Democratic governors said on Sunday they worry about US President Barack Obama’s track record on fighting Republican political attacks and urged him to better connect with anxious voters. Some allies pleaded for a new election-year strategy focused on the economy.
“It’s got to be better thought out,” Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell said. “It’s got to be more proactive.”
And, he said, Democrats must hit back just as hard as they are hit by Republicans.
Eight months before the first midterm elections of Obama’s presidency, most Americans are frustrated with — even angered by — persistent unemployment and gridlock in Washington. Democrats fear voters will punish the party in power.
The titular head of his party, Obama has watched his own popularity drop over the past year. He will bear at least some responsibility for the outcome in November, and Democrats are looking to him for political fixes.
In interviews at the National Governors Association’s weekend meeting, several Democratic governors faulted the White House for losing the communications war against Republicans over what Obama has accomplished in his first year.
“We fought back only sporadically and pretty ineffectively,” Rendell said, adding that “right out of the box, we lost the spin war” on the US$787 billion economic stimulus bill passed last year.
Several Democratic colleagues agreed and lamented that voters thought Obama focused too much on overhauling the US health care system. Others fretted that Obama may appear to be out of touch with the concerns of Americans.
“I think he’s got more work to do on that,” said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, an Obama friend and ally.
Even as they raised concerns, Democratic governors said the White House has started turning things around.
“The stars are aligning,” Delaware Governor Jack Markell said.
Governor Mike Beebe of Arkansas urged Obama to focus more on the economy and limit his actions on the health care system to changes that would bring down the cost of medical treatment in the US.
He called Obama’s poll numbers “terrible” in Arkansas because voters don’t think he’s focused on their top priority, the economy.
“People are unhappy,” he said. “Now, in fairness, he didn’t create this problem, but they want to see him fix it.”
While praising the White House’s communication’s efforts, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson offered this advice to Obama: “Rapidly decide what we’re doing on health care and then move to jobs and the economy.”
“We need a national economic strategy,” he said.
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