A spot on analysis of the President from Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post. This echoes a number of things that we've written about, and that I've heard from others. I'm going to trying to excerpt a little, but you really should just read the entire piece. It's not that long, and is quite good.
For example, this is something I've felt from the time of the campaign, and have heard a number of times, from foreign diplomats to people who would be on a short list for cabinet secretary:
At the heart of that ill will is a belief that Obama has been a fair-weather friend to congressional Democrats (and most of the party’s elected officials), using them when necessary (like now) and ignoring them the rest of the time.I've often said that the Obama campaign, and now administration (other than a few people we like who are different), remind me of that "friend" who only calls when they need something. The rest of the time, to mix metaphors, they walk by you in the high school hallway as if they don't even know you, or at best look down on you with disdain ("professional left," "Internet left fringe," and "f'g r-tards" comes to mind).
And look at the various core Democratic constituencies. Which ones don't now feel slighted? Maybe the black community, though as recent polls have shown his numbers are dropping there. And maybe the gays - and that's a maybe - and that's only because we acted up so loudly that the President had no choice but to keep some of his promises, which brought a lot of gays back into the fold.
We've also heard this a lot:
The lesson Obama and his campaign team learned? That courting the establishment was of marginal value since they were the sort of bend-like-a-reed-in-wind sorts that would be with him if he won big policy fights anyway.Team Obama likes to remind people that they won the election in 2008 when no one believed they could, so it's proof that nobody's opinion - and really, I mean no-body - matters except theirs.
And now, as Cillizza points out, the President is stuck with the unenviable task of convincing people, who no longer like him, to like him all over again.
Once you're disillusioned with someone, it's awfully hard to change your mind unless you're 100% convinced that they've changed at a basic level. And can anyone really say that about the President - that his actions the last month, in finally standing up to the Republicans and in defense of Democratic values, laudable as they are, are a sign of fundamental change in who the President is, rather than a temporary tactical detour simply to win re-election?
Once he starts his second term, I fear we're all back to where started - invisible. And while no one wants a Romney presidency, looking forward to four more years of disdain and disrespect is hardly a great motivator.
