Recent Pew poll: Democrats Not Very Interested in a Primary Challenge to President Obama

[Emit]

Sorry, Bernie Sanders, Ralph Nader, and any other perpetually pissed-off progressive who longs for a take-no-prisoners liberal to challenge President Obama for the party's presidential nomination next year. It's not going to happen. It's not just that attempts to oust the party's incumbent are nearly impossible. ...

Mainly, it's that Democratic voters are just not interested. According to a new Pew poll (PDF), only 32 percent of Democrats and Democratically aligned independents "would like to see" another Democrat challenge Obama. Even after a pretty awful year, that's down from 38 percent in November 2010. And while 32 percent is nothing to sneeze at — Why would you even sneeze at a number to begin with? That doesn't even make sense. — it's a vast improvement over Bill Clinton's intra-party support at a similar point in his first term, when 66 percent of Democrats/Democratically inclined independents backed a primary challenge. Clinton, of course, went on to demolish Bob Dole in 1996, with the help of 84 percent of Democratic voters.

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/08/primary_obama_2012...

I posted the results of this poll (from a different source) a couple of weeks ago but can't find the post now - it died a quick death.

Imho, I think it is time progressives, liberals, et al. continue/begin to rebuild their base from the bottom up so that we have better prospects for our future. It takes time and money ... lots and lots of money. But as many wise DUers will remind us, time spent on grassroots causes and organizing can also do a lot to develop and strengthen local progressive programs and parties ~ and those programs and parties are the bridge to our future.

As a parent of gay child, as the election gets closer, I will be doing my part to fight against the gaybashingdominionistrightwingerfundierepug. My significant other and I have already made that promise to ourselves and to our children because when I am old and grayer and my kids are my age, I don't ever, ever want any one of them to think I sat around on my fat ass just letting the haters win.

I am still shocked that 66 percent of Democrats/Democratically inclined independents backed a primary challenge for Bill Clinton. I surely would've thought Obama's numbers would be higher than Clinton's, but what do I know?

[ixion]

1. They by proxy

Dems are saying that they fully endorse the neocon policies started under BushCo and continued by Obama.

[pnwmom]

13. No, they're saying they want the strongest Dem to go up against the Rethugs.

And that would be Obama, the only one with a campaign organization and the funds to win.

[ixion]

14. moral relativism is unimpressive to me

[pnwmom]

17. Ineffective idealism is unimpressive to me.

So is shooting ourselves in the feet.

[ixion]

18. The Corporate Police State thanks you for your support.

[pnwmom]

19. But they REALLY appreciate you! n/t

[ixion]

20. LOL... Good One!

[DJ13]

2. Reads like a pre-emptive PR campaign to coerce Dems into falling in line

[demosincebirth]

5. Yeah, right

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Coerce us to not support a non-existent primary challenger?

[DJ13]

8. Coerce Dems into not looking for a challenger

[Emit]

9. It's just a big conspiracy!

[DJ13]

10. Its not a conspiracy if they can get enough sheep to repeat the PR

[Emit]

11. Are you calling me a sheep?!

[DJ13]

12. No way!

[Little Star]

16. BINGO!!!

[JDPriestly]

3. So what positive things are you planning to say about Obama's record?

That is where I am stuck.

I don't like his performance. How can I talk to my neighbors and get them fired up?

And I am the one who does that in my area. Nobody else does.

What to do?

I want a Democrat to win, but Obama hasn't done anything I can brag about?

Nada. Nothing. Rien. Nichts. Absolutely nothing that is really that interesting.

Or can you think of something?

The Don't Ask Don't Tell is pretty minimal.

His getting a gay marriage bill passed would be great in my area -- or maybe an integration bill -- or taxes on the rich -- or something, but he hasn't done anything.

California will vote for the Democrat no matter what I think, but still, numbers of voters count.

I live in a majority Democratic area.

Any suggestions?

And is the support for Obama the result of enthusiasm or just dutiful apathy?

[Emit]

7. Honestly, I have not thought that far ahead quite yet but I totally get exactly what you are asking

I don't have a script or plan put together yet.

Edit also to say I am actually NOT looking forward to getting back involved with the local OFA - there's a weird history there with me that I don't care to elaborate on now but ... I might work for the local county Dems. Don't know yet.

I have asked myself some of those same questions. As a relatively shy person, it always takes lots of deep breaths and courage building before I go door to door anyway ~ and I actually prefer walking and knocking rather than phoning ~ This time around, I really will be digging deep with what to say and how to say it. Part will depend a lot on whose door I am knocking on.

I live in Nevada, btw. It's always a challenge here because of the libertarians, conservative independents, etc.

edit grammar

[JDPriestly]

22. Good luck.

We should have a special area of the activism forum for giving tips on campaigning. Maybe they could make it so that only paying members had access -- to keep the Republicans away.

[Motown_Johnny]

15. You have got to be F___ing kidding me!!!

Two great choices for Supreme Court.

The Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

The Matthew Shepard Hates Crimes Prevention Act (which they said could not be done)

Children's Health Insurance

Tobacco Regulation

Credit Card Reform

Student Loan Reform

The Stimulus (including the largest tax cut ever, the largest investment in clean energy ever, the single largest investment in education in our country ever)

Health Reform

Wall Street Reform

The New G.I. Bill

The Food Safety Modernization Act (the most expansive food reform bill since the 1930s)

The Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal

The New Start Treaty (even when the (R)s said he would never be able to get it passed)

Locking up over half the loose nuclear material in the world in less than half of his first term, something most (R)s thought impossible.




Most of that list is from The Rachel Maddow Show and is included in this clip
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#4077 ...

In that clip she also estimates that ~85% of what President Obama said he wanted to accomplish in his first term had been accomplished in the first half of his first term.





(this list is from before Bin Laden's death, so add that in if you like)

[JDPriestly]

21. My neighbors might be interested in

Children's Health Insurance

Credit Card Reform

Student Loan Reform

but I honestly couldn't explain them that easily.

[Larkspur]

4. Obama's personal popularity is high but his job approval is low

So unless someone, who has charisma greater than Obama and access to lots of money, tosses his hat in the ring, there will be no primary on the Dem side.
And anyone who does have charisma greater than Obama, will wait until 2016 to run when the field is wide open. No, I don't think Biden is charismatic.