Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

applegrove

(118,831 posts)
Tue Jan 10, 2017, 07:59 PM Jan 2017

Liberal Disappointment with Obama Will Fade

https://politicalwire.com/2017/01/10/liberals-will-look-fondly-obama/

"SNIP............


James Hohmann notes that every Democratic president since Franklin Roosevelt “has left behind a swath of disillusioned lefties when he left office – only to see his image markedly improve among the base after a Republican subsequently took office.”

Bill Clinton is now remembered fondly by Democrats for presiding over a pre-9/11 period of peace and prosperity, but so many liberals were despondent during his tenure about everything from throwing Zoe Baird under the bus at the beginning to pardoning Marc Rich at the end – as well as shepherding through NAFTA, jacking up mandatory minimums, embracing welfare reform and elevating Dick Morris in between.

Jimmy Carter is remembered now for his post-presidency embrace of humanitarian causes. But he almost got defeated by Ted Kennedy, running at him from the left, in the 1980 Democratic primaries. He never pushed comprehensive health care reform, but he did cut capital gains taxes and deregulate the airline and trucking industries.

Obama was often compared negatively by liberals during the last few years to Lyndon Johnson, a wheeler-dealer who successfully cajoled a Congress dominated by segregationists to pass civil rights and voting rights acts. Most seem to forget that he dropped out of contention for the Democratic nomination in 1968 after liberal opposition, driven mainly by Vietnam, metastasized. He also hardly got anything done in his final two years because of Republican gains in the 1966 midterms.


.............SNIP"
2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Liberal Disappointment with Obama Will Fade (Original Post) applegrove Jan 2017 OP
In every case,the most important Wellstone ruled Jan 2017 #1
Well, except DOMA, DADT, Glass Stegal, and NAFTA zipplewrath Jan 2017 #2
 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
1. In every case,the most important
Tue Jan 10, 2017, 08:10 PM
Jan 2017

thing that cause these feelings,was the lose of the Press. Once the Press goes negative on you,you are screwed and here we are discussing what happened. Obama never had the Press on his side.

zipplewrath

(16,646 posts)
2. Well, except DOMA, DADT, Glass Stegal, and NAFTA
Tue Jan 10, 2017, 09:25 PM
Jan 2017

I think his analysis is a tad off. Every democrat since Clinton ran away from these core issues. Heck, Gore tried to distance himself from Clinton. And HRC spent a campaign trying to avoid NAFTA.

Some democrats will always wax nostalgic for a time when they ran the White House, and there is a good reason why. Because the worst democrat is better than the best republican. But the policies of past presidents isn't always so good. Even LBJ has a long dark shadow over his presidency. I don't think anyone has "forgotten" that. They like the Great Society programs but there are arguments to this day over whether it was the right thing to try to move on from him or not. People like the "New Deal", but remember the interment camps.

And Obama has the particular problem that he oversaw the largest collapse of the democratic party in decades.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Liberal Disappointment wi...