COMMENTARY | Remember when new DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz told US News how really cool it will be when Obama reminds people during his campaign of all the things he has done for women since he's been in office and how her imaginary Republican "war on women" will backfire on the GOP in the 2012 election? Yes, the outreach to women during the campaign "will be unprecedented" in little Debbie's mind.
Well, it has backfired all right, but not quite in the unparalleled manner in which little Debbie predicted. According to the Washington Times, when White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer told liberal activists at the Netroots Nation conference in Minnesota that the president championed an equal-pay law, the moderator replied, "Frankly we're a little sick of hearing about that one."
Ooops.
Additionally, less than 24 hours earlier, White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley got an ear-full from business leaders of the National Association of Manufacturers in Washington about the Obama administrations unnecessary interference and burdensome regulations in the industry. As Mr. Daley listened to the volley of complaints, he was left with no other suitable response than to admit, "Sometimes you can't defend the indefensible."
White House spokesman Jay Carney's feeble attempt at damage control was, "You have to understand that he [ Mr. Daley ] went in there with no prior knowledge about the cases that were put before him." Loosely translated, Mr. Carney was informing us that, although they sent him to the event as an official White House spokesperson on the issue, Mr. Daley didn't know what he was talking about.
"But obviously the [examples] that sounded bad," Mr. Carney fumbled further, "he thought, you know, sounded bad, and he said so."
At an appearance in Miami, FL, President Obama tried in vain to recapture the glory days of his 2008 campaign, back when he was an un-vetted enigma in whom people could cut and paste their most cherished visions of Hope and Change. According to a report by Politico, the air of the 2,200-seat concert hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts was even filled with the same old soundtrack, including "City of Blinding Lights" by U2 , the president used as his 2008 anthem. The only thing different from 2008 was the size of the crowd.
"The expectation was 900," a Democratic official said, seeming to find some sort of success in the fact that 980 tickets were sold. So, if they were only expecting 900, why book a 2,200 seat venue? Was it to ensure Obama's ability to obtain that ominous God-like reverb , which has become somewhat of a not-so-subtle aspect of the president's speeches over the years and noticed by more than a few people?
Then there was the man who heckled Obama about slacking on that promise about stopping AIDS. Of course, in the spirit of supporting an individual's civil rights for which liberals are so famous, the man was quickly silenced and ushered from the hall. Strangely, officials in Obama's administration seem to think the rise of criticisms from their base will ultimately somehow prove "helpful" in the president's re-election efforts. Obama supporters feel otherwise.
NPRreported on the discussion held by Netroots Nation called "What To Do When The President's Just Not That Into You."
"I honest to God thought I was voting for these guys and that it was going to be the first time in my lifetime that I'm finally in a position of power," John Aravosis, whined. John, a gay-rights blogger on AMERICAblog, thought he would be working with the White House on a regular basis, saying, 'OK what could we do this year on gay stuff?' Wouldn't it be cool, oh, 'Don't ask, don't tell,' this is great.' "
"It's like the president's not our boyfriend anymore," Daily Kos editor Joan McCarter pouted.
"You're going to have to knock on doors," Mr. Obama said in a more-than-half-empty concert hall in Miami. Although he left out the "get in their faces" and "argue with them" message he did remind them, "You're going to have to talk to all your friends and neighbors, and you're going to have to talk to the naysayers."
Yeah. Good luck with that.
