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Halfway through his first term, Obama starts campaigning

Apr 4, 2011#1

strawman

Obama is starting his re-election campaign with an online push that includes email and video.

He's only got 23 months left in his 48 month first term as US president, though, so it's high time he turns his attention to this vital matter, especially given his poor ratings.

Apr 4, 2011#2

Dave

When should he start? The Republicans are already starting. I'm trying to see when W started his but I can't seem to find it. It would be interesting to contrast the two.

Apr 4, 2011#3

sixpackshaker

Did W ever stop campaigning?

Apr 4, 2011#4

Espy

Dave said:
When should he start? The Republicans are already starting. I'm trying to see when W started his but I can't seem to find it. It would be interesting to contrast the two.

WARNING! Personal opinion to follow! May be influenced by excessive coffee.

None of them should be starting yet, least of all him. If anyone *has* to start now at least the republicans have a reason to start, since they have to fight amongst themselves to get to him. I see no reason he should start spending cash and focusing less on his actual office until the republicans get closer to choosing a candidate and he actually has someone to campaign against.

Really it's all just stupid though. Get ready for tons of attack ads, lies and assholes who are going to spend more money (with strings attached!) than you and I can imagine that could be going to take care of those in our own country that are starving and can't take care of themselves and their kids. Just remember, these jokers spent 5.7 BILLION dollars in 2008 (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15283.html) to get your vote. 5.7 BILLION dollars. I know they have to spend it to compete but damn if that doesn't just disgust me.

Apr 4, 2011#5

MindDetective

Can we please have a 6 week campaign season like in the UK? I don't see it ever happening but it is a happy thought.

Apr 4, 2011#6

SpecialKO

Nate Silver is doing an interesting series at fivethirtyeight (now at the NYTimes) about the historical accuracy of early primary polling and the effect of name recognition.

The take-away is that these early starts to campaigns currently appear to benefit those who manage their brand the best for longest. If the trend continues, we may get to the point where, literally, campaigning never stops.

Apr 4, 2011#7

Chibibar

SpecialKO said:
Nate Silver is doing an interesting series at fivethirtyeight (now at the NYTimes) about the historical accuracy of early primary polling and the effect of name recognition.

The take-away is that these early starts to campaigns currently appear to benefit those who manage their brand the best for longest. If the trend continues, we may get to the point where, literally, campaigning never stops.

I don't think it ever stops IMO

Apr 4, 2011#8

Tress

This is the normal time that a sitting president begins the re-election campaign. Nothing new here. It does make me wonder, steinman, if you would have made this thread had it been a Republican in office starting his re-election campaign.

Apr 4, 2011#9

sixpackshaker

The last 2 1st term presidents that thought campaigning was beneath a sitting president were 1 term wonders, Carter and Bush the Elder.

Apr 4, 2011#10

SpecialKO

Tress said:
This is the normal time that a sitting president begins the re-election campaign. Nothing new here. It does make me wonder, steinman, if you would have made this thread had it been a Republican in office starting his re-election campaign.

Quick, go check and see what stienman was saying on the forums about GWB back in May 2003!
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KUUUUUUUUUURTZZZZ!!!!

Apr 4, 2011#11

Covar

Oh good. I was wondering if he was going to run.

Apr 4, 2011#12

strawman

Tress said:
This is the normal time that a sitting president begins the re-election campaign. Nothing new here.

Just because "The other guys did it this way" doesn't make it the best choice. He's got a campaign manager, sure, but he's got limited time. Do you honestly think that the 5-10 hours this month of his time is better spent on campaigning than it is on, oh, the other million things on his plate?

Tress said:
It does make me wonder, steinman, if you would have made this thread had it been a Republican in office starting his re-election campaign.

I see you are using rule #7537890: When you can't adequately defend yourself, attack the person who is asking questions.

So much for "change" - it sounds like we should just scratch out the BUSH above and scrawl in OBAMA.

Early campaigning sucks. Every single decision he makes from now on will be pushed through a "will this hurt my chances at re-election" filter. To some degree that also affected his first two years, but not as strongly because the public has a short memory.

But two solid years of campaigning, while wars loom, disasters need attention, and the economy is still in the tank?

Apr 4, 2011#13

SpecialKO

stienman said:
But two solid years of campaigning, while wars loom, disasters need attention, and the economy is still in the tank?

Worked for GWB. :awesome:

Added at: 16:46
Not saying that's a good thing, but it may be closer to the truth than we're all comfortable with.

Apr 4, 2011#14

Tress

stienman said:
*a bunch of crap*

I'm not going to bother with most of the drivel you posted, so I'll just leave you with this:

1) I was just saying that this is common. You seemed to frame it as somehow new to campaign this early.

2) You constantly gripe about Obama. Constantly. Thus, it's perfectly valid to question whether you are truly bothered that he is campaigning this early, or if this is your latest excuse to gripe about something Obama has done.

3) He can't make anything better if he isn't in office, so it is in his best interests to run for re-election whenever it is necessary. Of course it's not that altruistic, but it's not the waste of time you make it out to be either.

Apr 4, 2011#15

Krisken

There shouldn't be any television or radio political ads. All that money wasted on such frivolity when people are starving. Simply deplorable.

Apr 4, 2011#16

Hailey Knight

stienman said:
So much for "change" - it sounds like we should just scratch out the BUSH above and scrawl in OBAMA.

That's about the only reasonable thing you're saying. Otherwise it comes off as "It was okay for Bush to do that stuff because he didn't say he'd be any better than anyone else."

Apr 4, 2011#17

Espy

Krisken said:
There shouldn't be any television or radio political ads. All that money wasted on such frivolity when people are starving. Simply deplorable.

Damn straight son. Thats exactly what I said. EXACTLY.

Apr 4, 2011#18

SpecialKO

Tinwhistler said:
I don't recall ever hearing anyone who criticizes Obama being labeled a traitor or accused of being in league with the terrorists...

I used to think this would be the case, but now I'm convinced it's only a matter of time before someone or another goes in this direction (not on this board, just in general).

Apr 4, 2011#19

SpecialKO

Don't get me wrong, I hope you're correct.

Apr 4, 2011#20

Krisken

Espy said:
Damn straight son. Thats exactly what I said. EXACTLY.

That's why I "liked" it

Apr 4, 2011#21

Espy

Ah, sorry about my sarcasm then. I thought you were being sarcastic.

Apr 4, 2011#22

Krisken

It's cool man. I'll just take it as retribution for all the times I'm being a sarcastic ass.

Apr 4, 2011#23

Hailey Knight

Tinwhistler said:
Well, when it does, I'll eat my words. Until then, I'll stand by it.

Steinman is a traitor for criticizing Obama.

Done.

Apr 4, 2011#24

Krisken

escushion said:
Steinman is a traitor for criticizing Obama.

Done.

Now we just need it repeated over and over again on MSNBC.

Apr 4, 2011#25

Espy

Lol, can you imagine a world with no political ads on tv or radio? Sigh... It sounds so wonderful. Seriously I wish we had a debate system in place that could just knock out a lot of the need for advertising.

Apr 4, 2011#26

SpecialKO

Espy said:
Lol, can you imagine a world with no political ads on tv or radio? Sigh... It sounds so wonderful. Seriously I wish we had a debate system in place that could just knock out a lot of the need for advertising.

Election by debate elimination tournaments? I like it.

Apr 4, 2011#27

Krisken

SpecialKO said:
Election by debate elimination tournaments? I like it.

Also, require all debates to take place on PBS. None of this Fox/NBC/ABC bullshit. Advertising dollars shouldn't dictate a presidential debate.

Apr 4, 2011#28

Terrik

Espy said:
Lol, can you imagine a world with no political ads on tv or radio? Sigh... It sounds so wonderful. Seriously I wish we had a debate system in place that could just knock out a lot of the need for advertising.

Then I invite you my friend, to the magical land that Bumble called "the place that dreams are made of" where you don't have to worry about political parties duking it out, campaign slogans in your face or campaign rallies making a commotion in your neighborhood.

And if you want the 'lite' version, you can move to Singapore where they go through the motions but since you already know who the winner will be, there's no pressure.

Apr 4, 2011#29

Hailey Knight

I just don't watch TV or use the radio, or go on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. Cuts the shit down by 90%.

Apr 4, 2011#30

strawman

Tinwhistler said:
Tress said:

2) You constantly gripe about Obama. Constantly. Thus, it's perfectly valid to question whether you are truly bothered that he is campaigning this early, or if this is your latest excuse to gripe about something Obama has done.

Click to expand...

If it's any consolation, I had much the same thought.

I hadn't realized that I was being viewed this way, nevermind my reputation prevents you, and very likely others, from taking my criticism seriously.

Thanks for letting me know.

Apr 4, 2011#31

Krisken

Now the military trial thing after he complained about those 3 years ago, that is definitely a valid criticism, and holds a lot of weight.

Apr 4, 2011#32

AshburnerX

I think the sad part of ALL of this is that he's still the best present candidate. They don't have a strong front-runner in the Republican party and even if they did, after all this union busting they'd be hard pressed to get the independent vote.

Isn't it sad that what I really want is a Democrat that is ACTUALLY a Democrat or a Republican that isn't actually a Republican? Instead, my choices are going to be someone who says he stands for a lot of the things I do, but doesn't do anything about them, or a guy that will actively try to take them away.

Apr 4, 2011#33

The Lovely Boehner

Obama is a shitty centrist President, and that's the best we're gonna get until a lot more terrible old people die.

Apr 4, 2011#34

AshburnerX

The Lovely Boehner said:
Obama is a shitty centrist President, and that's the best we're gonna get until a lot more terrible old people die.

Exactly. I really wish both parties would spend the next 5 years forging some new leaders. 2016 is going to be an absolute blood bath as it is, but we could at least use some competent people.

Apr 5, 2011#35

DarkAudit

I'm holding out hope for a primary challenger. If none is forthcoming, I'll write in Ken Hechler in the WV primary. So what if he's 96.

I'll still vote for Obama in November. Today's GOP are nothing but the performing dogs described in other threads. I don't see that changing.

And that's all I've got to say about that.

Apr 5, 2011#36

Covar

Tinwhistler said:
I dunno. I don't recall ever hearing anyone who criticizes Obama being labeled a traitor or accused of being in league with the terrorists...

Can't say I've been called a terrorist, but certainly I've been called a racist for it.
Added at: 08:04

The Lovely Boehner said:
Obama is a shitty centrist President, and that's the best we're gonna get until a lot more terrible old people die.

Ah there we go.

Apr 5, 2011#37

DarkAudit

"Spineless" and "gutless" also come to mind.

Apr 6, 2011#38

Hailey Knight

DarkAudit said:
"Spineless" and "gutless" also come to mind.

That sounds like most politicians today who aren't psychotic. The only people who seem to give a damn about standing for anything are the complete nutjobs who should never be in charge of anything.

Apr 6, 2011#39

Krisken

The President's laughing 'cause I voted for Nader.

Apr 6, 2011#40

Hailey Knight

Krisken said:
The President's laughing 'cause I voted for Nader.

I'm sure he's not alone.

Apr 6, 2011#41

Krisken

That's the problem with using song lyrics as a reference, I guess.

Apr 7, 2011#42

GasBandit

If enough people "waste" their votes for third parties, suddenly they become serious options.

Apr 7, 2011#43

sixpackshaker

I felt all guilty for voting Nader in 2k and 2k4. But again, I'm in TX and there's no accounting for our taste in Republican candidates.

Apr 12, 2011#44

Adammon

mr_thehun said:
guys, rickroll the presidential election.

Vote Rick for president.

At least we know where he was born! :rimshot:

Apr 12, 2011#45

GasBandit

Adammon said:
At least we know where he was born!

Yeah, we've known each other for so long.

Apr 12, 2011#46

Adammon

GasBandit said:
Yeah, we've known each other for so long.

You know the rules, and so do I.

Apr 13, 2011#47

GasBandit

Adammon said:
You know the rules, and so do I.

I think we both know what's been going on.

Apr 13, 2011#48

Adammon

GasBandit said:
I think we both know what's been going on.

You wouldn't take this from any other guy.

Apr 13, 2011#49

Espy

Adammon said:
You wouldn't take this from any other guy.

You know read out of context this sounds really creepy.

Apr 13, 2011#50

sixpackshaker

You know, in context, it is still creepy.

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