further than today's heirs to the legacy of the Boll Weevil Democrats. I'm talking about those miserable mutts called "Blue Dog Democrats."