Obama is right: Democrats’ ‘meh’ attitude toward midterms is a major problem

[n2doc]

By Chris Cillizza, Sunday, February 23, 10:40 AM E-mail the writers
President Obama’s speech at a Democratic Governors Association fundraiser in D.C. Thursday night contained a key pearl of political wisdom for his party:

“We know how to win national elections, but all too often, it’s during these midterms where we end up getting ourselves into trouble, because I guess we don’t think it’s sexy enough,” Obama said. “But the fact of the matter is, is that that’s where so much of the action is.”

Obama is exactly right. His party — from the donor community to the activists — gets very excited about presidential elections but tends to lose interest (at least when compared to Republicans) in midterm elections. Put another way: Democrats love the Super Bowl; they are less attracted to the mid-season game between two teams they probably haven’t heard of. (Browns-Vikings .?.?. it’s fantastic!)

Young people — a key pillar of the Obama coalition — tend to stray from politics during midterms. Attempts by Democratic operatives in past midterm elections to build outside organizations to battle conservative groups on the airwaves fizzled for lack of interest. And so on and so forth.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-is-right-democrats-meh-attitude-toward-midterms-is-a-major-problem/2014/02/23/ad5a3ed0-9c94-11e3-ad71-e03637a299c0_story.html

[elleng]

1. Damn right,

and we're all sunk (to put it politely) if this doesn't change. Repug bullies will continue to eat all of our lunches, ad infinitum, if we don't change things.

[Jamaal510]

2. Obama and the Party

can do all they can to try to change that and maybe boost enthusiasm, but ultimately it is everyone's responsibility to get informed. People have to be better educated about our government and the importance of participating in congressional/gubernatorial elections. In addition, we must get rid of the image of a President being equal to a king. Their only jobs are basically to sign/veto bills, and appoint SC justices.
As the saying goes, "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink it."

[elleng]

5. Unfortunately, getting truly informed becomes more and more difficult every day,

and in the future, who the heck knows, as repugs thrive on an uninformed populace.

[Scuba]

14. Are we doing all we can to change that? Are we promoting the kind of policies that motivate ....

... people to get to the polls?

I'm pretty well informed yet can't recall seeing our Party promoting any national platform for 2014. Please tell me I'm wrong, that I just missed it.

[lastlib]

3. Every Democrat who sits out 2014 needs a SERIOUS kick in the ass!

Ditto every independent who doesn't vote their own best interest (Democratic) in November. There is far too much at stake to let the GOP hold the reins of power anywhere in this country over the next two years.

[Vincardog]

4. That is why we should put Legalize MJ on every state ballot as possible in Nov. The RW has no

problem putting whatever inflames their base on the ballot whenever they please.
Why don't we push ballot measures on making the min wage $15/hr indexed for inflation?
How about one to decriminalize Marijuana?
One to guarantee every resident free education for life?

GOTV

[blkmusclmachine]

7. Yeah, BHO, blame the base! That's SO MOTIVATING!!!

[JoePhilly]

15. Then stay home.

I mean, if you need some one else to motivate you to vote, skip it.

Its not all that important.

[otohara]

23. He's Right

should he lie to the base?

Mark Udall is in trouble now in CO - no weed on the ballot this time around to rile the base up.

[Tarheel_Dem]

26. If it's any consolation, I don't think he was actually talking to you.

[dionysus]

37. i know, he was talking to democrats...

[Tarheel_Dem]

40. Ding! Ding! Ding!

[neverforget]

8. In 2010, Democrats turned out but we lost independents 55-39. THAT is why we lost 2010.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/2010-midterms-political-price-economic-pain/story?id=12041739&page=2

Swing-voting independents who, as usual, made the difference, favored Republicans for House by a thumping 16 points, 55-39 percent. Compare that to Obama's 8-point win among independents in 2008. It was the Republicans' biggest win among independents in exit polls dating to 1982 (by two points. The GOP won independents by 14 points in 1994, the last time they took control of the House.)

[truebluegreen]

10. Thank you! for saying that.

I am sick of that zombie lie.

[winter is coming]

19. But it's so covenient, if you don't want to admit that playing to the middle isn't working well.

Time and time again, the left is pushed aside using the rationale that catering to the center wins elections, but who gets the blame when the center doesn't show up?

[MisterP]

32. not even Al Gore's say-so can get them off 2000!Snowden (Nader)

[otohara]

24. We Never Had The Unaffiliated.

they swing back/forth - most uninformed voters out there are so called "independents".

These people who call themselves independent are oh so willing to let the rest of us choose who will run in the primaries. That just screams independent...not.

[TheKentuckian]

25. Then a political philosophy based on attracting them isn't a winning strategy.

TeaPubliKlans grasp that mid terms are base elections, they do not spend their energy wringing their hands about how to win the fake middle, they get their people out and do far better than their numbers and the popularity of their policy positions can justify pretty consistently. They also have structural advantages that we don't even try to compensate for or end. Our pols seem to prefer to play on their side of the field.

[Doctor_J]

36. He's preparing another "it's liberals' fault" excuse for November. He wants the TPP and KXL

and charter schools and race to the bottom and more drilling and Gingrinch Care, and then will point fingers when the party gets trounced.

He is the biggest disaster for the party in my nearly 60 years of life.

[dionysus]

38. your bitter tears are nectar to my soul. nt

[rhett o rick]

9. What is the Pres doing to help Democrats campaign? Supporting the TPP? Fracking? The XL-Pipeline?

Social Security cuts? Can they claim that Democrats stand for more American jobs? Probably not with the TPP hanging over their heads.

It's the damn centrists that stay at home in the midterms. The wacky, extreme left are always out fighting.

[truebluegreen]

11. Yes, hoping against hope that we will find candidates

who will fight as hard for us.

[rhett o rick]

12. It's not to bad getting progressive candidates at the lower levels but they

have a hard time fighting the Corporatist National Democratic machine.

[truebluegreen]

13. True enough.

[INdemo]

16. i agree with President Obama,somewhat,but

We need to get and keep our younger voters involved and informed. Howard Dean had the formula for doing just that.
But I would be willing to be that a very large percentage of Democratic voters could not name the DNC chairman.
This was not the case when Howard Dean was at the helm.
Our state party leaders (especially in red state) I think just say oh well and don't really recruit a viable candidate.
We have that here in Indiana in the 3rd district which is red but the incumbent Congressman is beatable we just need a capable Democratic candidate and one that has the support of the DCCC.
But this is true in all States that congressional election need the support of the DNC

[wocaonimabi]

17. As President YOU are the Party Leader so if you want voter turn out give people a reason to want to

get out and vote.

However as Party Leader if you think approving Keystone, the TTP, Fracking and Chained CPI are ALL good things that you think Democrats can run on you as party leader are going to be very disappointed come the day after the election.

[polichick]

18. True. The Prez has quite a bit to do with that "meh attitude."

[Redfairen]

20. It takes a war to get us off our asses.

Other than 2006, when was the last time the Dems did well in a midterm election? I guess it'll take another debacle like Iraq to get anyone on the left moving again. We love to show up for our presidential candidates, but otherwise? Yawn.

[davidpdx]

21. I tend to agree

Democrats are going to run as far as they can from the party base instead of embracing it. I don't have much hope that the midterms are going to change the balance of Congress. I love both my senators, but my congressman is a bluedog.

[Kablooie]

22. So we are likely to get an overwhelmingly Teabrained government for the next 2 years.

That will help Democrats win in 2016 because everyone will be so disgusted with the Repubs by then but we will be in hell for the next two years before that.

[HockeyMom]

27. Voting out Rick Scott

with bells on. Count on it. Mickey Mouse will get my vote before I ever vote for the Space Alien.

[The Magistrate]

28. The Cure For This, Sir, Is Nationalizing Congressional Elections

This requires a coherent Party program, which all running for office under the Party banner will campaign vigorously on, and which all elected to office on the Party ticket can be relied on to vote for in the next Congress.

So long as various Boll Weevil/Blue Dog/Third Way types refuse to adhere to policies which are supported by the great preponderance of Democratic voters, and which are sound government into the bargain, it will not be possible to do this.

[oldandhappy]

29. Sorry to see this

Our local Dem club is getting fired up! We have expanded get out the vote structure and recruited more folk to work. We will try to take out a local rep. Come on! Join us!

[Maedhros]

30. Democratic politicians' "meh" attitude toward traditional Democratic principles

is responsible for the "meh" attitude amongst Democratic voters.

[Redford]

31. We are not even running real challengers in our primaries

The tea party has claimed North Texas

[Doctor_J]

33. Maybe he should stop reaching out to the Repukes and start reaching out to his voters

who knows? It might work

[hollowdweller]

34. Ever since Howard Dean left

Hasn't seemed to me like the Dems have worked as hard at gaining seats and finding good candidates.

50 state strategy has been tossed.

[Tarheel_Dem]

41. Howard Dean recruited a number of "blue dogs" who were deemed "unclean"....

by the purists. Of course Howard escaped critique, because although he was a moderate Governor of VT, he ran to the left of his record there.

[thepalladin69]

35. I am more concerned with Obama's poll numbers dragging down everyone else

Obama is up to 56% disapproval today on Gallup...

I am getting worried.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Job-Approval.aspx

[dionysus]

39. very concerning.

[MineralMan]

42. Sometimes, it's good to be concerned.

This is not one of those times, though. But, then again, your concerns may not be the same as my concerns.

[muriel_volestrangler]

43. I'm so worried