# Does Obama know that the election is over? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 11, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701 "2012-12-11T14:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/1 "2012-12-11T14:11:41Z")
By the number of emails I’m still getting begging for money, you’d think that he may have missed the news. The answer is still “no”, sir. You’ve gotten all you’re going to get. And by the way: those trips you’re taking trying to sell your economic plan are starting to look a lot like campaign trips. Or are you just hooked on the high you get from the adoring crowds? In any case, just stop it and get back to work. Love, a cranky voter. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/2 "2012-12-11T14:16:25Z")
Perhaps he learned something from the health care outrage of 2009. Then, he just sat idly by while he was accused of setting up death panels and taking over the health care system. It’s better to make your case to the people than to let the right wing make their case unchallenged. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/3 "2012-12-11T14:36:50Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Perhaps he learned something from the health care outrage of 2009. Then, he just sat idly by while he was accused of setting up death panels and taking over the health care system. It’s better to make your case to the people than to let the right wing make their case unchallenged. Well, that’s probably true. I remember wondering why on earth his team wasn’t doing a better job of informing the public back then. These things sure seem like campaign events, though. Why not send surrogates? ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/4 "2012-12-11T14:55:35Z")
Soooo… I don’t like what you’re doing and I didn’t like it when you did the opposite? The current economic discussion is not about economics its about political promises. They only way for Obama to avoid the fiscal cliff is to accept the Speaker’s plan - which Obama said didn’t add up when Romney suggested it - or to to get enough support for his plan to put pressure on the house. I think he is doing exactly the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/5 "2012-12-11T14:56:04Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Why not send surrogates? So he can’t be misquoted. That was a big problem all last term. He’d send a staffer, and they wouldn’t quite get it all correct, or say something that would be easily taken out of context or misquoted. The right would then misattribute that to “the administration”. This way he is showing involvement, and personally making the case. his words are his own; it is a bit riskier politically, but he’s a second term president so who cares? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/6 "2012-12-11T14:56:27Z")
Mostly because a surrogate won’t get near the coverage that he will. In the end, he’s the president. And the bully pulpit is his. A surrogate needs to deliver something notable to get coverage. But if the president is out just repeating his talking points he’s the lead story. And you’re right, one of the ways the health care debate was screwed up was his passivity. He should have been pushing that thing as far and as fast as he could. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/7 "2012-12-11T14:57:43Z")
Hopefully not. He’s a better campaigner than president. Or maybe that’s just what a good president is. Either way, I hope he keeps it up. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/8 "2012-12-11T14:58:42Z")
Yes, this is exactly what he needs to do. He’s a good communicator, voters like him much more than they like Congress, and this time he needs to make sure that people understand his side. He should have done this on health care, too. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/9 "2012-12-11T15:06:16Z")
The election is never over, basically. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/10 "2012-12-11T15:49:29Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > The election is never over, basically. I think we have now officially entered the permanent election cycle. Live long and prosper! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/11 "2012-12-11T16:00:52Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > The election is never over, basically. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think we have now officially entered the permanent election cycle. Live long and prosper! The election is over (even though we’re also already up to our necks in Hillary 2016 blather) but politics is ongoing. But the 2012 election leads me worried that in every election cycle after this one we’re going to see candidates promise to spend more and more energy undoing the accomplishments of their opponents, which is going to lead to a lot of wasted time. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/12 "2012-12-11T21:32:02Z")
I disagree with the OP. Obama made a serious strategic error dismantling his campaign apparatus after he was sworn in for his first term. Obama faces a Republican congress that has implemented unprecedented obstructionism: they even filibuster their own damn bills. Sound policy is the goal of winning elections. Drumming up public support is necessary if we want to stop the Republicans from sending the economy over the precipice. Obama needs every tool he can secure if he wants to defuse the austerity bomb. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/13 "2012-12-11T22:24:21Z")
I love that Obama and his team are continuing to promote the bills that they want to pass. Complacency lead to the GOP House wave of 2010, I don’t want to see that happen again. Obama’s campaign team is wonderful. Now that they don’t have to worry about reelecting the boss, they can focus on some of the smaller congressional races and maybe win the House back for the Dems ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/14 "2012-12-11T22:25:42Z")
I see glimmers of hope in this. I like it that so much of Obama’s campaign money came in the form of small donations from the people. I like it that he offers and encourages the people to take an active and continuing part of their governance, the truest enemy of progress is not conservatives, but apathy. Remember the Clintonistas, back in the day, when business money was huge, and hugely favored the Republicans. So, they transformed the Dem Party, making it all “business friendly”, Republican Lite. Feh! as they say in Lubbock. Perhaps we can’t change how much money matters in our democracy. But perhaps we can change _who’s_ money matters. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/15 "2012-12-11T22:58:52Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think we have now officially entered the permanent election cycle. Live long and prosper! Trotsky demanded “permanent revolution” – maybe this is the nearest thing that works. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/16 "2012-12-11T22:59:28Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > I disagree with the OP. Obama made a serious strategic error dismantling his campaign apparatus after he was sworn in for his first term. I’m not sure that’s actually true, since in November we heard a lot about how Obama’s campaign maintained offices in swing states for four years and it helped him win re-election. And now he really doesn’t need a campaign apparatus. But what he does need to do is communicate with the public about his agenda. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/17 "2012-12-11T23:58:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’m not sure that’s actually true, since in November we heard a lot about how Obama’s campaign maintained offices in swing states for four years and it helped him win re-election. And now he really doesn’t need a campaign apparatus. He doesn’t, but whoever is running in four years will benefit from the continuity of effort. Chefguy, I’m sorry, but your OP made _me_ cranky. Were you on a Mars trip for the past 50 years? Since when do Presidents in the TV era ever stop campaigning - or at least have the coverage of their trips appear like campaigns? This has all the timeliness of complaining about long hair on boys. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/18 "2012-12-12T14:19:48Z")
He’s still waiting for the other side to concede that they lost. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/19 "2012-12-12T16:44:44Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > He doesn’t, but whoever is running in four years will benefit from the continuity of effort. > > Chefguy, I’m sorry, but your OP made _me_ cranky. Were you on a Mars trip for the past 50 years? Since when do Presidents in the TV era ever stop campaigning - or at least have the coverage of their trips appear like campaigns? This has all the timeliness of complaining about long hair on boys. I think I’m suffering from campaign fatigue and general winter crankiness. I like the fact that he’s promoting policy, but tired of the emails dunning me for more money. Seems like every time you unsubscribe from them, they start sending them to you from a different source. It’s a minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things, but it’s today’s RO for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701/20 "2012-12-12T20:16:51Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > …the truest enemy of progress is not conservatives, but apathy. You know, **elucidator** , generally I view you as a sort of SDMB Court Jester, amusing but to be taken seriously as you dance around, obfuscate, point out that the king is naked and occasionally fart into the punch bowl and such. But damn, if that’s not truth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-obama-know-that-the-election-is-over/643701.md?page=2)