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Divided We Stand

Divided We Stand
New book about the 2020 election.

Friday, October 21, 2011

On His Way Out, Cardoza Kicks Obama

Moderate California Democrat Dennis Cardoza announced his retirement from the House yesterday. From his statement:
Looking back on disappointments, I am dismayed by the Administration’s failure to understand and effectively address the current housing foreclosure crisis. Home foreclosures are destroying communities and crushing our economy, and the Administration’s inaction is infuriating. As a leader of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, I am also disappointed by the broadcast media's general lack of attention to moderate members of Congress, and their failure to recognize those members of all ideologies who work together to build consensus and solve problems. The constant focus on ‘screamers’ and the ‘horse race’ of elections is smothering useful discourse and meaningful debate of public policy. This, in turn, is fueling the increasingly harsh tone in American politics. My experience tells me that those who shout the loudest, and give the most speeches, have the fewest good solutions for America’s challenges.
At Politico, Alex Isenstadt writes:
House Democratic aides and party strategists, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said they were taken aback by the harshness of Cardoza’s message — he’s not known as a bomb-thrower — and couldn’t recall any recently departing member tossing such a grenade on their way out the door.

“This is beyond odd and clearly a reflection of Democrats’ frustration with this president and administration,” said one Democratic strategist who is a veteran of House races.