Free Republic

A month after emerging from a government shutdown at the top of their game, many Democrats in Congress newly worried about the party's re-election prospects are for the first time distancing themselves from President Barack Obama after the disastrous rollout of his health care overhaul. At issue, said several Obama allies, is a loss of trust in the president after only 106,000 people — instead of an anticipated half million — were able to buy insurance coverage the first month of the new "Obamacare" web sites. In addition, some 4.2 million Americans received notices from insurers that policies Obama had...

But Republicans are pledging to stay focused on ObamaCare, which they see as symbolic of a greater problem with Democrats’ governing vision and abilities.Democrats are scrambling to regain control of the national political narrative as problems with ObamaCare are threatening to undo all of the advantage they gained following the government shutdown, jeopardizing their chances in 2014. House Democrats outlined plans to refocus attention on the potential for another showdown over the federal budget in January — when the current government funding measure is set to run out — in a memo issued at a caucus meeting Wednesday by...

The Affordable Care Act is casting a shadow over Democrats’ chances in Senate battleground states, putting pressure on vulnerable Senate Democrats to distance themselves from the law’s clumsy rollout. Five vulnerable Democratic incumbents who this week called for extending the law’s enrollment period and delaying penalties for not signing up on time come from states where voters hold unfavorable views of the law. Some Democratic strategists, however, argue the issue is not as potent as Republicans think and predict it could boomerang on conservatives who have pushed for a full repeal of the law without offering detailed proposals to replace...

Democratic strategist James Carville lavished praise on freshman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who has quickly become one of the Senate's most polarizing new members. Echoing former Sen. Jim DeMint on ABC's "This Week," Carville cheered Cruz for not being afraid to take on his own party so soon into his Senate career. "I think he is the most talented and fearless Republican politician I've seen in the last 30 years," Carville said. "I further think that he's going to run for president and he is going to create something. I'm not sitting here saying he's going to win, and I...

It's more than President Barack Obama's lackluster debate performance that has some Democrats on edge a month from Election Day. Party loyalists, in Washington and in battleground states, are fretting that Obama's campaign has been slow to rebound after Republican Mitt Romney's commanding debate. They're worried that the Democratic ticket isn't aggressive enough in blocking Romney's post-debate pivot to the political center. And they fear Romney's new effort to show a softer side gives the Republican nominee an opening with female voters, who are crucial to the president's re-election prospects...

NBC's Chuck Todd reports: "I'm hearing chatter that there's maybe some people from the last campaign that's maybe going to get a little more involved," said Todd.

The news that Mitt Romney picked Rep. Paul Ryan, who has suggested changing Medicare, as his running mate sparked worries over the weekend among some residents at the Stella Maris retirement community in Miami Beach—concerns that could reverberate among seniors nationwide. Nancy Scarchilli, a 92-year-old registered Democrat who is undecided this year, said Medicare "just paid a beautiful penny for my hospitalization" for heart failure, adding that she likes the program "the way it is." Gisela Adán, another resident of the Stella Maris retirement community, said Saturday she relies on Social Security and Medicare but was unfamiliar with the details...

Liberal pundits are already fanning out in force to attack and discredit Paul Ryan. Michael Tomasky, who recently wrote a Newsweek cover story calling Mitt Romney a “wimp,” has now decided that Romney’s bold move is “a terrible choice” because Ryan has proven himself to be an extremist on budget issues. No doubt there are many Democrats rubbing their hands in glee in contemplation of reviving some version of the ad that featured an actor playing Paul Ryan pushing a grandmother in a wheelchair off a cliff. But the smarter ones are worried. First, if Ryan is an extremist and...

President Barack Obama's re-election campaign warned supporters in an email plea for cash on Monday that Mitt Romney's vast fundraising edge means "we're in trouble" with scarcely three months to go before Election Day. "We got beat three months in a row," the campaign said in the unsigned message. "If we don't step it up, we're in trouble." The appeal came hours after the two sides released their July fundraising totals, revealing that Romney and the Republican Party scooped up $101 million against the $75 million hauled in by Obama and the Democrats.

What's the difference between a calm and cool Barack Obama, and a rattled and worried Barack Obama? Four words, it turns out. "You didn't build that" is swelling to such heights that it has the president somewhere unprecedented: on defense. Mr. Obama has felt compelled—for the first time in this campaign—to cut an ad in which he directly responds to the criticisms of his now-infamous speech, complaining his opponents took his words "out of context."

James Carville underscored the concerns among Democrats about the current economic picture and what it means for 2012 in a radio interview with Scott Hennen: _______________________________ "Everything worries me in this environment. Nobody’s gotten elected with these kinds of numbers. So, I’m worried in the general election. I profoundly admit that. Again, Romney’s just making a technocratic kind of confidence argument, and he’s really kind of a windsock of a guy. If you don’t like his position on something, give it a day he’ll change it." _______________________________ To some extent, underscoring concern helps gin up the Democratic base and crystallizes...

Dems Face Doom in HouseBy Colin Clark Friday, August 20th, 2010 12:10 pm Washington’s most respected election analyst, Charlie Cook, is now calling the House for the Republicans. And he’s predicting not just a close race, which had been the call of most analysts until now, but is predicting a so-called “wave” election, one where the party in power is swept away. Cook spoke with the Wall Street Journal. Before GOP tribalists begin crowing and dancing the sacred dance of victory, Cook cautions that he does not think the GOP is likely to win the Senate. And, with all respect...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic governors said Sunday they worry about President Barack Obama's track record on fighting Republican political attacks and urged him to better connect with anxious voters. Some allies pleaded for a new election-year strategy focused on the economy. "It's got to be better thought out," Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said. "It's got to be more proactive." And, he said, Democrats must hit back just as hard as they are hit by Republicans.

BOSTON — There may be no better place to measure the shifting fortunes of President Obama and the Democratic Party than in the race being fought here this weekend for the Senate seat that had been held by Edward M. Kennedy. When Mr. Obama was inaugurated one year ago this week, he and his party had big majorities in the Senate and House, enjoyed the backing of much of the country and were confidently preparing to enact an ambitious legislative agenda. Republicans seemed directionless and the conservative movement exhausted. This weekend, Democrats are struggling to hang on to a seat...

For a party that should be coasting to victory in a Senate election they never lose, the Democrats seems mighty worried about the prospects of the hand-picked replacement for Ted Kennedy. A few weeks ago, no one would have thought for a moment that Republican Scott Brown would come within 20 points of Martha Coakley, the Kennedy family-approved heir to the “Liberal Lion’s” seat in the US Senate. Yesterday, Democrats got so rattled that they began speaking openly of keeping Brown out of the Senate for as long as they could once he wins:

Wil Haygood Washington Post Posted January 3, 2010 at midnight WASHINGTON - Virginia socialites Tareq and Michaele Salahi's crashing of President Obama's first state dinner in the White House on Nov. 24 prompted a ripple of concern among black Americans nationwide that lingers still. "You are talking probably 100 percent concern about the president's safety from my listeners," said Joe Madison, known as "the Black Eagle," who hosts a popular nationwide radio program that attracts mostly black listeners. "People are worried. My callers think there's not the intensity to protect this president given his unique history. It shouldn't be business...

The memory of the Vietnam War is holding an increasingly powerful sway over President Obama and his White House team as they explore ways to avoid the surge of troops into Afghanistan urgently being demanded by the US military. Mr Obama and his foreign policy circle have begun openly to use language born of the Vietnam disaster, such as “mission creep” and “quagmire”. It is a clear sign that the President harbours doubts about a deeper military commitment in Afghanistan. Vice-President Biden is leading calls for a change of plan, with a scaling back of troops in Afghanistan and a...

Communists and socialists have never been closer to taking over the United States and they know this is no time for timidity. Ignoring popular opinion is part of the game plan, as is marginalizing any opposition. It worked for three massive spending bills and it will work again. Some Democrats may lose their seats, but taking a hit for the party is a call to duty they will answer. Besides, as long as they control Congress post 2010, Democrats will control redistricting as a consequence of the census and the lost seats may be regained in 2012."

It is said that the people are revolting. You said it! They stink on ice!That pretty much sums up the attitude of the Kossacks at the Daily Kos. However, unlike the Mel Brooks version of King Louis XVI in "History of the World: Part I," the Kossacks are fearful, deeply fearful, of the people. They are worried that the Tea Party protesters who show up at the town hall meetings conducted by members of Congress might derail Obamacare due to the large turnouts and vehemence of their protests as you can see in this thread posted by Kossack icebergslim: Sure,...

EEEK! The peasants are revolting! Specifically they are revolting at the Obamacare protests at townhall meetings held by Congress folks now that they are in recess as you can see in this KOmmie THREAD, "I don't like how this is going down, period." Yeah, they don't like how this is going down because of the MASSIVE protests at those townhall meetings. I love watching the videos of people showing up at what were previously tame and lightly attended townhall meetings and loudly protesting Obamacare. Usually the folks protesting know a lot more about Obamacare than the flustered legislators. So...