This diary might be a bit too simple, based on an Atlantic Wire article by Elspeth Reeve. But it summarizes my feelings about the hand-wringing that I'm seeing here -- and among far too many Democrats -- from the first debate. We are being so open about our panic, it's driving the media narrative on the election.
As Reeve notes,
It's not so much that liberal panic is unfounded, but that they are being so open about it. It's a case of when keeping it real goes wrong.
While Andrew Sullivan may be the leader in what I'm calling the panic brigade, he's not the only one.
Nevertheless, the panic from Sullivan -- and I believe the panic seen from so many here at DK, leads to:
a self-reinforcing media narrative in which Obama is the wimpy loser who maybe, as The Daily Beast's Michael Tomasky suggested, doesn't even want to be president anymore.
Tomasky's statement is nuts. There is so much left to do. President Obama knows it all too well. Even worse, Tomasky is helping to drive a crazy narrative.
Bottom line: every voter who is panicking over the President's debate performance is unwittingly helping Mitt Romney.
Reeve cites Kevin Drum, who notes that we have a "Hack Gap" (a reference to the old "Missle Gap" from the 50s and 60s).
Here's how things would have gone if liberals had their fair share of hacks. Obviously Obama wasn't at his best on Wednesday. But when the debate was over that wouldn't have mattered. Conservatives would have started crowing about how well Romney did. Liberals would have acknowledged that Obama should have confronted Romney's deceptions more forcefully, but otherwise would have insisted that Obama was more collected and presidential sounding than the hyperactive Romney and clearly mopped the floor with him on a substantive basis
In other words, the best way to help the President win re-election is with a positive attitude. The published unemployment rate is down to 7.8%. The ACA is the law of the land, ruled constitutional with the help of John Roberts. We could very well gain seats in both the House and the Senate. Mitt Romney is still a boob who would be dangerous in the White House.
The President is still leading -- in the polls nationally, and in swing states. Polls have always varied. Polling surges recede. Mitt Romney still hasn't announced his fundraising numbers for September, I believe because his numbers are wimpy compared to the 181 million raised by OfA. Have faith, as the fundamentals still favor the President.
And as Drum is suggesting, in this last month before election day, it's time for liberals to find their inner hack.
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