Reading about the Republican debate last night, one thing has become clear: the Democrats need a primary challenge to Obama. Not for the obvious reasons as was so clearly and correctly pointed out by the GOP candidates – Obama’s weakness is his lack of leadership. Do you really know what Obama stands for? If we don’t fully understand Obama’s mandate, how can we expect non-progressives to understand?
What the GOP debate showed me is that a Democratic challenge to Obama would do one thing – inform the public of what Obama plans to do and what his values are. Obama is vulnerable because his message is blurred and his inaction on important issues is frustrating to those who voted and cheered him into office. A new debate between Obama and a contender(s) would force Obama to define his plans and make bold statements that could once again ignite his base.
It’s not so much that any Democrat could actually challenge Obama. He’s still the frontrunner. No one comes close. But his moderation has become conservatism. He is more interested in teachable moments than pressing forward with a progressive or even centre-left agenda. He needs desperately to come across as a leader. He needs to inspire and appear to be a man of action. He is not doing any of those things. The Republican leadership and the presidential contenders are defining who Obama is. Much like the Grits allowed the Conservatives to wage a highly successful campaign to define the Liberal party, the GOP is taking over the message that the Democrats should own.
Yes, a challenger to Obama would be merely window dressing. Obama will still handily win but the real winner would be the progressive half of the country. They would once again get to hear what Obama can do for them and what he has already accomplished. No one seems to know anymore. Watching the carefully scripted faux aggression between Republican candidates and Fox News last night and the free-form attack on the president’s lack of leadership, it became obvious what Obama needs is new messaging and a forum to show that he can lead. Without a debate and a fresh challenge from the left, Obama will keep drifting right and leave open the presidency to an energized right wing with plenty of leadership chops, at least on TV and in the press.
