President Barack Obama firmly resists ideological labels, but at the end of a private meeting with a group of moderate Democrats Tuesday afternoon he offered a statement of solidarity.Who's part of the New Democrat Coalition? Joseph Crowley, NY; Adam Smith, Washington; Ron Kind, Wisc. See the rest of their smiling faces.
“I am a New Democrat,” he told the New Democrat Coalition, according to two sources at the White House session.
The group is comprised of centrist Democratic members of the House, who support free trade and a muscular foreign policy but are more moderate than the conservative Blue Dog coalition.
Obama made his comment in discussing his budget priorities and broader goals, also calling himself a “pro-growth Democrat” during the course of conversation.
The self-descriptions are striking given Obama’s usual caution in being identified with any wing of his often-fractious party. He largely avoided the Democratic Leadership Council – the centrist group that Bill Clinton once led – and, with an eye on his national political standing, has always shied away from the liberal label, too.
As recently as last week, he steadfastly refused to define his governing philosophy.
Asked in an interview with the New York Times to describe if he was a liberal, socialist or progressive, Obama demurred. politico
Here is their about:
Founded in 1997, The New Democrat Coalition (NDC) provides moderate, pro-growth Members of Congress with the opportunity to advance a common sense policy agenda to move our country in the right direction. New Democrats have built a reputation as the "go-to" group in Congress on the critical issues of economic growth, national security, personal responsibility, and technology development.
Hailing from every region of the country, New Democrats are intent on modernizing both the Democratic Party and the country. New Democrats support policies to expand economic growth and ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to benefit from that growth; a fiscally responsible and efficient government; a secure homefront; and a robust foreign policy that includes trade, constructive U.S. leadership throughout the world, and a modern and strong military.
Reorganized under new leadership at the beginning of the 109th Congress, the NDC is a cohesive core of active members committed to these legislative goals. NDC members engage in candid policy discussions during weekly meetings and look forward to bringing new members to these discussions as membership grows. While the NDC seeks to expand its ranks of like-minded members, it is also reaching out to experts for their help in gathering support for critical legislative priorities.
Some of their statements at the ND website:
"The New Democrat Coalition embraces a vision of reform that values individual responsibility balanced with corporate citizenship and government accountability."and
"We believe in promoting economic growth through investments in cutting edge technology, science and research & development."Yep. Sounds like Obama.
