Democrats Fret Aloud Over Obamaâs Chances
By MICHAEL BARBARO, JEFF ZELENY and MONICA DAVEY
Published: September 10, 2011
Democrats are expressing growing alarm about President Obamaâs re-election prospects and, in interviews, are openly acknowledging anxiety about the White Houseâs ability to strengthen the presidentâs standing over the next 14 months.
Elected officials and party leaders at all levels said their worries have intensified as the economy has displayed new signs of weakness. They said the likelihood of a highly competitive 2012 race is increasing as the Republican field, once dismissed by many Democrats as too inexperienced and conservative to pose a serious threat, has started narrowing to two leading candidates, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, who have executive experience and messages built around job creation.
And in a campaign cycle in which Democrats had entertained hopes of reversing losses from last yearâs midterm elections, some in the party fear that Mr. Obamaâs troubles could reverberate down the ballot into Congressional, state and local races.
âIn my district, the enthusiasm for him has mostly evaporated,â said Representative Peter A. DeFazio, Democrat of Oregon. âThere is tremendous discontent with his direction.â
The presidentâs economic address last week offered a measure of solace to discouraged Democrats by employing an assertive and scrappy style that many supporters complain has been absent for the last year as he has struggled to rise above Washington gridlock. Several Democrats suggested that he watch a tape of the jobs speech over and over and use it as a guide until the election.
But a survey of two dozen Democratic officials found a palpable sense of concern that transcended a single week of ups and downs. The conversations signaled a change in mood from only a few months ago, when Democrats widely believed that Mr. Obamaâs path to re-election, while challenging, was secure.
âThe frustrations are real,â said Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, who was the state chairman of Mr. Obamaâs campaign four years ago. âI think we know that there is a Barack Obama thatâs deep in there, but heâs got to synchronize it with passion and principles.â
There is little cause for immediate optimism, with polls showing Mr. Obama at one of the lowest points of his presidency.
His own economic advisers concede that the unemployment rate, currently 9.1 percent, is unlikely to drop substantially over the next year, creating a daunting obstacle to re-election.
Liberals have grown frustrated by some of his actions, like the decision this month to drop tougher air-quality standards.
And polling suggests that the presidentâs yearlong effort to reclaim the political center has so far yielded little in the way of additional support from the moderates and independents who tend to decide presidential elections.
âThe alarms have already gone off in the Democratic grass roots,â said Robert Zimmerman, a member of the Democratic National Committee from New York, who hopes the presidentâs jobs plan can be a turning point. âIf the Obama administration hasnât heard them, they should check the wiring of their alarm system.â
At a gathering of the Democratic National Committee in Chicago this weekend, some party leaders sounded upbeat after they toured the Obama campaign headquarters. But others expressed anxiety that Mr. Obamaâs accomplishments were not being conveyed loudly enough to ordinary people, that Republican lawmakers were making it impossible for him to get more done, and that Mr. Obamaâs conciliatory approach might be translating to some voters as weakness.
âNow that theyâre slapping him in the side of the face, heâs coming back,â said William George, a committee member from Pennsylvania. âHe needs to start stomping his foot and pounding the desk.â At the White House and at Mr. Obamaâs campaign headquarters in Chicago, officials bristled at the critiques, which they dismissed as familiar intraparty carping and second-guessing that would give way to unity and enthusiasm once the nation is facing a clear choice between the president and the Republican nominee.
Continued at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/us/politics/11obama.html?_r=2
By MICHAEL BARBARO, JEFF ZELENY and MONICA DAVEY
Published: September 10, 2011
Democrats are expressing growing alarm about President Obamaâs re-election prospects and, in interviews, are openly acknowledging anxiety about the White Houseâs ability to strengthen the presidentâs standing over the next 14 months.
Elected officials and party leaders at all levels said their worries have intensified as the economy has displayed new signs of weakness. They said the likelihood of a highly competitive 2012 race is increasing as the Republican field, once dismissed by many Democrats as too inexperienced and conservative to pose a serious threat, has started narrowing to two leading candidates, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, who have executive experience and messages built around job creation.
And in a campaign cycle in which Democrats had entertained hopes of reversing losses from last yearâs midterm elections, some in the party fear that Mr. Obamaâs troubles could reverberate down the ballot into Congressional, state and local races.
âIn my district, the enthusiasm for him has mostly evaporated,â said Representative Peter A. DeFazio, Democrat of Oregon. âThere is tremendous discontent with his direction.â
The presidentâs economic address last week offered a measure of solace to discouraged Democrats by employing an assertive and scrappy style that many supporters complain has been absent for the last year as he has struggled to rise above Washington gridlock. Several Democrats suggested that he watch a tape of the jobs speech over and over and use it as a guide until the election.
But a survey of two dozen Democratic officials found a palpable sense of concern that transcended a single week of ups and downs. The conversations signaled a change in mood from only a few months ago, when Democrats widely believed that Mr. Obamaâs path to re-election, while challenging, was secure.
âThe frustrations are real,â said Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, who was the state chairman of Mr. Obamaâs campaign four years ago. âI think we know that there is a Barack Obama thatâs deep in there, but heâs got to synchronize it with passion and principles.â
There is little cause for immediate optimism, with polls showing Mr. Obama at one of the lowest points of his presidency.
His own economic advisers concede that the unemployment rate, currently 9.1 percent, is unlikely to drop substantially over the next year, creating a daunting obstacle to re-election.
Liberals have grown frustrated by some of his actions, like the decision this month to drop tougher air-quality standards.
And polling suggests that the presidentâs yearlong effort to reclaim the political center has so far yielded little in the way of additional support from the moderates and independents who tend to decide presidential elections.
âThe alarms have already gone off in the Democratic grass roots,â said Robert Zimmerman, a member of the Democratic National Committee from New York, who hopes the presidentâs jobs plan can be a turning point. âIf the Obama administration hasnât heard them, they should check the wiring of their alarm system.â
At a gathering of the Democratic National Committee in Chicago this weekend, some party leaders sounded upbeat after they toured the Obama campaign headquarters. But others expressed anxiety that Mr. Obamaâs accomplishments were not being conveyed loudly enough to ordinary people, that Republican lawmakers were making it impossible for him to get more done, and that Mr. Obamaâs conciliatory approach might be translating to some voters as weakness.
âNow that theyâre slapping him in the side of the face, heâs coming back,â said William George, a committee member from Pennsylvania. âHe needs to start stomping his foot and pounding the desk.â At the White House and at Mr. Obamaâs campaign headquarters in Chicago, officials bristled at the critiques, which they dismissed as familiar intraparty carping and second-guessing that would give way to unity and enthusiasm once the nation is facing a clear choice between the president and the Republican nominee.
Continued at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/us/politics/11obama.html?_r=2
