Obama Pleads For Help From the Blue Dogs He Put Out of Office

This must be getting pretty bad if you have to go plead for help from the people who were thrown out of office because of your policies:

President Barack Obama is looking to an unlikely quarter—lame-duck Democrats who lost partly because of him—to help quell a revolt by House Democrats opposed to his tax deal with Republicans.

Administration officials Friday continued to scramble to build support among the 52 Democrats defeated in November, a group that comprises a substantial number of conservatives and centrists from Republican-leaning districts who failed to withstand the anti-Obama wave of the midterm elections.

Many of these Democrats are already on record supporting an extension of existing tax rates for all taxpayers, but in recent days they have been eclipsed by an anti-Obama uproar from liberals who dominate the House Democratic Caucus. That puts the White House in a curious position of needing the support of lawmakers who lost their jobs in part because of the president.

“A strong leader is one who knows when to compromise,” said Rep. Michael E. McMahon (D., N.Y.), a lame duck who has endorsed Mr. Obama’s tax-cut deal. Mr. McMahon contrasted the president with “those who would block any and all action by stomping their feet like petulant children.”

The White House agreement with Republicans links a two-year extension of all the Bush-era income tax cuts to a one-year extension of unemployment benefits and other aid to middle-income families. In a closed-door strategy session dominated by liberals Thursday, House Democrats adopted a resolution opposing the compromise, threatening to keep the bill off the floor unless it is changed.

I've been saying for months that getting this tax deal done will be difficult because of Dem backlash against the voters who tossed out so many members of their party. The tax deal is looking more tenuous by the day, and Obama and the economy will take a big hit if he can't rally enough support to pass it.