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Jim Messina at Obama campaign headquarters in Chicago
For much of the year, millions of voters received frequent emails from Obama for America, invariably about one aspect of the campaign or the other. Nearly all of the messages involved fundraising, organizing, or some form of election-related activism.
With this in mind, it came as something of a surprise last week when Obama for America sent out a new, post-election message last week, which read, "Thanks to your feedback, we're taking immediate action on one of your suggestions: keeping you informed about how the President is fighting for you so you can continue to talk to your friends, family, and neighbors." The topic: ongoing talks about the nation's fiscal future, and President Obama's "concrete plan to reduce the deficit so we can grow the economy."
Jim Messina, the president's campaign manager, told reporters last week, OFA intends to do far more activism along these lines. "People just spent five years winning two elections together," he said. "They're not now just going to walk away."
The New York Times reports today on Team Obama's "second chance to keep his election-year supporters animated."
With lawmakers scheduled to return to work on Monday to begin intense discussions before a looming fiscal deadline, Mr. Obama's aides are trying to harness the passions that returned him to the White House, hoping to pressure Republicans in Congress to accept tax increases on the wealthy. The president's strategists are turning first to the millions of e-mail addresses assembled by the campaign and the White House.
Already, supporters are being asked to record YouTube videos of themselves talking about the importance of raising taxes on the rich. Aides said those videos would be shared on Facebook and Twitter and would be forwarded to centrist Democrats, as well as to mainstream Republicans, who they hope will break with their Tea Party colleagues. [...]
The president is planning rallies in influential states to remind supporters of the need to keep the pressure on lawmakers during the fiscal talks. And should negotiations break down, Mr. Obama's team is arranging for Republican lawmakers to hear from of tens of thousands of riled-up activists through angry Twitter posts, e-mails and Facebook messages.
There was a fair amount of criticism in 2009 and 2010 about Obama's team missing an opportunity. They'd created a small army of backers in 2008, but after the inauguration, the legions weren't asked to do much in the way of staying engaged and changing the political landscape.
It appears the president's team now intends to correct this mistake. The next question, though, is whether it's likely to work.
As far as the White House is concerned, the debt-ceiling crisis in 2011 offered valuable lessons. Obama stayed in Washington, met repeatedly with congressional leaders, and made every effort to reach some kind of credible agreement with Republican lawmakers who were threatening to crash the American economy on purpose unless their demands were met.
A deal was eventually struck, but not before the crisis itself took a severe toll on the economy, policymakers' political standing, and the public's tolerance for gamesmanship.
Now, Obama wants to apply the lessons. The president argued behind closed doors in 2011, so he'll take his arguments public in 2012. He stayed in D.C. in 2011, so he'll hit the road in 2012. Obama tried to navigate the political landscape in 2011, so he'll try to change what's possible in 2012 by taking advantage of his activist base.
What's less clear is whether he'll succeed. It's one thing to hit the campaign trail in support of votes, or even hold public rallies in support of an initiative like health care reform, but going on the road to get people excited about slightly higher marginal tax rates on income above $250,000 is a little trickier.
For that matter, it's not altogether clear whether Republicans will care. GOP lawmakers have routinely rejected proposals with overwhelming public support in recent years, and don't much seem to care about a potential backlash. That's especially true now -- they know the next election cycle is 24 months from now, and the electorate will have long since forgotten about this debate by the time the midterms roll around.
Still, whether it's effective in this particular fight or not, Obama re-engaging his campaign base is a dynamic worth watching, not just during fiscal talks, but in the president's second term.
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We, Obama's campaign base, are far more Liberal than the President, and most of the Democrats in Congress - so, this can only be a good thing, in my opinion.
There's nothing wrong with keeping the pressure on the Democrats to keep their promises, and Republicans to start to morph back into a more rational party.
...and the electorate will have long since forgotten about this debate by the time the midterms roll around.
Still, whether it's effective in this particular fight or not, Obama re-engaging his campaign base is a dynamic worth watching, not just during fiscal talks, but in the president's second term.
A couple of thoughts: Maybe the electorate won't forget if they are kept engaged. And maybe the electorate won't forget if they win one!
Maybe Pres. Obama will negotiate stronger if he has a huge cheerleading section behind him. This would be somewhat different that in the past. During some of the negotiations during the last four years I'm sure Pres. Obama felt like he was going it alone, even though he felt certain he was doing the right thing.
I'm from Minnesota and I know that Michele Bachmann CAN be defeated if attention is kept on what she actually does, or doesn't do. She went silent for a large part of the campaign - I sure so that we would forget the absurd things she has said/done - and then surfaced right at the end, all smiles and looking pretty. If voters were constantly reminded of the ridiculous things and absurd positions she took it should be easy to defeat her.
We still haven't heard a peep out of her. Keep your iPhone handy Pauly. We all want to see the footage in mouth.
As an Obama supporter, I can say that I am probably farther to the left of my President, and while I will (& have) kept my lawmakers informed of how I feel and explained that I vote, I have friends & family that vote - frankly I think it's a good thing to remind Congress that they are there because WE the PEOPLE voted them into office. The President hitting the bully pull-pit can only be a good thing as it will inform the PEOPLE of who is really being obstructionists, and trust me - we will remember in 2 years when members of Congress come up for re-election - but they in Congress need to remember who brung'em to the dance!
I am in the Congressional district represented by the rightest of the right--Doug Lamborn. I found a way to access his voting record, and it is my intention to ask him to justify his votes in terms of the well-being of his constituency and the country as a whole. If we all did that....
We need the President to unite the country...most of us are visual learners and have hectic lives that don't leave us time or emotional energy to read through paragraphs of conversational discussion.
The President needs to recognize the impact the TRMS through its succinct, factual summaries and outstanding visuals.
A picture is worth more than a thousand words....it is the easiest, clearest factual way to promote understanding of the reasons for the deficit so that we have support among the people with busy lives for making the changes the President is trying to effect.
You have to bring the people along with you, not just the Congress; use visuals. Please. Otherwise, even a win in Congress leaves a confused, unenlightened population stirring in anxiety, vulnerable to the next small-minded attack of the Right and the Rich.
Patricia, you make a very good point. I have found that in talking with people about, for example, the Affordable Healthcare Act, they really don't understand it or its relevance to them. Ever tried reading it? I remember that Rachel once presented an excellent summary of the Act, describing the benefits and when each would kick-in. People are looking for an easy-to-understand summary of Obama's agenda issues.
Even if someone on Obama's staff prepared such a set of charts, how would they get the word out? Let's face reality...as wonderful and inspiring TRMS is, there are millions of people who leave Faux News running on their TVs from morning til night. Perhaps if Obama held a press conference and formally announced the charts and where to find them on the web, Faux News would have to cover the story...at least I would think so!
A novel graphic from Hill and Wang. Health Care Reform What it is, Why it's necessary, How it Works. Authors: Jonathan Grueber with HP Newquist Illustrated by Nathan Schreiber
It's written like a comic book. Its a good place to start.
Patricia, I find the whitehouse dot gov website has simple explanations and some clear graphics. Here's a page explaining the middle class tax cuts:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/taxes/tax-cuts
Instead of Fireside Chats, we can have Fireside Charts. Ha!
they should use OFA to get the word out about Obamacare and all those who could benefit from it.
My real concern is that while the Obama campaign raised money across the country, it really focused on it's 19 states. There are 31 states that are deep purple to very red where the Democratic party isn't very well organized. I am sure there are lots of donors in those red states crying out for an organization to help them win local and state offices, or to at least give rational Republicans someone to support. Obama's decision could go hand in glove with party building across the country. We just can't forget the red states. They are part of America too and a lot of great progressives live in those red states.
There is an interesting series running on History Channel- "The men who built America".
Populist William Jennings Bryan ran in 1896, and the titans of the time- John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, and J.P. Morgan- raised a lot of money and "bought" President McKinley.
At the same time Teddy Roosevelt was making a pest of himself in New York, so they put him on the ticket, since Vice Presidents always faded into obscurity.
Then came the unintended consequences of an assassination and a President Roosevelt, who made their lives miserable with his Trust Busting.
Obama should take note that T.R. began his war on the plutocrats with a whistle stop tour of the nation, and a direct appeal to the People.
I would like to see the Obama machine turned on Tea Party Republicans, such as ( gasp!) Mitch McConnell or Michelle Bachmann, ( you name the radical), and the local State Legislatures where Repubs control the process. Gerry-mandering and voter suppression must be stopped, and the Dems have to have a seat at the table.
Can you imagine the contest in Kentucky with Ashley Judd vs. McConnell, with the Obama machine technical advantage? She might have a chance.
This can be useful when, hopefully, Obama turns to issues like global warming. But...., Everybody should use this to not only pressure Republicans, but to pressure Obama. Let him know that under no circumstances are you willing to keep standing up for him if he caves to the current demands by Republicans that he negotiate from the position of President Romney. This is what Republicans are doing: saying they'll accept new revenue (but not in the form of tax increases) as long as he accepts entitlement cuts/reform.
You can get signed up and learn by poking around here:
http://www.barackobama.com/
This can only be good. Let's get the people ENGAGED! We, in Washington State, did not abandon OFA (but we used the principles of Democracy for America) and re-elected a DEM Senator in 2010 when everyone said we couldn't. This is what we need to do all over the country. If Grover Norquist can hold the GOP responsible to his pledge, then WE THE PEOPLE should be able to hold legislators to their promises. FORWARD!
Great idea. Dems need to get out the vote in the midterm. Also, look to state and local elections to get more Dems on board there.
I am very sad that NC went red. Now we have Repubs as Gov and legislature. Don't know the stats but I am sure Raleigh went for Obama.
Here's an idea, Obama For America: Try to get some Democrats elected to Congress, and to the statehouses. Then Obama might get some of his agenda passed.
The real work of the Obama administration these next four years is to implement the details of the ObamaCare making the law part of our national fabric...sort of like Medicare. Also, it is so important to pass a true comprehensive immigration reform law to address the 12-20 million Latino's here without papers. I also have preferences on DADT, Global Warming and green energy and on putting teeth into the financial reform laws...so just a little to do...Oh, and expand the party machine into red states!
I do hope our President will use the word "No" when dealing with the Republicans in the coming weeks (and months). There is no "cliff", only a dip in the road, so let us not be in panic mode about this.
What is the right thing to do should not be determined by the Republicans. I'm not sure they deserve any quarter. Maybe a nickel . . .
We The People need to continue the FORWARD momentum and stay engaged. Don't go back to sleep! Slow and steady wins the race. We just have to stay in it.
I agree, we need to stay engaged. I made a contribution to the Reelection Fund and I voted. Now, I've received my Obama Victory Fund letter, including a Delivery Confirmation Form which asks if and when I received the letter and photo plus a request for more money. After I sent in my Reelection contribution, I received a number of requests for more money and now this. Maybe I'll just wait for my tax return so I can check the contribution box; they still do that right. Right now, I need to go write the check for my mortgage payment.
Remember how everyone called , emailed, and wrote letters about SOPA & PIPA. We got that stopped at least temporarily. Yes massive contact of our reps, and senators can make things change. I contacted the White House after the election about this very issue. Getting people to contact the Congress. It seems I wasn't the only one. We the People MUST STAY INVOLVED!
The ongoing campaign is not only worth watching, it's worth staying involved with the historic change that is happening now.
A change to what?
It will work.
Working, so not a lot of time to respond, but felt it was important to add in a little something. Along with e-mailing your representatives it's also important that we e-mail mainstream media outlets giving praise when they represent the facts and delivering criticism when they don't. One glaring example of a failure within mainstream media which needs to be immediately pointed out until they start representing us, is the ridiculous idea that closing loopholes is somehow Republicans compromising. I'm sick and tired of all these headlines, “Republicans willing to compromise on taxes.” How is it a compromise if this is the position the Republican Party had during the election? It isn't!
I voted for raising revenues by increasing tax rates on those who can afford it not by closing loopholes. I didn't just vote for this because it's the only way the math adds up. I voted for this because I know if we raise revenues by only closing loopholes the wealthiest will find another way around not having to do their fair share and the rest of us will have to sacrifice even more in order to pay for their share. Raising the top marginal tax rate is the only way to guarantee the 1% joins the 99%, so everyone is doing their part to strengthen this country's recovery. The more we write mainstream media outlets to let them know not representing us hurts their viewership, the more they will consider the facts. And if they actually adjust their coverage this will increase pressure on Republicans and red state Democrats to follow the will of the people and raise tax rates on those who can afford it, and any other issues we raise.
President Obama's campaign organization is not called "Obama For America", it is called "Organzing For America". Please correct.
Thanks to several who offered sites/sources for visual explanations of issues.....I am a follower of info via the internet, but most Americans just see the usual daily news sources...I'd like the President to hold news conferences with charts and graphs introduced....that way, they get seen and reshown on local news programs and get to the people through familiar means. Major billboard sites across the country may effectively reach the general public, busy as life is. Getting the visual info out there where it can't be missed is what I'm dreaming of.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhsWzJo2sN4
Shouldn't our politicians spend their time implementing policy that facilitates job creation and economic growth instead of campaigning?