White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs may dodge the issue, whether artfully or not (I say not; he’s becoming Ari Fleischer-like), but I think many supporters of major healthcare reform, let alone opponents, agree that President Barack Obama has lost control of the debate on the issue (if he ever was on top of it in the first place).
Why? Well, as I have blogged before, some people have “Onward Christian Soldiers,” not “Kumbaya,” in their hymnals. And, whether it’s fear of the “angry black man” stereotype, or, this just isn’t Obama, he has failed to be William Jennings Bryan and understand, and grasp, the anger on other issues, the populist anger, that has led to this point.
Another reason? As exemplified on his approach to economic issues, he’s a micromanager. Elsewhere, he’s been described as “professorial” in his public speaking style on big issues. Neither works with this.
Beyond that, the same WSJ story notes that Obama has pulled his punches on more than one issue already. “All hat, no cattle?”
And, Paul Krugman wonders how Obama “will deal with the death of his postpartisan dream ,” then notes he has part of the blame for his lack of pushing and explaining the bill, first, and his lack of passion, second.
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