by @zizii2
You dance with the one who brung ya.
The Obama Coalition
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So no one thinks that the coalition of 65-69 million American citizens with a proven record of WINNING back to back presidential elections in record numbers, because they organize, stand in line for hours in rain and frost, MUST be feverishly re-activated for the next election? Of course it must.
The Obama Coalition
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Yet thus far none of the Democratic Party candidates has seriously courted the Obama-Coalition. I say seriously, precisely because it took more than the letter “D” beside a candidate’s name, or political platitudes, or a liberal wish-tree to put the coalition together in the first place. Plus no one size fits all in activating this coalition, as its different components were motivated by different strategies of persuasion. This is a coalition that did not care about name, pedigree, or size of wallet when it backed the insurgent Obama candidacy. It did not have its head in the clouds in a lofty quest for unicorns either.
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Sure, detractors mocked Obama supporters for chanting the amorphous slogan of “Change you can believe in” or “Yes we can.” But beyond the slogans, Obama supporters were in pursuit of realistic tangible goals –
*End the War in Iraq,
*Transform the economic structure to benefit the Middle Class (made even more urgent when the financial system nearly collapsed in Fall 2008)
*Healthcare Overhaul became a key component of economic restructuring because its cost was a major driver of decline of Middle Class economic security.
*Advance alternative energy imperative to neutralize Middle Eastern oil stranglehold on our economy.
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Candidate Obama’s appeal was not instant but grew as he practically demonstrated that he knew how to get from point A to point B with an achievable plan. He also showed us that he could use novel metrics to move us off our duffs to get us sitting at the conversation table, to actually talk and listen to each other in order to accomplish verifiable tasks.
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This was no pie in the sky candidacy. So when the political opponents began attacking him from within and without the Democratic Party, our antennas tuned in see what skills Candidate Obama possessed to overcome the attacks. Our faith was rewarded time and again, but especially when after a string of unprecedented electoral victories, the dredged up sermons of Rev Jeremiah Wright became the test of his leadership temperament and ability to resolve a crisis. His Philadelphia speech brought many detractors a Pauline moment.
We fought through slur and ginned up scandal with every fiber of our being to secure the June 3, 2025 Party primary victory. Ditto the general election and the unleashing of #PalinMadness.
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So, Contrary to what corporate media bloviators and frustrated candidate proxies say, the organizing principle of the Obama coalition is not based on the cult of personality. Many of us who had never voted, or had slipped into apathy were won callused hand by callused hand to fight for Candidate Obama’s election and reelection 4 years later.
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In 2012, pundits ruled us a phantom of a bygone era. But we were reactivated under the very radar of polling organizations, and mobilized with new and better technologies than 2008. Cutting edge coalition we are. Romney did not know what hit him. The Democratic Party was saved by Obama’s coattails once again as his victory also arrested the Congressional losses we’d suffered in 2010.
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Forward to 2015, and it’s very revealing to see the hyperbolic reaction to the prospect of VP Joe Biden running for the 2016 Democratic Party presidential nomination. There’s been everything from DLC doyen Carville’s growl about POTUS backstabbing Hillary, to Bernie supporters’ foot stomping that they “will not be moved.” All this and the man has NOT declared yet his intention.
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Question: Can a person who feels the calling and has the qualification not put their hat in the contest ring, just because it might hurt other candidates’ fee fees? It’s a COMPETITION after all, no? Some have suddenly grown so concerned about how much a run and loss will damage Biden’s well cultivated record as a stellar Veep. Pfft. Concern trolls extraordinaire.!
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Bottom line is this: The only coalition that has won anything for the Democratic Party at the national level in the last decade, has been the Obama Coalition and its proto formation during the 2006 mid-term elections. It must be noted that Senator Barack Obama was the spearhead of that campaign to wrest back Congress from the Republicans. Every single candidate he campaigned for in that election up and down the country, won. That victory was cemented in 2008 when his ultra-long coattails swept up huge majorities from unlikely corners into Congress.
Two years later in 2010, somnolent Democrats who ran away from their President’s agenda and coalition, got a rude awakening from the Tea Party backlash. In 2014, same silly strategy of chasing phantom Democratic voters, while ostracizing President Obama landed the party in even more dire electoral straits.
Here’s the dirty little secret: the traditional Democratic Party of yore is DEAD! It is even more dead at the state and local level. The traditional Dem party treated the Obama campaign operation both times like it was an alien creature in its midst. The state party never felt it needed to transform itself to the Obama way of engaging potential voters. In many states like Ohio, North Carolina and Texas, the twin organizations were on different wavelengths.
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I posit that the enormous successes of the Obama campaigns obscured the depths of woodrot in the Democratic Party. So the prospects for any 2016 campaigns have to do more than treat the Obama Coalition like potted plants which must be shushed in order to court the “White working class vote.” Outside the South, President Obama has had no problem courting the White working class vote, even by the metrics of his detractors.
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Worth repeating: President Obama’s Coalition is the only viable game in town. Any candidate ignores it at their own peril.
Meanwhile we wait for Veep Biden to tells us who he gon dance with, if he’s gon run at all. Tapping foot….
White House.gov
Congratulations 57&female!
slowly coming in. Not first, second?
Brilliant as always zizi!!!
Oh, and congrats of 1st 57!! :)
Good analysis!
Holla back.
Told you guys that we had treats planned for you today. Zizi’s was first.
Ha! Thanks.
Howz de Missus, LL?
Much better. Just going through the antibiotics, and doesn’t have to go back into the doctor.
Great to hear :)
Awesome post, zizi2!
Howdy!!!!
Thanks Chips for posting this
Thanks Zizi it was great reading. Proud to be apart of the coalition too.
VP Biden has my full support if and when he tosses his hat in the ring.
Mine, too.
Mine, my husband’s and my sister’s
It’s adding up!!!!
If any Democratic candidate thinks they are going to inherit the Obama coalition simply because they are Democrats, well then they have another thing coming.
Fully agreed, Don. We are not the sheeple we’ve been accused of being. As individuals, we will each make what we consider to be the best choice.
Excellent read. We will work together again. No big donors needed just the same coalition that got the president his two terms. Save your coins, send them in, every little bit helps. Meanwhile we wait and we hope and pray that the Vice President announces soon.
Bravo Zizi!! All of this :)
WOWOWOWOWOWOWIEEEEWOW WOW!!! Fantastic post, zizi2 ! Totally nailed the concept and backed up your points with stunning clarity and detail. Just brilliant analysis and prescient verbiage. As an NC resident, I second this completely! “The traditional Dem party treated the Obama campaign operation both times like it was an alien creature in its midst. The state party never felt it needed to transform itself to the Obama way of engaging potential voters. In many states like Ohio, North Carolina and Texas, the twin organizations were on different wavelengths.” And this made me laugh, so right: “Question: Can a person who feels the calling and has the qualification not put their hat in the contest ring, just because it might hurt other candidates’ fee fees? It’s a COMPETITION after all, no?” Solid, solid as a rock. Thanks for taking the time to paint this articulate energizing picture. ready to be ridin’…..
Tnx :)
Great analysis! Thanks so much.
Excellent post, Zizi. Thank you. VP Biden has a right to run. I wish the Dems well.
The 65-70M Obamabots did it with Historical Financial backing for the Opposition……News Media Frenzy…….Hyper Partisanship…..Crowned with Racial Animus.
Congrats 57andFemale on your Au :star:
Love this, zizi. Thank you! I’m sure that VP Biden will have PBO’s full support if/when he declares his candidacy. And he will have our hearts and minds as well.
HRC voters are trying desperately to telegraph that PBO prefers her over Biden and will say so once VP runs. I mean, really? You think PBO is that dense that he’s going to undermine the guy who’s sitting next to him every day? It’s ridiculous.
They have no where to hide ….
agreed
Thanks LL.
I don’t quite understand Twitter. I was hoping that the Link would appear as the author had originally posted it. It didn’t.
I am glad to read that Mrs. LL is on the mend. Wishing her well, still ;)
Yeah, the tweet quoting doesn’t work in WordPress. You have to post both tweets, unfortunately.
SINCE SARAH PALIN LOVES HIM SO MUCH…MAYBE HE SHOULD TAKE HER WITH HIM!
Rehab solves all for the wealthy - birth control and sex education mixed with personal responsibility would solve most of this family’s problems
What a phenomenal post, zizi! Off to tweet it asap!
this is terrific, zizi.
they think that folks are gonna be ok with folks disrespecting the President and his policies.
NOT.
I am always lurking. Just want to say to zizi, excellent read! My sentiments as well. Go Biden!
Why not just simply destroy them & take the loss? Duh?!
I was just thinking, do they really have to sell off what they have, can’t they just hand it to the gov’t.
Should be hand it over to the gov’t.
NO WAY!!
Wow! That is a BFD!
Wow!
Thanks, Jer. It’s about damned time Walmart did something right.
Just spoke with Senator Cantwell’s office in Tacoma.She has made no public statements but is listening closely to her constituents and giving the plan serios thought. So please give her a call. I thanked her for new bill to reinstate Glass Steagall, which would strengthen regualtory reform in Wall street.
Thanks ZIZI loved your comments.
Thank you, otter.
Way to go, otter44!!
I’ve spoken to her staff more than once, including earlier today. We’ve voted for Senator Cantwell in each of her Senate campaigns and we’ve informed her staff that that will continue as long as she supports the Iran Deal - that’s how important the issue is for myself and my wife.
#FORWARD
LIVE NOW: Reporter shooting press conference - http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
I AM SO SAD OVER THIS……………….I PRAY THEIR PARENTS WEREN’T WATCHING THE NEWS AT THE TIME.. I KNOW THE FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF SAW IT ON THE NEWS…THIS COUNTRY IS FALLING INTO AN ENDLESS PIT OF VIOLENCE ANND UNLESS OUR NATION RETURNS TO GOD…THIS…WILL ONLY WORSEN….OUR SACRED HUMANIITY IS GONE AND PEOPLE ARE NOT TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT!
Thanks zizi you speak for me!
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Zizi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you.
Every point is a ray of light.
There Is no democratic party without the Obama Coalition.
The corporate crowd calling itself the DNC lost every race they engaged in election day 2014. Paranoid me still thinks the losses were on purpose. DINOS eager to hand the reins back to their elite masters.
Now it is time for The Democratic Party led by The Obama Coalition to stand together and take our party back.
I wonder if the Clinton Camp actually believed they could treat our President as disdainfully as they did and not be held accountable?
Payback time already in progress.
This is a brilliant essay, Zizi. I’m reminded of something PBO said the other day, ” I know how to win elections.” It took tremendous insight, not to mention enormous organization skill, to create a whole campaign structure that virtually replaced the Democratic Party in each state. The winning candidate in 2016 will have to do that again and that will only be possible if he/she can inspire a gigantic outpouring of volunteer and financial support. PBO respected and empowered each of us and gave us the tools to make intelligent choices as we reached out to voters. Those who think this whole apparatus will automatically fall into place if our hearts and minds are not fully engaged are deluding themselves. Big rallies, nicely written policy statements and cleaver fundraising appeals will not cut it. Barack H Obama KNOWS how to win elections and any Democrat who wants to be president had better watch, listen, and learn.
Now, now, AP News……I <3 the Pope……however, POTUS has been leader of The Free World for over 6 yrs and has been working on these issues long before His Holiness became The Pope.
Undermining Pres Obama, yet again? Failed!
PBO HAS BEEN WORKING ALL ISSUES OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE SINCE HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE!
The conversation ends the moment you challenge the chickenhawk warmongers to offer their plan …..
Good job zizii :-)
Reading our accomplishments from 2008 till now - made me swell up with pride. And yes, I’m tappin my foot too
Just because of this Post………
Absolutely, Nena!!!!!
BTW as of 1215 PDT the DOW is up 613.75 …..
Finally.
The Dow should be Up for Internal US Econ is Sound.
Finally!
Thanks Doc…..now, I can check Marketwatch today. After yesterday’s late sell off, I have had some blinders on……too Jittery, I guess.
Closes at 619.07 - NASDAQ & S&P both up, as well. Techs led. Avg Vol for the day on the DOW is 103.7M; today’s Vol, 207.9M :)
I WOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS ABOUT THIS………………………..
Looking for a Trump free zone…not sure I can find it anywhere. I might just have to tune out of politics for a few months as I CANNOT take reading about him or seeing his ugly face.
I hear you. It’s too much toxic waste to consume. I feel sick just thinking about him.
I’m looking for the same thing. I think you will have to go with an international news outlet. BBC seems to have very little trump news
THIS IS MY GUY, RIGHT HERE:
Jumpin Up…saying AMEN
A little dance diversion for your afternoon, evening ….
Note that she was only 17 when she did this performance 2 yr ago :)
This is beautiful. And apparently they are dating in real life. Thanks Bob for posting!
My pleasure, hf2!!
Beautiful!
Thank you, Doc ;)
Very special!!
Wow, way to go, Sixth Circuit!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/08/26/1415769/-Sixth-Circuit-Denies-Stay-While-Appealing-of-Ruling-Requiring-KY-Clerk-To-Issue-Marriage-Licenses#
LL’s new post
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/08/26/they-thought-they-could-control-them/
Walmart says it will stop selling AR-15s and other sporting rifles, a spokesman confirmed to The Huffington Post on Wednesday.
The chain won’t stock modern sports rifles such as the AR-15, nor semi-automatic shotguns. The price of remaining inventory will be reduced, Walmart rep Kory Lundberg told HuffPost. BearingArms.com first reported the change Tuesday.
The company will continue to sell shotguns and other “hunting weapons,” Lundberg said. “We’re focusing on firearms more associated with hunters and sportsmen.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/walmart-quits-selling-ar-15s_55ddfa86e4b04ae4970567b5?utm_hp_ref=politics&ir=Politics§ion=politics&kvcommref=mostpopular
This is fantastic, Zizi - THANK you!!!!
Good afternoon TODville. My husband and I had breakfast here in Balboa and listened to 4 white haired ladies talk politics. Didn’t like Trump but would vote for him if he was the nominee. Mad at Democrats for not allowing the Republic takeover. We just don’t love our country. Don had to get me out of there before I said something. Now onto the Beach.
I’ve been afraid of this for a long time: they vote for the team, and the Dems are the opposition. They will cling to a few things that Trump says to convince themselves that it “won’t be so bad”. I’ve never seen this country like this. I’ve never been so terrified.