Nobel laureate Krugman responds to Obama campaign's "Hippie Punching"

[Bluebear]

Via Greg Sargent, I learn that some people in the Obama campaign really, really dislike people like me, who complain when the president gives in to GOP blackmail.

Well, at least they’re paying attention.

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.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/18/hippie-punching/

[Selatius]

1. It will potentially alienate some number of voters who lean left.

If you want voters to come out, you usually avoid ridiculing them.

[rhett o rick]

21. NO, If you want voters to come out, you ridicule their enemy.

Obama is willing to give up votes from the left in order to get votes from the middle-right.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mmonk]

3. It's obvious the Obama administration doesn't understand bargaining positions.

Look around us.

[greytdemocrat]

9. They understand just fine.

Where else are Dems going to go??? Honestly, are you or anyone else
here on DU going to vote for a ReThug???

The Administration "owns" us and they know it.

[me b zola]

20. LOL, those are my choices? Who knew?

I will be voting for progressive candidates. Where there are no progressive names, I will be writing in a progressive name. :think:

[LooseWilly]

27. If it's the only way to "teach them they don't *own* me"?.. Sure.

I've voted for Cthulu before, after that even Bachman is the "lesser evil". ;)

[rhett o rick]

22. I think you need to reevaluate your assumptions. Maybe he understands completely. nm

[DontTreadOnMe]

4. I think Obama has pissed off too many in his base

His twelve dimensional chess is turning into Candyland. And he is about to land on that spot... the one that sends him all the way back to start.

[WCGreen]

6. More like Chutes and Ladders and we all get the Chute...

[FlyByNight]

5. I find the Obama campaign concern/anger about liberal...

...criticism confusing.

Surely, they can make up any potential liberal/left-flank apathy (absence?) with those Independents they covet so much. Right?

:eyes:

[bananas]

7. The Obama campaign is going for the teabagger vote

Remember how the right complained that Clinton stole welfare reform from them?
Next year, the right will be complaining that Obama stole their plans for ending SS and Medicare.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/490791/DOLE-SAYS-CLINTON-STOLE-WELFARE-IDEA.html

DOLE SAYS CLINTON STOLE WELFARE IDEA
Published: Tuesday, May 21, 1996 12:00 a.m. MDT

Bob Dole labeled President Clinton's tough recent welfare talk as more "petty theft" of Republican ideas Monday and got a chorus of support from GOP governors.

Dole was outlining his welfare reform ideas in a speech Tuesday in Wisconsin. Aides said the certain Republican presidential nominee was likely to call for mandatory drug testing of welfare recipients, as well as a five-year lifetime limit on most benefits.Dole's speech was designed to convince voters that Clinton has not delivered on his 1992 promise to "end welfare as we know it."

<snip>

[Bluebear]

10. +

[bvar22]

18. That was what Lawrence O'Donnell called a "brilliant strategy"...

The infamous Rope-A-Dope:
Beat the Republicans by being More Conservative than they are!!!



Who will STAND and FIGHT for THIS American Majority?

You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[leftstreet]

13. +1 The GOP can only get revenge by campaigning on Single Payer

:-)

[JVS]

14. Teabaggers aren't going to vote for Obama because he's still black.

I don't see how the administration misses this.

[Bluebear]

23. Exactly

[amborin]

25. too hilarious...Heritage Foundation can accuse Obama of stealing HCR from them....

[Bonn1997]

8. K & R

[Safetykitten]

11. I love Krugman. President Obama should hire him.

[whistler162]

12. Gotta love the back fence gossipers.

[Bluebear]

16. Lol

[nashville_brook]

15. i love what Ezra Klein writes RE this: "Score one for the professional left"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/score-one-for-the-professional-left/2011/08/12/gIQAok1yLJ_blog.html

(snip)


Paul Krugman is one op-ed columnist. Firedog Lake is one Web site. They have readers. But they are not the state of Ohio. 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, in my personal reporting, members of the Obama administration and members of the Obama reelection campaign will let slip that they are dwelling and worrying over these arguments. They may not agree with them. 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.

[meow mix]

17. why is everyone picking on our republican president n/t

[truedelphi]

28. You offer me my laugh of the night. n/t

[BzaDem]

19. The only thing I reject is the comparison of firebaggers to hippies. Most hippies would never behave

as the firebaggers are. (Though that is partly because hippies tend to actually be liberal.)

[sabrina 1]

26. It's not hard to understand. Rightwingers hate 'hippies'.

The Third Way are rightwingers posing as Democrats. Third Wayers/New Democrats/DLCers hate 'hippies'. They are Reagan Republicans and everyone knows how Reagan despised the Civil Rights era. I find very easy to understand. What I don't understand is what they are doing in our Party. They have their own Party. I wish they would go back there.

Actually it is their absolute hatred for 'hippies/Liberals' that gives them away. They are not very good at pretending to be Democrats. If I were pretending to be a Republican eg, I would never show my feelings for Teabaggers.

[Ellipsis]

24. .

[alc]

29. Can Obama count on krugman's vote?

If so, his opinion doesn't matter much. The people he may also influence will also vote obama.