1. Mediaite
  2. Gossip Cop
  3. Geekosystem
  4. Styleite
  5. SportsGrid
  6. The Mary Sue
  7. The Jane Dough
  8. The Braiser
Advertisement

Robert Gibbs to Liberals on Midterms: ‘Everything You Care About is at Stake’

video
» 11 comments

In the media debate over this year’s midterm elections, the “enthusiasm gap” has been front and center. Recent remarks by President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have gotten a chilly reception from the base. At today’s White House briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs cut through the whining and the disappointment, and delivered a pitch-perfect frame for the upcoming midterms. Asked by progressive radio host Bill Press about that enthusiasm gap, Gibbs cited some encouraging poll results, then delivered a call to arms, saying “Everything (Democrats and independents) care about is at stake.”


Discussion of the midterms has centered around the dueling notions that this is a referendum on the Obama administration, versus a choice between the (admittedly slow) progress that has been made and a return to Republican policies that caused the current situation. Gibbs seems to be offering a third frame: that the 2010 midterms are a gun to the head of everything voters elected this President to do.

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite's daily newsletter.

Email Twitter Facebook Digg Reddit Stumble Upon Yahoo Buzz LinkedIn Tumblr Delicious
  • Big Eddie

    As Gibbs would say , first and foremost ,the election is a referendum on the rampant corruption throughout the Obama White House and the entire Democrat Party and the failed policies of the Obama administration . And Big Eddie knows corruption .

  • shootfromthehip

    This election is about keeping extremist Tea Party retards the hell OUT of Congress.

    Trust me, moderate Americans are scared enough to turn out. Minorities as well are going to turn out in droves to ensure their rights are not trampled on more a la Arizona.

    The GOP might be in for a surprise this fall.

    Gains will not be as great as pundits say. They have been wrong so many times before.

  • The_Reasonable_Lib

    shootfromthehip said:
    This election is about keeping extremist Tea Party retards the hell OUT of Congress.

    Trust me, moderate Americans are scared enough to turn out. Minorities as well are going to turn out in droves to ensure their rights are not trampled on more a la Arizona.

    The GOP might be in for a surprise this fall.

    Gains will not be as great as pundits say. They have been wrong so many times before.

    Sadly we never will, Bachmann seems to be here to stay. Her constituents are as crazy as sheis.

  • jk76

    PROMOTE THE HELL OUT OF THAT SHIT TC!!!

    you’re a champ, soon they’ll let you into that lounge they plan in

  • Arnold

    This man must put down the Tvinkies .

  • wytshus

    “Everything (Democrats and independents) care about is at stake.”

    Sorry Baghdad Bob, Independents are running away from everything this administration and its party stand for.

    Reap the whirlwind, maybe Rhambo will give you a job when he becomes mayor of that cesspool in Illinois….

  • zombietimeshare

    So cradle to grave socialism is at risk? And that’s a bad thing?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Noa-Napoleon/100000196522640 Noa Napoleon

    “Everything Democrats and Independents care about is at stake.”

    Notice he didn’t say everything Americans care about is at stake, no he said everything Democrats and Independents care about is at stake. First of all I’m not so sure Independents are as strapped to the Democratic party or Democratic issues as Gibbs assumes. There’s a huge difference between what the country wants and what Democrats want. The majority of Americans are repulsed by power politics and the Democratic leadership isn’t getting it. What makes power politics so repulsive you ask? Its divisive and its un-American for starters. What encourages this sort of power politics is apathy and indifference to freedom, which in turn gives politicians wide swath to do mischief. Americans should associate power grabs with emasculation but they don’t usually because they are too trusting.

    So what part of the Liberal wish list are D’s and I’s most concerned about losing aside from the obvious, which is power? And what exactly are the issues that will motivate them to vote come November? At the top of this list is power obviously because liberals believe that power is necessary to implement liberal reforms, but what besides power are the sacred issues for liberals? Here are some of the issues Gibbs might be referring to when he made this statement about what D’s and I’s care about. I just doubt the I’s are much concerned at all about liberalism heading to November.

    Civil Unions
    Government health care (cradle to grave socialism)
    Eradicating – outlawing Christianity (Biblical absolutes) public prayer etc.
    Marxist style government (police state/nanny state etc.) Commerce is regulated by the government and dispersed out to its citizens, unlike a capitalistic or free market system where you have the right to produce, own, and distribute your money where you choose to.
    Cosmopolitanism (no national identity such as Christianity) leads to…
    Multiculturalism-where America becomes the world and loses its uniqueness (exceptionalism).
    Patriotism that extolls Christianity above other religions would be outlawed as discriminatory
    in the same way they try to say that singling out Marriage
    as a institution between man and a woman discriminates against gays.
    Affirmative Action where government makes laws based on status, and race.

    This is the short list of issues Democrats have championed over the years, but not seeing main stream America in any of these so called sacred tenants of liberalism, I doubt there is any kind of urgency on the part of Independents to support Democrats. Come November so called Independents will be thinking only about economic recovery. Democratic social experimentation in big government will not factor at all in fact I think this sort of experimentation in socialism is wearing thin with Americans. The time for experimentation is not now and Republicans are wise to resort to mainstream or reform language that is familiar to Americans. Limited government, equal protection, conservatism (self regulation), and religious freedom as the basis for free society. Anything beyond this is experimentation!! Power corrupts but honesty, patriotism, and honor restores virtue!! Americans are honest, patriotic, and virtuous. For these government is but a tool to advance liberty not the be all end all some desperately want it to become.

  • Arkansas Steve

    On another matter: MEDIAITE, what the hell is wrong with you?
    The best interview in a decade was last night as Greta Van Susteren demolished & humiliated Gloria Allred.
    You have NO DECENT EXCUSE WHATSOEVER for not running this story.
    Are you incompetent or in bed with Gloria?

  • http://none pyrope

    “Robert Gibbs to Liberals on Midterms: ‘Everything You Care About is at Stake’”

    In a word, progressivism.

  • http://none pyrope

    Noa Napoleon said:
    “Everything Democrats and Independents care about is at stake.” Notice he didn’t say everything Americans care about is at stake, no he said everything Democrats and Independents care about is at stake. First of all I’m not so sure Independents are as strapped to the Democratic party or Democratic issues as Gibbs assumes. There’s a huge difference between what the country wants and what Democrats want. The majority of Americans are repulsed by power politics and the Democratic leadership isn’t getting it. What makes power politics so repulsive you ask? Its divisive and its un-American for starters. What encourages this sort of power politics is apathy and indifference to freedom, which in turn gives politicians wide swath to do mischief. Americans should associate power grabs with emasculation but they don’t usually because they are too trusting. So what part of the Liberal wish list are D’s and I’s most concerned about losing aside from the obvious, which is power? And what exactly are the issues that will motivate them to vote come November? At the top of this list is power obviously because liberals believe that power is necessary to implement liberal reforms, but what besides power are the sacred issues for liberals? Here are some of the issues Gibbs might be referring to when he made this statement about what D’s and I’s care about. I just doubt the I’s are much concerned at all about liberalism heading to November. Civil UnionsGovernment health care (cradle to grave socialism)Eradicating – outlawing Christianity (Biblical absolutes) public prayer etc.Marxist style government (police state/nanny state etc.) Commerce is regulated by the government and dispersed out to its citizens, unlike a capitalistic or free market system where you have the right to produce, own, and distribute your money where you choose to.Cosmopolitanism (no national identity such as Christianity) leads to…Multiculturalism-where America becomes the world and loses its uniqueness (exceptionalism).Patriotism that extolls Christianity above other religions would be outlawed as discriminatoryin the same way they try to say that singling out Marriageas a institution between man and a woman discriminates against gays.Affirmative Action where government makes laws based on status, and race. This is the short list of issues Democrats have championed over the years, but not seeing main stream America in any of these so called sacred tenants of liberalism, I doubt there is any kind of urgency on the part of Independents to support Democrats. Come November so called Independents will be thinking only about economic recovery. Democratic social experimentation in big government will not factor at all in fact I think this sort of experimentation in socialism is wearing thin with Americans. The time for experimentation is not now and Republicans are wise to resort to mainstream or reform language that is familiar to Americans. Limited government, equal protection, conservatism (self regulation), and religious freedom as the basis for free society. Anything beyond this is experimentation!! Power corrupts but honesty, patriotism, and honor restores virtue!! Americans are honest, patriotic, and virtuous. For these government is but a tool to advance liberty not the be all end all some desperately want it to become.

    You, sir, have nailed it. Thanks.

© 2012 Mediaite, LLC | About Us | Advertise | Newsletter | Jobs | Privacy | User Agreement | Disclaimer | Power Grid FAQ | Contact | Archives | RSS RSS
Dan Abrams, Founder | Power Grid by Sound Strategies | Hosting by Datagram