David Axelrod: Reawakening the young

The two races (Ny 23, CA 10) that actually had national congressional implications were won by Democrats. The governors races were based on local issues.

Yes, Mr. Axelrod, Obama can't "command" people to vote (yet.) That's not to say he hasn't tried.......

Any Democrat that thinks that running away from his or her party and opposing its agenda is a path to victory need only look at Creigh Deeds in Virginia. He was a terrible candidate, and might've lost anyway, but the margin and exit polling was telling -- the party base ditched the election.

Yes, Mr. Axelrod, Obama can't "command" people to vote (yet.) That's not to say he hasn't tried.......

Posted by: JoAnne | November 4, 2009 5:01 PM
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Gee, thanks for weighing in, Rush!

Try a new post name Teresa, you've been busted again.

The younger voters need to take a wait and see before commiting to any party. Maybe the time has come for a 3rd party ? Obama promised
healthcare with a strong public option and an end to those pointless wars in Afghanistan & Iraq. The republicans offer nothing but incompetence. Both parties have sold their souls to big business interests. The young educated
voters know this. So do many of the older ones and there is a feeling of hopelessness and
disappointment because it's business as usual, no matter who is in charge.

Hey younger voters!!!!! Be sure to look at all of Nobama's unaccomplishments:

Nobama has no accomplishments --

Healthcare - a Democrat majority and still can't pass
Iran - they reneged on sending fuel to Russia
Israel - special envoy Mitchell talking to himself
NATO - meet & plan without Ubama
Afghanistan - special envoy Holbrooke doesn't even talk to Karzai
GITMO - Craig getting fired soon
Deeds - a loser after Nobama campaigned for him & before election
Stimulus - Romer this week - that's all folks
Jobs - "saved" trillions ??
09 Budget - $1.4 trillion deficit - largest ever
Afghan War - agonizing in public after claiming Bush's plan as his own
Poland & Czech - leave allies high & dry
Olympics 2016 - KO Round 1
Honduras - on the wrong side
Russia - no reset, no sanctions
France - Sarkozy can't stand Ubama
UK - won't take calls from Brown
Queen of UK - gives her CDs of his speeches
Gays - promises promises
Cap & Trade - off the agenda
Wall Street - no reform
Economy - still in the pits

Point made yet ??

Nobama's unaccomplishments --

Letterman - great guest
Teleprompter - knows how to use
Noble Peace Prize - good laugh for the world
World Stage - US apologizer in chief
CIA - under prosecution
Old Europe - really likes us now
Middle East - really likes us now

And HE has only been in office less than a year !!

How is that Hope & Change working for you

Hey younger voters!!!!! Be sure to look at all of Nobama's unaccomplishments:Nobama has no accomplishments --
Posted by: Billy Mobbie | November 4, 2009 6:23 PM
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Teresa,
Young voters have more on the ball than you do, you voted for Bush and Cheney.....twice.

ATTENTION YOUNG VOTERS:

In the next few days you're going to be hearing from a lot of angry old Republican white guys who will be talking about "taking their country back".

IGNORE THEM - it's nothing more than right wing code for them hating the black guy who you helped elect as our President (Barack Obama).
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http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/ross-snyder-meet-angry-crowd-in-arkansas-town-hall.php

Electing an African-American was the most progressive thing we could do. Until we deal with race in this nation, until the racism of white privilege is extinguished, progressive outcomes will always be difficult to obtain. And electing Obama is beginning of the end of white racism as way of life in this nation.

It matters for two reasons: (1) racism is immoral and we cannot let it continue and (2) so long as racism exists, it will be used to prevent coalitions among working people that could build progressive change. Morally and pragmatically, the symbolism of the election matters and the symbolism of a black president continues to matter.

Both the symbolic and rhetorical points are important. In fact, I believe the rhetorical impact of President Obama in changing people's world views over time is possibly the most important thing he will do. Ideas matter. To overturn Reagan, we must overturn the ideas in people's minds. Policies alone will not do that.

But policies do matter. For the symblic point, we lose some of the value if his presidency is a "failed presidency." The more successful, or at least the more he is viewed as successful, the more certain stereotypes in the minds of a few are broken and destroyed. So policies matter there. And policies matter with respect to what I call the rhetorical impact, because they need to be generally consistent with that new world view. So they certainly matter, but, in my view, no particular policy choice should be a deal breaker between Obama and the left. We should criticize choices and always agitate for more, but I also think we need to avoid demonization of our allies, even where we disagree on a particular issue. Demonization is a poison, a poison used here by both moderates and leftists, often with respect to each other. Let's leave that stuff to the Republicans/Teabaggers.

I think President Obama's policies will be good overall, but they will be like changing the direction of an ocean liner. He will not be able to do a 180 degree turn, even if he wanted to, which is open to debate. I think we will see a slow curve that may not look all that great now, but will set the stage for massive changes in the future.

There are many issues, and as important as the Public Option and health care reform is, it will neither destory nor create the change we need. It is one of many.

Taking a long view, the outcome of this particular issue (PO and mandates) is less important overall than symbolism, rhetoric, and all other policy changes. It is one of many. That said, I really, really want a real PO, because it will help validate government as useful, which in turn works especially with the rhetoric about "we're all in it together".

But President Obama is not a corporatist sell out if he does not work as hard as many of us wish or promise to veto a bad bill, or many other things.

We have to get beyond the cartoon character view of this President with a few as Super-Barack or Bad-Barack. He's neither.

Overall, progressives and Obama share much in common. I think we should push hard from the left, but also remember our commonality. Even when we vigorously disagree with the President, we should not demonize him or his strongest adherents. Similarly, strong supporters should not demonize critics. We need each other.

In trying to remake America, in trying to overcome all the damage, in trying to create an America where "we're all in it together", we should also remember that progressives, the netroots, and President Obama are "all in it together".

If we are very lucky, Barack Obama will be President until 2016. Progressives are still working out our place in the Obama coalition. I hope this diary creates discussion in good faith between many who fall into both "sides" about how we can work together for our shared goals and move past the extreme views, laudatory and critical, about Barack Obama.

Within the first ten months of Obama’s presidency, he’s taken steps to remove all American troops from Iraq; close down the Guantanamo Bay prison facility; procure universal healthcare for the American people; remove cultural, political, and religious bias from public policy; and a litany of other feats both peaceable in nature and epic in scope. Not many of these action items have been accomplished, but politics is a lengthy process and not even a year has passed since his Inauguration.

All of these actions that President Obama has taken have been in the face of great adversity and opposition – not a single interview can be given, nor can a press release be published, without the default contradiction, accusation, lies, vilification, and anger coming forth from FOX "News" and those Republicans that bend to its tactics. This includes almost all Congressional Republicans, a good number of state Governors, and anyone that’s been protesting or disseminating propaganda against the health of their fellow citizens over the course of the last few months.

Now the picture should be considerably clearer.

When President Obama is compared to his predecessor, George W. Bush, the reasons for which the world-at-large embraces him with such open arms becomes immediately obvious. From outside America’s borders, Obama has been a welcome breath of fresh air to the majority of countries, allies and enemies alike, for not only his personality, but also his policy on any and all subjects - despite what some would call his lack of accomplishments, the mere fact that he has such great and high-minded intentions is reason enough for them to celebrate.

If the newest Nobel Laureate were to have accomplished as much as his detractors laugh at him for "failing to achieve", then President Obama would not be so great a politician and national figurehead as he is – the Patriot Act, the Iraq War, and numerous other Bush-era pieces of legislation were rushed through Congress by the whip of the then-current President, and to what great accomplishment? The loss of worldwide respect? Spying on American citizens without reason or even warrants? A failed war that has existed for years longer than necessary?

President Obama does not wish to corrupt the political system any further than it already is – Congress does not need his help with bowing to the wishes and needs of others with power. He does not even wish to stoop to Bush’s level, preying on the fears of the American people, to accomplish what is so obviously right and necessary. Instead, he wishes to strengthen the political process, renew the world’s faith in America, and, most importantly, renew America’s faith in themselves.

Dear MR. Wobbles and MR Watts formerly known as MR Cut and Paste of the Obama.com Propaganda Headquaters,
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7:49 and 8:07 are an affront to the intelligence of the young voter. You begin by TELLING the young what to do, and then go on to the longest baby-talk talk down. I HIGHLY doubt that the young voters need you to tell them about the importance of electing a colored man. They made it possible, after all. Obama is not the beginning of the end of racism. Obama is the RESULT of the beginning of the end of racism, it begins with racism aging out of the coming generations who were then eligible to vote.
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For the symbolic point, we lose some of the value if his presidency is a "failed presidency." The more successful, or at least the more he is viewed as successful, the more certain stereotypes in the minds of a few are broken and destroyed.
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For the symbolic point, we lose some of the value if attempts are being made to keep his image intact at the expense of the value of his work. You are supporting the stereotype that black men and women need help to look successful, when they are capable.
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and a litany of other feats
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Great, next time you form your copy and paste you might just want to list them, and allow me to leave you with the newest Nobel Laureate's words on MSM and Fox News:
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Clearly, Thomas Jefferson never had cable news to contend with -- (laughter) -- but his central point remains: A government without newspapers, a government without a tough and vibrant media of all sorts, is not an option for the United States of America. (Applause.)

So I may not -- I may not agree with everything you write or report. I may even complain, or more likely Gibbs will complain, from time to time about how you do your jobs, but I do so with the knowledge that when you are at your best, then you help me be at my best. You help all of us who serve at the pleasure of the American people do our jobs better by holding us accountable, by demanding honesty, by preventing us from taking shortcuts and falling into easy political games that people are so desperately weary of.

And that kind of reporting is worth preserving -- not just for your sake, but for the public's. We count on you to help us make sense of a complex world and tell the stories of our lives the way they happen, and we look for you for truth, even if it's always an approximation, even if --

"Within the first ten months of Obama’s presidency, he’s taken steps to "
Posted by: J Votto | November 4, 2009 8:07 PM

Yeah, he's also got a Nobel Peace Prize. But what has he actually accomplished?????

*

Cue dead silence . . .

Sounds like Axelrod is drunk on Obanaism.

Only problem with the Axe's assesment is that Obama never went to NY-23, and the 3rd party consevative candidate who didn't live in the district and only started to get traction 2 weeks before the election only lost by a couple of % points. I would also like to point out the fact that the Daily Koz endorsed Dede Scozzafava the republican because they said that Bill Owens was to conservative, against gay marriage and against the "public option".
Obama put alot of effort in NJ and VA and the Democratic candidates were slaughtered. That tells me that 2010 is going to be very bad for the Democrats.

and remember youth....as all the wingbats tell you of all that has not been accomplished, remember what they have done to help move us forward. They have brought a level of hate to America not seen since the McCarthy era. They have labeled evey American who does not believe the same as them every kind of "ism" there is. They have purged their own party of anyone who doesn't "bootstrap" every idea the same. They label themselves as
patriots and they are taking back America. The only problem is they are taking it back "from" Americans. Their patriotic words are cover for their destroying what America is really about. Americans have always worked together to solve it's problems. These people are as far from patriotic as you can be.

"We got walloped."
This comment by Democrat Senator Mark Warner on the election is a useful antidote to the laughable spin the White House and The Swamp are pushing.

changein2009:
"We got walloped."
This comment by Democrat Senator Mark Warner on the election is a useful antidote to the laughable spin the White House and The Swamp are pushing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
they got walloped locally but not where it really matters, which is in congress.
Enjoy your hallow little *victories* Smart people know that Obama was handed massive problems and you right wingnut teabaggers have been blogging from day one against anything Obama does. I may not agree with everything, either but what part of " we are all in this together and must together fix this " do you not quite get ?
The problems facing America were decades in the making. Jobs disappearing, big business interests and their special friends in congress, cost of living, pointless wars over oil; where have you been hiding all this time ?
Either be part of the solution or just zip it.

changein2009:
"We got walloped."
This comment by Democrat Senator Mark Warner on the election is a useful antidote to the laughable spin the White House and The Swamp are pushing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
they got walloped locally but not where it really matters, which is in congress.
Enjoy your hallow little *victories* Smart people know that Obama was handed massive problems and you right wingnut teabaggers have been blogging from day one against anything Obama does. I may not agree with everything, either but what part of " we are all in this together and must together fix this " do you not quite get ?
The problems facing America were decades in the making. Jobs disappearing, big business interests and their special friends in congress, cost of living, pointless wars over oil; where have you been hiding all this time ?
Either be part of the solution or just zip it.