Shorter Obama: Dear Liberals, I Don't Care About You. But I Know You Can't Quit Me

I'd be nice if Obama quit treating liberals like the problem. His scolding of liberals both misses the mark on the problems of his presidency and makes him come off like an abusive jerk. Saying that liberals need to support him because conservatives are worse isn't going to get us out to the polls. Obama is completely delusional if he thinks he can create 2008 levels of enthusiasm based around the idea that Republicans are evil. Perhaps he believes that 100,000 people would come see him in 2008 because they supported his education platform, but that's not the case. It was because they saw in Obama their hopes and dreams. He hasn't shown the slightest inclination to listen to his supporters, to use his support networks of 08 to rally for his policies, or to govern to the left of Bill Clinton.

There are many reasons for the likely Republican landslide next month--mostly the economy but there are other factors as well. However, if we are talking about the enthusiasm gap, Obama blew this on his own. Obama says, “You can’t sit it out. You can’t suddenly just check in once every 10 years or so, on an exciting presidential election, and then not pay attention during big midterm elections where we’ve got a real big choice between Democrats and Republicans.”

OK--well you can't just ask liberals for their support every 2 years and then isolate us, complain about us to the media, and expect us to follow you around like a puppy.

During the 2008 primaries, my students asked me who I supported. I simply said, "I'm ready to be disappointed by someone new." And indeed I have been. Not for the continued struggles with the economy or any one policy per se. Rather, I'm disappointed in the attitude of the Obama Administration when it comes to governance, its relationship to the base of the party, and its willingness to tack right at the first opportunity.