Will President Obama get more independent votes by

[samrock]

being seemingly reasonable with Republicans, then those he loses to democrats staying home because that so turns them off???

[Fearless]

1. That is the million dollar question.

[EFerrari]

2. Independents are voting jobs. So all this deficit and bipartisan stuff

has nothing to do with courting independents.

[LonePirate]

3. Obama doesn't realize independents want a strong leader to take stands and give them a reason to

support him. Appeasement does not work with independents and Obama doesn't seem to grasp that fact.

[ClassWarrior]

6. +1

NGU.

[CrazyBob]

25. +100

Well said

[RagAss]

4. Indys Hate Weakness.....it's that simple.

[ClassWarrior]

7. +1

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

5. He'll get more independent votes by catering to his base who knock on doors...

...and make phone calls for his campaign.

:shrug:

NGU.

[ixion]

8. As an Independent, I can only speak for myself

and his almost constant capitulation to the GOP has not impressed me in the slightest.

[dgibby]

23. I'm an Independent, too,

and I voted for him, worked for him, donated to him, believed in him. Color me depressed.

[jaxx]

9. Who stays home?

Everyone here has said they did not stay home in 2010 and will vote in 2012.

[Claudia Jones]

12. millions of people

Millions of people stay home, especially poor people (which now describes half of the population) and those who have no stake in politics and can't see how the outcomes of elections will improve their conditions. It is much more difficult for poor people to vote, as well.

[jaxx]

20. We can GOTV, we have before.

And people can be reached, given information and helped to the polls.

[Claudia Jones]

32. of course

That is always the case.

[Fresh_Start]

10. absolutely not

he's turning off independent voters faster than he's turning off democrats

[Claudia Jones]

11. no, of course not

There are vastly fewer "swing voters" then there are potential Democratic voters who find it difficult to vote, or who are alienated from politics altogether. A stronger turnout favors Democrats. Trying to persuade "independent voters" does not.

[phantom power]

13. No - he will lose both democrats and independents.

He thinks this is all still a genius strategy to capture centrists by compromising on every single little thing. He is not trying to put on an appearance of weakness to lull his opponent into a false sense of complacency. He doesn't even realize he is being weak. He's the one with the false sense of complacency. As he's getting knocked around the ring, he thinks he's winning.

...

Here is what all voters, and especially independents, despise and disdain in a politician -- weakness. Nobody wants to see their leader get beat to a pulp every night and then bow his head again.

There is no secret, brilliant strategy. This White House is in a bubble. They think they're winning when the roof is about to cave in.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/09/01/cenk_obama_boehner/index.html

[Fresh_Start]

14. there are polls out there

so you don't need to torture yourself with fantasies that aren't going to come true
the dems are hanging with Obama, the independents are not

[Autumn]

15. Yet we all hear how he is trying to capture the

Independent voters.

[Fresh_Start]

16. the independent voters are the people who handed the

House to the GOP in the last election.
They were the swing vote which swung against Obama.

Its not just about Obama, his failures may result in the loss of the Senate in addition to the House.

[Autumn]

17. I agree. So why does he try so hard to court them?

I worry that he will hand the pukes the White House too.

[Fresh_Start]

19. its hard to let go of your delusions

look at how long he's holding on to the post-partisan political fantasy

[Autumn]

21. I wish he would realize that his partisan political fantasy

is not working. They will hate him no matter what. That is all they have and they will use it to their benefit.

[ixion]

24. No, actually it was a wave of teabaggers

which are distinctly NOT independents.

[Fresh_Start]

27. that not what the exit polls said

INDEPENDENTS – It's swing-voting independents who, as usual, made the difference today. Independents favored Republicans for House by a thumping 15 points, 55-40 percent, in the national exit poll. Compare that to Obama's 8-point win among independents in 2008.

If it holds in updates, it'll be the Republicans' biggest win among independents in exit polls dating to 1982 – by a single point. The GOP won independents by 14 points in 1994, the last time they took control of the House.

[ixion]

29. The independents that I know don't support extremists

but I suppose there are those that are, sadly.

[RickFromMN]

30. I think it will be a difficult race in 2012 if nothing changes.

People will not want President Obama because he is viewed as weak.

I saw a poll indicating people are also turning against the Tea Party.

It is becoming a vote for the lesser of two evils. I don't know what will happen.

And yes, to me, President Obama is the lesser of the two evils and will get my vote.
I say this acknowledging President Obama has been a disappointment. I expected more.

[ThomWV]

18. I think many "independents" will be turned off by his constant appeasement of the ultra right wing

[jaxx]

22. Or the constant carping by the left.

[CrazyBob]

26. We have a right to carp - nt

[Fresh_Start]

28. they dont really care about the political discourse

of the left, they care about results.

[Bluebear]

31. Carping, is that the new whining?

[Claudia Jones]

33. that does no harm

Democratic victories depend upon turnout, and turnout depends upon interest. "Carping" does no harm. Suppressing dissent does.

[jaxx]

34. We've already discussed turnout.

Nobody is suppressing the carping, just noting that is doesn't help anything.

[Claudia Jones]

35. it does no harm

I said "carping" does no harm. I said that resisting criticism (calling for people to quit "being negative," suppressing dissent - however you want to characterize it) does not help elect Democrats, it harms the effort. You refuted points I didn't make.

[jaxx]

36. There is criticism and there is criticism.

Out of control criticism doesn't help elect Democrats.

[Claudia Jones]

37. who is to judge?

Who is to decide which is good criticism and which is bad criticism?