Mark Halperin: Obama Is Going To Need Some "Luck" To Become Popular Again, You Know Like A Terror Attack Or Something

Democratic shill Mark Halperin thinks he knows exactly what Obama needs to get his mojo back...a little "luck" in the form of a terrorist attack or some other national tragedy.

Should Obama effectively confront these dynamics, he will still need some luck. Busy as he's been, he has not yet experienced a single major moment that has benefited him politically. The most dramatic events of his term — the BP oil spill, the passage of the health-care law, the arms-control agreement with Russia — have had either no impact or a negative influence on Obama's standing.

No one wants the country to suffer another catastrophe. But when a struggling Bill Clinton was faced with the Oklahoma City bombing and a floundering George W. Bush was confronted by 9/11, they found their voices and a route to political revival. Perhaps Obama's crucible can be positive — the capture of Osama bin Laden, the fall of the Iranian regime, a dramatic technological innovation that revitalizes American manufacturing — something to reintroduce him to the American people and show the strengths he demonstrated as a presidential candidate.

Good lord. Can you imagine if someone wrote that in say, the Weekly Standard, about a Republican President?

Poor Obama, he can't even catch a break with nutty anti-government types like Clinton did. What's a hardcore lefty have to do to get a little love hate from the reichwingers?

FTR- I don't think Halperin (or Obama) want to see a catastrophic attack on the US for political gain. I just think Halperin is pointing out that, 'hey, if there is one...silver lining baby!". It's a cheap and disgusting form of analysis and calling it 'luck' does cross the line of decency.

Yes, Clinton and Bush did benefit from a boost in popularity that any President gets in such times, but Halperin ignores a key difference between the two. Clinton actively courted a partisan advantage from the Oklahoma City bombing by blaming a national tragedy on political opponents who were unconnected to the event. Bush on the other hand, tried to rally the whole country after 9/11 and never pointed a partisan finger at Democrats. This despite ample reason to argue Clinton's 'wall' between intelligence and law enforcement left us vulnerable to such an attack.

Something else to consider...America is suffering from a great tragedy right now, the economy. Sure it's not a visible pile of bodies (fingers crossed, eh Mark?) but the dislocations and suffering are real. Of course Obama can't "capitalize" on this national tragedy for the very simple reason that his policies are at the very least contributing to its continuation and its worsening.

posted by DrewM. at 01:48 PM

| Access Comments