Obama, Hillary and My Weird Emails
15 November 2009 11:04 am by Taylor Marsh
Catholics are rising. It’s 2004 all over again. Can holding back communion be far behind? That’s the talking point from Politico’s Jeanne Cummings today:
“There could be political repercussions in the election. It could be harder for the Democrats to keep those Catholics voters they gained and they may put some of their members at risk,” said John Green, a religion and politics expert at the Bliss Institute at the University of Akron.
Moreover, said Green, Catholics are a constituency that backs the reform effort itself. “To alienate them on abortion could be to alienate them on health care reform,” he said.
Anyone want to bet the pro choice, cafeteria Catholics far out number the ones Cummings is pointing to in her piece today? Especially once the suburban women get in the voting booth? All I have to do is look at my own family for that one. But don’t expect an article on that one from Politico or anyone else any time soon.
It’s resurrecting the “Kerry’s Catholic Problem” meme. Elite Democrats no doubt are wringing their hands on this “swing vote,” ignoring all of the cafeteria Catholics who back a woman’s civil rights more than they do the men in robes.
When Speaker Pelosi and the 64 Democrats in the House sold women out over Stupak, it certainly brought a torrent of emails in. At the same time, I sent out an email blast to people on my mailing list. (If you want to be included just send me a shout out.) I’m glad that after my Washington Journal appearance I’ve got hundreds of supporting emails or I’d think the American electorate was headed off a cliff.
But I value each voice, because the collective gives me a real sense of what’s going on out there. I read every email, even if I can’t reply to every one. Here’s how to contact me.
It is truly stunning how many people are still stuck in the 2008 time warp conveniently blaming me for –get this– “selling out Clinton.” Never mind that I backed Obama immediately upon Clinton doing the obvious thing herself, which was never in doubt. But still, these delusional people can’t bring themselves to say that Clinton was genuinely for Barack Obama, even as she sits as his secretary of state. They can’t bring themselves to blame Clinton either, making me one of the targets of their ire. After all this time, including Clinton’s current stature around the world, which she has clearly welcomed and embraced. I know, it’s weird, but that’s the American electorate right now: unpredictably vengeful, angry, and wanting someone to blame. But actually, we’ve seen the opposite side around here as well, with Obama supporters sending in complaints about “Don’t Ask. Don’t Give.”, as well as questioning why believing that the criticism on Stupak is delivered all on Obama, with everything being about him and only him.
Then there is this email, which represents a whole ‘nother group:
No wonder the FBI and Army didn’t want to investigate Hasen, they are afraid of Obama. When Army Commander in Chief Casey made his remark about diversity, I wanted to puke. All you Obama lovers better wake up. – BL
This candidate centric hatred and idolizing, whether Hillary, Obama, and let me throw in Sarah Palin (also see my post at Huffington Post, “First Hillary, Now Sarah”), is one of the most insidious aspects of American politics. I didn’t support Hillary Rodman Clinton out of the gate; she won my support, but even then I was able to criticize her when it was warranted.
If the Stupak amendment has done anything, it has crystallized how bankrupt our political “leaders” are today, including on our side, ignoring Democratic principles that have been in place for decades in order to get a political win no matter the cost.
If Democrats believe kowtowing to fundamentalist Catholics or evangelicals over Stupak is the way to get independent swing voters, we’re in bigger trouble than any of us can imagine.
There are many more emails where these came from, but I thought I’d share a few:
How can you sit there and say dems sold out women with the Stupak amendment? As I recall, YOU sold out women back in 08′ when you jumped on the unity bus. Guess the buses tires ran out of air… – Dane
By the way I voted democrat but will be changing that next election. – Gloria
I stopped reading your blog after you rallied for Obama. I became a PUMA. Because the dems sold women out when they Selected their corporate shill. – KarenJ
Taylor, it is ironic that you are complaining about President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and others selling women out. After what happened to Hillary, how could there be any doubt as to what this administration would do. – AnitaF
That’s why it should have been Hillary and not the thug from Chicago. – MichaelC
after your betrayal of Hillary Clinton, and your support of Bawack Abambi, you get what you deserve. You are a sellout too. Funny how things come back to haunt us; it’s never if; it’s just when and where. – MichaelRF
We’re headed for a perfect storm in 2010, with Democrats becoming more and more disillusioned, while the opposition to Pres. Obama and what the Democratic Congress has done through Wall Street bailouts making matters far worse. It’s one reason Obama is talking more about reining in spending and the deficit. Though I have no idea what our President thinks there is to gain politically by saying what he did today while on his Asia tour.
And we haven’t even gotten to the latest bowing Obama faux controversy. The wingnuts are in an uproar over that one. And the hits just keep on comin’.
