Josh Marshall makes a really important point: good policy does not automatically make good politics. Obama was not a braggart by nature and existed in the realm of logical technocrat. He presumed that he could make a logical case for the achievements of his presidency and that would be enough for re-election (yes) and a Democratic successor (no). In fact, Obama is the only president I can find that lost support for his re-election and still got re-elected.
It was Biden who came up with the theme for re-election: Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive. That's pretty clear messaging, and Biden seems to have the old Irish pol's feel for simple, encompassing statements. In 2009, Obama and Democrats saved the country from a depression and expanded health insurance for millions of Americans (and would have expanded it to millions more if not for Republican governors and Supreme Court justices). But Democrats got smoked in 2010 and didn't recover the House until that Orange Shitstain moved in.
Democrats need to embrace the "forever campaign." They need to sell their policy as it's happening, rather than waiting for the month before the election. Set the terms of the debate; otherwise the Republicans will do it for you.
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