That's not a bad track record, especially considering that many progressives openly questioned whether Obama and his team had the cojones to fight back against the Republicans once in office. I think maybe it's time we gave these guys some props!
Of course Obama, Axelrod, Emmanuel and Gibbs aren't responsible for all of these victories. And some of it was just good old fashioned Republicans shooting themselves in the foot (hi, Bobby). But I think it's safe to say that many of these incidents wouldn't have had the same impact without direction from the White House, and, perhaps most importantly, without the new network of progressive media that now stretches from MSNBC to PACs to Talking Points Memo and Huffington Post and yes, Daily Kos.
And things are just heating up. Politico reports that Obama is launching a "message war" to fight back against opponents of his budget.
The White House on Sunday began harnessing every part of the Democratic Party’s machinery to defend President Obama’s budget and portray Republicans as reflexively political, according to party strategists.
It is interesting to note that this new spot includes both Steele, who Obama aides had previously been reluctant to acknowledge, as well as Sarah Palin. Watch out Sarah - you might be next!
At the same time, a "broad coalition of left-leaning groups" is joining together into a new coalition, Unity '09.
Conceived at a New York meeting before the November election, two Democrats familiar with the planning said, Unity '09 will draw together money and grassroots organizations to pressure lawmakers in their home states to back White House legislation and other progressive causes.
The online-based MoveOn.org is a central player in the nascent organization, but other groups involved in planning Unity '09 span a broad spectrum of interests, from the American Civil Liberties Union to the National Council of La Raza to Planned Parenthood, as well as labor unions and environmental groups.
Republicans...you've been warned. We're coming for you!
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