Democratic Presidents DO NOT HAVE The Bully Pulpit Anymore

[Beetwasher]

Only Republican Presidents have it. When there is a Dem President, then the Repub leaders have it. The Traditional Media no longer respects the Bully Pulpit when it applies to Democratic presidents. We all know this, though many here would never admit it and would rather blame the "hapless Democrats" and Obama for some failure to "get the message out". Are they completely blameless? No, but they are fighting a huge foe in this arena, one that has the advantage of the attention of the vast majority of the public and all the money in the world. We've made strides in fighting this messaging behemoth using the internet and other new media, but only recently, while the behemoth has feasted for 40+ years.

It's amazing that some people still don't get this, or pretend they don't get this, and believe that Dems and Obama have the luxury of taking principled stands on things and that somehow, magically, the public will be educated on the facts of their courageous, principled stands. They don't have that luxury. Not anymore, not by a long shot. When they do take principled stands, (and of course they should do so, and have done so, but you'd not know much about them which is, you know, kinda part of my point) the vast majority of the public is not informed of the true facts in the matter. In fact, they are maliciously misinformed by the loudest most effective voices out there, and I'll be damned if a loud segment on the supposed left doesn't do it's damndest to assist.

But this is the reality in which we're dealing and decisions on how to approach issues need to be made in light of this new standard. Obama knows how malicious the Traditional Media is, he knows he no longer has the bully pulpit but he also knows he still needs to get things accomplished.

But it's much easier to shout BULLY PULPIT! and LEADERSHIP! and SOUND BITES! and pretend it's some magical incantation to get things done, than it is to recognize the reality that so severely handicaps Democratic Presidents nowadays. Much easier.

[hedgetrimmer]

1. Yeah, Whatever!

(W)hatever!

[Beetwasher]

3. My! Such Wit!

[Tansy_Gold]

2. On other words

Barack Obama is totally powerless, and none of it is his fault. Is that correct?



TG, NTY

[Beetwasher]

4. No, In Fact He Has Magic Powers!

All you have to do is yell BULLY PULPIT! louder and he can magically do anything you want!

[Fruittree]

54. He is not totally powerless as evidenced by how much he's

accomplished although if you read only this site and its comments, you'd think he'd been on vacation since his inauguration.

[dennis4868]

62. Yes....

The media is not going to help a dem president!

[Davis_X_Machina]

5. They never did...

...and not just Democratic presidents.

If it was ever there, political scientists can't find it -- even for 'great communicators', like Clinton and Reagan.

On Deaf Ears: The Limits of the Bully Pulpit.

[polichick]

6. Not true - the media loves a story, so give them one! As I recall, they followed...

...candidate Obama across the globe!

[Beetwasher]

16. And Reported Breathlessly (With Color Commentary)

All the relevant facts! Right? No spin!

[polichick]

18. Stop whining - if the president gave them a new narrative they'd go for it...

Right now, the narrative is "Obama has surrendered."

He needs to do something surprising and bold if he wants a new story.

[Beetwasher]

19. Good For You! You Trust Them With All Your Heart To Report Honestly Obama's Narrative

They have you as a role model, in fact. You do it so well!

[polichick]

20. You never stop whining enough to think. It doesn't matter what the media thinks...

If he boldly changes the narrative, they'll cover it and the people will see for themselves - as they did in 2008.

But maybe the emperor really doesn't have any clothes.

[Beetwasher]

24. Oh Now The Magic Word is BOLDLY!

Got it! That will make the media report honestly! Just act boldly!

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

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[treestar]

31. Which is, of course, what right wingers always are.

The whole spine and courage meme is republican to the core and the left has sucked it up and industriously assists them with it!

[JTFrog]

33. Pot, kettle....

and all that.

[pscot]

7. Yep. us Democrats might as well

not even bother to vote for president. Whoever we elect will just be a hostage to our Republican masters. Oh woe is us.

[Beetwasher]

13. We Need To Accept The Fact That Anyone Who Is Not Like Me

And doesn't meet my needs upon request is a corporate tool.

[Bluenorthwest]

39. Odd thing to say to defend a man who declares that those not

like him are not worthy of equal rights under the law. Obama says straight people are-get this- 'sanctified by God' and those who are not straight like him are just not to be treated equally. His surrogates have called GLBT people 'cursed by God'. Obama just says straights are sanctified and we are not.
He says 'anyone who is not like me should not be allowed to make a legal family'. So you sure are reaching for it at this point.
It is also odd that in order to defend a 'Christian' you do so much snark and sarcasm. Is that from the OFA Bible? The Meanatitudes?

[Beetwasher]

44. Stay On Topic Now!

If you'd like to start an idiotic post on religion, feel free. Maybe I'll be feeling masochistic enough to post in it. Or maybe I'll just laugh at you. I'll have to think about it.

[Webster Green]

8. The lack of journalism will be our downfall.

History will certainly note that as one of the major reasons for the demise of this system.

The 4th estate was once considered to be essential. Nowadays, good journalists, like honest politicians, can be counted on the fingers of one hand. :banghead:

[eleny]

9. General Discussion: Enabling

[Bluenorthwest]

10. Do you have any idea what the press was like in TR's time?

I don't think so. Because they were not a mouthpiece for the people or for the President anymore than they are now. This is why TR did not call the press 'the bully pulpit' but rather the office itself, the Presidency is the pulpit in question.
Obama said all through the campaign he intened to make use of the Bully pulpit, you know. He did not claim there was no more bully pulpit, he asked to be given it so he could use it. He got it, but he just does not know how to use it. It is not easy, no one should ask for a job that is one out of 300 Million and have any expectations of ease, in fact, it is derelict to seek such a job if you intend to make excuses and blame the sun in your eyes or some pundit with an audience of a few hundred thousand. If you do not know how to beat the forces that will be opposing you, you should not presume to ask to lead the United States of America. In fact, the idea of defending that office by claiming some cable nut job has a stronger platform nudges up toward the disrespectful.

[Name removed]

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[griffi94]

12. right the bully pulpit won't work

especially if the president doesn't use it. i never realized just how weak the office of president was until obama was elected. too bad it wasn't this weak when dubya was president.

[Beetwasher]

14. Yes, He Should Absolutely Trust That His Words Are Communicated Effectively To The Public

On Fox news. He only needs to speak harder. He's not speaking hard enough. That's why Fox can misreport everything he says. He needs more hardness.

[griffi94]

15. well he needs more something anyway.

at this point i'm less concerned about what he says than what he does.
i wouldn't care if he ever used the bully pulpit if he would stop caving to the gop.

[Beetwasher]

17. Now Talking Is Caving! How Positively

Rovian. Tell it to Elizabeth Warren who just rounded up a shitload of AG's to fuck with the banks.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-12-02/warren-recruits-dodd-frank-enforcers-from-50-states.html

[griffi94]

21. no talking is talking

and caving is caving. here i'll explain a little bit of it to you.
promising support of a strong public option is talking. taking the strong public option off the table before negotiations start is caving.

saying that the taxcuts for the top 2% need to be repealed is talking. saying that all options are open and he's willing to compromise at least temorarily is caving.

saying that social security should be left alone is talking. appointing a commission by executive order and loading it with ringers to cut social security is caving.

do you understand now.

as for the bully pulpit, it really doesn't matter what he says...watch what he does.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

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

[Ikonoklast]

53. And after a Democratic Congress was elected, Bush's agenda stalled.

His having the 'bully pulpit' mattered not, he didn't get to do accomplish much in Congress after that.

The fiction of the 'bully pulpit' has a hard time whenever it hits the reality of which party has the actual votes in the legislature to further their political agenda.

A president can shout himself blue in the face on tv 24/7 and the opposing party will just laugh, and vote the way they were going to anyway.

[Zenlitened]

22. Epic FLAIL. - n/t

[Beetwasher]

26. WOW! Such originality! It's incredible! And The content! Stunning And Intelligent!

[Bluenorthwest]

36. When the shoe fits,

wear it. Snarking a bunch of mean crap is just snarking a bunch of mean crap. Many posters here are saying the same thing. I took many words, endured your vitriol, and yet I could have simply said 'Epic Fail' as well.
Shoe fits.

[Beetwasher]

40. My Shoes Never Fit, I Use A Vice And Razor Blades To Keep My Toes In Place

Yes, many other posters here post things just as vapid, pathetic, fact-free and off topic as your posts! Indeed! It's a veritable cornucopia of vomitous crap!

[PVnRT]

56. Your posts included in the "vomitous crap"

[Zenlitened]

45. For the record, I slipped in an extra letter: F-L-A-I-L.

The OP never rose to the level of succeeding or failing.

:D

[Beetwasher]

46. I Know That's What Makes It So Super Special Amazingly Hilarious And Creatively Clever!!! My God!

Have you ever considered writing a sitcom?

[Zenlitened]

50. Who needs a sitcom, when we've got posts like your OP?

[Beetwasher]

61. So IOW, You've Got Nothing But Obnoxious Sniping? Got It!

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

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

[Zenlitened]

51. Excellent use of the word "spasm," while reflexively trotting out the "haters" line.

[FrenchieCat]

23. Folks don't care about all of that......

They wanted magic, and they didn't get it.

Now off with his head.

[craigmatic]

27. They do when they choose to use it. Obama certainly has the oratory for it.

The problem is that Clinton and Obama are both afraid of republicans the same way Nixon was afraid of the liberals. We just have to wait until the country has a liberal bias that republicans can be afraid of. I think it's there but nobody has connected the dots yet and formed an overarching narrative yet the way Nixon stressed law and order or reagan stressed smaller government. I don't think we'll get it from Obama either. It's going to be the new dem president to articulate it. It needs to be something like there are limits to corporate power but sometime what's good for corporate America isn't good for middle America and the government needs to step in to protect the people's interests.

[tekisui]

29. It is such a weak excuse to blame the media.

It is down there with blaming the voters. He certainly does have access to the bully pulpit. At least, he had it. Much of his political capital was squandered early on by allowing the frame to be co-opted by the repukes.

[treestar]

32. Do we have self government or not?

You mean the voters are helpless?

[tekisui]

49. Candidates have to earn the votes. They have to produce results,

prove their effectiveness and worth. It is up to them. Not vis-versa.

[Beetwasher]

35. Yeah Cuz So Obvious NOW That The Media Is Just Fine!

Now that we agree with them that Obama sucks eggs.

[tekisui]

48. Of course the media sucks.That isn't the debate.

Politicians have to work within those parameters or figure out how to overcome/bypass the media.

[Beetwasher]

64. Who Said They Don't? Don't Change The Subject

And despite the obstacle that is the media, Obama's been pretty damn effective and is STILL the most populare politician in the country, by a LOOOOOOONG shot, despite the obnoxious sniping on DU.

[Bluenorthwest]

38. The 'blame the press' routine reminds me of Nixon

and Agnew. It just does. Politicians who whine about the press are in the wrong gig. Like prima ballerinas upset with the harsh tone of the critics!

[Beetwasher]

41. Where Is Obama Whining About The Press? He Posts On DU?

Cool!

Any more strawmen you'd like to throw out there?

[treestar]

30. Exactly, Beetwasher!

That is so true! The M$M goes right for the right wingers. It repeats their crap over and over again. We all know what a joke "fair and balanced" is.

[paparush]

34. Bush - The Bully Culprit nt

[JamesA1102]

37. Great points

Too bad too many here rather just bust on the President.

[Safetykitten]

42. You know he can build one himself.

[Beetwasher]

43. There's An Idea! I'm Sending Him An Erector Set For Hannukkah!

Yay!

[MrsCorleone]

52. Thank you for getting to the crux of the problem!

I recall so many complaints that congress only worked on the steroids issues years back, because that was largely all the MSM was covering. All the while, big issues went unreported and unnoticed by the majority of peeps.

Nothing has changed.

[PVnRT]

55. So, your solution is to sit on your hands and do nothing

Gotcha.

[Beetwasher]

59. Where Did I Say That, Why Do You Need To Make Shit Up?

In fact, I said just the opposite:

"Obama knows how malicious the Traditional Media is, he knows he no longer has the bully pulpit but he also knows he still needs to get things accomplished."

[Name removed]

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[rusty fender]

58. How did Obama get his message out during the election of 2008?

He could have the Dem Party make and pay for ads that tells the public what is going on. And no media outlet except for Fox NEws would turn down high ranking Obama administration officials who ask to be on their shows.

[Beetwasher]

60. Campaigns And Governing Are Different

Different types of communication. Obama WAS able to get his message out more directly and effectively, because of the nature of a Presidential campaign.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

63. bullshit

[Beetwasher]

65. Well, That Settles It! Your Comprehensive Rebuttal Has Changed My Mind!

n/t

[La Lioness Priyanka]

66. is there any rebuttal that you would find acceptable

i doubt it.

many here have made great arguments that you have dismissed.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=540712&mesg_id=540741

[Beetwasher]

67. So You're Incapable Of Discussion?

If you disagree, say why, or it beyond your ken?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

68. the bully pulpit is a reference to a job that allows a speaker time to be heard

in what way exactly has this gone away?

if obama was to hold a press conference, does media typically not show up?

when he wants to address the American people, do we all turn the tv of?

The bully pulpit is accessible to him.

[Beetwasher]

69. Everything He Says And Does Is Spun Into Oblivion Or Ignored

It's reported incorrectly or flat out wrong, it's lied about from both the left and the right.

When he makes speeches, they are covered half as much as Bush's were and commentators talk over him interpreting what he saying (wrongly) and they cut away from him before his finished. All. The. Time. Did Bush get similar treatment? I don't think so.

Fox News is an outlet (among many) dedicated to twisting every word he says into something inherently evil.

Now you trust the media to report what he says and does honestly?

Did you feel that way about the media when Bush was President?

What changed for you that now you believe they report honestly on Democrats?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

70. Fox news is one outlet and Obama could not possibly think there were on his side

he won the presidency with so much ease, with the use of the very same media.

if he won that he can win the win the legislative wars too.

if you want to excuse him for not adequately using his position, that may work for you, but i see no factual evidence for your position

[Beetwasher]

71. He Won The Presidency Despite The Media, Governing Is Quite Different

The only thing he was focused on was getting elected. Now he has to govern. It's very different. He's got a job to do, and DESPITE the media, he's racked up some incredible accomplishments.

The point is, they are not heralded as accomplishemnts by the MAJORITY of the media. In fact, they are railed on as some sort of evil plot by a large portion of the media. It's interesting how now so many on DU are right in sync with the corporate media these days in how they rail on Obama.

No one is making excuses for him, but it's funny how we used to excoriate the media and understand how they were actively and maliciously working against Dems, now all of a suddent they're ok and it's all Obama's fault that he can't get his message out.