Obama Charts a New Route to Re-election

[alp227]

WASHINGTON — With his support among blue-collar white voters far weaker than among white-collar independents, President Obama is charting an alternative course to re-election should he be unable to win Ohio and other industrial states traditionally essential to Democratic presidential victories.

Without conceding ground anywhere, Mr. Obama is fighting hard for Southern and Rocky Mountain states he won in 2008, and some he did not, in calculating how to assemble the necessary 270 electoral votes. He is seeking to prove that those victories on formerly Republican turf were not flukes but the start of a trend that will make Democrats competitive there for years.

“There are a lot of ways for us to get to 270, and it’s not just the traditional map,” said David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s chief strategist. “That’s why we’re laying the groundwork across the country to compete on the widest possible playing field next year.”

While Mr. Obama’s approval ratings have slid across the board as unemployment remains high, what buoys Democrats are the changing demographics of formerly Republican states like Colorado, where Democrats won a close Senate race in 2010, as well as Virginia and North Carolina.

full: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/us/politics/obama-sees-a-path-to-12-victory-beyond-the-rust-belt.html?pagewanted=all

[tblue]

1. He can do it.

I hope they go for the 50 state strategy because it worked last time. If they're just going to try to get to 270 and leave no margin, that could spell big trouble. He can do it. I have to believe he can.

[blueknight]

3. too late

he is toast. i truely believe ANY repug that runs will cream him. and he has no one to blame but himself

[INdemo]

5. If it looks that bad for him and Axelrod has conceded the fact

that it will be very difficult to win reelection,Obama should step aside as LBJ did, so whe could nominate someone that has a chance to win..There was more but I delected it...

[sharp_stick]

7. Really

that's the path to victory you think?

Just like LBJ who's stepping aside gave us the fantastic Democratic Juggernaut of Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew.

[ellisonz]

12. Agreed. 50-State Strategy or Bust.

BRING BACK HOWARD DEAN!!!

[leveymg]

2. Don't count on taking VA again. This isn't '08, and you've done nothing to gain GOP votes here to

compensate for the loss of grassroots Democratic morale, which is about as bad as I've seen it in over a decade.

[AlinPA]

11. PA is also a big problem. Teabaggers rule in W. PA and it just elected their governor and senator.

[Supersedeas]

15. NC will also be a toss-up even with the convention

[INdemo]

4. There is one big piece of the puzzle missing

Dr. Howard Dean as DNC chairman

[ellisonz]

13. Yup.

I don't think Debbie Wasserman-Schultz can be methodical enough to build the grassroots.

[Deep13]

6. No way. Sorry. Don't want that to be true. But no way.

The unemployment rate will need to drop below 7% by October '12. It will get worse, not better.

[sunwyn]

8. I think it's a little early to call him dead in the water.

I think after we see which train wreck the Repigs nominate will determine the election.

[RC]

9. Some choice.

A DINO or a Right-wing Loon. We need someone west of the cliff this country is falling off of.

[paulk]

10. re: colorado

yes, we won a close Senate race here (and a governor's race), but that was mostly because the Republicans ran tea party christo fascists whackjobs. We lost two House seats and the state house.

It's going to depend on who is on the Republican ticket. If it's Romney, we could easily lose this state.

[krawhitham]

14. Ohio is a lock after what Kashit has done