Triangulation Man: Liberal Support For Obama Erodes

The CNN poll showing Obama losing support with liberal voters is not an anomaly. The latest Washington Post shows President Obama suffering a significant loss with liberal voters.

The Post-ABC poll found that the number of liberal Democrats who strongly support Obama’s record on jobs plunged 22 points from 53 percent last year to 31 percent. The number of African Americans who believe the president’s actions have helped the economy has dropped from 77 percent in October to just over half of those surveyed.

Bill Clinton didn't beat Bob Dole in 1996 because Dick Morris' triangulation strategy was brilliant. The economy was growing, there was peace and Clinton was a superb candidate. The Clintonites used triangulation as cynically as the Reaganites sold supply side economics. Clinton was never obsessed with school uniforms. Reagan's economic team wanted to tax to shrink government. The Reaganites never believed that tax cuts would create surpluses.

The problem with current Democrats and Republicans is they take the talking points of popular president as policy gospel. Obama is getting his ass kicked truing to be triangulate when he should pushing job creation. Republicans failed miserably with supply side economics during the Bush years. That hasn't stopped Obama or Republicans from governing from cynical talking points of previous administrations.