Caddell On The Midterm Elections

by Robert Costa - September 2nd, 2010 - National Review

The polling figures paint an astounding picture -- and not just for Democrats, but for the political class as a whole.

In 1979, as Carter’s poll numbers slid south amidst a sagging economy, [Pat] Caddell drafted a memo to the president urging him to recognize that the nation was “deep in crisis.” Gazing upon today’s electoral landscape, Caddell paints an even bleaker picture. “We may be at a pre-revolutionary moment,” he says, unsmiling. “Everything is in motion.”

[Snip]

“Democrats used to be the voice of the common man in America, not his dictator,” Caddell laments. “Now, with Wall Street, [the Democrat's] mantra is, ‘We’ll take your money, but we won’t kiss.’ The people who own the party — George Soros, the Center for American Progress, the public-employee union bosses, rich folks flying private jets to ‘ideas festivals’ in Aspen — they’re Obama’s base.”

[Snip]

“With Carter, I would argue that his failures were not of the heart or of intent, but, perhaps, of execution,” Caddell says. “He was never inconsistent with what he originally envisioned. I can’t say the same for Obama.” Successful presidents, Caddell argues, “realize that it is not about them — that the country is bigger than their presidency. With Obama, it is always about him. It’s a terrible thing to have to say, but I think that it has become obvious.”

Pat Caddell refers to the 'political class'. I prefer to call them the 'ruling class'. In either case, these are new terms that recognize there are a number of people in Washington who are out of touch with the voters, even in their own party. They see their role in government as doing what they think should be done and to hell with the American people. They hold our nation and its voters in contempt.

Barack Hussein Obama is one of these. Sure he has company - both inside his party and in the Republican Party as well. Lindsey Graham comes to mind. Some others have recently been defeated in Republican primaries, truly angering a number of now retired, and some not yet retired, Republican members of the 'ruling class'.

Pat Caddell's views on the coming election concern me because he is one of the people in the Democrat Party who still clearly loves America for what it was and not for some idealistic dream of a neo-communist utopia that can be created here. I respect him. Yet as noted in this article, he is concerned that the controversies in the coming elections can get out of control and lead to revolution. I don't think his comments are hyperbole. I have the same concern. Glen Beck, during many of his recent shows, has been expressing the same fear.

Trying to get angry people to reject bloodshed and work together with their enemies to build a united country has always been one of the greatest challenges to governance. Without George Washington I believe it would have been beyond our own founding fathers. Some simply have to get their way or they will not go along. Obama strikes me as that kind of extremist. However I am not deluded to think we do not have them on the right as well. So far, as proved by the Restoring Honor Rally, the Tea Party Movement is following the course of working within the representative Republic rules.

I don't see the same kind of responsible leadership on the other side. Obama and his people have not convinced me of their good intentions. They have committed themselves to the Marxist belief, "one man, one vote, one time." Obama's "I won" gloat sounds horribly like the idea that no other votes will ever matter to him. It is the source of the fear on the right that the elections in November may not happen.

This fear has existed since before the 2008 elections, as noted in a comprehensive article on the Red State blog that can be found here. Progressives can call it paranoia all they want, but the article delineates example after example of actions and statements that fed the fear, and still exist. One of the thoughts I have often had in the last two years is that Obama might well have been better positioned if he had followed the strategy to control future elections that the labor unions were urging. The Red State article describes this strategy. I hope it is now too late.

Yet that really comes down to the question, how willing is Obama to make an all or nothing attempt to stop his losses through aborting the elections? An egomaniac like Obama, who even Democrats like Caddell admits sees everything through the filter of his own desires, may be willing to take the risk of a Constitutional crisis to maintain power.