President Barack Obama and his predescessor George W. Bush are living proof that it’s a mistake for a presidential candidate to pose as a candidate for sainthood. In the case of both Obama and Bush, the electorate was doomed to suffer an almost immediate plunge into disillusionment.
On the campaign trail again, most recently in California, Obama takes pains to mention that he’s older and grayer this time around; I’ve not heard that he’s claiming to be any wiser.
But what must the left be thinking in the golden state these days? These are the folks who resisted the Kennedy magic in the Democratic primary in 08 then emanating from the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s endorsement of Obama.
When the Obama campaign attempted to steal the California women’s vote from Hillary Clinton by featuring appearances by Caroline Kennedy, Maria Shriver, and Oprah, the voters turned their backs, and Clinton took the state.
California went to Obama in the general election, but based on this article in the LA Times, the party faithful are not exactly swooning at the president’s feet in the warm up to 2012.
Seema Mehta writes:
President Obama begins a two-day swing through California on Wednesday that underscores the conflicting roles the state plays in presidential politics: Its strong Democratic bent means it will once again be written off by both sides during the 2012 general election, but the trove of supporters here will once again be mined to bolster Obama's efforts elsewhere.
"He doesn't have to campaign here to win," said Jack Pitney, a government professor at Claremont-McKenna College. "He does need to tap the deep resources of Democratic political money, and he needs to inspire volunteers."
Last time around, California donors gave $78 million to Obama's campaign. Tens of thousands of Californians volunteered, phoning voters and flooding crucial swing states such as New Mexico and Nevada.
But Obama faces obstacles that his historic candidacy didn't face four years ago, including a recalcitrant economy and a vein of disenchantment among some of his most passionate supporters.
"He doesn't have to campaign here to win," said Jack Pitney, a government professor at Claremont-McKenna College. "He does need to tap the deep resources of Democratic political money, and he needs to inspire volunteers."
Last time around, California donors gave $78 million to Obama's campaign. Tens of thousands of Californians volunteered, phoning voters and flooding crucial swing states such as New Mexico and Nevada.
But Obama faces obstacles that his historic candidacy didn't face four years ago, including a recalcitrant economy and a vein of disenchantment among some of his most passionate supporters.
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