So, how bleak are things?

In laying out the reasons why things are not as bleak as 98
percent of the Democratic Party believes they are, Plouffe doesn’t have offer
good news for the party on the No. 1 issue for every voter, the economy. He
tells the truth: “the government can only have so much direct impact on
job creation … full recovery will happen only when the private sector begins hiring
in earnest.”

Plouffe is also honest about what a political liability
Obama’s top two domestic agenda items have been — healthcare reform, which
hasn’t become law, and the stimulus, which did. Healthcare, he admits, is
now a “demonized caricature,” and the stimulus “has been
stigmatized.” Plouffe counsels moving forward with healthcare reform
without delay even though the short-term politics are bad.

“Politically
speaking,” he says, “if we do not pass it, the GOP will continue attacking the plan as if
we did anyway, and voters will have no ability to measure its upside.”
Plouffe recommends that Democratic candidates “lift up the police
officers, teachers and construction workers in their state or district, those
who are protecting our communities, teaching our children and repairing our
roads thanks to the Democrats’ leadership.”

In essence, Plouffe and the White House are doubling down on
the Obama agenda, not pivoting from it. Don’t wait for a huge turn in the State
of the Union on Wednesday night or any declaration about how “the era of Big Healthcare
Reform is over.” No, rather the Obama team will seek to rebrand, reframe
and re-explain its signature initiatives. Selling them the first time didn’t
work, so they will try again.

Are Democrats in Congress, those people actually running for
reelecition, on board?

HOW WILL OBAMA TURN THE PAGE IN HIS SOTU
ADDRESS WEDNESDAY? Ask A.B. returns Tuesday, Jan. 26. Please join my
weekly video Q&A by sending your questions and comments to askab@digital-staging.thehill.com.
Thank you.