President Obama ended up in Iowa this week -- how'd that happen? -- on his non-campaign swing through the Midwest. Throughout the trip, the president has been sending a clear signal about how Democrats are going to run for the 2012 elections. Mr. Obama said he's going to put forward a series of proposals next month to create jobs, from renewing the payroll tax cut, to extending tax breaks to companies that hire veterans, to a bill to fund road construction.His challenge to Congress, specifically to Republicans in Congress, is get that done:
And if they don't get it done, then we'll be running against a Congress that's not doing anything for the American people, and the choice will be very stark and will be very clear."
On the show last night, Rachel asked whether this shows that the president has heard the unhappiness in his base and decided to call Republicans out on their political sins. If you separate criticism of the president's policies from criticism of his style, you're left with supporters who just want their guy to play harder ball. Rachel summed up their wish like this: "The president ought to say what he wants, what he think the country needs and make the country believe it and make Republicans pay a price if they don't go along with it if they don't. Convert the popularity of Democratic ideas into political leverage against Republicans, to get his way or at least go down swinging while saying and standing up for what he believes in."