Happy New Year, Mr. Obama

And may the Iowa caucuses show you the error of your not-so-progressive ways. 

What error?  Specifically attacking John Edwards for his labor support from two independent 527 groups which you label special interests.  It's blatant hypocrisy, you say, on the part of John Edwards who has made a campaign issue of not accepting money from political action committees or lobbyists. 

Never mind that Edwards' campaign has no control over how independent groups decide to spend their money.  Never mind that Edwards has said that he wished the 527's would "stay out of Iowa".  And never mind that the 527's in question represent the interests of unions, including the Service Employees International Union which backs Edwards in part because of his support of universal health care. 

As Paul Krugman asks,

"...does it make sense... for Democrats to lump unions in with corporate groups as examples of the special interests we need to stand up to?"

Krugman also notes that you may have a hard time squaring your anti-union rhetoric in a campaign against an anti-union Republican candidate.

And speaking of errors, you might also find it difficult to differentiate yourself from the Republican nominee on Social Security since you've used Republican talking points to attack Hillary Clinton on her unwillingness to address the imminent collapse of Social Security.

A defeat in Iowa may help you sharpen your message which has been too mired in generalities and abstractions and appeals to "hope" and "change" with little reference to actual issues except the ones that sound suspiciously Republican like no "mandates" for health care.  Your campaign, Mr. Obama, is all charisma and Oprah and that's not enough to carry the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party which is your ticket out of the primaries into the general campaign against some reactionary Republican. 

And so I wish you the best for the New Year, Mr. Obama, providing you learn the lesson that running surreptitiously to the center is no way to win either the Democratic nomination or the Presidency.

Comments

[t.a. barnhart]

parrotting Paul Krugman is not really blogging; it's photocopying.

Obama was not the only one attacking the 527s; other unions did so as well. plenty of union members support him, including those from Illinois (who know him better than Hillary's national union pals do). saying he used Republican talking points shows that, like Krugman, you can't differentiate between having your own thoughts on an issue (which Obama does, and which you are free to disagree with on policy terms) and not singing in Krugman's choir.

the fact that it's Obama, and not Edwards or Clinton, who is moving forward demonstrates what Democrats are responding to: his message that we can be strong Democrats and not have to resort to confrontational, divisive politics. to say that he's all "charisma" demonstrates you've either paid no attention to what he actually says, or, like Krugman, you're willing to say anything negative to promote your candidate. accusing one of the best Democratic Senators in Congress of "running suureptitiously to the center" is shameful. and when he wins Iowa, NH & SC, then you may have to admit that his substance was there all along.

get your own thoughts. Krugman doesn't need an echo chamber.

[Terry]

I admit my post was inspired by Krugman's column. But then again I've long thought Obama was "squishy" on issues and centrist in his thinking. And I've written as much even as far back as 2005 and on several other occasions since, most notably here.

I'll leave it you, t.a., to explain to readers in what ways Obama is "moving forward."

Oh, and thanks for the blogging advice.

[Anne T]

I am glad that Edwards is showing so strongly in Iowa. Democratic Party politics need to be pushed way to the left. Maybe this will help. What will help more is a strong, united working class movement that pushes for all the things that matter: universal health care, healthy environment, strong education policy, civil rights for all, an end to the war in Iraq, etc.
I need to do more research on Edwards' stance on the war in Iraq, but I am thrilled with his clear support for universal health care.

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