At Crooks and Liar, they have thrown in the towel:
That does it. Obama needs to face a strong primary challenger. And no, I don’t care if it costs the Democrats the White House in 2012. Obama had a golden opportunity to have an actual victory — the first he’s had since he killed that fly back in 2009 — and he’s flushing it down the crapper. We cannot have this guy representing us anymore. He is too weak to lead.
While Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun magazine and the chair of the interfaith Network of Spiritual Progressives, is saying that we need a strong primary challenge from the left to save Obama from himself:
But there is a real way to save the Obama presidency: by challenging him in the 2012 presidential primaries with a candidate who would unequivocally commit to a well-defined progressive agenda and contrast it with the Obama administration’s policies. Such a candidacy would be pooh-poohed by the media, but if it gathered enough popular support – as is likely given the level of alienation among many who were the backbone of Obama’s 2008 success – this campaign would pressure Obama toward much more progressive positions and make him a more viable 2012 candidate. Far from weakening his chances for reelection, this kind of progressive primary challenge could save Obama if he moves in the desired direction. And if he holds firm to his current track, he’s a goner anyway.
Note that both of these comments were before Obama’s sellout this evening.
I agree with you, Matt. Obama's caving in to the neolithic Republicans is disgraceful and shows he can talk the talk but not walk the walk the walk. He has shown no leadership and has sold us out for what? Unemployment insurance extensions? It does not matter how he couches his folding on one of his biggest campaign promises, he failed, he showed us he is a lemming and not a lion.
I hope someone in the Democratic party has the wherewithal to mount a serious challenge to him beginning this coming year. If not, I fear for our nations future.
By the way, Happy Chanukah to you and your family.