This really isn’t what President Obama had in mind to celebrate one year in office today, but if he’s searching for answers why Scott Brown won last night, he can find it in front of him when he’s shaving this morning.
“Are you bummed out and writing an angry political blog?” I didn’t read this text message until I awoke to a replay of Scott Brow’s victory speech around 4:30AM. No, my dear, I’m not angry.
In my heart, I knew this thing was over last week when that Suffolk poll came out, and I wrote about my own discontent with the timid stance of my President toward the banks who own us. I believe that’s the main issue here. According to an election day Rasmussen poll, approximately 20% of Democrats voted for Brown. They provided the margin of victory and their votes were not a referendum on health care, they were an expression of frustration that their President and his Democratic majority in Congress have not fought for them.
Most importantly though, Senator-Elect Brown won a majority of middle class voters. In my own very middle-class Fitchburg-Leominster area, the numbers were a crushing 59%/40% and 63%/36% respectively in favor of the winner. Those disaffected voters, in my opinion, would benefit from health care reform, but always seem to get screwed no matter what party is in power. They’ve had enough.
The Obama White House and national Democratic squawks are blaming the Coakley campaign and their candidate. She was weak and ran like she was entitled to the seat, but is there any doubt who would be the winner this morning if the “other” Joe Kennedy had run?
Firing back at their national critics, Coakley pollster Celinda Lake contends their campaign was “hampered by the failure of the White House and Congress to confront Wall Street.” I agree.
Ms Lake continued, “If Scott Brown wins tonight he’ll win because he became the change-oriented candidate. Voters are still voting for the change they voted for in 2008, but they want to see it. And right now they think they’ve got economic policies for Washington that are delivering more for banks than Main Street.”
I hope my president stops the bleeding of this little nick by leading and actually delivering the change he promised. If he doesn’t, the blue blood will really run in November.
This "little nick" is a bit bigger than just that. I agree that this loss for the Dems was not necessarily a referendum on Healthcare…most people agree we need an overhaul of Healthcare in this country…but it is hard to worry about the guy down the street not having healthcare insurance when you don't have a job, or are going to work every day worrying that yours is about to be eliminated, or your unemployment benefits are about to run out…or your kid's dream of college has just been blown up into a million pieces…this loss was a reaction to the systemic failure of both parties to do anything that matters to us right now…if Obama is the man you believe him to be, he will see this not as a slap-down, but as a challenge to do the things the people need him to do…right now.
"Voters are still voting for the change they voted for in 2008"
Right ON !