During the past few days I've read two diaries about the fact that President Obama "hears us" and is going to propose an infrastructure bank, which is a progressive idea. While I was skeptical and wanted to see actions, not just words, I felt some optimism. Maybe, now that the President realizes that his base is reaching their line in the sand, I thought, he will use the power that he has to bring progressive proposals to the table and really fight for them. Maybe he will begin to listen to some of the economists on the left who have been doing everything they can to push him in a direction more favorable to the majority of Americans.
And then this afternoon, I read this article:
Obama Campaign Staffer Sends Out Email Bashing Paul Krugman And 'Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere'
On the evening of Aug. 1, just after Congress passed legislation to raise the debt ceiling, Obama for America (OFA) New Mexico State Director Ray Sandoval sent an email to supporters with the subject line, "Please take 5 minutes to read this, Please."
"I know many of you have raised frustrations, but please, I implore you, please take 5 minutes and read the article below. It does a great job of explaining the Debt Ceiling deal," Sandoval wrote in bold text.
The Blog Post Sent Out by OFA State Director
What followed in the email from the OFA State Director was a blog post, some of which was excerpted in Amanda Terkel's HuffPo article:
Paul Krugman is a political rookie. At least he is when compared to President Obama. That's why he unleashed a screed as soon as word came about the debt ceiling compromise between President Obama and Congressional leaders - to, you know, avert an economic 9/11. Joining the ideologue spheres' pure, fanatic, indomitable hysteria, Krugman declares the deal a disaster - both political and economic - of course providing no evidence for the latter, which I find curious for this Nobel winning economist. He rides the coattails of the simplistic argument that spending cuts - any spending cuts - are bad for a fragile economy, ignoring wholeheartedly his own revious cheerleading for cutting, say, defense spending. But that was back in the day - all the way back in April of this year. [...]
No, the loudest screeching noise you hear coming from Krugman and the ideologue Left is, of course, Medicare. Oh, no, the President is agreeing to a Medicare trigger!!! Oh noes!!! Everybody freak out right now! But let's look at the deal again, shall we? [...]
Now let's get to the fun part: the triggers. The more than half-a-trillion in defense and security spending cut "trigger" for the Republicans will hardly earn a mention on the Firebagger Lefty blogosphere. Hell, it's a trigger supposedly for the Republicans, and of course, there's always It'sNotEnough-ism to cover it.
Huffington Post contacted Sandoval, the OFA State Director.
"I have sent your request up to my folks. I will let you know when I hear from them."
Sandoval did not reply to a follow-up message about who his "folks" were.
Response to the Article by Commenters
Here are some of the responses in the comments to this article (and I chose ones that were relatively tame):
Appleton
The blog entry Mr. Sandoval referenced in his email is a virtually incoherent rant. If he actually believes that it represents clearheaded, thoughtful analysis, the Obama re-election campaign is already in trouble in New Mexico.
The debt ceiling dealing manages to combine poor politics and poor economics in a single package. It is poor politics because (a) no "deal" should be required as a condition for authorizing the borrowing necessary to pay bills Congress has already authorized, and (b) anyone familiar with the history of the last three years knows that the so-called "super Congress" will deadlock unless Democrats capitulate again, a virtual certainty given the decision to name Sen. Bauchus to the group. It is poor economics because (a) when consumers lack the ability to buy anything, reducing the number of dollars circulating through the economy will do nothing but further reduce demand, and (b) with no revenue increases expected from the 12 member politburo, the resulting cuts will most strongly affect those who have already suffered the most from the recession.
As for Paul Krugman, had the administration listened to him rather than embracing Wall Street insiders, we wouldn't be having a discussion about austerity policies and many Americans would be back to work by now.
DrObvious
Dr. Krugman has been consistently right in his analysis of our economic problems, and in his policy recommendations.
In contrast, the president cut a deal with Republicans to raise the debt ceiling that is a rich mix of the worst things to do if you're facing extended unemployment and a return to recession.
But Sandoval bashes Krugman - who has been right along - and people like me who tend to trust Mr. Krugman over any elected officeholder.
That's a sure way to a one-term presidency. Sandoval should apologize and resign. Better now, than in January 2013, as the new Republican president takes the oath of office, and all of the left-bashers among the White House staff try to find work like some 14 million other unemployed Americans.
Troff
Uhm, what? Krugman provides no evidence? If you actually read his blog, that's essentially all he does every single day.
pandag
Obama's campaign point person Sandoval in NM bashes Paul Krugman!?!?!? Say What!?!?! Firebagger - wow. I am one of "those" former democrats that have now registered Independent and by gosh I happen to agree a great deal with both Paul Krugman and Robert Reich whom I assume the anointed one doesn't like either. Is this anything like the Bush regime's "your against our troops if you don't support the war in Iraq" b.s.? I was always for our troops and against the war. Is this guy trying to tick us off or is he so fearful of Krugman's input that he lashes out in this manner?
norby413
We'd be satisfied if his policies were even slightly left of center...
OliverTwist
It's more of the same.
Obama spends a lot of time criticizing progressives and hoping to win votes by fostering hatred against them.
Obama really is a Republican in disguise.
ppace60657
"I hear these people saying he's like George Bush," said Gibbs. "Those people ought to be drug tested. I mean, it's crazy."
Yeah, cutting taxes for the rich, cutting spending on social programs, increasing military activity - crazy I tell you, crazy!
El Duderino 791
If the Obama administration has such a low opinion of its base, then it needs to go get itself a new base. Perhaps that's the idea.
Good luck with that, President Obama. There must be a few centrist Milquetoasts out there without any clear ideas or beliefs.
lakat
Right. And middle of the road ideas will not help this country escape our downward spiral. Time's a'wastin'.
Response from Various Blogs
Now I can see that there is a response from the a writer of from the blog post that was sent out by the OFA Director:
Professional Left in tears as OFA and Huffpost quote People's View
The hyperventilation may cause Texas' drought to break [ ... ]
A response from Firedoglake:
OFA Director Attacks “Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere,” says “Paul Krugman is a Political Rookie”
This is just weird. [ ... ] I’m not sure what to make of this. Sandoval’s dismissive response to Terkel indicates that this wasn’t an “oops” moment, and that OFA believes this is a sound political strategy.
[ ... ]
But if this is a brilliant political strategy on the part of OFA, someone is going to have to explain it to me. I know the goal is to attract the much-prized Independent for 2012. But who do they think is keeping Obama’s poll numbers afloat?
atrios:
Choose Your Targets Well
The point is that while I don't personally appreciate hippie punching, and don't think hippie punching usually does much to serve my personal political goals, I can respect hacks who punch hippies in service of their goals. The job of hacks is to be, well, hacks, and I can respect competency in hackdom even if I'm not necessarily on board with their agenda. It's when they're both incompetent and pushing a crap agenda that I begin to worry about the people running the show...
Attitude Adjustment
And the whole thing is now a freaking mess, and will probably continue to be a freaking mess for quite a while. And it also distracts us from critical issues that we need to be working on right now.
I'll leave you to read the rest of the HuffPo article, comments and the blog post sent out by OFA for yourself.
You know, at first I was angered, but it quickly changed to sadness and profound disappointment. This is not a political game or target shoot. Progressive policies are popular with the majority of Americans. We have been critical, yes, but we have spent countless hours trying to discuss and promote progressive policies that benefit everyone and now more than ever good policy is good politics.
Is this the DNC's and OFA's idea of "hearing" and listening to good progressive ideas?
My sense is that it really is time for the President and his political advisors to calm down, take a step back and consider whether or not they want to continue down the road that is littered with Rahm Emanuel calling left grassroots groups "f'ing retarded" and Gibbs' disparaging comments about the "professional left" and the President's own comments about the sanctimony of the left, to name a few.
Mr. President, if you truly want to regain the trust and retain the support of progressives, I strongly suggest that you encourage a wave of attitude adjustment in OFA, the DNC and your campaign.
Updates
While I was writing this, another diary on this subject was published. See FishoutofWater's take on this situation here:
Dear Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere, with Love, OFA
Now another writer from the blog that was sent out by the OFA Director has responded. He claims there were some inaccuracies and he clarifies, backpedals a bit and then doubles down too. At the end he almost implies that he speaks for the President, which is puzzling, when he says "in President Obama's own words". But then again, I find this whole thing to be puzzling, so maybe I am not interpreting this correctly. He also thanks the OFA State Director. He also doesn't seem to get the fact that this is not really about his, in the scheme of things, obscure blog, but it's about the message that the OFA Director chose to spread.
Too Bad for Huffington Post, but the "Dumbest Motherfuckers in the World" are Fighting Back
The author of the Huffpo article, Amanda Terkel, choose a curious headline for her piece: "Obama Campaign Staffer Sends Out Email Bashing Paul Krugman And The 'Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere' " - which is marginally better than its previous version, in which she accused me of calling Krugman a Firebagger. I pointed out the fact that I have never directly called Krugman a Firebagger in an email to Terkel, and she, to her credit, clarified the lede.
[ ... ]
At this point, I would be remiss if I did not say a word of profound thanks to Ray Sandoval for picking up on the article and getting the message out - I am grateful!
[ ... ]
Let me send a message to Huffington Post, FDL, and all the ideologue havens in the Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere (that's right, I said it again): You have been propagating your anti-progressive, pro-dysfunction political message without accountability for too long. In President Obama's words, Enough! Count on us in the pragmatic progressive blogosphere to stand up and fight back. You do not represent progressivism or liberalism, and we are done letting you hijack it. You wanted a fight, didn't you? Well, you got one.
Greg Sargent:
Does Obama camp see upside in pissing off the left?
The Obama campaign is now going on the record distancing itself from the email. A campaign spokesman, Katie Hogan, emails: “The views expressed in this email do not represent the views of the campaign.”
[ ... ]
Here’s my take on this. Some folks on the left are pointing to the campaign’s failure to adequately shoot down this story as a sign that the campaign perhaps sees political gain in riling up the left, as part of some kind of triangulation strategy to win independents. I just don’t believe this is the case. [ ... ] That said, this story does provide a window into what I think is a real problem — the nature of the Obama team’s frustration with liberal critics. [ ... ] But the lefty critique goes considerably further than this. It’s an argument with Obama’s team about tactics and strategy, about what might be attainable if he handled these negotiations differently.
Whether you agree with this critique or not — people make persuasive cases in both directions — Sandoval’s email shows a broader failure to reckon with what it is that has lefty critics so ticked off. That’s the real problem here — and it’s one of the key causes of the tension between the left and the White House.
UPDATE: I should add that there are plenty of signs lately that the White House is gearing up to show the kind of fight the left is hoping to see.
Aravosis at Americablog:
Obama NM campaign manager publicly blasts Krugman, liberal blogs, insinuates comparison with Teabaggers
[ ... ] he heads up the entire state of New Mexico - was suggesting that Paul Krugman and the progressive Netroots were no better than Teabaggers. [ ... ] He also refers to the blogosphere as "the ideologue sphere," and suggests that we're "fanatic" and full of "hysteria." Funny, the Obama campaign didn't feel that way about us in 2008 when they repeatedly asked us to do their dirty work for them, and we gladly, and quietly, did. I guess this is yet another example of how no good deed goes unpunished when Barack Obama is the recipient of said deed.
Hell of a get out the vote message.
PS There seems to be some effort to claim that A) this guy is some junior staffer (in fact, he's the Obama campaign director for the entire state), and B) that he of course wasn't speaking for the campaign (except he was, officially, and it's been almost three weeks and the guy still has a job). You do the math.
(Emphasis added)
Ezra Klein:
Score one for the professional left
Time and again, however, we see evidence that they have gotten deep inside the White House’s head. In letters, in offhand comments, in outbursts at press conferences, [ ... ]
They may not think they’re fair, or sophisticated, or useful. But they’re thinking about them. And if you’re the “professional left,” that’s exactly what you want.
The White House has disassociated itself with the entire email, including the firebagger blog post that was linked and sent out by the OFA State Director. A writer from the blog where the firebagger piece was posted has updated his response, saying that "duh" of course the White House did that, but inferring that they didn't really mean it, this is just politics and this blog says things for the White House that need to be said. He says it's the same kind of thing a staffer would do, and the White House would react the same way. He also says that the purpose of the HuffPo article was to get this message out.
Update Re: White House distancing themselves from email:
[ ... ] I am sure if a staffer sent out an email with an article containing the word "teabagger," they would have the same reaction. There is no need for the President to own those terms, which is the intent of the Huffpo article.
People act like they have never seen politics before. It shouldn't require saying, but I (and other outsiders) can say things and use terms that need to be said but the President cannot say or be associated with. That's one of the reasons partisan media and blogs exist. Only with the ideologue Left blogosphere, they have turned the fire of that privilege towards the White House more so than the wingnut Right.
ABC News:
Obama Campaign Email With Criticism of Krugman, Liberal Blogs Triggers
A controversial email from an Obama campaign staffer in New Mexico to statewide supporters earlier this month highlights the ideological divide on the left over the debt ceiling deal, while raising the ire of the president's most liberal critics.
[ ... ]
While an Obama campaign spokeswoman said “the views expressed in this email do not represent the views of the campaign,” the association of inflammatory language with the president’s re-election team has touched a nerve in some circles.
Since taking office, several top Obama aides have raised the ire of liberals with their words. Former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel last year privately called a group of liberal activists “f---ing retarded,” while several months later former press secretary Robert Gibbs lashed out at what he called the “professional left.” One blogger confronted senior strategist David Axelrod to demand an end to the administration’s “hippie punching.”
thereisnospoon, writing over at Digby's place, is calling for a boycott of OFA until Ray Sandoval is fired and the campaign issues a public apology to Paul Krugman.
Boycotting OFA
The Obama Administration's cold war on the progressive base is getting hot.
[ ... ]
Given that Obama's approval rating among self-described liberals is an anemic 72%, I don't really see how this helps at all.
[ ... ]
Today? I am encouraging all my friends to boycott OFA until this person is fired, and a public apology is made to Paul Krugman. Dismissing the most active 28% of the progressive base as well as our best and most influential pundit so blithely deserves the strongest possible rebuke.
I and others like me can focus our time and attention on state and local politics. If this is the official view of the Obama campaign, then they can count me out.
Thursday (Day 2) Updates
Paul Krugman responds:
Hippie Punching
I would say this: on one side you have the GOP, which responds to completely crazed Tea Party demands by doing all it can to assure the hard right that it’s on its side. On the other, you have the Democratic establishment or at least part thereof, which responds to complaints from its own base that it’s going too easy on the crazies by lashing out at the base, with a bit of bearded-professor bashing on the side.
Way to strengthen your bargaining position, guys.
More from Aravosis at Americablog:
Obama simply doesn’t get the left, and Krugman responds to attack from Obama campaign official
Newser:
Obama Staffer Slams Krugman, Liberal Bloggers
(Newser) – President Obama's campaign director in New Mexico has gone on the offensive—against liberals. Ray Sandoval sent supporters an email containing a blog post describing the debt ceiling deal as an "out-and-out win for the president," and blasting Nobel Prize-winning New York Times columnist Paul Krugman and the "Firebagger Lefty blogosphere," reports the Huffington Post. Krugman, who declared the deal a disaster, is described as a "political rookie."
Mike Allen at Politico:
POPPING ON THE LEFT -- Huffington Post, “Obama Campaign Staffer Sends Out Email Bashing Paul Krugman And The ‘Firebagger Lefty Blogosphere,” by Amanda Terkel: “On the evening of Aug. 1, just after Congress passed legislation to raise the debt ceiling, Obama for America (OFA) New Mexico State Director Ray Sandoval sent an email to supporters with the subject line, ‘Please take 5 minutes to read this, Please.’ … The blog post that Sandoval thought was important enough to share with others harshly condemns Krugman and progressive bloggers who have been critical of Obama.”
Right-wing blogs and FoxNews have picked up on it. I'm not linking them.
Capitol Report, New Mexico:
New Mexico Democrat angers liberals and comes up with a new political epithet: “Firebagger”
The leader of the Obama For America (OFA) chapter in New Mexico has ticked off liberals across the country by recently bashing New York Times columnist Paul Krugman – one of the left’s fiercest critics of conservatives – and coining a new word for the left-wing blogosphere: “firebaggers.”
Another post by thereisnospoon over at Digby's place:
Another One Bites the Dust
Fellow blogger Marta Evry is a good friend of mine and great activist writing at Venice for Change. She is an Emmy-nominated film editor and longtime Obama supporter who has done tremendous work [ ... ]
But even she has reached her breaking point [ ... ]
But the Administration is seriously whistling past the graveyard at this point. They are reaching a tipping point. If folks like Marta Evry and I are ready to hop off the train, it's not just angry cheetos-munching bloggers they're going to lose. They're going to lose the activist base that powered them to victory in 2008. If they think it's going to come back just out of fear of Michele Bachmann or Rick Perry, they're sorely mistaken.
From the Venice For Change blog post thereisnospoon is referring to:
OFA's Contempt For The Left: It's Not A Bug, It's A Feature
A few hours later, an Obama campaign spokesman, Katie Hogan, tried to put some distance between OFA and the staffer, “The views expressed in this email do not represent the views of the campaign.”
Which is all very well and good, but here's the deal - whether it was Rahm Emanuel calling progressive organizations "fucking retarded" , Robert Gibbs castigating "the professional left" or Obama himself, who lashed out at vocal critics who thought he gave too much away on the tax cut deal, saying "this is the public option all over again" - Mr. Sandoval's email represented exactly what the views of the campaign are.
Closer to home, I reported on this blog how an OFA staffer in Southern California posted a story on their Facebook wall comparing liberals critical of the Obama tax deal to Tea Party members. Minutes later, in an epic example of #organizerfail, the same OFA staffer puts out an "ask" for volunteers to come out to California headquarters to phone bank.
Look, I know a number of great, dedicated OFA staffers, but the organization as a whole has degenerated from a powerful way for the grassroots to create real social change to a cheerleading, insular shell - it's only purpose to redirect that energy into Obama's next campaign. The staffer might not speak for OFA, but he certainly is reflecting the prevalent attitude coming from Washington.