With poll numbers falling for both Obama and Congress after a nasty political fight over raising the country's borrowing limit and spending cuts, Americans are in a bad humor...I'm going to say he's not avoiding Wisconsin. First, he combined the same 3 states in a trip last year. Second, his trip relates to the GOP candidates for President, which makes Iowa obvious and Minnesota semi-obvious, with 2 Minnesota candidates in the race at the time the trip was planned. And Illinois is his home state. Third, there are 2 recall elections in Wisconsin tomorrow, and I think it's good etiquette not to step into the middle of that. And it might not even help. I remember when he came to Madison in September 2010 and promoted Russ Feingold. Now, Obama has been criticized for not personally participating in the Wisconsin protests. From last March:
The president will get a chance to absorb the public's anger and do his best to give optimistic answers as he motors between town hall stops.
In Iowa, Republican candidates for president just squared off for a high-stakes debate and straw poll. The president will also visit Illinois as part of his bus tour, his first since the 2008 campaign.
Obama was unlikely to engage any of his potential Republican rivals by name, aides said, but he's already indicated plans to draw sharp contrasts between his ideas on the economy and the Republican approach, which the president recently dismissed to little more than slashing spending on vital programs like education and Medicare, the program that provides health care for the poor....
The bus tour itinerary takes Obama through three states he won in 2008 but where he now needs to shore up his standing....
Obama made a similar outing last year, traveling the Midwest in a two-day, three-state tour in April 2010 that took him to Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. There was no bus, but the president's motorcade made hours-long drives through rural areas, passing school children waving American flags and seniors sitting on lawn chairs.
President Obama has no current plans to visit Wisconsin despite pledging as a presidential candidate to “walk on that picket line” should workers be denied bargaining rights.He's kept his distance from the Wisconsin protest crowd. So maybe he is specifically avoiding us on this midwest bus tour, but I think the focus on the presidential campaign and the mirror-image trip last fall explain the omission. Still, I can certainly see why he doesn't want to entangle himself in the Wisconsin mess. Scott Walker is not his current opponent, his connections to the public unions is best played down, and there's too much extremism and anger around here.
Still, at some point, he's going to need us.
ADDED: John Nichols criticizes Obama from the left for his failure to come to Wisconsin.
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52 comments:
Avoiding the Union Label, eh!
Last I heard, Madison is not the center of the universe.
Learn to share, cheeseheads.
Still, at some point, he's going to need us.
How symbiotic. Is there are antidote?
___________
wv = coodden: verb to make equally odd or strange. From "co" + "odden."
He's afraid to encounter Meade's video interview team.
Without his media monopoly, Obama becomes like Superman around krytonite.
So far the only candidate to show their face in Bleeding Wisconsin this year was the gutsy one.
Still, at some point, he's going to need us.
And you will be right there to help, ;) {sorry, could not resist}.
Robert beat me to it.
Wisconsin is just a dinky little nothing state out west of NJ somewhere, isn't it?
Didn't they used to have football team or something?
Headline at foxnews.com: "Obama on Mission to Save His Job."
Maybe he's avoiding Madison because the lefties are angry that he "compromised" with the right and "moved to the center."
At least that's what I am hearing.
It is disappointing to see Obama appear only in friendly venues. It makes him appear more of a politician and less presidential. And it doesn't say much for him that he apparently lacks to stomach to deal with audiences that are not carefully screeened.
One reason Obama is not coming here:
Walker's successes versus his failures.
He's staying out of it, because he should. It's good manners. Like Bush did in the Gray Davis recall (I am assuming here, but I don't remember him involving himself in any way). Also, the Packers came to see him so what's the point?
President Obama has no current plans to visit Wisconsin despite pledging as a presidential candidate to “walk on that picket line” should workers be denied bargaining rights.
I had forgotten all about that quote. Just another stick for the faggot of expiration date truths this President has uttered.
Actually Ann, Obama would reword your final line to read, "Still at some point you (Wisconsin) are going to need Obama."
Remember it is all about him.
Tank....Wisconsin did have a football team one time, but they all left for the NFL.
Tolzein played QB very well for San Diego this weekend. He wants another shot at winning a game on the West Coast.
And it doesn't say much for him that he apparently lacks to stomach to deal with audiences that are not carefully screened.
Always annoying, but hardly surprising. In the age of ubiquitous video cameras, what he's actually saying is "I'm in dip kimchi on this re-election and I refuse to give my opponents free attack ad fodder".
"Still, at some point, he's going to need us.
Don't worry. Nearly 95% of those who voted for him in '08 will do so in '12; we know as much about Obama now as we did then, and too many people are unable to learn obvious lessons.
Hey, his people already dropped $30M in Wisconsin. I, for one, am grateful for the boost in the state economy. He doesn't need to do any more.
... Medicare, the program that provides health care for the poor....
Medicare provides for the elderly. Medicaid provides for the poor. If they can't even bother to get the most basic, easily fact-checked stuff correct...
Obama's bus will have to crack the windows to let out the cigarette smoke.
Michelle drives him nuts with the health food menus.
And then there is Bachmann.
They will have to stop the bus at a 7-11 for the deal on Marlboros.
I guess he likes the golf courses in Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois better.
Fore!
"Didn't they used to have football team or something?"
According to Trooper, NJ's football team isn't really theirs. It's on loan from New York.
Hey, we got two teams, and our NJ JETS are going to win it all this year.
If Plax doesn't shoot someone.
Althouse en fuego!
Wisconsin is just a dinky little nothing state out west of NJ somewhere, isn't it?
Isn't New Jersey just a dinky little nothing state out west of Paris and London?
"If Plax doesn't shoot someone."
Or himself.
"If Plax doesn't shoot someone."
Or himself.
I saw the new "A-Team" when it was in the theaters (guilty popcorn pleasure...don't judge) and recently saw it on HBO. I'd forgotten how hilarious the scene where the "agent" trying to handle a loaded pistol and attach a silencer was.
Is he avoiding us?
Oh, I hope so.
When the trip was scheduled, there was no way that a trip to Wisconsin would be helpful to Obama. If he visited before the recall elections, and the Democrats were to then lose one or both seats, it would reflect poorly on him (not fair, but that's how it works). If he scheduled a visit for after the recall elections, and the Dems were to lose one or both seats, he be drawn into responding to the election results.
He might make a surprise appearance if both Democrats survive.
Democrats were to then lose one or both seats, it would reflect poorly on him (not fair, but that's how it works).
It is fair. Any idea how many businesses he's visited have subsequently gone tits up? He was at a battery plant recently. I'm watching to see how those guys do in the next couple months.
From the NYT:
Republicans contend that the Obama administration has mismanaged the nation’s recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. Mr. Obama’s political advisers are struggling to define a response, aware that their prospects may rest on persuading voters that the results of the first term matter less than the contrast between their vision for the next four years and the alternative economic ideas offered by Republicans.
In other words, he has no economic plan now that spend, spend, spend, has blown up in his face.
Reassuring, isn't it?
(The Uncredentialed, Crypto Jew)
President Obama intends to take a Hi-Speed Rail tour of your state, Althouse.
He can't go to Wisconsin because he has no story to tell Wisconsin. Scott Walker's budget is doing what Obama has been unable to do for the country.
And imagine the Presidential bus pulling into town to be greeted by a bunch of fist t-shirt wearing, red balloon clutching, Jesus-spouting goof balls. Who wants that on the evening news?
I'd say "the Obama re-election campaign has begun in earnest" but then,
has it ever stopped?
He has to come to Illinois to shore up support. Hmmm!
What did his internal polls tell him? 29%?
Who is paying for this "bus trip?"
Still, at some point, he's going to need us.
As opposed to us needing HIM.
When is Obama going to ever go to work? Do his job? Quit the everlasting campaign?
He has become the tiresome, bragadocious, bore at the cocktail party who tries to monopolize the conversation and who says nothing of interest to anyone.
As we all try to quietly fade away from his obnoxious presence to get some snacks or another drink, he....just...keeps....talking. (Geeze.....please don't invite this asshole to the party next year!)
Tim said...
Don't worry. Nearly 95% of those who voted for him in '08 will do so in '12; we know as much about Obama now as we did then, and too many people are unable to learn obvious lessons."
Dream on. He's lost the middle.
He's afraid Ann will ask him, "What are you going to do about those union people who keep trying to deny me my right of free speech?".
Uh, uh, hope, uh, change, uh, corporate jets, uh....
PS I thought he was going to stand shoulder to shoulder with his union brothers. You'd think WI would be his first stop.
At some point, he's going to need us.
No, you're such saps, he's done with you.
The President of the United States should not do bus tours.
Harry Truman did a whistle stop tour.
But that's completely different.
Harry Truman did a whistle stop tour.
But that's completely different.
Yes it is.
The ability of people to actually see the President in those days was very limited. Television access was limited by the number of stations and the fact that very few people owned televisions. To watch a show or Presidential address, you needed to go to a public place or have a friend who was fortunate enough to own a set.
No internet. Radio was the primary source of audio. Newspapers were the main source of 'news' (edited by the papers) and the news was weeks or months old by the time it was printed and disseminated.
Today.....the President is freaking everywhere. There is no shortage of communication opportunities or campaign messages he can bombard us with.
Besides..... doesn't he have a job he should be doing?
I had the sarc tag on, DBQ.
Obamas "Magical Misery Tour"....
Rolling to only successful, prosperous towns aboard "Greyhound One".
Get your signs ready and yer ya-ya's out!
ps- hey, I thought that Palins bus tour was stupid, not anymore!
Now it's presidential, you betcha'!
Harry also took his constitutionals walking around Washington, D.C. by himself when the weather was nice.
It was a different time.
And even his whistlestop tour, he did that to wind up the finale of his campaign, he did not do it a year ahead of time.
The other day I saw this president on "Mythbusters." What is he going to do when it comes time to campaign?
He's visiting MN and IL because they are still governed by Dems, right? And BTW are still in the economic doldrums and sinking fast. He can rail on the Repubs and promise them free government cheese from WI.
Iowa can perhaps turn out a good union crowd?
This trip will be compared to Palin's and it won't be pretty.
The roads his motorcade travels on will be shut down for the day.
And the cross- and side-roads.
How are the crowds going to get there?
This is just stupid.
I'm listening to him now in Cannon Falls, MN. Clearly he is running against Congress. Everything is the fault of those bickering congress critters. The only way I can tolerate listening to this guy is to recognize that it is always Opposite Day with Obama. Honestly, I keep hoping he gets the same sort of response Wasserman Shultz got in Iowa yesterday. Not much hope. He only speaks before hand picked audiences, doesn't he.
I saw the new "A-Team" when it was in the theaters (guilty popcorn pleasure...don't judge) and recently saw it on HBO. I'd forgotten how hilarious the scene where the "agent" trying to handle a loaded pistol and attach a silencer was.
I saw it in the theaters as well (and enjoyed it much more than the “Hangover” movies) but I was more amused at trying to “fly” a tank by firing the cannon while it dropped to the ground.
Robert said...
Last I heard, Madison is not the center of the universe.
Learn to share, cheeseheads.
Share? Oh, no - you can have him. Take the whole thing.
Really.
Given Barry's anti-Midas, Schleprockian touch, I'd applaud and encourage his wide berth around my state lines.
wv: Bucker: what you get when an Ohio State alum and U of Wisc alum mate.
Curious George said...
"Dream on. He's lost the middle."
I sincerely hope you are right, and I applaud your optimism in the inate intelligence of the voters, but I fear that those dumb enough to vote for this tool in '08 aren't smart enough to learn to do better in '12.
The Fiscal Irresponsibility Road Tour '11 would look out of place in Wisconsin, especially when reporters begin asking Obama "Hey, whaddabout Walker's plan?"
He'd have to answer somehow.
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