In a blunt election prescription for his own skittish party, US President Barack Obama on Wednesday implored Democratic leaders to swing big, be honest with an angry American public and expose Republican obstructionism all they can.
“We still have to lead,” Obama told Democratic senators in a pep talk that unfolded on live TV.
That line alone revealed how much the political dynamic has changed in just two weeks, as Senate Democrats were stunned to see their voting numbers slip from 60 to 59 in a special Massachusetts election to replace the late Edward Kennedy. That one vote cost them the muscle to overcome Republican stalling tactics, forcing the president to adapt in hopes of salvaging this year and his agenda.
His advice: Get results, and this November’s elections will work out fine.
The Democrats’ loss of the seat in Massachusetts dealt a severe blow to Obama and the party, forcing them to scale back some of their legislative objectives, such as remaking the US healthcare system. Democrats now want to focus on getting jobs for Americans and other economic issues that resonate with voters in an attempt to avoid big losses and possibly control of Congress in November polls.
Let policy be our politics, Obama told the senators, and make sure everyone knows about petty acts by the opposition.
Obama’s mission is to stiffen the resolve of his own party as he pursues an agenda that is consistent — creating jobs, overhauling health insurance, regulating Wall Street — yet is also cast in more personal, real-life terms.
Obama said lawmakers should do more business in the public eye; tell voters honestly that some problems will take a long time to solve; stop listening to cable TV shows that obsess about Washington’s politics; make a case for healthcare reform without getting bogged down by insider details; and call out Republicans when gamesmanship holds up votes.
The president said he was still confident the public would re-elect leaders who do the right thing and explain it well.
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