The profound mystery of the "enthusiasm gap" (Salon says Obama blew it)

Salon ^ | Sep 2, 2010 | Glenn Greenwald

[tlb]

1) Huffington Post's Sam Stein notes the increasing number of conservatives who now advocate same-sex marriage; how that places them to the left on this human rights issue of Barack Obama, who continues to explicitly oppose marriage equality; and how Democratic operatives are worrying that the Party, as a result, risks losing the devotion of gay activists and, especially, their money.

2) Sen. Dianne Feinstein -- Iraq War supporter, Surveillance State cheerleader, and beneficiary of her husband's vast, defense contracting wealth -- will take the lead in working to defeat Prop 19 and thus keep marijuana criminalized, in turn keeping Mexican cartels empowered

3) Latinos are among the most disenchanted Democratic voting bloc, as they are furious at the White House for repeatedly violating promises on immigration reform. Large numbers of Latino voters now blame both parties almost equally for failures in immigration policy.

4) Obama's Deficit Commission was structured so as to ensure recommendations for, among other things, cuts in Social Security benefits, to be voted on right after the election is nice and over with (an election the Democrats are trying to win by parading around as the protectors of Social Security). Also at Daily Kos, Laurence Lewis describes how similar this dynamic is to prior political controversies, where Democrats held themselves out publicly as believing one thing while privately working for the opposite.

This year isn't getting away from the Democrats because voters are moving toward the Republicans en masse. But the enthusiasm gap is turning races that would otherwise be lean Democratic into toss ups, turning toss ups into leaning Republican, and turning leaning Republican into solid Republican.

[BenLurkin]

Only the soldier knows what his thoughts were but, it appears to be: “Do you want to lose that hand? Sir?”

[happygrl]

“Do you want to lose that hand?

LOL

Spoken with a tight-jawed Clint Eastwood cadence.

[abc1]

Who blew it?!
No, no, no.
Barry did not cross the finish line on his own, he was carried in a metaphorical litter chair like some despot of old.
The legacy media blew.
The antiquated progressive political establishment blew.
The reason 0 did not succeed is because he does not posses the talents necessary to be an administrator.
That said, people should be aware by now a good campaigner is just that and no more.
Being able to read a teleprompter effectively is not credentials to be a leader.

[Liz]

He tried to disguise himself but it backfired when he was asked
to sing "The Shoop Shoop Song" (it's in his kiss).

[no dems]

No ideas on a preemptive strategy at this time. Just keep reminding everyone of the mess the Dems got us into under the Obama Administration.