That was his focus this elections. Trying to get as many Democratic Governors a win as possible. He was everywhere with the Governors. The First Lady was too.

PROMOTION of his record, not just during an electoral campaign, and GETTING TOUGH IN GENERAL. HE is the LEADER. He needs to LEAD. I am talking about his leadership style in general. It has been too WEAK.

Indeed the President does need to defend his record more. But mostly you do that on the campaign trail. He offered to campaign for several democrats but they declined.

Democrats wanted to run as Republican Lites candidates and failed miserably.

But defending yourself is always the best option. Common sense tell you that.

It worked in 2012 when the whole Democratic convention was about defending Obama record by people such as Elizabeth Warren, Bill Clinton, Deval Patrick, etc, etc.

The White House said their internal polls had the president approval rating about 5 points higher than the public polls. I trust the white house polls more, which mean they had his approval rate around 45 or 46%. Now if Democrats would of been out there defending his record instead of attacking him maybe his approval rate get bumped up to say 49%. If so it would have made a difference in the election. It was always going to be a good election for Republicans but instead of losing nine senate seats maybe they only lose four or five seats which is a major difference.

Here is the worst part about it. It's not like Democrats would of had to lie about Obama record, which is what Republicans do about their own record, Obama actually has a good record. Is it perfect? No but it is a good one. The economy is roaring back, the stock market is record high. Bin Laden is gone, so is don't ask don't tell. The auto industry is saved. That's only a small sample of Obama record.

The worst campaign of the entire election had to be Mark Udall. He is in a purple state that voted for Obama TWICE, has an unemployment rate of I think 5.1 and didn't even campaign on that. CRAZY.

Hear me. I am saying he is missing a SUSTAINED effort to use the bully pulpit, take on the Republicans, and mobilize the American people. This is just the fact.

I have great respect for Obama. He is great a campaigner but won't campaign in those soaring awesome ways ALL THE TIME as in OFFICE. He is too quick to be transactional rather than transformative. He is good when he is ON. He is OFF way too much.


He is the LEADER. He needs to LEAD !

Normally you aren't campaigning full throttle unless you are running for office or campaigning for someone else.

Obviously Obama wasn't running for office in 2014 and as already mentioned most of the Dems declined to have him campaign for them.

Having said that Obama could help himself by getting out and campaigning more. Also by doing more TV interviews, etc.

Another time when he could be in full campaign mode is when he is promoting an event/issue like a jobs bills.

His coming immigration executive order is an issue that will give him a chance for TV interviews and to get on the stump.

...would fairly cover his speeches. What you missed the news reports of President Obama in from of an appreciative audience talking about his accomplishments?

Then, it must not have happened!

Or, maybe the corporate media did not cover because it does not fit into narrative of an unpopular President.

He let Republicans get away with murder with how they completely hijacked the health care message.

Always remember how uncomfortable Republicans get when Obama gets to criticizing. Somehow he wasn't doing this consistently.

This is an issue Progs face all over the place though. We must realize we have a harder message to sell. We don't cater to base emotions, or tribalism, or xenophobia or dog whistle racism. R's do that so their messaging is easy. We have to figure out more creative ways of packaging up our policies so people can latch on to them.

he didn't get elected blowing his own horn.

He is what he is - a really smart, really decent man who can put words together in a really inspirational manner.

He never was the kind of prototype politician you suggest he would be, and frankly, it isn't something that a president can do, PARTICULARLY a democratic president.

Also, he is a democrat. If any democrat tried what you suggest the right wing would oblivate him or her, with the "liberal media" wielding the knives.

Hell, Al Gore was marginalized as an arrogant self promoter over a stupid comment about the internet.

Howard Dean was destroyed as a political candidate for a genuine expression of emotion.

I agree with your overall point - but it isn't this presidents problem, it is the 100s of congressmen, senators, governors who drive this stuff.

Bush II wasn't always talking about himself.

But, EVERY SINGLE republican congressman, senator, governor is out there throwing bombs at Ds and screaming their message.

Ds are scared shitless church mice.

THAT is the problem.