The following is a Politico article: The Democratic Party’s rare loss of a congressional seat in its urban heartland Tuesday, accompanied by a blowout defeat in a Nevada special election, marked the latest in a string of demoralizing setbacks that threatened to deepen the party’s crisis of confidence and raise concerns about President Barack Obama’s political fortunes.
In New York, Republican Bob Turner soundly defeated Democrat David Weprin in a House contest that – in the view of party leaders, at least — featured an anemic urban machine, distracted labor unions, and disloyal voters. In Nevada, a consequential state for the president’s re-election strategy, Democrats suffered a runaway loss rooted in a weak showing in Reno’s Washoe County, a key bellwether.
Even before the polls closed, the recriminations – something short of panic, and considerably more than mere grumbling – had begun. On a high-level campaign conference call Tuesday afternoon, Democratic donors and strategists commiserated over their disappointment in Obama. A source on the call described the mood as “awful.”
“People feel betrayed, disappointed, furious, disgusted, hopeless,” said the source.
Less expansive but equally telling were the remarks of House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, who in a conversation with reporters Tuesday morning said bluntly that Obama would take some blame for the two special election losses.
“I think every election reflects on the person in charge, but do I think it is an overall statement on the president alone? No,” said Hoyer. “Do I think it will be interpreted as being a statement on Obama? That’s probably correct.”
A senior Hill Democratic aide was more direct in attempting to explain the New York loss: “The approval ratings for the guy at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue cratered.”
A Turner consultant, Steve Goldberg, validated that assessment: “It was all Obama — not even a thought of anything else.”
But the party’s structural weaknesses were on full display in the stunning New York defeat—the party’s first loss of a Brooklyn or Queens congressional seat in a generation. The Queens Democratic Party’s decision to nominate Weprin, an Orthodox Jewish member of the state Assembly who lives in another district, was driven by “the most blatant ethnic politics,” said Mitchell Moss, a professor of urban planning at New York University. It was an old-school play that failed: Turner fought hard for Jewish votes over the issues of Israel and same-sex marriage, and Orthodox leaders were well-represented at his victory party at an Italian restaurant in Howard Beach.
Much of New York’s still-powerful labor movement, meanwhile, sat the race out — distracted, demoralized, and with other fish to fry. The labor-backed Working Families Party, a juggernaut in other city races, chose to put its resources Tuesday into a bitter internecine battle with the Brooklyn Democratic organization – leaving Weprin to rely on the rusting party machine.
It was a nightmare scenario for Democrats that threatens to repeat itself on the national level, as major unions turn away from their traditional level of engagement. AFL-CIO leaders have talked about focusing their spending on state-level races. The giant SEIU has discussed replacing what had been an all-out campaign for Obama in 2008 with a campaign more focused on the issue of jobs.
And labor union leaders in Washington watched with frustration as a heavily Democratic, pro-union, blue-collar district slipped away.
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9 Responses
They haven’t had time to think yet. They shouldn’t be scared. They should be terrified.
Orthodox Jews voted principles (Israel, family, etc.) rather than voting for a fellow Orthodox Jews running on a platform of “I’ll give you patronage and pork, ignore the part about halacha). This hasn’t happened before. This creates an strong possibility that in the future there will be serious Republican candidates running in Jewish areas. This also severely weakens the Democratic machine’s control over the “archie bunker” parts of Brooklyn and Queens – they are even less Democratic than we are, so with us going, they will to.
Much of New York (including the southern half of Brooklyn, and Queens) is no “in play” for the first time in almost a century. That means the city council will have an opposition, the State Assembly might not be a “slam dunk” for the Democrats, that means the Republicans might be able to solidify their control of the State Senate.
The left-wing Democratic machine should be horrified, not just worried.
Akuperma: I hope it is as good as you say.
Akuperma,
Weprins issues on Israel were the same, it was the toeiva bill that irked us.
The problem is anyway that Obama just doesn’t care (personally I’m starting to think he’s a republican mole)
Weprin and Turner are probably pretty much the same regarding Israel,
BUT…
Weprin represents Obama, and Obama is anti-Israel,
soooo…
adding that to Weprin’s pro-toaiyva vote –
and you have the victory for Turner.
obama problem is just one thing; he wants America to become Marxist and the sooner the American public wakes up to this the better for themselves and America. he had marxist teachers, marxist father, marxist mother and marxist friend.
he apologizes to other countries because he believes the Americans are too rich; they need to get in line like other countries, like Sudan, Nigeria. he does not get along with England because they controlled Indonesia where he lived as a child; and that is why he return the bust of Sir Winston Churchill to England. obama is a Marxist; he smiles, he talks well but he absolutely can not be trusted. Just look what he has done to America. Everybody should have equal opportunity black, white, yellow but he you can’t do the job let somebody who can get paid to do it. This goes against obama, the worker or the non worker should have the same. If you have that you loose creativity. Even in Russia, or Red China [Read Red China not China], as equal as they say everybody is there are people who are more equal; the the athletics, the leader, the engineer. America gives everybody the opportunity to eat meat, drive a car and live in an apartment or house without somebody sharing you bathroom and or kitchen. Look
what is really obama’s agenda and you will know that he has to be voted out of office, but don’t worry he still has some tricks up his shelves
Another issue is that while Weiner and Weprin have virtually the same positions, Weiner could always be counted upon to speak up for Israel. Weprin, being not exactly “dynamic”, could not. And this was also a very loud message to O that “we’re mad as he## and we’re not going to take it anymore”!
Where is charlie hall I’m worried about him. We haven’t heard from him in a long time. Writing is twisted left wing liberal rubbish. I’m sure he’s devastated liberalism is shattering in front of his very eyes Obama his messiah is a utter disaster. And I’m proud!
Frdm
Why are you proud? I have nothing against Obama personally I wish he was a good president and actually enacted policies that work. Alas he isn’t capable of leadership or doing anything right. I would have no problem with him being in the oval office if he were actually doing his job properly. You unfortunately are coming across as a racist.
We should be proud that the frum community finally voted based on principles instead of saying: 1) Is the candidate Jewish (oh, and even frum)?; 2) How much patronage and pork will he deliver?
In all fairness, while Obama is destroying the economy, the many handouts we get cushion the blow (and due to our family size, the handouts are quite nice). And the Democrats are so nice and patronizing to us like they always are (frum candidate, good yihus, promises to hand out lots of goodies – what more do we want?). And we finally had the chutzpah to say “NO”