One can say the handwriting is on the wall but in this case its more like a neon sign. The Democrats lost Anthony Weiner's seat to a Republican, a seat the Democrats have held since 1923. Even Ed Koch, the former Democratic mayor of New York endorsed the Republican.
Its justifiable payback for the continued spineless approach to politics practiced by Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and as the new chairperson of the DNC, you can add Debby Wasserman -Schultz to the growing list.
Too add to not only Democratic gutlessness, but to their arrogance, Weiner's constituents had made it clear they didnt want him to resign. Obama, Pelosi,Reid and Wasserman -Schutlz decided what his constituents wanted didnt matter and forced Weiner out. His constituents let them know what they thought of that.
And what was it really all about? Morality? Hardly. It was what passes for Democratic leadership whining that they couldnt get their message across because of all the press attention being paid to Weiner. The Democrats cant get their message across? This is new? This is Weiner's fault? The Democrats do not and have not had a single strategist worth 2 cents nor anyone associated with the Democratic party who knows how to even formulate a message much less get it across. If the Democrats succeed at anything politically its always because Republicans find a way to lose, are incompetent, or overplay their hand, not a result of Democratic strategy or knowing how to get a message across. Which is made even worse because Democrats are usually right on policy but short on the backbone to see it through.
Weiner was more valuable to the Democrats than Pelosi, Reid and Obama combined because he was honest, stood for the right things, was a fighter, and took nothing from the Republicans. Or from Obama and what has been passing for Democratic leadership the last 3 years either for that matter. He stood up where Obama, Reid and Pelosi sat down.
They threw a valuable member of their caucus under the bus over a harmless mistake involving Weiner accidentally making public a racy photo of himself intended only for the eyes of one person he had known for some time and Republican strategists knowing the press would whoop it up and Democrats would cower in a corner. Yes Weiner was married so yes there were issues but those issues should have remained between Weiner and his wife. Instead showing the kind of political cowardice that has marked the 3 years of Obama's administration and the caving in by Pelosi and Reid, they were quick to throw Weiner over the side instead of chastising the media for making an issue of something so trivial.
They could have said the issue is between Weiner and his wife and we wish them well in resolving it but that it doesn't at all relate to Weiner's duties in congress. This wasn't Republican Duke Cunningham taking bribes. It also wasn't the Republican party official in Orange County California who sent out the email showing Obama's face pasted on the body of a baby monkey with two adult monkeys behind him with the words "Now you know why no birth certificate".
That seemingly wasn't offense enough for Obama and Democratic leadership to demand her resignation but Anthony Weiner in his underwear? He had to go.
He had to go because once again Democratic non-leadership couldn't and wouldn't stand up to Republican and journalistic triviality. Once again, Obama, Pelosi and Reid buckled.
And once again they and the Democratic party has paid a big, but justifiable price for the non-leadership of Obama,Pelosi and Reid.
And dont overlook the fact that according to polls at the time, more than 60% of Weiner's constituents wanted him to remain in office. He was forced out by Pelosi, Reid, Wasserman-Schultz and Obama. So there is also the possibility of some angry Democrats in Weiner's district voting for the Republican as payback for forcing Weiner out adding to their anger at Obama.
While Israel and disillusionment with Obama's polices towards Israel played a large role in the Democrats defeat, it has to be clear by now that very few Democrats running for office anywhere in the country will have even Democratic voter support if they are seen as supporters and defenders of Obama and his policies on anything. Not because he went too far but because he didnt go far enough and sold out the entire Democratic agenda even though for his first two years in office he had a 60 vote majority in the senate and the biggesst congressional majority of any president in 60 years. Somehow George W. Bush, as catastrophic as his polices were, still managed to get all his priorities passed with only a 52 vote majority in the senate. It should be noted that it was reported that at Bob Turner headquarters while celebrating his victory,when Obama's name was mentioned, the crowd began to chant "sell out! sell out!". Its unlikely it was rank and file Republicans who felt that Obama had sold out.
Adding Jews to the long list of those disgusted, fed up, dissatisfied and disillusioned by Obama and his handling of the presidency is not a good sign in New York. Democrats cant win the White House without New York and they know it. And they will get drubbed again next November unless the Democrats finally get the kind of real change they need. And that change can be only one thing -- someone other than Obama as the Democratic nominee.
The Democrats must hold an open primary and ignore Pelosi's fears of disunity which is what forced Obama down the throats of more than half the Democratic party who voted against him in the primaries in the first place, and encourage credible Democrats to challenge Obama for the Democratic nomination. If that happens, there is no doubt Democratic voters will choose someone other than Obama as the Democratic nominee. And then the Democrats can not only retain the White House (though with a different inhabitant), they have a chance to reclaim congress as well as long as the new candidate and congressional Democrats repudiate Obama's first term and his failure to deliver what was promised.. If they don't, and Obama is the nominee they can expect more of what they saw in New York all over the country. And probably worse.
Marc Rubin
Copyright Marc Rubin 2008
Copyright Marc Rubin 2008
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