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Annoying the Base

I love this comment from Kos:

Obama is now clearly not looking much different than every other Democratic politician who has ever turned his or her back on the base in order to prove centrist bona fides. That's not an indictment, just an observation.

Now I know there's a contingent around here that things Obama can do no wrong, and he must never be criticized, and if you do, well fuck you! I respect the sentiment, but will respectfully disagree.

I think it's partially true that Obama's credibility problems are a result of pandering to the center (guns), but it's also true that some it comes from a desire to please every audience he speaks to, regardless of whether there are centrist motives (gay marriage, Israel).

The latter instinct, especially in a 24-7 media/youtube era, is particularly destructive. Obama has been forced to claim some of his statements are out of context (campaign finance), inartful (guns), or ignorant of very basic linguistic principles (think "divided" Jerusalem).

When you develop a credibility problem this rapidly, both with the base and the general public, you're going to have trouble sustaining an electoral lead for very long.

Full post as published by Expressio Unius on July 02, 2008 (boomark / email).