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Election '09: Obama's "Misguided" Agenda Doomed Dems, Former Advisor Says

Posted Nov 04, 2009 05:09pm EST by Aaron Task in Newsmakers, Recession
Contrary to some reports, the Republican sweep of Tuesday's governor's races in New Jersey and Virginia is not a direct rebuke of President Obama, according to Leo Hindery, managing partner of InterMedia Partners. Indeed, a Democrat won New York's 23rd Congresional District for the first time since 1872. (Yes, 1872.)

But even Hindery, a former advisor to President Obama and John Edwards' senior economic policy advisor, can't deny the Democrats have stumbled.

"The lesson is simple: It's the economy, stupid," Hindery says. "Healthcare reform is an important issue...but the priority was misguided. I'm a strong advocate of universal healthcare but would have put it behind employment."

The issue is not so much the Obama administration hasn't created jobs but unemployed Americans "do expect the appearance is every effort is being made to reemploy them," he says. "I think we got away from that perception [due to] the overemphasis on healthcare."

As a result of these misplaced priorities, Hindery says the Democrats are likely to lose "large numbers" in the House in the 2010 mid-term elections.

The former CEO of AT&T Broadband (and it's predecessor TCI) holds this view in part because he doesn't think the economy will look much better a year from now, especially on the jobs front.

Hindery foresees the recession lasting into 2011 and an "L-shaped recovery" when it comes to jobs. This jobless recovery will be unprecedented in both its scope and duration, he predicts, as we'll discuss in more detail in a forthcoming segment.

231 Comments

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:24PM EST

Wall Street Is Very Very Happy with Obama!

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:25PM EST

Got to know Melia just loves this... "unemployed Americans do expect the appearance is every effort is being made to reemploy them. I think we got away from that perception [due to] the overemphasis on healthcare" and "the Democrats are likely to lose "large numbers" in the House in the 2010 mid-term elections" //////////// ////////// When one of them is saying this stuff, you just know it hurts, big time. Are you listening, Nancy P? Of course not, but many in her caucus surely are.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:32PM EST

So he wants National Health Care?? I do to, but I don't want to pay for mine, I want the Public Sector Employees to pay for my healthcare. I work in the Private Sector. We pay for theirs with our taxes, so they should pay 100% of my healthcare premiums, with their income.......thats fair isn't it? I pay taxes for their free healthcare, and they pay for my healthcare, with their income. Simple and Fair.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:32PM EST

So he wants National Health Care?? I do to, but I don't want to pay for mine, I want the Public Sector Employees to pay for my healthcare. I work in the Private Sector. We pay for theirs with our taxes, so they should pay 100% of my healthcare premiums, with their income.......thats fair isn't it? I pay taxes for their free healthcare, and they pay for my healthcare, with their income. Simple and Fair.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:37PM EST

"I'm a strong advocate of universal healthcare but would have put it behind employment." This of course would imply that this administration and their idiot friends in congress have any idea how jobs are created-which, of course, they don't.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:38PM EST

So he wants National Health Insurance?? Leo?? I do too, but I don't want to pay for mine, I want the Public Sector employees to pay for my healthcare out of their income. I pay taxes here in the Private Sector, to pay for 100% of their healthcare, so they should pay for 100% of mine with their income.thats Fair isn't it? They get free healthcare and a job with my taxes, and I get free healthcare from their income.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:43PM EST

Nothing has changed since Rome; people want bread and games. Effectively, nobody in DC seems to be concerned about that.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:45PM EST

National health care? frederal gov't "creating" jobs? why don't we just have Obama go door to door, feed us, put a diaper on us and put us to bed at night?

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:46PM EST

SEND A MESSAGE TO ALL POLITICIANS;......DONT BUY A THING FOR CHRISTMAS....YOU ARE OFF THE HOOK!!!..... JUST BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER. CHEERS!

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:49PM EST

Although labels create dissension, people need a way to identify those prospective government representatives that share the same values as they do. The problem comes about when there are left leaning Republicans, right leaning Democrats, blue dogs, and a plethora of other terms used by the media. And then, after election some politicians do the old switcheroo and change party affiliations. That is cowardly to not face the People with their views before elections. It should be like comparison shopping. We need a side by side checklist of who is for or against what issue. Clear and simple. That doesn't look too likely in the near future. Also, as long as there are special interest groups and arm twisting by both parties to get "bi-partisan" votes, the People suffer. Take the health care bill for instance, a perfect example of incompetence and snake oil politics. The People should not be treated like mindless idiots. We should be able to read the billls before a vote. Ah, but then we would see the totally unrelated sections of funding for off the wall items that have nothing to do with the bill. Pork barrel politics should be stopped dead in its tracks. And the Ponzi scheme that is aka the federal budget should also be accountable to the People. As it is now, they do what they want and are taxing the People into the dirt. We don't even get to vote to stop the "automatic" pay raises for themselves. And they get to exclude themselves as a government employee from whatever legislation they want. We shouldn't be woried about Democrats or Republicans - we should be worried about politicians in general. Most all of them stink.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 04, 2009 05:53PM EST

** Cough! **

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:01PM EST

Interesting that this guy is a progressive. Intermedia holds a number of gun and hunting publications in its portfolio. Looking at the number of antigun, anti-hunting czars on Obama’s payroll, I wonder how his advertisers feel about his progressiveness?

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:02PM EST

And will doom America.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:05PM EST

Nice try guys. Read this NYT obituary. It is for a Democrat who represented NY-23 until 1979. http://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/14/obituaries/samuel-s-stratton-73-former-congressman-dies.html Of course hindery was an adviser for the white house. He doesn't seem to have a good grasp on the facts.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:08PM EST

I HAVE HONEST QUESTIONS THAT I CANT FIGURE OUT:.........1.WHY HASN'T THIS MARKET COME DOWN TO PROPER VALUATIONS? WE ARE ALL SITTING AROUND WAITING FOR IT TO CRASH; WHY WON'T IT CRASH?.... ....2.WHAT AND WHERE ARE SPROUTS OF THE NEXT BUBBLE? 3.WHAT IS THE REAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE?.....4. WHAT DOES THE AVERAGE FAMILY THINK AND HOW ARE THEY SPENDING?

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:14PM EST

Term limits. House Rep. 6 terms or 12 years. Senator two terms or 12 years. Make the POTUS one 6 year term. Both parties suck and only work for K Street and Wall Street.

Yahoo! Finance User
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:16PM EST

How can it be an 'L' shape if we've had a 40% bump off of the lows... it's been anything BUT flat since March...

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:18PM EST

Wall Street got a bail-out; main street got the outhouse. Big Three Auto got the bail-out; main street got the bill. Mr. President, and your econ advisors: JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! Aren't you listening? Health care is nice but if you have no job to enjoy it when you're in need of it what good is it? Let me repeat: "JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!" The stimulus money: 'paid to claim success by giving raises to save jobs' What a crock.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:19PM EST

He is a Democratic apologist but, you know what? He's got his facts straight and no lies. Some spin maybe, but I expect that from anybody in politics. Good guest, TT.

- Wednesday November 04, 2009 06:20PM EST

Health care or a job. You decide.

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