So a couple of diaries this morning are making the rounds on the rec list, questioning Obama's radio ad that he cut for Blanche Lincoln. Understandably, emotions are high since Halter is a favorite here, and having the leader of your party come out in support of Halter's opponent can feel like being stabbed in the back.
I understand it and after being here for the last year, I'm not surprised that so many here are ready with the pitchforks saying Obama's crossed the line and he hates progressives...
But before we find a candidate to primary Obama with, can we step back and think about this "betrayal" for a second?
So first, the ad:
Transcript as follows:
This is President Barack Obama, and I want to tell you why I support Senator Blanche Lincoln for re-election in the Democratic primary on Tuesday, May 18th.
Blanche is leading the fight to hold Wall Street accountable and make sure that Arkansas taxpayers are never again asked to bail out Wall Street bankers.
She's standing on the side of workers who have lost their jobs in this recession by extending unemployment insurance payments and health care while they try to get back on their feet. And she cast crucial votes to create new jobs in Arkansas and all across America.
On health care, Blanche took on big insurance companies by voting to end discrimination against Arkansans with pre-existing conditions, and fought for tax credits that will help thousands of local small businesses provide health insurance for their employees.
So I urge you to join me in supporting Senator Blanche Lincoln for re-election on Tuesday, May 18th.
So yes, this is an ad for Blanche Lincoln in the Democratic primary. What this isn't is an ad against Bill Halter. Am I mincing words here? Sure, you can say that I'm being naive, and that of course an ad for Blanche Lincoln is an ad against Bill Halter... But I want to make this distinction clear because I see nothing negative against Halter in that ad, and on this site, where a majority of us are for Bill Halter - a headline calling out the President for making an ad "against" Bill Halter is definitely not asking for civil discussion. I'm sorry, but I find it's pretty much an invitation to start berating Obama for something else they disagree with, which of course brings in Obama's defenders, and there goes all the pie.
What I'm saying is, I would hope we could lay something like this out as least inflammatory as possible. We knew Obama was backing Lincoln, as many speculated he would before he even announced it, because it's one way to try and keep an incumbent's support in passing your agenda (to say that it works is a whole nother discussion). Remember that Blanche is from a very red state. If Obama backs Halter now, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine Lincoln opposing him even more later and getting props for it in her home state (remember there is SCOTUS pick still coming up) It's not worth getting worked up over if you compare it to the other things that progressives should be getting worked up over, like drilling and the war(s).
And speaking of Lincoln's home state of Arkansas - how many of you don't see Obama's endorsement of her as a positive for Halter? I emphasize this: I don't say this as more of Obama's 11-dimensional chess move or anything like that. As I mentioned in TomP's thread, when I first saw his diary title, without even reading anything in it, my first reaction was, "GOOD FOR HALTER."
I mean, just at face value, doesn't this help Halter in Arkansas?? Disregard any intentions or reasons about why Obama cut the ad for a moment. Isn't Obama polling so low in Arkansas that whoever he endorsed would be getting the kiss of death? I mean, assuming Halter pulls off the victory over Lincoln in the primary - this will give Halter the credibility he needs in the general to run as an anti-establishment Democrat. He can always point to Obama's endorsement of his opponent as a positive. And I seriously doubt Halter will want Obama to stump for him out there. He could even run against Obama if he wanted to at this point.
Not to mention, look how much people donated to Halter's campaign today after hearing about that ad. I mean, am I out of touch here when I say this is good news for Bill Halter?