Reply #17: agreed -that's called electoral politics and every elected pol is aware of their role in equation...

[nashville_brook]

it's completely asinine to promise unquestioning support, and no campaign manager worth their expense account should believe that people behave that way. that's why there's pork barrel spending and horse trading. they KNOW they have to deliver on (at least some of) their promises.

for all the bluster about critical thinking dems...no one in the real world of campaigning expects us to vote against our interests. oh sure, many here will huff and puff and grow red in the face that we're not pissing our pants in anticipation of this election, you'd be hard-pressed to find a seasoned political operative who've included progressives in their calculus. they made the decision in 2009 that the next cycle would be won by centrists and have conducted themselves accordingly. if it doesn't work out for them they'll need to adjust their strategy.