I'm confused about NJ: President Obama, 1. endorsed Buono; 2. endorsed......

[Smarmie Doofus]

.... Christie; 3; made no endorsement.

Not a trick question; I can't figure it out in the back and forth on other related threads.

A specific link to a source of reliable info would also be appreciated.

[xchrom]

1. Report: President Obama has no plans to stump for underdog Buono

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/08/report_president_obama_has_no_plans_to_stump_for_underdog_buono.html


President Obama is not planning to campaign for Democrat Barbara Buono in her quest to rob Gov. Chris Christie of a second term, the Associated Press reported Friday.

This year and next, Obama only plans to lend his political firepower to close races where he could help cinch a win for his party, a Democratic official involved with Obama’s political plans told AP. The official wasn’t authorized to discuss strategy and requested anonymity, the wire service said.

Buono’s campaign appeared unfazed by the snub Friday.

"The Buono campaign has a good working relationship with the Democratic committees in Washington, but this race is going to come down to the people of New Jersey," campaign spokesman David Turner said in a statement, before going on the offensive against Christie.


Deep Thoughts: Why It's Good Obama Is Not Endorsing Barbara Buono

http://www.bluejersey.com/diary/23714/deep-thoughts-why-its-good-obama-is-not-endorsing-barbara-buono

I think it's a very good thing that Barack Obama is not using his political capital to support Barbara Buono for Governor of New Jersey. I mean, if he did then the Republicans in Congress would get mad and might not vote to support Obamacare or other things Democrats find important.

But since he's refusing to help a progressive woman in a campaign against a conservative, anti-choice Republican now Obama will be able to get anything through the House he wants.

Really, it's political genius.


***make of it what you will.

[ananda]

2. Good sarcasm.

And thank goodness Obama and his DLC cronies did so much good
getting rid of Howard Dean and destroying education in Chicago.

[The Straight Story]

3. simple strategy

If he campaigns for someone who is sure to lose (ie, not projected to be a close race) then others will use that to say he was the cause of the loss, etc. Even though it would not be true folks know how many in the US are and they would suck up that message and take away nothing else.

Those races would become a referendum on obama policies, his ratings, etc and so on. In short, there is nothing to gain from working to endorse/campaign/whatever someone in a race you are pretty sure they have no chance of winning and is considered a race with national implications. What do you have to gain for the party?

[Kelvin Mace]

4. How cynical.

Never do what is right unless there is little to no chance of failure.

[The Straight Story]

5. It's politics, of course I am cynical

They call them strategists for a reason

[BumRushDaShow]

6. That's the ugly side of "politics"

When liberals and progressives own little or no media outlets, then this is what happens.

[geek tragedy]

9. Welcome to politics, nt

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. So... he did not even make a perfunctory ( some would say "obligatory") endorsement of Buono.

Do I have that right?

If so... did she specifically ASK for an endorsement?

Was he specifically asked at a presser who he recommended ( as happened, if memory serves, w. Bloomberg v. Thompson for NYC mayor in 2009)?

>>> What do you have to gain for the party?>>>

That's an interesting and related question, but right now I'm just trying to establish if the DEM president endorsed the DEM candidate. Even just ceremonially.

[Smarmie Doofus]

8. I remain confused. President Obama DID NOT ENDORSE either Buono or Christie.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023988261

In other words: he made no endorsement.

Yes? No? Maybe?

[geek tragedy]

10. His press secretary said Obama supported her.

Very weak tea, but as someone else noted Obama had a lot to lose by playing in NJ with zero hope of anything to win.

[Smarmie Doofus]

11. OK, thanks.

It's very reminiscent of his "endorsement" of DEM Bill Thompson for NYC mayor in 2009. Also done at a presser, by the press sec. in response to a direct question.

It was widely said that Obama preferred the GOP's Bloomberg.

Thompson nearly won anyway and Bloomberg's third term was a disaster.


We might want to check on who's giving him ( Obama) this advice.

[geek tragedy]

13. Bill Thompson has more of a beef.

As it turns out, people were sick of Bloomberg and his high-handed ways.

Sadly, they made the right call in NJ. Just wasn't winnable.

[Smarmie Doofus]

14. Maybe. But instinct tells me that Christie's shelf life is coming close to expiration date.

Political dead bodies litter the landscape there ( NJ) and many are not buried so deep. If he wasn't before, Gov's becoming very enmeshed in all of "that".


And his gas-bag, ranting, Ralph Kramden routine won't be enough to save him.



Buono's speech past nite may prove prescient.

[geek tragedy]

15. If those dead bodies were there, Buono should have dug them up.

The national parties are actually fairly weak--local parties produce the vast majority of volunteers, GOTV, etc in off-year elections.

Christie probably would have been beatable but for Sandy.

Christie took the Obamacare expansion of Medicaid in NJ--that'll play real well in the GOP primary.

See also this un-firebreathing response to "you can keep your own plan"--I've seen more virulent denunciations of Obama right here at DU.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/chris-christie-gives-unsolicited-advice-on-obamacare-dont-lawyer-it/

“Don’t be so cute,” Christie said. “And when you make a mistake, admit it. Listen, if he was mistaken in 2009, 2010 on his understanding of how the law would operate, then just admit it to people. Say, ‘You know what? I said it, I was wrong. I’m sorry and we’re going to try to fix this and make it better.’ I think people would give any leader in that circumstance a lot of credit for just, you know, owning up to it.”

Tapper referenced Obama’s revision last night of his “if you like your plan, you can keep it” pledge.

“Don’t lawyer it,” Christie continued. “People don’t like lawyers. I’m a lawyer. They don’t like ‘em. You know? Don’t lawyer it. When I saw that this morning—I saw that this morning for the first time, and I thought, he’s lawyering it. That’s Barack Obama the lawyer.”

[FarCenter]

12. Obama came from Chicago; he knows you have to have the backing of the party organization to win