Can the Dems control the conversation for a win in 2012?

David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager for the 2008 election and the upcoming 2012 election said Wednesday that he thinks the Dems will win back America's vote in 2012.  In his talk at the University of Delaware's Center for Political Communication Plouffe outlined what he though about the Republican's win in the recent mid-term election. 

Why did the Republicans win?  Because mid-term electorates tend to be older and white- a demographic, David says, Obama has always had a hard time winning- especially in certain areas of the country.  (I am just going to come right out here and say that I believe these are probably the more racist areas of the country.  Not something Obama can openly talk about in our culture, but there nonetheless.  I will not be shy about this topic, as racism is an issue that needs to be spoken honestly about).  Millions of 2008 Obama supporters failed to turn up at the polls on Nov. 2.  Plouffe is sure the electorate that shows up in 2012 will bring a much larger coalition for Obama, including more hispanics, blacks and more moderate independents.

The electorate, of course was not the only problem.   "It's the economy, stupid." When things are bad, incumbents lose out.

I would also like to pose the question, "Where have Obama's supporters been since they elected him?"  Obama made it clear that it was the people who had to do the hard work, but his people seem to have abandoned him.  Likewise, Democratic senators and representatives in congress failed to lead on Obama's messages. 

I am confident that Plouffe is right about a more favorable electorate.  What worries me is the alarming ability of the neo-conservatives (Rove, Cheney, Wolfowitz, otherwise the PNAC) to co-opt the Tea Party movement, and convince 50% of Americans that the bailouts were on Obama's watch, among other fallacies.  How will Obama challenge lies and doublespeak (i.e. Dems not working with Republicans) set up by his opposition?  He has failed in addressing this communication failure so far.  I argue that above the Administration not explaining its accomplishments well enough to the public, they have not refuted the lies and propaganda coming at them from the far right.  This failure is what has stacked a recession of morale on top of our devastating economic recession.

Plouffe asserted that, come November, 2012, the Country will be able to tell the difference between the extreme right and their destructive contributions to society, and the progress that Obama has made during one of the toughest times in America's history.  I guess history will be the judge of that.