| Description | The first Congressional Democrat (to my knowledge) is now on the record declaring Barack Obama a political liability.
Rep, Dan Boren (D-Okla.), one of the most conservative Dems in the House went OFF on President Obama in a scorching interview with the Oklahoma Gazette today -- saying the president isn't only "very unpopular" in his district but should be more centrist.
Like Bill Clinton.
The White House and House Democratic leaders have grown used to Boren bucking them, but this takes it to another level..
“Barack Obama is very unpopular,” said Boren, who represents Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District. “He got 34 percent of the vote statewide, and less in our district. If he were to run for re-election today, I bet it would be even worse.”
Boren points out that he does support some of Obama’s initiatives, like the economic stimulus package. He has voted for Obama-supported bills 81 percent of the time, according to a recent Congressional Quarterly study. But despite this, he said the president is too liberal.
“It would be a lot nicer if we had someone who was in the middle,” he said. “Bill Clinton won our district. A lot of people don’t remember that, but he, in 1996, carried this district. I think if you have someone who governs from the middle, who’s pragmatic, who works with both parties. President Obama talks a lot about bipartisanship. If you look at some of the legislation, he may have one or two Republicans.” |
