For all those who intend not to vote for Obama next year in order to register their protests;

[hedgehog]

I give you:

President Nixon

President Nixon (again!

President Reagen

President Reagen (again!)

President G.W. Bush

President G. W. Bush (again!)

Take a look at the current Republican crop of potential candidates, and take a look at the names above. I assure you, there is no Republican candidate so ignorant and/or so criminal that the American people would not elect him or her!

[flamingdem]

1. Michelle Bachmann for President!

That is all.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Listen to Tweeey on lesser evilism

from yesterday's show...

IT is not a selling strategy... he should know... he was part of the Carter Reelection committee... and you and I remember the second term, don't we?

[hedgehog]

7. It's not a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils - it's a matter of

choosing between a Democrat doing his damnedest to push reform through a dysfunctional government and a Republican working to enhance that dysfunction.

Bernie Sanders? Dennis Kucinich? Russ Feingold? I like them too, but they are tainted with the label of extreme leftist. I worked for George McGovern when he ran, then watched this middle of the road candidate get tagged with that label and go down in flames. We have no chance of winning with anyone who isn't perceived as a reasonable moderate.

[Hawkowl]

Obama is an enabler

If the debt ceiling is an example of his doing his damnedest, then I'd rather rely on a solid liberal, democratic congress.

[Splinter Cell]

57. Bullshit

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. But that is exactly what you are selling

and it stinks as a strategy.

[jeff47]

24. The problem is he's not doing his damnedest.

We've seen his damnedest. He doesn't unleash it on the Republicans. Instead, he embraces their framing and their ideas.

If I'm gonna get Republican policies, they might as well be enacted by a Republican.

[Splinter Cell]

58. Are you people nuts?

WTF? You don't get everything you want instantly, so you'd like to see another republican in the oval office?

[Bluenorthwest]

33. A reasonable moderate does not go along with right wing radical

policy to prove they can 'compromise'. It is not reasonable to answer a threat of one's entire family being killed by offering just the first born to the enemy. Nor is it moderate.
Also, if being 'tagged with a label' is such a problem, well, Obama like all Democrats has been tagged with many labels. Including 'socialist'. Being 'moderate' does not stop the tagging, the tagging is called 'politics' and they will call hot by the name of cold if it serves them. There is no way to 'behave in a way they can not criticize' because he could do exactly what they wanted and they'd still shout 'Socialist' instead of 'thank you sir'.
It is also interesting that you claim those 'tagged' go down in flames just after you yourself 'tagged' three good Members of Congress as being 'tainted'.
I do not agree with your characterizations of those men. With your tagging of them with words such as 'tainted' and 'extreme leftist'.

[inna]

48. "tainted with the label of extreme leftist" - what a toxic post. too late to unrec.

[No Elephants]

60. So, all the RW has to do in order to make Dems give up on a candidate is lie about "extreme" leftism

How is that not handing Republicans the keys to the Democratic Party?

You have no faith in the ability of Democrats to rebut lying name calling? I do.

[Armstead]

61. Obama is the only real choice -- But he shoulod be more like Bernie

IMO if Obama would absorb more of Bernie's fighting liberal spirit and his willingness to tell the REAL truth, he would be in a lot better position against the GOP next year.

[okieinpain]

65. Tell bernie to run, lets see how far he will get. Ill vote for him. N/t.

[CakeGrrl]

12. Sorry, but if voters think Bachmann or Romney or Perry won't be as bad,

that's on them or the lack of Democrats in general to educate their less informed fellow Dems.

Maybe people should focus on the damage these GOP candidates will do if they're elected?

Unless you really don't think, as they said in 2000, there's "a dime's worth of difference" between the D and the R this time around.

Wanna take a chance?

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Lesser evilism is NOT a winning strategy

I mean he is less bad than Bachmann will not get the average voter enthused. If it don't work with people plugged in... what makes you think it will work with people who, on average, start paying attention six weeks before the election?

[CakeGrrl]

18. If voters are "plugged in",

then they damn well ought to know how big a threat the GOP is to their personal interests. Perhaps they could convey that to their less informed fellow Dems.

Dems have a couple of options: they can choose to swallow the "weak leader has done nothing" or "weak leader is destroying Democracy" spin from the PL pundits and the MSM, or they can acknowledge and recognize the progress that HAS been made despite massive opposition and complaints from all corners.

If you want to ignore ANY progress made by this administration and choose to sit back and say you have nothing to tell people, that's your choice to enable the depressed Dem turnout.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who, at this point, says that the President hasn't accomplished ANYTHING of substance is devoid of credibility.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. This is REALLY BASIC polical science for the US

but MOST VOTERS are NOT plugged in. The mass universe of voters on BOTH parties start paying attention the last six weeks. Why you see the mass of commercials the last few weeks... starting on week six going to an election.

You might want to ignore that reality, but it is.

As to the Obama team.. once again less evilism will not work... at all. They need to sell on what they have done... and if they chose less evilimsm, or their supporters here, support less evilism... well don't be too shocked when we swear in another President.

Believe it or not, we are the real minority in the US... the whole universe of Koss, Free Republic, Democratic Underground and yes, other less mentionable places, is really small. Most americans are still plugged in to the NFL, the Basketball and the Kardashians... not who or what is in the WH or Congress.

In fact, while the debt ceiling was a high profile story... go on and ask 100 people at random... you will find that most... as critical as the story was. might be able to give a broad outline if you are lucky. In reality DEBT CEILING? What the hell is that?

Now that is the reality... so telling a person who watches the Kardashians, who does vote, but gets plugged in best case week six before an election... he is less evil... will NOT work. Listent to tweety... go on. find that tape. He was THERE.

[treestar]

21. Most people just vote

And they do vote for the lesser evil.

For all the fearmongering done here, one has to wonder why fearmongering suddenly is not a good strategy?

It does work, or there would not be so many negative campaign ads.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. That was PRECISELY the strategy used

by the carter reelection committee. Tell me how that second term went, because I really don't remember it.

Or you are telling me that Tweety, who was there, lied yesterday?

[treestar]

26. Did Carter do a lot of negative campaigning?

Why do candidates spend so much $$ on negative ads? The ones that tell voters how horrible the other person is?

It does work. We need to attack Republicans. Those are the people we should attack.

[jeff47]

28. This president has never attacked Republicans. He's not going to start now.

And those negative ads actually don't work very well. They're a desperation move when you're losing. The usual result of those ads is to depress turnout, so you're mostly left with the partisans. If your partisans are more motivated than your opponents, you win. But they never convince anyone to vote for you.

[treestar]

38. I think you need proof of that

Why do they keep doing it? Both sides do it, too.

The POTUS has attacked Republicans - don't know how you can claim he did not.

[bvar22]

42. This POTUS "attacks" Republicans,

and thanks them for their Good Ideas at the same time.

Can you cite an occasion when The White House thanked the Progressive Caucus for their good ideas?



The DLC New Team
Progressives Need NOT Apply

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)
http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254886&kaid=86&subid=85




-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. Negative adds actually increase cynicism

and drive voters away. they are alos a sign of desperation, This is pretty basic stuff.

But once again lesser evilism does not work. Funny President Carter does not remember his second term either...

[treestar]

39. So where are the statistics on that to prove that assertion?

And if that is true, then you have never been caught trashing Democrats for not playing hardball and being negative enough?

If what you say is true, Republicans should use them and not Democrats.

And then in a primary between two Democrats, presumably the more conservative of the Democrats would use them, since progressives are so easy to depress.

[Bluenorthwest]

34. Ah, the Palin method. If you do not want to answer the question

asked, just answer another question and then ask one!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Hell, they LIKE their GOPer candidates ignorant and criminal.

Nothing makes my blood run colder than the words "President Bachmann." I will work my fingers to the bone next year to be sure that neither she nor any of the other knuckle-dragging, teabagging, batshit crazy enemies of civilization that comprise the current GOP get anywhere near the White House. They shouldn't be allowed to even drive past it, let alone occupy it.

[Andy823]

4. +1,000,000,000

Yes, not voting to register their protests against the president last year didn't work so well. Just ask those in Wisconsin, Maine, Florida, or any of the other states that republicans took control of last year, not to mention the U.S. House!

[HockeyMom]

5. I want a Democrat to challenge him

somebody who has the you know what to do that. Then let the chips fall where they may. Let the better man, or womsn, win. Whoever that may be I will support them. No way in hell, would I vote for a TeaBagger.

[hedgehog]

10. Go for it - we're Democrats, not lock step Republicans. Just don't hold a grudge next November.

[daa]

6. Nixon pushed for UNIVERSAL health care not insurance reform

W put in a prescription drug plan. I guess it could be worse.

[hedgehog]

9. I was around when Nixon supposedly pushed for univeral health care.

I was also around when George proposed we go to Mars. Neither example is the first thing I think of when I recall these Presidents.

[daa]

32. Look Nixon was a crook, but Bill Clinton always talked to him

because he was better than covering up a 2-bit burglary. Nixon had a lot of accomplishments beyond the headline.

[saras]

8. Why would anyone intelligent enough to craft a protest vote risk doing it in a swing state?

That's just a stupid assumption. It's too dumb to even be true of an old-fashioned Republican, although Dinos and T(errorist) partiers, with no other goals than pulling some political organization or another to the right, are perfectly capable of it.

[dbonds]

11. Not voting for Obama in the primaries will not give us a GOP president.

Lots of fear mongering going on today.

[Donnachaidh]

13. thought I smelled a dead horse

:eyes:

[Peacetrain]

17. You mean the one that keeps giving us more and more radical republican presidents?

You would think after hitting ourselves in the head with a hammer a half dozen times our side would start to get the message

[Cobalt Violet]

15. Sorry I won't vote republican

Nor will I ever vote for a wannabe.

[elocs]

19. Democrats not voting sure helped us in Wisconsin last November.

Their choice not to bother to vote helped to give us Walker and his cohorts and all the crap they've heaped on us since.

Republicans love it when Democrats choose not to vote because it makes their job so much easier.

[jeff47]

25. That's why Democratic politicians need to pull their heads of out their asses.

If you don't give a reason for people to vote for you, they don't vote. "My opponent is worse!" doesn't get people off the couch.

[Bluenorthwest]

35. Here in Oregon, where Democrats won, we had 71% turnout

Highest midterm turnout since the 80's. And if you notice, our elected Democrats speak out when they do not agree with Obama policy, they vote their own principles as they were elected to do. So in Wisconsin, where the Democrats lost and so many did not bother to vote at all, I have to wonder why that happened. Our Democrats faced outside money targeting them with trashy ads, and they won. The voters came out for them.
So if we elected sometimes critical Democrats, and Wisconsin elected Republicans, why would I listen to advice from or about Wisconsin? So that we could also lose and have low turnout?

[inna]

49. that is awesome (and i didn't know), thank you! nt

[Roy Ellefson]

22. Primary challenge

Having a liberal primary challenger will guarantee I vote for the Democratic nominee in the 2012 election because at the very least progressive voices will be heard. If Obama is not challenged and progressive views are not given a hearing it will make it more difficult for me to vote for the moderate Republican (Obama) who is at the top of the ticket.

[JoePhilly]

37. Not happening. Not happening. Not happening.

There will be no primary.

Although I do get a kick of the Daily "primary Obama" threads.

[inna]

50. why are you so sure there won't be one?

[jeff47]

27. Lesser evil doesn't get people off the couch.

Inspiration gets people off the couch. The 2008 Obama campaign of hope for the future got people off the couch.

Unfortunately, when Obama got to Washington he stopped believing in hope. He stopped fighting. His extinguished his inner fire that got tons of people off the couch in 2008. It happened right after the election when his supporters were hungry to keep the fight going, and Obama & Rham's instructions were to "go away".

Unless the White House radically changes strategy, those voters will be on the couch in 2012. And it will have absolutely nothing with the people on this form complaining about the Obama administration.

In fact, we complain because we know those voters will be on the couch, and are trying to get the White House to do something about it.

[Vanje]

30. Nixon, Reagan, and both Bushes

actually had a Democrat running against them.

I want to support a Democrat this time.
I just don't see one yet.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

55. Well let Bachmann become President then

Then you'll realize what we have now is a Democratic President and a very progressive one at that

[Zenlitened]

31. That is a truly inspiring campaign platform. Misty-eyed just reading it!

:eyes:

[JoePhilly]

36. You skiped GHW Bush ... but are correct.

We'll end up with President Perry who plans to pray for a better economy.

[budkin]

40. I'm voting for him, just not campaigning again

[Fearless]

41. FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR!!!!!!1111!!! And it's Reagan not Reagen.

And the courts gave Dubyah the first election and rigged electioning the second.

[Bobbie Jo]

44. 2010 2010 2010 2010 !!!1111!!!

WISCONSIN WISCONSIN WISCONSIN WISCONSIN !!!

FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA FLORIDA !!!

REALITY REALITY REALITY REALITY !!!

Don't Vote? Don't Bitch.

[polichick]

43. Hopefully people will find a more constructive way to register protest.

[MzShantal]

45. ...are the same ones who didn't vote in '09 and let the teabaggers in.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

46. I'm thinking, FUCK IT! Let 'em have everything! Why do I even care, anymore!

Democrats don't care. Neither should I. Let them stay home and not vote, write in names, primary the president. Who cares! We're screwed!!!

[okieinpain]

66. Ah yes that's the ticket. Defeatism. N/T.

[EndElectoral]

47. It has nothing to do with a protest. I want to vote for an actual Democrat.

[inna]

51. Draft Feingold (dam'it!)!! Gotta have a Democrat.

Obama is a lost cause. (For progressives *and* the absolute majority of the population, so sorry.)

[Splinter Cell]

59. ....

:crazy:

[killbotfactory]

52. Here's another message to protest non-voters.

[boppers]

53. If you can't be bothered to spell...

I can't be bothered to listen.

We have never has a "President Reagen"

[No Elephants]

56. I love when typo police make a worse error than the one they're trying to make someone else feel

small about, while they are snarking about the typo.

[blkmusclmachine]

54. The old "Boogeyman" trick. Vote for X or you'll get Y:

Either way, we'll still get GOP legislation. Might as well let the GOP own their own $h!t. BTW, the dude spelled his name: "Reagan."

[HooptieWagon]

62. Yep, you'd think the DLC would learn...

... not to keep pissing off progressives.

[Ruby the Liberal]

63. At this point, I will not vote for "him", but I will vote for SCOTUS.

[awoke_in_2003]

64. here we go again...

we supposedly sat out in 2010, now we are going to be responsible for bachmann, too. Here is a hint- the left does vote. We sometimes hold our noses while doing it, but we vote for the party's candidate. But, it is all our fucking fault.