On his weekend NBC show, Chris Matthews regularly posts a question to 12 regular pundit/journalists–what he calls “The Matthews Meter.” This Sunday (3/14/10), the question was: “Should Obama Move to the Center Instead of the Left as a Reelection Strategy?”
Matthews explained it on the show:
Let’s go to the bottom line. We took it to The Matthews Meter, 12 of our regulars. What’s the smartest political route for Obama right now, play to the center or to the left? Well, no contest here. Eleven say play to the center; just one says go left.
That’s about asclear a statement of the political bias of the corporate press corps as you’re likely to see. The advice for Democrats is always the same–move to the right.
The discussion ofwhy this would bea good strategy was about as convincing as the advice itself; onehighlight was Matthews asking of Obama: “Do you think he’s as good at faking it as Bill Clinton was? Can he pretend to be a centrist?”
I could not disagree with the “Mathew’s Meter” more. President Obama needs to remember that it was the left leaning Democrats and the Independents that got him elected in the first place. He has thus far moved to the center and lost the faith of the left and the progressives that got him elected. The entire Democratic Party needs to remember that they were given majorities in both houses of Congress by the progressive wing and will soon find that they are in the minority because they have lost the faith of those voters. You can not abandon those voters that got you elected while you attempt to govern. Re-election will be a blood bath for the Democrats in 2010 and possibly in 2012 if they continue to ignore the progressive wing. They will simply stay home rather than vote in those that they thought would bring in hope and change. So far they have gotten neither from the elected officials. It will be the wrong move if they move right, or more right than they already have. We voted for a progressive agenda and have thus far failed to get what we voted for. The Democratic Party needs to remember who got them there and act like we are worthy of their votes in Congress. The MSM will always say that Democrats need to move to the right, that is where they are. That is not where the electorate is.
On most issues, wouldn’t Dear Misleader have to move to the left to be in the “center”?
He better satisfy the Independents who elected him.
Obama started moving right on 11-5-08 and hasn’t looked back.
I will admire the man when he sticks to principle and remembers he’s a Democrat. I won’t vote Republican, but I won’t vote again for Obama – he’s already moved too far to the right. Is there any principled politician anywhere out there? Kucinich, maybe?
President Obama has already moved to the right. He needs to move back to the center, and then on left. I won’t go into the label I have for Rush and others. We need our Bill of Rights upheld, and our other freedom protected. I think he can do it. I think he wants to do it. I think really he must do it or he will lose his base.
Right-Left is a seriously flawed “spectrum”, and we have an opportunity to talk about real issues that frustrate Progressives and Tea Partiers for the same reasons: common sense and disappointment (to put it one way) at what our taxes buy. President Obama is steadily working on large-scale issues that affect everyone, positively, I think, but not positively enough to feel satisfactory to me and other sensible, participatory citizens on the “square-deal left”.
I think the heart of the nation’s population would like the President to move not “left” or toward the “center”–the definitions of which are quite vague–but to rise above our usual expectations and patterns. And I think he will continue to move responsively to those who speak our minds.
–Even when Chris Matthews’ heart is in the right place, and not on The Horserace that pays his mortgage, his show is part of our nation’s problem.
Here’s a radical thought. Instead of focusing on moving right, how about somebody focus on a radical thing called ‘competency’. I realize that’s asking too much, but call me crazy, I think half the problem selling the health care bill was that they looked/behaved like incompetents. I don’t suppose they could keep the arguments and splits INSIDE the party. I don’t suppose someone could sit on the buffoons like Ben Nelson etc long enough for the Dems to give the impression they had some control and some commitment to good legislation. Personally I think they are moving right and I don’t think liberals will stop them. It’s just the long prelude to 3rd and 4th parties. The Overton Window wins again! Who knows, maybe the Democratic party will out conservative the Republican’s in another 6 years. It’s kind of like shadow boxing…keep moving closer to your opponent and pretty soon there is no evidence of you and you’re hitting yourself.
Howard Dean had it right in parsing the Mass. election putting Brown in Senate after lazy Dem. campaign:
Progressives, independents and young voters who had voted for Obama did not vote. This indicated to Dean that voters wanting significant change ‘you can believe in’ are disappointed in Obama centrist performance so far. The weak health care bill will not change this much. Obama had better move significantly to the left (progressive) and achieve on the big issues coming up–jobs (including the trade adjustments needed for job recovery of outsourced jobs and mfg., buy-American in Gov’t purchasing and stimulus funding, EFCA and theft of American jobs by illegals) and significant reform of banks and finance, including re-establishing Glass-Steagall. Republicans will take theft of American jobs by illegals as their major talking point in the coming jobs dispute if Obama doesn’t deal with it. He probably will not, so he had better be strong and left on the other progressive points.
But didn’t Americans elect Obama because they wanted to move more to the left after they saw for themselves exactly how eight years of right-wing “leadership” can f*** up a country? Huh? Say wha’?
With so many people very unhappy with BOTH Democrats and Republicans. Why do they remain the ONLY choices for candidates to our elected offices, when it comes to our media. I never hear any reporters or pundits, even in the alternative media, such as public radio, or in the conservative and liberal media call for electing someone OTHER than a Dem. or Rep. There are plenty of Independent, and minor party candidates in almost all districts. Find out who they are and give these people your vote!! When it comes to representing regular Americans, Republicans continue to say no and do nothing and Democrats do the same, only they whine about it and feel oh sooo guilty. It’s time for Americans to start looking for candidates that will represent us. Vote for somebody OTHER than the “two Headed Horse” Obama doesn’t need to move left or right he needs to move OUT along with the rest of the Democrats and Republicans.
We worked our fingers to the bone for Howard Dean – a Progressive. We worked our hearts out for Barack Obama, who told us (Dreams from my Father) that he would bring everyone to the table. Perhaps he has just given the Conservatives a lot of rope and now they’re hanging themselves. Will the Dems will get their act together? I’m still waiting for Barack to remember us. We voted PROGRESSIVELY — for CHANGE!
Since the Democrats passed a so-called “Health Care” bill, without at the very least the “Public Option,” I will never vote Democratic again. I’ll vote Green, or Peace & Freedom, or Socialist, or Communist, or I just won’t vote! I have voted Democratic since JFK, but no more.
Kind of like that old cowboy lament: “Good Bye Old Paint, I’m A Leaving Cheyenne.”
That’s how I feel about the give away to the Insurance and Drug Corporations, calling it “Health Care.”
“Good Bye Old Democrats, I’m A Leaving Your Corporate Party.”
Always vote, because a vote for neither pary is a vote FOR both. Cast a protest vote. There are always minor party candidates, write in candidates, and independent candidates. Vote for one of them. The “Republicrats” always turn out their base and that’s all they need to win if the disillusioned among us don’t vote. One of these minor candidates may just steal a seat here and there. and send a message the people are just angry enough NOT to choose the lesser of 2 evils. I always vote and I opted to vote for Nader for President, when I learned that Goldman Sachs was the largest single corporate contributer to the Obama campaign. Obama voted without hesitation to bail out Wall Street. He was NEVER on the peoples’ side!