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Obama's Secret High Court Diversion
The president will reawaken his dormant grassroots network to push Sonia Sotomayor, The Daily Beast’s Richard Wolffe reports—a plan designed to divert attention away from his real summer agenda.
Plus, more Daily Beast contributors react to Sotomayor's nomination.
The White House is planning to revive President Obama’s 13 million-member grassroots campaign network, largely dormant since last year’s election, as it rolls out it first Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, today.
Senior Obama aides tell The Daily Beast that the network, which revolutionized fundraising and online political networking during the 2008 campaign, will be an important factor in a series of high-profile struggles unfolding over the next two months. Besides the Supreme Court fight, the senior aides say they expect to bring universal health-care to the president’s desk, while simultaneously making significant progress on global-warming legislation, including a cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases.
By drawing fire to its Supreme Court nominee, Obama’s aides believe that health-care and environmental politics may face less-intense opposition.
All three initiatives would move ahead before Congress disappears for its month-long August recess, and all three face intense opposition from a conservative movement desperately seeking to rally its own supporters.
The revival of Obama’s grassroots machine represents not only an effort to neutralize any Republican onslaught, but also something of a diversionary tactic. By drawing fire to its Supreme Court nominee, Obama’s aides believe that health-care and environmental politics may face less-intense opposition.
In any case, Obama’s online machine—now known as Organizing for America—has already started to re-energize its supporters for a June 6 launch of its health-care-overhaul campaign.
This is not the first time that Obama’s aides have hoped to restart their formidable online machine. At the start of his presidency, Obama said the group would play a critical role in his administration. But its first efforts—to support Obama’s budget—fizzled, with a petition amounting to 214,000 names.
Now the adversaries and the issues represent a far better opportunity to energize Obama’s supporters than the dry details of a federal budget. Conservative groups are planning to demonize the new Supreme Court nominee on a range of cultural issues, including abortion and same-sex marriage. While there is little chance for Republicans to defeat the nominee in a Senate firmly under Democratic control, movement conservatives believe they can rebuild their membership with extensive advertising and online activism.
Such counterefforts have proved in the past to be some of the most powerful catalysts for mobilizing Obama’s online supporters. When Sarah Palin was picked as John McCain’s vice-presidential nominee last September, Obama’s network responded with a higher level of activity than at any other time in the election up to that point.
The last time Obama proactively used his online support network for such a high-profile news event was his selection of Joe Biden as his vice-presidential pick in August. At the time, Obama announced Biden’s selection with a text message to supporters and an announcement on his campaign Web site.
Alongside the online activism, the White House is planning a traditional rollout of the nominee complete with a full schedule of one-on-one meetings with senators.
Xtra Insight: More Daily Beast contributors react to Sotomayor's nomination.
Richard Wolffe is an award-winning journalist, political analyst for MSNBC, and senior strategist at Public Strategies. He covered the entire length of Barack Obama's presidential campaign for Newsweek magazine. His book, Renegade: The Making of a President, will be published by Crown in June.
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Paul Schrodt is a writer living in New York City. He has contributed to New York magazine, Radar, and Esquire.com.
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As vice chairman of Public Strategies and president of Maverick Media, Mark McKinnon has helped meet strategic challenges for candidates, corporations and causes, including George W. Bush, John McCain, Governor Ann Richards, Charlie Wilson, Lance Armstrong, and Bono. McKinnon is co-chair of Arts & Labs, a collaboration between technology and creative communities that have embraced today's rich Internet environment to deliver innovative and creative digital products to consumers.
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Richard Wolffe is Daily Beast columnist and an award-winning journalist. He covered the entire length of Barack Obama's presidential campaign for Newsweek magazine. His book, Renegade: The Making of a President, was published by Crown in June.
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Richard Wolffe is Daily Beast columnist and an award-winning journalist. He covered the entire length of Barack Obama's presidential campaign for Newsweek magazine. His book, Renegade: The Making of a President, was published by Crown in June.
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Richard Wolffe is Daily Beast columnist and an award-winning journalist. He covered the entire length of Barack Obama's presidential campaign for Newsweek magazine. His book, Renegade: The Making of a President, was published by Crown in June.
Banjo1
"Conservative groups are planning to demonize the new Supreme Court nominee on a range of cultural issues, including abortion and same-sex marriage."
Uh, does this mean the same thing as "disagree"?
Only a simpleton wouldn't see the spin , which may explain why so many Daily Kos Kids are turning up here expecting an echo chamber. Tina, time to pay more attention to what the interns are doing to your website.
EricLightborn
Banjo,
Go get yourself a dictionary and a radio. Then sit and try to combine intelligence with observation while listening to partisan conservatives and the things they say about this issue.
Only a simpleton could possibly defend the right wing's sick and depraved slander.
babylonpersia
WELL Said!!!
pricklypear
What was sick and depraved. What was slander?
Bulldoglover100
or not since they carry the same weight the right wing nut jobs do.......
pricklypear
Who are the right wing nut jobs?
Ritarita
prickly-
If you have
To ask..
davidcannon
Demonizing and disagreeing are two different thngs. Yet, the history of the campaigning from The Right seems always to demonize. It was not about disagreeing with Bill or Hillary Cllinton, or Al Gore, or Barak Obama. It was always about hating them. The Right finds marketing hatred more effective than marketing disagreements. Why else would an O'Rielly, Hannaity, Beck, Ingarham or Limbaugh have such a large following? This people are the mouthpiece and spiners for the Republican party and they promote hate. This has damaged our pollitical dialogue. I respect many positions that The Right holds, but it is all too often about demonizing and hate, not about disagreeing. This has saddened me and has made it all but impossible for me to support the Republican party.
theoPitt
damn, dude, you are totally bashed for telling it like it is. So disagreeing with the way someone has ruled from the bench is now demonizing.
I think all the people would prefer Mr. Obama to become a one party dictator so that no one would be allowed do disagree with anothers politics.
What ever happened to civil disagreements on issues?
JackJack
Well said theoPitt - these trolls here just thinking "bashing" those who disagree (right or left) is the way perhaps to brow beat individuals.
Dems do not agree with Obama's pick, nor do they agree w this "no-plan Gitmo" - civil disagreements generally in the intellectual circles brings about spirited debate. Debate that often delivers a better resolve.
Banjo1
I think we'll find that campaign organization apart from its ACORN core no longer exists.
EricLightborn
ACORN is doing more good for the community and has more value to America than you and all your conservative buddies ever have.
Keep lying. Your making a fool not only of yourself but your party as well.
pricklypear
Please expand on what ACORN has done and what little Banjo1 and his conservative buddies have done.
EricLightborn
I think you'll find your stupid pundits who form all your political views and everything you know about ACORN are total baloney that you can't back yp with anything except ancedotal blatter.
Conservatives hate America, hate the truth and hate Obama. Get with the program.
Carole65
ACORN has probably done a lot of good for low income people. However, they did fire Marcel Reid, a board member, for demanding an audit. John Conyers did call for an investigation last week and the President has distanced himself by stating "we don't need Acorn's help". So it seems that it's not their good works that have come under fire, but how money is being funneled.
pricklypear
Which conservatives hate America? Which ones hate Obama?
What is the truth?
Bulldoglover100
Dream on there Banjo the behind boy!
dbleff
If you think the Obama campaign machine consisted entirely of a relatively small, community-by-community related organization, you are incredibly naive. The base of his campaign and initiative support comes from professionals and students studying for one of the professions ie medical, legal, IT, communications, etc. Oddly enough, the folks who used to form the GOP base, before the GOP moved to Dogpatch.
pricklypear
Dogpatch, as in Tennessee or Arkansas, Georgia? 'Lil Abner was southern, for sure, but these three states are home states of Al Gore, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter.
dbleff
"Dogpatch" as in: a narrow, inbred, insular community (regardless of geographic location) which values rhetoric and cant, preferably delivered shrilly at high decibels with flying spit involved. You know, like the Republican Party.
doko84
just ignore this degenerate. he does this all the time....
pricklypear
More name-calling. That's real convincing.
wrshamilton
I like how the Beast's comment pages are so anemic they can be overwhelmed entirely by one sub-standard Rush-troll.
pricklypear
Also scoring lots of points.
robjh1
If this story is true, the story is out of the bag now. How much of a secret or diversion will it be?
rahrah
Are you saying that Wolffe is a traitor? It isn't his role to hide political strategies.
Besides, it doesn't matter. The media really only has the breadth to tak about one thing at a time. Pushing 3 major things at once? Most or all are bound to take less criticism than of proffered at different times.
submarinemn
Ok, Add a second Rush-troll.. All becouse Rush is a blow mouth doesnt means hes not right. The liberal Democrats who are running the show DO hate America as they see it today. if not they would not be pushing a myriad of programs to radically CHANGE it. All for the better, they believe. I too am all for universal health care as soon as medicare and medicaid and soc. sec. are on a sound financial footing.....which will happen when pigs fly. Many say Obama wants a much poorer, more European, country. I think he will merely make it so by the insanity of his wild spending and taxing (cap in trade) inititives.
muddog
Is it possible to have a coherent and original thinking conservative on this website or are they all fools that listen to conservative radio and regurgitate their talking points like yourself?.
If one looks @ the last 8 years it is quite clear who HATES American, the previous thugs who ran the country just about ran it into the ground. I suggest you stay a DITTO HEAD or go back to watching FOX noise. Until then stay away until you can back up your rhetoric.
Obama wants the Nation poorer?. Really?. Lets not forget when the entire economical breakdown started, it sure as hell was not on Obama's watch, he is having to clean up the mess.
Please provide ANY PROOF that ACCORN is what you say, or are you just regurgitating Sean Hannity blather?.
The G.O.P lost, so get over it. Move aside so the adults can run the show.
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n--Y--jdavxcrowland
muddog-
There's a lot of blame to go around for the financial crisis. Obama was listed as a plaintiff in a 1995 suit against Citibank for "discriminatory lending practices." This initiative, combined with the creation of dubious financial instruments designed to accommodate these mutated lending standards, led to the current crisis.
Stop reflexively scapegoating the previous administration. Their inititatives were condoned by the Dems and in many cases are being continued by the current administration. For good or for ill.
Banjo is right about equating disagreement with demonization. Everyone does it. You just did. It abbreviates the intellect.
Lastly, the fact that one clumsy remark from a commenter who doesn't toe the line of the political zeitgeist provokes such a flurry of ire indicates a degree of conformity of thought usually attributed to those on the right. It simultaneously contends and betrays a lack of humility.
"Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach" - B.D.
felixsama
The "insanity" of Obama's wild spending? Not thanks to f*%#ing Bush bankrupting us (in his quest to become a war criminal) will we have to wait for pigs to fly?
Heavens, more European! What do you think you're talking about?
JackJack
sorry, Obama bankrupted America and he'll go down in history for his lousy, lack of business acumen choices.
Did you miss C-Span - "We've invested 11 trillion dollars into this economy and now we're broke." Obama tells us so, so he can now ignite inflation!
Carole65
Guess what? The pigs are in flight. Yes, I fault Bush for not finding his veto pen until late into his administration, and I fault the SEC for their lack of oversight with Freddie Mac and Fanny May and the members of Congress who refused to deal with the problem.
Having said that, the economy is always cyclical. However, if the rate of spending keeps going, this is going to be one hell of a down cycle.
stuckintexas
Why is it your only response is "liberals hate america." Thats the most childish low-brow response I have ever heard and makes zero sense straight from the gait of Rush himself.
if a person doesn't agree with Rush's conservative party than said person must hate america...how can any rational person accept this logic?
sonofloud
I guess that's why Obama betrayed the anti war groups, the gays/lesbians, civil libertarians, and gun control advocates......so it would be easier to get his supreme court justice pushed through ???
rjw6844
to EricLightborn:
you said, "Conservatives hate America, hate the truth..", then why is it that liberals want to change it and conservatives want things left alone? You don't make sense.
Why is it that liberals nearly always go ad hominem instead of making points of substance toward the issue?
spinozareader
rjw6844
Lesson in irony: Your "argument/reply" stating "that liberals [sic] always go ad hominem instead of making points of substance toward the issue."
isabella
What's ironic about pointing out that liberal responses rarely address issues and often consist of personal abuse? Some of today's insults from page 1:
".... try to combine intelligence with observation.."
.."Only a simpleton could possibly defend the right wing's sick and depraved slander".
"Conservatives hate America, hate the truth and hate Obama."
"Dogpatch" as in: a narrow, inbred, insular community (regardless of geographic location) which values rhetoric and cant, preferably delivered shrilly at high decibels with flying spit involved. You know, like the Republican Party."
American winners usually display some grace in victory. Hatred of the vanquished opposition is what we expect from some Third World countries,like Liberia, or Pakistan, which has occasionally jailed or executed leaders of past administrations after criminalizing their policies. Oh dear! Some Dems want to do that too.
Obama supporters seem to think the losing party is required to adopt Obama's policies, hence the anger at any criticism of the radical changes currently being imposed. A functioning Opposition is supposed to be a thorn in the side of governments and free speech still exists. At least until the next wave of speech-restrictive legislation is passed.
shewolf884
President Obama seems to be able to do many, many things at the same time, unlike our last President. Looks like a whole lot of things are happening.
theoPitt
unfortunatley, congress is unable to do more than one thing at a time... let's face it, they voted for the bailouts and stimulus without reading them, because they did not have time to.
So great, Obama can propose 5 things per week, demand action now, and congress just votes party-line with him. Great. Lets not have anybody actually challange the long term effects of any propostion, just shove it through because The BIG O says so.
Its a great tactic on his part. The average person is too confused to care.
pricklypear
Obama has spent our money. The congress is approving it. They are throwing money around like there is no future.
DougWhite
I think Richard Wolffe has it wrong. Although the Sotomayer nomination hearings will consume much print space and air time, I'm not so certain that today's choice is intended, as the article strongly implies, to divert anyone from other big issues. After all, we do need someone sort of soon to replace Justice Souter. We also need to address health care and the environment. The article looks for a background agenda at the White House that I just don't see; Obama isn't hiding his interest in other issues.
hazmaq
Maybe not. Obama seems to think the grass roots are his, regardless of what he does. He's dead wrong. His repeated choosing of moderates and sucking up to the Right is deliberately done to avoid rocking his own big boat. But then again it needed to be rocked in some areas - in particular on the court and in foreign policy.
I see much of the Progressive Left already sorry they cast their votes for him, after he's reversed course of so many of the issues that were crucial to us.
I happen to be a law student and a big fan of Tom Goldstein over at Scotus. On Rachel Maddow's show tonight he echoed the same sentiments I've had - in a nutshell Sotomayor will likely be more conservative than Souter. Obama picked another moderate that won't stir his dull and riskless approach to policy change. The ABA has her as a Moderate- she's very pro-business and pro-government and will fit nicely in with the Roberts Court.
Unfortunately, it was one of the weakest but safest moves he's made yet to one of his most crucial appointments.
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n--Y--jdavxcgtartar
That's how democracy is supposed to be. The person at the top is working for everybody on the the bottom.
Franklyn
As a republican who only grudgingly voted for Obama, due to the utter incompetence of his predessor, and the likelihood of more of the same from his opponent, I must admit to being very pleasantly surprised at how good a job he is doing. His selection of Sotomayer is just another in a string of carefully considered, even handed decisions he has made. When neither side's wing nuts like you, the likelihood is that you are doing the greatest good for the greatest number of Americans. Isn't that why presidents are chosen?
Franklyn
BTW, why is it that transplanted Brits seem to always have the best insight on what makes America tick? Right on, Richard!
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oliverckerr
It may turn out the 'grass root' support was based on the opportunity for us (the country) to turn the page on the pigment impediment, which we did.
Upon election Barky turns out to be just another politician. Politishinz are not leaders. Obama wears eye shadow for most of his tele-prompter speeches. What is up with that!?
Were Obama truly a leader he would not let someone talk him into wearing eye shadow. He is a winner, not a leader, so the grass roots support that was instrumental in electing him will whither away.
I believe that is what we will see, but the republicans won't benefit because they are totally bereft of any ideas and are also leaderless.
Thank you.
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