Politics
Election 2012: President Obama re-election in doubt?
Former Democratic Party chairman Don Fowler faulted the Obama camp for not laying more blame on Republicans for the slow economic recovery.
“The Obama campaign should make it clear whose fundamental fault the economic problems are, and they’ve chosen not to do that,” he said, echoing an argument made by other Democrats. “Not doing that, they forfeit an argument, a strategy, a technique toward making the Republicans bear responsibility for these problems.”
Some Democrats hope the deepening concern among some party faithful could lead to an increase in fundraising.
The mighty Obama and DNC fundraising operation fell behind Romney and Republicans in May, with the GOP team raising US$76 million compared to the US$60 million haul for the president and Democrats. And the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action has lagged far behind Republican-leaning outside groups, in part because of what senior strategist Bill Burton said was a sense of complacency among Democratic donors.
“Democrats have to know that the president is up against a well-financed opponent in a tough political environment,” said Burton, a former White House aide. “If everyone doesn’t join the fight, he could be defeated.”
The Obama campaign itself has also been sounding the alarm.
“If there’s anyone still out there acting like we have this thing in the bag, do me a favor and tell them they’re dead wrong,” Ann Marie Habershaw, the campaign’s chief operating officer, wrote in a blog post last week.
