- With friends like this, who needs enemies?
You have to pity Democratic candidates running for Congress this Fall. It's not because the GOP has a stellar lineup, but President Obama, as head of the Democratic party, seems to be going out of his way to trash his own party. We haven't seen anything remotely like this since Jimmy Carter bungled the Iranian hostage crisis in the late 1970's which cost him his presidency and marked the rise of congressional Republicans. Similarly, Obama's incompetence as leader of his party is showing and the Democrats are beginning to bristle.
Between the scandals, his bungling of foreign affairs ("leading from behind"), Obamacare, the terrorist exchange, and his War on Energy, he is making it difficult for Democrats to challenge Republicans in the Fall. Even with well rehearsed talking points, Democrats are finding the mood of the country has significantly moved away from the policies as established by the president. This is causing party loyalists such as Diane Feinstein, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to recently lash out against the President over the Taliban 5/Bergdahl exchange which required Congressional approval, "So, it comes with some surprise and dismay that the transfers went ahead with no consultation, totally not following the law."
Democratic politicians are distancing themselves from the president. In the Kentucky Senate race, Democratic candidate Alison Grimes released a 60 second radio ad criticizing President Obama over his recent EPA announcement by warning him, "Mr. President, you'll be hearing it a lot more when I'm in the senate."
Obama's so-called "War on Energy" will cost Democrats dearly particularly in coal states like Kentucky. Unions, who have traditionally backed Democrats, also feel seduced and abandoned by the president. Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America also blasted the president's EPA proposal, "The proposed rule ... will lead to long-term and irreversible job losses for thousands of coal miners, electrical workers, utility workers, boilermakers, railroad workers and others without achieving any significant reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions."
In prior years, Democrats would follow the party line blindly and not openly challenge the president. This is not so anymore, leaving only Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi as Obama's only remaining cheerleaders. However, if Obama makes any more significant snafus between now and November's elections, even they may turn their backs on him as they are both up for re-election.
The president gives the distinct impression he is not in touch with the realities of the world, certainly not as the chief executive of the United States. Instead, he seems more interested in talking about football concussions on such television shows as "Live! with Kelly and Michael" or discussing global warming at West Point's commencement ceremonies, an awkward topic for the venue and day.
Everything he touches seems to turn to dust on him. The Taliban 5/Bergdahl exchange, which he hoped would show him as a compassionate commander-in-chief turned into a publicity disaster when the public found out about Bergdahl's background and who he was exchanged for. He hoped the EPA announcement over lowering coal emissions, would be greeted with enthusiasm by the country. Instead, it backfired on him. And when the White House accidentally revealed the identity of the CIA station chief in Iraq, even his friends in the press corps started whispering about his competency as leader. It's as if he is acting on impulse for publicity purposes as opposed to considering anything of substance.
In other words, Obama is not acting very presidential and by doing so, he is losing the confidence and respect of his own party. As such, he will be persona non grata in just about every important congressional race in the fall where his endorsement will be considered more as a liability than an asset.
Democrat politicians and strategists have to be shaking their heads. Unless something radical changes in the next few months, Obama will find himself on the outside looking in. Should the GOP pick up the Senate, Obama will be very much alone in the capitol. True, he will still have some veto power, but he will be a lame duck president and, for all intents and purposes, his administration will be at an end.
The president's comparison to Carter is uncanny. Whereas Carter's downfall was energy and Iran, Obama's is a string of decisions and actions causing the public, and his party, to question his competency. Like Carter, Obama's supporters have already begun to distance themselves from the president. The acid test though will be how Hillary Clinton supports or refutes the president's actions in her bid for president. If she distances herself, it will be tantamount to certifying Obama's lame duck status.
Democrats pinned a lot of hopes and dreams on Obama, but now they have trouble grasping exactly what he is doing, and why. There are now cracks in Obama's foundation, cracks he caused himself. Sadly, Americans no longer believe it is a matter of, "Change we can believe in."
Keep the Faith!
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 30 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb001@phmainstreet.com
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