Desperate political situation for Obama from now

[obama.bin.laden]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100117...uX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA29iYW1hbWFrZXNsYQ--


Obama makes last-ditch attempt to save Senate seat

By BETH FOUHY and LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writers Beth Fouhy And Liz Sidoti, Associated Press Writers – 21 mins ago

BOSTON – President Barack Obama was making a last-ditch attempt Sunday to save a Democratic-held Senate seat in Massachusetts — and an important 60th vote for his health care plan — as the top Senate Republican called the shockingly close race a verdict against the bill no matter who wins.

"This is, in effect, a referendum on the national health care bill," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said. "It is perfectly clear if it's unpopular in Massachusetts, it's unpopular everywhere. The American people don't want us to pass this bill."

The legislation has dominated the tighter-than-expected race between Democrat Martha Coakley and Republican Scott Brown. She supports the bill. He doesn't and has said he would vote against it, robbing Democrats of the 60-vote majority Obama has been relying on to pass much of his agenda and thwart Republican filibusters.

With so much on the line, Obama was heading to Boston to campaign with Coakley at Northeastern University in the midst of final negotiations over the sweeping health care plan and the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. His visit underscored the perilous situation facing Democrats in Massachusetts.

Despite the state's long Democratic tradition, Coakley and Brown are in a dead heat heading into Tuesday's special election to replace the late Edward M. Kennedy. Coakley, the state's attorney general, had led Brown, a state senator, by double-digits in polls after the early December primaries.

But the race narrowed considerably over the past week as Brown's populist message resonated with an angry and resentful electorate in an antiestablishment environment. He's energized Republicans as well as attracted disillusioned Democrats and independents worried about taxes, spending, government expansion and health care under Obama. In a race this tight, turnout will be the key.

With the personal visit, Obama is seeking to fire up rank-and-file Democrats who outnumber Republicans in this state but who are dispirited just one year after he took office. Turnout is notoriously low in special elections, and Democrats need their loyalists — particularly blue-collar and minority voters who might not be motivated — to show up at the polls.

Judging by Obama's track record in elections since taking office, however, the strength of his political muscle is in question. He campaigned hard for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and in Virginia for Creigh Deeds, the Democratic nominee to replace Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine. But both Democrats lost, and Republicans regained power in both states.

Ahead of Obama's visit, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino told a largely black congregation that a Coakley loss will be a victory for people who want Obama to fail.

"A lot of people don't want Barack Obama to succeed, and that's who we're fighting against. They don't want him to be a president that leads this country. They want him to be a president who fails," said Menino as he appeared with Coakley at a morning prayer service in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Coakley denied that Obama's visit indicated her candidacy was in trouble.

"I don't think he has to come, I think he wanted to come. He was excited to come," Coakley told reporters Saturday. "Who wouldn't want the president of the United States campaigning for her in a historic race?" She said it was "pretty cool."

Brown didn't seem concerned about Obama's visit, saying Saturday: "I hope he has a safe trip and enjoys himself and has a good trip looking around a great state." He planned to campaign in Worcester, a blue-collar city in central Massachusetts, when Obama was in the state.

___

Sidoti reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Glen Johnson contributed to this report.

 

[obama.bin.laden]

Obama tried to play god idealistically and had been too egoistic, he is very very far from achieving his own goals not to mention the expectations of those who believed in him a year ago.

It is so easy to con people with empty promises and get votes in the name of Freedom & Democracy and all that ideal slogan, but when dealing with reality these politician will encounter obstructions that all their resources and wits and strength are proven useless and helpless.

Ideologists likes to believe that US president have the power to do everything once they get into office. Or worst thinking that US is still mighty which in reality already very far from that.

Obama is a dream that is starting to wake up!

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2010-01/18/content_12827430.htm

奥巴马执政一年高速滑落神坛 胃口太大力不从心
2010年01月18日 07:07:36 　来源：中国青年报
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美国总统奥巴马发表讲话。新华社/路透 [资料图片]

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奥巴马坦言:改革不容易 我也会孤独

奥巴马执政一年 超高速滑落神坛

“巨大的期待遭遇残酷的现实” “目标太多却力不从心”

奥巴马进入白宫一年了。

去年的1月20日，几十万美国民众从全国各地自发聚集到首都华盛顿的国家广场，只为目睹奥巴马就任美国首位黑人总统的历史性时刻。

那一天，眼含热泪的黑人妇女、手举国旗的热血青年和满脸笑容的少年儿童让记者深切感受到无数美国人对这位新总统的期盼、狂热与爱戴。

一年后的今天，笼罩在奥巴马身上的耀眼光环早已幻灭。

一年来，美国内外对奥巴马的种种热切期待已在一连串无情的现实中逐一粉碎。种种质疑与指责正声势渐大。美国对外关系委员会副主席詹姆斯·琳赛认为，奥巴马的第一年是“巨大的期待遭遇残酷的现实”。

支持率一路下滑 奥巴马神话破灭

奥巴马上任时肩负着美国民众乃至世界民众极高的期望，以至于人们似乎相信奥巴马手中握着能够解决一切棘手难题的灵丹妙药。

琳赛指出，各方对奥巴马的高期望值，来自于奥巴马作为政治家的高超技巧、其特殊而丰富的人生履历以及人们对小布什政府的深恶痛绝。但这些都不足以帮助奥巴马破解美国所面临的重重难题。

据美国著名民调公司盖洛普的追踪调查，奥巴马的支持率已从去年1月他就任时的接近 70％的高位一路下滑到今年初的50％，其间在去年12月还曾一度跌到49％，成为战后就任一年内民意支持率下跌最快的美国总统，也创下了有史以来美国总统执政头一年支持率最低的纪录——正应了那句老话：“爬得越高，跌得越惨。”

执政业绩得分低 个性魅力还不差

美国有线新闻网1月12日公布的一项最新民调显示，有48％的美国民众认为奥巴马就任总统第一年的工作是失败的。

相比奥巴马余温尚存的个人人气而言，本届美国政府在应对经济危机、医疗保险和阿富汗战争等核心问题上的表现尤其令民众感到不满。根据民调，在最受美国民众关注的这三大问题上，奥巴马的支持率分别为44％、40％和36％。

美国昆尼匹克大学民调研究所副教授彼得·布朗说，人们对奥巴马执政成绩的评价，显然远低于人们对其本人的评价。

许诺过多过大 兑现力不从心

美国资深政治评论员道尔·麦克马努斯指出，奥巴马执政第一年的最大问题在于：目标太多却力不从心。

麦克马努斯说，奥巴马是在鲜花、喝彩和掌声的簇拥下，揣着一份长长的“任务清单” 走进白宫的，从拯救经济到医疗改革，从金融监管到气候变化，从无核世界到伙伴关系，从撤出伊拉克到增兵阿富汗，甚至于亲自出面帮助芝加哥争取奥运会主办权……在这份清单上，克服经济危机等重大问题是奥巴马不得不面对的，但还有很多问题是总统自己加进去的。事实很快证明，奥巴马的胃口太大，而国会和行政部门根本无力消化。于是，奥巴马的执政模式陷入了一种令人担忧的恶性循环：首先总统高调宣布宏大的政策目标，然后行政部门在一阵手忙脚乱之后发现根本无法如期兑现，于是总统最终不得不降低标准以谋求有名无实的胜利。

走下神坛太快 今年包袱更重

尽管美国当选总统执政第一年的成绩单向来都不太好看，但奥巴马走下神坛的速度如此之快还是让很多人始料未及。

2009年考核未达标。进入2010年，奥巴马还要应对三项大考。

首先，处于第一位的还是美国经济。

罗森伯格政治评论杂志编辑冈萨雷斯说，对于总统和民主党来说，最坏的事情莫过于经济继续恶化，并且他们将为此承担责任。如同2009年一样，奥巴马仍将会把主要精力花在挽救衰退的经济和推行经济复苏方案上面。尽管美国经济已开始显露出一丝企稳向好的迹象，但失业率仍徘徊在26年以来的高位。要想重新赢得选民的心，奥巴马最先要解决的就是就业问题。

其次，是国内外都紧盯着的阿富汗战争。

阿富汗战争能否和怎样取得积极进展，是检验奥巴马对外战略的重要指标。2009 年，美军在阿富汗战场上伤亡惨重但却进展缓慢，以至于塔利班罕见地发表新年讲话，公开与美国叫板。奥巴马需要实实在在的胜利（无论是战场上还是政治上），来向美国民众证明其“经过深思熟虑之后”制定的阿富汗新战略并非纸上谈兵。

第三，是将于11月举行的国会中期选举。

这是奥巴马当选总统后的第一次国会议员选举，被普遍视为对奥巴马和民主党的期中考试，甚至是奥巴马能否连选连任的风向标。这项选举结果不仅将间接体现选民对奥巴马政府的态度，而且更重要的是有可能改变两党在国会的势力对比，从而对奥巴马竞选时的许诺和执政后的号召——改革——形成关乎成败的影响。

新年前后，奥巴马在应对圣诞节炸机未遂案和援助海地地震灾区两大事件上显现出前所未有的强势姿态。

美国《时代》周刊的评论认为，奥巴马是要通过这两件事情向美国和世界表明：他是一位能够胜任危机的总统。以睿智著称的奥巴马似乎已从第一年的实践中汲取了经验教训，并为迎接新一年的挑战做好了准备。 (华盛顿1月17日电 驻美国记者 鞠辉)

 

[Watchman]

With situation in United States ,it is better to convert all into cash and run to a Asian sanctuary state like Singapore.

 

[obama.bin.laden]

With situation in United States ,it is better to convert all into cash and run to a Asian sanctuary state like Singapore.

The Dem Baby of Health Bill is dying in the hands of Obama already - desperate!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100118...zZWMDeW5fdG9tYnN0b25lBHNsawNkZW1zbG9va2F0Ynk-


Dems look at bypassing Senate health care vote
AP


By CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press Writer Charles Babington, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 30 mins ago

BOSTON – A panicky White House and Democratic allies scrambled Sunday for a plan to salvage their hard-fought health care package in case a Republican wins Tuesday's Senate race in Massachusetts, which would enable the GOP to block further Senate action.

The likeliest scenario would require persuading House Democrats to accept a bill the Senate passed last month, despite their objections to several parts.

Aides consulted Sunday amid fears that Republican Scott Brown will defeat Democrat Martha Coakley in the special election to fill the late Edward M. Kennedy's seat. A Brown win would give the GOP 41 Senate votes, enough to filibuster and block final passage of the House-Senate compromise on health care now being crafted.

House Democrats, especially liberals, viewed those compromises as vital because they view the Senate-passed version as doing too little to help working families. Under the Senate-passed bill, 94 percent of Americans would be covered, compared to 96 percent in the version passed last year by the House.

The House plan would increase taxes on millionaires while the Senate plan would tax so-called Cadillac, high-cost health insurance plans enjoyed by many corporate executives as well as some union members.

When the House passed its version, members assumed it would be reconciled with the Senate bill and then sent back to both chambers for final approval, even if by the narrowest of margins.

A GOP win in Massachusetts on Tuesday would likely kill that plan, because Republicans could block Senate action on the reconciled bill.

The newly discussed fallback would require House Democrats to swallow hard and approve the Senate-passed bill without changes. President Barack Obama could sign it into law without another Senate vote needed.

House leaders would insist that the Senate make some changes later under a complex plan called "budget reconciliation." It requires only a simple majority, but it's unclear whether that could happen.

The plan is highly problematic. House liberals already are bristling over changes the Senate forced upon them earlier, and some may conclude that no bill is better than the Senate bill. Meanwhile, some moderate Democrats may abandon the health bill altogether after seeing a Republican win Kennedy's seat in strongly Democratic Massachusetts.

Republican activists openly scoffed at the notion of Democrats passing the highly contentious health package after a GOP takeover of Kennedy's Senate seat. But some Democrats said failure to pass a health bill will cripple their ability to tell voters this November that they accomplished anything with their control of the House, Senate and White House.

"The simplest way is the House route," a White House aide said Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity because Democrats have not conceded the race to Brown.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs declined to discuss the option, telling reporters that the administration expects Coakley to win.

If she does win, final passage of a House-Senate compromise on overhauling health care is not guaranteed but seems likely.

But even as Obama campaigned for Coakley in Boston Sunday, top aides furiously weighed options if she loses. They include:

_Acting before Brown is sworn in. Congressional and White House negotiators could try to reconcile the House and Senate bills quickly and pass the new version before Brown takes office. A firestorm of criticism would follow, but some Democrats say it would be better than having no bill.

_Seeking a Republican to cast the crucial 60th Senate vote. Some Democrats hope Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, might do this, but others seriously doubt it.

_Start over and pass a new, scaled back health bill using budget reconciliation, which requires a simple majority of 51 Senate votes. Several Senate aides said this was unlikely.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has repeatedly ruled out a House vote on the Senate's version, and privately, officials have raised concerns about asking the rank and file to vote on legislation containing provisions that might prove problematic in the midterm elections.

As an example, the Senate-passed measure exempts self-insured health plans from many of the steps Democrats say are essential to curb insurance industry abuses. By one estimate, as many as 100 million individuals are covered under such plans.

It was unclear how the negotiators at the White House in recent days have resolved that issue.

Additionally, House Democrats in last week's talks pushed for additional subsidies for lower-income individuals and families who would be required to buy insurance under the measure that cleared the Senate. Several Democrats familiar with the talks said Obama had agreed with this point of view, and changes had been made accordingly.

___

Associated Press writers David Espo and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.

 

[obama.bin.laden]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100118...zZWMDeW5fdG9tYnN0b25lBHNsawNvYmFtYXNlZWtzdG8-


Obama seeks to save Senate seat, health vote

By CHARLES BABINGTON and LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writers Charles Babington And Liz Sidoti, Associated Press Writers – 1 hr 29 mins ago

BOSTON – His agenda at risk, President Barack Obama fought Sunday to save a struggling Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and the critical 60th vote needed for his health care plan. The White House and congressional Democrats scrambled to find a way to pass the bill quickly if Martha Coakley loses a special election Tuesday.

"Understand what's at stake here Massachusetts. It's whether we're going forward or going backwards," Obama said during a rally for Coakley as he tried to energize his dispirited base in this Democratic stronghold. "If you were fired up in the last election, I need you more fired up in this election."

The president made a direct appeal to independents who are trending away from the Democrat and sought to court voters angry over Wall Street abuses. He assailed GOP candidate Scott Brown, who downplayed his party affiliation during the campaign, as just another typical Republican who sides with special interests.

"Martha's opponent already is walking in lockstep with Washington Republicans," Obama said, criticizing Brown for opposing the president's proposed tax on banks that received federal bailout money. "She's got your back, her opponent's got Wall Street's back. Bankers don't need another vote in the United States Senate. They've got plenty. Where's yours?"

The unexpectedly tight race for the seat held so long by Edward M. Kennedy, in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 3-to-1, reflects a nasty antiestablishment environment that threatens Obama's support in Congress now and heading into this fall's elections.

Brown, a little-known state senator, has tapped into voter anger and anxiety over budget-busting spending, expanded government and high unemployment under Obama to pull even with Coakley, the state's attorney general.

"It's us against the machine," Brown said in Worcester, alongside former Boston College football star Doug Flutie and former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling. "The establishment is afraid of losing their Senate seat. You can all remind them that this is not their seat, it is yours."

No matter who wins, the shockingly close contest in one of the country's most Democratic states is likely to put a lasting scare in Democrats, raise questions about Obama's political strength and test his party's resolve about his agenda, particularly health care.

If elected, Brown says he would vote against Obama's health care bill, robbing Democrats of the 60-vote majority needed to prevent Republicans from blocking it and other parts of Obama's agenda.

"A lot of these measures are going to rest on one vote in the United States Senate," Obama said.

In Washington, White House aides and Democratic lawmakers frantically hashed out plans to save the health care bill in case of a Brown upset. The likeliest scenario emerging would require House Democrats to accept a bill the Senate passed last month, despite their objections to several parts. Obama could sign it into law without another Senate vote needed. House leaders would urge the Senate to make changes later under a complex plan the would require only a simple majority.

"If Coakley loses, I think this is a very viable strategy," said Ron Pollack, head of the Families USA advocacy group, which supports the legislation.

Earlier Sunday, Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky portrayed the Massachusetts contest as a national referendum on the health care measure. "If it's unpopular in Massachusetts, it's unpopular everywhere," McConnell said on "Fox News Sunday."

He said whoever wins should be sworn in promptly.

State officials say it could take more than two weeks to certify the election results, maybe enough time for Democrats to push Obama's signature legislation through Congress before Brown could take office. Sen. Paul G. Kirk Jr., the interim appointee to Kennedy's seat, says he will vote for the bill if given the chance.

Tuesday's election will be held a day shy of the one-year anniversary of Obama's swearing-in.

Turnout will be critical, and Democrats and Republicans worked feverishly to get voters out. Obama's campaign apparatus, Organizing for America, descended on the state, with some 3,500 volunteers making 575,000 voter contacts on Saturday alone.

Snowfall could be a concern: The National Weather Service said up to 8 inches will fall in parts of the state by midday Monday. Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin said late Sunday that he was working with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to ensure voters have access to all polling places Tuesday.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and GOP presidential nominee John McCain sent e-mails urging supporters to make calls on Brown's behalf, while former Bush White House adviser Karl Rove used his Twitter account to link to a phone-banking site.

In his 25-minute speech in Boston, Obama acknowledged the ill wind blowing through the country, and pleaded with Massachusetts voters and other Americans to be patient.

"We're in tough times right now. We're still dealing with an economic crisis unlike any we've seen since the Great Depression," he told some 1,500 people at Northeastern University. "People are frustrated and they are angry and they have every right to be. ... No matter how much progress we make it can't come fast enough for the people who need it right now, today."

"It hasn't been quick. It hasn't been easy but we've begun to deliver on the change you voted for," he added.

The extraordinary presidential visit showed how much was on the line for Obama and the Democratic-run Congress.

It was a sensitive time for Obama to leave Washington and campaign for a seat that his party has held for more than a half-century. Health care negotiations with Congress are at their most critical stage, and Obama has focused on helping Haiti recovery from last week's devastating earthquake.

But, with the race this tight, Democrats needed Obama to rally their loyalists. That said, the president's popularity isn't what it was when he took office on Jan. 20, 2009. Polls now show Obama's job approval hovering around 50 percent or below it. In Massachusetts, a Suffolk University poll released Thursday showed that only 48 percent approve of Obama's performance.

Obama's ability to persuade voters to back Democrats if he's not on the ballot is in question. In November, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and Democrat Creigh Deeds, the Democratic nominee to replace Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine in Virginia, both lost even though Obama campaigned hard for them.

___

Sidoti reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Beth Fouhy, Glen Johnson and Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.