Mark, surely you know the nature of a rhetorical question. And I agree with you that the other side is flat out evil. But few people are as partisan as we are, at least on an outpatient basis.
I posed the question because it goes to the question of depressing — and betraying — the promises that Obama has made to the country and to the base. You and I will continue to vote and support Democrats against the Republicans because (to borrow from Nye Bevan) the Republicans are “lower than vermin.” But for the millions of people who voted for the man, stating that Republicans are evil is not enough. They won’t show up to the polls.
He has to deliver. He hasn’t, yet. I won’t go through the litany again. But “trust me” or good speeches are simply not good enough anymore.
See my response to Mike. Criticizing specific tactics and policies can be helpful; slurs on the President’s character and fitness to lead - even if they were justified, which I’m convinced they’re not - wind up helping the other side.
As to whether it’s possible to mobilize voters to vote “against,” I refer you to the results of the 1972 elections. “Tricky Dick” was loved neither among the Republican base nor among independents, but George McGovern brought them out in droves to give Nixon a huge landslide. If Obama can position the Republicans as the defenders of the banks - and keep enough Democrats in line for tough regulation and a big-bank tax to make it a clear partisan issue - that should bring us out all right this year.
But in any case I fail to see how spreading despair is helpful to the cause. If the complaint about Obama is that he’s doing things that will make winning in November ’10 and November ’12 harder by depressing turnout among our base, then the complaint itself shouldn’t have that same effect.
Why are criticisms of his fitness to lead “slurs”? Isn’t fitness to lead an essential part of being, well, a leader?
When I find Obama lacking in some way and start to despair I recall McCain and his brilliant VP choice. Things could be a whole bunch o’ worse for sure.