I get it now. I can understand what some hardcore republicans felt in 2004 when met with the challenge of how to support a failed President, if not for a positive agenda, then as a defense against what worse may come from the opposite party (in their perception).... And so does Dr. Dean.
HOWARD DEAN: Look, here's the thing: every politician says this and I hesitate to do it because they all say it, but sometimes the country's more important than either party.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Amen.
DEAN: I'm going to support President Obama when he runs for re-election. Not vigorously. I'm going to vote for him.
Scarborough can be heard bursting into laughter off-camera.
DEAN: I am, I am.
SCARBOROUGH: "Not vigorously." Boy, I can almost feel the confetti [presumably from GOP victory celebrations] falling on my head here!
Millions of Volunteers partnered with this President to create his mandate. If key leaders are this sour, this early, is there anything we can do at this point?
I've decided my play for 2010. I'm going to support the Primary & General opponents of Harry Reid.
if one Senate seat is going to be lost in 2010, then it should be his. Without the failed leadership of the spineless Harry Reid, who never forces the filabuster and instead prefers, for nothing but optics, to actually avoid making them go through with it, we may actually have been able to accomplish real change this year.
The only way I can support Obama vigorously in 2012 is if he has a Senate that's going to work for him rather than against us. We desperately need better Democratic leadership in the Senate. No other majority leader has sacrificed his party and his future as obviously as Harry Reid on the issue of "Cloture Votes"...
The answer to our current insanity may be as easy as directing our anger at Reid and our vigor at protecting those who were with us all year as we head into the storm of 2010.
If Obama gets a more effective and brave Congress in 2011 to work with, then there is hope for 2012.
If not, then it's very probable we see a President Pawlenty.