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Dem Campaign Chief: Obama Agenda on Ballot Next Year -- Not This Year
November 03, 2009 2:03 PM
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: As Democrats brace for what could be a rough Election Day, the head of Democrats’ House campaign efforts is downplaying the national implications of the day’s marquee contests, in New Jersey, Virginia, and upstate New York.
But if the Obama agenda isn’t on the ballot this year -- it sure will be next year, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told us on ABCNews.com’s “Top Line” today.
If Democratic turnout is down today, “what it tells is us we need to make sure that between now and a year from now we take actions both on the campaign side as well as whatever policy efforts we need to undertake, to make sure that all those voters understand that the success of the president’s agenda --- the success of the Obama agenda will depend on the turnout at the polls next November 2010,” said Van Hollen, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
“And if the people who came out to the polls for President Obama understand that the change agenda that he campaigned on in 2008, that that agenda is on the ballot in 2010, then they may well come out. But that’s not a big issue on the ballots this year so I don’t think it’s a fair test in that sense,” Van Hollen said.
Van Hollen called it “nonsense” to suggest that today’s results provide a forecast for the mid-term congressional elections: “It is not a situation where you’ve got members of Congress who are working with the president to try and enact an agenda are all on the ticket this time around. So I would say people need to be very cautious about drawing conclusions about the outcome of these elections.”
But he did suggest that there are lessons to be gleaned from the special election in New York State’s 23rd congressional district, where conservative anger at the Republican Party nominee forced the GOP candidate to back out of the race.
“You saw the Republicans essentially throwing their candidate under the bus. And that is going to be an issue in Republican primaries around the country, where you’ve got people who are running to the right, where you’ve got people who may be breaking with the party to run as independent candidates. That will send a very chilling message around the country that there’s no room for moderates in the Republican Party.”
Watch the full interview with Rep. Chris Van Hollen HERE.
We also checked with our regular Tuesday guest, Republican strategist Kevin Madden, on what to watch for today. High on his list: Where do independent voters -- critical to the Obama coalition -- go this year, and what issues motivate them?
Watch the discussion with Kevin Madden HERE.
November 3, 2009 in Top Line | Permalink | Share | User Comments (16)
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Sure sure these elections means nothing for Obama thats why he went to Virgina like 3 times to campaign for Deeds in the past 2 weeks.
Posted by: rachel | Nov 3, 2009 2:12:12 PM
If this is not a test of this administration why is he campaining costantly instead of paying some attention to backing our troops, war is not pleasant and you cant keep ducking responsibility makes you look week or cowardly.
Posted by: earl | Nov 3, 2009 2:41:53 PM
yeah right...change we can beleive in.
Posted by: catman | Nov 3, 2009 2:52:08 PM
Breaking news from Maine, Sports Fans:
"Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap says he now expects more than 50 percent of Mainers would vote by the time polls close today."
Let's hope tomorrow morning we can say Maine is the first state to legalize same sex marriage by popular vote. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Posted by: Amy in Maine | Nov 3, 2009 3:25:57 PM
Take low turn out dropping poll #'s and it leads to one conclusion Americans are not wanting to buy what Obama is selling maybe we can impeach Obama for false advertising! Simple we Do not want the Health Kill reform Bill your party is shoving down our throats, and we do not want your Cap and Tax either. We want Jobs, lower taxes, Less Government not more! What is so hard to understand about that!
Posted by: nobama12 | Nov 3, 2009 3:27:53 PM
The NJ contest is an interesting test of Democrat's strength, but Virgina and NY-23 are pretty meaningless. I am *thrilled* to see the hard right revved up about going to vote. It was getting scary for a while there with their combined talk of Obama being a false president/terrorist and the historic run on ammunition. Not a good combo from the party of McVeigh/Rudolph/Adkisson/Roeder/etc.
Posted by: jhw539 | Nov 3, 2009 3:29:25 PM
I read in the Obama news paper here in this town that the fodd stamp program will increase to cover 1/2 the kids in America. What happened to Obamas jobs he promised? These jobs would keep parents working and the kids eating what mom and dad bring home with pay checks. 10% unemployment and its expected to get worse. Where are the jobs from overseas he said he was bringing back? What about the companies overseas avoiding taxes here he said he would stop and not last but not the least what about big oil??? Gas is up and this in the pocket oil administration is getting a free ride. Or does he need to blame it on someone else as he always does.
Posted by: Jim Rod | Nov 3, 2009 3:41:17 PM
The legendary thin skin of Obama comes out again. Nothing is ever his fault or his responsibility. It's remarkable.
How's that crucial fight against Fox going, Barack?
BTW, ABC what is with the billions of photos of Obama on your front page? I count at least 8 today.
Posted by: vlad | Nov 3, 2009 3:48:54 PM
Great spin. Anyone believe it? The people of America are learning Obamaspeak and they can now translate his oratory. They don't like what they're hearing. Finally.
Posted by: pam | Nov 3, 2009 4:03:38 PM
Van Hollen what if the democrat vote is high and he still looses? Does that mean Obamma will try to gear up his is corrupt ACORN organization even harder? The people have seen his policies and corruption and are tired of it. Why isnt everyone who was complaining about wall street up in arms with Obama supporting Corzine the Goldman Sachs millionaire from wall street? Why is Goldman Sachs getting paid first with assets from Cit bank recent bankruptcy before us thatax payers where federal law states all government monies are to be paid first on any bankruptcies involving government funds.
Posted by: steve | Nov 3, 2009 4:03:53 PM
This is for all you doom-and-gloom right wingers out there:
"Legendary investor Warren Buffett is making what he calls an "all-in wager" on the U.S. economy -- $34 billion to buy a major railroad that hauls everything from corn to cars across the country.
Analysts say Buffett is planting both feet in an industry that is poised to grow as the economy gets back on solid ground. It would be the biggest acquisition ever for Berkshire Hathaway Inc."
Posted by: Amy in Maine | Nov 3, 2009 4:26:48 PM
Even Warren Buffett, an Obama supporter, warns about huge federal deficits and an increase in the Debt-to-GDP ratio:
Buffet also said the following: "But enormous dosages of monetary medicine continue to be administered and, before long, we will need to deal with their side effects. For now, most of those effects are invisible and could indeed remain latent for a long time. Still, their threat may be as ominous as that posed by the financial crisis itself"
Posted by: nobama12 | Nov 3, 2009 4:57:21 PM
HAHA , Obama is such a joke!
On;y a complete idiot will belive this. Even the moonbats won't buy that.
Posted by: jonny | Nov 3, 2009 5:08:35 PM
The race is in New Jersey seems pretty much like the race that will take place in Illinois next year; because of Blagojevich Illinois will probably go Republican next year. Because of the corruption in N.J., the high taxes and high unemployment, N.J. will have a hard time returning Democrats to office.
The election in the Republican district of New York is a referendum as to whethere the Republican party tracts to the far right or still allows moderates under their umbrella. Only the Virginia election will tell about voters support of President Obama.
Posted by: findlayway | Nov 3, 2009 6:04:56 PM
Why do I not see the current vote tallies here on ABC? I had to go to FOX News to see them.
Posted by: TX_MBell | Nov 3, 2009 9:20:10 PM
Now I guess they can find one thing that Obama has done for Dems. Unemployment.
Posted by: Jeff | Nov 3, 2009 10:10:39 PM
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