I can totally understand why, privately, the administration might be frustrated with the scattered nature of the progressive movement right now, with support ranging from enthusiastic to "just like Bush." But the president and others would do well to keep it to themselves. These remarks from the president actually shocked me:
Democrats, just congenitally, tend to get — to see the glass as half empty. (Laughter.) If we get an historic health care bill passed - oh, well, the public option wasn't there. If you get the financial reform bill passed — then, well, I don't know about this particular derivatives rule, I'm not sure that I'm satisfied with that. And gosh, we haven't yet brought about world peace and — (laughter.) I thought that was going to happen quicker. (Laughter.) You know who you are. (Laughter.) We have had the most productive, progressive legislative session in at least a generation.
It's not that I disagree. I actually think he has a valid point here. But to say this out loud was remarkably tone deaf. He may as well have just blurted out, "Ingrates!" When an administration (and political party, for that matter) are behind the eight ball like this, there should be a concerted effort to court and congeal all flanks of support. Instead, he's almost daring -- begging -- the progressive left to stay home.
Who knows. That could be the point. However, many of us have been arguing that hectoring and badgering the president is not an effective way to draw him leftward. And here's the president hectoring and badgering the progressive left. Oy.
Adding... Jeepers creepers. Did any of you read the line: "It's not that I disagree. I actually think he has a valid point here"? Regardless, tell me whether or not the people he's talking about have snapped out of it because of his remarks. If anything, this has further entrenched the firebagger crowd against the president. So, then, what the hell was the point? What's the political upside?